Tawbah Thursday September 18th, 2025

Poll:

❓ What’s your mindset on burned bridges?

🔥 Lesson Learned

🛠 Rebuild Someday

🌿 Tawbah Thursday Reminder

To my fellow K-I-N-G-S

(Knowledgeable • Inspirational • Noble • Gifted • Strong)

& my beautiful Q-U-E-E-N-S

(Quality • Unique • Educated • Elegant • Nurturers)

We all came into this world pure. 🌱 Our mothers carried us for nine months, we were protected, nurtured, and kept pure.

What has changed? Not our essence. Only our environment.

The truth is — we are no longer in the womb, but we still carry the gift of purity when we choose to keep God as our moral compass. With Al-Quddūs (ٱلْقُدُّوسُ — The Most Holy, The Pure) guiding us, we can maneuver through this world with divinity and renewed purity.

🌌 Repent sincerely.

🌊 Return to purity.

🔥 Move with a cleansed heart.

May Peace Be Upon You.

Love always,

Insights & Inspiration: Founder of Neo Soul Noir

Al-Quddūs (The Most Pure)

❓ What do you seek today?

🤍 Purity of heart

🕊️ Peace of mind

Opening Scene (Purity of Birth)

(Return to Purity)

Renewal

“Summer Splash”: A Joyful Leap into Black Fatherhood

To the splash pad we ran, bare feet on the ground, With water like music, a soft dancing sound. Sprays from the fountains leap high in the air,

While joy soaked our skin and softened our care. We ran through the mist with that look in our eye, a spark that could outshine the summer sky. No toy could replace this, we stood side by side. My son my reflection.

A bond forged in play, love, and affection. Not much words were spoken, not needed the truth, is every heartbeat we feel it.

By Hatim Jean-Louis

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There’s magic in everyday moments.

That’s the spirit behind Grove Ave: Summer Splash — a vibrant, Muppet-style animated series crafted with love, laughter, and legacy. Created by Hatim Jean-Louis, this new project brings father-son bonding, playground joy, and cultural storytelling to life through richly textured puppet characters and sunset-lit park scenes.

Inspired by real moments and powered by purpose, Grove Ave celebrates the strength of Black fathers, the innocence of childhood, and the importance of representation — especially for children navigating autism, chronic illness, or life’s unique rhythms.

With influences from Sesame Street, Jim Henson, and the Afro-futurist creative lens of Neo Soul Noir, Grove Ave offers more than just content — it offers connection.

Whether you’re a parent, a creative, or just someone who believes in joyful, intentional storytelling — this is your invitation to join the journey.

🎬 Watch. Share. Build the Avenue with us.

🔗 Follow + Support:

• Instagram: @hatimjeanlouis

• Studio: @neosoulnoirstudio

Chains in the Sand — An Animated Short Film

We are proud to present the launch of our very first project, Chains in the Sand — a Neo Soul Noir animated short that marks the beginning of our movement: telling stories that echo across time, soul, and spirit.

Chains in the Sand brings to life the early story of Bilal Ibn Rabah — one of the first companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a formerly enslaved man of Abyssinian heritage whose voice became the first to call the Adhan (call to prayer) in Islam. Known for his unshakable faith under torture, Bilal’s life embodies the triumph of the spirit over oppression.

In this reimagined tale, we follow young Bilal through both a physical and spiritual journey across the desert — his chains a symbol of the societal and internal burdens that seek to confine him, and the vast sands a metaphor for the path toward self-realization and divine connection. Through striking visuals and deeply human storytelling, we witness a journey not just of survival, but of awakening.

This film is a mirror for us all: What chains hold you? And what inner voice refuses to be silenced?

🎥 Watch the full short film here: https://youtu.be/v1BslchdgPA

Your reflections, shares, and support help this vision grow.

Neo Soul Noir has only just begun. Stay tuned — the next story is already rising on the horizon.