Birthday Love, Life Lessons: a Decade With The Diva

Dear Daughter Nia, Last Monday wasn’t the sunniest of days: thunder roared, lightning flashed and storms swirled over and around us. But what still made it special for all of us was that on April 11, ten years ago to the day, you became a part of our lives. With outstretched arms and a steady… Continue reading Birthday Love, Life Lessons: a Decade With The Diva

No ‘Cans’ Left, Zero F’s Given: Beyond 40 & Over The BS

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”― Audre Lorde A few years ago, I went to a concert featuring former American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino. Just as she had been during Season 3 of the program, Barrino was a stage-slaying siren who moved the crowd… Continue reading No ‘Cans’ Left, Zero F’s Given: Beyond 40 & Over The BS

New School Madness: How Old School Truths Can Benefit The Millennial Generation

Ripped denims, fluorescent sweatshirts, jheri curls and gravity-defying styles that soaked up hair spray and compromised the ozone layer. The 1980s was a decade of extremes and eccentricities. It’s understandable why some regard it as an era they would rather forget, but for many who are 40-plus, it was where we came of age. “The… Continue reading New School Madness: How Old School Truths Can Benefit The Millennial Generation

Loving The Fake, Loathing The Real: Columbusing, Whiteness & Black Beauty

For most parents, it’s an automatic and instinctual practice: we gaze into the faces of our babies and fall in love. From the tops of their heads to the bottoms of their feet, we gaze in wonder at the innocence we’ve been entrusted with and hope that they will one day embrace themselves the way… Continue reading Loving The Fake, Loathing The Real: Columbusing, Whiteness & Black Beauty

I’m So Blessed, Yeh-eh-es, Yeh-eh-es, YES: Getting Older, Getting Better

It’s a scene from the 2012 comedy film, This is 40—-husband Pete is assembling candles on his wife Debbie’s birthday cake and one of their preteen daughters has a question: “Why does it say ’38’ and not ’40’?” “Cuz’ your mom wants to be 38, let’s not mention it again.” And the rest of movie… Continue reading I’m So Blessed, Yeh-eh-es, Yeh-eh-es, YES: Getting Older, Getting Better