The Cowboy Sunday X Folk Fest was a good ole time, medicine for the soul 🌻
Children playing,
barbecue, greens, cornbread, and black eyed peas,
wisdom being shared,
ancestors being remembered,
dancing, laughter, and hugs being shared,
a time was had.
We are so grateful to have been a part of such a beautifully crafted experience ✨✍🏽
Thank you to all the rich souls who took the time to share their words for our community poem and to ruminate with us on what reparations means in this moment 🔥
We hope you are walking a little lighter, a little more energized, and a little more grounded in your purpose 🫶🏽
The poem is on our Substack too. Check it out ✨✍🏽
Til next time.
XOXO
The Ring Shout was one of our Ancestors’ most enduring technologies — a sacred, embodied practice used to call forth spiritual assistance, strengthen communal bonds, and rehearse liberation under unimaginable constraint. In the counterclockwise turn, they safeguarded memory. In the rhythm of their feet, they preserved lineage. In the circle, they practiced freedom.
Folk Fest 2026 stands in that tradition.
As a hybrid folk arts education convening, we gather cultural practitioners and community members in the spirit of intergenerational exchange — not only to learn about heritage, but to embody it. To safeguard familial cultural treasures. To strengthen identity formation. To deepen our relationship with the land and planet that holds us.
The Ring Shout reminds us: preservation is not passive. It is lived. It is sung. It is moved through the body.
Come on in the room: March 29th, 2026
@journeyhtx
🙆🏽♀️🙆🏽♀️🙆🏽♀️ It is time to get to work 👏🏽
Our Tongues of Fire Writers Workshop program is launching this month and I am geeked!
This is for the writers, and particularly this round is for the poets ✨✨✨
Tongues of Fire Writers Workshops are built for us by us, and deep intentions of safety, compassion, confidentiality, and mutual respect have been set.
During these workshops we will be diving into your works in progress (or finished work) and providing feedback, revision, and skill building techniques. This workshop will specifically focus on poetry and voice development.
Please RSVP by January 15th on our events page sistersoftheyam.org. These workshops will be limited to 12 people to ensure purposefulness, so please do not RSVP if you are unable to commit to attending.
*Instructions for submission requirements will be emailed to participants after they RSVP. All Works in progress must be submitted by January 17th to help personalize the workshop experience.
These workshops are donation based, and proceeds will go towards the facilitator honorarium. ✍🏽
Woooo. That is a lot of information to take in, if you have further questions please email [email protected]
XOXO
Dressing Room scenes from JuJu Strolling Thru 2021 edition
The power and the Ase of the mothers resides in her adornment of herself. JuJu in the jewelry. JuJu all in the glam. It grows in the passing down of wisdom. We wore pieces by @kissthejewel . We wore our aunt’s furs and my mother’s rings. The gold signified the royalty of our bloodline. Flowers are my mother’s favorite. We give thanks and praises of prayers for the blessings that they have brought to us 🙏🏾✨
📸 @kissthejewel@jujusoreal
I know I’ve been holding back. Yeah it’s a full moon. These are just a few scenes from the photo series JuJu Strolling Thru. The theme is transformation. The mode is spirituality. The vibe is old school church lady meets singing dancing star babies twerking their way through the cosmos, hanging out down by the riverside. Join me @jujusoreal on Saturday August 24 for a brief chat about this project. The latest installment of JuJu Strolling Thru will make its debut, after many many months of waiting and changes.
*This project is supported in part by the City of Houston’s Support for Artists and Creative Individuals grant through the Houston Arts Alliance*
