By Dwuana Bradley & Naheemah McMicheaux McCallop 

The same arts-based approach to collective sense-making carries forward in My Crown My Way™ and Hair-etage Conversations LIVE^™ where creative practice becomes an intentional site of inter-generational learning and community engagement through literacy and community dialogue. “My Crown, My Way™ is the heartfelt creation of a mother-daughter duo, Naheemah McMicheaux McCallop and her then five-year-old daughter, Namia McCallop. The inspiration behind the book came from their shared desire to create a space for young people to celebrate their natural beauty and cultural heritage. According to Naheemah, “We wanted to tell a story that would inspire youth to recognize that they are a masterpiece — just the way God made them — and that they should never stop dreaming.”  

What appears in collage and verse — identity, care, protection and continuity — takes embodied form through dialogue, literacy and cultural practice in this second extension of the Black Ontology project in partnership with co-founders, Naheemah McMicheaux McCallop and Kia Crooms. 

Overview of Recent Project Contributions 
Recently, My Crown My Way^™ partnered with Compton Unified School District to deliver district-wide literacy programming serving youth and adults through a community-centered model. Going forward in 2026, My Crown My Way™ will continue to advance culturally grounded literacy and wellness experiences rooted in intergenerational dialogue and the holistic community care. 

Designed to engage multiple generations simultaneously, this work positions literacy as both an educational and cultural practice, strengthening reflection, shared meaning and connection across age groups.  

Integrated into this programming were HAIR-etage Conversations™ and curated art installations, elevating hair as a living cultural archive and storytelling infrastructure that preserves identity, memory and lineage. This extension of the Black Ontology Project demonstrates how public arts-based spaces move art from mere expression to a site of collectivistic inquiry and community impact. The work supports educational equity, cultural preservation and public engagement rooted in anti-oppressive qualitative methodologies. 

Conclusion 
Across each initiative, My Crown My Way™ continues to design culturally meaningful, operationally-scalable programming that supports long-term community impact through story and education.