Who here has seen Uncorked on Netflix? For those who know the reference, today I welcome a real life protagonist, Demi, who is devising a plan to make the wine industry blacker–and thereby cooler. While I was watching Niecy Nash support her black sheep of a son's dreams of becoming a Master Sommelier on my laptop, Demi was doing the real thing last year beginning a wine certification course with inclusive programs to pipeline women and POC's to get into the white, male dominated industry. I can honestly say that before this conversation I never understood the challenge black people face of bringing their authentic selves to work in the restaurant industry. Blatant sexism and racism are rampant and passed off as, "aesthetic codes" and "customer preference." I appreciate Demi for not only opening my eyes to the issues in the world of wine but also illustrating the resources for disruption.  You know me, just simping over black people constructing new spaces where we were once excluded :')

Welcome back to another installment of a series dedicated to the first 12 months of your loc journey, yes the Growin' Pains. Melissa couldn't have been a more perfect candidate for this conversation. She came with the wisdom, the facts and the candor when it came to discussing starting locs a later in life– a very vibrant 37 to be exact. There's this red thread I've noticed among black women that locs are your final resort. Once you've reached a certain milestone or exhausted all your other salon options that then and only then is the time to loc it up. In our conversation Melissa reflects on fully and finally embracing her texture as her locs grew through quarantine–the nappy, soft and in between. 

Nothing makes me happier than celebrating a black man for his art. This week I almost feel *honored* to speak with Detroit-based photographer + youtuber Vuh who captures black joy through his dream-like images. At the center of our conversation is the veneration of stories his hair now carries. His transition to becoming the man behind the camera and starting his locs timed out almost perfectly 8 years ago, since then both his following and tresses have done nothing but grow. Is this what it feels like to speak to an one the rise artist? I kid, but do check out his work @vuhlandes on Instagram and Youtube. Stay connected y'all.

Consider the this the Not-Pride 'Pride' episode you actually needed to hear after sifting through all the cringe rainbow campaigns and DEI BS this month. As I said on my Instagram, I'm gay 365 so y'all were going to get this conversation regardless; it just so happened that this 360 conversation about, hair, race, gender identify and allyship was already packaged up and ready to go to send you all back into the world with a little more compassion. My gracious guest Shan and I learned A LOT from each other in this hour. It just goes to show that there are real professionals who have the words for the traumas we collectively struggle to name and equitable solutions to overcome them, together. I love this episode and everything it stands for, happy pride one and all!! Share this with someone who may need to hear it today <3 Also there may have been a special merch announcement in there but you have to listen to find out.....

We're back with a new NEW series created in aim to capture probably the most intense time of ones loc journey: the first twelve months. For those of you who may be in this phase, it's a critical time for the foundation of your locs to develop and ripe with emotional conflict over whether or not you made the right decision. Which is precisely why I wanted to dedicate this space to getting those questions about the early years answered and speaking our truths about the insecure stages along the way, in a series I'm calling Growin' Pains. What I love most about my first guest for this feature, Alise, is that she's bold enough to speak up about the "ugly" stages and how some days she just flat out felt "uncute." And yet, as she talks we can see the inklings of her tapping further into her inner glow when the outside just isn't doing it. If you can relate friend, this is your sign to keep going!!

How ride or die are you and your bff? Enough to start a transcendent loc journey in your 20s and commit to reflecting one another's unique beauty through your shared understanding? Well you really must not be gang then. Grateful for 30 minutes with two beauties, Monet and Ebony, who began their friendship in 6th grade and their locs only six months apart in college. I admittedly stan their energy, bold ways of styling their locs and the sum of their black girl bond. A toast to all the hotties, the summer is ours!

She's back!! And more imprecise than ever :) We start off season two with some grounding, a reality check you might say, from my new friend and fellow podcaster Ugo who specializes in Hope and front line medicine. As a Nurse Practitioner working with cancer patients during the pandemic, Ugo opens up a vulnerable dialogue for us about journeying through pain as we dig into some of the hardships 2020 bore. This is the conversation about grace for oneself, the world and others as told through his evolving freeform locs. Because at the end of the day, we are all In Search of Hope.

Spooky episode 13 took a few extra weeks to cook up but, as promised, the best is always for last. Mother daughter duo Shaquora and Fajr join me for an extremely important conversation about what it means to have the unique honor of protecting black hair in it’s most natural state. They opened their natural hair shop Sophisticated Loc Salon in Bed-Stuy,Brooklyn seven years ago, but Shaquora has been creating loc magic with her children by her side for the likes of Essence and Stevie Wonder long before I was even alive to stan. As I say more than once in this episode, I feel so honored to share this space with true loc royalty. It makes this close that much more sweet than bitter. Bypassing the sappy, in this conversation all and I mean all of your burning questions are finally answered about maintain our locs by our two trusted locticians (and I asked, the answer is no, you should not start real locs  under faux ones.)  If you are in the NY area, support a black -owned business or refer a friend to Sophisticated Loc Salon for all your natural hair care needs at 328 Lewis Ave #1, Brooklyn NY 11221 or @sophisticatedlocsalon on Instagram. https://square.site/book/3AABM14R5D8PP/sophisticated-loc-salon-brooklyn-ny I love you guys be back for season 2, I promise. We have much more to discuss ;)

Black Women's Health Matters. In this episode I feel so very fortunate to sit down with another young women who I believe will help mobilize the equity of care women of color deserve from modern medicine. Bernadette is a doula based in North Carolina with big dreams to evolve the helathcare space and a even bigger spirit––which her hair has played an important role in shaping. Defiantly starting her locs at only  6 years old, her commitment to herself and the community of mothers she serves shines through in our chat. I learned A LOT in 30 minutes and I imagine you will too. But if you have more questions than I got answered, follow her personal and professional doula pages at @dreadlock_barbie and @bernieandthebabies.

We're live in Brooklyn baby! I'm finally getting back to the place where I really started reckoning with my loc journey and had the unique pleasure of doing so with a new friend who–-similarly to me–-started their journey HOT off a one way flight to JFK. Together, Malique and I start to unpack the question of what it means to be black, loc'd and bursting with creativity in Brooklyn. Likewise, she tackles similar topics in her work  as film editor on the web series Adultin' which you can check at the link below. Follow for more @m.muse_ or @adultinseries. Now back to the show! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZILJJmYhq2P73V1GNzq5aw