“Friendship, Faith & the Power of Our Words”

Today’s episode delves into the evolving nature of friendship—questioning one-sided connections and the real demands of mutual care. We then spotlight the urgent community hearing on the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan at LaGuardia College, where 190 voices will speak about LIC’s future. Next, we share a simple but profound Reminder: kindness costs nothing yet heals everything. Finally, we explore why the language we use to describe ourselves and our work can limit or liberate us—urging you to wield words as weapons of empowerment and affirmation.

1. Defining Friendship Anew

Friendship—at once tender and demanding—isn’t measured by the frequency of our calls, but by the reciprocity of care. It’s the mutual affection, trust, and shared experiences that knit two souls together. Yet, as I’ve wandered deeper into human connection, I’ve learned that friendship reveals its true colors when our needs and efforts balance:

If you only reach out when you need something, is that love—or convenience?And what of the friend who never calls at all?

Recently, I confronted this tension: I was the one always dialing, always asking. Their response was silence. Many shrug off the label “terrible friend” yet never mend their ways. So today, I invite you to be mindful: honor those who show up for you, and challenge yourself to show up for others.

2. News of the Day: OneLIC Neighborhood Plan Hearing

Today, LaGuardia College becomes the stage for 190 voices rising in testimony. Community Boards 1 and 2 convene to dissect the OneLIC “fake” community plan—a blueprint that promises affordable housing, waterfront revitalization, new schools, and resilience infrastructure. Yet Queensbridge’s name flickers, paradoxically absent from the impact zones. This hearing is more than bureaucracy—it’s our chance to demand transparency, equity, and true representation for every corner of our borough.

3. Tip of the Day: The Radical Simplicity of Kindness

“Be kind.” Two words that cost nothing but can mend a fractured spirit—and prevent that final, crushing straw on another’s back. As the elders taught:

“If you ain’t got nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything.”

Misery latches onto company, gossip fuels cruelty, and hypocrisy cloaks itself in piety. We can choose differently. Start with yourself: speak gently inwardly, forgive your own stumbles, then extend that grace outward. In a world starving for compassion, kindness is our most revolutionary act.

4. Build of the Day: Speak Yourself into Greatness

Words are spells we cast upon our reality. Yet too many shrink before their own greatness, cloaking themselves in meek humility:

“I’m just an activist…”

What if you reimagined that script?

• From meek to mighty: Replace “I’m weak” with “This is extremely funny and I am filled with laughter."

• From vague to vivid: Swap “I’m trying” for “I’m building,” “I’m learning,” or “I’m leading.”

• From passive to precise: Describe your emotions and ambitions with clarity—“I feel energized by challenge,” or “I aim to uplift 1,000 lives this year.”

Language doesn’t merely reflect our identity; it forges it. So choose words that honor your vision, amplify your purpose, and declare the full measure of your potential. In doing so, you enlist the universe in your quest—and invite others to join your chorus of impact.

When we redefine friendship, raise our voices in civic halls, extend kindness like wildfire, and speak ourselves into being, we weave a tapestry of trust, courage, and collective uplift. May today’s reflections guide you to deeper connections, bolder words, and a world healed by the power of your voice.

With Love & Grace,

Lashawn "Suga Ray" Marston

Founder,

Lashawn Marston Enterprises