a new place to call home?
Life update: so I’m doing something quite scary, which is flirting with the idea of moving coasts.
I’ve spent my whole life rooted on the East Coast.
I was born and raised in Maryland, lived in Virginia for high school, and went to college in Washington, DC and NYC. I’ve left and returned to these places over and over. Like old lovers, they’re familiar and comforting, but also complicated. Sometimes hard to let go. But lately, I’ve been craving something different. A new pace. A new place to call home where a new version of myself can emerge.
Last year, I gave myself permission to wander. I stepped away from NYC when finding work became impossible and let myself explore places that might hold me with more ease. I traveled more than I ever have before and fell in love with many cities, but something about San Francisco just clicked. I arrived in June 2024 for Frameline, the world's longest-running and largest LGBTQ+ film festival. I met people, had conversations, and felt a kind of alignment that’s hard to put into words.
There’s just something so beautiful and captivating about the Bay Area. The bridge, the water, the sky, the proximity to nature. The light, cool breeze that reminds me to slow down. The queer community and the vibrant people of color in Oakland. Each part of the Bay holds its own rhythm, its own truth. I also found a romantic love during that summer trip that has grown so beautifully over the past year and brought me back to the Bay again and again. With each visit, I found myself falling more in love with her and with this place.
Last month, feeling stuck and restless in Maryland, I booked an astrocartography1 reading, which was actually a birthday gift from my partner. Without knowing anything about me, the astrologer named three cities aligned with my birth chart. The first one she said? Oakland, CA. That was the sign I needed….
A few days later I secured a sublet, and now I’m here. Planting roots for the next month.
I’m walking new streets, sharing meals with strangers who are slowly turning into friends, and searching for signs that this could be home. I even picked up a part-time job at a brand-new cinema. I’m here to build, to explore, and to see what’s possible.
If you’re in The Bay or have connections to film folks here, job opportunities, queer community, or housing leads for August and beyond, I welcome any and all connections to be made✨
This is a soft landing, a toe in the water. But I’m open to diving in. More soon :)
Thank you for believing in the work and the wonder.
With love and gratitude,
Natalie Jasmine Harris 💚
natalieeeeee this was such a good read. <3 always makes me a bit sad when cool people leave new york, but the few times i've visited the bay have been great and i hope to be on the west coast more often. i love that lil sign from the universe in your reading, and i love that you found love in this new city. hope you land softly as you build a home elsewhere!