this piece is inspired by several writers that I follow on this platform, from creative direction to organized layout this piece is cultivated from a place of creative inspiration.
Jacquie, you've curated something so beautiful here. I am glad that we have connected here and will be in community moving forward. Thank you for seeing the light in this work and yourself. For all the Black men who hurt you, I am sorry. For the ones who could not hold your light, we thank you for your forgiveness, We appreciate you. I am committing to do better by my son.
Thank you Marc. Seriously I didn’t think I held pain from black men until I wrote the letter. I wanted to praise you and Stanley and Alex along with others I’ve been inspired by but the words revealed my truth. So thank you for still extending your support when the words were from a place of hurt. Your son will be the change and I’m raising my daughter to do the same!! I think we are already changing the future and we can celebrate that as a culture!!! 👏🏾
Thank you for the shout-out, but yooo, this post is a treasure trove of fire people with amazing substacks, and so much reflection. I feel lucky to be in space with you and to have the ability to build!
Thank you for your inspiration over and over!!! I enjoyed putting together this piece it just felt good 😊 idk Stanley maybe the community being built shows that we outsmarted them. They can’t burn down or bomb our writings on the walls!! 🤞🏾
Your heart and intentions come through your words clearly. The 90s a decade that seemed to be lived through rose colored glasses. Now 35 years later we realize it wasn't all that rosy.
Thank you so much for reading and your comment, Johanna. I agree we are realizing that life wasn’t so rosy while being lost in which direction to go now after our foundation has crumbled. I was born in 1990, an era that conditioned me for life but has now left me to navigate feeling lost.
Sounds like a classic quarter-life crisis. I once heard some one say that our values are set by the time we turn 10. So if we think about what was going on in our lives and in the world when we were 10, that could explain why we do what we do. I don't necessarily think 10 holds true for everyone, but the whole coming of age idea can be quite defining. Lately I've heard this fantastic nostalgia for the 90s. I was a teenager during the 90s, finished high school and undergrad but I'm left wondering what I missed because I don't have that same affinity for the 90s. Aside from hip-hop really taking over during that time, I'm not so sure what everyone is yearning for.
I never viewed my transformation as a quarter-life crisis; it makes sense. Especially with this move across the country to start living in authentic truth. I want to reflect on what was happening in my environment in 2000. From a societal point of view, I can see why there is this need for social validation from black culture. This was when your acceptance was based on your threads, the latest Sean John, Baby Phat, Roca Wear, etc. To your last point about your disconnection with the 90s hip-hop culture - I can see why maturity developed differently there. When I say this I think about how your generation is almost the last to get a taste of the road to the American Dream. Well, at least closer than mine might be able to reach when it comes to a career, homeownership, etc. I like this conversation it’s left me with some great points to reflect on.
Miss Jacquie!! This was such a beautiful, and emotional read for me. I resonated with it so much, especially your experiences with your culture and peers. The way you so beautifully wove in literary nods to the substack posts that have inspired you, I am looking forward to reading the pieces you've tagged here.
Looking forward to getting cozy, I feel like I'm going to fit right in this space.
This just might be my favorite comment for multiple reasons!!! One being I’m grateful for our genuine connection and where it’s landed us. I love how our writings resonate and capture our attention making us ideal for community! Absolutely love the fact you see yourself getting cozy in this space and take up all the space you need!! Go ahead and save these articles because Friday hood therapy vol. 2 will make a debut!
Jacquie, this is dope. Thank you. It felt like watching Fresh Prince or Martin and the crowd keeps applauding because someone new enters the scene. You featured some of my favorite people on Substack throughout this piece, and I’m honored you included me among them. We’re part of something special here. I’m excited to keep growing together, for ourselves and each other!
Oh wow, to compare the read to watching such classics is one hell of a compliment! Thank you, Alex! When I read some posts, I wondered if everyone saw this. And that’s where the inspiration landed for creating this piece. I started on Vol. 2 as I’ve been introduced to more community writers and people finding me. I love to be a part of this extraordinary community, if it already brings me to tears each Friday I can only imagine the joy it will continue to provide!
Listennnnnn! Jacquie, what a great read! Your insights were so beautiful and I felt so seen. You mentioned + introduced me to some other amazing writers! I appreciate you so much for including how my piece resonated with you!
Ahhh Amirah! The way we have been vibing it was only right! It’s a couple people on here that I could see me meeting outside the app and we already agreed upon our meetup! It feels like a true friendship and your posts lately have made me feel like you have been living the same life to a certain extent. I love this glow up for us!
Thank you so much for commenting and sharing Angèle! I’m so happy the post is being received in the way it was intended. Keep smiling because you my friend are writing for you AND us!
Awwww yay this makes me happy to read! Thank you for sharing your vulnerability with us and inspiring me to show up a little differently here on Substack. I am enjoying this space and sisterhood!!!
P.S. please do because I agree the look is top tier! I love a cute yet comfortable fit!
Jacquie, you've curated something so beautiful here. I am glad that we have connected here and will be in community moving forward. Thank you for seeing the light in this work and yourself. For all the Black men who hurt you, I am sorry. For the ones who could not hold your light, we thank you for your forgiveness, We appreciate you. I am committing to do better by my son.
Thank you Marc. Seriously I didn’t think I held pain from black men until I wrote the letter. I wanted to praise you and Stanley and Alex along with others I’ve been inspired by but the words revealed my truth. So thank you for still extending your support when the words were from a place of hurt. Your son will be the change and I’m raising my daughter to do the same!! I think we are already changing the future and we can celebrate that as a culture!!! 👏🏾
Thank you for the shout-out, but yooo, this post is a treasure trove of fire people with amazing substacks, and so much reflection. I feel lucky to be in space with you and to have the ability to build!
Thank you for your inspiration over and over!!! I enjoyed putting together this piece it just felt good 😊 idk Stanley maybe the community being built shows that we outsmarted them. They can’t burn down or bomb our writings on the walls!! 🤞🏾
This is 🔥! So much info + so many facts to eat + digest at once! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! This makes me so happy, thank you for reading and commenting!
Your heart and intentions come through your words clearly. The 90s a decade that seemed to be lived through rose colored glasses. Now 35 years later we realize it wasn't all that rosy.
Thank you so much for reading and your comment, Johanna. I agree we are realizing that life wasn’t so rosy while being lost in which direction to go now after our foundation has crumbled. I was born in 1990, an era that conditioned me for life but has now left me to navigate feeling lost.
Sounds like a classic quarter-life crisis. I once heard some one say that our values are set by the time we turn 10. So if we think about what was going on in our lives and in the world when we were 10, that could explain why we do what we do. I don't necessarily think 10 holds true for everyone, but the whole coming of age idea can be quite defining. Lately I've heard this fantastic nostalgia for the 90s. I was a teenager during the 90s, finished high school and undergrad but I'm left wondering what I missed because I don't have that same affinity for the 90s. Aside from hip-hop really taking over during that time, I'm not so sure what everyone is yearning for.
I never viewed my transformation as a quarter-life crisis; it makes sense. Especially with this move across the country to start living in authentic truth. I want to reflect on what was happening in my environment in 2000. From a societal point of view, I can see why there is this need for social validation from black culture. This was when your acceptance was based on your threads, the latest Sean John, Baby Phat, Roca Wear, etc. To your last point about your disconnection with the 90s hip-hop culture - I can see why maturity developed differently there. When I say this I think about how your generation is almost the last to get a taste of the road to the American Dream. Well, at least closer than mine might be able to reach when it comes to a career, homeownership, etc. I like this conversation it’s left me with some great points to reflect on.
Miss Jacquie!! This was such a beautiful, and emotional read for me. I resonated with it so much, especially your experiences with your culture and peers. The way you so beautifully wove in literary nods to the substack posts that have inspired you, I am looking forward to reading the pieces you've tagged here.
Looking forward to getting cozy, I feel like I'm going to fit right in this space.
This just might be my favorite comment for multiple reasons!!! One being I’m grateful for our genuine connection and where it’s landed us. I love how our writings resonate and capture our attention making us ideal for community! Absolutely love the fact you see yourself getting cozy in this space and take up all the space you need!! Go ahead and save these articles because Friday hood therapy vol. 2 will make a debut!
Jacquie, this is dope. Thank you. It felt like watching Fresh Prince or Martin and the crowd keeps applauding because someone new enters the scene. You featured some of my favorite people on Substack throughout this piece, and I’m honored you included me among them. We’re part of something special here. I’m excited to keep growing together, for ourselves and each other!
Oh wow, to compare the read to watching such classics is one hell of a compliment! Thank you, Alex! When I read some posts, I wondered if everyone saw this. And that’s where the inspiration landed for creating this piece. I started on Vol. 2 as I’ve been introduced to more community writers and people finding me. I love to be a part of this extraordinary community, if it already brings me to tears each Friday I can only imagine the joy it will continue to provide!
Yo, I appreciate the shoutout, and your honesty throughout this article. Thank you for sharing 🌻
No problem, Ricky! You inspired me and I needed the world to know how so they could be inspired too!
Listennnnnn! Jacquie, what a great read! Your insights were so beautiful and I felt so seen. You mentioned + introduced me to some other amazing writers! I appreciate you so much for including how my piece resonated with you!
Ahhh Amirah! The way we have been vibing it was only right! It’s a couple people on here that I could see me meeting outside the app and we already agreed upon our meetup! It feels like a true friendship and your posts lately have made me feel like you have been living the same life to a certain extent. I love this glow up for us!
What an honor to be featured in this! Thank you Jacquie 🖤
I kept smiling while reading how much you resonate with my last post.
But more generally, this piece is full of good recommendations! That was such a good read, thank you for this.
Thank you so much for commenting and sharing Angèle! I’m so happy the post is being received in the way it was intended. Keep smiling because you my friend are writing for you AND us!
This was so, so, SOOOOOO good!
I’m honored that Lemon provided some inspo 🥹 and I hope that you not only had fun but felt a sense of freedom playing around with this style.
From the celebrations, to the exploration, this was an amazing curation of thoughts.
I felt like I got to know you a lot better through this (such a privilege!) and hope to continue through the Substack sisterhood.
P.S. I may just need to recreate that leopard and graphic tee look… it’s giving!
Awwww yay this makes me happy to read! Thank you for sharing your vulnerability with us and inspiring me to show up a little differently here on Substack. I am enjoying this space and sisterhood!!!
P.S. please do because I agree the look is top tier! I love a cute yet comfortable fit!
I love this article Jacquie! Very insightful and celebratory. I’m feeling so much of this in my soul.
Yay! Mission accomplished then! I appreciate you always reading my pieces and commenting, Shondra! It means the world to me!
✊🏾❤️