Dec 27, 2017

Meghan Markle:
Stuns on Christmas Day, Looks Like a Whole Conservative Snack
#RoyalAF






I just finished Season 2 of The Crown and am still riding a wave of all things royal, so I decided to take a look at Queen Elizabeth's 2017 Christmas Announcement. Low and behold, my eyes zoomed in on the awesomeness of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement photo sitting right there! I instantly had so many thoughts (that are still live on my IG stories).

1) Is that a wedding picture of her and Phillip or Prince William and Kate? If it's not Prince William and Kate, is it weird that she doesn't have their picture up there?
2) What about all of her other kids/grandkids? Does only the lineage of her eldest son (and heir apparent) get shown? How does that affect the other family dynamics?
3) Do her kids roll their eyes at Camilla having a picture up there? Or better yet, do you think Prince Harry or Prince William have pictures of Camilla in their home? If my dad married his side chick after my mom's death, I don't know if I'd want her picture anywhere in my house. 

Also, did y'all see our future Duchess of Sussex, Ms. Meghan Markle, looking like a whole conservative snack during Christmas with the Queen?!! I'm not sure what the fashion budget is for a royal, but Meghan is coming all the way through with the looks. I'm already thinking of ways to snag that Chloe Pixel Bag ... or should I say waiting for the Zara/Forever21 version because I'm not about to drop 1k of my non-royal budget on a purse. 










Dec 22, 2017

Royal Engagement Photos
#RoyalAF


The Royal Engagement photos were released yesterday morning and of course the couple looked stunning! I think all of the photos were great, but my favorite had to be their candid shot which was released as their way of saying "thank you" for all of the well wishes they've received. Imagine that -- releasing a "candid" shot as a way of saying thank you! Ha... I'll continue to take the little nuggets of their life we're being given and devour them up.

I was also a huge fan of the dress Meghan wore -- a Ralph & Russo gown that had our girl dripping swagu all over that photoshoot. The couture runway piece was originally sheer, but it appears Meghan got it lined. She looked amazing.

Since I'm currently watching Season 2 of The Crown on Netflix (just saw Princess Margaret have her birthday photoshoot), I think it's dope to see the continuation of their traditions in real-time, our time. It also feels like a breath of fresh air to see the different ways HRH Prince Harry and Meghan are going about things -- their courtship, engagement, breaking some old traditions with the Queen's apparent approval! It's dope af and hella modern.

Also, it must be said... the REAL star of the engagement photoshoot was fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski! Listen... Do you see how fine that man is? Oooo weeeee!!! I didn't have any clue who Alexi was, but feel like most dudes named Alexi have to either be fine or have some sort of sultry swag behind that name. Anyways, he's a fashion photographer and did a wonderful job shooting what are sure to become iconic, historic photos.

If you're like me and want to stay connected with everything the Royals are doing, follow the official @KensingtonRoyal Twitter account.




The rest of the engagement photos...




Dec 13, 2017

National Black Women's Day


After swooping in to save ourselves (and everyone else) in Alabama's Senate race last night, I was thrilled to wake up to news that today is officially National Black Women's Day! I'm not saying Black women do everything... but we do everything! Look at the results from the Alabama Senate race. 98% of Black women voted against Republican candidate and actual pedophile Roy Moore, and voted for Democrat and non-pedophile Doug Jones. Black women showed up yet again to do the actual work that needs to be done. Thanks to the work of Black women (and men), a known pedophile is not taking the reigns in Alabama, and the once red state was turned blue. You're welcome.

alabama senate race 2017
There are already a ton of think pieces floating around analyzing how disturbing it is that a KNOWN SEXUAL PREDATOR was even being taken seriously, but more than that, I can't believe that 63% of white women voted for him. Two-thirds of white, female voters in Alabama voted for a known pedophile! Let that sink in.

While I would love to have a world where ALL women are united and fighting for justice and what's right (because the power of women could seriously change the entire world), it can't be denied how disconnected we are and wherein the weak link lies. Luvvie posted her thoughts today and said it best:

"We talk about fixing this country? Well, WHITE WOMEN have to get in formation. White men get blamed all the time but white women support them, vote for them, feed them, love on them. White women have been shielded from culpability all their lives and through history and have been able to move in the system of oppression without getting blame when they have been active participants. ACTIVE. They keep it going. In fact, they’ve benefited the most, because they’ve done none of the work, got all the perks, and none of the blame." - Luvvie

For generations Black women have been saving ourselves (and in the process everyone else) as we fight for what's right, fair and makes commonsense. I hope the results from last night's election show everyone the power of our voices, our votes, and that we can make REAL change happen. I hope this leads to funds being raised to support black organizations and fighting the injustices faced by black voters, especially in areas where the vote is still being suppressed.

Instead of "thank you's" it'd be nice to see black women being placed in decision-making positions of power, given opportunities to effect change and a few seats at the tablet. Clearly we're always adulting and making sure our country doesn't go to hell in a hand basket... we can easily navigate your boardroom too.

Happy National Black Women's Day to all of my beautiful queens who are always doing the hard, necessary work. You're magical and amazing. Take some time for self-care this upcoming weekend. You deserve it.

Dec 11, 2017

Hack Nation Presents:
Pitch Black Seattle

 Hack Nation Presents Pitch Black Seattle #PitchBlackSEA - Seattle Startup Week 2017

Back in October I had the opportunity to participate in Seattle Startup Week 2017 and host Hack Nation's #PitchBlackSEA competition. The event celebrated the entrepreneurial and creative genius of black founders in Seattle, while connecting them to the entrepreneurial ecosystem they're often excluded from.

This was also my first paid hosting gig outside of the on-camera work I've done through my 9-5 job. I was excited and had all sorts of butterflies in my stomach. It'd been a minute since I felt the rush of nerves associated with venturing into uncharted territory. Many thanks, again, to Taelore and Kenny for giving me the chance to do something I love.

KCTS9 covered the event and just posted their story -- check it out!




Dec 8, 2017

My Spotify 2017 Wrapped

Remember back in the day when a standard ice-breaker type question was asking someone what type of music they liked? I'd always say "I like a bit of everything" and be met with a smug expression... Like, who really likes everything?

Well, looking at my Spotify 2017 Wrapped list, it confirms that I rocked out to 24 different genres of music this year... pretty dope to see. Also, I listened to 29,795 minutes of music!!! What in the entire hell. I don't know if this included podcasts, but wowzers... I sometimes struggle to find 30 or 60-mins here and there to do stuff, but clearly I have time.

It'd be interesting to take a look at the breakdown for the time given to each category of music and podcasts...  or even further, know what I was doing while consuming... but that might be my analytical side that loves metrics swooping in. I mean, I'm the same person who lives for my weekly FitBit metric wrap-up email.

If you're a fan of lists and metrics, check out your Spotify 2017 Wraped list and see what you actually consumed.








Dec 7, 2017

Meghan Markle's Engagement Gives Me Excitement, Not Hope

Let's talk about the absolute TRASH headline ABC News published this morning:



While I try to unscrew my face and get my eyes out of the furthest reaches of my head, a few things we're not about to do...

1) We're not about to pretend like black women didn't have any "hope" for relationships, marriage, successful careers, or all-around dopeness before Meghan Markle entered the scene, before she started dating HRH Prince Harry, and before they got engaged.

2) Let's not pretend like marriage and being "chose" is the epitome of making it and something everyone dreams about, hopes for, or actually wants for their life.

3) Let's dead the TIRED ASS NARRATIVE that black women are seriously sitting around looking to celebrity relationships as a guide for our romantic lives, needing to cling onto anything to give us "hope" that we too can get married and have what others deem as "it all".

4) Let's also not act like there aren't a TON of amazing black women out there offering daily inspiration and #BlackGirlMagic independent of a man or any romantic relationship.

It's disappointing to see trash headlines like ABC News missing the mark on WHY black women in particular are EXCITED (not hopeful) about Meghan Markle's engagement.

So often black women are made to seem less than desirable as partners... told that if you're on the other side of your 30s, divorced, focused on your career, etc... you won't be wanted, should settle for "what you can get" and that something is wrong with you as-is. All of this is nonsense and seeing someone like Meghan Markle navigate that space on an international stage, carry herself well, and have her partner PROUDLY claiming his love and adoration for the entire world to see, that gives me excitement, not hope.

It's exciting to see myself and my mother in her mother... to see a beautiful brown woman, educated, with locs and full edges, focused on self-care, raise a great human being and have those images shown all around the world!

To see someone who is at the height of wealth/status PROUDLY CLAIMING Meghan Markle, someone who on paper has a few stats that men who don't have a cent to their name would criticize and dissect... it's pretty fucking cool... and petty, but also really cool.

None of these are things that I feel black women were sitting around twiddling our thumbs and waiting to see happen, but let's not act like this isn't a HUGE deal. Anyways, who else is ready for this wedding? See y'all on May 26th, 2018!



Dec 1, 2017

Meghan Markle:
Biracial Black Princess
#RoyalAF



Yes, I know her title will technically be Duchess of Sussex, but I do plan on referring to her as Princess Meghan. Now that that's out of the way... it's Friday, the world is still trash, and literally the only thing that matters to me right now is that Meghan Markle is engaged to HRH Prince Harry and about to add some much-needed #Melanin to the Royal Family!!! I saw the news earlier this week (read: in the middle of the night thanks to being sick and on a wonky sleep schedule) when my favorite writer Demetria Lucas D'Oyley (who stans for the couple) posted updates!!!!

First off, if you haven't watched their official interview together go do that now. It should be required viewing before proceeding to read this post and make any decisions on how you feel about them as a couple. I get that everyone isn't into celebrity culture, but people I personally know who consume copious amounts of trash, have had interesting things to say about the intrigue surrounding Meghan and this royal coupling. Let's not act like this isn't a big deal...




I've noticed the media doing in-depth reporting on her father and his side of the family (presumably because he's white and the siblings seem to be chatty), but I wanted to highlight her mother who is oozing #BlackGirlMagic all over my timeline. Doria Radlan, mother of the future Duchess of Sussex, is a psychotherapist and yoga instructor in California and all-around kween. Please make sure you're saying kween in your Abbi and Illana Broad City voice. She deserves that.

What's also exciting for me is seeing a black woman... beautiful brown skin, educated, focused on wellness, gorgeous locs, edges flourishing... it's really cool to have that visibility on a national stage and add depth and diversity to the images we see of black women. Her mom is modern and dope af. Yassss to all that #NoirPixieDust.






I've also been saddened in particular to see so many Black people coming for Meghan wondering "how black she is" and to what degree she "claims her blackness". She wrote a great essay for Elle last year describing her experience as a biracial woman and it's one I'd encourage everyone to read. She takes pride in the heritage of both her parents and chooses to identify as a biracial woman.

I'm not biracial and have no clue what that experience is like, but as a black woman in an interracial relationship, if I had kids I'd be heartbroken if they didn't claim me... and as amazing of a man and partner as my bae is, if they didn't claim him, it's break my heart even more.

I like to focus on the fact that her two parents came together and made a beautiful, intelligent human being who seems to use her platform for good and has a solid understanding of who she is and where both sides have come from and through. So, yes to raising more amazing humans!


On a personal note, as someone who has 2 black parents, but was raised in a predominately white neighborhood, I was plagued with the question of "why do you talk like that" or statements of "you're not black enough", so I'm definitely more sensitive to this topic.


Okay -- so the fun things I'm secretly waiting for:

1) Her mom to show up to the wedding front row with her locs FLOURISHING showcasing #Melanin all over TV screens across the world.

2) Meghan to rock her curls! Her hair will get wet at some point and I hope they photograph her curls looking bomb.

3) Their future kids to have gorgeous, coarse, frizzy ass hair and look insanely cute

4) Just how sickening this wedding guest list will be!!! President Obama and First Lady Michelle, Serena Williams... maybe even Beyonce!!! I'm hosting a watch party and will be indulging in all things royal.



Oct 11, 2017

Science of Spirits 10/13
21+ After Hours with @PacSci


Do you know the difference between whiskey, bourbon, scotch and rye? Do you know that Whiskey and Whisky are 2 different things? Have you ever tried vodka made from grapes?

If you're like me and a fan of hard liquor, but have zero clue how your favorite spirit is made, the Science of Spirits is the perfect educational boozy event for you!

This Friday (10/13) the Pacific Science Center is teaming up with over 15 local distilleries for an educational night of boozy fun. Attendees will sip on samples, discuss the distilling process and discover the science behind their favorite spirits with the makers themselves! The evening will also include access to the tide pool, tropical butterfly house, Halloween "myths, legends and the night sky" in the planetarium, and playing Dr. Frankenstein by creating your own 'FrankenToy'.

Tickets are $45 and includes drinks and after-hours access. Food will be available for purchase (cash only). Click here to purchase tickets.

This is a 21+ event.


Oct 9, 2017

Beyoncé Laser Lemonade 10/13
Pacific Science Center
(via @PacSci)



The Pacific Science Center is back with another DOPE Beyoncé laser show! This time they'll be rocking out to Queen Bey's iconic Lemonade album for a show they're calling "Laser Lemonade."

Back in February I went to their regular Beyoncé laser show, which featured music from her entire catalog, including Destiny's Child... but was thrilled to learn "Laser Lemonade" would focus solely on her Lemonade album, which is one of my favs. I mean, I'm still in formation and was actually learning the Formation World Tour choreography in my living room last week.

I'm already drinking tea to warm up my vocal chords so I can prepare to sing along. I can't promise this won't turn into karaoke for me.

Laser Lemonade kicks off this Friday, 10/13 @ 10:30p and tickets are $12. The show is 60 mins and please note that there will be NO LATE SEATING, so you should plan to arrive at least 15-30  mins early so you can snag a seat.

I'm not sure how long Laser Lemonade will run, but they have 1030p show times planned for the remaining Fri/Sat dates in October. Cop your ticket and prepare to get your entire life!

Click here to purchase tickets.


Sep 29, 2017

Movement for Change
@KaisaFit + @Lululemon



Seattle-based fitness coach and all-around dope chick KaisaFit is my eternal fitness bae. Not only does she inspire hundreds of thousands of people each day with her message of positivity and focus on "just moving", but she also has a heart for giving back. She's a woman who talks the talk, and walks the walk (or in most cases does a dope ass leap)... always putting action behind her words.

Tomorrow morning (9/30 @ 10a) Kaisa will be leading an amazing workout that is geared to ALL levels at the UW Husky Stadium. The icing on the cake? 100% of proceeds will go toward Stolen Youth, a Seattle-based non-profit.

This will be my 4th or 5th workout with Kaisa and every time she's been amazing. She embodies such a positive, vibrant energy and passion for fitness and health.

On top of that, she caters to ALL LEVELS, so if you're feeling intimidated by her sickening skills on Instagram don't fret. She always shows a few variations of each moment and truly is a coach that meets you where you are.

I'll be out there tomorrow, so if you see me come say hi! Or maybe give me a hug if I look like struggle bus city lol... My activity level has been a tad bit low this month with the move from Cap Hill to West Seattle. I'm looking forward to sweating with everyone and raising money for a great cause.

Suggested donation for the event is $15. Click here to register.


Sep 18, 2017

Let's Talk About Therapy...




I'll never forget the day -- sitting in my car, the parking lot of Metropolitan Market in Queen Anne, crying on the phone having ANOTHER f*cking breakdown... that's when my mom said I needed to "speak to a professional" because my daily phone calls had turned into a "downer" and she sometimes didn't want to answer the phone. My mom has loved me through all my phases in life, but when it became a drain on her life force, she set up a very gentle boundary and encouraged me to seek the next step in self-care. I've now been in therapy for a little over 3 years and it's still one of the best decisions and financial investments I've made.

Hoping to encourage at least one person to speak with a professional therapist and take a proactive step in their self-care. You don't have to be "crazy" or have your life falling apart to seek a therapist, though if your shit is a hot mess you should run (not walk) to one. Therapy goes beyond the notion of "praying your way" through things (which many of us have been told), and is a vital step in loving yourself, acknowledging your past, PROCESSING AND HEALING AND LETTING GO, forgiveness, gaining new tools to conquer each day, having a healthier relationship with yourself and those around you, taking ownership of your shit and DOING BETTER AS YOU KNOW BETTER... it's just the best thing you can do.

It can be expensive, but there are so many options out there. Also know that some therapists offer a sliding scale, do pay what you can, or have referrals to someone who is qualified and in your price range. Therapy isn't convenient and will be a sacrifice for many -- but know that it's a SOLID investment and worth every single coin you'll spend.

If you feel comfortable, please share your experiences with therapy in the comments and feel free to share this post/link with your friends.

A quote I like:
"If you don't deal with your shit now... your shit will deal with you later."


Aug 2, 2017

My First Camping Trip #OutdoorsyAF



Whenever I'd tell someone in Seattle I hadn't gone camping before their first reaction was shock! Like, how are you living in Seattle and you haven't gone camping? Well, I'm from Chicago and grew up with my mother -- so, our version of fun was brunch, being nosy at open houses, and watching ballroom dancing on Channel 11. I never had the desire to sleep outside and my mom didn't have the desire to be anywhere without air conditioning, so that was that. I had a great camping-free childhood and it was fantastic.

Fast forward to July 2017 and I'd committed to making more of an effort to do outdoorsy stuff with my boyfriend and his friends... the first of which was camping! Last month I packed up my stuff (too much stuff if I'm being honest) and trekked into the great outdoors for my first camping experience. Instead of jumping in head first, we decided we'd start with 2 days and 1 night... ease into things slowly, kinda like playing "just the tip" (but not as fun). Now, to keep it 100, this was technically car camping and on my boyfriend's friend's cabin/property, so we had access to a bathroom and kitchen -- but we all slept in tents on the property and I've never slept outside before... so yeah, this was camping for me.

As an adult my first camping experience was really fun and I attribute that to a few things:
1) Having an open mind + positive attitude
2) My boyfriend acting as my Outdoorsy Sensei
3) A great group of camping friends
4) All the right gear (Again... all because of my boyfriend)

A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on


So, after successfully camping what's the next thing on my list? Backpacking! So many people give me a crazy look when I tell them I'll be going on a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip on the coast. I'm sure this is because of a few things: 1) It's probably not as normal to have someone go from zero camping experience to a major backpacking trip. This will be my first time backpacking and only my 2nd time camping. 2) It's a 7.5 mile hike to the campsite, which includes elevation gains AND the use of ropes to navigate some of the climbs. 3) A lot of people LOVE camping and HATE backpacking, thus they assume everyone else will feel the same. I'm using my inexperience to my advantage, keeping an open mind, and appreciating the lacking frame of reference for how intense a backpacking trip can be.

We have a great group going to the coast and I'm so excited to be open to life and new adventures. My boyfriend actually just sent me a photo of some of the gear he snagged me from REI as we prepare to leave! Also, a major thank you to bae's childhood friend Kelly for letting me borrow her extra backpack... who just so happens to be Instagram famous for all of her beautiful outdoor adventures! If you'd like to ooooh and awwww over some DOPE ass photography, check out her Instagram account @kellll_bell89.


A post shared by Ishea (@sixtwentyseven) on


Aug 1, 2017

interSessions:
The Art x Hip Hop Dialogues



What is interSessions?
interSessions: The Art x Hip-Hop Dialogues™ is a series of curated conversations between figures from the arts community and the hip-hop community. Each conversation – mediated by artist Fahamu Pecou – features notable figures speaking on a range of subjects related to intersectional experiences in the arts and entertainment and their impact on popular culture and society.

interSessions™ considers the growing number of engagements between the worlds of hip-hop and fine art. The series is dedicated to interrogating art and hip-hop not as isolated encounters, but rather where they overlap, how they complement and enhance each other, and, ultimately, how in conversation they act together to transgress the status quo.

The event kicks off tomorrow night (8/2 @ 7p) with guests Negarra Akili and Frank William Miller Jr. @ The Piranha Shop in SoDo.

Click here to RSVP for tickets to this FREE event

Jul 31, 2017

Kendrick Lamar Laser Show
8/4 & 8/5 @ 10:30p
(via @PacSci)


The Pacific Science Center is about to snatch all of your edges -- they've just added a laser show for Kung Fu Kenny, Mr. Kendrick Lamar himself! I'm so freaking excited that they're adding more variety to their laser show line-ups and recognizing talented artists in their prime.

They'll be kicking things off with 2 shows this weekend: Friday, 8/4 and Saturday, 8/5 @ 10:30p. Tickets are $12 (non-members) and the show will run 60 mins.

Click here for tickets.




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