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What makes a good soundtrack to a love story? That’s the question we asked authors Ashley M. Coleman (Good Morning, Love), Ebony LaDelle (Love Radio), and Akwaeke Emezi (You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty). For these authors — who are getting ready to release a romance novel or have just released one (Emezi’s hit bookshelves this week) — this summer is all about Black love. To tap […]

The misconception about being a successful influencer is that you have to tie yourself down to one specific niche in order to gain popularity. But that’s simply not true anymore. Over the last two years, we’ve witnessed Black creators post whatever made them feel good and brought joy during the pandemic — no matter the topic. Many influencers were even fortunate enough to leave their 9-to-5 jobs to further pursue […]

Welcome to Fashionably Black!, a style and culture guide for Black people highlighting the cultural moments, pioneers, and conversations we’ve always been a part of! Putting a magnifying glass to style & self-expression, Fashionably Black! explores the many ways we are the history, we are the fashion, and will ALWAYS be. We’re not trending, we’re true. As a society, we’re often not pressed to maintain our personal items because we […]

Update: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has been sworn in to the Supreme Court as the first Black woman sitting on the nation’s highest court. Jackson is the court’s 116th justice. The following story was originally published on March 25, 2022 during Jackson’s confirmation hearings. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is exhausted. I see it in her tight-lipped smiles that feel forced. In the shift in her posture over the course of lengthy […]

For decades, the wellness industry has continuously failed to serve and grossly underrepresented Black women. Briana Thompson is the founder of Spiked Spin & Wellness Co., a Black-owned holistic and intuitive wellness company and her vision for Spiked is to change that. The company started as a spin class in Brooklyn but is now establishing itself as a full wellness company. With its current expansion, Spiked Spin & Wellness is […]

Welcome to If You Know, You Know, the corner of the internet celebrating the most interesting people and dissecting phenomena within our rich diaspora. Those who get it, get it, and those who don’t…well, why are you in our business? “I can’t swim.” It’s a phrase that so many of us — myself included — have sheepishly used for years, oftentimes with no plans to remedy that reality. Though lacking […]

In September 2021, I started my role as the Style and Culture Specialist at Unbothered. Stepping into the role was exciting but also scary. The ideas and stories I wanted to tell didn’t stop me from feeling waves of imposter syndrome. I started to question my ability, knowledge, and preparation for the role. It was then that I started to remind myself that I didn’t get this fashion merchandising degree […]

This year, NPR Music is celebrating Black Music Month with an array of brand new Tiny Desk concerts — both from home and from behind our beloved Desk. Together, these artists represent the past, present and future of Black music. This month of carefully curated shows is a celebration of Black artists expressing themselves in ways we've never seen before, and of the Tiny Desk's unique way of showcasing that […]