For Hana Getachew, the Bolé Road is a lot of things. It’s the name of her celebrated textile line, a gorgeous collection of traditionally-inspired Ethiopian pillows and accessories, currently enjoying a collaboration with West Elm. It’s a popular thoroughfare in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the designer was born. Most of all it’s a metaphor for all of the important journeys she’s been on in life, starting with the first one.

Malcolm Simmons has been designing all of his life. A native of Virginia who spent years living abroad before studying graphic and interior design, he’s now known as the owner of the design consultation company, Mas Means More. For the last two years, the self-styled “environmental graphic designer,” has made his home in a 2-story colonial-style condo in Arlington, Virginia.

Interior and production designer Chanae Richards is the founder and principal creative behind Oloro Interiors. The firm provides locations and design services for a variety of photo and video projects in addition to Chanae’s residential design work.

Nikia Phoenix loves the skin she’s in, and she wants you to love yours just as much. Once the awkward girl with freckles, the model now known for her gorgeous skin knows that the road to feeling at home with yourself is neither short nor straight. Yet she’d be the first to suggest that it’s the one best travelled, and that the best thing about traveling it is that there’s no need to do it alone. That was the driving sentiment behind Black Girl Beautiful, the 23andMe star’s self-and-communal love brand aimed at Black women everywhere and of all ages.

Life is made up of two kinds of things: the real — the things that are, and the unreal — the things that might be. For Haitian-born Brooklynite Yrbenka Arthus, the passion, drive and unstoppable energy that fuels her comes from her ability to “Feel the Unreal” — to imagine what might be and make it a reality.

It is a tale of two sisters. One, the Rada Loa, Erzulie Fréda Dahomey, is the goddess of love, beauty, jewelry, dancing, and flowers. The other is Erzulie Dantor, most senior of the Petro Loa and goddess of motherhood, credited as the spiritual inspiration to Haiti’s famed revolution.

In 2016, Charles Harbison was everywhere. He was a favorite designer of Beyoncé, Solange and Michelle. He had been featured by coveted fashion magazines and was in the spotlight at New York Fashion Week. And then suddenly, he was gone, relocated from New York to Los Angeles, and placing the brand on an indefinite hiatus.

Storytelling is an important part of African culture. All throughout the continent, there are griots - repositories of oral traditions who keep history and culture alive through poems, music, songs, tales, and clothes. For fashion designer Sindiso Khumalo, her newest collection is a moment of storytelling worthy of the tradition.

Seleen Saleh was just a teenager the first time she picked up a camera, and she hasn’t put it down since. “I used my first camera at 16 years old. I really loved photographs, especially black-and-whites. I wanted to see how far I could take it.” She’s taken it far, and it’s returned the favor. Seleen’s camera has taken her around the world, leading the way as she captures the spirit of fashion on the streets of New York, Paris, London and Milan.

A rustle of fabric, a pop of color and the unflinching gaze of dark eyes. With these, fine art photographer Fabiola Jean-Louis weaves a narrative that blends past and future, fact and fantasy, afro-futurism and Black girl magic. In the process, blending photography and sculpture, she warps time and space, giving us a glimpse of what might have been while casting light on a history that many have forgotten or ignored.

There is a story in the work. For ceramicist, Andile Dyalvane, his work is the story of growing up in South Africa, his connection to the legacy of his Xhosa ancestors, and the indelible imprints of the places he has been. His pieces are more than a meeting of hands and clay. They are a form of self-expression - a record of who Dyalvane is and who he is constantly becoming.

On a nondescript stretch of Broadway in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, stands a print shop empty of customers or seemingly anything to sell. It is a miracle establishment, not unlike the neighborhood it sits in. You wonder how it has survived Amazon and gentrification, and you wonder for how much longer.

There’s nothing more mysterious than a dream - and nothing more meaningful. An entire world made up of only one mind, a place where anything can happen and all that does is a reflection of that mind alone. In dreams the emotions are laid bare, though they come wearing guises picked from all the corners of our minds. Like the emotions, dreams can be bewildering, frightening, and most of all, instructive, though the lessons may be hard to grasp. To help us better navigate our own inner worlds, fine art photographer Fares Micune graciously offers us a tour of her own.

“You have a social responsibility as an artist,” says Tiffany-Anne Parkes, the founder of Pienanny. It’s a responsibility that she does not take lightly. Speaking with the culinary artist over Zoom, it’s clear that Parkes is always thinking deeply and intentionally about the work she’s doing, even while on vacation. Enjoying the Jamaica sun while visiting with family, her hair pulled back in beach-ready blonde cornrows, she’s equal parts reflective and instructive, talking about pies as if she were still teaching history in front of a classroom - a full-time profession that she recently left in 2022.

Fast food is usually the last place anyone would look for a history lesson, a social conscience or a message of change. And maybe that’s the problem. In a world where fast food is often the only food available in our communities, is there any reason why it shouldn’t be a force for good, serving healthy food while encouraging community togetherness and mutual respect? Chef Rock Harper says no, and he’s proving his point with Queen Mother’s, his new Arlington, Virginia-based restaurant that’s aiming to change the way we see fried chicken, and a few other things as well.

Food does so much more than just nourish our bodies. It brings is together. Not just as families, but as people. We all need it, so we all have it. And because we’re all different, there are countless ways to prepare it, serve it and take it in. Each one is attached to a culture - to a particular way of being human. Like cultures, food overlaps, weaving a fantastic tapestry of influences that shows where we are, where we’ve come from and who we’ve met along the way. If you listen, food will tell you a story. Few people know that as well as chef Alexander Smalls.

Family is at the heart of the story. For Jocelyn Delk Adams, founder of Grandbaby Cakes, family is where everything begins. The food blogger, turned cookbook author, turned television personality, was once just a little girl absorbing all of the knowledge and love there was to be found in a family kitchen. From the beginning, Jocelyn’s baking, with it’s focus on sweet treats and fond memories, has centered on the influence of a central character: her grandmother, “Big Mama.”

For her 30th birthday, Thaïs Sala wanted to do something special. The hotelier, who owns Jnane Tamsna, Morocco’s first Black-owned hotel, with her mother, Meryanne Loum-Martin, decided on an event that would bring all of her favorite people together to welcome in her fourth decade of life.

Stephanie Summerson Hall is the founder of Estelle Colored Glass, a luxury brand of colored glassware that’s handmade by artisans in Poland. Jewel-tone stemware, decanters and cake stands are all part of Stephanie’s collection that has a cult following. Oprah, Hoda and Martha are fans.

“Our dinner parties are about ownership, belong- ing, leisure, and community,” says Amber Mayfield, founder of To Be Hosted, an innovative supper club that hosts dinners focused on highlighting Black food culture and building community. “We gather at one table, share a family-style meal, and have meaningful conversation.”

On a beautiful day, with a hint of spring in the air, a group of New York City creatives gathered at the historic Bedford Playhouse in Westchester County, NY. The goal of the gathering was simple - to celebrate artistry, the creative spirit, and community. The Bedford Playhouse was the perfect backdrop for the afternoon. Once a struggling movie theater, it was saved by a community of entertainment industry artists, many with New York City roots.

The story of Marrakech begins in the year 475 AH (1062 AD), as two men walked together in the Sahara desert. Cousins by blood, brothers in arms and ideology, they had spent years at war and were touring the desert in search of a future.

Tobago is beautiful. With lush rainforests, towering mountains and endless beaches, it is beautiful in a way rivaled only by those few places equally fortunate to be located somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. It’s easy to believe that when Christopher Columbus first set foot on the island in the last years of the 15th century, that the beauty of the place was the first thing he noticed.

Once the most important seat of Spanish power in the Americas, Cartagena, known then as Cartagena de Indias or Cartagena de Poniente (“of the West”), is one of Colombia’s most populous and visited cities. A stunning mix of natural wonder, intriguing antique architecture, and contemporary flavor, it’s a place where the cannons of centuries-old fortresses still overlook the water, and symbols of imperial power line streets walked by the descendants of conquistadors, slaves, and indigenous people alike.

Growing up in North Carolina, Ron Frazier has always been familiar with the outdoors. “My family and friends played outdoors all the time. We grew up on a lake and my dad was an avid fisherman and boater.” Going out in the water and playing in the nearby woods was just part of growing up for Frazier, so much so, that as an adult, his outdoor adventures turned from daylong swims to two-week excursions into some of the most remote parts of the country. From visiting the deepest parts of The Grand Canyon to the outdoor Shangri-La of Moab in Utah, the great outdoors calls to Frazier. In answering it, the childhood pastime turned part-time hobby has now developed into a brand - A Tribe Called Camp (ATCC).

There are some days that are magic. Days when it all goes right - the perfect setting, the perfect weather, and the perfect group of friends gathered to mark an important occasion. For Donnell and Courtney Baldwin, New York fashion stylists known for their brand, Mr. Baldwin Style, that moment came on a sunny day at Havens Beach in Sag Harbor. The idyllic location, set among bright white sands, long blades of grass, and even a few deer roaming by the ocean, was perfect for the couple’s celebration of their six-year wedding anniversary.

The summer of 2020 marks an incredible moment in history, seeing the birth of one of the largest civil rights movements the world has ever known. After years of what seemed like an endless cycle of Black death and white apathy, something new has happened. Cries of support for Black lives have begun to come from places that were once deathly silent as the terrifying immunity with which the police could kill Black people was proven over and over, one video at at time. The outrage of a community used to suffering alone has been felt by others and together they are beginning to stand up, not in one city or one nation, but all over the world.

One of the potential hazards of loving art is the tendency to see it as something separate from everyday life — a thing apart, with no ability to function prac- tically beyond what it stirs in us emotionally or in- tellectually. Sometimes that can be true, but often our most inspired works are the ones inspired by a practical need, like the patterned rugs of the Middle East and Central Asia. Similarly, the African American quilts of Gee’s Bend, hailed as pivotal works of modern art in museum exhibitions around the country, were inspired by the simple need to stay warm.

For most of us, it was around 2010 that today’s trendiest houseplant came onto the scene. The ficus lyrata, better known as the fiddle leaf fig started a revolution, quickly replacing the old, outdated palm tree of virtually every home and office of the 1990s. While the fiddle leaf fig has enjoyed soaring popularity over the past decade — even getting recognized by The New York Times as the go-to plant of top interior designers — its history is much longer and deeper than that. In fact, this stylishly modern plant is millions of years old and traces its roots to West Africa, specifically modern day Cameroon and Sierra Leone.

At the beginning of 1956, the Belfield area of Philadelphia was a predominantly white part of the city. With few exceptions, just about all of the African Americans to be found there were domestic workers, coming in and out of houses as they finished their work as maids. But in October of that year, a new family arrived. Made up of three generations — a grandmother, her four children, and two grandchildren — they were only the second Black family to move onto the block.

By the 1960s, the home my mother lived in was full. The house roster included my mom, Jacqueline, my grandmother Syjunia, and my great-grandmother, Mama, as well as my great-aunts, Debbie and Elaine, great-uncle, Allen, and cousin Gordon (who the family affectionately referred to as “Snuffy”). Like for so many other Black families, “the house” was the official hub of my family’s life. It was the setting for countless family events from Sunday dinners to proms, holiday gatherings and late-night penuchle games. “Our house was the center,” my mom confirms. “We were there for every holiday. Everybody would come [for] Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, it was always at the house.”

A lot had changed for my family and for the house by the middle of the 1970s, specifically with regard to who was calling it home at that time. Aunts and uncles alike had married and moved away. And in spring of 1972, Mama passed away. When that happened, the house wasn’t sold, but instead was passed down to my grandmother, Alice Harper, beginning a line of inheritance that continues to this day.

One of the more interesting functions that my family house has served over the years has been that of a refuge for members of my family as they made the transition from one stage of life to another. My Uncle Allen — my grandmother’s brother — lived there for several months after leaving the Air Force. My uncle Rodney did, too, having served in the Air Force as well. Other family members came and went for a multitude of reasons. More than once the change in circumstances came after a fire had claimed another home. For me, the house was my first home. I lived there for a year before my parents moved first into an apartment, then into the house that I grew up in.

It’s hip-hop and street style. It’s Juneteenth in Harlem, the Caribbean Day Parade in Brooklyn and Carnevale everywhere. It’s all over Beyonce’s latest video. But what is the African Diaspora? It’s a common term for referring to the collection of cultures across the world that trace their roots back to the African continent.

In the first installment of this series, we explored questions pertaining to the nature of the African Diaspora. The concept as we currently understand it emerges from the much longer history of Pan-Africanism - a massive body of individuals, organizations, movements, thinkers, creatives and artists that worked on all levels across many nations to improve the lives and lots of Black people around the world.

From it’s beginnings in London at the turn of the 20th century, through the first World War and the start of the New Negro Movement, Pan-Africanism became the primary descriptor under which a host of movements, philosophies and organizations were grouped and understood. By the second decade of the century, New York stood out as a beacon of Black life and a center for the emerging themes of Black culture.

The world of Pan-Africanism in the 1960s was very different from the one into which the Trinidadian lawyer Henry Sylvester Williams first introduced the term in 1900. Not only had 60 years passed, but with them two World Wars that had depleted the empires of Europe, loosening the stranglehold they once held on much of the rest of the world. But the impact of time wasn’t felt by Europe alone. Pan-Africanism had made its share of strides in that time as well.

Pride marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, multiple demonstrations as a result of police violence at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, Stonewall patrons and community members clashed with police after officers stormed the bar, arresting, violating, and beating people as part of their routine raids on queer establishments. The escalation turned into two days of rebellion and protest, and what is considered to be one of the greatest movements in queer liberation.

There is an old saying that goes: when white people get a cold, Black people get the flu. And unfortunately, the coronavirus outbreak has proved this to be true. More than 100,000 Americans have lost their lives due to COVID-19. And 40 million workers have filed for unemployment benefits in the last 10 weeks as they continue to lose work hours or lose their jobs altogether, affecting their wages and access to health care.

Centuries are like decades. The first few years of one are mostly indistinguishable from the last few years of the one before. But eventually, new ideas and directions develop — often by recognizing the limitations of what came before — and slowly, an identity emerges. We are now firmly into the second decade of the 21st century. Despite several pivotal moments, this century has yet to fully define itself or honestly evaluate the problems that have developed with ideas, systems, and paradigms that have run their course — and we continue to suffer for it.

History is a tricky beast to nail down. The result of a mixture that’s equal parts objective science, subjective perspective, political power, and good old fashioned belief, history is a feat, the attempt of which leaves scholars and students alike with the same inevitable paradox: on one hand, an unwilling acceptance of the fact that we will never be able to recount with complete accuracy or objectivity exactly what happened; and on the other hand a grim understanding of the consequences of getting it too wrong or worse yet, not trying at all.

Her voice is full of life — vibrant and soulful with an unflinching clarity. Its sound is a declaration of identity, a definitive statement of existence, and an unapologetic claiming of place in both history and the present day. In her Grammy-nominated solo debut, Fanm d’Ayiti, Nathalie Joachim’s crisp vocals pair beautifully with her stunning arrangements of flutes, strings, and electronics to seamlessly blend the weight of history with a rising sense of wonder and joy.

Have you ever had one of those days? A terrible day, right in the middle of everything being bad, when you can’t remember how good it used to be and can’t imagine it ever being that good again? And then something happens, someone happens, they do or say something that cuts through all the bad, and they didn’t even know what they’d done? With music and song, Greg Banks has been that person to break through on more than one occasion. We know, because he did it for us.

Maya Angelou once said, “I respect myself and insist upon it from everybody. And because I do it, I then respect everybody, too.” On her third album, Eve, Rapsody pays respect to Black women while demanding her own.

Once upon a time, Hip-Hop was a many layered thing. It had its gangstas and its Ruff Ryders, conscious Afrikans and poets, choppers and crooners, its Bad Boys and its empowered women. From sampled R&B beats to jazz quartets, the wide world and deep history of Black music could be heard behind nearly every verse. There seemed to be room for every style and every story, and love stories were no exception. But eras pass, and for a time it seemed like R&B powered reflections on the soft sides and hard truths of relationships were part of the genre’s past. Then came Ace Clark.

Every week, The People’s CDC, a coalition of public health practitioners, scientists, healthcare workers, educators, and advocates working to reduce the harmful impacts of COVID-19, releases a weather report. The volunteer-run organization sifts through data that’s becoming harder and harder to find on the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website. In a clear report, they inform citizens about transmission levels, new variants, wastewater levels, and hospitalizations, providing us with a snapshot of how the virus is progressing.

Studies have shown that for all of the illnesses affecting Americans nationwide — heart disease and high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma, stroke, and stress — consistent Tai Chi practice can have a range of beneficial effects, improving motor function, reducing inflammation and more. For Black people, who suffer higher rates of incidence and mortality than other groups for these conditions, Tai Chi can be an essential part of a wellness routine. But like any practice, the first step to benefitting from Tai Chi is knowing what it is, what it does, and where to find it.

Whether you’re looking to be an expert home gardener growing your own salads and herbs, or just a capable plant parent able to keep things green for as long as possible, the world of plants has become one of the biggest home trends of 2020. Sustainable, affordable, and with big benefits for health and wellness, plant life is attracting a growing number of homeowners — especially millennials — who are looking to breathe new life into their spaces. We sat down with Evann E. Webb, the woman who runs social media for the Detroit-based brand Bloomscape to discuss all things plants and wellness.

It's our first thought when we're stressed and overwhelmed, the first step we're taught to take when a moment is in danger of spinning out of control. Just breathe, and it will all come back into focus. But what about the rest of the time? We sat down with the Seattle-based Breathwork Facilitator & Somatic Life Coach to talk about her own journey to breathwork, the power of daily practice, and the potential she believes it holds for us all.