Checking in with you and dropping some new trailers. Nice mix of genres in this week’s line-up.
See what’s new below:
Genius: MLK/X (Streaming on National Geographic/Hulu/Disney+ -February 1st)
Season 2-Halo (Streaming on Paramount+ -February 8th)
Imaginary (In theaters-March 8th)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (In theaters-May 24th)
The Gentlemen (Streaming on Netflix-Coming Soon)
Madame Web (In theaters-Coming Soon)
It’s that time of year again when I share my Top Books of the Year! And once again the books do not disappoint. I am always thankful when I get some leisure reading in, especially with my busy schedule. Whether it’s on the plane, sitting poolside or by the beach, or while I’m under the hairdryer reading something new or revisiting a classic is very much necessary.
As an extra bonus a few of the books on this year’s list even got turned into Hulu and Netflix television series, now that’s pretty exciting!
So without further ado (in no particular order), check out Dr. G’s Top 23 Books of 2023!
As I always like to say ‘Happy Reading’ and make sure you support your local bookstores!! Look forward to sharing with you all in 2024!!
Habari Gani!! What’s the news today?! Today’s principle of the Nguzo Saba is Kujichagulia which means SELF-DETERMINATION!! More specifically it is translated as “to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.”
In regards to Kujichagulia Kwanzaa founder Dr. Maulana Karenga notes, “In a time in which occupation and oppression of countries and peoples are immorally presented as necessary and even salvational, the principle of Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) rejects this and reaffirms the right of persons and peoples to determine their own destiny and daily lives; to live in peace and security; and to flourish in freedom everywhere.”
Consider these three questions as you embody Kujichaguilia:
1. Who am I?
2. Am I really who I say I am?
3. Am I all that I ought to be?
Have a conversation (with yourself, or with another person) about what truths you want to live into in this coming year.
Now what really hits home for me about Kujichagulia is that it truly has a personal meaning. Reflecting on this past year, can you identify ways your self-determination paid off? How did you take more control over your life?
So are you ready to channel your self-determination?
More Articles of Interest:
Remember Kwanzaa is about reflecting on Black culture and how we continue to create a safer world for Black lives and futures.
And to close out today, check out this Kwanzaa breakdown from Marc Lamont Hill…
See you all tomorrow!!
It’s the last day of October but that does not mean the new trailers stop!! What better way to close the month than to showcase some HOT new trailers!! Check them out below:
Manodrome (In theaters November 10th)
The Killer (Streaming on Netflix November 10th)
Dashing Through The Snow (Streaming on Disney+ November 17th)
Stamped From the Beginning (Streaming on Netflix November 20th)
Season 5-Fargo (Streaming on FX November 21st)
Good Burger 2 (Streaming on Paramount + November 22)
Season 3-Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Streaming on STARZ December 1st)
Today was a day of transit and rest! Leaving the beautiful and breathtaking Serengeti! As mentioned in previous posts the past few days have been unforgettable and will be embedded in my memory.
Now as we made our way to Zanzibar (also known as Unguja) we would board a plane that I kid you not could only hold 12 passengers and the two pilots. Another unforgettable experience…I literally was a seat away from the pilots. Talk about flying on a small plane (see below)…
Once we landed in Zanzibar I would have somewhat of an awakening. First off Zanzibar is actually an island province that is still part of Tanzania. So we were literally leaving grasslands and plains entering an urban city landscape. As we were flying over the city, the aerial views showed just how jammed packed the city is. Now while their is a similar landscape to the mainland, you can see a distinct change in Zanzibar. It is also very clear there is definitely a heavy middle eastern influence, as the majority (99%) of the island practices Islam, with a very small percentage that practices Christianity.
This would put things into perspective…when talking with people from the Tanzanian mainland many have expressed how the President is preferred to come from the mainland and have the vice president from Zanzibar. There tends to be different leadership styles from both roles. Currently the President of Tanzania is from Zanzibar (and is the first woman president) due to the President passing away from COVID-19. A example of the VP stepping in.
Another awakening moment was how perceived what Zanzibar would look like upon my arrival. I will admit when I thought of Zanzibar I pictured primarily beaches and five-star resorts or something from a spy action movie…think Queen Sono (Netflix), but there is definitely a deep history here as well considering during the mid-19th century as many as 50,000 enslaved people came through through the Zanzibar City port.
More to come on that in the coming days.
As stated earlier today was more of a day of transit and rest, not too much to report. However, I’m looking forward to a little R&R as well as making some more memories!!
Till Tomorrow!! See you then!
~Dr. G
Jambo!! (Swahili for Hello!) Today was all about the “Safari Life”!! For today’s excursion we spent the day driving up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is a national park that consists of highland plains, savanna, savanna woodlands and forests.
As a conservation area it also home to the Great Migration, a massive annual migration of millions of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and other animals, which we were fortunate enough to witness.
This was truly a grand experience! Witnessing these animals in their natural habitat versus gawking at them behind a cage or fence. During this 6-hour safari (yep you read that right!) we would see four of what is considered Africa’s “Big 5” (Elephant, Water Buffalo, Lion, Black Rhinoceros) but also take in the calming landscape. The only one we missed today was the leopard, but hopefully we will see one at the Serengeti! In addition to see almost all of the “Big 5” we would also see flamingos, an ostrich, warthogs, giraffes, baboons, hippopotamus, wildebeests, gazelles, zebras and so much more!
A few of the animals even brought some comic relief…
Here is one the Big 5 in all their glory!! We were able to get pretty close this king and queen of the pride lands :-). Shout out to all my Leo’s in the virtual building!
I would find it very interesting how many of the animals had no issue with us driving in our 4X4 jeeps taking pictures and admiring their day to day. But as our guide Waziri would tell us, they see these vehicles everyday, they were born and coming out the womb seeing it, so it is just a part of the routine. However, the moment anyone would step out their vehicle, they scattered across the plain!
I will say taking a Ngorongoro safari is truly an eye-opening experience you will never forget, and the fact that it essentially has a unique micro-climate, one can enjoy it year round.
To close out the post let me share some #PostcardViews worthy images to start your day…
Now normally I would say “see you tomorrow” …. however I may be MIA due to the fact that I will be in the Serengeti, staying the night (with no wifi), but fret not I will have much to share once I am able!
So see you soon!
~Dr. G
Gotta love when you don’t have a particular plan, but things just work out for you! Woke up, grabbed some delicious breakfast, and then sat on our balcony with my Kindle and coffee!
Following the morning rise and liquid pick me up, we would spend the day in the RiverTrees area soaking in some more Tanzanian culture. While we had planned to use this as a chill day, we embarked on a local village walking tour. The village, Chim Chim, sits right next to the RiverTrees Country Inn where we are staying and is a space full of farm land, greenhouses, small businesses, schools, churches, and family homes.
Take a look at some of the visuals that were captured today:
“Agriculture is our backbone.” This is the motto and mission of this scenic East African country. Just walking through the village not only did we saw how the community lives, but how they work and the agriculture that sustains them. While Tanzania is known for the nature-filled parks, game reserves, spices, and the Massai people, much of what keeps the country moving and shaking is the agriculture. A great deal of the country deals with farming with much of their product includes corn/maize, sweet potatoes, yams, and bananas.
While walking through the village we would also stop by one of the local churches (see below). [Much like in the US, one can find many churches throughout one’s city, the same is definitely true here within the Chim Chim village.] Now while the original purpose was to admire the spiritual space and briefly rest our feet, the pastor of the church was led to say a prayer for us. In that moment, I would definitely realize this was no accident or chance encounter. Such a powerful moment, that will stick with me even after we return home!
Shout out to our amazing guide from Wayo Africa, Delvina who was AWESOME!! So well-versed in everything from farming, education, politics, and so much more! I feel like I got a course in Tanzania 101 all while soaking in some village culture.
Closing Thoughts of the Day…
One thing I love about traveling is meeting new people and building on my community network. After returning from our village tour we would meet this gentleman named Emmanuel who owns a safari company in Tanzania. During our conversation, where he was very careful with his words, he would talk about how excited he was to see Black Americans not only traveling to Africa but also doing safari excursions. Based on his choice of words and enthusiasm in seeing us, I gather not many Black folks do safari trips. This could be for a variety of reasons (access, lack of information and resources, fear, misrepresentations, etc.) This is why it soooo important to step outside of one’s comfort zone/neighborhood and explore all that the world has to offer. I appreciated the honest conversation and Emmanuel’s candor! It just further confirmed the importance of #TravelingWhileBlack ! This was the second place where I felt like I was home, and it was an extra bonus hearing a fellow native tell us “this is your home!”
While I was definitely exhausted at the end of the day from all the walking, plus the heat sapping our energy, this was an eventful and informative day.
Tomorrow begins our journey to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area!! So stay tuned!! See ya later!
~Dr. G
Coming to the close of another month, but the trailers still keep coming! Check them out below:
Season 3: Volume 2-The Witcher (Streaming on Netflix July 27th)
Season 6-The Chi (Streaming on Showtime August 4th)
The Passenger (Streaming August 4th on Paramount Network)
Season 2-Winning Time (Streaming August 6th on Max)
Season 2-Rap Sh!t (Streaming August 10th on Max)
Retribution (In theaters August 25th)
Season 2-The Wheel of Time (Streaming September 1st on Prime Video)
Gen V (Streaming September 29th on Prime Video)
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!!
The great thing about #BlackJoy is that it can be expressed in a wide variety of ways!! Depending on who you are, what you do, and how you feel, Black Joy has a way of changing the game!
This is particularly the case when it comes to movies. With the new releases of Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid and the animated Blockbuster Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse starring Miles Morales, it’s a great time to be Black in the Movies!!
Today’s Black Joy Moment is a snapshot compilation of movies that over time have embodied Black joy!!
See You Tomorrow!!
Black Future Feminist 