Let’s see what is in store for us this week!! Check out the trailers below:
Season 4-The Bear (Streaming on FX/Hulu June 25th)
Superman (In theaters July 11th)
Season 3-Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Streaming on Paramount + July 17th)
Eddington (In theaters July 18th)
Season 3- The Diplomat (Streaming on Netflix Fall 2025)
The Lost Bus (Streaming Soon on Apple TV+)
**Parts of this article was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2025.**
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela
Today marks the 160th anniversary of the message of freedom being delivered to those enslaved in Texas, also known as Juneteenth (a portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth”). A celebration of emancipation, liberation, and Black Joy!!
What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth refers to June 19th, 1865, the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to inform the 250,000 enslaved Black people that they were free. Keep in mind the Emancipation Proclamation (which ended slavery) had gone into effect January 1st, 1863 (also the start of watch night services), so Texas would not get this memo for almost two and a half years later. People wonder why Black people cannot wait for change…and, why we are persistent about consistent upward and forward movement! Why are Black people not quick to trust, because of past failures and screw ups like what happened in Galveston, TX. Nevertheless, the chains are breaking and the truth is being revealed.
Juneteenth is not only a day to celebrate, but also another day to inform the masses, continue speaking out on injustices, and always a day to remember! It’s also another excuse for me to celebrate my Blackness and create more ways to express #BlackJoy and agency. This holiday is also an opportunity to instill values of self-improvement, racial uplift, and reclamation of the family unit. These values were personified through religious sermons and the singing of negro spirituals, reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, rodeos, and the preservation of slave food traditions and delicacies (ex. BBQ and soul food). Juneteenth serves as another holiday that allows Black people to come together, fellowship, and simply be free!
Much like how the message of freedom was delayed in its delivery to those enslaved in Texas, one could say there is a delayed recognition (on a larger scale) of the Juneteenth holiday. With all of the the national protests, police violence, and continuous murder of Black and Brown bodies of last year the U.S. would be reminded of past moments of resistance and endurance. This acknowledgement rebirth is what I like to think of as a memory survival. As Isabel Wilkerson writes in her amazing book, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, “The people from Texas took Juneteenth Day to Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, and other places they went.” Thank goodness the memory of Juneteenth will always be present, because we cannot afford to have any more delays, these are moments that we need right now and always!
As another Juneteenth celebration takes place, I remain hopeful and vigilant, and I am definitely excited. Juneteenth is a holiday worthy of international recognition. Hopefully, the celebration of this holiday is not just for a moment or season, but for an infinity of lifetimes. With each year, more and more people are learning about the importance and significance of Juneteenth!!
Now, even though I may not be from Texas, I take Juneteenth as my Independence Day/Emancipation Day, because clearly July 4th is not!!
Now to get you in the spirit, check out some of these traditional food & drinks, and a few resources to expand your mind!
Traditional Food & Drink to Enjoy
Juneteenth Resources:
Even if this is your first year, make sure it is not your last!!
Day 6 of my #WestAfricanJourneyTravels visit was quite a full day but one that incorporates legacy and remembrance as well as a little hustle and bustle! By the end of the day, I was completely full and drained at the same time!
Alright my friends, let me drop this bit of information in the post before we go any further.
Now before going inside you had two options of how to get in….climb the stairs or take a taxi going up the back entrance….You already know what I did, I took the stairs!! It was no small feat but one of my friends and I made the 198-step climb to the top in just under six and a half minutes (you can see us below). Talk about feeling accomplished.
The above pictures not only shows the stair path up to the top, but the actually monument itself is quite a sight to see. The creation of this project was initiated by the then Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade and has been described as one of the most prestigious projects. Named the African Renaissance Monument, it served as a marker to usher in a new era of African Renaissance. It is a literal visual of moving from enslavement to renaissance. Now what you see is a family looking towards the sky (or one might say the future), the man is carrying his child on his bicep/arm and holding his wife by the waist. They have come from the depths of the earth and going towards new life. What an inspiring imagery and one that more people should know about. I will be honest I knew very little about the monument, but so glad that I made the journey to see live and in living color!!
Once inside visitors can see various videos showing the building process, acknowledgment to the “door of no return”, the history of enslavement and its global impact, the many gifts donated from numerous African countries, and at the top of the monument which is housed in the man head you can look out into the city. There were about 5 levels full of various gifts from many African countries, which was truly inspiring !! To see community building from near and far speaks to what can happen as a collective unit.
Quite a powerful structure and amazed at how much of a message is being conveyed! When looking at the woman in the monument she also offers an intriguing thought, particularly to her child in that even when looking to the future, don’t forget your past!
What I do find interesting is that everything surrounding the monument is either unfinished and/or underdeveloped. It makes you think this massive structure sits in a space where depending on your perspective it is either out of place or the start of something new and fresh.
To close out the day we went to a traditional Senegalese market to do a little shopping. Now let me just say this, I’m not one to haggle and negotiate. I have a price in my head of how much I want to spend and that’s the parameters I work with to get to the end goal. This is a wholesale marketplace, which means many vendors come here to get there supply and then go to their respective places and sell same said items, typically at a marked up price. The build had to have at least 5 levels, and talk about being overwhelmed, filled with anxiety, and willing to walk right out the door. But let me give a major shout out to our trip facilitator Dr. Kentaya Beeler (#TranquilityPathwaysTravel) who has the haggling game on lock!! I literally watched her find a specific vendor/seller, select her items, grab a seat, and the games began!! It was like watching a master at work, when she quoted a price that was what it was going to be, no ifs ands or buts about it. It takes a special skill to make the magic happen that she did. It was to a point that I became worn just watching it all unfold. I guess I am just used to going to a store finding the sale rack and making my purchase. Talk about being in awe! She was going toe to toe with these men and turning “water into wine.” And I thank her, because she definitely got me some EXCELLENT deals!! All in all, it takes a certain mindset to participate and take the necessary steps for some retail action.
Sidenote: Once again traveling on these Senegalese streets is quite an adventure. I am still blown away by the way locals navigate the roads, whether in a bus like us, traveling on a motorcycle taxi, a bicycle, walking, or even horse and buggy. On MANY occasions I saw my life pass before my eyes. The fearless mentality is beyond my understanding. What I witnessed morning, noon, and night is aggressive driving to the tenth power!! And somehow there were no accidents….
All in all, while it was quite a long day especially when you factor in the travel, it truly did my spirit good!
ONE MORE DAY LEFT!!
You know what’s next, see you soon! ~Dr. G
With this being Black History Month, I want to make sure I showcase the great work of African American past and present!! This is an opportunity to share some goodies while also becoming informed. Check out today’s shout outs:
Instagram Pages
BLK HST (@blackhistory)
Because of Them we Can (@becauseofthem)
Outdoor Afro HQ (@outdoorafro)
Black-Owned Businesses
Black Men Smile : A movement that “amplifies the revolutionary power of Black joy. We are committed to create a sanctuary where Black people authentically celebrate themselves.
SPGBK: Springbreak (SPGBK) Watches is a “designer watch company, based out of North Carolina, that provides an amazing variety of impactful, unique, & colorful watches. At SPBK we value, invest, & promote these key areas: Education & Teachers, Historical Black Colleges & Universities, Authenticity, and Supporting North Carolina & Black Owned Businesses.”
So this past weekend, I had an amazing opportunity to hang out with some Grad School colleagues and friends out in West Virginia!! And let me tell you it was perfect prescription that I didn’t realize I needed!!
To step away from the hustle and bustle in this manner is something that I need to implement more! Taking in the beauty of nature was soothing to my soul!
Don’t believe me see the pictures below…
Just taking it all in!!
Another year in the books and let me say it is no joke, but I still love it! Black Future Feminist has become an outlet for me to be me in all my different facets. I look forward to each post, I love sharing, and it feels good to put in the work.
I look forward to what comes next, I look forward to continuing established thoughts and ideas and bringing new ones into the fold.
In the spirit of last year…another year down…much more to go!!
~Dr. G
Keeping up with my tradition from 2020 and 2021 I have compiled my ‘Top 22’ books from this year!! I feel like I always have an endless supply of books, you can never have too many! Plus I love seeing my library grow!!
This year I added a few graphic novels that caught my attention during one of my many travels this year!!
All in all, I love sharing some of my top reading faves!! As I always say, ‘sharing is caring.’
So in no particular order, here is my Top 22 List of Books for 2022!!
Happy Holidays!! As we close out another year, I have one more list of recommendations to close out!! This month’s list is split with a little holiday flair!
Check out December’s list below:
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!!
“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” — Gwendolyn Brooks
Black Future Feminist 