Sticks & Stories: 2024 Year End Wrap Up

There’s something poetic about ending the year with a Davidoff Millennium Toro, a cigar that Juan Sanchez, my longtime friend and confidant, likens to “the Ken or Ryu of Street Fighter II” for its consistent excellence and staying power. As we sit here, drawing thoughtful puffs from what Sanchez describes as “the Don P of cigars,” I can’t help but reflect on a year that has been, in my words, “tumultuous, but at the same time, probably one of the most fulfilling years I’ve had in a very long time.”

For Juan, 2024 was “a year of discipline,” a theme that would resurface throughout our conversation. “This year has been a year of discipline,” he affirms, his voice carrying the weight of intentional growth. His journey through the year focused on breaking through self-imposed ceilings and cutting out distractions to better serve others, whether in his relationships, professional life, or, as he puts it, “as a human serving other humans.”

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The year 2024 began with what would become one of New York Said’s most significant interviews: Bill Adler, a cornerstone figure in hip-hop culture. The interview, which took place in Adler’s home, came about through a web of connections that included renowned photographer Janette Beckman and Vikki Tobak. Sanchez mainly celebrated this episode for its cultural significance, noting how Adler’s journey from photographer to journalist to publicist exemplified the pioneering spirit of hip-hop’s early days. “Bill Adler is definitely one of those figures that carries cultural significance to this day,” Sanchez reflects, “and the fact that you were able to sit down with him and discuss these early parts of his life… I mean, I’m a child of hip-hop, so you’re pretty much describing some of the plays that were happening before I was even conceiving listening to hip-hop.”

As winter gave way to spring, I found myself navigating personal challenges through an unexpected medium: hiking. “When you’re hit with a ball of pain, what do you do with it?” I pondered. “Do you crumble? Do you just go into a dark hole? I decided to hike it out.” What began as tentative 10-minute walks evolved into two-hour expeditions, culminating in a 20-mile journey that transformed my physical and mental state. The discipline of maintaining a 176-day streak of walking at least five miles daily became a meditation in motion, generating ideas that would later manifest in my work.

Amon and Juan of Sunday Cigar, Photography by McFadden Creative

Juan, meanwhile, immersed himself in literature that resonated with our current cultural moment. His standout read of the year was “The Spook Who Sat by the Door” by Sam Greenlee, a classic that he found newly relevant. “I needed that kind of fuel this year,” he explains, describing how the book’s exploration of intelligence, community impact, and authentic decision-making spoke to contemporary challenges. “I think understanding your environment and becoming aware of what that environment needs from you is very important.”

The year’s cultural consumption took unexpected turns. American Fiction emerged as my standout film of the year, leading me down a literary rabbit hole that included Percival Everett’s “Erasure,” the source material for the film. This discovery sparked a chain reaction of related readings, from Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” to “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” culminating in Everett’s “James,” a clever reimagining of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s perspective.

In television, The Penguin series emerged as a standout, with Colin Farrell’s transformative performance drawing praise from both of us. Sanchez, particularly enthusiastic about the show, appreciates its human elements: “You’re in this world of villains. And not everyone’s a villain, right? And you have how people get in the mix, how good people get in the mix.” The show’s gritty portrayal of Gotham, blending elements of Chicago and New York, created what he describes as “a human show” that explores the origins of villainy without relying on supernatural elements.

Our conversation turns to the LES Yearbook episode featuring Destiny Mata, which Sanchez praises for its preservation of New York culture. “When it comes to these stories and these people that make up these stories, it doesn’t get any more New York than LES,” he reflects. “There’s a grit, a history to it that no other place on the planet can make.”

The year also marked significant professional growth for New York Said. The project expanded beyond its podcast roots to include feature articles, such as my piece on CJ Hendry, representing what I call “a full body experience.” The development of these various content forms aligns with my ambitious vision: “Am I trying to be the New York Times or The New Yorker? Am I trying to be monocle? Yes, I am trying to be all.”

For Sanchez, watching the evolution of New York Said has been particularly meaningful. “When I describe your website, I always tell people, just think of the Washington Post, think of the New York Times, think of Times Magazine, think of all these things in one and more,” he shares with evident pride. His role as a friend and cultural curator has been instrumental in developing my understanding of cigars and culture. “Similar to you,” I tell him, “smoking these cigars prior to meeting you, I was just on autopilot. I was gonna have a cigar, and what I get is what I get.”

As I publish “The Connected Conversation” and prepare to teach another class at the New York Public Library – a full-circle moment given that the library was where New York Said first took shape – I’m reminded of the power of persistence. Ten years into the project, what began with active ignorance has evolved into active engagement, with institutions and individuals now reaching out for collaboration.

Looking ahead to 2025, while I focus on momentum and viewing each project as a canvas, Sanchez emphasizes execution and continued discipline. The VOCAB* project, inspired by the prolific output of Master P and mixtape culture, aims to create affordable, accessible literary artworks. “I’m trying to create something of value,” I explain, describing the $15 price point that ensures accessibility while supporting the project’s sustainability.

“Life has kind of taught you just to open your eyes,” Sanchez observes near the end of our conversation, “and the paths you’ve already visited are coming back to give you some flowers.” His words capture the spirit of our year-end reflection: a celebration of growth, discipline, and the unexpected ways our past experiences inform our present moments.

Recommended Books, Movies, and Shows of 2024

Juan Sanchez’s Recommendations: