I hope our Black community members and friends had a good Juneteenth holiday! If you're unfamiliar with the holiday, Juneteenth celebrates when enslaved folks in Texas received freedom in 1865, nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863. More than 250,000 enslaved folks were freed in Texas that year. Juneteenth was made an official federal holiday just a mere 3 years ago!
Today marks the summer solstice and tomorrow is the Strawberry Full Moon in Capricorn. As we're halfway through the year, it's the perfect time to realign on our goals and shed what no longer serves us! For fun, here are horoscopes for each sign—be sure to read for your rising sign. 🍓🌕
Shoes On. Eyes Open.
-Sarah
we're adding to cart—
Summer Edition 🛍️ 🛒
While I love the summer, I hate the humidity in NYC, so for this edition of We're Adding to Cart, I'm recommending things that will hopefully keep you cool and breezy these next few months!
Introduced to me by my friend Arianna, Mamene Studio is an independent woman-owned brand in Texas founded by Ashli Parker-Fell. If you saw me last summer, then you know I live in my Mamene Studio dresses. I have this navy dress in the olive colorway as well and Ashli was kind enough to tailor them for my 5'3" short self! Support bootstrapped, women-owned businesses! 🌿☀️
Rosewater Toners
I know my brown girlies are already onboard with this recommendation! I remember how glorious, cool, and refreshed I felt when my friend Samia spritzed my face as I was melting in the Dubai heat last December. The scent is divine as always. Sharing a few recommendations for various budgets! 🌹💧
Sadaf Rosewater:the OG rosewater that's good enough for your face and for cooking at $3.99. Comes in a glass bottle but I suppose you can transfer into a reusable, plastic spritzer bottle!
Heritage Store Rosewater: a cult favorite and probably the most affordable option to throw in your bag at almost $12
Santa Maria Novella's Acqua di Rose: I would recommend this one for your at-home routine given it's a toner in a glass bottle but it's the most expensive at $60. But I can attest all of Santa Maria Novella's products are 💯.
Silk Scarves
I've never been one for hats during the summer but will always pack a silk scarf, especially when traveling. An Hermes scarf is always nice but there are plenty of gorgeous silk scarves on the market for a fraction of the price!
Garden Map Silk Bandana from Hero at Nordstrom: Nordstrom has a lot of options but this cute bandana style scarf with a garden map motif caught my eye, especially the little carousel detail. So cute and only $49.
Splash Park Scarf from Hermes: this double face scarf from Hermes features a fun splash park print and retails for $690. Would suggest purchasing in Europe for cheaper pricing and that VAT tax refund!
For my fellow thunder thigh ladies, don't make the mistake I did a few weeks ago and leave home without applying. 🥲 I had no idea they made mini versions so that's getting added right to my cart for every handbag!
WE'RE watching—
We are Lady Parts created By nida manzoor
I haven't started this just yet but a few close friends have recommended it and it has glowing reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. It follows the story of Amina, a shy graduate student who becomes the newest member of Lady Parts, an all-women Muslim punk rock group. If you've watched the series, let me know your thoughts!
Most of the events have been announced, so mark your calendars! I'm keeping an eye out for the July events w/ Priya Ragu, Sid Sriram, & Arooj Aftab ☀️😎
Jimmie Briggs on how the Juneteenth has been culturally appropriated by a white majority who still grapple to understand the true meaning of “racial reckoning.”
Delves into why real-life nun horror stories are surfacing more frequently as stories of nuns as perpetrators of violence has come to light in recent years
I love this photo of Nadine El Roubi, who was recently profiled by Okay Africa about her new mixtape. Nadine is Sudanese, Egyptian, and Iranian but as she shared with Okay Africa, "for context: I identify as Sudanese, that’s what I feel closest to. That’s where I went to school. I feel the most happy and comfortable when I’m hearing the Sudanese dialect and seeing Sudanese culture flourish. It feels right to me.”
My favorite interview quote is regarding her rebellious nature, given the male-dominated music industry, which resonated with me having been a woman in tech and footwear.
“It’s been liberating and freeing not to give a fuck,” she says. “It’s an arrogance that I appreciate in me. It gives me permission to do what I want.”
Regarding Sudan, she shares, “It’s sad that we have to hope that people will find out about the atrocities happening in our country from a random girl spitting about it on a freestyle, rather than the news,” she says. “We’re taking it upon ourselves as lay people to create content and media around what is happening, when it should be covered by mainstream media.”
Have a listen to the entire mixtape but my favorite tracks below:
