I have lost so many people I cared about in the last few years. Too many. Close relatives, distant relatives, friends made in Miami, Trinidad, and Chicago. People who knew me as a little girl, people I worked with in later years, people who made a difference to my life. People I loved. People I… read all

I’ve been off the scene for a while and haven’t done much travel since 2020, so last week’s experience felt like returning to a dream of an old life in quite a few ways. I went to Los Angeles (first time back in 4 years) for the African American Film Critics Association Awards with a… read all

I read a lovely Twitter thread recently from @PulpLibrarian that so beautifully encapsulated what it felt like to go online back in the day. If I had to look back and choose a year that I first went on the internet, I think it was probably 1993. I was 14. I so vividly remember the… read all

I can’t believe it’s almost here! Are you ready for Christmas yet? It’s ALMOST but not quite too late to get that last minute shopping in. Without further ado, here’s my list of independent, mostly Black owned, mostly woman owned brands who are making skincare, body care, beauty and hair care products you will love! Adwoa… read all

There are plenty of stores I barely remember visiting for the first time. But I will never forget the first time I stepped into a Cost Plus World Market. I was absolutely amazed by the range, the character, the quality of stuff they had for sale. Furniture with style! Cool home décor and kitchen goods!… read all

August 13th marked 13 years of Afrobella.com. Back on August 13, 2006, a really good friend encouraged me to consider blogging. We stayed up all night drinking wine and talking about what my site would be. That night, I bought a domain. My first post went live on August 14, 2006.  And I’ve been meaning to write… read all

This post is sponsored by Grove Collaborative Ever since I started doing my own laundry, it’s been a big heavy pain. Literally. When I didn’t have my own washer and dryer, it was a question of lugging my heavy, full laundry basket and laundry detergent down to the laundry room or to the laundromat. Now… read all

  As of May 2019, it will officially be a decade we’ve been living in Chicago. That’s right – it was May 2009 that my husband and I packed up our lives in Miami and moved to Illinois. In those early days, we made camp at his parents’ place in New Lenox (it’s near Joliet)…. read all

Dr. Yaba Blay is a woman I admire on several levels. You know the kind of woman who achieves all the things, inspires others, somehow keeps multiple plates spinning and looks gorgeous and undeniably cool while doing it all? She’s THAT kind of Professional Black Girl. Just by way of introduction, Dr. Yaba Blay is… read all

Children’s books are such a fascinating area of Black literature right now. So many new books, new authors, new opportunities – it’s beautiful to behold and so inspiring! After years where there was a dearth of reading material intentionally by and for black boys and girls, we’ve come into a beautiful time of inclusivity, diversity… read all