Inaugural Issue

C USINS

WEA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

13 PERMISSION TO EXIST

When the revolution is finally televised we are taking everything within our right and not asking questions. Tv on or off, you will see us

19 A WRITER'S BLOCK

A virtual space for writers and readers to unwind

23-26EMERGINGWRITERS

Gettoknow6writerswhowillcaptureyourliterary hearts

27 BOOK'D & BOUGIE

From being killed for trying to learn how to read to owning our own bookstores

27-28 LITERACY&JUSTICEFORALL Itistimewestartgivingbacktoindependentbookstores astheypourintoourcommunity

29BLACKOWNEDBOOKSTORE-MALIK BOOKS

31 BLACK PEOPLE DO THAT

Just because THEY say something is not for us does not mean it's true We need to break down more doors

35 WHAT'S MISUNDERSTOOD...

Allowing room for error as Black businesses learn and grow

39 THE ART AND THE ARTIST

Dive in as we sit down with Jillian Williams on her journey to becoming a fulltime artist 20-22POETRY

47

3 WAYS TO LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media not your thing? See what you may be doing wrong

TABLE OF CONTENTS

51 SELF CARE

From meditating to taking a soothing bath, Self Care should be at the center of your day

53SELFCAREROUTINE

59SEXHEALTH,WELLNESS,&VIBES

Fromcleaningtoystodivingdeep explorewaystostay safeinthebedroom

63 THECOOKOUT

Get into these recipes.

64'RED'RICE

66SOUTHERNBISCUITS

69 GOLDEVERYTIME

Getting to a healthy relationship with money

70FINANCECHALLENGE

Explore ways to save and invest

71GRANTS

73 TRAVEL

Featuring tourist destinations where Black people are safe

77EIGHTTRAVELMUSTHAVES

Don't leave home without these items, let alone the country!

Goldine Johnson Pompey

Satiah McCaskill

Moriah Huff

Limitless Visions, LLC

Jillian Williams

Sheena Martin

Melissa Holder

KB Brookins

Jade Brown

Lloyd Anesu

Shakira Brunson

Ashley Vigo

Johnson Soldout

Caleb Gayle

Kori Swearengen

Malik Muhammad Rare Candle Company

Pearl Pages Publishing

Cousins digital magazine is meant to be enjoyed in landscape mode

Herearesomethingsyoumayfindinourdigitalmagazine

AAVE

LinkstowebsitesonAdpages

Linkstoanaddressorwebsitesinthearticles

Socialmediahandles/names

ShopNowbuttons

Whenyouclick/taponanarticletitleonthecoverpageorthecontents page,youwillbetakentothepage!

Noteverythingisunderlinedbutitwillhighlightbrieflyandthengoaway, eitherway,itisallclickable!

Example:IfyouseeanAdandyouwanttocheckitout,clickontheweb addresslistedorthe'shopnow'buttonandBAM,you'reontheirwebsite.

Let'stryitout.Clickontheboomboxbelow.Yourearscanthankuslater.

RANDOM HISTORY:

BEFORE THE 17TH CENTURY, AFRICA WAS CALLED ALKEBULAN "MOTHER OF MANKIND"

U

Thank you to the readers of Cousin's Magazine We aresohappytobringyouourveryfirstissue!

It is our hope that this issue sets the tone for future issues but also that you see us grow and innovate throughouttheyears

Everyone has been asking about our name and I love that. For years I have been saying (I am sure many other people say the same thing), it can't be a coincidence that so many Black people across the diaspora had the same up-bringing Our parents all have the same tales, we all know that same bed spread from the 90s (yup, that one and the lamp mmhm!), & we may not know who BooBoo the Fool is,butwesureknowwhoitain’t

It's my belief that our grandparents are siblings and so all Black people are Cousins So the magazine takesonthatkinshiptoconnectusall

Cousins is here to publish stories that are normally deleted on social media Stories of Black peoples set backs and downfall but also all the things we have accomplished and continue to accomplish in spite of! We do not want to spend too much time on the history of slavery because after all slavery is notOURhistory itistheabsenceofourhistory

Primarily we will focus on the growth and betterment of our people, the expansion of, AND the NEW Black dollar (They are playing with our $20 bill but that's another topic) We are going to focus on what we can do as we unite and bring backtheBlackdollarinourcommunity

Look forward to our community corner where Black owned businesses will be listed by state; our ads, where we will focus on Black products and companies, and focus on literacy programs and Blackownedbookstores

A N D S O A L L

B L A C K P E O P L E A R E C O U S I N S .

We plan to have continuous discussions about rebuilding our community and trusting each other again which will take some time but its crucial for our future and the little Cousins behind us Look forward to our self care section Take time to take care of you because despite the rumors we arenot superheroes and we cannot fill anyones cup when oursisempty.

Black people are not linear I say that to say some people may disagree with an article or two that’s published Some may feel that being prochoice is bad for our race, being republican meanwhile poor is bad for our community We have to understand that prochoice does not mean pro-abortion (and if you are also Christian, let’s look at Hosea o, ok) Republican does not mean anti-black We should get used to hearing others views because it may help us better understand them as individuals and maybeeventoleratethem Regardlessofsomeones stance on politics, sports, sex, or religion, I think we are all owed respect and humanity What we will not publish is self hatred We do not think bashing Black women or men because it is not your dating preference is necessary If you think abortion is destroying the Black lineage imagine the damage that is done when the life creators cannot get along

I don’t expect us to be perfect but we are hoping for growth across the globe Yes, it’s always fun when the uno game gets out of control and when that one Cousin renege ’ s (never mind that’s not fun) After the anger fades there is good food, good memories, iced tea, respect, and love (even for the Cousin that reneged) More than anything, this communityandthethemeofusunitingwill

be love and respect Loving and respecting ourselves, our creations, and ultimately each other There are enough people in the world who mistreat us and hate us as a monolith There are always going to be disagreements and disputes but at the end of the day we have to stand in the corner and hold hands because it’s one thing for us to get at it with each other but you would never let someone cometoyourhouseandattackyourbrotherright? There are going to be onlookers praying for our downfall so we are dedicated to getting it right the firsttimearound OurCousins,Cousinadjacent,and those preying on our down fall will see Black people in all of our glory Doing things that they countedusoutoflongago

Thank you to our contributors The writers, poets, authors, photographers, and artists With every story thatyouputyourheartinto,wehopeitcomesback tenfold

Harlem Rose

HarlemRose Editor-in-chief

“A DEMOCRACY WHERE POWER R UNCHECKED AND RESERVED FOR A IGNORING THESE FAILING TO RESP MOVEMENT IS SI OPTION — FOR P EXIST WHERE JUS SERVED.”

JOHN LEWIS CONGRESSMAN

CANNOT THRIVE REMAINS

D JUSTICE IS A SELECT FEW.

CRIES AND POND TO THIS MPLY NOT AN PEACE CANNOT STICE IS NOT

PERMISS PERMISS PERMISS EXI EXI EXI

WHEN THE REVOLUTION IS FINALLY TELEVISED

In The 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones writes, “…a truer origin story requires us to place Black Americans prominently in the role of democracy’s defenders and perfecters. It is Black Americans who have struggled and fought, when many white American’s were willing to abandon the charge that “all men are created equal,” to make those words real. It is Black Americans who have consistently made the case, even when they were utterly disenfranchised and forced out of the political process, that all citizens deserve equal access to the benefits of a country founded on a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The efforts of Black Americans to seek freedom through resistance and rebellion against violations of their rights have always been one of this nation’s defining traditions. But the country has rarely seen it that way, because for Black Americans, the freedom struggle has been a centuries-long fight against their own fellow Americans and against the very government intended to uphold the rights of its citizens. Though we are seldom taught this fact, time after time throughout our history, the most ardent, courageous, and consistent freedom fighters within this country have beenBlackAmericans.”

The audacity of change to have us believe that the Marches in the 60’s were left there and the lynchings were left in the 20’s. The audacity of change to make us believe that after a brutal fever and marrow deep racism that the bones of America were finally healed. That fighting the good fight would finally result in a good life, being seen, value disbursed evenly for what was taken from our ancestors. Shame on audacity the first time, but shame on us now for the lackadaisical approach to not being “as” mistreated as our ancestors. We have been fooled because the signs have been removed from the water fountains and taken down from store fronts, yet the sentiment remainsthesame...WhitesOnly. There is an unfortunate comfortability with Black people having jobs and reading no longer being illegal that has us believing change has happened. Meanwhile we are treated like second class citizens in our own country. We are still hung, oppressed, unjustly murdered by law enforcement and civilians, and a host of other atrocities that have haunted the Black community for too many hundreds of years. We have just enough freedom to make us think freedom actuallyexistsand that it’sours.

SION TO SION TO SION TO IST IST IST

“Black’s are no longer asking for Permission to exist. We are here, and you will feel us.”

Then we drive down the road of reality a little further and flip the turn signal as we make a wrong turn into the sun down town that still exists in 2022. Driving a little further will have you realizing that we are in a country whereBlack people can be fired for wearing our hair the way that it grows out of our head, if we are not killed first because of the way the sun kisses ourskin.

With all the suffering we experience it is evident that change is the last thing on the agenda for this country and its indifference towards its Black citizens. You can tell by the gross misunderstanding of us asking for equality and getting an ice cream flavor in exchange. Knowing that the betterment of disenfranchised people is not top priority, we can no longer ask for permission to exist. We are not asking for anything we are taking back everything that we deserve since our demands are neglected or met with Black movie sectionsinsteadofactiontoprotectourcivil rights.

Weareconstantly met with smokescreens throughout the years that we now have COPD. Have we not learned anything from the GI Bill that is still hurting us today. So no, we cannot ask for permission to exist because we know the answer will be no. We have to take our voices and our dollars and pour into every half empty cup in our community and create a society around the resources that we have. The questions have stopped and we are making a statement, Black’s are no longer asking for Permission to exist. We are hereandyouwillfeel us.

RANDOM ALLENSWORTH, CA WAS TOWNSHIP THAT IS NOW A

HISTORY: AN ALL-BLACK STATE HISTORIC PARK

A Writer's Block

When you see the words "Writers Block" you automatically think of a writers worst nightmare. When I think of the words, I think of something drastically different I think of a community helping each other experience life in a way that may help finish their stories I had a stint with "writers block" while writing a novel so I began writing poetry to pass the time. That's when it hit me, writers block is not a thing I still had ideas flowing, I just hadn't experienced enough of who my character was and where I am taking them in order to write the next sentence That's when I realized it's about perspective, not a "block".

The overall focus of A Writer's Block is to create a community that shares real life stories and experiences that may help other writers propel their characters A Writer's Block also aims to promote literacy in adults, Black owned businesses as it pertains to the writing industry, and finally, to promote writers & help expose people to new genres

Immerse yourself in this exploration of manifestations and curative properties of healing and self-expression through Black literature in the worlds of yesterday, today and tomorrow

Goldie Pompey

YEAH.

SHE'S PREACHING TO

US

Written by: GOLDIE POMPEY

You cross my mind daily. Perpendicular thoughts intersecting at your intuition and my heart. It's breaking you to not love me back but it's ok because i’ll put gold in the cracks.

You looked poised and regal and that's how I knew you would hurt me. She looked and that's why I thought she was worth it

From an obtuse angle we all look complementary. Except that could never add up since we were 30 degrees from separation and three angles were too much even though she was acute one. She was a broken one. Like me.

You were just right. Corresponding to a quarter turn with our faces in the sun

Poem: GEOMETRY

Proseissophisticatedsarcasmandthesepoetsarehighly educatedonthesubject.Inrhymeandmeterseewhattheyare writingaboutinlove,life,andheartbreak

BlackMan-tality

byShakiraBrunson

"ABlackmanknowshismentalstate Canmakeorbreakhim

Makehimintoafunctioninghuman being

Orbreakhimintopiecesofhimself

Pieceshe’llnevergetbackorbeableto connect

ABlackMan’smentalstateis overlooked

Yetunderamicroscope

Wehavetobeabletoacknowledge feelings

Wedon’thavetheprivilegetodisplay

Andnotonlymustwewatchwhatwe say

Buteventheslightesttendencies

Thatdisplaybeinglessofamanwon’t betolerated

WhenIclosemyeyesatnight Ihavefears,butoncethesunrises Ituckthembackintobedand Goon‘boutmyday”

Imaginealifefullofloveandlight Anopennesssopure Adepthsodeep–

Imaginealifewheremanifestations materialize Andthematerialthingsnolonger reside Intheconfinesofourmind–Insteadweyearntheearth Foritsrunningriverstoflowthrough us Andwashawaythesliversweshedin ourgrowth

Aworldwherewemeditatethemind Andelevatethesoul Tillwe’realignedandonceagainwhole Let’sdancefortherainandsingforthe birds

ExcerptFrom

ManofYourWord

ShakiraBrunson-Washington

Thismaterialmaybeprotectedby copyright

Letsthejoyofhappinessandpeace Blanketyouinitswarmth–Thiswillbeourecstasy Ridingthesunraysthroughfieldsof fluorescence

Yougliderightthroughwinterand awakeinwonder Bloomingboldlyassnowflakes surrender Moonsgazeuponusforwearetheones whoarefull–Ourelectric,mystical,physical Illuminatesthefrequencyofourenergy Aswetravelthroughuniversalsynergy Andpeakattheapogeeofharmonious synchronicity–Wearethecelestialpredecessorsofour ancestors Forgedfromtheembersofgrowing generations Whosaidyouarenotlight? Imaginethatlife

CelestialbyAshleyVigo

SHAKIRA BRUNSON

ASHLEY VIGO

"BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA ARE BOUND TOGETHER" GJP

EasilyBrokenbyLloydAnesuNgongoni

Lifewithoutyouisnoteasy, Thegrassisn'tgreener Andthepathisnotclearer ThetruthisIhavebeenstrugglingwithfinding loveinotherplaces.

WheneverIdid,itwasalwaysinsmalltraces, orunknowingly,Imisplacedit Ihavelostpatienceovertheyears, probablyduetothetraumaIacquiredoverthe years,

orthevicimmentalityIthinkIhaveembraced That'sthefunnythingaboutpain, notthatIgointoplacesseekingoutpainor lookingfornewwaystoshutterthisblood pumpingdevice,

butIhavegrownusedtoit

Sometimesit'sfuelIneedtowrite, othersdaysit'sthetamponadethatweighs heavyonmyheart,

andothers,Iholdontoitlikeoxygen, somethingIamafraidtobewithout Ihaveacceptedtherealityofthings, ofwhatwehavebecome, unchartedterritoryIamstilltryingtonavigate. Adarknesscapableofsnuffingoutthefaintest signoflight

SomedaysIcan'thelpbutwakeupthinkingof whatlifecouldhavebeen, iftheboatcalledUShadstayedafloat. Livethiswaylongenoughand,eventuallythe heartbreakbeginstofeelcomforting; likeanoldfriend

IfI'mhonest,Ican'thelpthinkingit'stheonly thingIcanrelyonnottoleave. It'stheclosestthingIhavetohome It'smyprayerandsalienthopethatwriting about itlongenough, willeventuallycoverthesewoundswithafine layerofscartissue.

Somethingthatresemblesnormality, ifnot,thenatleastsomethingclosetoit It'sjustacoldworldoutthere, andIameasilybroken.

SailbyJohnsonSoldout Commitmentnonexistentinmycurrent predicament

NotsayingI'macheater Justslowlybecominganon-believeroflove thatishappilyeverafter AndnoI'mnotprojectingforperfection OnthecontraryI'mdown Togoroundandroundeverythenandnow Justtiredofgettingpairedwiththe heavyweights WhenI'mstillamateur Igotahorriblechoiceinwhotosparwith Mymentalstilloperatingonthisalwaysbeing achallenge Thesedaysallmyadvancesonlyleadto womenwhoaredamaged Seekingcompanionshipwhentheyshouldset sightsonatherapists Trytofillthevoidofboth Butrelationshipsstarttofeellikedoubleshifts withnobenefits Moreofaninvestmenttomydetriment Namecallingmeinsensitive Forjumpingashipthatwasn'treadytosail

6 EMERGING WRITERS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Get to know six African American writers who will capture our literary hearts

by Harlem Rose

Each character has motivation Each poem has passion Each story has depth

Your bookshelf will be happy and your soul will be satisfied with these reads.

"It is not as imperative for emerging to mean “young” as it is for it to represent fearless literature that amplifies Black voices and our constant contribution to worldwide culture."

An emerging author is more about publishing experience and exposure than age. There are many accomplished authors who published later in life, some had no choice while others decided later in life to tell their story A voice does not become less influential due to age, it becomes more inspirational and that has to count for something. It is not as imperative for emerging to mean “young” as it is for it to represent fearless literature that amplifies Black American voices and our constant contribution to American culture The industry publishes writings that exploits propaganda that poses a negative narrative of African Americans. Our experiences are more vast than the lifetime of inequalities that have a disproportionate impact on us and our writing should be able to reflect that.

As an African American woman and writer, when I think of the word emerge I am automatically transported back to the undeniable wave of horribleness that is slavery and segregation I am transported to the Harlem Renaissance era, Huey P Newton's speeches, the Black arts movement and so many more initiatives by Black writers who held their breath and waited to emerge from the murky waters of a nations hatred

Fast forward to 2022 and we still have writers holding their breath and waiting to emerge from the murky waters of now a riot filled pandemic Emerging only to see the eerie resemblance to Phillis Wheatley in 1773 155 years after Phillis Wheatley became the first African American to publish a book, Claude McKay became the first commercially successful African American novelist To think, hundreds of years later and we are still "emerging" in the realm of literature We are still becoming the first African American to accomplish a feat in writing. That alone is exhausting. Surely no one can survive wading in the water and barely emerging after 249 years. But still, like air, we rise. As we look at these 6 emerging authors we can only hope that they don't have to wade in the water another 94 years. They all have the potential to impact the writing community in a major way The talent is insurmountable and it would be the worlds loss if these authors are overlooked for commercial success because of the denigration of the African American community.

MELISSA HOLDER

A poet who captures your heart with symbolism, sassy metaphors and undeniable wit. Originally from New York, Melissa's poetry gives sarcasm with a southern flair, a nod to her current home state, Georgia. One of the remarkable things about Melissa Holder's poetry is how it treats desire as almost unremarkable Sensuality is part of the landscape of these poems, and a daughter can casually discuss sexuality and curiosity with her mother Desire is just one part of Holder's identity and it is folded into an intellect, a curiosity, a slight mischievousness that looks out to the world and notices its oddities and its disruptions

2 3

SHAKIRA BRUNSON

Spoken word extraordinaire, Shakira brings her spoken word to books in a way that feels like she's in the room performing for you Her narrative poetry book, Man of Your Word, exposes vulnerability as well as her compassion and understanding of the struggles her counterparts experience Lady Kay, as she is known in the poetry community, writers stanzas that strike you, and not an intelligence that is showy or bragging, but the kind of intelligence that holds within it a quality of vulnerability.

CALEB GAYLE

Sandwiched between being the son of Jamaican immigrants and a Harvard grad, emerges Caleb Gayle, confident and conscious Gayle is the kind of writer we need in the world at this moment and the kind of writer I love to watch as he practices and expands his craft with his new book, We Refuse to Forget: A true story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power His writing stretches itself into new territories and has you reading a book that you cannot put down. We are always in need of writers to show us new forms, and Gayle is establishing himself as a writer able to do just that We Refuse to Forget enchants even as it breaks your heart

Q&A: MELISSA HOLDER

Melissa Holder opens up about her writing process, writing tips, and more.

ON HER WRITING PROCESS

I love getting into a zone Disconnecting from the world and connecting to my characters

HER TOP TIP FOR ASPIRING WRITERS

Everyone has a story Bringing your story to life is the thrill Listening to some tell you that they identify is the gift

FAVORITE CURRENT READ

Secret of a Side Bitch- Jessica N. Watkins

ONE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOU

I love to defy logic The best thing someone can tell me is you cannot

Sensuality is part of the landscape of these poems.

their writing is elliptical; wit, passion, and prose hanging on the edge.

4

JADE BROWN

What Jade Brown accomplished in her debut novel, Vienna, she maximizes in her second novel, Hotel Stuff. Hotel Stuff is hard, but every sentence is beautiful Basil comes alive as she uncomfortably moves through the novel and transitions Jade is a captivating writer and the story of Basil has us loving and hating characters Coming to the defense of our darlings, yet someone truly fictional That's just it, these characters don't feel fictional at all Especially Basil She feels like the sister or cousin you pour into every year when life gets hard for an adolescent She is the teenager sitting at the table listening to the stories of everyone who has gone through similar things eons ago Basil is real and watching her come into herself paragraph after paragraph is the literary gift that keeps on giving

KB BROOKINS

Readers beware! Author of How to Identify Yourself with a Wound, KB Brookins, leaves very little on the writing table Through poetry and essays KB is vulnerable as they navigate love, identity, and race in an allusive way In a time when so many of our best poets still hold the reader a bit at arm’s length, the open embrace of KB Brookins poetry is refreshing. Their poems insist that their sass and political insights can be bowed into careful craft rather than masked by ellipses And yet, their writing is elliptical; wit, passion, and prose hanging on the edge Lasting prose withheld that the reader can only imagine, and the effect of this is a powerful haunting.

KORI SWEARENGEN

Literary advocate and owner of Rhymes and Spines, Kori Swearengen is a master at her craft. Her second children's book, "To Brown & Black Boys", a prequel to her book Black Girl, Black Girl, encourages respect and unity Swearengen's writing teaches and inspires young people to navigate their thoughts and emotions There are leaps and bounds of instilling respect for all cultures and respect for ones self. Whether the reader is 5 or 14, they will find value in the way the writer reassures children that their big feelings are very important Your child will walk away from this book wanting more and being able to navigate their feelings, understand others, and have more self respect

Q&A: KB BROOKINS

KB opens up about their writing process, writing tips, and more

ON THEIR WRITING PROCESS

It changes as the wind does; for now, I journal vigorously and piece together pieces when it feels time to.

THEIR TOP TIP FOR ASPIRING WRITERS

Don't be afraid to ask questions, shoot many shots, and try out anything on the page

THEIR FAVORITE SUMMER READ

Sula by Toni Morrison

ON THEIR FAVORITE WRITERS

This also changes frequently; this week, it's Ntozake Shange and Safia Elhillo

Fulton Street is a space to call home. It is a space to build community and to change our city through civic discourse. It is a space on a mission to increase literacy, with people at the center of all the work that we do. It is a space for coffee, books, and a good time. It is a space for you; you who have been longing for a space created with you in mind. At Fulton Street, we center the stories, narratives and lived experiences of people of color and marginalized communities. Welcome to Fulton Street Welcome home.

Literacy & Justice For All

The legacy of Black owned bookstores dates back to 1834 with a young abolitionist by the name of David Ruggles. Ruggles was not only a bibliophile and journalist, but an ardent advocate for abolition He worked tirelessly to help free slaves by facilitating escapes via the underground railroad and even hiding Frederick Douglass in his NYC home.

Born into a free Black family in Connecticut in 1810, Ruggles first moved to NYC at the age of 16 to open his own grocery store During his time running the grocery store Ruggles would become a contributor to abolitionist newspapers like The Liberator and The Emancipator, and would eventually become the founder of Mirror of Liberty Although a success, in 1934 David Ruggles closed the grocery store to formally open a book store after his interest in the abolitionist movement strengthened It is no surprise that a free Black man disseminating politically problematic works, hiding slaves, and having ties to the Black political movement would be constantly harassed and jailed. In September of 1835 an antiabolitionist mob burned his store down

We went from being beaten and killed for wanting to learn to read to having our bookstores burned to the ground to now having over 100 Black owned bookstores in business To know where we come from makes it extremely rewarding when we can walk into a bookstore and the staff know exactly who Eric Jerome Dickey is. It also makes it that much more rewarding to see how far we have come as a people and have not let fear muddle us Seriously, relatability is top tier When we all know what it took to get where we are, there is a different appreciation for each other Representation matters. Small business matters Black voices matter Promoting literacy in Black communities matter! These are all reasons why Black owned bookstores are so important to our culture Yet, here we are sauntering into B&N.

There is a fraught silence that over takes me when I walk up to a cashier at B&N The way they stare at the back matter of the Bell Hooks and Angie Thomas books I am excitedly skimming through The crunching sound their voice makes when they ask “is this a new author? This "Love"

book has been so popular lately” I know at that moment I do not belong. I don’t even want to belong. I want to be angry. I want to tell them all that is wrong with the small section that has two dusty bookshelves half full of African American writers Meanwhile there are over 100 Black owned establishments with entire stores full of African American literature. Instead, I purse my lips, exhale deeply, shake my head NO, grab my bag and barely audible mouth the words thank you Thank you for making me realize that I no longer need to shop here I had nobusiness here in the first place. Black owned bookstores are out there If there is not one in the vicinity then I will order my books from them online Based on their community involvement, the money they help raise for scholarships that our children benefit from, and free literacy programs, Black owned bookstores deserve much more of our support Black owned bookstores support small businesses, amateur writers, local authors, and they even host literacy programs in our communities, why are our dollars not going to someone who is

Book'd & Bougie

giving back to our youth Black owned bookstores are truly here for the cause. They are preserving, nourishing, and being a vessel for Black literary culture It's time we give them our full attention because they truly understood the assignment!

Let’s take a look at a Black owned bookstore that may be in your neighborhood if you live in LA

MALIK

HOW DO AUTHORS GET THEIR WORK INTO MALIK BOOKS BOOKSTORE?

MR MUHAMMAD, WITH ALL THE WONDERFUL THNIGS YOU ARE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY, IN WHAT WAYS CAN THE PUBLIC SUPPORT MALIK BOOKS?

Without the community's support there is no Malik Books Malik Books extends its mission beyond our stores and into ou youth as Children are 100% of our futu We partner with schools as well as you literacy organizations to promote read We have sponsored and donated to b drives in LA's underserved areas We a very proud to say that in partner with Crusader Praise Scott Scholarship Mal Books have been able to provide scholarships to college Freshman In t last 5 years CPSF has raised over $20,0 and given 18 scholarships

To help us continue with our commun efforts please continue to shop at malikbookscom, visit our 2 locations person, or support our GoFundMe campaign at https://gofundme/5d3a4

Our doors at Malik Books have always been open to usher in the voice of independent and self-published authors Over the years we have hosted hundreds of book signings, discussions, public debates and cultural events that speak to the betterment of the black community If you're an author looking to get your work

6000

BOOKS

Bookmobile" to continue outreach to p reading and education Upon request M ooks can special order over 12 million tles to serve its customers he total African American expression o ulture, and self-esteem where we give he voiceless When you walk into Malik like walking into yourself We have ha eople cry and catch the holy ghost wa nto our stores

Our new podcast "Malik's Bookshelf", w roduced by Ryan Seacrest on iHeart ra n all podcast platforms With Malik’s B we are bringing a world together with ulture and community Malik books is dedicated to serving the f our customers and community.

3650 Martin Luther King Jr. BLVD Ste 245, Los Angeles, CA 90008

BLACK PPL DO THAT

How many times have you heard the phrase "black people don't do that?" This phrase has been circulated too many times and its time to put an end to the rumors! There are enough people in the world limiting what black people can do and it's time we stop taking the bait Look at us

MEETERINJACKSON

FirstBlackwomantowina Gold medalinspeedskating!

SM

MEETSIMONEMANUEL

FirstBlackwoman swimmertowina Gold medal

WHY WHAT’S MISUNDERSTOOD DOES NEED TO BE EXPLAINED IN THE BLACK BUSINESS COMMUNITY

My favorite question to ask Black people who patron (or don’t) Black businesses is, "why do we allow mistreatment at establishments by people of other races and cultures but when it’s a Black owned business we say never again?" Keeping in mind that McDonalds has the money and the time to train above and beyond standards but they don’t. We don’t educate the black business owner or worker on how the situation could have been better addressed (and we wont even talk about how we don’t check ourselves because the attitudes we walk around with… whew chile), we just threaten to never return, meanwhile return to fast food chains or nail salon that have purposely mistreated people of color especially in underserved areas.

I get it, respect is my top priority, but I refuse to throw shade to my brother while giving my money to someone who blatantly dislikes me. I am taking care of home first. Whether that means finding a way to teach or never returning again, but there has to be a lesson, we can't just say "this is why I don't support Black people now". The majority of these Black owned mom & pop shops get loans to open a business sans mentor, sans trained staff, sans REAL business knowledge. They have a product that they are passionate about and that is their extent of the industry. We are expected to succeed with less than half the knowledge the COMPETITION has. Not only does it happen because no one is willing to help or invest in the SUCCESS of Black business, some of us

don’t even know the resources that are available. Sure, you could argue (don’t they want to be educated tho) and then you would have to ask “when was the last time you wanted to be educated?” Especially when we feel like there are so many “haters”. It's hard to know who wants to see you succeed and who is looking for you to fail. It's very each to think 'now I've started a business you all have come around and started BASHING me' and i’m supposed to think you want to TEACH me? I already feel like the world is against me and now my family and friends are telling me what I need to do or I shouldn’t even do this because it’s too much or I am not that good. Yes, if you own a business you should have a different mindset but when you go to the bodega you may get cussed out just like you're doing to your customers. We talk about how that's the culture of the bodega. For people who truly know no better... this seems normal. The nail lady is going to mistreat you, other store owners will follow you and accuse you of stealing. You are mistreated and disrespected so much in your own neighborhood that it feels normal. So when you bring something to that neighborhood, you AUTOMATICALLY act just like the rest of the businesses. Now if your business was in “a nice part of town” you would probably say “we cant act like that here” because you literally think respect is geographical. What are your examples of respect in the food industry? That chicken store that is only certain parts of town? A big corporation with funding

for training? The SAME training these other businesses in your neighborhood may have access and finances for YET they choose to disrespect our entire culture unapologetically. Here you are still prancing and making them rich instead of trying to figure out a way to enrich our people so that we know that we deserve to get AND GIVE respect no matter where we are in this world. No matter our social status or education level, respectistheminimum. Then you have the “if you wont, someone else will”, and “my services aren’t for you then”. This was bred from consistently accommodating others and it not being enough for people. You can only apologize so much before you lose your cool when the patrons are making a scene and PRETENDING accidents don't happen in life. The badgering and DISRESPECT coupled with social media culture of “i’ll do it myself” or “don’t let these customers make you think they cant catch these hands”. It’s just one bad move after the next. No teaching moments happen in this space and so being uneducated in business and customer service continues to circulate in the Black community. With limited education, what seems like common sense, is not. Black folks are so used to being disrespected that the first thing we do is catch an attitude. We are not taught how to deescalate. They give us money and sit back to watch us fail and become another statistic to make their case on why we are yet again unqualified.

You give a business to someone with no people skills and add the stress of a new business plus people holding their handout because “you got it”, “don’t you got a lil business or whatever?”. Meanwhile, the business is not seeing any profit yet so that’s even more stress. You don’t know how to run a business so you are panicking and trying so hard not to fail because those “haters” need to be proved wrong. You know how to make crab legs, you have no idea how to do books. You are lost when looking at a profit/loss sheet.

We need to educate each other even if we decide not to patron the business again. Maybe stop by during slow hours and say “Hey, this happened and I’m not sure you understand how I was trying to help when I said XYZ”. We are unequipped so it's no surprise that 80% of Black owned businesses fail within the first 18 months. Although some people are not 100% open at the moment, they could use the help and deserve some grace since we are all trying to bring Black dollars back to the community. I don't know too many

people under stress who are willing to just sit back and “take it”. We need more grace as a people. Much more grace than we give each other. Galatians says “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

"THE CHANGE IS WITHIN YOU, IT'S WITHIN ALL OF US"

Supporting small Black owned businesses will not always be ideal (neither is supporting Gucci, but here we are), and it may not be your charge in life to sit around and help people who you think should have it together and that's ok. If you are willing to help someone who does not have all the tools, that is where change happens. Banning together to get the job done for the greater good of our children's future, that is where change happens. Removing emotion in some situations and understanding that we are not a monolith, as much as we are similar we are very different. The change is within you, it's within all of us, all the time, everywhere. Now let us tap into that change and help propel each other into success and leaving a legacy that we are inspired by and proud of as a community that has been pitted against each other and counted out by the rest of the world.

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THEART THEARTIST

" I love to capture all the different shapes and skin tones and hairstyles and colors that reflect off of our melanin."

– @becoming jillie

BLACKARTiSGOLD UNHINGDunhinged

Can you talk about Black art without mentioning the chokehold Kehinde Wiley had us in during his 2018 reveal of the presidential portrait of Barack Obama. That painting was almost an answer to the first ever presidents portrait. It was the most familiar I had become with a current day living artist of Kehinde’s magnitude. I looked at art differently from that day on. At the time of the presidential portrait, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s name was lighting up headlines due to the purchase of Untitled 1982 by collector Yusaku Maezawa. It seems like these two historic moments in Black art history ushered in a new generation’s interest in Black art. There was increase in Google searches for artists such as Kara Walker, Bisa Butler, Amy Sherald, Keith Knight, the late great Jacob Lawrence and Gordon Parks. 2018 as the first time ever that African Americans, excluding Basquiat, made the list of most expensive contemporary works. 2018 also saw the sale of Kerry James Marshall’s Past Time by hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. It’s so hard to believe that decades after hip hop culture ushered in an appreciation for Black art, we are still seeing “firsts” in the Black art community. With Black art becoming much more popular in music and on social media why is there still so much mass produced art in our homes? One can only speculate that since we see wealthy Black individuals are purchasing art, we think it's unaffordable.

The average person is not just dropping 20k on a Hebru Brantley but there are so many rising artists to support. The Basquiat’s before they are a mononym. Do not miss out on purchasing art and expanding your world because you cannot afford exactly what Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz's has dangling in their foyer. Get you a Dita Montana, an Antoinette Cauley, a Jillian Williams, before they hit you with the “todays price is not yesterdays price.”

It has been a pleasure seeing promising artists get a chance to showcase on platforms like Art Basel and now, T.I.'s Trap Museum. If there is anything Black Culture needed, it was a trap music museum. T.I. managed to take this name and turn it into an engaging atmosphere while putting Georgia artists on the map.

Let’s dive into this interview with the incredible, Jillian Williams.

URARTIS U

So Jill, what do you think the significance of Black art in the Black/African American community is, like we have Hip Hop artists buying Black art for millions now?

Telling our story the way we want it to be told. For so long we've been fed an idea of what blackness is but I've been seeing such a huge shift in how artists are reclaiming our stories and showing the world the true meaning of blackness. We're showing blackness in all its glory, it's diversity, it's creativity, it's strengths and weaknesses... the good bad and the ugly. It's not always about beauty and uplifting each other, a lot of the times it's about our pain and our struggle but it's being told by the only perspective that truly matters and that's our own.

ORU

The connection to music is huge in our community, what is a song you're currently obsessed with? If you can even pick one.

If you would have asked me this a week ago I probably would have said Never Gonna Be Alone by Jacob Collier. But as of today it's Break My Soul by Beyoncé ��. I feel like it ties right back into what I was saying about triumph and overcoming.

Did you grow up seeing original Black art in your home or homes of friends and family or was it a lot of mass produced art from Kmart & other department stores (giving my age away because I know folks is about to ask what is Kmart lol)

S T I L L OUR ART ISUNHINGED

I have an Uncle that used to paint and his still life's were spectacular. I believe that's the only original art I saw growing up. There was with one room in my grandma's house that had a painting of some flowers in a vase that he did. I used to just sit and stare at it way before I ever even knew I was an artist. I just loved that someone I knew made something so beautiful. Outside of that I mostly saw lots of the mass produced prints that everyone had in the our homes. LOL I defintely know about K Mart lol.

DEGNI our art is unhinged

What or who is your favorite thing to paint?

I just recently realized this, but black women. We are so diverse and beautiful in soooo many different ways. I love to capture all the different shapes and skin tones and hairstyles and colors that reflect off of our melanin. I could go on for days lol. I've also been painting versions of myself a lot. Sometimes I paint just to paint, not to show the world or to make money but simply to enjoy the act of it. When I do 9 times out of 10 it ends up being a self portrait of some sort. So I guess I'd say one of my favorite people to paint is myself lol I know that's a little vain but hey, it still falls into the category of black women so it works lol.

degnihnu ISUNHINGD unhingedunhinged

degn

ITS FREEDOM ITS FREEDOM

d inspiration in emotion and rience, in other forms of art, in life re...

What connection do you have to your art, what inspires you?

I'm very connected to my art. I put so much of myself and my experience in my pieces that they become my babies in the process. They sometimes show me things about myself that I didn't even realize. I guess it's like something I have going on subconsciously that shows up through the art and later I look back at it and see how it related to that time in my life when all I was trying to do was create something beautiful. I hope that makes sense. So many things inspire me. I find inspiration in emotion and experience, in other forms of art, in life, in nature... if it moves me I'm inspired and when that happens I'll take a mental note, or a picture, or I'll write down and idea from it.

How do you define your success as an artist right now?

As an artist success for me is being able to paint full time and make a living off of my work. Every time I think about it I'm kinda floored with gratitude that I'm even able to do that. I mean don't get me wrong I have big dreams for my art but in this moment I'm grateful that art has given me the freedom to work for myself.

!

TIME TIME NOW!!! ! ! NOW!!! ! ! !

With social media catapulting the careers of so many creatives, do you think you would be where you are today without the craze of social media?

Absolutely not. Social was the first way the world was introduced to my work. No one saw anything I made in person before I posted it. Even when it wasn't as good as it is now it was so well received that it pushed me to create more. Facebook was the first platform I used to share my work. Then I finally started posting on Instagram and later tiktok, all of which have been VERY instrumental in running my business and being able to do art full time. Social media has put my work in front of millions, something I probably would not have been able to do without it.

our art is unhinged unh in g e d degnihnuD hnu i n g e d

What is something new that you would love to learn whether it’s a language or a new form of art.

Omg there are so many new things I want to learn. I would love to get into sculptures. I want to learn filmmaking too. I have so many ideas for short films that I think, well hope, the world would love. So at some point I'm definitely gonna dive deep into that.

our art is unhinged unh in g e d

ruo tra si hnudegnihnu degni hnudeg degni

Omg yes! I definitely feel the pressure. There's SO many amazing creatives out there in the world especially in the black art community, so I definitely feel the pressure to keep up and to make sure my work is top tier. Not in a competitive way but more so just make sure I'm doing my best. I don't even want to get into the pressure we feel as entrepreneurs too my God. As an artist/art business you have to be the ceo, the talent, the marketing team, the social media manager EVERYTHING There's a lot of pressure too when it comes to posting your work on social media. Everyone is saying if you're not posting everyday then that's not enough. With so much content In our faces there's this pressure to stay relevant. I know that social media is basically marketing for me so I definitely feel that pressure to make sure I'm posting regularly so I won't just become a forgotten artist. I'm making sure though that I find balance and let myself just breathe and not worry too much about the pressures that come with it.

art is unhinged DGNIHNU degnihnu

Life has come at us fast since 2020. It’s easy to talk about the horrors and our losses but it’s nice to also have something to look forward to. What would you say you are most excited about in life right now? What keeps you going?

Filmmaking as an artist and creative, I can't wait to see what you bring to our screens. Speaking of doing more. There is a lot of pressure on us sometimes as creatives or just as women, do you feel that pressure in the art world? our

Life is hard and it takes a lot to keep going. The world is a garbage fire right now and I'm still grieving the loss of my parents so some days I can't really say I'm excited about anything. But outside of that, most days I'm excited about my future and where I believe my art is going to take me. I find myself excited about the doors that art will open for me. One of my absolute favorite things in the world is triumph. Seeing someone that has went through the fire come out the other end stronger and better. Seeing myself on the other side of a tough time fills me with so much joy and gratitude. The joy of overcoming is one thing that keeps me going. The biggest thing though, that keeps me going is simply my trust that God has some important work for me to do in this lifetime.

ArtistJillianWilliamsposingwithher piece'StevieWonderful'attheNational MuseumofAfricanAmericanMusicin NashvilleTennessee.

Where can we view your work?

Right now I have a piece called 'Stevie Wonderful' in the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville Tennessee. I also have "Barbie", a portrait of Nicki Minaj in Atlanta at the Trap Museum. In addition to the museums you can view my art on Instagram, TikTok, and my website, www.jilliecreates.com

our art is unhinged unh in g our art is unhinged ruo tra si nudegnihnu

ArtistJillianWilliamsposingwithher piece'Barbie'attheTrapMuseumin Atlanta.

3WAYS TO LEVERAGE

YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

Choosing a Social Network Wisely Postingthecorrectcontentacrosseachsocialmediaplatform. Ex:Postreels&High-resphotosonIGwhileyoushouldpostsocial mediachallenges,dancevideos,orevenartmakingcontentonTik Tok.Twitterisperfectfornews,blogs&GIFs.Facebookisstill veryrelevantanditmayserveyoutopostcuratedcontentthere. 1

INSTA: Roughly 65 million of Instagrams 130 users are millennials. It's a user-friendly platform with advanced Ad analytics. The downside is, the paid ads can be pretty pricey.

TIKTOK: With more than 1 billion users, someone in the world will see your content or brand. Create organic content that is true to the platform and watch your following grow.

FB: You do not want to miss out hundreds of millions of followers, readers, or customers just because YOU think it is an outdated platform. Facebook is still the #1 Social Media app, bringing in billions of followers & billions of dollars in revenue yearly.

ALWAYS BE POSTING

Create and use a content calendar

Youraudienceiswaitingforinteresting,meatycontent.Don'tlet themdown.Successdoesn'tjusthappenbyaccident(althoughitseems likepeoplegoviralovernight...itsinthealgorithm).Aneffective socialmediastrategyiscomprisedofcreatingcontent,planningwhen topost,andexecution.

SOCIAL MEDIA &CHILL

Creating and posting content daily can seem like a task Pick one day a week where you schedule the majority of the content that you will release within that week Pay attention to the time of day you post on each platform and make sure to be engaging after you post so it seems more authentic and followers know that you are real. Remember, your followers want to connect with you.

TIP: Try Canva or Hootsuite for scheduling posts

Post consistently and know your audience, not just their age 3

Increase Your Engagement

where do they eat on Tuesdays how often do they travel do they binge tv shows or do they prefer to watch weekly

Once you know your followers on a deeper level it helps you better create content that attracts similar followers. It also helps you learn how your followers interact with each platform. This means that after some time you are not spending so much time posting long videos on IG when the followers who mostly watch your long videos are on Facebook. Do not try to reinvent the wheel, this method works.

FUN FACT: Ghana born, Iddris Saundu, developed the key algorithms for Instagram and Snapchat. Also, at 18-years old Iddris worked for Uber where he created the software called Autonomous Collision Detection Interface to detect driver's hand motions and positions for their self-driving cars

THE ROYAL BEAUTY SUPPLY

SELF CARE

Black people, we deserve to show up for ourselves just based on all the tension packed in our body and bones that's not ours Being the oldest child or being the most financially stable one in the family so you have to take care of the family in your house and outside That deserves a bath with your 90's playlist blaring through the speakers Don't forget to be there for yourself or you may eventually regret showing up for others

"IF I APPROACHED TAKING CARE OF ME THE WAY I APPROACH MY JOB, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE"

BATHING

If you're like me, your bath water is as hot as Arizona summers It's like a sauna that you don't need to go to an overpriced spa for Showers are amazing and I prefer them to bathing but baths help relieve muscle pain and joint tension It has also been said that bathing helps with cold and flu symptoms

WRITING

Journaling is beneficial as it aids in reducing stress but also writing a stories or poems can help reduce stress You can make up a new world or just write about the ocean Whatever you think is worth writing about that will bring you a smile to your face, do it Smiling can make your brain think you're happy! The ultimate goal is to b happy and smile forreal but why not fake it until you make it

SCRAPBOOKING

You may associate scrapbooking with someone who is "old" but listen, scrapbooking is good for your mental and physical health Gathering pictures of your family and friends can increase dopamine and seratonin levels

MEDITATION

Aside from reducing stress and managing anxiety, meditation can reduce feelings of depression and connect you to your innerself More than anything, we need to connect to who we are so that we can continue to practice not only Self Care but also GRACE! When was the last time you forgave yourself? Meditate on that

Thesaying"Ican'tbethereforothersifIcan'tbethereformyself"maysoundclichebutit'salsounderused,especiallybyPOC Wedon'tthinkofutteringthosewordswhenwehavehad3toughdaysinaweek,insteadwewaitfouryearslaterwhenweare losingrelationshipsbecauseourpatienceisthinandourdemeanorisnegative Wecannotkeepfillingthecupsofotherswhile oursisdepletedfromtraumaanddepression Insteadofpickingupextrashiftsatwork,weneedtoscheduletimetomeditate, read bathe doyoga Evenifit's10minutesaday weallNEEDselfcare

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4BEAUTY MUST HAVES

WITH BEAUTY TRAILLE COSMETICS OWNER SHERANDA TRAILLE

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Try not to scrub your skin, scrubbing can cause irritation

Try using a non-abrasive alcohol free cleanser

Washcloths can irritate your skin, try using your fingertips and lukewarm water

Wash your face at least twice a day to avoid clogged pores and acne

WHAT ARE CLOGGED PORES FILLED WITH?

Dead skin cells, bacteria, sebum (oil), makeup, dirt and other debris. A face steam will help break up debris that collects in your pores.

1. 2.

3.

4.

SEX HEALTH, WELLNESS, & VIBES

Your sex health is just as important as your mental & physical health That's why sex health is self-care!

Typically pH imbalance is synonymous with unprotected sex, but there are other things that can impact your pH balance. Unhealthy eating habits, douching, & lubricants can also create an unbalanced pH. Not everyone is aware of this and that is why sex health and wellness should be more widely discussed and accessible. There is always somethingnewtolearn and exploreinour netherregions. As the old adage goes, ‘when you look good, you feel good’ &Ifeel real goodwhenI don’t have an itch downthere

You ever blame your sexual partner for the changes in your genitalia only to later realize that it could have been an allergy to condoms or that your oil-based lubricant caused the infection, what about that sex toy you used thatwaspoorlywashed?

To think, you and bae might have made it to the altar somedayifnotforthat. Damnyouoil-basedlube!!!

Condoms&pHbalance

Ifyoupaidattentioninsexeducation youwere taughtthatcondomsarebarriersfor pregnancyand sexuallytransmitteddiseases(sincecondomsare not100%foolproof,remindmetointroduceyouto my childrenlater).Well,BeijingFriendshiphospital didastudyandapparentlycondomshavealsobeen shownto preventvaginalinfection.Vaginal infection canhappenduringunprotectedsex.Duringsex,the vaginapHincreasesasittriestoprotectthesperm andencouragefertilizationwhich inturn encouragesgrowthofcertainbacteria.It'saloselose situation.ClinkClink!

Dischargecanbesticky...oops...Imeanttricky Reallyit all canbetricky.Thisis whyyouhaveto knowyourbody.Payattentiontohowyoufeel before,after,andduringsex.Hereisthetrickypart. NormaldischargecanbethickORthin(wellisn'tthat helpful),itcanbesticky,elastic, orgooey(no confusionatall).Nowthatyouknowwhat'snormal, pleaseknow thatifyour genitalsexperience swelling,redness,ordiscolorationindischargeabnormaldischargecanbegreen,gray,puslike, foamy intexture-youshouldseeadoctor. Normal dischargedoesnothaveafoulorfishyodor,itis clear,white,orevenoff-white(seriously,likewhich oneis it). Vaginaldischargecleansandmoistensthe vaginaas wellashelpsfightinfection sopay attentiontoitaschangesincolorandsmellcould indicateamore urgentproblem.

L e t ' s D o I t s omemore

So now that we know lube has ruined lives, let's scrutinizeitasmidgeshallwe.

Lubricants are generally safe and effective to use but likemostthings thatare not natural, there can be side effects. Yes, lubricants can cause skin irritation and evenallergicreaction.

Water based lubricant that is glycerin free is a good option if you are prone to yeast infections, it also less likely to cause vaginal irritation but has a bitter taste so if you're trying to go down, do not take glycerin with you. It seems to be the most common lubricant now a days and it could be because silicone sex toys should be cleaned with a water based lubricant or else the silicone lubricant can cause the toy to break down and ultimately become "gummy". Trust me, not the kind you love to chew. If you want to get it on in the shower though, silicone lubricant might be the way, it also has a longer shelf life than water based lube.

Oil-based and natural are two less common types of lubricant. The latter is free of paraben and uses organic ingredients which screams mo money mo money mo money. Yup, even in the bedroom 'Guac is extra' and does not have a shelf life as long as its synthetic counterparts. While natural lubricantsoften made with Olive, Avocado, or coconut oil - are safe for the vagina and to eat, it can stain sheets, destroy latex condoms, or cause condom failure, the same as its Synthetic oil based Cousin. Synthetic oil can irritate and lead to infection if not properly cleanedoutofgenitals.

QuickTips:

1.Ifyouaredealingwithvaginaldryness,usesiliconelubricants. 2.IfyoursextoyissiliconeDONOTUSEsiliconelubricant. 3.Washyourtoys!Didyouhearaboutthepersonwhocaughtan STIbctheirfriendwasattheirhouseandusedtheirsextoy unbeknownsttothetoysowner...CHILE!

Candle Care Look after your wick

First Burn Preparation:

Place your candle on a flat, stable, heat resistant surface, large enough to contain or catch the wax drip due to the candle not being in a container.

Before lighting your bubble candle, trim the wick to ¾ of an inch using a wick trimmer, or sharp pair of scissors. This is the ideal length of the wick you want to achieve, and before each future burn for optimal results. Light your candle and review the length of the flame. If the flame is too high, the wick may not be the recommended length of ¾ of an inch. Extinguish immediately, trim, relight and enjoy.

Visit our candle care page for more candle care & safety advisories

THE COOKOUT

Food is our love language; whether consuming, cooking, or both. As much as we love food, especially food at the Cookout, we are some how pigeon holed into one type of food… Soul Food. Now I for one love Soul Food, but our culinary skills and palate go beyond collard greens and fried chicken. Put Some crab legs in front of me and see if I don't get real Shark like.

I love the history of Soul Food more than what's on my plate. How our ancestors couldn't read and write but knew how to holler "stop" or "another dash". More than a written recipe, we had taste and measurements passed down. A dash, a pinch, and “that’s about enough." That's what I think of as I make my homemade cornbread & greens.

Our ancestors were so innovative that they created culture for us as they starved to death. For their ultimate sacrifice, Soul Food will always be my favorite. A deep south southern delicacy that somehow binds Black people across the world. So much so that depending on who made the Mac and Cheese or Potato Salad it will sit on the table of every Black family function and go 'bad' before anyone gives it a second look, except for maybe that one uncle who eats anything, “aye, it ain't that bad".

SERVINGS: 2-4

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup diced fresh

tomatoes

1 tbs butter

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs marjoram

1-2/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic salt

a pinch of salt

OPTIONAL

2 ears of sweet corn

RedRice

PREPPING TIME: 10 MINS

Directions

COOKING TIME: 35 MINS

Rinse rice in cold water until the water is clear

Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat

Cut corn off the cob Heat 1 tsp of oil in a separate skillet

Cook until slightly toasted or to desired texture

Mix rice into skillet with olive oil and butter to toast, stirring often When rice begins to brown, stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings, put a lid on the rice

Do not stir rice after this step

Bring the mixture to a boil

Once rice begins to boil reduce heat to low and cook until liquid is absorbed

Finally, remove the rice from the heat

Let it sit for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork

Add corn Season with salt as needed

Why should we rinse our rice prior to cooking? Rinsing rice removes excess starch Also, there is arsenic in rice YES, Arsenic Plants absorb arsenic from farming chemicals, soil, & irrigation water Rice options with the least amount of arsenic are sushi rice from the U S & white basmati rice from California, Pakistan, & India Rice from Texas has the highest levels of arsenic

WE DON'T WANT TO COOK YOUR FOOD

WE JUST WANT TO SEASON IT.

SEASONING COES KNOW

SERVINGS: 6

ButtermilkBiscuits

PREPPING TIME: 20 MINS

Ingredients Directions

1-1/2 cup self rising flour plus more for dusting

8 tbs grated salted frozen butter

4 tbs melted butter divided 1 tbs granulated sugar

1 cup cold buttermilk

1/4 cup cold heavy cream

To keep your biscuits tall, DO NOT TWIST your biscuit cutter Just push down and pull up Twisting the biscuit cutter can seal the edges and it will be unable to rise as it bakes

Cutting cold butter into flour creates layers and air pockets

COOKING TIME: 15 MINS

Grate 8 tbs of butter & place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes

Add buttermilk & heavy cream to the freezer as well (do not mix it with the butter) Wait 20 minutes before step 2

Preheat the oven to 425F

Add flour to a large bowl Add the butter (cut it in with a pastry cutter or two forks)

Pour in heavy cream, 3/4 cup of buttermilk Mixture will be crumbly with some flour not fully mixing in Lightly dust a cold clean work surface with flour Form a ball with dough mixture (do not handle too much you need the fat to stay cold)

Roll the dough into 1/2 in thick rectangle Fold 1/3 of one side over the center, fold the other 1/3 on top Roll into 1/2 in rectangle again and fold the same way Repeat 1 more time

Do the tri-fold one more time now roll the dough into 1 inch thickness

Cut the biscuits using a 2-1/2 inch cutter DO NOT TWIST CUTTER

Roll the scraps back into a ball Roll it out again Cut more biscuits

Place biscuits snug into a round glass oven safe dish

Bake for 13-15 minutes until puffed and tops are golden brown Brush with butter Let cool slightly Serve

RANDOM HISTORY:

Cheick Camara and Ermias Tadesse, 21, co-founders of BlackGen Capital, Cornell University’s first Black investment fund

GOLD EVERY TIME

OCTOBER 2022

Leveling the Financial Hump

According to the US Census Bureau in 2021, the median income for Black Americans was $48,297, approximately $3k less than Native Americans and nearly $26k less than white Americans With disparities everywhere from education to employment, these numbers are not a shock, but with some adjustments to our priorities in schools, the workplace, and our homes, we could make a huge impact on increasing financial literacy amongst Black people in the US

The racial wealth gap is influenced by systematic inequality, lack of financial literacy and discrimination in salary and employment so closing the gap is not going to be a simple fix

Aside from instilling a good relationship with money in our children, we can facilitate programs that emphasize financial literacy and financial wellness. With new found knowledge & understanding we would be able to better navigate financial decisions that we are faced with in the normal course of life Hopefully at some point in the future putting the phrase "rob Peter to pay Paul" to bed Digital Currency Money Management Insurance

FINANCE CHALLENGE

Join us on the 6-week journey to building a healthy relationship with money. This week we are starting with quick tips & reminders to help you manage your personal finances better.

Understanding digital currency

Thereisnorealanswerto"WhichcryptoshouldIbuy" Wewillexplore4typesofcryptothismonth andbytheendofthisjourneyyouwillbeabletomakeamoreinformeddecision

1.

Utility-Meanttoprovideaccesstoplatformwhereitresides.Ex:Golem,Funfair,Brickblock PaymentTokens-Usedforpayingforgoods&servicesinandoutoftheirownplatforms Ex: Bitcoin&Ethereum

NFT(non-fungibletoken)-Limitedissuanceandarehardtocopyandreplicate Ex:Beeple'sart, SecurityTokens- Usageandissuanceisgovernedbyfinancialregulation Ex:SiaFunds

Money management

Hereare3basicrulesofthumbtomanageyourmoney

1

Planyourmoney Planyourfuture,planexpenses(vacation,dates,pianolessons),planformajor purchases(home,car,rentalproperty).

2 3.

Setfinancialgoals Writedownshort,mid,andlongtermgoals Reviewyourgoalsoften Donot changeyourgoalsothatyoucangotothemovies,skipthemoviessothatyoucanmeetyourgoals Consciouslysave.Ifyoucan,save5-10%ofyournetincome.Save6monthsforanemergencyfund.

Herearethe3basictypesoflifeinsurancepolicies,simplified.#'s1&2onlyexpireifyoustoppaying.Ifyou haveenoughcashvalue,youcanusethattopay#2'spremiums #3expiresattheselectedtermendsORit increases10xtheamountyoupurchasedat

Wholelifeinsurance-$$-Longtermsavingsandpotentiallivingbenefits Aportionofyourpremium (monthlypayment)goesintosavedcashvaluewhichcanbelaterusedtobuyanythingortakealoan. Universallifeinsurance-$$$-Taxdeferred Youcandecreasemonthlypaymentsifyouneed Termlifeinsurance-Expiresaftertermends(5-30years) Nocashvalue Youcanbuymoreinsuranceata muchlowerrate!Cheapestofthethreeoptions.

THE SECOND SERVICE FOUNDATION

Applicant must be a 21+ US veteran, reserve or transitioning active duty member of any of the United States Armed Forces, a spouse of a military member or the child or immediate family member of a Military Member who died on active duty (i.e., a "Gold Star" family member)

PROS: 3 award winners

CONS: competitive

FEDEX SMALL BUSINESS GRANT

Typically, any eligible for-profit small business with a FedEx shipping account number that has been in continuous operation selling a product in market for at least six (6) months by the time the contest starts , has fewer than 99 employees.

PROS: multiple winners

CONS: business must have shipping need and FedEx account

NAACP GRANTS

NAACPbelievesinthepowerofBlack entrepreneurship.Wepartnerwithseveral organizationstoprovidegrantsforBlackownedbusinesses

PROS:Severalgrantstopartnerwith,some with$25kreward+design&marketing. Rollingsubmissions

CONS:Applicationsmaybeextensive

C USINSO

FEATURED DESTINATION

GREECE

Greece is a beautiful nation at the tip of the Balkans with thousands of islands in the Aegean and Ionian seas Its known for the original Olympic games, ancient history and temples, and beautiful white homes topped with Blue roofs and window frames lining the streets of Santorini and other islands that make up the Cycladic islands groups The capital, Athens, is home to the Temple of Athena Nike and the Parthenon which are made of massive amounts of marble that also line the city streets Mediterranean fare is light and there are plenty of options and shareable portions Greece has something everyone will love From the countryside to the bustling streets of downtown Athens paradise awaits you

A R T E M I D A ( A R T E M I S ) , G R E E C E

Itisunfortunatethatnomatterwherewetravelweallwillhaveadifferentexperience FromeachairbnbhosttoeverypersonIcameincontactwith,Greecewaswelcoming. Somepeopleevenstoppedtosaytheywishtheyhadskinasbeautifulasmine. Inthecountryside(Artemis)andonsmallerislands(Tinos)wewerestilltreatedwith kindnessandrespect(Ican'ttellyouhowmuchfreefoodwereceiveddaily).Thishasnot beenothersexperience&itisashamebecauseforme,Greecefeltlikehomeinasense.

GET RIGHT FOR YOUR TRIP

PATIENCE

As you travel, you will need patience. Airports are cramped, babies crying on planes, cashiers seem to take their time. Having patience will help things go smoother and you will find yourself happier and able to enjoy your vacation Impatient or not, you are still on their time, so be nice

GOOD MOISTURIZER

The air is different everywhere you go so having a high quality moisturizer is key Depending on where you are traveling to and what activities you partake in, you may experience a bit of dry skin and peeling. This could be avoided by having a moisturizer for your skin type, that also has SPF

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

If you are traveling internationally and visiting tourist areas you will encounter many people who speak American English. However, if you want to take the path less traveled, you will need to either learn the language prior to your trip, have google translate, or get a language phrasebook at the airport

FANNY PACK

Do not let fake news fool you There is crime in all corners of the world. A fanny pack is super convenient when traveling in jam packed spaces, especially concerts. The bag is in front of you and no one can slip anything in or out without looking you in the eyes

DON'T SAY WE NEVER GAVE YOU GOOD ADVICE

CASH - USD

Everyone loves cash! Specifically countries where the USD is strong; countries like Peru, Vietnam, and Mexico It is very easy to move around when you hand a driver a $10 bill and so he waits for you while you bar hop in Spain or take what you think will be the most viral shot of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil.

PORTABLE CHARGER

Like most people you probably use your phone for everything including pictures. Battery Killer! Don't find yourself looking for charging stations or running out of juice as you drive by Big Ben on the double decker bus in London Hey, while you're at it, free up your phone space, they go hand in hand

WALKING SHOES

If you have ever walked a mile in uncomfortable shoes you know this is the most important item to take on a trip if you want to enjoy yourself pain free If you insist on walking in Athens or backpacking through the Northern Japanese Alps, you need shoes that can handle the stress and leave you with no blisters while in a foreign land

POLAROID CAMERA

What better way to preserve your phone battery and have the memories printed in your hand within seconds Polaroids also make great gifts Take a picture at the Colosseum and mail it right from Rome to your loved one back home

TRIVIA

A. DESMOND TUTU B. HARRIET TUBMAN

C. RALPH BUNCHE D. NELSON MANDELA

WHO WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER

ANSWER

WHO WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER

HPLAR EHCNUB

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced"

- James Baldwin