Toni Denise Carthan was born and raised in Los Angeles California, and is the mother of three loving adult sons. Her fondest memory growing up was how those in the neighborhood took the time to look after each other. “Everyone was family” says Toni. She learned early in life about diversity and culture; she had a number of Mexican friends who she grew ultra close to, and she remains friends with then even to this day. Toni shares with us the principles that she was reared with the Golden Rule “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” From the time that I heard Toni speak at the Exodus Summit, a three day conference focusing on assisting Black women to move abroad, take a sabbatical or become a digital nomad back in the fall of 2021, I knew her story needed to be heard as there are so many Black women age 50+ who would like to retire abroad and become an expatriate (aka expat). Toni says her move to first Tulum (a short stay), then Merida (considered to be the second safest city in North America) and now in Playa del Carmen was the spark she needed to experience God’s plan for her life on a higher plane. Toni stresses that the growth that she has experienced centers around her ability to try a new thing and whether or not it succeeds, she feels good that she has grown tremendously from the process. Living abroad has taught her to take one day at a time and to know that she doesn’t have to have it all figured out in advance. By the way, Toni would like you to know that she lives a good life in Playa del Carmen on her Social Security. It can be done! She relies heavily on God’s guidance, and this gives her the confidence to move forward in His will. Toni also has a consulting practice entitled Rise Up & Bloom Coaching, which has the mission of helping women, especially Black women to move abroad. A consultation with her helps you to identify the nuts and bolts of what it take to move to another country. She works with her clients around identifying a location, how to secure housing, understanding the Mexican Residency/Visa process (both temporary and permanent) and money management despite the lower cost of living in Mexico. Toni stresses that the biggest growth area will be around your mind shift and understanding the Mexican economy. Additionally, Toni is a jazz singer, who has had a few gigs in Mexico at cantinas, especially. She plans on getting her voice in further shape so that she can share the music that she loves – the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McCrae, etc. When I asked Toni how does she see herself growing from this point, she shared that she must buckle down to finish a book that she has been writing. Stay tuned for more on this. If you would like to connect with Toni, you can find her on her YouTube channel (Rise Up & Bloom), on Instragram (mstonidenise), on Facebook (Rise Up & Bloom Coaching).