A few weeks ago, Soulsistah4real invited me to partake in all Black and African owned businesses Saturday starting with a visit to Zuvaa’s pop up shop on the Lower East Side. Even though my wardrobe budget was not on fleek this weekend I was super excited!  I bought a pair of beautiful fabric wrapped bracelets and enjoyed being surrounded by amazing handmade collections, women of color bustling around me and searching through racks exploding with color and creativity. I’ve always loved fashion and it’s a treat to be able to see fashions handmade in Africa up close. The textures, the fabric choices, the way garments are cut are all of interest to me.

As we waited for the pop up shop to open that morning, an interesting conversation rose outside among us at the front of the line about sewing our own clothes. Some of us have mothers who sewed all the time and never showed us, or like me, had mothers who tried and we resisted it. There was talk about passing this important craft on to the youth, as well as the knowledge of braiding and styling our children’s natural hair. These are conversations I love to witness and be a part of. They are important conversations that don’t always occur to me unless I’m in communal space with women of color.

 After the Pop up Shop, we headed over to Vivrant Beauty, a new Beauty Supply shop in Harlem which sells products for hair, make-up, nails and skin that are made for and by women of color. Khalilah and I both sampled nail polish colors by Mischo which is owned by Kitiya Mischo King before making our purchases and vowing to return. I bought this amazing smelling shampoo by Soultanicals which I cannot wait to use this week. It’s called “Curly Dew Earthy Poo.” LOL! Looking at their site, I discovered that many of their products are named in this whimsical rhyming way that I get such a kick out of reading out loud.

We walked out of Vivrant looking for a nice restaurant and literally ran into Angel of Harlem bar and restaurant right around the corner. We got a table for two outside across from the Harriet Tubman statue, ordered brunch, talked Mercury Retrograde shop with two sisters bunching nearby and discussed making time for a day like this at least once a month!

We wrapped up our day in Brooklyn at the Zodiac Lounge, getting readings and kicking it New Ancient Bougie Black Girl Style. I predict that these outings will happen more often among us as Afrikan people in a move towards creatimg community, shifting conciousness, self love and awakening to our true purpose and power as we remember whom and whose we our.