Ran a marathon.
Did my first long-distance road trip with my family.
Did a lot of therapy.
Spent time with my family.
Saw some world.
Let go of a lot of things and people.
Got serious about boundaries.
Embraced what's to come instead of fearing it because God is on our side.
Everything by the grace of God. Everything for my babies. Everything to be the best version of myself. Grateful for 2025. Even greater testimonies in 2026 in Jesus' name 🙏🏾❤️
Had the chance to be the Black Rick Steves (shout out to #PBS) in #MarthasVineyard for @smartwater ! Safe to say, I need my own show. Check me out on ESSENCE.com and on our YouTube channel! #ESSENCEescapes 😊🛥️🦞✊🏾 /lifestyle/travel/essence-escapes-marthas-vineyard-with-smartwater/
Eight panels, y'all. EIGHT! And each one was a joy to take part in. Whether I was helping to prepare a meal, talking about how finances and mental health go hand in hand, documenting Black food culture, Black folks infiltrating the wine and spirits industry, or creatives choosing sobriety in the cocktail capital of New Orleans, I was grateful to be in my element at Food and Wine, Wellness House and Authors stages this ESSENCE Festival of Culture.
My heart is still smiling from meeting so many amazing talents, hanging with ESSENCE staff (especially my editorial sistas and social cousins) and people who told me how they enjoyed and learned so much from the conversations I was a part of this holiday weekend. That will stay with me more than anything. Respectfully, miss me with the rest...And shout out to my hair, which was cooperating, and my clothes selections, which I couldn't fit this time last year lol 💪🏾🏃🏾♀️(20 pounds down!)
Until next time, New Orleans! ⚜️ #essencefest
Photo Credits: Getty Images; Courtney Cheatham; Type5 Media
May blessings
1. I wrote this fabulous digital cover story! Talking to people about Black love and family is my favorite thing. Read it at ESSENCE.com. 🤰🏾
2. I took my sons to Disney World 🐭
3. Dami turned 5! 🎂
4. Made a stop at BAM Dance Africa for hats, as always 🌍
5. Finally visited Martha's Vineyard 🚤
6. Anything for my boys 😊🎆
I wrote this! And word is, it's quite good 😉😏
Check out my chat with Anthony Mackie about Brave New World, if his kids are impressed (spoiler: they're not) and not wanting to be labeled the "Black Captain America":
“I think it’s huge, but I think we limit ourselves by putting the title ‘Black’ on Captain America,” he states. “When Chris Evans was Captain America, he wasn’t ‘White’ Captain America—so why do we limit ourselves and say that because I’m Black, I’m Black Captain America? No, I’m Captain f–king America, period. You know?”
Day 1 with Sisterlocks vs Year 3
I get a lot of questions about my Sisterlocks. And while I'm always flattered when people compliment my hair, transparently, having Sisterlocks is not easy. If you're thinking about them here's what you should know:
I'm not sure about Microlock requirements (people tend to get those and Sisterlocks confused because they can look similar), but Sisterlocks require appointments every four to six weeks to keep them together. They are not cheap, and my stylist charges the lower end of what I've seen online. When I had regular locs, once I learned how to retwist myself, I wouldn't go to the salon very often (retwists never lasted longer than a week!) so this has been quite the change. If you miss your appointments, you are charged additional costs for each week past the four to six.
MY appointments are long. Very long. I've always had a lot of hair, and I haven't counted how many locs I have right now, but I'm in the chair for about six hours on average retwisting and fixing rogue ones 🥴 They are twisted in a grid pattern, and if you wash your hair too vigorously (like using your nails versus finger tips) or don't comb through them daily with your fingers, it can be hell to pay when it's time for a retwist. This can make things complicated if you have dandruff like me and want to keep your scalp clean (yes, I have washed too vigorously per my stylist, sometimes too often).
Mine are also many different lengths. That may not be the case for others, but the front is very short due to postpartum hair loss while the back is long. I also have to get used to having this much hair on my head again. Should be easier now that we are in the fall! 🍁
That said, for my second set of locs, I do love them. I like the way they look and watching them grow. They're already past my shoulders and I can do ponytails now! It's a commitment I've made, and though I can't say how long it will last, for now, I will continue to nourish and care for them and see what they do next.
So, if you're considering locking your hair, as I hear many people say, that's what you should know about going this particular route. 😊
I had the awesome opportunity to chat with @iamjhud for ESSENCE's newest digital cover. The best part about our time together was that one of my earliest friends, her hairstylist, was present to hear our conversation! (And take a photo of me during it.)
@albertmorrisonhair used to do my hair when we were growing up in Matteson, Illinois. Braids, crimps, curls, he could do it all. He'd take my allowance and hook me up with a fly style, and then we'd watch Tyler Perry stage plays together 😂 He even did my hair for my senior photos!
To see our own dreams come true all these years later, living on opposite coasts, he the star stylist to an EGOT winner working in Cali, me interviewing his famous client in NYC, is the ultimate blessing. We've come mighty far from Matteson. God is good.
Images of Hudson by @kanyaiwana
July joy. 😊
1. Laughing with my oldest, dearest friend @iamtabithabrown . 🤣
2. Talking wine at ESSENCE Food and Wine with @ms_ibest and @carissastephens . Blessed to have fully programmed both Food and Wine and the Wellness Stage at EFOC for the first time! 🍷
3. "My Boo" Ur-sher at EFOC's 30th anniversary. 🎤
4. Moderating on the BeautyCon stage for the first time and talking beauty after motherhood 👩🏾🍼
5. The Food and Wine timeline my lifestyle team created for the activation. Dooooope to see it come to life, including all the recipes I pulled from our physical archives. 👩🏾🍳
6. Two mamas who don't get out much hunting for the best French 75 in New Orleans. 🥂
7. Baby's first wave pool in the Bahamas. 🌊
8. The Oluloyes take CocoCay 🏖️
9. Rev Run turning the party out on Utopia of the Seas 🛳️
10. A toast to an amazing month. 🍸
I could have taken better photos but I was too busy having fun 😊
Special thanks to @beachesresorts
Negril, Jamaica - April 2024
#BeachesResorts #YourCaribbeanPlayground #BeachesNegril
All praise to the most high God for the opportunity to do what I love for a living: write and edit.
The Men's Issue was a huge undertaking for me. Shout out to the talented @coolhandoak and @mentionme for their awesome cover stories with Russell and Damson, which I had the pleasure of top editing.
And special thanks to my BFF @usher for being a fantastic cover subject to interview and laugh with, and for being transparent about something I love to talk about -- the ups and downs of parenting. Here's to 30 more years of brilliance.
Slide through for how I'm feeling, courtesy of my fiftyleven kids. Pick up the issue 4/23 and Usher cover story in my bio ✌🏾
Credits:
Photographer: @adrienneraquel
Stylist: @yashuasimmons
Barber/Groomer: @shizz215x
Makeup: @jennartist
Nails: @noirmensgrooming
SetDesign: @codycr
Location: @thebeverlyestate
Production: @themorrisongroup
SpecialThanks: @lermitagebh@shortstorieshotels
ESSENCE,SVP,Creative: @coreytstokes
ESSENCE,SeniorContentDirector: @itsnandibby
ESSENCE,VisualDirector: @_mq______
ESSENCE,DesignDirector: @anthonybones_
