April 2024

🌸 Happy Spring! 🌸
Can you believe we're already into the 4th month of the year?

As the new season marks a sign of growth and expansion, I need your help doing that with the newsletter this year.

Below is your unique referral link. You can click the link to share the newsletter with others. For every person you share the newsletter with AND they subscribe, you'll receive a reward.

The goal is to end this month with 30 new subscribers.

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-Keri

Each day of April brings new opportunities for growth.
I am blooming into the best version of myself.

Kick off the new season with a refreshing Pineapple Ginger Beer Mocktail. Try this drink with the Black-owned Uncle Waithley’s Vincy Brew, the only Black-owned Caribbean ginger beer with Scotch Bonnet pepper in the U.S. market today.

PINEAPPLE GINGER BEER MOCKTAIL

3 oz. Pineapple Juice
3-4 oz Ginger Beer
1 Fresh Lime Juice
Slice of Lime
Ice for serving

Using an 8-10 ounce glass, add ice and pour in pineapple juice. Top the glass off with the ginger beer, leaving room for a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice. Add in fresh lime juice and garnish with a slice of lime.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill: Arguably one of the best albums of the 20th Century will be inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. Hill earned 10 nominations from the album at the 41st annual GRAMMY Awards, winning five awards, and making history as the first woman to receive that many nominations and awards in one night.

Shaking Up Georgia Politics: Joshua Anthony, a 21-year-old student at Georgia State University, is running for a seat in the Georgia Legislature. Anthony’s love for politics blossomed when he was 14 years old; working his first political campaign by knocking on doors and canvassing. Check out the goals he has for his district here.

History of the DAP: Have you ever considered the historical significance of some things that define Black culture? Check out this clip on the history of the DAP. Who knew?!

She’s THAT Girl: Michelle Buteau will make history as the first woman to film a comedy special at Radio City Music Hall on June 6th. And for fans who loved season 1 of “Survival of the Thickest,” it’s been picked up for Season 2! An announcement hasn’t been made when filming will begin.

Soccer Never Looked So Good: Domo Wells is the first Creative Director and Designer for the Washington Spirit, the DC National Women’s Soccer League franchise. In her role, Wells will lead the design direction for the team’s merchandise; updating the team’s core collection, and focusing on consumer-facing products while continuing to build the Spirit brand.

The Dinner That Started It All: Do you know the history of The Harlem Renaissance? The movement inspired over 40 works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry by Black writers that continue to shape our culture today. The Root shares who attended and how the Harlem Renaissance came to be.

Preserving Her Legacy: Atlanta hairstylist Ricci De Forest transformed a long-standing beauty shop once owned by Madam C.J. Walker into its own semblance of history. The establishment is now a Black history museum in the same neighborhood as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home and is open to visitors.

The Red Shirt Is Back: After ending his 27-year partnership with Nike, Tiger Woods is turning his iconic Sunday red shirt into a brand. Next month, Woods is launching his lifestyle brand Sun Day Red which will feature an iconic red polo, additional apparel, and a footwear line. Woods has worn some variation of red on Sunday his entire career because his Thai-born mother, Kultida, told him it was his power color.

Once you find the perfect plant to add to your house this Spring, set it in a Finally Planted 6" draining pot.

Finally Planted was birthed with the idea of bringing lively character to complement houseplant spaces. They strive to create quality conversation pieces that add personality to customer's leafy lifestyles.

Google For Black Women: Leigh Higginbotham Butler created a pioneering AI platform and network for Black women. Akin​a originated from a personal need to create a safe space for discussions and support among Black mothers. Higginbotham Butler’s vision for the platform aims to be a “Google for Black women,” a go-to source for culturally relevant advice, expert knowledge, and networking opportunities.

Turn Pain Into Purpose: Growing up in Louisiana, Jocyntia “Jo” Banner and her sister Joyceia “Joy” Banner learned about the 1811 revolt at the Woodland Plantation in LaPlace, Louisiana from their grandmother. And now they are working to save their history as the new owners of that plantation that was home to what has been described as the largest uprising of enslaved people in American history.

Basic Income Pilot Program: Following the footsteps of many cities and counties around the country, Sacramento County approved a pilot program that will offer $725 a month to low-income Black and Native American families with no strings attached. The county is funding the program through a partnership with United Way as part of a six-step strategy to reduce child poverty in the county.

Would You Pay For A Target Membership?: Target’s paid membership program, Target Circle 360, aims to compete with Amazon and Walmart. The subscription tier includes unlimited free same-day delivery for orders over $35 and free two-day shipping.

They Don’t Really Care About Us: Predominantly Black residents along the 85-mile stretch of "Cancer Alley" between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana, endure alarming rates of disease and birth defects up to seven times the national average due to over 200 fossil fuel and petrochemical operations in the area. A report by Human Rights Watch accuses regulators of neglect.

The Reconstruction-era Southern Playbook: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee dissolved the board of Tennessee State University (TSU) — the state’s only public HBCU. The Republicans in the General Assembly claim the university’s financial situation is so dire that the only possible solution was to vacate the board and start from scratch. However, an audit released failed to find any evidence of “fraud or malfeasance by executive leadership.” Instead, the state has underfunded TSU by over $2B in the past 30 years. Gevin Reynolds explains why this isn’t happening in a silo and challenges us to do three things.

Black Women and Likeability: In the same breath they said they’d do better after Amanda Seales expressed that she’s not invited in Black spaces, Essence published an opt-ed about Amanda Seales’ likeability. It was disheartening to see considering Essence prides themselves on being a champion for Black women. Check out this eloquent breakdown from Donnell McLachlan on why this was so problematic.

School House Rock: The oldest Black School in America will reopen to the public this year. It’s a symbolic year as it marks the 250th anniversary of when the Williamsburg’s Bray School closed. Now, it has a permanent home as the newest historic site in Colonial Williamsburg. This building is the oldest known surviving structure where Black children were educated in the United States.

READ: This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan​
​Please read Before I Let Go and then check out Kennedy Ryan's highly anticipated sequel This Could Be Us. According to Entertainment Weekly, "This Could Be Us is a deeply moving and personal novel about sacrifice, self-reliance, and finding true happiness from one of the finest romance writers of our age." If you like Tia Williams and Colleen Hoover, you'll become a fan of Kennedy Ryan.
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​WATCH: Shirley starring Regina King on Netflix​
​Shirley follows the story of Shirley Chisholm as she makes a trailblazing run for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress. Oscar-winner Regina King stars opposite Lance Riddick and Terrence Howard.

LISTEN: Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé​
​When Beyoncé said "this isn't a country album, it's a Beyoncé album" she wasn't lying. Cowboy Carter feels like a culmination of the different sounds we've heard from her plus country all in one place. What makes it a classic is that there is something for everyone. The album pays homage to Black country artists, Black roots, and the South.

Don't place limits on who you are and what you can do.

We distributed 250 bags, donated items for the Elizabeth House food pantry, and made a $100 donation to Grassroots Crisis Intervention.

Lunchbag Linkup Distribution

Grassroots Crisis Intervention - 25 bags
Elizabeth House - 100 bags
Shephard's Table - 125 bags

Here is what attendees had to say about the event below.

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We had a great time and look forward to the next event!