Beyoncé Is King

All I can say is WOW!

This weekend, I had a Girl’s Night with my best friend and my girlfriend. We dedicated an entire Saturday to just catching up, vibing on the couch, sipping rosé, and munching on appetizers.

By now, I’m sure you’ve already heard about Beyoncé’s new visual album Black Is King. This is only available, currently, on Disney+. It was released on Friday July 31st, 2020. If you’re like me, and have already subscribed to multiple streaming services, and don’t want to tac another one onto the bill, I HIGHLY recommend asking a family member to borrow their credentials for this one moment — TRUST me, you NEED to see this! I’m sharing the trailer below, because it’s only right that you preview this:

To provide some background on this, for those who don’t follow Beyoncé closely, this visual album was created using the songs she released for the album: The Lion King: The Gift. This project was rolled out to directly align with the animated film, The Lion King, which Beyoncé had a huge contribution in playing the voice of Nala. The Queen Bey herself, did an impeccable job using this visual production, Black is King, as a platform to not only share her artistic gifts with us in conjunction with those who helped her finalize this masterpiece — BUT this is literally the definition of storytelling!

The film is about 1 hour and 25 minutes long — I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I wrote about it on Instagram.

She blew me away with the direct connection to the storyline of The Lion King film. She replicated so many beautiful African inspired looks, hairstyles, dances, and just truly rooted the visual experience in Black culture. It made us SO Proud To Be Black🖤. She flipped it and told the story we needed to hear and see today within the Black community — *The Messages.

“I’m so happy to be Black!”
Chelsea Rawls, My Best Friend

She uses sound clips from the film, and establishes a beautiful visual storyboard from start to finish which includes many many celestial, spiritual, uplifting, powerful images, and I was in awe — FLOORED sis! The musical masterpiece includes looks that are out of this world — A *Mood and then some.

The impact of the character in focus equates to that of Simba in comparison, if we must compare. The child is King. She reminds him that he will have to meet himself again, to remember who he is, as his ancestors hold their power, reminding him of his in this universal moment we tap into. We appreciate the Black Woman who has colored this earth with so many different shades of melanin. We shine a light on them, and tie in every aspect of womanhood, motherhood, manhood, fatherhood, childhood, the identification of Self, and having pride in who we are!

Part of the Black experience for this young man is going/growing through moments of Struggle, Challenge, Reward, Discernment, and Wisdom. It’s so beautiful to watch. We focus on Black Men, Black Women, Black Love, Black Daughters, Mothers, Fathers, Family.

I’m not too certain of this thought, but I do believe Ms. Solange had a part to play in the setting development of some scenes (and I just want to say ‘thank you’). This project features celebrities such as Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Campbell, Tierra Whack, Jessie Reyez, Burna Boy. She also includes her family, and those scenes were very beautiful. Ms Tina and Kelly Rowland are slaying per usual, Jay-Z makes an appearance with his feature on one of the songs (loved their ‘King & Queen moment’). There are just so many cameos that are truly perfect in the sequence of the storyline.

….I just need to get to the LEWKS really quick and then I plan to wrap this up in less than 1 min, so stick around for the GAG honey (if you haven’t watched it yet). I JUST —

This woman is magical. This content is SO powerful. I literally feel like she screamed:

“WAKE UP Y’ALL! OKAY GOOD, NOW THAT YOU’RE WOKE, DON’T FORGET THE POWER YOU HOLD. WE BRING PURPOSE TO THIS WORLD, REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND HARNESS THAT STRENGTH”

There was one statement she made, I can’t remember precisely, but I believe she said something along the lines of “Happiness — as pure as the smile on your father’s face”, and it really hit me to the core. So deep… when we think about the stereotypes of Black men, and the relationship they have with their emotions (especially older men from older generations, like our fathers and grandfathers)

The powerful words recited within the poetry she selected for this, and the spoken word performance clips she incorporated, were just absolutely amazing. The SHOTS, the COLORS (contrast and angles) STUNNING I tell you! I live, and I truly LOVE what Beyonce is doing for the culture.

This image released by Disney Plus shows Beyoncé in a scene from her visual album “Black is King,” premiering Friday on Disney Plus. (Robin Harper/Parkwood Entertainment/Disney + via AP)

She continues to amaze us with her ability to captivate the world at the grandest of levels, with a voice that’s covered in the godliest of melodies. WE TALKING RANGE? There is no competition, she created this lane, and I love that she is building an empire with her husband to then pass this wealth of knowledge down to their children. I just know Blue Ivy is going to do great things years from now, and the rest of her kids will go on to make their parents proud.

This is not only Black excellence folks, this is a wake up call to understand the power we possess, a reminder of what we bring to this world, a celebration of our people, and overall just a BEAUTIFUL body of work. I truly hope that every Black person, men especially, find some time to watch this. I hope you get a chance to watch this too girl, and if you have to bite that $6.99/mth bullet to get there, I understand.

If you’ve made it down this far, I just want to thank you for taking the time to read my post.

I’m sitting under the full moon, charging our crystal, and sipping on some libations this evening as I write this. If you were born in the 80’s (maybe 90s) I really think you’ll enjoy disney+, I mean — I watched 101 Dalmatians, Fantasia, and Cinderella all in one sitting today with my girlfriend, so I’m a fan lol. Note to Self Below

This Week’s Affirmations: Stay centered, when you must — find your balance and let go of what you can’t control. Remain productive, but also take time for yourself and do the things you love. Spend time with the ones you love. Love on yourself. Give thanks for all blessings, and continue to walk the righteous path in front of you, living for a higher purpose and power through every experience (with awareness in mind). End the week on a *solid and *satisfying note.

I hope you have a good week. Don’t forget to say your affirmations, sis!

Thanks for coming through.

Love & Light*

❤

Rest In Paradise Mari

Over the weekend, I received sad news about my sorority sister, Marileidy “Mari” Morel. She passed away last Saturday, July 4th during the evening in Fairfield, CT while walking her dog.

As I woke up to read the text I received in the middle of the night, I was so shocked by the information my sister shared with me. I had found out that Mari was in a car accident that evening, and did not make it. She was only 32 years old. As I write this post, I find my sadness growing, because this was such a horrible thing that happened to such a beautiful spirit.

Mari and I pledged for Omega Phi Chi (Multicultural) Sorority, Inc. during our freshman/sophomore year in college, we both crossed into an amazing sisterhood and attended Montclair State Univeristy. She was my chapter sister (Mu Chapter), and although we weren’t as close as some of my other sisters while pledging, I have very fond memories of her as a Neo, and as a younger sister back in 2008-2010. Mari pledged a semester before me. I remember feeling so comforted by her warm spirit as she would always light up a room with her caring and positive energy as soon as she walked in.

Over the years, we haven’t seen each other as much as I would’ve liked, because life gets in the way at times, but I’d like to hold on to the memories of her that are still with me. She was definitely one of the kindest, supportive people I’ve come in contact with at MSU, and I am so proud to be her sister (even if not by blood/DNA). She was such a genuinely nice person.

It is important that I mention, that this is a Hit and Run investigation. The vehicle is believed to be a Dark Green Jeep Wrangler. Damage to the vehicle is likely to be in the front right portion of the jeep. A clear marker lens was recovered at the scene.

Post shared by my chapter sisters. This repost, recalls what the witness saw at the scene when she found Mari after this happened (Trigger Warning: This is detailed)

I, like my other sisters are hurting right now, because her beautiful soul was taken from us too soon. She had plans for her future, and the driver of the SUV took that away from her. I just really hope her family can find justice, because they deserve it! SHE deserves it.

As mentioned above, this is actively being investigated by the Fairfield CT police. If you can please share this with anyone you know, on your socials/online/etc. that would help tremendously, as information would aid in identifying the driver of this vehicle.

Anonymous tips may be submitted by texting “FPD” plus your tip info to CRIMES (274637), or by going to http://www.fpdct.com/tips

Anyone with information can also call the Fairfield police department at (203) 254-4800 OR, if you are able to provide surveillance video, you can contact Sgt. Michael Paris at (203) 254-4862.

Rest in Paradise Mari*

***UPDATE****

The vehicle of the person responsible for my sister’s hit and run has been identified, as well as the man behind the wheel. My sisters and I were all very happy to hear that this man was found and taken into custody. This is what we’ve learned so far:

DECLAN P. KOT, AGE 22, OF EASTON is charged with:

Misconduct with a Motor Vehicle (Class D Felony)
Evading Responsibility in Operating a Motor Vehicle Resulting in Death
Failure to Drive in Proper Lane
Operating a Motor Vehicle without Fenders
Tampering with Evidence
Operation of a Motor Vehicle with Tinted Windows without Tinting Sticker
Operation of Vehicle with Tinted Windshield

This man, a firefighter, has been charged with 7 offenses but I personally feel that this is not enough. I can’t find the article, but there is a separate incident which took place this same weekend, (hit and run) resulting in the same outcome unfortunately. However, this man was not well connected within the community, and is faced with a list of charges that are much more severe (not to mention his bail was much higher). I do not work in law enforcement/have not studied law, but I can confidently say that this deserves more attention. He is expected to arrive in court this Wednesday 7/15 in Fairfield, CT to receive his ruling.

My sisters are doing all that they can to make sure that Mari and her family receive the justice they deserve! If you have read/shared this post, please find more information below on updated ways that you can help:

Today Mari was laid to rest, and although I was unable to attend, I met up with my sisters last week to celebrate Mari and it was a beautiful moment.

Rest in paradise Mari, we love you!

A New Chapter

We’ve moved into our new place! As of 7/1, we’ve been able to finally rest in our new apartment. Sarina and I have been moving around nonstop — putting things in storage, donating, buying new things, building furniture… and it has been an AH-MAY-ZING experience. We are so grateful for this opportunity, and to begin this new journey. I just keep saying “thank you”, because gratitude is so important to me.

*Our Living Room — (Don’t mind our pillows, some of them are for the bed)*

Sarina put our an entire couch, 4 bar stools, desk, and TV stand together these past few days. Needless to say, there’s literally nothing she can’t do. I’m so very grateful for her, we’re going through the whole settling process together and she’s made it so much easier for us to get things done. Our mothers have also been a HUGE help in getting us settled. It sounds corny, but teamwork Really makes the dream work. We would still be unpacking boxes if it weren’t for them ❤

For now, I think we’ve taken care of all of the major aspects of the apartment — except for.. the bedroom. The kitchen is good to go, living room is almost fully setup (with the exception of one piece of furniture that’s still being delivered), but the current state of the bedroom furniture when it come to the actual delivery process, just makes me sigh and roll my eyes…

The Positives:

– Computer, desk, and WiFi are all setup.

– Mattress was delivered

The Annoyances:

– 2 parts of the bed frame have just completely disappeared… The warehouse cannot find them, so now they’ve put a replacement order in, expediting the delivery, but have stated that it likely won’t get delivered until late July sometime…

– The dresser is not getting delivered until around the same time I believe (perhaps even August, these dates keep changing), so right now we’ve just been living out of boxes 📦 and laying on the mattress until the bed frame gets here…

Granted, I had some idea that we would have to go in and out of boxes to get some of the clothes we need, but it’s just a little annoying because when we wash them, there’s no place to put them. I also, just wanted the bed frame to come this week, so that we could take the time to build it before going back to work on Monday, but there’s nothing we can do about it.

After about 5-6 calls to Wayfair, we’re just going to have to wait it out, and receive the furniture whenever it gets here😢. However, right now we’re definitely in a good place and super happy about the move (there was one night Sarina and I couldn’t stop smiling😬😬 lol)!

I’ll wrap this up by saying that I am TREMENDOUSLY Grateful for new beginnings with my girlfriend

On Our New Couch — My Mami, Sarina, and I (Sarina’s Mami took the picture but she’s been there from the start and I love her SO MUCH!)

If you’ve happened to stop by, thanks for coming through!

Love & Light*

-Tati ❤

It’s Almost Moving Day!

This will be a short one… I haven’t been writing as often, because I’ve been so busy moving, but it’s been a pretty productive couple of weeks for me and my girlfriend. My heart is so full honestly.

Yesterday, with the help of our family, we were able to move:

3 Leather Couches

2 Kitchen Tables

6 Heavy Chairs

1 Queen Bed Frame & Mattress

2 Bedroom Dressers

5 Golden Ringssssss lol

No — but honestly we moved a LOT of furniture. We gave most of the pieces to people who needed it for their apartments (friends in the area), so that made me feel really good. I’d rather give things away to people that can use them, rather than tossing them out/holding on to them when I know it’s time to let them go. Some boxes were put in storage (winter clothes mainly), so it all worked out. I woke up this morning SO sore by the way, but I thought that would happen after such a long day of heavy lifting.

We were in moving mode from 6AM to 2:30PM, and were wobbling all around our area (dropping things off) that afternoon, to make sure we got everything done before our return time at U-Haul. Sarina and I felt so accomplished at the end of the day. Now we only have a few boxes left to pack up!

*Sarina’s brothers-in-law taking the front door down, temporarily, so that we can bring some furniture out of the house. So grateful for the support we’ve received from our family ❤*

Since we’re bed-less Sarina’s mom has been gracious enough to let us stay at her place, for the next couple of nights. This way we can finish up the little bit of packing that’s left, cleaning at the old/new apartment, and prepare for Moving Day this upcoming Wednesday!

We’re SO excited, and personally I feel like I’m anxiously and impatiently waiting for 7/1 to come. Sarina and I have both said it’s like that feeling of butterflies that you get when you’re about to go on a trip somewhere. That’s literally how it feels — and we cannot wait! So excited for this new beautiful journey we’re about to begin!!

I said I wasn’t going to cry, but I had a moment yesterday as we were packing up the last cupboard in the kitchen. I got teary eyed for a bit and got emotional, but they were happy tears. I think it was just really different for me, seeing these rooms I had occupied and made a home for myself in for 11 years, now empty you know? I’ve become the woman I am today while living on the 3rd floor of that 3-family house… I’ve grown so much, professionally, personally, and have gone through so many beautiful experiences that have shaped me while living there.

All of the challenges, the lessons, the amazing and incredible moments I’ve had in my “Carrie Bradshaw” apartment, are memories I will definitely cherish. I am so grateful for all of the blessings I’ve received while living here. SO grateful!

So ready for this new chapter to begin ❤

If you’ve happened to stop by and read this post, thanks for coming through! More updates to follow, once we officially move ❤

Love and Light*

Happy Sunday

-Tati

Everything Must Go!

It’s Sunday afternoon, and I’m writing this post in my kitchen, on my phone, surrounded by the mess of boxes and things we are packing up. We’ve been donating and purging like crazy, while also purchasing the new things we need for our new place little by little. With that being said, I have a closet FULL of paintings that I’ve accumulated over the last 10 years or so. It’s with a heavy heart, that I must now move forward with letting these paintings go to make space for new creation ❤

I have so many pieces that I’ve made while I was happy, angry, confused, at peace, tipsy (shoutout to those sip & paints I used to go to lol) — so many emotions tied to all of these, so I thought it might be best to just put them on the blog, in case anyone’s interested?

So here they are! Pardon the quality on some of these photos, as I’ve had to take them pretty quickly before storing them away (my mom is holding some of them too — thanks ma!)

*Artwork by me, accumulated over the years.*

So.. if you’ve happened to pass by and read this post, thanks for coming through! Let me know if you’re interested in any of these paintings, and I’ll definitely respond quickly! We’re moving within the next couple of weeks, so this will be a pretty quick process 🙂

I’m selling 2-3 pieces for the discounted price of 1. Price ranges for the ones that are for sale: $20-$25, depending on the piece you are interested in. I’m also giving a decent amount of these away for FREE as well, so let me know which one you’d like — it could be $Free.99

Love & Light*

Take care of yourself today.

-Tati ❤

Self Care Sundays

*Long Branch, NJ — Beach Sunset For The Win!*

It’s been a ROUGH couple of days. I’m just going to keep it all the way 100, and say that my hormone monster has been on Level 10 this week. After protesting and think of just life in general, with all that’s going on — during a pandemic, my emotions have gotten the best of me. I damn near broke my phone dealing with this moody roller coaster I’ve been on. I just want to thank my girlfriend for being along for the ride, and for always being my emotional savior and therapist! She keeps me sane and balanced, and checks me when I need it. Truly the definition of a Rider ❤

*All I need in this life of sin, is me and my girlfriend.*

On Saturday morning, we were lying in bed, and realized it was going to be another hot day, so we decided to just pack up and go to the beach. We went all the way down to Ocean Grove beach, found thee best parking spot, and it was then we realized that you cannot just ‘walk on the beach’…

It was our first time being back at the beach at all this summer, after covid, so we had absolutely no idea that you actually need to download an app called Viply to purchase daily, weekly, or weekend passes in order to enter the beach! Of course the beach we went to had no passes left, so we took our little umbrella and cooler and salsa-d back to the car…

After that we went to Long Branch, because we were able to purchased passes there. We had a BEAUTIFUL day at the beach. Sarina (my girlfriend) and I cuddled, listened to the waves, and stargazed after sunset. It was absolutely everything. We gave thanks to Mother Moon, Mother Earth, and the all knowing Universe while we were there, and when we left, we felt so good!

We crashed like 2 tired babies when we got home of course. Today we decided to keep up with Self Care Sunday because:

Sarina loves to play tennis, so we went over to the park and she played, while I ran on my favorite trail in Weequahic Park, Newark New Jersey.

I really needed this to close off the weekend. Spending time in solitude, in nature, writing, listening to the sounds of the wind and the birds chirping — this brings me peace, and I seriously needed to recenter. I am grateful for this day and all of the blessings I’ve received.

THANK you

Thank YOU

THANK YOU!

Expressing moments of gratitude out loud is a daily habit I like to keep. There is so much to be grateful for. Now that I’ve had dinner, I’m going to wash my hair, do a mask, and get comfy so that I can watch Insecure with Sarina and my good good girlfriend, before the night is over. — — — By the way, I’m a little annoyed that Issa has chosen to be the bigger person yet again, in this situation with Molly, but we will see how this goes tonight, and of course I will report back👩🏾‍💻💬!

I’ll need to get some rest because tomorrow I’m getting 3 wisdom teeth surgically removed — wish me luck! I hope everyone’s loving on themselves and keeping up with self care today, if you can.

Love & Light*

-Tati

Peaceful Protest For Change & Equality

*The residents of Maplewood & South Orange protested peacefully, on Friday, June 5, 2020. This protest was organized by the students of Columbia High School.*

I am writing this post over, and attempting to upload it as it originally wouldn’t post for some reason. I’ve been trying to get these images to upload, and to show here, because they mean a LOT to me.. so I am posting them bit by bit. They have to be seen, and this story has to be told.

Mothers, fathers, children, teachers, medical professionals, city officials, local business owners, and residents gathered in South Orange on Friday, June 5th to walk peacefully for positive change and equality, while police officers blocked off intersections in observance of our protest. This was such a powerful moment, and I’m so glad I was able to be a part of history in REAL TIME!

As my girlfriend and I walked from Spiotta Park in South Orange to Maplewood Municipal building down valley, we felt so empowered. We walked with my girlfriend’s mom, and our two friends. The streets were filled with people who spoke up for change and demanded that our voices were heard.

More importantly, the young men and women who organized this protest did an amazing job of using that moment to address the necessary changes needed within the community, as they spoke about there own personal experiences. Maplewood and South Orange is known for being a “stigma free” community. That all sounds nice on paper, but in reality there are still racial issues that exist within the two towns… and these students used this opportunity to call out these ‘stigma free’ local restaurant owners, and school systems!

(Video of one student who gave me chills, who describes the racial inequality he has experienced while watching the “Independence Day” fireworks in the local park. I believe his name is Danny)

I was absolutely infuriated when I learned that this stigma-free community, does not send school buses to certain areas within the school district, due to the location of the neighborhood as it relates to the “distance” of the school. There’s no reason why these children should have to take public transportation or walk miles just to get to school, and have to worry about being late for class, due to the fact that they have not been provided with public school transportation — this is a problem. Redlining is a problem, period.

It goes without saying, that we are being heard, and seen right now, and more than ever before, we are uniting and coming together (both in our communities and around the world) to push for positive change and equality for our people — BLACK PEOPLE!

We are the reporters.

We are the journalists.

With social media, we are only exposing what some people have been afraid to acknowledge.. what some people have been afraid to talk about outside AND inside their homes. It’s uncomfortable for many, and that’s good! This conversation needs to continue, until the issue of systematic racism and inequality is no longer an issue. We ask every white person/ally who wants to help/contribute in ways that will promote this change, to hold themselves accountable in these moments, continue to speak up and use their privilege to help us in moments when it is absolutely necessary, to educate and correct themselves/friends/family/peers/colleagues, and to continue to advocate for this change.

Do NOT stop, once it is no longer “trending”.

We will not be silenced, and we will continue to speak up, walk, and inform until you’ve heard us and give us the support we deserve! Even after that, we will never let go of what it took to get there. I have hope, and believe that even through all of the negativity, change will come — it has to!

Karma is a Black Woman.

Love & Light*

Be safe, Be well everyone.

❤ Tati

#BlackOutTuesday

**Image** sourced by **@zaynescandycane (Twitter) and created by @sacree_frangine** (Instagram)
***Click for more info shared by Brittany Packnett via Instagram***

I cried today.

After seeing so many of these horrible images and videos of my people being mistreated while peacefully protesting.

After seeing police try to arrest and put the blame on my people for damages they did not cause.

After trying to keep it together for over a week now, I had to take a moment to pause and breathe.

The crazy part about all of this is that, if you’re black and working in corporate america, you’re expected to just get your tasks done for the day as if you’re unaffected, and if you’re not working in an environment with a diverse group of people on your team, you’re basically dealing with these issues on your own with no one to connect with in your work environment that actually ‘gets’ it.

I know that some companies have made public statements about the movement in effort to show support. Some haven’t, others have but it’s quite obvious by the tone of the message, that it was not coming from a place of sincerity. We’ve called companies out, and have unapologetically made some folks uncomfortable due to their silence, so it would make sense that some of these beloved brands are simply jumping at the chance to make a statement (even if it is not genuine) to clear their name.

Black Out Tuesday took place today. What is this you ask? I’d like to add more context here, as many were not fully informed before posting about it. Myself included, but this is why we MUST educate and share credible knowledge/sources regarding ANYthing surrounding this powerful movement.

Well, if you didn’t click the link above, underneath the #BlackLivesMatter image within the beginning of this post, you may or may not know the underlying question surrounding this. Originally this post (which I had originally thought it represented) was intended for the music industry to educate themselves and formulate a plan to effectively combat the racial issues we are facing in this world. We would then support the movement by promoting knowledge and education as well as providing important resources that help to support the movement.

This idea was also created by two Black Women: Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas

See… the thing is.. it seems that this amazing effort to execute effective change, somehow got co-opted by an unknown group who pushed the hashtag #BlackOutTuesday (see ‘Real/Fake’ post image below). I saw another really insightful post on Instagram by Brittany Packnett. She proceeded to inform those who viewed her insta TV video with a Fact Check by sharing the following information: Here.

Sis, how about the hashtag was originally #TheShowMustBePaused.

I, like many of us, posted a black square via instagram in order to exercise the action of digitally protesting by way of all social media accounts (as it relates to the fake post we saw). I used the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag as well as #BlackOutTuesday and shared as much information as I could, to promote ways in which we all can contribute to this powerful movement (I’ll include some links below for reference). The problem with this is that using the BLM hashtag overwhelmed the tag category on Instagram, drowning out all helpful and important information that needs to be shared with a sea of black boxes. This is digital protest suppression, and the only way to detach the image from the hashtag would be to remove the post and re-post the black square, because even if you edit the caption (I’m told), the post still shows up within the previous tag’s category (as though you still have the old tag in place).

I just think it’s crazy that this even happened! Two messages — Two different motives. I wonder who got behind this, because at the moment it seems no one knows. Whoever created the fake post we originally saw, should be exposed because that’s Not okay… I mean think about it, who calls for a blackout to silence ourselves on a day where many states are voting in the primary??

This is a week of ACTION, and we will not be silenced!

Share as much information as you can!

Donate if you can!

Remove your money from banks that have not supported our people, and move your funds to black credit unions (I need to do this!)

Shop Black — Support Black Owned Businesses

In moments of confusion or misunderstanding that arise, in regards to this movement with your friends, colleagues, and/or family members (anyone who can’t relate) educate them. If you have the energy to, because We Are Tired. The one thing I have noticed is that America caught the attention of other countries, and it’s honestly beautiful and empowering to see that other people are waking up and wanting to push the message of equality for Black people all over the world.

We are fighting for our rights at a GLOBAL scale!

What we will NOT do is post a black square and refrain from sharing information, because we ‘made an effort’.

What we will NOT do is push performative support. Exhibit A — This “Influencer” put on her help hat by pretending to help board up a store with broken windows that had been looted the night before (disgusting).

What we will NOT do is allow outside influences to distract us from our movement, and take away from the power that has fueled our mission for equality among our people.

At the end of all of this, and I hope it will end, I hope this brings unity among all of us as a collective. I hope we all find compassion in our hearts to help others in need, releasing ego and enforcing positive change. Most of all I hope and pray that my people will know longer have to face racial injustice and inequality, because it’s about time we left that shit behind us FOR GOOD!

So I ask again.. How are you feeling?

I really want to know, because I care.

My heart has been so heavy lately, and I know we are all dealing with this in our own way. Writing has helped me release some of this energy in a healthy way. I want to create a safe space for those who would like to share their feelings, if it helps in any way.

Also, if you happen to know of any donation links, community efforts, events, organizations to fight change, or if you have links that drive to the support of black owned businesses and would like to share them — PLEASE DO! I want to repost these resources, and have them present here for anyone who is looking for ways that they can contribute to change.

If you’ve happened to stop by and read this post, thank you for coming through.

Love & Light to You*

-Tati

I’ve Included Content Below & Above Image | Repost On My Instagram Story Post Image shared via @ceomaltbia

#BlackLivesMatter Resources — Ways You Can Help

National Resource List — Master Doc (Charities, Free Legal Help, Mutual Aid Funds, & Tips For Protesting

List of Bail Funds For Protestors Across The Country

Organizations You Can Donate To:

George Floyd Memorial Fund

Minnesota Freedom Fund

Reclaim The Block

National Bail Out

Black Lives Matter

Bail Project

Black Visions Collective

Campaign Zero

National Bail Fund Network

The Innocent Project

Justice For Breonna

Run With Maud

Call DA Mike Freeman in Minnesota (612)-348-5550 and DEMAND prosecution to: Derek Chauvin (Badge #1087) Tou Thoa (Badge #7162)

Leave a message for Louisville Mayor and DEMAND justice for Breonna Taylor (502)-574-2003

Master List of Safety Tips For Protesting: (A Twitter Thread)

Know Your Rights Before You Go Out to Protest (An Article)

NJ Voter’s Registration

Reading:

Black History Library

Anti-Racism Resources For White People: Books, Podcasts, Articles, Videos

Email Template To Report Racist Students

Calling/Emailing Scripts For Justice

Happy Birthday to Me!

Baby Tati Circa ’90 Something
You can look at my mom and tell…

Today makes 32, and I am SO GRATEFUL for ALL of my Blessings!!! I’m grateful for life, a new day, my health, family, love, genuine friendships with amazing people, my job and the ability to work from home. I’m also thankful for all of the experiences that have molded and shaped me, for all of the challenges I’ve faced that have helped build and strengthen my character.

I try to make it a habit to start my day with a moment of gratitude, and whenever the time calls for me to vocalize those moments of realization, which remind me that I should root myself in gratitude. So much has happened over the last week or so, actually the past couple of months — THIS WHOLE YEAR (I know it’s only been about 6 months, but it definitely does not feel like it). As a collective, our experiences have been pretty crazy since March, if I had to pick a month, with Miss Rona on the prowl. The horrible stories we’ve read and images we’ve seen regarding “Karen Temper Tantrums” and the awful killings we’ve been witnessing among our community (Rest In Paradise, to all of the beautiful black Queens and Kings we’ve lost). This has all been too much, and quite frankly I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster these last couple of days, but I’m releasing that here and it feels much better to offload my thoughts and feelings into the blog…

I’m dealing with a pretty bad toothache, and will need to see an oral surgeon to remove my wisdom teeth, so I look like a blow fish basically, and have been popping 600mg ibuprofen like a mad woman — because Pain. I was also planning to bring my cousin, my mother, and my girlfriend on another hiking trip, and end the day off with a picnic. Cute right? We had to postpone those plans though, because the weather calls for rain today. This really made me a little sad because I love spending time with them, and that would’ve been a great way to spend my birthday, but it’s all good!

32 Will be an amazing year of life!
32 Will be filled with Magical experiences!
Claiming It!!

There’s so much to be grateful for, and there will always be another time to go on that trip with them (shooting for next week if weather permits). I am surrounded by love, and I appreciate all of the Happy Birthday-s I’ve been receiving this morning. My girlfriend has been making me feel really special today, because she knows I’m a little down about this “quarantined birthday” experience, and I love her for that ❤ Anyways, it’s Friday — I’m OFF and it’s my birthday weekend, so I will make the best of it. I also have another update, but I will follow up on here with that after the weekend 🙂

If you’ve happend to stop by, thanks for coming through and I hope you have a good weeekend!

Love & Light* From this 32yr Old

-Tati

UPDATE:

My birthday weekend, was everything I needed, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to spend it with my mother, my girlfriend, and some of my closest friends! Although I didn’t get to take my little cousin on that hike, I got to see my best friend and her newborn (SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL OMG! The cutest family). We stopped by there and had a couple of drinks and pizza my face is paying for it now.. I can’t have whole milk or cheese, but it was worth it! My girlfriend and I went over my other friend’s place to have a chill day and grill, have some drinks, and they had a strawberry shortcake for me!!! I seriously wanted to cry.

We ended the night by heading up to her roof to stargaze, and I saw a shooting star for the first time in my life — ah-may-zing! My tooth ache is much better now that I’ve gone to the oral surgeon. I just had a consultation and my wisdom tooth surgery is 3 weeks away — BUT I have antibiotics, another ibuprofen prescription, and medicated moth wash, so things have been a little bit better lately. I’m so thankful for that because I was in excruciating pain, and I was so swollen on the left side. I think by the time Jersey is officially opened, I will be recovering from the surgery — IN OUR NEW PLACE! We’ve finally found our new apartment, and we’re so excited. We move in July 1st, so there’s a lot of packing and preparation underway. I will definitely be writing about that. My girlfriend gave me the most beautiful roses for my birthday, and I just want them to last forever.

ALSO: There were protests taking place in Newark, South Orange, and all over parts of New Jersey last weekend. I am so proud of my city! Newark New Jersey is where I was raised up until about middle school. Some of my family still lives there, and I don’t live far so I come through often! We have had such a negative perception placed on our city, but the people of Newark walked alongside the police and city officials for George Floyd, and it was very peaceful — so HA! How about that 🙂 We know firsthand how it feels to lose everything and rebuild what is ours. When you think back at the riots that took place in the 60s, Newark was front and center. It’s so sad that 20 years later, we are still protesting for the same reasons: Black Equality and Justice. I want to make sure I am present during the next protest I’ve been informed of (won’t share those details here, just in case).

So much has happened recently, and I NEED to get this out in writing — Next Post

Justice For George Floyd

My heart is so heavy right now. This topic is one that is really important to me. It’s important to all of my black and brown people, so I had to write about it. We are all so tired of the racist images and videos we keep seeing over and over again on social media, on the internet — it’s sickening. All over the US people are protesting and rightfully rioting to DEMAND justice for George Floyd, may he Rest In Peace.

*Post shared by Tracee Ellis Ross* *via Instagram*

We are so TIRED of being targets for these disgusting individuals who think it is alright to take a black man/black woman’s life, for no reason at all. Within the video of George Floyd’s murder, he is not resisting arrest, he is actually complying with the officer. The officer proceeds to put his knee on George’s neck forcefully (this is so hard to witness), until he literally runs out of breath and dies. This is Murder and this is America, sadly.

*Post shared on Instagram by Erykah Badu, reposting a tweet from Quinta Brunson on Twitter. I think all of us feel this way.*

We view these images on our phones, even if we don’t go looking for them. We watch the news and it is so awful to see! It makes us frustrated, angry, depressed, some may even feel hopeless because it literally just doesn’t stop. We are dealing with PTSD, we are triggered and emotionally impacted in a BIG way when things like this happen. What I think is important about this post is that Quinta calls out something that a lot of us have been feeling.

After seeing these images and feeling outraged, if we’re at work it’s still a work day, and we’re expected to just move forward as if it were just any other day, while we’re hurting. This is just one example, of how we have to fight through the pain. Hypothetically speaking, if you work on a team of people and you are the only person of color, the fact is that other people are just not going to understand the way this makes us feel. They are just not going to get why this is so hard for us to deal with, and that it’s even more of a struggle to just push through the day after witnessing hateful things like this!

I am on twitter a lot, and most of the community there and on Instagram are calling out those who have been staying silent, and I truly appreciate that. I have friends from all walks of life, I love everybody who I’ve become close friends with that has proven to be a genuine person and a good friend regardless of race. I know that so many others feel the same way, but many people I follow have mentioned that a lot of the folks that normally speak up about politics or societal matters — everyday people and celebrities, tend to always stay silent during times like these.

*Tweet from Jhene Aiko. I couldn’t agree with this more.*

This country was built on the backs of black people. Our blood sweat and tears have contributed to the shaping and beginning of this country, and yet we’ve had to fight for everything we have — and still do. Our culture is glorified and yet, we still have to deal with racial issues every single day in 2020! Celebrities with large followings should be using their platforms to enforce change during this time, but many aren’t. I also think it’s important for people who aren’t black, to speak up and speak out during this time. Don’t silence yourselves to prevent moments of uneasiness among your peers. If you feel uncomfortable that should be even more of a reason to speak up, because this signifies that something is really wrong and it should be discussed!

*Post by @Shirien.Creates via Instagram*

This man, this black man, George Floyd was not given the opportunity to live a full life because it was taken by a police officer in Minneapolis. Cops were blocking the police officer’s home last night so that he would be safe. What kind of world are we living in? What kind of country claims to be the land of the free, when all people are not… free. I really hope we can come together to fight against this so that George Floyd and so many others we’ve lost can get their justice. The officer needs to be arrested for murder, this should NOT be tolerated! We should NOT allow this to go on in our communities. We need to rise up and come together to make change. I’m so tired of my black people dying, not living full lives, and dealing with racism on a daily basis.

*Post shared via Instagram by @Chaninicholas*

Share this post if you care, and please comment if you wish to share your feelings on the matter. We’re all going through it right now, and deserve to have a safe space to vent our frustrations. So tired of seeing my people in hashtags because of all of the hatred we face in this world.

Love & Light*

-Tati