This Is Why I Study Our Art — Deeply, Tenderly, Proudly
There comes a time when I grow beyond saying:
“That’s just old.”
“Just something from back then.”
“Just music, just fashion, just dancing.”
No.
O [...]
Meryl Streep: I AM Built from Endurance Not Approval
I am built from endurance, not approval. What lasts in me cannot be taken by time or opinion. [...]
Playing by Heart: Alberta Hunter and the Power of Soul Wisdom
Alberta Hunter’s life was a testament to the power of the "unpolished" authentic soul. She was a woman who conquered the world's stages, walked away t [...]
Helen Baylor’s Testimony| I Had a Praying Grandmother
Helen Baylor’s gospel classic “A Praying Grandmother” is more than a personal testimony—it’s a spiritual archive for many Black families. It speaks to [...]
The Bold Choice to Live AND Thrive
Tyka said I could, so I did. -Prince (Tyka Nelson was Prince's sister who recently passed away)
Notice how people speak about sacrifices made for art [...]
🎵 Everyday People: A Prayer for Boundaries and Belonging
“I am everyday people…”
Simple words, sacred meaning.Arrested Development’s “People Everyday” is more than a remix of a classic — it’s a less [...]
🎵 Tennessee: A Prayer for the Weary Soul
“Lord, I’ve really been real stressed, down and out, losin’ ground…”
Those first words from Arrested Development’s “Tennessee” still feel like pr [...]
Survivor Affirmation: I Appreciate Me for Being Me (featuring poet Steven Willis w Youtube video link)
Affirmation: I speak to myself in the tone I once searched for in others—
gentle, unhurried, faithful to my becoming.Oh how I love, adore, and a [...]
Soul Music Connects to Your Soul and Your Spirit
“Soul music is true to its name. It's music that connects to your soul, your spirit. … when people can emotionally connect with something or it helps [...]
When Being Yourself Is Labeled “Political”: Why some people are punished simply for showing up
Nat King Cole really was attacked on stage during a concert in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1956.
While performing at the Municipal Auditorium in Birmingh [...]
Compassion at the Table: Nothing New, This How We Do
Where I am from, when we say DEI, we’re saying:“You belong here. I see you. I will work so that you can be safe, heard, and fully present.”
I [...]
Vivica A. Fox: A master class in showing up and showing out from her days on Soul Train
Soul Train dancers were not “just dancers.”
They were artists.
People sometimes talk about Soul Train like it was simply a place to party.
But look [...]
Survivor Affirmation: Moving My Feet In Rhythm is a Sacred Metaphor
 Double Dutch is such a sacred metaphor — playful on the surface, but underneath it’s about rhythm, timing, breath, courage, community, and ancestral [...]
🎶 Choose Love, Joy, Hope (w/video)
🎶 Choose Love, Joy, HopeHate makes little ditties —short, sharp, and forgettable.But joy?Joy makes songs that reach the bones.Songs that bring p [...]
The Harlem Photos That Were Hidden for 40 Years
These photos are evidence of resilience.In 1970, New York City was officially collapsing. The media called it "Fear City." But while the world saw [...]
Remember the Time: Memory Remembers Meaning, Not Calendars
Memory does not keep time the way clocks do.
It keeps impact.
It keeps feeling.
It keeps the moments when something inside us recognized truth befo [...]
12 Facts About Sounds of Blackness and Their Uplifting Song “Optimistic”
In times of struggle, we lean on music to remind us who we are, where we’ve been, and what we’re capable of. Sounds of Blackness has been that v [...]
Afro Harpists: Pioneers in Spiritual Jazz and Healing (w/affirmations)
Black harpists have carved out a profound and unique space within the world of meditation and sound healing. While the harp is often associated with E [...]
What Song Has Brought Comfort and Healing to You?
In this life, there will be pain, trials, and tribulations. Â I am truly thankful for the gift of music. High-quality music can sooth [...]
The Healing Hum: A Sound Our Bodies Remember
Before we had language for healing…Before we knew the words nervous system or self-regulation…Many of us grew up in homes where someone hummed us th [...]
Growing Up in the 70’s | Black Perspective
Gratitude and appreciation to @Kimbar1313 on Tiktok for reminding us that we can be going through difficult times but creating your own joy. In fa [...]
An Affirmation for Choosing How You Live
Anyone who danced the way Prince danced—with that level of athleticism, speed, torque, elevation, repetition,and especially in heels—understood early [...]
Great Re-Inventors: Eartha Kitt #courage #changeyourlife #comeback
When an American presidential administration attempted to blacklist and silence Eartha Kitt, she simply took her talents and skills overseas where [...]
Sometimes Integrity Gets You Removed: And That Doesn’t Mean You Were Wrong
🎤 Dusty Springfield was a British singer known for her soulful voice and hit songs in the 1960s. Wikipedia
đź“… Â 1964: During a tour of South Africa, sh [...]
Women Are the Source, Not the Punchline
“It is not inclusive to sit silent while people mock the beauty and humanity of women. That is not progress—it is plain old misogyny. The same misogyn [...]
When You’re Trained to Consume a Culture but Not Understand It (Amplifying Affirmations for Black Creators)
It isn't that people think that Black art should never be critiqued, but there is undeniable and die-hard racism within the critiques. Further, when m [...]
Soul Train: Where art became cross-cultural language
Soul Train. Soullll Train. The hippest trip in America.
 I was in front of my television nearly every Saturday morning and pouted when I couldn't be. [...]