It’s weird! You never know where your blessings are going to come from, but when they come, always be grateful and try to act surprised.

I was really surprised on March 13th when I got a DM from Mimi Montgomery from Washingtonian! She found me on Instagram (I think through a repost by my home decor idol, @dommdotcom) and asked if I wanted to be featured on Look Inside My Home. Naturally, I was floored, excited and I really had to pee (this is a reoccurring theme, btw). Trying to play it cool, I replied, “OMG. Yass”, just 36 minutes after the request came in.

About a week later, I was typing up my answers to Mimi’s questions and scheduling a photoshoot with my mom/photog/accountant/business analyst, CMK Portraits. Let me tell you: I worked so hard on those answers and my photographer slayed!. Trying to be funny, relatable, and grammatically correct is freaking hard, but I wanted to make Mimi’s job easy, so I gave details, anecdotes and plenty of quotable moments.

After gathering the photo release, my job was done and all I had to do was wait… and wait… and wait somemore…

The wait wasn’t that long, tbh! Like a week. But when you’re getting your big break, a single day can feel like an eternity…

Finally, on April 8th, I got the email that my story was live and the first thing I did was close the phone. I wanted a genuine reaction and I needed to capture it on film. (I had just watched Amanda Gorman’s Vogue cover revel and I was inspired.) I grabbed my phone, my mom, and my bladder and recorded my reaction. IT WAS GLORIOUS!

To see my name, my apartment, and my talents on the big stage… WHEW CHILE, I just couldn’t believe it. I must have read that article a thousand times. Hell, I’m pretty sure all traffic was from me reading it on different phones and laptops.

I’ll never forget this moment because it was the push I needed to know that Imani At Home was valuable. It showed me that other people would care about what I do, and that I could really make a go at making a name for myself.

Forever indebted to Dom & Mimi,

Imani