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#WednesdayWisdom
"Forgive yourself like you've so graciously forgiven others." — alex elle
Morning Musings
Late last month I was talking to a coworker about IVF when I shared, "These are the cards I've been dealt. I wouldn't have chosen them for myself, but if there's an opportunity for me to use my voice and my platform to help other Black women, then so be it."
Literally a few minutes later a reporter from STAT, a health-oriented news site affiliated with Boston Globe, had slid into my DMs. She'd recently read my SELF essay about Black women and infertility and was wondering if I'd be open to sharing my story for an article she was writing on the same topic.
Okay, God, I see what you did there. Naturally, I agreed and the interview went well. Then the reporter followed up a few days later wondering if I'd be willing to be photographed as the "face" of the story. I'm sure my reaction looked something like this...
An interview is one thing. I've been documenting our journey here, on social media, on podcasts, etc. to just about anyone who will listen because I believe it's an important conversation to have.
But being the poster girl for Black women and infertility? I didn't exactly sign up for that. That night, as we were watching Girlfriends (I'm so behind, y'all, we're just now on season 2), we saw the episode where Maya learns that fibroids had made it difficult to conceive. When her friend Joan suggests there are ways to help with that (I assume she meant fertility treatments, such as IUI and/or IVF), Maya balked at the idea because "that's not something Black people do." (this GIF is in reference to bungee jumping, but same difference)
She's not alone in that thinking. So many times throughout this journey, I've been told to "just be patient," "keep praying," "God has a plan," etc. All of those things are true and, the way I see it, God made the doctors. It's like that story about the drowning man. God sent a warning, a car, a canoe -- the list goes on -- and, after drowning, the guy was like "hey, yo, God, why didn't you save me?" And God was like I sent you this, this and this, what more did you want?
Well, I like to think of IVF as our canoe. And I agreed to the photo shoot because, as I mentioned in the story, so much about infertility is white, white, white -- from the patients to the doctors to the clinics down to the pictures of the babies on the wall.
So y'all gonna get all this Blackness and all this Black love. Read the full story here.
Love,
L'Oreal
P.s. If you're wondering why I included a pineapple emoji in the subject line, it's because it's unofficial official symbol of IVF.Â
Virtual Happenings
Oct. 21 (TONIGHT): Pinot x Poetry. I'm joining my girl Pam for an evening of storytelling, poetry and, of course, vino. (FREE)
Oct. 26: #TheMuseMinute. I'm spilling ALLL the tea on how I transitioned from full-time journalism to nonprofit PR wit The Muse founder and CEO Kathryn Minshew. (FREE)
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Links I Love
1. Regina King -- Long May She Reign (Glamour)
2. Seeing the Black Art Remaking Our Culture (New York Times)
3. Let's Talk About Kamala Harris (NPR)
My Latest Obsession
My friend Stephanie has the best recommendations (she's the one who put me on to The Wrap Life) and she hasn't disappointed with her latest rec either. After noticing her glowing skin on a recent Zoom call, I asked for the deets. Her secret? Blume's Meltdown Acne Oil.
I wish I'd taken before/after pics! I'm about a month into using it and, I don't know what kind of voodoo is in this product, but it WORKS! I'm talking hormonal acne flare-up on both cheeks and my chin due to IVF meds. (fret not...there's no actual voodoo, just all-natural ingredients like rosehip for fading dark spots and scars; lavender for relief; and blue tansy aka the miracle ingredient).
And because I can't resist a good deal, I opted for Blume's Dancing Dew-O combo, which includes the acne oil and Whirl Moisturizer for $50. Trust when I say it was worth every penny (but you can save $10 with my referral link).
Now Hiring
Communications Director for Change Consulting
Guest Editor for The Poetry Foundation
Associate Managing Editor for Chronicle Books
Communications Associate for The Education Trust-West
Senior Grant Writer for Impact Justice
Development Associate for the Chicago Literacy AllianceÂ
Alternatives to Placement Program Manager for Girls for Gender Equity
Director, Latino Media & Communications for Planned Parenthood
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