about me

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I'm afraid of heights and high risk adventures are definitely not my thing. Deciding to go skydiving was something that pushed me out of my comfort zone but I was up for the challenge. I had so many preconceived ideas of what the experience would be like and none of those ideas came to fruition. It was something I completely did not expect. I was relaxed. I was able to see New Hampshire from a completely new perspective. Being in the air was surreal. In that moment I thought, "Black men can jump, and Black men can FLY." I was flying and it felt amazing!!

 I am the son of Lowell E. Matthews, Jr. and Gail Gillispie. We lived in Strawberry Plains, TN down the hill from my grandmother, Mother Josie, in a single wide trailer that my dad converted to a double-wide. In my Mother Josie's basement there was a bookshelf of Encyclopedia Britannicas. I would spend hours reading and imagining myself living in foreign countries. Traveling to new places, making new friends. I had a vivid imagination that allowed me to create spaces to escape. This curiosity to explore led me the University of Delaware, Japan, Chicago, India, and New Hampshire. Throughout my journey I have been fortunate to connect with amazing people. The more I travel the more I realize there is still so much to learn and do. 

Time is precious and with each passing second it becomes more valuable. Memories become more treasured. Family and friends more endeared. This led me to host Gratitude Weekend, a two day event for me to pay tribute to family, friends, and community that have been part of my journey.