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#WednesdayWisdom

"While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last — because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities." — Madame Vice President Kamala Harris

Morning Musings

As I mentioned last week, I spent Election Day largely unplugged and sometime around Tuesday evening I decided to keep the good vibes going and continue my news/social media hiatus until the results were final. I'd even asked Jeff to "break it to me gently" once a winner was declared (can you tell I was hoping for the best and expecting the worst?).

I was in the middle of watching the Well-Read Black Girl Festival session with Glory Edim, founder of WRBG and Helena Andrews-Dyer, co-author of Reclaiming My Time: The Power of Maxine Waters, when the news broke.

"God has smiled on America," someone chatted.

"Are you talking about what I think you're talking about?" some asked.

Then the chats became rapid fire with the names of news outlets confirming the news. Ever the journalist, I took a deep breath, logged onto the Associated Press (it's not official until it's AP official) and took perhaps the largest exhale of my life. I think Chrissy Teigen summed it up best:

Same, Chrissy, saaaame.

If there's any doubt or confusion, yes, I am EXTREMELY happy about the results. Yes, I voted for #BidenHarris and yes, I am currently plotting my way into a #Harris2024 administration despite Jeffrey telling me Biden will likely run for reelection meaning we're more realistically looking at a #Harris2028 ticket, but whatever.

And yes, I know there's still a lot of work to do and lot to be undone. But for a brief moment on Saturday, we could exhale. SNL's Micheal Che described the sentiment perfectly on Weekend Update by referencing the scene from Shawshank Redemption where the prisoners were drinking on the roof: "They were still in prison, but for one day they just felt okay. That's how I feel now." 

I went to the park with my besties. We popped champagne and ate delicious apple pie from Baker Miller (seriously, it was divine) to the backdrop of this very NSFW, but very appropriate playlist. And for one day, everything felt okay (and then Alex Trebek died the next day and 2020 was back on its b.s.).

Then the significance of what had happened hit me when I got home and saw this picture from @iamracquelbailey:

And I felt ALL the feels. It immediately reminded me of Parker Curry looking up at the Michelle Obama portrait in awe.

To know me is to know that I fundamentally believe #RepresentationMatters. It's at the crux of everything I do. It's the reason I became a journalist and a writer in the first place. More on that here.

So to see this and know that there are little Black and brown girls who can see themselves in our VICE PRESIDENT is phenomenal. Heck, I'm 33 and I'm giddy with excitement ... Press Secretary Payton does have a nice ring to it! 🤔

Love,
L'Oreal

ICYMI

I recently joined the crew at ManifestHer for a podcast episode about battling impostor syndrome and claiming your seat at the table. Take a listen and let me know what you think!

Happenings

Nov. 14: Self-Care for Black Women. I'm excited to moderate this important and timely discussion with Level: The Series. (Free)

Dec. 2: Trust Your Dopeness: Seven Steps to Combat Impostor Syndrome. I'm partnering with Ama La Vida Coaching for this interactive workshop. (Free)

Dec. 5: . My friend Vanessa Flowers of Flower Girls Meet is closing out the year with a feel-good event. (Free)

Dec. 10: Putting the People Back in Philanthropy. I'm moderating another panel, this one in partnership with Women Unite! about ways we can come together to make real, lasting change. (Suggested donation, $15)

Links I Love

🚴🏾‍♀️ To know me is to know I am obsessed with two things: Beyoncé and Peloton. And now the two have joined forces. (I'll be taking the Bey-themed yoga class tonight at 7 ET/7 CT in case anyone's interested in joining me. My leaderboard name is (what else?) #LTintheCity).

📺 If you, like me, grew up watching Alex Trebek, you'll enjoy this tribute to the longtime Jeopardy! host. Rest in peace, Alex, and thank you for the memories.

👏🏾 Okay, I know there are more pressing matters, but I had to know how the wardrobe team at SNL nailed The Suit in less than two hours.

My Latest Obsession

If you've been following this newsletter for a minute now, you may have caught on that I'm a fan of self-care storyteller Alex Elle (her Instagram quotes often make an appearance as the week's #WednesdayWisdom).

My bestie Marissa recently gifted me Alex's latest book, After the Rain, for my birthday and I pretty much devoured it within a day. If you're looking for a soothing balm in the form of words, this one is for you.

Now Hiring

1. Senior Editor for Hechinger Report

2. Retail Brew Writer for Morning Brew

3. Director of Business Intelligence & Analytics for The Muse

4. Program Manager for The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education

5. Conservation Manager for The National Audubon Society

6. Managing Director, Business Development for OneGoal

7. Digital Communications Coordinator for Chicago Foundation for Women

8. Press Strategist for Samara Collective

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