It's okay to not be okay 💁
#WednesdayWisdom
"A crown, if it hurts us, is not worth wearing." —Pearl Bailey
Morning Musings
This weekend, I attended Black Girl in Om's Self-Care Sunday and words cannot describe how wonderful it felt to be surrounded by women of color at various stages of our wellness journey. Simply put, it was everything I never knew I needed.
While in downward dog, I took a peek though my legs and looked back at all of the black and brown feet and hands behind me. The beauty of it nearly brought me to happy tears. I'm so used to being the "only chocolate chip in the cookie" as my mom would say, but this was the first time I was in a yoga class where the other students looked like me and that was powerful.
At the end of the yoga flow and guided meditation, we stood in a circle and shared what we were taking away from the session and someone said, "It's okay not to be okay." In my small group, we discussed the trope of the "strong Black woman" and how it can be more harmful than helpful.
As Jesse Williams said so eloquently during his acceptance speech at the 2016 BET Awards, "just because we're magic doesn't mean we're not real."
Whenever I think about the "strong Black woman" stereotype, I can't help but remember Karyn Washington, the founder of For Brown Girls and the #DarkSkinRedLip Project. I'd never met Karyn in real life, but we followed each other on social media and I happily supported her work. So when I heard that she'd committed suicide in April 2014, I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.
How could someone who exuded such high self-esteem and self-confidence have taken her own life? We'll never know. But what I do know is that there is strength in vulnerability. It's okay to ask for help. It's okay to let go. It's okay to not be okay.
Love,
L'Oreal
ICYMI
Earlier this year, I wrote about the web series Brown Girls for JET and it was one of my favorite interviews to date. So you can imagine my delight when I heard that the show had been picked up by HBO. Huzzah!
Check out my interview with creators Fatimah Asghar and Sam Bailey (pictured above) for HelloGiggles to learn more about their friendship, the importance of representation and more.
What I'm Reading Now...
Why Wonder Woman is Bittersweet for Black Women
How Busy Women Recharge Without Stopping
101 Self-Care Suggestions for When It All Feels Like Too Much
My Latest Obsession
As I've mentioned before, I'm a sucker for graphic tees and good causes. Pair the two together and you've got my money! Ever since I first heard about Well-Read Black Girl, a book club based in Brooklyn, I've been obsessed. And even though I won't be able to attend their writers' conference and festival this fall, you can be sure I donated to their Kickstarter campaign (and snagged this cute tee in the process). Get yours today!
Now Hiring
Administrative Assistant for The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Volunteer Coordinator for Open Books
Fellowship for The Create Daily
Project Manager for POPSUGAR
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Virtual Assistants for Femtrepreneur (psst ... applications close today!)
Well, that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed this of LT in the City Weekly! Hit me up on the Interwebs below or simply click "reply" to tell me what you think. Thanks a bunches!