September 2024

Life is a precious gift and not everyone gets the chance to grow old. Embrace each day with gratitude and zest. Some people choose not to truly live, but why not be different? Wake up every morning, look in the mirror, and celebrate the gift of life. Live boldly, love deeply, and laugh often.

- She Shines Inc -

This recipe is a fall spin on a French 75. The typical gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice are all here, but the Champagne is swapped out in favor of dry sparkling apple cider. The resulting cocktail has a flavor that will take you through fall and winter.

French Harvest​
​1 1/2 ounces dry gin
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3/4 ounce simple syrup
Dry sparkling cider, chilled, to top
Lemon twist

Instructions:

Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a Champagne flute. Top with the cider. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Rhythm Nation: There's only one reason you'll want to be in Vegas for New Year's Eve. Janet Jackson!! Her residency at Resorts World Las Vegas launches New Year’s week and carries into February 2025. Grab your tickets here.

A Disney Legend: Martha Blanding is one of Disney's newest legends. She is the first Black full-time tour guide, the first Black woman in management, the first Black buyer in merchandise, and the first Black woman to retire from Disneyland after 50 years. Due to her amazing career, she is the first Black Disney Parks employee to become a Disney legend.

Never Too Much: Nearly 20 years after his passing, Luther: Never Too Much, the documentary on legendary R&B singer Luther Vandross, is coming to a theater near you this fall. Directed and executive produced by Dawn Porter, this documentary has been a 15-year mission for the estate to share Luther’s incredible journey and musical legacy.

By Any Greens Necessary: Have you thought about going vegan? If so, you aren't alone. Black Americans are going vegan at a higher rate than anyone else. "By Any Greens Necessary" author and 10 Million Black Vegan Women founder Tracye McQuirter, MPH explains why and how you can go vegan too.

Who TF Did I Marry?!: The viral series, by Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johnson, that we couldn't stop talking about is coming to TV. Variety recently announced that Actress Natasha Rothwell is developing, executive producing, and starring in a TV adaptation of “Who TF Did I Marry?"

Travel Hair & Skincare Designed With You In Mind

Say goodbye to dinky hotel shampoo bottles and "ashy" lotions, and hello to a self-care routine that gets you. BlackTravelBox offers luxury lifestyle products that make it easier to just be you, where you are...wherever you are.

Created by Orion Brown, BlackTravelBox offers TSA-compliant, eco-friendly hair and skincare products designed for life on the go.

Set Your Kids Up For Success: Learning about money is the foundation of financial literacy and the key to achieving financial security. Here are 10 smart ways to teach kids about money through the years beginning at age 5.

In Full Blūm: Are you a natural hair girly looking for new ways to style your hair? Actress Teyonah Parris recently launched blūm by Teyonah Parris, a new hair extensions line that blossomed from a self-discovery journey of loving, embracing, and understanding her natural hair texture.

Unlock The Creator In You: Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick recently launched a new AI startup called Lumi, a platform focused on providing creators with the tools needed to create, illustrate, publish, and monetize their ideas.⁠ Lumi has already raised $4 million in venture capital funding led by Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six company.

When We All Vote: Last month it was announced that Texas removed one million people from the state's voter rolls. The NAACP in Georgia is fighting against a new voter suppression program. Check your registration status ASAP. Here are the deadlines to register in each state. Reminder: if your vote didn't matter states wouldn't work so hard to keep you from voting.

It Was All A Scheme: The Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against RealPage Inc., a real estate software company, accusing it of an illegal scheme that allows landlords to coordinate to hike rental prices. The company's algorithm allows landlords to align their prices and avoid competition that would otherwise keep rents down.

Settlement Season: Cash App users may be eligible for a payout of up to $2,500 as part of a $15 million settlement following two data breaches that compromised users' personal information. ⁠Find out how to submit your claim here. If you own a small business and accept Visa/Mastercard payments, you may qualify for a payment for a $5.5B settlement. Find out if you qualify here.

New Test For Colon Cancer: The FDA has approved Shield, a new blood test by Guardant Health, for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, making it the first blood test to serve as a primary screening option for the disease. ⁠Here's how the test could change screenings moving forward.​

Environmental Racism Is Real: The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued a permanent injunction that prevents the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice from using Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to control how Louisiana regulates polluting facilities. Take a guess who appointed the judge.

READ: By the Time You Read This: The Space between Cheslie's Smile and Mental Illness―Her Story in Her Own Words​
​By the Time You Read This shares the manuscript Cheslie wrote before her passing, her story in her own words—from the highest highs of passing two bar exams, winning Miss USA, and beginning an exciting career as an entertainment journalist to the lowest lows of heartbreak, betrayal, and persistent depression.

WATCH: Reasonable Doubt on Hulu​
​Jax Stewart is known to be the most brilliant and fearless defense attorney in Los Angeles who bucks the justice system at every chance she gets; she's judged for her questionable ethics and wild interpretations of the law until she's needed. Season 2 is streaming now.

LISTEN: Cape Town to Cairo by PJ Morton​
​Morton wrote and recorded this album within 30 days, while journeying the African continent, visiting Johannesburg, Lagos, Accra, Cairo, and South Africa.

Community Impact

Lunchbag Linkup is this Saturday!

We are making 200 lunches to support Elizabeth's House, Grassroots Crisis Intervention, and Montgomery County Coalition For The Homeless.

Share & Earn Rewards

Share with friends, get dope merchandise! Have friends who'd love the newsletter too? Give them your unique referral link (below) and get cool rewards when they subscribe like a Visa Gift Card. [RH_REFLINK GOES HERE] Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Linkedin Email PS: You have referred [RH_TOTREF GOES HERE] people so far See how many referrals you have

Explore These Newsletters

Wealth Tips | Your Wealth Bestfriend®️ Weekly non-traditional wealth tips Hi, I'm Jala better known as Your WealthBestfriend®️, creator and owner of On My Own Financial LLC. I share all kinds of non-traditional finance tips that focus on millennials. I also love talking about estate planning and getting the word out so you are bound to learn more about that topic too. So, if you are interested in learning more about money and building wealth, sign up for my newsletter! You will get weekly wealth tips. Subscribe​

Rhona Pierce Brand & Content Strategy for Recruiting Teams 🎯 | Talent Attraction Expert 🧲 | Content Creator 🎬 Subscribe​