by Jessica Dunston | Jun 25, 2021 | Blackness, Healing, Race, Spirituality
I am a hoodoo. My ancestral roots in this country are NC, SC, VA. People of the land. My ancestors are a mixture of predominantly West African, Central African, even some Southern African peoples, along with a bit of Lumbee Native American Tribe, and of course...
by Jessica Dunston | Feb 8, 2021 | Blackness, Education, Healing, Love, Uncategorized, Womanisms
So… Since the win and successful transition into the 46th presidency of the United States, Joe Biden restarted the conversation on getting our beloved ancestor known as Harriet Tubman, to replace known racist Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. For those who may not...
by Jessica Dunston | Jan 21, 2021 | Blackness, Healing, Politics, Race, Reflection, Society
As we move through inauguration week, there are and will be many things to reflect on. This new administration is monumental and groundbreaking in certain ways, at least visually or performatively. We of course still have not yet seen most of these individuals...
by Jessica Dunston | Oct 20, 2019 | Healing, Love, Mindfulness, Reflection, Society, Womanisms
Oriola settles in to discuss expectations, what they are and what they may mean for our interactions with others. Self awareness and boundaries are key. Accept and release, to continue our journeys… The Exhale Podcast @ Oriola Speaks Episode 001: Expectations If...
by Jessica Dunston | Nov 5, 2018 | Blackness, Politics, Race, Society
I wanted to take some time out to discuss a very unassuming yet important thing. The Black vote. It’s a mythical thing that simultaneously does and does not exist and is a thing of ultimate power, apparently. To hear everybody else tell it. In almost all angles,...
by Jessica Dunston | Nov 3, 2018 | Blackness, Race
In a recent opinion piece in the Daily News, Alexis Grenell attempts to blame white supremacy and racist violence on Minister Louis Farrakhan….. Ya know… I’m just a little over it when it comes to ways in which some Jewish people overstep a very...
by Jessica Dunston | Jul 4, 2018 | Gender, Healing, Love, Reflection, Womanisms
One of my closest male friends, honestly more like my brother, just got married. He wants me to finally cut the crap and settle down. I know we hear a lot of women nowadays, say that they are single by choice. I don’t want to use that language in particular, but...
by Jessica Dunston | Jun 25, 2018 | Blackness, Healing, Newark
Things you need to stop saying: The Black family is broken. XYZ is a threat to the Black family. The Black community is broken. Black love is broken. What you need to say instead, because it’s what’s actually true: My family is jacked...
by Jessica Dunston | Jun 19, 2018 | Blackness, Love, Race
Black lives matter. The Black lives you terrorize and threaten while you’re walking around and breathing are counted among them. Somebody’s got to care about those Black lives. If you can be made famous for not caring about those Black lives, I guess that...
by Jessica Dunston | Jun 9, 2018 | Blackness, Gender, Reflection, Womanisms
Smile, mah…. For what lmao People don’t just smile to be smiling. What is the logic behind this? Have any of you actually thought about that? Why do you do that? What are we smiling at or about? What were we going to smile at or about before you said...
