Black Music Month, Bay Leaves, and the Pages That Hold Our Stories
Some traditions are loud.
A choir lifting a song.
A drum carrying memory across generations.
A family reunion filled with laughter.
Other trad [...]
12 Facts About Sounds of Blackness and Their Uplifting Song “Optimistic”
updated from 2 1 25
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 Blac [...]
Your Authentic Voice Belongs In This Season
There is something I’ve noticed across history — and I feel it stirring again.
Whenever those in power get too big, too loud, too controlling…wheneve [...]
The Architecture of Sound & Soul: Celebrating Marlena Shaw This Black Music Month
When we talk about the giants of Black music, certain household names instantly clear the room. But there is a specific, sacred tier of artistry occup [...]
Inspired by Survivor Viola Davis: You Don’t Need Perfect Weather to Bloom
Some flowers wait for sunshine.Others learn how to grow toward the light
even while clouds remain overhead.
Gratitude to a shining star....Viola Da [...]
Black Culture is SO Beautiful
Black culture is truly a wonderful vibe. Being Black is a beautiful blessing I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world!
Dear God, thank You for th [...]
12 Reasons Lauryn Hill Deserves More Respect for Her Impact on Music (w/affirmations)
updated from March 2026
The only reason that men question Lauryn Hill's
accomplishments
is because they can't find a way
to take credit for them. [...]
10 Ways to Reconnect with Yourself (The 1980s Way) w/ Affirmations
10 Ways to Reconnect with Yourself (The 1980s Way)
If you want to step away from the digital noise and tap into that grounded, authentic energy of th [...]
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. [...]
🎶 Choose Love, Joy, Hope (w/video)
🎶 Choose Love, Joy, Hope
Hate makes little ditties —short, sharp, and forgettable.But joy?Joy makes songs that reach the bones.Songs that bring p [...]
Survivor Affirmation: For Patti LaBelle, the Beautiful Assertion
Before the world knew her as Patti LaBelle, she was Patricia Louise Holte, a girl from Philadelphia with a voice that could rise from the church floor [...]
🌸 Groovy Affirmations: My Hair, My Glory, My Groove
My curls, coils, kinks, and waves are a love letter from God.
The texture of my hair tells stories my ancestors whispered into my roots.
[...]
Before the Dress Code Debate: 8 Gentle Questions to Ask Yourself If You Never Feel Like Getting Ready
Some conversations become so loud that we forget to ask the quieter questions.
Recently, there has been discussion surrounding Tuskegee U [...]
Different Go-Go, Same Refusal to Disappear into Misery
I just discovered something beautiful.
There are two kinds of “GoGo.”
One was born in Washington, DC.
One comes from Tanzania.
And somehow [...]
When You Stop Feeling Like You Have to Keep Proving Yourself
Lauryn Hill was awarded the BET Icon Award, and some are still saying that she didn't do enough. "It was just one album."
That framing leaves out a l [...]
The Lie of “Not Enough Trained People”: What Martin, Motown, and Black Representation Already Proved
There is an old lie that keeps getting dressed up as wisdom.
It says Black communities do not get full representation because there are not enough “t [...]
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 [...]
Hidden Black Film Herstory: Stompin at the Savoy | Directed by Debbie Allen
Sometimes Black women’s films are praised for being “nice,” “nostalgic,” or “beloved,” while the craft gets undercounted. Stompin’ at the Savoy was no [...]
🌺 Frida Kahlo: She Lived in a Body That Hurt—and Still Created Beauty
 For a long time I celebrated Frida's art and had no idea she lived in pain. I was truly spellbound by the art. As a young person, I thought the art w [...]
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 [...]
India.Arie Sings “I Am Light”: Plus 10 of Her Affirmations
"I Am Light" — India.Arie
The Vibe: A holy, minimalist prayer. Stripped down to just acoustic guitar and vocals, you are not your pieces—you are di [...]
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 [...]
The Power of Music: Candi Staton’s Anthem
This is one of my favorite songs from girlhood. I LOVE the tone in her voice and listen to her song catalog regularly. She is soulful.&nbs [...]
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 [...]
Lessons from The Wedding: The Kind of Love That Looks Good—and Still Costs You
Another televised Oprah production. She doesn't appear in this film, but if you are a fan of the wonderful series Greenleaf, you will definitely note [...]
There Are Souls Beyond the Scoreboard: A History Lesson in Hope, Radio, and Second Wind (podcast episode)
We are not living in the time of afterschool specials, radio dedications, and songs that reached through the static to touch a hurting child’s heart.
[...]
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 [...]
🌿 You Were Never Meant to Live for Their Applause (w/playlist)
Survivor, I see you.Maybe you’ve been praised for being strong. Maybe you’ve been ignored for being too real.Either way, too many of us were taught th [...]
Black Classics Reading List Created by Chelsea Yvonne
In the spirit of Juneteenth, free your mind!Â
These Black literary classics are worth a read or re-read.Â
Gratitude to Chelsea Yv [...]
Artist Jossie Harris Thacker: Building On Where You Come From — Without Going To War With It
Some of us were taught that “healing” means disowning everything that shaped us.
The accent.The neighborhood.The elders.The songs.The faith.The grit. [...]