When I was Sweet 16. #tbt #throwbackthursday When I was Sweet 16. #tbt #throwbackthursday
To all the lovers. A little flower arrangement fro To all the lovers. A little flower arrangement from me to you for Love Day. ❤️❤️❤️ #valentines #valentinesday #love
Circa 1981. My snaggletooth era. 😂#TBT Circa 1981. My snaggletooth era. 😂#TBT
We did our best to recreate our onesie moment from We did our best to recreate our onesie moment from 2013. Strike a pose, the remix.
Finally! After a year (or more) we’ve finally be Finally! After a year (or more) we’ve finally been able to get a staycation on the calendar. Having fun with these ladies!
Circa 1990 when I was a sophomore in high school i Circa 1990 when I was a sophomore in high school in Jacksonville, and I had 3 different hairstyles going on at the same time.  #FBF #backintheday
So, I’m doing THING! Join me and the cast of thi So, I’m doing THING! Join me and the cast of this year’s @shesaidstlouis  on Friday, March 10th at The Sheldon. We’ll be sharing our stories monologue style, and it’s going to be a good time. If you’d like to get tickets, hit me up! A portion of the proceeds will go to @rungforwomen. 👍🏾
February is American Heart Month, and I’ve partn February is American Heart Month, and I’ve partnered with @MedIQCME and Duke Health to raise awareness about atrial fibrillation (AFib), also known as irregular heartbeat which affects 12 million people.My father was diagnosed with AFib and my family has a history of this condition, so I do my best to learn as much as I can about it.

I’ve learned that when the atrium’s squeezing becomes irregular, blood doesn’t flow as smoothly through the heart and clots can form. Those clots can travel to the brain, disrupting the oxygen supply and causing a stroke. People with AFib are at approximately 5 times greater risk for stroke than those with regular heartbeats. Stroke is a leading cause of death and also of serious, long-term disability. It is essential to get to a hospital quickly if you suspect a stroke in yourself or others.Learn the acronym FAST to recognize the signs of stroke: 

F = Face. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A = Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? 

S = Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?

T= Time. If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.

Take this survey (link in bio) for the chance to win 1 of 5 $100 VISA gift cards—takes less than 10 minutes.

Thanks, @mediqcme, and Duke Heart. Supported by an educational grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer Alliance.
Another flower arranging therapy Reel, this time w Another flower arranging therapy Reel, this time with roses and a little Stevie Wonder. I could do this all day! 🌹 #traderjoes #flowers #roses #therapy #selfcare
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Culture, Movies & Popcorn · February 8, 2021

A Look Back at Claudine And How It Shaped Black Cinema


The 1974 film Claudine is one of my favorite films for so many reasons, and it should be remembered as a classic. Read why.

During Black History Month, I will be sharing my thoughts on films, TV, music, books, and popular culture that is shaped by people of color.

I can tell you when I first fell in love with Diahann Carroll. It wasn’t her role as Dominique Devereaux on Dynasty, or even her minuscule speaking part in Carmen Jones. My adoration for her began when I first saw the 1974 film Claudine. I must’ve been about 19 or 20 when I saw Claudine for the first time that I could remember. I was a young mom then to my son who was no more than two or three at the time. I caught it from the beginning when it came on TCM by chance, and I was simply taken by the woman playing Claudine Price, the single mother of six children.

Yes, Claudine is a movie that is a little rough around the edges, and not considered an opus by any stretch of the imagination. It would be categorized as low-budget fare these days with a straight to DVD or Netflix kind of vibe, but don’t let it fool you. With themes that are just as prevalent now as they were then, Claudine is filled with imperfect goodness.

The 1974 film Claudine is one of my favorite films for so many reasons, and it should be remembered as a classic. Read why.

From James Earl Jones’ portrayal of Rupert, the garbage man who is enamored enough with Claudine to date her and her brood of six, to Diahann Carroll’s stripped down not-so-glamourous approach to this no-nonsense character, to the music and film’s score, created by music genius Curtis Mayfield and sung magnificently by Gladys Knight and the Pips, you can’t help but see the greatness of this gem, even if you are a movie snob.

I know, run-on sentence.

Claudine works as a domestic during the day while being paid under the table so that she can continue to receive welfare benefits. Living in Harlem and trying to survive, she is hounded regularly by a social worker, who wants to make sure she is living within the confines of the system. No men are allowed to contribute to her—she has to hide items like an iron and other “gifts” so that she is not docked her benefits.

This is how it was back then, and still is for the most part. If a woman is receiving government benefits, she has to play by certain rules, and these rules are fundamentally flawed, and some say, have had a profound negative effect on Black households over the years.

The 1974 film Claudine is one of my favorite films for so many reasons, and it should be remembered as a classic. Read why.

Claudine is a film that shows Black love in all of its magnificent glory, flaws and all. It also showcases a mother who would do anything to keep her family together in a world that looks down on her and the kids that she birthed.

[ 20 Movies That Showcase Black Love ]

Diahann was nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal, one she did not win, but one that she oh so deserved. Claudine was an escape from every role that she had played up to that point, and I believed she was Claudine just as much as I believed that she was Julia.

The 1974 film Claudine is one of my favorite films for so many reasons, and it should be remembered as a classic. Read why.

Claudine comes on TCM a few times a year, and I make sure to watch it when I can.

During a time when Blaxploitation was prominent in film, and was the only way for Black artists to be seen on the big screen, Claudine broke through and became a movie that helped shaped Black cinema as it began to deal with more complex and more serious issues.

Claudine deserves its roses.

Do you agree?


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When I was Sweet 16. #tbt #throwbackthursday When I was Sweet 16. #tbt #throwbackthursday
To all the lovers. A little flower arrangement fro To all the lovers. A little flower arrangement from me to you for Love Day. ❤️❤️❤️ #valentines #valentinesday #love
Circa 1981. My snaggletooth era. 😂#TBT Circa 1981. My snaggletooth era. 😂#TBT
We did our best to recreate our onesie moment from We did our best to recreate our onesie moment from 2013. Strike a pose, the remix.
Finally! After a year (or more) we’ve finally be Finally! After a year (or more) we’ve finally been able to get a staycation on the calendar. Having fun with these ladies!
Circa 1990 when I was a sophomore in high school i Circa 1990 when I was a sophomore in high school in Jacksonville, and I had 3 different hairstyles going on at the same time.  #FBF #backintheday
So, I’m doing THING! Join me and the cast of thi So, I’m doing THING! Join me and the cast of this year’s @shesaidstlouis  on Friday, March 10th at The Sheldon. We’ll be sharing our stories monologue style, and it’s going to be a good time. If you’d like to get tickets, hit me up! A portion of the proceeds will go to @rungforwomen. 👍🏾
February is American Heart Month, and I’ve partn February is American Heart Month, and I’ve partnered with @MedIQCME and Duke Health to raise awareness about atrial fibrillation (AFib), also known as irregular heartbeat which affects 12 million people.My father was diagnosed with AFib and my family has a history of this condition, so I do my best to learn as much as I can about it.

I’ve learned that when the atrium’s squeezing becomes irregular, blood doesn’t flow as smoothly through the heart and clots can form. Those clots can travel to the brain, disrupting the oxygen supply and causing a stroke. People with AFib are at approximately 5 times greater risk for stroke than those with regular heartbeats. Stroke is a leading cause of death and also of serious, long-term disability. It is essential to get to a hospital quickly if you suspect a stroke in yourself or others.Learn the acronym FAST to recognize the signs of stroke: 

F = Face. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A = Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? 

S = Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?

T= Time. If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.

Take this survey (link in bio) for the chance to win 1 of 5 $100 VISA gift cards—takes less than 10 minutes.

Thanks, @mediqcme, and Duke Heart. Supported by an educational grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer Alliance.
Another flower arranging therapy Reel, this time w Another flower arranging therapy Reel, this time with roses and a little Stevie Wonder. I could do this all day! 🌹 #traderjoes #flowers #roses #therapy #selfcare
Mimosas, beignets, and Benedicts, oh my! Brunch is Mimosas, beignets, and Benedicts, oh my! Brunch is my absolute favorite meal and @louieswinedive in Clayton treated us so well! I will definitely be back. 

#brunch #stl #stlouis #food #stlfoodie #hosted
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