In my previous blog post, I Crashed Oprah’s Commencement Speech, I revealed that in 2017 I attended Agness Scott College’s graduation ceremony just to hear Oprah speak–I didn’t know a single graduate. Yet, something about her words planted a seed in me–though at the time, I couldn’t tell if it landed in fertile soil…or pure manure.
Fast forward to 2025, and I walked across that same stage–this time as a graduate myself, earning my Master’s in Social Innovation. Fruit, finally, had come to bear.
Of course, there was a lot of growing to do in between. In 2020, I found myself at Church of the Common Ground, building sacred community with people impacted by homelessness. That work helped me see how radical hospitality could become not just a practice, but a purpose.
By 2022, I officially enrolled at Agnes Scott. That spark lit a bigger fire: Equitable Third Space, my storytelling-based initiative grounded in radical hospitality.
Along the way, I learned, traveled, and stretched myself through incredible opportunities:
- Odyssey Impact Fellowship (UK, Cairo, and Atlanta)
- Bridge to Business at Georgia Tech
- Storytelling & Narrative Change Cohort at Auburn Seminary in NYC
- AAUW Career Development Grant recipient
Each of these experiences shaped my vision–showing me how stories can transform systems and shift hearts.
So what’s next?
Right now, I’m simply taking in this moment. Grateful for the roots I’ve planted, proud of what’s grown, and hopeful for what’s ahead.
If you’d like to keep up with the journey, connect with me over at @radicalhospitalitea.
This is my offering…and the story is still unfolding.
If stories like this resonate with you, I’d love your support as I continue building Radical Hospitalitea, a living archive in Atlanta. It serves as a digital home for the voices and stories of people impacted by homelessness.
You can help by sharing this post with your community, subscribing below for updates, or contributing to my Buy Me a Coffee campaign to keep the work going.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support means everything.
Shereetha J. 🌱✨