This final activation of The Possibilitree Garden on May 31st at Bailey’s Cafe is not just an exhibition. It is a sacred offering, a rite of passage, and a celebration of interdependence. It is my 40-Free: a threshold into new dimensions of purpose, possibility, and love.

When my marriage ended, I thought the life I had built had come undone. But what followed was not a collapse—it was an initiation. bell hooks' All About Love and Osho's Love, Relationships & Aloneness became anchors in the turbulent waters of that transformation. hooks helped me understand that healing is never solitary; it is rooted in relationship, in accountability, in love-as-action. Osho taught me that love does not end, it expands beyond form. These teachings formed the spiritual soil of The Possibilitree Garden.

My art was the lifeline that pulled me through. And yet, for so long, I didn't speak about the role that art played in my survival. bell hooks’ Art on My Mind gave me the language. She affirmed what I had always felt in my bones: that art is not a luxury, but a liberation technology. It is a ritual practice, a generational gift, a divine inheritance.

My grandfather taught me photography and painting. My grandmother gave me story and wonder. My father instilled rhythm and heart; my mother, song and breath of fire. My brothers, uncles, and cousins protected and challenged me. My aunties, sister-friends, and mentors saw me fully, loved me well, and taught me how to trust my own becoming. I am here because of a vast community that fed me from the roots—soil rich with history, grief, laughter, prayer, and play.

BlackJOY Imagination Vacation: The Possibilitree Garden, now on display at Bailey’s vafe in BedStuy, BK until May 31st, 2025

The Possibilitree Garden is a love letter to that ecosystem. It is also a mirror of the cultural worlds that raised me. Communities like End of the Weak, Freestyle Mondays, The Lesson BK, Brooklyn Wildlife, Capicu Culture, The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, WOW Cafe Theater, Subterra Sounds, SpeakEasily NYC, Sunday FunDay, Smalls Jazz, Word at 4F, The Rose Garden, and Aura Sessions have been creative sanctuaries. In these rooms, in these cyphers, I’ve sharpened my craft and expanded my sense of what’s possible. They are the places where I grew not only as an artist but as a cultural worker, a memory-keeper, and a communal healer.

This work also draws energy from my own project spaces like The Glimmer Garden Mic-Shop, a monthly grief-to-growth ritual and pop-up gallery. It is where I learned, time and again, that art is an altar—a place where Black joy, rage, and imagination meet.

This evening, I am accompanied by a group of masterful artists and dear collaborators. Together, we are A Band Called Possibility. We will perform selections from my upcoming album B.L.A.H. Vol. 5: The Comedown Clarity and excerpts from my book B.L.A.H. Vol. 4: In The Valley With The Shadow of Death. Both are available for pre-order at www.thegodis.art.

Sen Raines

Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Sen Raines is a multi-hyphenate artist and visionary who bridges jazz, gospel, and experimental soul. A graduate of Montclair State University with a B.A. in Jazz Performance, she has since served as a music director, bassist, and educator across NYC and beyond. Her deep groove and intuitive musicality have made her a sought-after collaborator in both sacred and secular spaces. Sen is committed to the ancestral role of musicians as storytellers and cultural protectors.
IG: @senbabyy

D. Fraze

A Broklyn-born drummer, composer, and educator, David's roots are deeply embedded in the Black Pentecostal church tradition. The son of gospel songwriter David Frazier Sr. and educator Leslie Walker Frazier, David grew up in a home of rigorous discipline and divine sound. He earned both BFA and MFA degrees in Jazz Performance from SUNY Purchase Conservatory, studying under greats like Kenny Washington and Hal Galper. A world-traveled musician, David has toured with Moses Sumney, SZA, Arto Lindsay, Billy Porter, and many more. His rhythmic language blends church, jazz, and diaspora sensibilities with surgical precision and soul.
IG: @d_fraizer

Adam Bauch

A New York native and founder of Jam Factory NYC and Musicool in China, Adam is a multi-instrumentalist, educator, and technician whose practice spans continents and genres. As a performer, Adam blends deep-pocket grooves with lush sonic landscapes to invoke emotion and movement. His pedagogy bridges technical rigor with improvisational exploration, allowing students of all ages to unlock their inner musicians. Whether on stage or in the classroom, Adam moves with a mission to inspire embodiment through rhythm.
IG: @adambauch_

Zaven

Zaven is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, vocalist, and the visionary behind A Jam Called Saturday, one of Brooklyn’s most inclusive and intergenerational jam sessions. His work centers the power of improvisation, genre fluidity, and cultural fusion. Through his leadership, AJamCalledSaturday has become a beloved hub for radical musical collaboration, skill-sharing, and joy-based resistance. As a music director and collaborator, Zaven brings warmth, virtuosity, and reverence to every space he enters.
IG: @zavgod

Open Jam: An Invitation to Collective Becoming

After our set, we invite you to stay, play, and build with us. The night will conclude with an open jam led by Zaven, where all are welcome to contribute. In Black diasporic culture, improvisation is not simply a technique—it is a survival strategy. A memory device. A site of transformation.

These spaces matter. They are where we remember that we are not alone. That we are creators of our own reality. That iron sharpens iron. That pressure can burst pipes or make diamonds. Tonight, we choose to make gems.

Welcome to The Possibilitree Garden. Welcome to Happy 40-Free.

In gratitude and in love,
C. Joi Sanchez
www.thegodis.art
www.patreon.com/radicalblackjoi

Absolutely—here’s a revised version of your newsletter that’s warm, grounded, and relatable, with a softer tone that still invites support without feeling like a pitch:

Subject: A Season of Blooming (and You’re a Part of It) 🌱

Hey y’all,

I wanted to take a moment to share what’s been moving in my world lately—because somehow, after years of grinding, creating, parenting, and dreaming, I’m suddenly in a season where a lot is happening… all at once.

This month is packed with performances, openings, readings, and community events. I’m proud—and a little overwhelmed—in the best way. If you’ve been wondering how to connect, show up, or just keep up with where I’ll be, here’s the full lineup:

May Dates

May 8 – The Live Input Show @ Secret Pour, 9PM
May 9 – Lucille’s in Harlem w/ @AJamCalledSaturday
May 11 – Glimmer Garden Mic-Shop @ WOW Café (6pm sign-up, 7pm show)
May 16 – Opening: “Planting Possibilitrees” @ Bailey’s Café
A garden installation that grows with community reflection. I’ll be in conversation with Amy Touchette about joy, grief, and Black imagination.

May 17 – WomensJam @ Artichoke Pizza, Bushwick
May 24 – “Let Em Cook” @ Bailey’s Café – food + storytelling, come share space (and a plate if you’d like)
May 25 – “Rituals of Resistance” gallery opening @ Moonzescope, Soho
May 29 – Live painting + convo w/ Alex Harsley for FAB’s 50th @ E. 4th Street
May 30 – Comedy Feature @ Sugarmouse – it’s my birthday!
May 31 – “Blooming Brunch” closing of Possibilitree Garden @ Bailey’s
Music, stories, reflection on two years of art-making in community

June

June 7 – Philly reading of my poem in S/He Speaks Vol. 3
June 22 – Glimmer Garden Mic-Shop, feat. @poetniamora
June 24–30 – New Orleans, LA for Kolaj Fest:

• Sitting on a panel about curiosity, wonder, and joy

• Performing poetry

• Showing work in a group exhibition

I’m writing this not just to promote events, but to say: I’m really doing this. I’m finally in a moment where the work is being seen, asked for, celebrated. And that means everything to me.

This season is stretching me in all ways—artistically, emotionally, and logistically. I’m still figuring out how to make it all work, especially the travel, shipping, and performance costs. But I’m going to show up, because these moments feel too aligned, too affirming, to miss.

So whether you come to a show, send a word of encouragement, or just forward this to someone who might want to connect—I appreciate it more than you know.

With love and art,
J. SansChez
@thenotoriousrbj
💜

Dear Art Lovers, Collectors, and Champions of Creativity,

I hope this posting finds you well. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on family, community, and the ways we show up for each other. It’s been a while since we last been in touch, so please allow me to re-introduce myself.

My name is C. Joi Adams Sanchez, and my journey as an artist has been anything but conventional. I’m a Brooklyn-born, Bronx-based, self-taught artist, a single mom, and a disco princess who has built a career on resilience, resourcefulness, and an unrelenting passion for creation. My art is not just about self-expression—it’s about survival, transformation, and joy in the face of adversity.

In the past five years, my life has been a whirlwind. The day the world shut down in 2020, my father—once a celebrated musician—was diagnosed as terminally ill. That same day, my apartment ceiling collapsed, I lost my job over email, and I found myself stranded in Texas after a canceled SXSW. I cried in a stranger’s backyard, unsure of how to move forward. But I did.

Since then, I’ve endured a dangerous living situation, provided end-of-life care to my father, navigated homelessness with my children, relocated to The Bronx, and still, somehow, my art has flourished. It has been my therapy, my sanctuary, and my bridge to opportunities I could have never imagined. As an artist, I’ve spent years carving out a space for myself as an artist—through painting, performance, writing, and curation. This work isn’t just what I do; it’s how I make sense of the world, how I heal, and how I create opportunities for others. Now, I’m at a pivotal moment where your support can make all the difference.

Following the passing of my father, Patrick Adams in 2022, I’ve been working to stabilize the foundation of my artistic practices as preparation to inherit his copyrights and publishing over the next few years. This year, I’ve been invited to participate residencies and exhibitions across the country and internationally, including Kolaj Fest (New Orleans), Art in Odd Places (California), and taking Thee Quest for BlackJOY to Australia. I’m also expanding The Glimmer Garden and launching the third season of my artist salon at WoW Café Theater.

Most urgently, I was accepted into the Uncool Artist Studio Residency at Brooklyn Navy Yards, offering a subsidized studio for $3,300 instead of $12K. However, I’m still $3,250 short of the extended April 1 deadline. (And I am sorry for the last minute ask, I’m running a hail mary before I give up)

These opportunities represent a transformational moment in my career. However, without the necessary financial support, I risk losing the chance to fully step into this next phase. The reality is, opportunity means little without resources. I’ve built my career on will and creativity, but to truly sustain my art, I need investment. This isn’t charity—it’s a chance to support something lasting. Whether through a direct contribution, purchasing artwork, or sharing my work, your support is a building block for the future.

This is more than a donation or a favor or a fundraiser—it is a movement. Supporting me and/or the Resilient BlackJOY Fund means investing in art that tells vital stories, uplifts communities, and challenges the narratives imposed on us. It is an opportunity to be part of something that transcends the traditional boundaries of art collection—it is an investment in legacy, impact, and joy.

If you believe in the power of art to heal, transform, and inspire, I invite you to join me in bringing this vision to life. Your support is the bridge between possibility and reality.

Let’s talk if you're open to exploring ways to help. Thank you for always being in my corner—I can’t wait to make you proud.

In love, art and gratitude,
 C. Joi Sanchez

Ways to Give:
 V: @TheNotoriousRBJ | CA: $TheNotoriousRBJ | PayPal: tqfblackjoy@gmail.com
 Patronage: www.TheGodIs.art | www.NotoriousRBJ.art | www.patreon.com/radicalblackjoi