For the past six years, REALSOUL hasstrived to be a sustainable organization. We use this definition loosely. We had an amazing team of collaborators, advisors, and contributors. We had a vision and a business strategy. We spent many, many hours connecting with others. Whether late at night or on weekends, we were always trying to get eyes on our work... and the work paid off! And the work mattered. Learning about our stories is important, but reflection and agency is what Ethnic Studies is really about.

That said, sustainability has been extremely difficult. REALSOUL has been run mainly by one person — myself. On a personal level, REALSOUL has challenged me in ways I could only have dreamt of. Between learning business skills to truly opening myself up to embracing solidarity as less of an academic interest and more of a practiced lifestyle, I was forced to re-evaluate my internal and interpersonal biases. I sat in the discomfort and talked them out. Over the years, I have been so lucky to feel safe and privileged to even be able to push myself outside of these comfort zones. As I enter a new stage of my life, finding balance and spending time with my growing family is now my primary goal.

I am still learning and unlearning. It's a never ending process. I am thankful for the opportunity to be part of this growing movement and will contribute in any way I can. Just because REALSOUL is pivoting does not mean our work is done. Good change is coming. I can feel it. When we become aware of our surroundings and care to make that difference, it’s a different world out there. We just need to do it together.

So where does this leave REALSOUL? As we go into summer 2027, REALSOUL is here to stay, reimagined as a living archive. We will serve as an open platform for interdisciplinary exploration and a space to learn and unlearn together.

With the upcoming changes, here are a few things to note:

• Our lesson guides will remain free for the public.

• We are expanding parts of our lesson planning to artists who want to see their work live beyond their gallery dates.

• We will open submissions for contributors who want to add to our growing library.

• OurStory posters will be donated to partnering classrooms and school districts.

• We will be less active on social media, posting with intention rather than working within the algorthm.

Again, we do this work out of love for our communities. Thank you so much for the past six years.

In Community,

Katie