Can I just say I am soooooo excited!! You ask me why?! Well in a couple of days I will be headed back to Mama Africa for a journey back home as I like to think of it!! Folks that know me, know that I LOVE to travel and that a few years before the pandemic I made a promise to myself that at least once a year I make one international!! Well on this trip alone, I will be visiting THREE countries…Portugal, Senegal, and Ghana!! Talk about collecting the stamps for the passport!!
As you know I love chronicling my travel journeys in many ways it is therapeutic and it allows me to keep a record of all the sights that I have visited over the years! And this is a special trip!! I always feel like I have this connection back to the continent that just makes me feel at peace!
So over the next couple of weeks, you can follow along with me as I chronicle my time in West Africa!! Stay tuned for a few mini-history lessons, powerful imagery, amazing food, and sooo much more!
I cannot wait to share this experience with you all!! And to get you in spirit check out the track below from Akon titled, “Mama Africa”!
Make sure to stay tuned each day for a daily dose of Dr. G’s #WestAfricanJourneyTravels !!
Let’s jump right into it this week, 2024 Times 100 list honoree and Golden Globe winning actress Taraji P. Henson just dropped her debut children’s book. Her book, “You Can Be A Good Friend (No Matter What!) was released on June 18th and tells a story that “shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience, and love.” It’s the perfect story for classroom story time, bedtime reading, easing those back-to-school jitters, promoting friendship over bullying, and embracing the importance of standing in one’s own uniqueness. You can find her latest book anywhere books are sold
Need a refresher on Season 1 of the Onyx Collective/Hulu legal drama Reasonable Doubt ? Check out this 1-minute breakdown featuring the show’s lead, Emayatzy Corinealdi:
Season 2 premieres on Hulu on August 22, with episodes dropping every Thursday. And while you wait you can stream the first season now.
Looking for a new wine to jumpstart your summer?? As we celebrated another Juneteenth on last week, Mother New York (of Mother Design) launched Auntie Whine, a limited-edition wine that honors all the aunties and their signature dance moves. “Named for how aunties whine their hips at family gatherings, this wine captures the essence of these joyful moments.” It’s the perfect blend of cocoa butter notes and a smooth, silk bonnet-like mouthfeel just right for your next BBQ! In addition to the wine it comes with a sweet, soulful Spotify playlist of songs!!
In some more good TV news, STARZ is dropping the “Down in the Valley” premiere a WEEK early!! Aww shucks, you know who is a happy camper…that would be ME!! It is set to drop on this Friday June 28th at midnight/ET on STARZ. Hosted and executive produced by Nicco Annan, who is best known as Uncle Clifford in STARZ’s critically acclaimed tv show “P-Valley,” the six-episode half-hour docuseries follows Annan as he explores the people, sensuality, music, culture and stories of the South. “The series confronts uncomfortable truths, challenges societal norms, and advocates for a more inclusive and enlightened future.” Check out the trailer below:
This Jeopardy! host for 37 years is being honored with a Forever Stamp…Who is Alex Trebek? The well-known hostess who passed away in 2020 from pancreatic cancer is getting his own stamp!! Each stamp will read “This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show ‘Jeopardy!’ for 37 seasons.” And underneath upside down, you can find the answer: “Who is Alex Trebek?” The new stamp will become available on July 22nd.
For all my foodies, check out these Black-owned restaurants in the Fort-Worth area of Texas:
And to close us out we got Four Features blazing this week’s Tiny Desk Concert-Black Music Month, a nice mix of gospel, soul, r&b, country, hip hop and pop!! Yes to ALL of this, check them out below:
Books on top of Books, this is definitely something that you will not see a shortage of whether in my home or office (especially recently!!). Nothing like adding a new literary treat to your rotation! As I prepare for my upcoming trip, I have a few books that will be getting me through my vacay!! As summer is officially here make sure you don’t forget to grab a book for you, one for your friend, and an extra for good measure!!
Check out June’s Monthly Book Recommendations below:
The Bookshop Sisterhood ~Michelle Lindo-Rice
The Rich People Have Gone Away ~Regina Porter
Daughter of the Merciful Deep ~Leslye Penelope
The Lion’s Den ~Iris Mwanza
Between Friends & Lovers ~Shirlene Obuobi
Blackheart Man ~Nalo Hopkinson
Do What Godmother Says ~L.S. Stratton
Rage: On Being Queer, Black, Brilliant and Completely Over It ~Lester Fabian Brathwaite
The Volcano Daughters ~Gina Maria Balibrera
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read ~Rita Lorraine Hubbard & Oga Mora
And as always, Don’t forget to support your local bookstores!!
Happy Black Music Month!! Happy Pride Month!! Happy Juneteenth!! and Happy Summer Solstice!!
Don’t forget you can always go back and check out previous lists in the “Resource” section of the website!
Another day, another dollar…well in this case another set of trailers!! Highlighting Black and Brown folks this week! Everything from sports to making herstory in the Mexican police ranks! Check out this week’s trailers below:
Sprint: The World’s Fastest Humans (Streaming July 2nd on Netflix)
Simone Biles Rising (Streaming July 17th on Netflix)
Women in Blue (Streaming July 31st on Apple TV+)
Season 3-Bel-Air (Streaming August 15th on Peacock)
One of the best times of the year has arrived (yes I’m a little bias :-))!
Summer is officially here!! Today marks the official first day of summer also known as the summer solstice! This solstice marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth hits the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day (meaning the period of sunlight hours) and shortest night of the calendar year.
Photo credit: Tauʻolunga
Interestingly, after the solstice, the Sun appears to reverse its course and return towards the opposite direction. So enjoy the day and the beautiful sun!!
To get you further in the mood, check out this Summer Soul Mix to usher you into the new season!
Another year to celebrate and reflect on a moment in history! Juneteenth is about freedom! On this day in 1865 two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Union troops announced to over 250,000 unaware Black folks in Texas..that they were free! And over a half-century later in 2021, this day was officially named a federal holiday.
I’m still amazed and proud that I am here to see the holiday come to fruition. To think that freedom was delayed (especially for two years, any amount for that matter) is truly an injustice. I cannot even begin to imagine…BUT the dream was delayed not diminished. While the holiday is not perfect (there is room for growth), the history of Juneteenth will always be around, which is important! Freedom did come!
As an African American Studies professor, I am always talking about the experiences of Black folks in and out of the diaspora, particularly in popular culture. And when thinking about those experiences I cannot help but consider the past. As a people, we have encountered daily trauma, joy, pain, motivation, and so much more. These expressions are projected in many ways, many speaking to the ultimate goal…simply being free!! This freedom is shown through our music, food, tv shows, films, language, and so much more. In our own unique way, we have been able to unapologetically give ourselves permission to be empowered and live free in spite of what might be happening in the world.
In the spirit of celebrating being free and living in one’s purpose, I have gathered a few options of some good books to read, a few movies to watch, and some podcasts to add to your morning commute that speak to being FREE! Check them out below:
Books
On Juneteenth ~Annette Gordon-Reed
We Are Each Other’s Harvest Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy ~Natalie Baszile
Four Hundred Souls ~Edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha Blain
Magic Enuff ~Tara M. Stringfellow
Shoutin’ in the Fire ~Danté Stewart
Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People ~Tiya Miles
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness ~Austin Channing Brown
Movies/Film & TV Series
Miss Juneteenth (2020)
Beyond the Canvas-Art: Black Women Lead (2023)
Pose (2018-2021)
Mending Walls: The Documentary (2022)
The Learning Tree (1969)
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Netflix)
Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom and Legacy(CNN) [Airing June 19 at 10pm ET/PT]: The third annual special will feature musical performances and conversations with John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and Smokey Robinson discussing freedom, progress and recognizing the people that paved the way.
Additional documentaries, films, and television shows (provided by VCU News)
Now we cannot leave without offering some reflections on popular food and drinks that many folks consume during this celebration. During Juneteenth celebrations it is customary to partake in a feast, but particularly red foods take center stage. Red symbolizes the resilience from bondage. As noted by Chef Chris Scott who spearheaded the first James Beard Foundation’s Juneteenth celebration, “the red symbolizes the blood that was shed by Black Africans and Black Americans during slave capture, slave travel, and slave trade here in the state and in the Caribbean.” Some of the common foods found on a Juneteenth menu include:
Strawberries (especially strawberry soda pop)
Sorrel
Watermelon
BBQ
Red beans and rice
Red Velvet Cake
Deviled eggs
Remember these are just the basics, it is up to you what you want to include, you can even make your own creations or remix a recipe. Just make sure it’s with family and friends as you celebrate and reflect on the notion of freedom!!
As an extra bonus check out this past episode where I talk with my friend and academic colleague about why Juneteenth Matters!!
Let me start you off with something to ‘perk’ you up…Pun intended (lol)….For all my coffee drinkers, especially Café Bustelo fans, the brand is launching 3 new ‘Espresso-Styled’ Iced Coffee drinks. This is the first in their 96-year history!! The new Iced Coffee collection includes three different flavor options: Unsweetened, Sweetened, and Vanilla. Great thing about these new iced coffees is that they are designed to be consumed straight out of the fridge, just open and pour into a glass. Now the Sweetened and Unsweetened versions of the iced coffee will be available at several retailers starting with Kroger and Walmart, and the Vanilla, called “Vainilla,” is a Target exclusive. So stay tuned, all three should start popping up in the refrigerator aisle very soon.
In television news, leading up to the Season 4 premiere of the Emmy-nominated series The Boys, creator Eric Kripke announced that the Amazon Prime Video show will close out in Season 5. Kripke explained his decision to end the run on its fifth season in a conversation with the Hollywood Reporter, “From the very beginning, I wanted to wrap it out around Season 5…And then I would say plans really solidified that we were going to actually do it years ago. I think we were probably in the middle of making season three, so it could have been three or four years ago that we always knew.”
#TheBoys Season 4 Premiere Week is a good time to announce: Season 5 will be the Final Season! Always my plan, I just had to be cagey till I got the final OK from Vought. Thrilled to bring the story to a gory, epic, moist climax. Watch Season 4 in 2 DAYS, cause the end has begun! pic.twitter.com/3p7Wt4jGA6
Prime Video will drop the first three episodes of The Boys Season 4 on Thursday, June 13.
There’s a NEW MAYOR in town, on June 3rd, Lilian Seenoi-Barr made history becoming the first Black Mayor of Northern Ireland (Derry City and Strabane.) Truly a historic moment for the country of Ireland, as Ms. Seenoi-Barr came to the country 14 years ago as a Kenyan refugee. Growing up in a Maasai village she would grow up in “a home filled with love, unity, hard work and commitment to justice and freedom” – values she plans to carry forward into her service. This is also not her first time making history. Ms. Seenoi-Bar also broke barriers when she became the first Black woman to become an elected member of the “public office in Northern Ireland” as a councilor. Seeing news like this gives me hope that there is still for progressive change!! During her tenure as Mayor Ms. Seenoi-Barr seeks to to eradicate “poverty, attract investment and support young people to achieve their full potential, create jobs and advocate for quality affordable housing.”
Looking for something to do Labor Day weekend, why not check out Nas With the Las Vegas Philharmonic! In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of his debut album “Illmatic,” hip hop legend Nas is doing three performances (August 29-September 1) at the Encore Theater (Las Vegas). In a statement from Nas he notes, “I am excited to partner with the Las Vegas Philharmonic to bring this first-of-its-kind performance to Encore Theater and to showcase my music to my fans in Las Vegas in a whole new way.” Tickets have gone on sale and can be purchased here.
Talk about reclaiming space, this next feature spotlights two Black Hotel owners reclaiming a “gentrified space” in the Venice Beach area. Co-Founders Kamau Coleman and Michael Clinton have established a new boutique hotel, The Redline Venice (perfect name), as a way to provide a beautiful space and to tell the stories of Black and Brown folks who played a role in the Venice Beach area as a haven for artists, musicians, and creatives. The naming of the hotel is a direct and deliberate nod to the practice of redlining. As a boutique hotel it consists of four suites (studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom) and an amazing rooftop that can be used to rest, relax, and build networks! What a great way to ensure that the history of Black folks who made a innovative mark to the area get their just due and for an opportunity to build long-term economic wealth and power.
Lastly, as an HBCU grad, I am super siked about this news right here and the fact that Cali is where it’s happening is an extra bonus!! Beginning in the Fall 2024 school year, California will get its first HBCU!! Through a landmark initiative and collaboration between Huston-Tillotson University (HTU), the National College Resources Foundation (NCRF), the San Diego County Office of Education, and the University of La Verne there will be two satellite campus housed in San Diego and Los Angeles County. This is HUGE as we can see the expansion of HBCUs moving towards the West Coast!!
And to close us out we got a triple header for this week’s Tiny Desk Concert-Black Music Month Feature, a nice mix of soul, hip hop, and jazz!! I’m so loving this, check them out below:
Wow!! We are flying through June, I feel like it just started and we are almost halfway through!! Well let’s not waste any more time, check out this week’s new trailers below:
Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer (Streaming on Hulu-July 11th)
Sausage Party: Foodtopia (Streaming on Prime Video-July 11th)
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Streaming on Paramount + -August 9th)
Alien: Romulus (In theaters August 16th)
The Killer’s Game (In theaters September 13th)
Piece by Piece (In theaters October 11th)
Season 2-Arcane (Streaming on Netflix-November 2024)
Black Future Feminist 