Discover the tide
that lifts every voice.
O U R S T O R Y · I N K W E L L T I D E S
Learn how Inkwell Tides was born to honor overlooked stories and transform them into cultural leadership — rooted in Martha’s Vineyard, reaching the world.
T H E F O U N D I N G S T O R Y
Resilient Ancestry in Action.
FOUNDER · INKWELL TIDES
Walter Frye
Charlotte, North Carolina
There comes a moment when the call of ancestry grows louder than the noise of the present world. For Walter Frye, that moment arrived not as a gentle whisper, but as a thunderous awakening.
After years navigating Wall Street’s towers and corporate DEI corridors, Walter found himself at the crossroads where many of us eventually stand — between the life we’ve built and the life that’s been calling our name. When his role was eliminated during the tide of anti-DEI sentiment, what could have felt like an ending revealed itself as a beginning.
The call led him home to Martha’s Vineyard — to Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs, where his great-grandfather George W. Frye had opened his cobbler shop in 1920. One of the first Black-owned businesses on the island. For fifty years, that shop had been more than commerce; it had been a community anchor, a cultural cornerstone, proof of presence.
Standing where George once stood, Walter understood: his legacy must be brought into being. Inkwell Tides honors the past and designs the future.
“What began as professional transition quickly became spiritual transformation. I was no longer content to simply advocate within corporate systems — I was called to reimagine how we express pride, purpose, and presence in our own spaces. In a climate where African American heritage is under attack, I felt propelled to resist. To own my legacy, amplify our history, and reclaim what is ours.”
— WALTER FRYE, FOUNDER, INKWELL TIDES
Past. Present. Future.
1835
Walker Frye & Susan Waters
Walker Frye and Susan Waters began their journey in Culpeper, Virginia, where over half the population lived in bondage. Their escape was not just from place, but toward possibility — first to Washington D.C., then Boston, finally to Martha’s Vineyard, where freedom could take root in island soil.
T H E F O U N D A T I O N
1920
George W. Frye — Oak Bluffs
George W. Frye’s hands shaped more than leather and sole. For fifty years, his cobbler shop on Circuit Avenue shaped community — a place where stories were shared, dignity was honored, and Black excellence was simply normal. Every shoe he crafted carried the weight of dreams walking forward.
T H E R O O T S
1950
Dr. Willease Story Sanders
Harvard-trained scholar who chose to serve HBCUs — showing us that excellence in service to community is its own form of resistance. Her path from academic achievement to ancestral dedication lights the way forward.
T H E L EG A C Y C O N T I N U E S
2024
Walter Frye — A Tide Turning
We are the children of legacy — descendants of cobblers, caregivers, freedom fighters, dreamers. Our roots are planted deep in the Black sands of Oak Bluffs, the red clay of the South, and the corridors of cities remade by migration. Our purpose: to reclaim what was taken. To preserve what remains. To honor what was built. To amplify what has endured.
I N K W E L L T I D E S F O U N D I N G
O U R M I S S I O N
We honor stories & amplify excellence.
Inkwell Tides helps you preserve the stories that matter most. Through intimate storytelling experiences guided by our team of world-class StoryKeepers, we create space to slow down, reflect, and remember the people, moments, and values that shaped you.
We listen, receive, and safeguard each story — then weave its unique motifs into timeless heirlooms designed to be carried forward. We believe the people who come after you should know who came before them.
“We invite your story to be heard, held, and honored. This is your sign to carry your legacy forward.”
Meet The Team
Walter Frye
Walter brings a rare blend of strategic thinking, operational excellence, and human-centered leadership to Inkwell Tides. Over the course of his career, he has helped organizations grow through thoughtful systems, meaningful relationships, and a commitment to excellence. His work is grounded in the belief that every story deserves to be heard, honored, and carried forward.
F O U N D E R
Shenae Dure
Shenae is an operations leader who brings clarity, structure, and care to every experience she touches. With a background spanning program management, organizational development, and team leadership, she helps ensure each story is stewarded with intention from beginning to end. Her approach combines precision, empathy, and a deep commitment to service.
O P E R A T I O N S
Danyae Thomas
Danyae creates spaces where people feel comfortable sharing the moments, memories, and values that have shaped their lives. Drawing from her experience in education, coaching, and personal development, she guides conversations with warmth, curiosity, and care. Her work helps transform personal stories into lasting legacies for future generations.
S T O R Y K E E P E R S P E C I A L I S T
O U R L O G O
Rooted in truth. Carried by tides.
Sankofa Swan with Ink Pen Tip
The Sankofa bird, drawn from West African Adinkra symbolism, reminds us to go back and fetch what is valuable from the past. The droplet in its beak represents knowledge, truth, and heritage carried forward. Its legs transform into a fountain pen nib — signifying authorship, storytelling, and the recording of history.
Wave Motif
The waves below the bird evoke the ocean tides of Oak Bluffs and Inkwell Beach. They symbolize movement, migration, and resilience — an unending flow that connects the African diaspora across time and geography.
Circular Seal Design
The encompassing circle represents unity, continuity, and the unbroken chain of heritage — grounding Inkwell Tides as a heritage brand with staying power.