- mewd. by mikala
- Posts
- VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 4: February 12, 2024
VOLUME 2 - ISSUE 4: February 12, 2024
mikala & Stacey Carr
February 12, 2024
šš½ Hello There
Identity as a Black women is a complex situation, at least for me. One day, when I was driving home from Pilates it hit me that Iām living a life a lot of people aspire to. Youāre probably like, duh Mikalaā¦you should know that already. It stood out to me so much more in that moment because Iāve been given opportunities my parents never had or my Grandparents never thought could happen to any Black person. At the same time, Iāve experienced a lot of craziness and bullshit as Black woman that Iāve had to overcome. I do sometimes feel as if my generation is the first generation to feel something close to the freedom of choice and not be fully bound by laws that hinder growth and opportunity; albeit laws and other things like bias do still hinder growth and opportunities so there is still a lot of work to be done.
Speaking of identity, the first guest column of mewd. by mikala is written by Stacey Carr. She is a former colleague of mine who has written a piece regarding living abroad and how she identifies.
With that said, this Black History Month feels different in a few ways for me this year. In 2020, people were listening and learning after the tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and so many other Black women and men. There was a lot of momentum but it seems to have all but vanished. Almost, four years later, a lot of āpromisesā were made but honestly not much has changed. Sadly, Iām not surprised that laws are being overturned or DEI programs are being dismantled/just a program of superficiality. Itās disappointing but you have to continue to move forward. No matter the cause, you canāt stop continuing to the work and advocation because thatās when things slide back in regression. Itās a marathon not a sprint.
For Black History Month, Iāll share Black owned/founded businesses in all my usual categories. The categories in this issue are: Shopping, Food, Beauty, Home, Reading & Art.
And one last thing, if youāre in LA and need something to do on Feb 17th, Die-Electric: Live Electronica. No Laptops is happening at HelMel Studios.
Identity & Living Abroad by Stacey Carr
Traveling abroad and falling in love with a new city is one thing, but what happens when that city calls you to risk it all, pack up your life, and leap toward a fresh start? I can tell you that moving abroad is not for the faint of heart. You must be really sure that you are ready to blow up your lifeāalbeit in the best way--because this water is deep and wide and once you jump in, you are in. The shore becomes too far to swim back to and it wonāt even feel worth it if you tried. I moved from Los Angeles to London in the summer of 2021 as a 39-year-old single, Black woman. I had developed TV content for about 15 years, mostly on the corporate side, but had now embraced a consulting, more entrepreneurial lifestyle to give myself the flexibility to establish myself anew. It was (and is) a huge process that is by far the biggest challenge of my life but is also my proudest achievement. Despite the rollercoaster ride, you donāt make this decision because you want your life to be the same and to rely only on the things you already know. You do it for the massive growth, the adventure, the opportunity to help someone else, and for the joy! It turns out this joy can also be accompanied by a mishmash of fear, excitement, confusion, certainty and uncertainty, and hope. And though perhaps I should not have been as surprised, this journey also introduces seemingly endless questions around identity. Iāve always lived a multi-cultural and cross-cultural existence, but all of a sudden, Iām a Black American woman in the UK where there are people from all over the world, and all the Black people are keenly aware of their African and Caribbean roots. But me, Iām just from the West Coast of the USA. I am used to a mixed environment and have always tried to avoid anything homogenous, but what does that all mean for the neighborhood I choose to live in here? Iām in a place where class is more of a thing, but Iām not British, Iām not working class and Iām not poshāI guess that makes me middle class? Where do the Black American middle class single women live in this city? Is that even where I would belong? And then there is the professional spaceā¦How can I be respectful of the culture but still be me? Am I communicating clear enough? Do people understand me here? | As life goes on, I donāt think I believe that Iām owed comfort. I canāt recall ever truly having it but negotiating what all this looks like in a new country is a marathon for the brain. No big answers yet and thank goodness Iāve got tons of expat pals to help navigate the journey. Iām slowly (but surely?) finding my way.
Each day I wake up beyond grateful that I am living my dream in London, and I will encourage anyone and everyone to go after that big dream, but Iād be lying if I said it was all smooth sailing. But isnāt the hope and excitement for a new life worth it all?  Stacey Carr is a London-based independent consultant coaching producers, production companies, talent and brands through the creative process of preparing their projects for the partnership and pitch phase, as well as with overall entertainment industry navigation. Focusing on a transatlantic sensibility, she also works as a project-based Exec-for-Hire for various companies, curates DEI focused initiatives, and is a regular speaker and moderator at industry events. Prior to venturing abroad, Stacey developed unscripted television projects for several companies in Los Angeles including Nickelodeon, Endemol Shine North America, and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Originally from Reno, Nevada, she received a Sociology degree from Occidental College in 2004. To learn more about her background and current journey, feel free to follow and connect with her on LinkedIn. |
IN THE āMEWDā FOR..
SHOPPING Clothing Men - Kevin Leonel, Russell Solomon and Ozwald Boateng Women - Kilentar, Atlier Ndigo and Shoes Brother Vellies (both Men & Women) Men - Heron Preston Women - Kendall Miles Designs Bags Jewelry Amerikan Outkast (Unisex) Accessories | FOOD NORTH AMERICA Brooklyn, NY - Aunts et Uncles New York, NY - Sushi Oku Washington, DC - Puddinā Washington, DC - DC Vegan Los Angeles, CA - Joyce Los Angeles, CA - Taco Bar LA Rowlett, TX - Absolutely Edible Cakes Toronto, Ontario - CA - Boukan Montreal, Quebec - CA - TropikĆ l Restobar Mexico City, Mexico - Blaxicocina YELP - Top 25 Hot & New Black-owned Restaurants 2024 (USA) EUROPE Paris, France - Gumbo Yaya Paris, France - Waly-Fay Barcelona, Spain - Spice Bcn Parallel London, England - Ikoyi |
BEAUTY Body & Skincare Hair Bevel (Menās Grooming) Make Up  Some of the beauty products that I use that are Black owned/founded brands | HOME  Two separate items (print by Liana Rae and comb by Brother Vellies) framed together Jungalow - Rugs, Wallpaper + More Yowie - Ceramics, Home Goods + More Forvr Mood - Candles Expedition SubSahara - Kitchen, Storage, + More Claude - Vintage, Furniture + More Effortless Composition - Home Decor ā Forbes Masters, Sandra Githinji, Delia Kenza Interiors, & Duett Interiors - Interior Design Services Studio Zewde - Landscape Designer Atelier MasÅmÄ« - Architecture Firm Dream Awake - Interior Architecture and Experiential Design studio |
READING  Photobooks and books by Black authors in front of art that Iāll eventually hang on my wall Articles Refinery 29 - Latin Music Erases The Black Origins of Many Genres New York Times - What is Owed Books The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson Token Black Girl: A Memoir by Danielle Prescod White Rage by Carol Anderson Color of Law by Richard Rothstein Some of My Best Friends Are Black by Tanner Colby Song in a Weary Throat: Memoir of an American Pilgrimage by Pauli Murray Bookshop.org Black History Month Picks FYI in case you didnāt know use archive.org if you need help reading š | ART History Museums & Art Galleries Compton Art & History Museum - We Want to Be Free: Honoring MLK's Global and Local Impact (until May 10th) Houston Museum of Fine Arts - Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence (until May 27th) Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage (Feb. 18 ā May 12) National Portrait Gallery (London) - The Time is Always Now Artists Reframe the Black Figure (Feb. 22 - May 19) UTA Artist Space Los Angeles, CA - Amaryllisā Garden, Mario Joyce (Feb. 16 ā Mar. 16, 2024) Atlanta, GA - RenĆ©e Cox by RenĆ©e Cox (Feb. 23, 2024 - Mar. 23, 2024) Sow & Tailor Los Angeles, CA - Hidden in Plain Sight by Jasaya Neale (until Feb. 28th) Roberts Projects Los Angeles, CA - Marilyn Nance: The Women of FESTACā77 (Feb 24 - Apr 27) More events/exhibitions here Artists to Check Out
|
Song Inspiration for Volume II - Issue 4: Kendrick Lamar & SZA - All the Stars
If this was forwarded to you and you enjoyed reading this edition of the newsletter, hit the subscribe button above. And to all the subscribers I have already, grateful for you and thanks for subscribing!