a full-circle moment ✨

that time I gave a keynote address at my high school

#WednesdayWisdom

“It’s never too late for you to recommit to the goals that you gave up on. It’s never too late for you to reconnect with yourself. It’s never too late for you to become the person you were always meant to be.” ~

Michell C. Clark

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Morning Musings

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and while I could certainly write at least that many describing how much the above picture means to me (but we’re all short on time, so I won’t). Long story short, a few months ago I was invited to deliver the keynote address at my high school’s back-to-school assembly.

Now, I was a very surprised they reached out to me. Yes, I’m an accomplished journalist and published author; however, I also had a couple of run-ins with the administration both during my time as a student and then years later when I was penning an essay for the alumnae magazine. Let’s just say strong feminist values and conservative all-girls Catholic schools don’t always see eye-to-eye.

When I was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, I got in trouble for writing “big butts” in a column about how Beyoncé and J. Lo made me feel seen as a young Black girl learning to love her curves. And when I wrote about feminism in the aforementioned alumnae essay, you would’ve thought I’d said the actual f-word. So needless to say I was a little shocked that they wanted me to deliver an inspirational message to the students…and I was honored.

I’ve given plenty of speeches and stepped on many stages, but this was among the most meaningful. To stand on that stage and share the life lessons I’ve learned at a place where I spent my formative years was truly special. And my favorite English teacher, Mrs. Marlatt, came back just for the occasion and yes, I cried.

After the audience Q&A, one of the counselors warned me, “they’re going to swarm you” and next thing I knew I was surrounded by a group of high school girls who were full of compliments. They thanked me for coming. They were excited to tell me they didn’t fall asleep during my speech! A couple of them told me how I pretty I am. And then they asked to take a group picture. Of course I said yes!

What really made me emotional were the Black girls who came up to me afterward. When I went to Mount de Sales, I was one of two Black girls in my graduating class. And while those numbers have improved slightly, MdS is still very much overwhelmingly white.

I saw myself in those girls who wanted to talk to me and, hopefully, they saw themselves in me as well—just one example of who and what they can be in the world. For as long as I can remember, my mission and passion in this world has been to uplift and encourage women and girls, specifically Black women and girls. To describe the experience as a full-circle moment doesn’t quite capture the magnitude, but it’s the best I’ve got and I’ll always treasure that moment.

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Stop Waiting for Perfect is Out Now!

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Upcoming Events

• TOMORROW (Sept. 14): Sista Afya Community Workshop (virtual)

• Sept. 15: Barbara’s Bookstore (Lombard, IL)

• Sept. 22: Diaspora Day (virtual)

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ICYMI

The SWFP press tour is still going strong! Below you can catch up with a couple of podcast interviews, plus my hometown TV debut!

• Self-Care Syllabus interview

• The Sunday Jumpstart podcast

• WJZ interview

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Links I Love

• The Summer of the Black Woman (The 19th)

• Local Lens: How An Oppressively Hot Day Led To A Classic Chicago Photo (Block Club Chicago)

• Beyoncé’s Birthday Renaissance Show Celebrated the Depths of Black Womanhood (Los Angeles Times)

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My Latest Obsession

All pumpkin everything!

If you know me, then you know how much I love fall and (almost) everything pumpkin-flavored. So I may or may not have gotten a little carried away with my latest Trader Joe’s haul. In addition to the pumpkin waffle and pancake mix (pictured above), I also indulged in pumpkin body scrub, pumpkin body butter, pumpkin cranberry crisps, pumpkin ravioli and pumpkin Greek yogurt.

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Now Hiring

1. Newsperson (Race & Ethnicity) for The Associated Press

2. Associate Editor for Torch Literary Arts

3. Director of Strategic Communications for The National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement

4. Social Media & Editorial Program Manager for Goodreads

5. Media Arts Center Director for Sisters in Cinema

6. Coordinator, Digital Marketing for Living Beyond Breast Cancer

7. Deputy Managing Editor, Social Media for USA Today

8. Senior Product Manager, Fan Experience for TIDAL

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Thank You

A special thank-you to April, Cait, Amanda, Harleen, Megan, Najja, Jessica, Priti, Cat, Jenna, Mallory, Rachel, Angel, Sarah, Camesha, Vix, Anna, Stephanie, Dominique, Tiffany, Emily, Mabinty, Lindsey, Casey, Lynnae and Dani for becoming paid subscribers and helping to fuel this newsletter. I truly appreciate your support!

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