Last week, I had the privilege of traveling to Washington, D.C. to be an exhibitor at the ALC 54 Exhibit Hall during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference.
Why was I there? Simple: to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Sean Pittman, author of the Amazon bestseller Disaffected! — and to be part of something bigger than myself. Sean’s book is more than just pages; it’s a movement, and we were stationed right in the Author’s Literary Circle to introduce it to thousands of people searching for hope, strategy, and inspiration.
But here’s the thing: the Exhibit Hall wasn’t just about books. It was about the power of presence. Over two hundred vendors filled that hall. Google was there. Amazon was there. Disney was there. There was art that stopped you in your tracks, apparel that called out with messages of culture and identity, and conversations that you don’t forget when you leave.
I walked through those aisles and felt the pulse of progress. I saw innovation on display. I saw voices rising. I saw community alive and unafraid to shine. And in the middle of it all, I felt myself being challenged again — not just to show up, but to keep showing up.
That’s the philosophy behind Just Do Ten.
See, life doesn’t always give us the perfect platform or the perfect booth placement or the perfect audience. What it gives us is an opportunity — a chance to push through resistance and move one step closer to our goals. Ten push-ups. Ten burpees. Ten pages written. Ten conversations that matter.
In that Exhibit Hall, I bumped into my brother Oliver Gilbert. We graduated from law school together twenty-five years ago. Twenty-five years! And when we hugged and laughed about that time flying by, I realized something: it’s not just about how much you accomplish. It’s about staying in the fight long enough to see your seeds bear fruit.
That’s the message I carried with me as I walked past booths I didn’t get to shop at, as I admired artwork I didn’t take home. Those things will be there again. But the chance to live in this moment, to keep building, to keep stacking ten on top of ten — that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
So if you’ve never been to the ALC before, let me tell you this: don’t miss the Exhibit Hall. Don’t miss the chance to see community in action. And while you’re there, don’t miss the chance to ask yourself, What’s my next ten?
Because greatness isn’t about doing it all at once. It’s about doing ten. Then another ten. And another. Until one day you look back — twenty-five years later — and realize you’ve built a legacy.
