On Natural Hair: Teach Me How to Love
I have recently become jealous of young girls. My envy is not rooted in the fact that they have their whole lives ahead of them or that the clothing in their section of department stores is often cuter than that…
The Last to Know
The heart will always remember first. As the days pass, it will become more sensitive than usual, with every word, image, and sound evoking emotion. The soul will follow. It will grow heavy, all sighs and deep meditation. It will…
A Magical Moment
Throughout these Olympics games, I have not been able to watch a single gymnastics competition without crying. Without fail, Simone would go tumbling through the air on the floor exercise or Laurie Hernandez would take a daredevil leap from the…
Spoken Word: It’s Personal (Black Lives Matter)
I am grateful for all the photographs of black boys and men that helped make up this project. I received a significant amount from parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, and friends – essentially the village that helps to raise…
Seasonal Expectations
In keeping with the unofficial small talk playbook, every person I casually greeted on the elevator this morning mentioned the weather. The rain made for messy commutes and gloomy outlooks and people were vocal about their dislike of it. I don’t…
Roadblocks
My eyes and mind are always a mile down the road. Whether I’m driving or simply living, I am always thinking ahead, trying to anticipate how things will unfold so I can be as prepared as possible. However, I am…
Beauty Shop Lessons in Faith: Vision
The thing about transitioning to natural hair – texture tug-of-war, thirsty tresses, and failed hairstyles notwithstanding – is the uncertainty of it all. It is the torment of not knowing. It is the present suffering on behalf of an unknown future. It is…
