The Ring I Almost Bought: Why I Didn’t Choose a Black Diamond
Ring shopping led me into the history of “black diamonds”—from novels to post-apartheid South Africa—and why I chose a different stone.
1 hour ago4 min read
Reader, I Found My Dress— I Just Can’t Afford It Right Now.
I found my wedding dress—and couldn’t afford it. A quiet, honest essay on wedding culture, money, shame, and still wanting a celebration.
6 days ago3 min read
The Ultimate Wedding Themed Reading List
A curated list of wedding fiction I’ve read—quick, spoiler-light reviews with publication details (publisher, date, genre), spanning American and African literature.
7 days ago2 min read
On Makeup and Routine: Getting to Know My Grandmother-in-Law
A reflective essay on routine as care: makeup, daily rituals, and managing depression, inspired by a grandmother-in-law’s steadfast elegance.
7 days ago2 min read
The day we signed the certificates
“At the end of a week of studying each other, [the] preacher got out his Bible, placed the woman’s hand on top of it, and laid his own on top of hers. Then they bowed their heads in silent prayer, and when they raised them, they were man and wife.” — Dorothy West It was in this light with which we wished to wed. No Bible was present, but just as the Bible facilitated their union, books have always helped me figure out how I want to live my life, including how I get married.
Jan 92 min read
Four Books: on Beauty Culture Part Two
The selection includes two books on Black hair, one on nails, and one on the history of makeup. Together, they form part of a personal syllabus I’m building to better understand beauty as a cultural system—one that governs perception, labor, gender, and race.
I haven’t read these books yet. I’m naming them now so I know where to return when I’m ready to think more deliberately about how Black women have used hair, nails, and makeup to manage image, resist ridicule, and naviga
Dec 21, 20254 min read
Beyoncé Stole My Wedding Dress: On Resentments and Failure
Leaving my PhD Program
Dec 18, 20255 min read
