Cornelia Street

CHAPTER 1: Welcome To New York
Entry #6: "Cornelia Street"

Dear readers,
Family. No matter how far apart you may live, you always find a way to get together when it's possible. When I moved to NYC, one of my biggest hopes was that my family would come and visit me here. Sure enough, my sister Dashia was the first one to volunteer as tribute. I've been so busy with the family I have become apart of here, it's nice to have a piece of my past re-enter the frame of my new state of mind, within my new life. My life in California is very important for the life I am creating here in New York. Before I went to pick up my sister, I went out to lunch with my friend, Adrian, and his wife, Sherry. I've known Adrian for the last year now. Us social influencers, we all know each other or know of each other. I'm grateful that I finally got to spend some time with him. He doesn't live in the city, but, he has been one of the nicest ones here. Let's just say everyone else in this 'social influencing' community within NYC, has not been kind. It's nice to have a bro in my corner. I really appreciated that he and Sherry took some time out of their schedule to spend it with me. I hope I get to see them again soon! I would love to hang out and shoot some photos. Hopefully one day our friend Danny from back home in Cali can come along too. I told you, we all know each other, lol.

After We parted ways, I headed to Time's Square to pick up Dash and her best friend, aka my vegan roomie, Morgan. I met Morgan last year when  Dash and I, visited NYC. Morgan lives in DC and came along with us. I love Morgan. They are a fantastic person and they make my sister very happy. Dash and Morgan were supposed to stay with me at my apartment. Due to my fucked up living situation, it scared my sister away, lol. Just joking, but seriously, she didn't want to stay there... I don't blame my sister. It's bad enough 2019 was one of the roughest years for us. We don't need to add a shared experience from my hellish apartment to that list. Dash is my best friend. We aren't blood, but, she is my sister. 17 years in, of course, we are family. I met Dash in elementary school and since then we have grown to become family. That's why I always address her as my sister. My family considers her family. My boys call her, Auntie Dae Dae. I'm so lucky that we are family. I don't know what I'd do without her. We've been through so much, yet here we are, still alive, and moving forward. Who would have thought that 17 years into our relationship, we'd be walking down Cornelia street, in New York City, together. Our kid selves would be shook if they found this out. It's so weird not living near my sissy anymore. Besides our stay in New York, when we first visited, Dash and I lived together as well. She lived at our house in California. It's her house too, my family's home is open to all our family. It is really weird not being able to walk downstairs and sit on her bed and just talk about random things for hours. It's also really weird, but a good weird, walking into the Starbucks that I met Dash and Morgan at, but this time, my sister is seeing me in a whole new light. She even admitted it's wild, seeing me here living in New York. Not just living, but doing things that people from back home, in the small town we grew up in, Fairfield. could only dream of. I can't begin to describe how good it is to be walking hand in hand, arm in arm, with my baby sister, in my new home, NYC. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss home. I miss home all the time. As my time in NYC continues to grow, I realize how much more I miss California, as the days go on. Home is a big part of me. I'm so glad that a piece of home could come to me, via my sister. I really needed her here. Even if it just for this moment. For me to thrive in this city, I need my family still. I'll always need them. After all that I've gone through, all that we have gone through, I'm always going to need them. Even if I'm out here in the world, all on my own, I'm always going to need them. 

Dash, Morgan, and I headed out for a night on the town. They both wanted to get piercings, so I escorted both of them to the piercing shop. Dash has always liked piercings. For as long as I can remember, my sister has been all about that, lol. Both of them got piercings where they wanted them and as we sat and waited for each of them to finish, we just talked about how crazy the last few weeks have been. I didn't get to say goodbye to Dash when I left California. My sister has been traveling around the east coast with Morgan. I'm glad I got to catch up on their crazy adventures. They can add their new piercings to that list. We headed to Korea town to grab some vegan sushi and hit up the karaoke club scene. First off, the vegan sushi was INCREDIBLE. I have never had mock salmon that just melted in my mouth. Deadass, I can still taste it. It was incredible. After we finished dinner we didn't know what the hell to do. I'm still new here and Jesus and Julio weren't able to make it, so I honestly didn't know what to do. We all settled on going to this karaoke club. I had a feeling it would be pricey AF. Dash said she had a coupon, so we just went with it and went in. I don't know why we went there, but we barely even used the karaoke machine in the private room we were in, lol. The night kinda blurred together, but I remember Dash doing a SCREAMO version of '7 Rings', by Ariana Grande. God, that was so damn funny. I cried of laughter. It brought me back to our Whitney Houston dance sessions in our family room back home. Except, this time we are grown adults in a whole new world. As our first hour finished up, we all agreed we should call it a night. I had to be up early the next day, and they had to get going back to DC and California. When Dash got the check, she found out the coupon was not eligible... we were all so livid. It was to be expected though, This is NYC, it's not SF. It's a very different world. We had no choice but to pay the club more money than we expected. After we left with basically $0 (cheers to adulting), I brought my sisters back to the subway. It was here, where I finally got to share a proper goodbye with my baby sissy. I got to have proper goodbyes with my other sibs, but, Dash and I didn't get to have that until tonight. I know I'll be seeing her in basically a week and a half... Yes, I'm going back to California. Just for 18 days, not to live. We'll talk about that later. Anyways, I'm so proud of how far we have come. If you could look into my mind and see all that we have gone through, both separately, and together, you would be proud too. It's a lot. It's all been a lot for us, but we continue to make it out alive and move forward. Back in the day, Dash and I used to do Laurel Creek idol at our old elementary school. Now here we are at Penn Station, hugging goodbye because I live here and she lives back home in California. I think it has finally hit both of us, we are old, we are growing up, and we are grown. I love my sister, and I hope she knows that regardless of my shitty living situation, wherever I am, she is always welcome to be with me. That invitation is open to all my siblings, always. I'm glad I got to see my vegan roomie, Morgan. I hope they know that I consider them family as well. They make my sister so happy, and honestly, it makes me so happy to see her with the biggest smile on her face, especially after all that we have been through. I really needed her here with me. Even just for this moment, It really means a lot to my heart and soul to have a piece of home here in my new home, NYC. As I walked away, I did cry. I cried because, I always miss my siblings, my family. I just want to do right by them. I want the world to know our story, and have them be able to fall in love and relate to it. I know it is possible. I wouldn't have left behind everyone that I love, if I didn't think it was possible. I'm just so glad I got to have my sister hold me up, to hold me over until I get back to California soon. 

​Love, Roydom Lucian

Photographer: Alex Chavez

What I'm Wearing - Blazer - Saks 5th Ave, Hoodie - H&M, Pants - Uniqlo, Beanie - Good Fellow