Ten years ago today, November 20, 2011.

He was so excited to host his first “Pre-Thanksgiving Pot-Luck Party” at his place in Harlem. You could tell with each highly detailed email he sent. He enthusiastically gave updates on the 22lb turkey he found for us, got everyone to bring drinks and more food, sent itemized lists of the menu (I brought the lasagna!), sent out a hilarious invite with a picture of his head photoshopped onto a pilgrim, and he used lots and lots (LOTS) of different font sizes and formatting in each message. All of this is to say, he poured himself into this event and it turned out to be a stellar time! I remember dancing away with Be, my heart-to-heart with Kenny, catching up with Krista who I hadn’t seen in eons, and salivating over Elisa’s candied yams. 

Jason was obsessed with taking photos of everyone all the time, so it was no surprise when he got his camera and rounded us all up in that small ass kitchen. There were so many of us that he stood up on a chair to get a good angle, and he insisted that we all make a funny face, just as he had done in like 96% of the pictures taken of him.

Somehow that singular shot captured the energy of that night. So much fun and the greatest vibes. Everyone in that room was there because they loved Jason, and by default we naturally had a mutual respect and love for one another. That’s the effect Jason had. I’d like to think of this picture as a giant mirror reflecting the bits of Jason that live inside us now…. and I’m 1000% sure that if he were physically present at this moment, he’d joke about him now being inside us. 🙂