Why I'm Celebrating My 50th in 5 Countries

Life doesn't happen in one place. My 50th birthday celebration shouldn't either.

Just as we are able to choose where we live, we can also choose how we live. Exactly three years ago today, I landed in Portugal. A new life. New hairdo. New (dream!) home. New beginning.

📸 En route to IAD in 2021 to board a flight that would bring me to Portugal.

As I approach my 50th, especially in today’s political climate, I’ve been thinking about what it truly means to celebrate—not just milestones, but life itself. The ups and downs, the challenges and uncertainties, the adventures, and everything in between.

On my third Lisbon anniversary, being here signals my decision to choose joy over fear. So, it feels right that I reveal my 50th Birthday Jubilee theme today.

First, Why a Jubilee?

Born on January 20, I celebrate my Winter Birthday then. Ever a summer lover, annually, I also bring friends together for a warm-weather celebration called Summer Birthday.

Like me, the Queen of England had two birthdays, too. You know what else she had? JUBILEES. The way I see it, I deserve no less than a queen. 👑 She derived her wealth from people who look like me anyway.

Why Five Countries?

Life doesn't happen in one place. My birthday shouldn't either. We exist in a messy, sprawling, magical, and ridiculously incredible journey called being alive. So, let’s celebrate joy! Not that fleeting kind, but that deep, soul-rocking fortitude that comes with sticking it out, even when our world seems heavy.

That’s why I’m celebrating my 50th birthday in five countries, one jubilee for each decade of life. One 18-month celebration with five stops that tell different pieces of my personal story. This is about where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, what I want to carry forward into my next chapters, and countless reasons to celebrate each other. And, let’s be real! Turning 50 is a big deal, so why settle for one party when you can have five?

---

My Theme: Seasons of Joy

Remember, folks! This isn’t an ordinary birthday—it’s a jubilee. A global tribute to the power of joy. Joy is an act of revolution. Joy is self care. It’s how we thrive, and it’s one of the ways we can resist negative forces that aim to tear us apart and break us down. Listen to me, I want us all to honor the beauty of being alive!

This theme, Seasons of Joy, is about how happiness is never constant. It can come in different shades, arrive in unexpected places, and deliver a wide variety of emotions—it’s about the seasons that joy can bring.

---

The Five Stops

Here’s how the magic happens:

🇵🇹 Lisbon, Portugal
Revolutionary Joy | January 19-20, 2025

My birthday is Inauguration Day, Trump’s first day in office. We’ll celebrate resistance and liberation in my new hometown, Lisbon. In fact, this year, Portugal celebrated its own 50th Anniversary, the commemoration of kicking out its dictator on 25 de Abril, 1974. Joy is an act of defiance—it’s about choosing friendship, freedom, and our shared humanity. Join me in Lisbon.

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Sun-Kissed Joy | February 11 - 17, 2025

During college, I lived in Los Angeles, CA. Because my birthday falls so early in the year, I turned 21 before most of my friends did. So, we used to drive south of the border, to Mexico, so everyone could drink legally there. Next year, on the beach, I’m doubling up with a college friend for her 50th birthday. We’re all going to party like it’s our 25th 25th birthday. Margaritas, friendship, laughter, and the warmth of the sun will bring us joy.

🇬🇧 London, England
Joy in the Spotlight | June 2025

After undergrad, I moved to London, working in fashion and as a bartender. I love the theater scene there. Let’s see a show and celebrate how life is a stage—and fill ours with joy.

🇨🇼 Willemstad, Curaçao
Waves of Joy | July 1 - 7, 2025

I speak Dutch, lived in The Netherlands, worked in The Hague, and I have a few Nederlander exes. The weather is cold, grey, and rainy in Amsterdam. So we’re going to a Dutch Caribbean island called Curaçao instead. I spent my 40th there as well. A delicious mix of Dutch, Portuguese, South American, and Afro-Caribbean heritage fills the island with amazing music, dance & yummy food (including authentic stroopwafels). We’ll let joy wash over us as we soak up the sun on the beach.

⚽️ 🇺🇸 New York City, USA
A Victory of Joy | July 19, 2026

I lived in New York nearly a decade. I’m also a soccer fan. So, when the FIFA World Cup Final happens there, we’ll close out the jubilee by celebrating joy in one of the world’s most iconic cities.

---

Want to Join the Journey?

Joy is a choice. Joy is a practice. Not gonna lie, sometimes it’s hard. I’m angry about the direction the U.S. is taking, and the spillover effect it will have throughout the world. But that’s why I picked this theme.

I truly believe joy helps us reclaim hope and connection. Through the jubilee, we’ll celebrate the light we must find in ourselves and each other, despite difficulties unfolding around us.

Keep an eye out for updates, details, and stories from the road. With much gratitude, I wish everyone many seasons of joy.