I have lost so many people I cared about in the last few years. Too many. Close relatives, distant relatives, friends made in Miami, Trinidad, and Chicago. People who knew me as a little girl, people I worked with in later years, people who made a difference to my life. People I loved. People I…
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An Amazing Trip to LA & the AAFCA Awards with Nissan!
I’ve been off the scene for a while and haven’t done much travel since 2020, so last week’s experience felt like returning to a dream of an old life in quite a few ways. I went to Los Angeles (first time back in 4 years) for the African American Film Critics Association Awards with a…
Back to Blogging — What Am I Still Doing, and Why?
I read a lovely Twitter thread recently from @PulpLibrarian that so beautifully encapsulated what it felt like to go online back in the day. If I had to look back and choose a year that I first went on the internet, I think it was probably 1993. I was 14. I so vividly remember the…
Indie Beauty Brand Love — 2019 Holiday Beauty and Hair Gift Guide
I can’t believe it’s almost here! Are you ready for Christmas yet? It’s ALMOST but not quite too late to get that last minute shopping in. Without further ado, here’s my list of independent, mostly Black owned, mostly woman owned brands who are making skincare, body care, beauty and hair care products you will love! Adwoa…
My Picks — 8 gifts Under $25 from Cost Plus World Market
There are plenty of stores I barely remember visiting for the first time. But I will never forget the first time I stepped into a Cost Plus World Market. I was absolutely amazed by the range, the character, the quality of stuff they had for sale. Furniture with style! Cool home décor and kitchen goods!…
Afrobella’s 13th Anniversary — My Thoughts on Longevity and Gratitude
August 13th marked 13 years of Afrobella.com. Back on August 13, 2006, a really good friend encouraged me to consider blogging. We stayed up all night drinking wine and talking about what my site would be. That night, I bought a domain. My first post went live on August 14, 2006. And I’ve been meaning to write…
Laundry For Modern Living – How I Upgraded my Laundry Room with Grove Collaborative
This post is sponsored by Grove Collaborative Ever since I started doing my own laundry, it’s been a big heavy pain. Literally. When I didn’t have my own washer and dryer, it was a question of lugging my heavy, full laundry basket and laundry detergent down to the laundry room or to the laundromat. Now…
Sometimes It Snows in April – Thankfully, I FINALLY Found My Perfect Winter Coat
As of May 2019, it will officially be a decade we’ve been living in Chicago. That’s right – it was May 2009 that my husband and I packed up our lives in Miami and moved to Illinois. In those early days, we made camp at his parents’ place in New Lenox (it’s near Joliet)….
New Orleans Gets the Spotlight For Professional Black Girl Season Two
Dr. Yaba Blay is a woman I admire on several levels. You know the kind of woman who achieves all the things, inspires others, somehow keeps multiple plates spinning and looks gorgeous and undeniably cool while doing it all? She’s THAT kind of Professional Black Girl. Just by way of introduction, Dr. Yaba Blay is…
Children’s Books Are The Future — What Is Light? Author Markette Shepperd on Inspiring Black Kids
Children’s books are such a fascinating area of Black literature right now. So many new books, new authors, new opportunities – it’s beautiful to behold and so inspiring! After years where there was a dearth of reading material intentionally by and for black boys and girls, we’ve come into a beautiful time of inclusivity, diversity…