Fall is upon us and I can’t wait for the leaves to begin falling and changing colors! Getting you ready for the semi-warm days and cool nights! While the days will soon become shorter, there is still time to curl up on your couch, in the local cafe, or even on your balcony!
This month I put together a little literary buffet of YA novels, historical fiction, cookbooks, and a few special nods to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month!!
Without further ado, check out this month’s book recommendations below:
Thieves’ Gambit ~Kayvion Lewis
Salsa Magic ~Letisha Marrero
For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspiration, and Recipes ~Klancy Miller
Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed ~Edited by Saraciea J. Fennell
We Are All So Good At Smiling ~Amber McBride
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store ~James McBride
Where the Rhythm Takes You ~ Sarah Dass
Let Us Descend ~Jesmyn Ward
Don’t forget to support your local bookstores and libraries!!
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!
“Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” -Toni Morrison (Song of Solomon)
As summer comes to a close, it’s time to usher in the fall! The TV shows and movies are still coming in, so we definitely need to take advantage of this while we can!!
Check out the trailers below:
Retribution (In theaters August 25th)
Spellbound (Streaming August 31st on Hulu)
The Other Black Girl (Streaming September 13th on Hulu)
Another month has coming and the reading lists continue! Hopefully you were able to enjoy the summer with a few good reads. But just in case you need a new literary fix, you know I always got you covered!
Check out this month’s book recommendations below:
Honey & Spice ~Bolu Babalola
The Secret to a Southern Wedding ~Synithia Williams
The Fraud ~Zadie Smith
Forgive Me Not ~Jennifer Baker
Forged By Blood ~Ehigbor Okosun
The Unsettled ~Ayana Mathis
As You Walk On By ~Julian Winters
Ander & Santi Were Here ~Jonny Garza Villa
Don’t forget to support your local bookstores and libraries!!
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!
“But surely to tell these tall tales and others like them would be to spread the myth, the wicked lie, that the past is always tense and the future, perfect.” -Zadie Smith (White Teeth)
So it is nothing like having good friends who keep you posted on new goodies that are dropping within the pop culture arena! While preparing for our weekly writing session, my colleague and friend Michael Hall shared with me a new Disney+ animated anthology series that dropped last week called Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire! Immediately I did a quick Google search and to my delight, I was hooked! Premiering on July 5th Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire is a new series that blends elements of Africanfuturism, Afrofuturism, cyberpunk, sci-fi, and fantasy to tell 10 inclusive stories of African histories and cultures.
“This is Africa as you’ve never seen it before.” Advanced technology, spirits, aliens, and time travel…SIGN ME UP!!
Produced by Triggerfish Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios, executive produced by Oscar-winning director Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Rise of the Guardians) with Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston as supervising producers, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire is what Ramsey describes as a series with “recognizable genres and recognizable aspects of contemporary culture, but they’re wrapped in African culture.”You got my attention! Plus the representation of the African diaspora is in full effect, with stories from such countries as South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe…GAME CHANGER!!
With a cast that includes Florence Kasumba (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Captain America: Civil War, Wonder Woman, “Emerald City”), Kehinde Bankole (“Desperate Housewives Africa”, Blood Sisters), Nasty C (“Blood & Water”), Mo Ismail (“Star Trek Beyond”, ) and a plethora of up-and-coming African talent, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire is definitely gonna change the game of how we tell animated stories!!
Now while I have not watched the series as of yet, I am already convinced this is legit greatness right here!! Just going off the trailer, the diverse representation, vibrant animation still shots, the voice cast, and the series direction, I’m willing to put my money on it sight unseen!
Photo Credit: Disney
This is totally in my personal and professional wheelhouse!! I am loving that more diverse African stories are being told and shared!! Cause trust me that content has and is there, the whole world just needs to see it!!
And just in case you need a little more convincing see the trailer below:
I am totally hyped about this series and siked that ALL episodes are available to watch!
I know what I will be binging on tonight!!
Hit me up in the comments and let me know what you think!!
We are going into the last week of the series and this has been quite a journey! Being able to share all the different ways in which we find #BlackJoy has been an incredible experience. I often find joy in just staying at home cooking a meal, shopping for some new accessories to put in my office, or trying a new product that brightens and enhances my skin! On any given day joy can and does present itself and says “I’m Here, What You Gonna Do With Me?” So why not channel some of that joy into supporting a good cause or family-owned business.
Today’s #BlackJoyMoment is about highlighting Black-owned Brands!! Many of these brands I personally support for myself and others!! Whether it’s adding to my bar cart, finding a new sweet treat, or creating my vision for my living space, I am totally in support of the products and brands below!
Food & Drink
BLK & Bold Speciality Beverages: “A lifetime friendship, shared values, and an immeasurable love for coffee & tea serve as the foundation for BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages. Co-founders, Pernell & Rod created this company with the desire to unite coffee and tea lovers worldwide through a common interest of investing in community, specifically for the youth.”
Trade Street Jam Co.: “Fresh and funky flavor combos meet farm-to-table southern hospitality…Our jam kitchen started in Charlotte, North Carolina, but is based in Brooklyn, New York. Our in-house chef curates all of our jam flavors by pairing her knowledge of great flavor combinations with her fervor for taking risks.”
The Spice Suite: “The Spice Suite is the culminating vision of owner Angel Gregorio’s love of good food and people. Staying true to the motto “food is fashion,” Angel mixes spices and herbs to create couture blends and spice ensembles that inspire chefs and home cooks alike.”
Zach & Zoë Sweet Bee Farm: Family-owned business Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm offers a wide array of raw, flavor-infused honey harvested in New Jersey. The flavors include lavender, matcha, beetroot, ginger, and blueberry, which can be used in drinks, on breakfast foods and desserts, and incorporated into savory entrees.
Brough Brothers: A family-owned and managed distillery by the three Yarbrough brothers (Victor, Bryson, and Chris), that sell a medium body bourbon produced in the first Black-owned bourbon distillery in Kentucky.
Beauty& Skincare
Black Girl Sunscreen: “Black Girl Sunscreen was designed to start the conversation around sun protection and education. BGS took the #1 reason Black women weren’t wearing sunscreen and solved it in a way that connected with them specifically. BGS has you looking good and feeling good by leaving no white cast through incorporating moisturizing ingredients that also protect your skin.“
BEVEL: “Led by founder and CEO Tristan Walker, Bevel revolutionized the standards of male self-care and continues to cement its position as the most trusted grooming solution for him. On a mission to make products and tools accessible to all men with curly, textured hair, and melanin-rich skin.“
Solo Noir: “Solo Noir firmly believes that a man’s greatest asset is his confidence. With unfiltered confidence, everything is within your reach, but confidence can be limited by several factors, including personal appearance. The Solo Noir system was created to restore confidence through clear, healthy skin. Solo Noir products take the guesswork out of daily skincare and make it both easy to understand and simple to apply.”
KINLÒ: “Despite growing up on sun-soaked tennis courts, SPF was never top-of-mind for Naomi Osaka because she, like many others, assumed her melanin-rich skin was immune to sun damage.After learning the truth about the damage the sun inflicts on melanated skin, she set out on a mission to dispel old myths and educate others on proper sun protection.KINLÒ starts conversations about health risks for melanated skin tones and provides clean products designed to protect and nourish.”
Donna’s Recipe: “Donna’s Recipewasfounded by Tabitha Brown and Gina Woods. Together they sought out the mission to exclusively offer vegan, high-qualityingredients that work but also products that you look forward tofor a consistent hair care routine. The entire line is nutrient-rich, clean, vegan ingredients that keep you coming back and staying consistent with your hair care journey.”
Home & Accessories
Afro Unicorn: “April Showers is Founder and CEO of Afro Unicorn®️, a brand designed to represent the uniqueness of women and children of color in a truly diverse and inclusive fashion. April is a lead-by-example creator who works to uplift, advocate and inspire women and children of color to achieve greatness. She is focused on fusing her passions with her life’s purpose to help other female entrepreneurs on their journey.”
BLK MKT Vintage: “BLK MKT Vintage is a Brooklyn, NY-based antique/vintage concept shop, specializing in collectibles, cast-off’s and curiosities, which represent the richness of Black history and lived experience. Curated by founders Jannah Handy and Kiyanna Stewart, the collection includes found items like vintage literature, vinyl records, clothing, art, housewares/decor, furniture and other goods. By centering black cultural artifacts via thoughtful curation and varying modes of accessibility, we’re communicating very explicitly to black folks that not only do we see you, but we love you as well. You’re worthy. What you’ve created is worthy. You are important here.”
Effie’s Paper: Stationary & What Not: “Effie’s Paper :: Stationery&Whatnot is a lifestyle brand presenting cool and on-trend accessories for fun at work, stylish travel and a chic daily life. We believe that from the door to her desk, a woman should be surrounded by pretty things that make her heart leap! Our products are a unique mix of casual elegance, motivation and social conversation that make using them fun and engaging.”
Pretty Honest Candles: “Pretty Honest Candles is a company born out of the founder Andrea’s desire to find a candle that truly filled my home with its scent, instead of barely filling a room. Her candles provide clean and high quality that look great on your mantle all while helping your space feel more like home.”
be rooted: “Jasmin Foster founded Be Rooted to create a space for women of color to see themselves in a place they hadn’t been. Weaving culture into every design and message, Be Rooted inspires customers to explore their inner muse and celebrate self. We want our customers to know, you are seen and you belong here.”
We are flying through these days and weeks, can you believe we are almost halfway through June and quickly approaching the official start date of Summer?! Well to get you ready, I got a few new film and television trailers to get you hyped for the week and the upcoming summer!
Check them out below:
Stan Lee (Streaming on Disney+ June 16th)
Season 3-Warrior (Streaming on Max June 29th)
The Outlaws (Streaming on Netflix July 7th)
Season 2-The Afterparty (Streaming on Apple TV+ July 12th)
Bird Box Barcelona (Streaming on Netflix July 14th)
Black Future Feminist 