What AI Can Never Do
- Yolande Clark-Jackson
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
WDW July 2026
What AI Can Never Replace
No matter how much technology is used to make things faster and easier, it can never replace community. We need to gather and connect and that won’t change.
As much as I love traveling to new cities, I’ve recently been working to connect to places in my own neighborhood beyond my usual errands and 1-mile walk down the sidewalk away from my house and back.
I discovered that less than 3 miles from me is a historic main street bustling with unique small businesses. I was there for a book signing and author meet and greet last month hosted in part by the public library in collaboration with St. Cloud Main Street organization and small businesses in the area.
Rocko Rocket was hosted by the owner of Eva Luna Styles, Nancy Martinez. Originally from Venezuela, Nancy designs boho-chic women's wear that transitions from daytime street wear options to what to wear to feel comfortable and classy at a night out at dinner. She works with Columbian artisans to bring her designs to life and allows customers to customize their sandals and shoes. It was the first time I’ve seen that level of customization in a boutique. Anyway, Nancy gave me a tour of a few other businesses in the area, and now I’m hooked. There are so many places to buy unique pieces for vacation fits or to purchase specialty gifts. There’s even a cute hotel that is over 100 years old right in the center of everything that is very affordable. So if you are in the Orlando area and want to check out Historic St. Cloud, let me know. I would be happy to join you for a cup of tea or glass of wine and show you around.
From left: Connie from St. Cloud Main Street, Me and Nancy of Eva Luna Styles
👉🏽Keep scrolling for wine holidays, writing prompts, travel highlights, book recommendations and event announcement
This month's Haiku:
July heat against (5)
waxy magnolia leaves bring (7)
summer into view (5)
👉🏽If you have a poem or haiku you'd like me to consider for the next newsletter, send it my way.
Cheers to a great month ahead!
Wines Holidays to Celebrate this Month
July 12th International Cava Day:
International Cava Day is celebrated on July 12th this year (the second Saturday of July) honoring Spain’s beloved sparkling wine. Cava is to Spain what Champagne is to France crafted primarily in the Penedès region using traditional methods that create those signature lively bubbles and crisp acidity. It’s the perfect excuse to pop open a bottle of this affordable yet elegant sparkler that pairs beautifully with everything from tapas to celebration toasts.
July 24th Shiraz Day:
Mark July 24th on your calendars for International Shiraz Day celebrating one of the world’s most versatile red wines. Whether you know it as Shiraz (the Australian and New World style) or Syrah (the French original), this grape produces wines ranging from bold and peppery to rich and fruit-forward. You can also try a non-alcoholic version of this one out of Australia call New Blood.
July Writing Prompt: When was the last time you explored your own neighborhood and what did you discover?
🌟 Wine Down and Write
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Visit Tunica
Last month I also traveled to Tunica, MS, my mom’s hometown. My mom and I were supposed to experience it together, but she was unable to attend, so it resulted in a solo trip. I’m still writing about all the wonderful experiences I had there, but one of the most memorable was standing in front of church my mom worked to raise funds to build over 70 years ago. It was still standing beside a cemetery where many of my family members are buried.
The tourism board and their partners showed me extreme Southern hospitality. I had a great time and was even able to have dinner with one of my cousins at the Jack Binion Steak house at the Horseshoe Casino where I stayed.
I will be back in September to continue a family genealogy project I’m working. More on that in another newsletter. But if you are looking to add a hidden gem destination to your list add Tunica. You'll get beautiful views of the Mississippi River in a place with a rich history spanning from the roots of The Blues and Southern dining establishments that are over 100 years old. You can also find entertainment at casinos, play golf and try out agri-tourism at working farms offering wine and farm to table experiences. It’s a place where you can have a mix of unique experiences while being less than an hour away from the Memphis airport. Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll share my itinerary.
See below my little collage taken from my camera roll.
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What are you reading this summer?
Summer Reading:
I’ve been listening to a lot of audio books lately. The one that I’ve been recommending the most is Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen. It’s only 2hrs long but I like the way the author presents the difference between thought and thinking. It was a concept I had not encountered before and thought it was pretty interesting. If you are someone who identifies with “overthinking” then I highly recommend.
I also recently read "Are You Here” a picture book by Jenny Robinson-Clark. She recently gifted me a copy after a conversation we shared about understanding that grief and joy share the same space. We both also believe that when our loved ones die that what they leave behind remains in our hearts forever. In her book, she calls them signs that can be seen everywhere. I hope you will join us on the Between Grief and Joy Substack for a Live Conversation about how we live with grief and how we show this to our children. Tuesday, July 7th at 10AM. If you can’t make it, email me and I’ll send you the recording. You can watch the last one with author Terah Shelton Harris here.
📣WHAT'S NEW AND NOTEWORTHY
On July 20th, Rocko Rocket will be a part of STEM day at the local library.
Rock and I traveled to Mexico City for a former student's wedding in May. It felt like a both a family reunion and and I wanted to share a few snaps from that trip where we not only celebrated with the couple and their families, but also had the opportunity to visit a few museums and restaurants in the city. I added a collage of a few of my favorite moments below.
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Cheers to you!
-Yolande
YClarkjackson@gmail.com
