It is literally the first of the month, my favorite month to be exact :-)!! August 1st, 2023!! So happy to share with you this week’s new trailers, check them out below:
Coming Soon-Young Love (Streaming on MAX)
Season 3-Only Murder in the Building (Streaming August 8th on Hulu)
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip Hop (Streaming August 9th on Netflix)
Miguel Wants to Fight (Streaming August 16th on Hulu)
Season 3-The Morning Show (Streaming September 13th on Apple TV+)
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.”
“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” ~Toni Morrison
**This article was originally published in 2021. It was updated in 2023.**
Today marks the 158th year since the message of freedom was delivered to those enslaved in Texas, also known as Juneteenth (portmanteau of June and nineteenth)!! A celebration of emancipation, liberation, and Black Joy!!
And 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 went into effect January 1st, 1863 (also the start of watch night services), so Texas would not get this memo for almost two and half years later. And people wonder why Black people cannot wait for change! 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.
In a way there has been this sudden awakening regarding the Juneteenth holiday. 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.” And 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!
So when did I learn about Juneteenth, I remember it being brought up during one of my summer classes as an Upward Bound student, and in passing from one of my aunts who lives in Texas. But I would really learn about Juneteenth while attending Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, GA) and while out grocery shopping and a young man handed me a flyer for a Juneteenth celebration that was set to take place. Outside of the above-mentioned instances, I did not have any previous knowledge. Now I am not surprised by this, nor am I surprised that many other Black folks are only just now aware of what Juneteenth is and its significance. Even though I may not be from Texas, I take Juneteenth as my Independence Day/Emancipation Day, because clearly July 4th is not!!
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 folks to commune and fellowship and just be free with ourselves!!
Today’s #BlackJoyMoment is about honoring and celebrating Juneteenth! In 2023, Juneteenth continues to be more than just a holiday, but in many ways a movement!! Not only are school curriculums slowly changing, but we are also becoming more informed about the holiday through popular media. To get you in the spirit, I have compiled a few things to get you in the celebratory mood!
Television & Film
2nd Annual “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom” Concert (CNN & OWN, 8 pm/ET)
Juneteenth Honors (Shades of Black/FAST channel, 8 pm/ET)
Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World (2023) [PBS]
Civil War (Or, Who Do We Think We Are) (2021) [Peacock]
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America (2021) [Netflix]
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America- Episode #4-“Freedom” (2021) [Netflix]
Miss Juneteenth (2020) [Prime Video, Apple TV+]
Juneteenth Jamboree: A Place For Families (2016) [PBS]
Traditional Food & Drink to Enjoy
Red Foods & Drink [Red foods and drinks are the most prominent feature on a Juneteenth menu]: Red Punch, Red Velvet Cake, Hibiscus tea, Red beans & rice, Strawberries, and Watermelon
BBQ Foods: Chicken, Pork, Ribs, Hot links, and Brisket
Prosperity Meals/Sides: Collard greens and Cabbage, Black-eyed peas, Yams, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, and Cornbread
And as a personal shout-out, check out this latest VCU News article where I am featured sharing my contribution to the Juneteenth Watch-List !!
Juneteenth Flag (The above Blue color represents the horizon blue and the red color below is symbolic of the ground soaked with blood…The five-pointed star refers both to Texas and to the “freedom of African Americans in all 50 states”; surrounding it is a new star, which represents a new beginning for all.)
In the end when I think about Juneteenth I am still hopeful…And I am definitely excited. Juneteenth is a holiday even worthy of being acknowledged internationally. Hopeful that the celebration of this holiday is not just for a moment or season, but for an infinity of lifetimes. Excited because with each passing day more and more people are learning about the importance and significance of Juneteenth!! Even if this is your first year, make sure it is not your last!!
Good Day, Friends and Family!! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I know I did it was filled with lots of laughs, tasty treats, and good fellowship!! It’s nothing like finding joy in the small things of life! And for me sitting on my couch, curled up with a snack and a spirited beverage, while binging the latest television series is just the prescription I need!!
So today’s #BlackJoy moment is about sharing some upcoming “Must Watch Summer TV”!! I have compiled a list of TV shows that either just dropped or will be dropping soon that feature primarily Black cast and shows that have Black folks as the lead. These are shows that can be viewed across several streaming networks.
Check them out below:
Season 2-Run the World (Starz)
Season 2-The Wonder Years (ABC/Hulu)
I’m a Virgo (Prime Video)
Secret Invasion (Disney+)
Hijack (Apple TV+)
Survival of the Thickest (Netflix)
Twisted Metal (Peacock/USA)
Average Joe (BET+)
The Lazarus Project (TNT)
Grown-ish (Freeform/Hulu)
The Upshaws (Netflix)
What other shows are you watching or looking forward to watching this summer??
Before I begin, let me first apologize for what is to follow (#sorrynotsorry lol)…last night I went out with some friends and had this AMAZING shrimp basket with sweet potato fries and LORD HAVE MERCY it was sooooo good!! And the lightbulb went off…Grace your post for Monday should be all about food and drinks!! The Black culinary experience is definitely a space where we exude a great deal of Black Joy!!
There is such a rich history as it relates to the culinary world that you cannot talk about food and drink without bringing in the Black/African diaspora! So here we are!! As a budding foodie, wine lover, and restaurant experimenter, I knew one of these 30 days had to focus on the greatness of the Black culinary world. I have so many memories about my grandma’s cooking, trying fresh seafood in Australia, going to the vineyards in South Africa, my cousin Terry getting me my first drink on the Queen Mary, and being in second heaven while dining on some delicious steamed mussels and frites in Brussels.
Today’s Black Joy Moment is all about highlighting Black chefs, restaurants, mixologists, cookbooks, and anything to make your culinary senses go haywire!!
Notable Black Chefs/Bakers/Mixologists
Tiffany-Anne Parkes- Pastry Chef/Creative and owner of Pienanny and A Seat Above The Table (Instagram: @pi.naan.ee)
Not only am I celebrating 30 Days of Black Joy this June, but it is also Black Music Appreciation Month!!
Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the Black/African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage. In a 2019 official proclamation from the White House they note,
“Throughout American history, African American music has reflected our Nation’s challenges and triumphs and has always enriched our Nation’s culture. During African American Music Appreciation Month, we pay tribute to the talented and inspiring African American artists who have given sound and voice to the full range of human emotions through the blues, jazz, gospel, rock and roll, rap, hip hop, and other genres. This month, we celebrate the countless contributions of African American singers, composers, and musicians, who have influenced and shaped every genre and style of music. They have turned universally shared emotions and experiences of suffering, joy, passion, pain, faith, injustice, and love into art that speaks to the heart and spirit of any American. African American music has the power to encourage, inspire, and affect social change. It transcends time, compelling generation after generation to sing, dance, think, and feel, and it endures in our culture, our history, our spirit, and our collective national soul.”
For me, music has multiple uses. It’s relaxing…it’s therapeutic…I’m always tuned into something to get me through my day!! In the words of President Biden, “We celebrate Black artists who have used their songs to stand up to injustice, fight for equality, and reflect a mirror on society — reminding us all of our enduring obligation to deliver the promise of America for all Americans.” In many ways this is definitely also a reflection of my thoughts!!
Myself enjoying some soul-soothing sounds at the Roots Picnic in Philly…Reppin’ A Tribe Called Quest!!
Today’s #BlackJoy moment, and for each Friday in June, I will share a curated playlist celebrating some of my favorite Black songs and artists! Check out this week’s playlist below:
What are some of your favorite songs and artists?! Feel free to share some of your favorite Black songs and artists, in the comments, and maybe one of your faves might make the list :-)!!
What is Black Joy? Black joy is a celebratory term that has been used to acknowledge and highlight the experiences of happiness, pleasure, and contentment within the Black community. As a powerful and affirming concept, Black Joy incorporates resilience, creativity, and the strength of Black individuals and communities locally, nationally, and globally. In simple terms It’s Happiness…It’s Resistance…It’s Freedom!! Ultimately, Black joy is a counter-narrative to many existing dominant narratives of pain, oppression, and struggle that often define the representation of Black people in media and society.
Every year around this time I am led to share, promote, and celebrate the many ways in which Black Joy is personified and expressed. Over the next 30 days, there will be daily posts (via the BFF website, Instagram, and Facebook) celebrating the various forms and expressions of Black Joy. This is seen through art, music, dance, local/national/global community engagement, personal achievements, storytelling, and soooo much more!!
Now before we dive into our celebration, check out some of these articles to get your mind ready!!
Black Future Feminist 