Over the past several weeks, I’ve really been reflecting on my year. This year. 2020. What a year! We all have really felt the varied stages of emotions that have come with this rollercoaster ride of a year. From the excited anticipation as we were strapping in for the ride…

Mother’s Day feels a little less happy in the age of COVID-19 — Photo of my family in our masks. The new normal. This is my 7th Mother’s Day as a mother. For some reason this year the celebration feels less deserved than previous years. This pandemic has brought with it an extra dose of “mommy guilt.” Like moms around the world, I’ve…

Redefining Home — *Read part I here* I sat at the small wooden dining table that was nestled on a patch of linoleum flooring between the kitchen and the carpeted living room. It was a November evening in New England, so it was pretty dark outside and the only lighting in the house…

Thunder: Intimately Intricate & The Writing Cooperative Contest — “Bzzzzz, Bzzzzzzz” I watched from my bed as my silver flip phone vibrated and danced across my computer desk, almost falling off the edge. The caller ID read “Auntie.” I knew why she was calling. “Thunder’s gone,” she managed to say, her voice cracking. …

At 13, I had no idea saying”yes” would change my life forever — Auntie ignored me for the next couple of days leading up to my departure. She hasn’t been handling this whole thing too well, understandably so. In my mind I was going to tell her it had nothing to do with her. That I was nervous as hell. That I really…

A series about music & the memories it evokes “These Three Words” by Stevie Wonder From the opening notes of this song, I am instantly transported to my childhood. It’s early morning and time to get ready for school and work. Auntie and Uncle are buzzing around upstairs and the air smells like mouthwash. The radio…

A series about music & the memories it evokes “You Remind Me” by Mary J. Blige Music can easily spark nostalgia or memories — good and bad. You remember where you were when you first heard that classic song. That love song you played on repeat for days after your first heartbreak, is forever imprinted on your…

Car rides are my fondest memories with my Dad Beautiful, sunny days always flood my mind with memories. Memories of the countless drives. The long drives and conversations about anything from music, to history to current events to black culture. All while we marveled at nature or the changes in…