I waited for my fear to go away. It never did, so —ugh— I faced it

I went viral on LinkedIn with this post that broke the personal record of 15 reactions

This is a repost from a post I shared on LinkedIn to brag talk about my book club.

I've been wanting to launch a neurodiverse-friendly quiet book club in my neighborhood FOR YEARS. Just the thought of reaching out to a café nearby would trigger debilitating anxiety. In late March, I finally found the guts to take the plunge, and I reached out to my first choice of venue, SAVA Crepes & Coffee. The owner immediately said yes. That gave me the courage to reach out to the Toronto Public Library across the street to help me print some flyers and posters (they said yes too!) and to Welcome Guardian Pharmacy Roncesvalles up the street, to donate some earplugs / sensory tools for neurodiverse folks. The owner of the pharmacy said yes too.

The Roncesvalles Quiet Book Club aka The Roncy QBC aka The Get Sh!t Done Book Club was launched on April 7, 2026. It's a weekly gathering with neighbours and visitors around books, manuscripts, and breakfast. Some even bring their yarn to crochet. Bring whatever needs to be done.

I'm honored to see regulars coming from other neighbourhoods, sometimes from the East End! I love this new community. In a way, it looks like me. This event is my latest Everest, my new proudest achievement. Some run a marathon, some win an Oscar, some create a book club to hang out and chill with their neighbours over French pastries.

WHAT THIS TAUGHT ME: I should take my time and follow my own rhythm. I couldn't make it last year, or 3 months ago. But I made it in late March when I got out of the bed on a whim and walked to the café and pitched my idea with a dry mouth and shaking hands and I didn't die and they said yes. AAAAAAAAAH! :D

WHY DO I LOOK LIKE THE VIRGIN MARY?: All my books have been written under a blanket. This is my sensory tool. That, and the earplugs.

This event is free. My next challenge is to find the courage to host community events that are NOT free. Right now, it still scares the sh!t out of me.

Image Description: A hot Black lesbian wearing a blanket over her head, a black T-shirt featuring R&B legend Aaliyah, grey pants, and a grey cap by Yas Petitpoulet, stands in front of paintings by Don Osborne while holding a framed sign for The Roncesvalles Quiet Book Club.

#toronto#roncesvalles#roncesvallesVillage#QuietBookClub#bookClub#neurodiversity#ADHD#autism#neurodiverse#toronto#CommunityBuilding#auDHD#disability

This post was first published on LinkedIn some time in May 2026.