Set the Container
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Can we still say that in the middle of February?
Welcome to 2026! (Same question - it’s been a busy first six weeks of the year!)
This is Erica Jensen, MGP board member, casting director, playwright, and mom.
I always look forward to the new year.
I start planning my list of resolutions early in December, a list that supports my word of the year. Last year, my word was “creativity,” and my list consisted of things like:
“Commit to writing everyday”
“Go to two museums I’ve never been to”
“Learn to play the guitar”
“Cook two recipes from the Julia Child cookbook I’ve had for five years and never opened”
I did write just about every day, which resulted in the completion of, and developmental workshop for my full-length play, Black Friends!
And I did make it to those museums (did you see the Amy Sherald exhibit at the Whitney? It was incredible.)
The guitar – I’ve been making that promise for years, and it never comes to fruition.
And I’m embarrassed to say the Julia Child cookbooks are still wrapped in the plastic packaging they arrived in.
I’m trying something new this year: instead of making a list of things to accomplish, I’ve made a list of values, things that are important to me, things that give me purpose.
And then I think about how to make space for them.
Making space involves letting go of things that get in the way, the literal and figurative clutter that prevents us from achieving our goals.
So, I’m going to think a little differently this year:
What do I need to release to make more space for writing?
What do I need to let go of to prioritize my health?
What boundaries do I need to set with certain friends and family to keep drama at bay?
That’s what I’m thinking about this January (and February) 2026. Below, I invite you to do so as well!
I wish you great success and joy in 2026!
An invitation to an exercise:
Make a list of your values. Make the list specific and far-reaching. We encourage you to reflect on the things that serve as your personal compass.
Next, cross off everything but the top three - the first ones that came to you reflexively.
Consider what you need to do to focus on the top three for the rest of the year.
What do you need to clear out to prioritize those top three?
EXHIBIT INFORMATION
THE BATHERS
(our Martha’s Vineyard inspo)
Michelle Obama official portrait
(or our homemade title - The three Michelles: Michelle LaVaughn, Michelle Joy, and Erica Michelle)
MAKE GOOD NEWS:
Do the Write Thing
at The Dream Center in Harlem
For folks who identify as Black women in the New York area, our free writing circle on the first Saturdays of the month will return to The Dream Center in Harlem in March. We will write, share, and build community. Subscribe to our Insta for an update on timings and the sign-up link when it becomes available.
Save the date:
Saturday, March 21st, 2026!!
Make Good in-person benefit!
We have launched our Substack!
A veritable wonderland of content from this collective and our friends and followers. Featuring current writing, pieces from our summer retreat on Martha’s Vineyard, the “Bake Off” community writing event, and more! https://substack.com/@themakegoodproject
Planning is underway for our 2026 retreat!
Upcoming for 2026:
THE MAKE GOOD RETREAT
Martha’s Vineyard — Vineyard Arts Project
Theme: Legacy
This summer, The Make Good Retreat returns to Martha’s Vineyard, gathering sixteen Black women artists for a week of rest, creation, and reflection. The theme will be: Legacy. Exploring what we preserve, what we pass on, and how our stories endure.
Participants will write, dream, and collaborate through workshops, shared meals, and deep creative rest—continuing our commitment to collective storytelling and care.
Looking for ways to support? Sponsor our retreat!
Presenting Sponsor — $35,000
Sole underwriter; name and logo on all retreat materials; a private storytelling workshop for a group of your choosing (your company; friends); recognition in all post-retreat communications.
Community Circle Sponsor — $10,000
Support for meals, transportation, and shared creative materials; logo placement and recognition in event program.
Legacy Builder Sponsor — $5,000
Support for participant scholarships; name listed on materials and website.
For more information email: hello@themakegoodproject.com
Join us weekdays from 5-6am at Write Club for some cameras-off/brains-on silent accountability while early morning art-making. Register here
Visit our website for more info about how you can join us
Follow us on IG
To make a general inquiry about how you can partner with us email us: hello@themakegoodproject.com
Let’s Make Good together in 2026!
The MAKE GOOD PROJECT, INC
a 501(c)(3) organization