“You are the owner of your own destiny.”
A phrase told many times in different iterations over the course of history, it’s often said as a piece of encouragement when times seem to knock you out. From a speech by Steve Jobs to one of those Bob Marley quote posters in college dorms, we’ve heard it before. As someone in love with the stars and all the possibilities which exist outside our own galaxy, I’ve always been intrigued by this concept of owning one’s destiny. Everything I’ve done in life has been fueled by this inner desire
In that vein, with great love, pride, and gratitude, I’m humbled to write for the first time, welcome to Agency of Joy.
When I was a kid, I would daydream out the backseat window of my mom’s car, into the clouds and my mind, trying to discover whatever life secrets I suspected of the world at that age. As a teenager, I dove head first into a pool of unknown after choosing to live in Brazil as a foreign exchange student for a year. In college, I put student leadership ahead of my academics to foster community and find my voice. Now, almost ten years later and in the last year of my twenties, I find myself at the start of a new life adventure with a mission to answer the lifelong question of “what is my destiny?” This time though, unlike any time before, I feel ready, prepared, and fully tapped into a calling this universe has for me. This time, I’ve done the work to know myself and to know what the world needs to see from me.
Watkins Agency of Joy LLC is the hub of my self-owned business as a communications consultant and public speaker. Always one known to pave my own lane, there is no blueprint to this new adventure, meaning the possibilities of impact are endless.
After a career spanning almost a decade in nonprofit and social justice movement spaces, I’ve turned to share my talents with the world as a consultant.
Instead of working with one sole organization or company, I can now work with dozens.
From content creation and social media strategy to long-term project management, I’m excited to continue celebrating people and groups working to build a more collectively liberated world. Not only does this mean more of my proven extraordinary work in the world, it means more stories of joy getting shared in the world. That’s what this world needs most of all right now, stories of joy.
In addition to my entrepreneurial efforts as a consultant, Agency of Joy will also serve as a home for my growing role as a writer and public speaker. Never one to shy away from the public light, I recognize the power my own story has had on me as a queer Black man and the time to share my story with the world is now. With more stories of Black, brown, queer, and trans folk being told in media today, the time couldn’t be more ripe with opportunity. I’m excited to be launching this new public-facing venture grounded in love, vulnerability, and a desire to connect with folks at colleges, universities, and conferences across the country and world.
What you see on this website is the culmination of hard work, big dreams, and a loving community.
The photos you see across the site were taken by photographer and dear friend, R. Elias Rischmawi. We’ve collaborated before, but for this shoot we really outdid ourselves. From the choice in styling to the location, our goal was to capture my essence of bold joy and authenticity, with a very Brooklyn feel. I couldn’t be happier with our results. A queer Palestinian multimedia artist born and raised in Chile, Rischmawi’s work focuses on his cultural and visual surroundings and has been shown in queer New York City spaces such as the Leslie-Lohman Museum and Hamilton Landmark Galleries, so it’s an honor to be a subject of his.
The Agency of Joy logos you see were designed by another young and talented friend, Mohamed Osman. In this social media age, a brand is nothing without an identity, and Mohammed really helped me bring
Working with talented artists who happen to be my friends was an unknown dream come true.
To collaborate with anyone requires a certain level of trust. To do so on such a personal dream project of mine, and with other queer people of color who see me as my full self, both in work and life, felt like the universe conspiring to fulfill my destiny with me.
As I reflect on my career accomplishments thus far – from co-producing the Black Women Leading panel series to being profiled in Interview magazine as one of the “New Activists” of 2016, to working to reconcile faith and climate change and influencing the conversation around 100% clean energy – I’m humbled at how much light I’ve already shared with the world. I did all of that while still figuring out who I am, so I’m excited about what’s to come now that I’ve fully stepped into what my destiny is.
Growing up Black, queer, and in a single parent household, I didn’t have many representations of what it looked like to thrive for someone like me. And while there are far more portrayals of diverse gay, Black public figures today, I now realize I can be the person I wanted to see as a kid. The world I envision is one where more of us unicorns are in places of influence. A world where people of color spend more time celebrating our achievements instead of overcoming struggle.
I founded Watkins Agency of Joy LLC with the goal of influencing the world through joy and transformative storytelling. It’s my calling card to the universe saying I am here to claim my time. I’m not sure what exactly is to come, but I’ve never felt more aligned with a greater purpose than I am today. So let the adventure begin.