Nearly two years later, it’s safe to say that most of us never could have imagined we would still be battling COVID-19. In 2020, the only defenses we were told we had were masks and social distancing, and people were divided about whether lockdown measures were the right thing to do. We now have broad access to various COVID-19 vaccines, but this has added yet another layer of drama to an already complicated situation: Vaccinated people vs. Unvaccinated people. 

Vaccine mandates in many cities in the U.S. mean that some people are enjoying freedom and mobility that we haven’t experienced since early 2020, while others are having to determine if they can frequent venues they used to, or if they need to leave their jobs altogether. Some unvaccinated people say the mandates affect their ability to earn a living and move freely, and they feel constricted and left out. They also may be apprehensive about sharing their status because of the potential fallout and stigma attached to being unvaccinated, especially from family and friends. 

With the holidays approaching, some folks are making the tough decision to change up their traditions and not visit with some family members, or host vaccinated-only gatherings. These decisions are deeply personal, and this charged environment is causing division and stress. But what vaxxed and unvaxxed have in common is fear, frustration and fatigue, and that could be a starting point for finding common ground and creating more peace for everyone involved. 

A major factor contributing to wariness on both sides is uncertainty. We don’t know how long COVID-19 is going to be around or how much longer our daily lives will be affected. We don’t know if new variants will crop up, and because some folks can be asymptomatic, we may not even know if we or others have the virus. 

Another factor affecting us all is grief. With nearly 770,000 killed in the US alone, the swiftness with which the disease has cleaved through our ranks has put us in a continued state of mourning since 2020. These profound losses can lead to sadness, hopelessness, and depression if not for maintaining connections, rituals, and practices that keep us grounded and lift our spirits.

And we are all coping with change in navigating this new Covid-era landscape. 

The uncertainty, grief, and change all contribute to ongoing stress and trauma that we have experienced, and it often shows up as stress, fear, anxiety, and anger.  

Compounding those emotions is some people’s need to choose a side as if it's “us against them” rather than all of us against the pandemic. 

There’s nothing wrong with standing by how you feel. We’re all making decisions based on the information we have access to, and by weighing our own tolerance for risk.  

But arguing about who’s right won’t solve anything and may endanger already frayed relationships. At this point, it’s probably unlikely that you will convince anyone to agree with you, especially if you’re being dogmatic and judgmental. What we can do to lower the tension in that communication is to set and honor your own boundaries. 

If you’re unvaccinated and still have questions, then stand by that as you adhere to distancing and masking to protect your health and that of others and continue to seek answers from trustworthy sources based on science. Remember that it’s not OK to force others to abide by your health choices. 

If you’re vaccinated and don’t feel comfortable around people who aren’t vaccinated, then stand by that as well. Keep your distance and mask up, and show patience and extend grace to your fellow human beings. Know that many people who aren’t vaccinated feel under attack for their personal decisions. 

We’re all experiencing fear, fatigue, and apprehension in these battle-scarred days of Covid-19; and imposing our views on one another is not a sustainable path forward. We will come out of this much stronger if we agree to disagree -- and each of us does what we need to do to stay safe.

Most of us are familiar with the saying, “in my feelings” -- you may have even used it yourself. The phrase is so popular that it’s reflected in songs by chart-topping artists like singer Ella Mai and rapper Drake. You might also say you “feel some type of way” -- which is an example of saying you’re “in your feelings,” but it is often reserved for describing something negative. But what are you really trying to say -- and why is it so important to be clear?

First, let’s understand what feelings really are. Feelings, which reflect emotions, are a result of your body registering information from your brain. You will often experience a physical reaction. For example, a knot in your gut might be related to excitement or fear, while a fluttering in your belly may be a sign of nervousness. The reactions can be different for different people. A flushed face could signal embarrassment for some, but anger for others. Your feelings and your physical sensations ride in tandem. It’s important that you are aware of these sensations to determine what’s coming up for you. We’re often so in our heads and focused on what we’re thinking and not how we’re feeling. 

It’s no wonder: because so many of us are socialized to not express our feelings, we may never have learned how to be in touch with them. You may remember as a child -- boys especially -- being told not to cry after you scraped your knee, or having an adult tell you “be a big girl” if you express sadness or disappointment. Those people, even if well-intended, likely were trying to get you to stop expressing your feelings because of their own discomfort with what your emotions were bringing up for them.

The phrase “in your feelings” might also be used as a coping mechanism, much like using the phrases “it’s all good” and “I’mma just keep it moving.” It’s a way to say “something’s bothering me, but I’m not going to put my finger on it” -- and by not doing that you cheat yourself out of really understanding what's going on with you. 

As a result, you will struggle to articulate the impact something has on you and to make it clear how you may need a situation to change. This may lead to you feeling “stuck” -- in a toxic relationship or in an unfulfilling job -- because you haven’t identified or communicated what’s really bothering you. It takes self-awareness -- listening to your body -- to know how you feel.

One of my goals as a therapist is to help clients become more fluent in how to interpret their feelings. You may have a hard time naming a feeling and say something like, “He disrespected me.” That’s not a feeling, so my reply to you might be, “You think he disrespected you. But how does that lead you to feel?” I would leave space for you to explore what’s coming up in your body. The feeling from being disrespected may be sad, or embarrassed, or pissed off. 

Here are three simple techniques you can use to better understand and express yourself whenever you feel like you’re in your feelings:

1. Practice mindfulness, or awareness and curiosity without judgement. It can be as simple as five minutes of stillness and deep breathing. Pay attention to what you feel in your body when you have to work with a colleague who you generally try to avoid, or when you need to have a real talk with your partner. Mindfulness is a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger and better it gets.
   
   

2. Take note. Sometimes, I’ll encourage clients to jot down those physical sensations when they happen and note what was going on. The next time we meet, they share their experiences and I help them connect those physical sensations to the emotions they experienced, and how they influence their behaviors. Over time they will learn how to make the important connection between those sensations and their feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
   
   

3. Name your feelings. Ask yourself some questions and use a feeling chart, such as the Gottman Institute’s Feeling Wheel to help you explore the wide range of feelings that you experience but may not be able to identify -- whether that’s anger, loneliness, or another emotion. Or perhaps you're experiencing joy, and you want to be able to connect those dots, too. Maybe sitting in the park, having your toes in the sand at the beach or a certain food or smell makes you nostalgic. Take notice of what those joyful feelings feel like, where they come from, and learn how to stay in that space or get back there when you need to.
   
   

   Our feelings are there to provide us with information. The more fluent you are in that language, the better you will be able to discern the information that you’re receiving. This can help you be truer to yourself and respond in an authentic way. With practice, you can become fluent in the language of feelings.

Nickole Hannah-Jones channeling Audre Lorde’s “I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.” (Photo credit: Instagram post of Nikole Hannah-Jones)

You may have heard about the controversy around Nikole Hannah-Jones’ recent decision to join Howard University’s faculty instead of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and creator of the New York Times groundbreaking 1619 Project, was highly qualified to receive tenure at her alma mater, UNC, where she had been invited to teach. But the university’s board of trustees denied her tenure, and it took a whirlwind of social media backlash and news stories to push the board to take another vote and reverse its decision. 

Hannah-Jones’s decision is a powerful lesson in why it’s important to go where you are celebrated, not tolerated. 

Hannah-Jones wrote about how hurtful and embarrassing the experience was for her, but says that discomfort also motivated her to do what was best for her. If she had accepted the position at UNC after knowing they initially rejected her, she would have been in an uncomfortable situation that she was forcing to work. Declining UNC’s tainted offer took a lot of courage; but her prestigious tenured position as the first Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University -- where leaders at the school went out of their way to rally to secure the resources to bring her on board -- will most likely be better for Hannah-Jones not only professionally, but spiritually and emotionally. She will also establish the Center for Journalism and Democracy, which the university says will train aspiring journalists in "the investigative skills and historical and analytical expertise needed to cover the crisis our democracy is facing."

How many of us have been in a situation like Hannah-Jones, where we were given lemons and expected to make lemonade while pretending to be happy about it?  Whether it’s slighted at work or in an unfulfilling relationship that we needed to leave? What we can take from watching her experience unfold is how to determine whether we are thriving in a situation or just making it work. 

When you’re thriving in a situation, you’re happy, connected, and engaged. When you’re just making it work, you're likely not fulfilled, which can lead to sadness, apathy, and isolation. Sometimes making the decision to walk away is difficult because we start to make calculations about what we could live with and why. We might say we’re too old to make a change, we might be afraid to let go or we’ll try to convince ourselves that things aren’t so bad. But when you try to stay in a situation that isn’t ideal, you will sacrifice your wellbeing. 

Jones gives props to Howard University, also referred to as “The Mecca.” (Photo credit: Instagram post of Nikole Hannah-Jones)

What’s your cost of making it work? 

It’s important to evaluate your situation and figure out what’s good for you. Here are some questions to consider:

• Am I being fulfilled by the work that I’m doing or the relationship that I’m in?

• Am I lowering my expectations to keep this person in my life, or by staying at this job?

• Am I using my age, financial situation, or another excuse as a reason why I can’t move beyond this?

• If it wasn’t about money, age, or experience, or if all my excuses were wiped off the table, would I still do this? 

• Is this good for me? 

Take some time and write your answers to these questions. When you’re finished, read your answers and consider how you feel and what comes up for you in reading what you wrote. Use what comes up to help you decide if you are in a place where you are valued, affirmed, and satisfied. Based on your answer, you can determine your next steps.

When you’re intentional about your joy, you know when it’s time to walk away because the cost of making it work means you’re sacrificing things you are truly passionate about and that feed your soul. And you deserve better than that.

Credit: Syda Productions for Canva

I’ve been hearing a lot of talk lately about people — Black women especially — “protecting my peace” or “protecting my energy.”  What they mean is to set healthy boundaries and to intentionally cultivate joy. They’re able to say, “this doesn’t feel good to me,” to walk away and to make a change in order to preserve their mental wellness.

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka recently quit the French Open to care for her mental health after being fined and threatened with disqualification for not wanting to speak with the press. “I do hope that people can relate and understand it’s O.K. to not be O.K., and it’s O.K. to talk about it,“ she wrote in Time. And tennis superstar Venus Williams unapologetically told the media how she protects her peace by keeping in mind that she is the one who is the champ, not the people who write about her. In fact, she told them, they can’t hold a candle to her. 

There are songs about protecting your energy, like Jhene Aiko’s “Trigger Protection Mantra,” which is intended to calm you down when you’re feeling upset, and Mary J. Blige’s classic “No More Drama,” where she sings passionately about cutting off toxic relationships. 

On a personal level, some of my friends talk about how they took up hobbies like cooking or journaling through the pandemic because it put them in a positive and peaceful space. One colleague, Shawnee Benton Gibson, has done a lot of transformational work around how stressors in life can affect Black women’s health. She talks about how high vibrations leave you feeling uplifted and contribute to your happiness, while low vibrations can contribute to sadness and distress. 

Toughing out situations that aren’t beneficial to our mental health used to be seen as a measure of strength. But these days many of us recognize the changes we need to make in how we respond to life’s curveballs. Plus, responding to the pandemic in the last year or so led many of us to reflect on what really matters in life, and what no longer serves us. Many people are rethinking how they move through the world, and how they show up for themselves and for others.

This re-evaluation of values and priorities is leading us to search for better-paying, more fulfilling work at places where our contributions and presence and presence of mind are valued. We’re scheduling time in nature, and time to rest and restore. We’re finding support to help us move through profound losses and change, and we’re finding accountability partners and no longer spending time with people who traffic in negativity. The person who is always complaining about stuff but never has solutions? She’s sitting off somewhere on the sidelines of our game.

Zora Neale Hurston wrote in her empowering 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God: “Black women are the mules of the world. They carry the load that white men, white women, and Black men refuse to carry; they do the work no one wants to do, without praise or thanks.” 

We’re finally putting those days behind us. 

Take a moment to journal about what might need to change in your life and what action you need to take to change it in order to protect your peace. Pick up hobbies that bring you joy, or as Sister Shawnee might say, “raise your vibration.” Listen to music that lifts your mood, and most importantly, set your boundaries and remain firm in your intentions so that you can lead a positive and more fulfilled life. Protecting your energy isn’t just a saying; it’s a way of being.

Credit: monkeybusinessimages/iStock

After more than a year of staying home, masked up, and vigilant about keeping distant in the coronavirus pandemic, vaccines have brought some hope that we can safely return to near-normal pre-pandemic activities. While that’s great news, not everybody is ready to re-emerge and reconnect just yet. In fact, looser mask mandates and social distancing restrictions can cause a great deal of anxiety for some. 

If you can relate, you are not alone. Let’s talk about what might contribute to your unease about resuming activities you once did before the pandemic started, and explore ways for you to get back to living your life more fully.

 Restaurants, theaters, and other venues are returning to full capacity, and some businesses are calling employees back to work in-office, but the virus is still out there among us. Yes, vaccinated people have a very low chance of developing severe disease, hospitalization and death, according to the CDC. But the World Health Organization says we’re not out of the woods just yet. Some countries still don’t have access to vaccines and infections continue to rise, vaccines are not yet approved for children under 12, we don’t know how long immunity lasts after receiving a vaccine, and we don’t know what may happen with variants down the line. 

That’s a lot of uncertainty to navigate, and our brains don’t like uncertainty because it makes us feel unsafe. So it’s understandable if you want to be cautious about how you emerge – or if you’re not ready to emerge at all just yet. The best way to move forward is to do what makes you feel most comfortable. 

 Here are four questions to ask yourself about how to re-enter society safely. 

What do I need to feel safe?

It’s OK to ask about safety precautions before you enter any space. If you’re invited to someone’s home, ask if masks will be worn and/or whether all guests must be vaccinated in order to attend. Determine if the gathering will be outdoors instead or inside. If you don’t like the answers, don’t go, and don’t feel any guilt about it. 

What are my boundaries for interacting? 

How you feel about emerging might be different from what other people are feeling. Just because some vaccinated folks are going around maskless and hugging cheek-to-cheek doesn’t mean you’re obligated to be maskless and drop your elbow-bump greeting. Don’t feel pressured to go along; listen to your instincts and go at your own pace.

What needs to change about the way I work?

Your company might soon require vaccinations, but even so, you still might not feel safe working in an enclosed space with others. Or you may have enjoyed and want to keep your newfound flexibility from working from home. You might not be able to dictate what happens at work, but keep in mind that a lot of companies are either going all remote or adopting hybrid models. It could be time to look for a job with protocols that you’re more comfortable with. (Or maybe you’re rethinking the type of work that you do altogether, as many seem to be doing.)

How can I still have fun? 

Think about ways to find the most joy in whatever you’re doing.  For some of us, social distance meant emotional distance, so as it warms up in much of the country, this is a great time to grab your girlfriend, your boo, or your kids and get outside as much as you can. Nature walks, girl trekking, dining outdoors, spreading out on the beach, or spending time in your local park are all great warm-weather options.

Whatever you do, consider what feels right to you, give yourself grace and reemerge in our own way.  

Credit: mimagephotography for Canva

Guest blog post by Melissa Saenz

With spring in full gear and vaccines offering a measure of protection, many Americans are emerging from months of COVID-mandated sequestering. And it’s not a moment too soon, as so many people have complained about having “cabin fever.”

Cabin fever is defined as feelings of restless and irritability caused by being in a confined space. In the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, many high-risk states issued stay-in orders, which required people to remain at home to minimize the spread of the disease. Those orders affected me personally, making me feel restless and impatient. Other symptoms include difficulty concentrating, and feelings of inadequacy from struggles to keep up with daily or weekly schedules. Some also saw an increase of alcohol consumption, and changes in diet and eating habits. 

We all had to figure out how to adapt to this major stressor or face hopelessness and burnout. The Hans Selye General Adaptation Syndrome has three phases to explain what the body goes through when experiencing a stressor such as the pandemic: 1) Alarm Reaction: the heart rate increases, cortisol and adrenalin surges, leading to a temporary state of shock and a flight-or-fight response. 2) Resistance, in which the body copes with a stressful event and the heart rate and blood pressure begin to level off. If the stressor remains, the body adjusts, maintaining a state of high alert. 3 Exhaustion: struggling with prolonged stress can sap your physical, emotional, and mental resources, leaving you with no ability to cope and setting you up for anxiety, depression, and a weakened immune system.

There are several ways to overcome Cabin Fever. Keep these handy when cooler weather returns and if COVID is still stalking us:

Keep a routine – and stick to it. A routine adds structure to your days, supports a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep habits, and helps you stay focused on personal and work goals.  

Maintain social ties— Keeping connected to friends and loved ones help you feel less isolated and have someone to share your experiences with. 

Move your body – and get outdoors if it’s safe. As a dedicated runner, I make a point to keep going even in the cold. Movement boosts your feel-good hormones, and being out in nature creates a sense of well-being. 

Get creative— I started a hobby of making playlists featuring powerful women such as the Peruvian singer Reneta Flores (who sings in both Quechua and Spanish), Lizzo, who sings about body positivity, and Beyonce, who’s all about female empowerment. This dynamic female energy helped me get through the worst of my cabin fever, and it’s ready to support me if I need it again.

Melissa, an Advanced Clinical Intern at my practice, is a Mental Health Counseling graduate student at Hunter College in New York City. Running outdoors is one way she beats cabin fever.

Sources: 

Blackman, J. S. (2020). A psychoanalytic view of reactions to the coronavirus pandemic In china*. The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 80(2), 119-132. doi:10.1057/s11231-020-09248-w

Brito, J. (2020, June 9). What to know about cabin fever. Retrieved February 16, 2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cabin-fever#signs

Jurblum, M., & Ng, C. H. (2020, December). Psychological consequences of social isolation and quarantine. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2020/december/psychological-consequences-of-social-isolation-and

Credit: Jacob Lund for Canva

The last few weeks might have caused you to feel like you were on an emotional rollercoaster. A feeling that is likely compounded by the emotions of the last 18 months as we all continue to navigate life during the age of a global pandemic. From the conviction for the murder of George Floyd to the continuing harm caused to people of color in this country to “bad actors” who are working hard to limit our voting rights and our right to protest, it’s easy to feel like you're enduring 1,000 pricks at your joy. You might feel exhausted, you might feel sad or you might feel angry as hell. And you know what? It’s all okay. 

As people of color, we often don’t allow ourselves to slow down and feel the “feels.” We think we don’t have time for that right now, or we try to avoid it completely. We pick up, carry on and keep pushing forward -- just as our ancestors did. It’s part of our makeup. But it can also be a part of us that resists acknowledging the heartbreak when we learn about -- or witness via continuous media loops -- the debasement of humans who look like us. 

It’s important to be aware that this can be traumatic. The effects of the trauma may look different for each of us. You may find it hard to focus. You may not want to socialize with friends. You may snap at your little one for no reason. You may feel sick and tired. It’s important to recognize that what you’re feeling may stem from navigating this current environment where there’s so much injustice, uncertainty, fear, and loss. 

And just as you acknowledge what you’re experiencing, you can choose to be intentional about countering it. We have always had the ability to reach for joy, even in the midst of the most oppressive times. Our ancestors showed us that too. Now is the time for you to call on that again. 

Credit: mimagephotography for Canva

Here are some simple ways to be intentional about reclaiming your joy. 

• Reconnect. Be among your family and friends, whether virtually or safely in person. A catch-up with your sister circle cultivates a sense of community and can soothe your soul.
  

• Laugh. Find an oldie-but-goodie movie that you know is going to crack you up -- or a throw on anything featuring Tiffany Haddish. Laughter is actually good for you -- it relieves stress and releases feel-good hormones from your brain.
  

• Start a new hobby. Do something new that is completely for your enjoyment. Maybe it’s something you’ve been wanting to try for a while or something you never imagined you’d try, such as gardening or learning how to play an instrument.
  

• Add play to your day. With work, family and life -- we often get so busy we let go of the fun things that added spark to our lives. Explore those things again. Maybe it’s riding your bike, coloring, arts & crafts, or illuminating cultural games like Meet the Colonizers or Culture Tags.
  

• Talk to someone. Part of getting through this time is knowing that you’re not in this alone. Talk to a friend, a counselor, a spiritual teacher, or some other trustworthy person and share what you’re feeling. If you're looking for a therapist in your area, tap into resources such as Therapy for Black Girls or Clinicians of Color.

Being intentional about your joy doesn’t mean that you’re ignoring your feelings. But you deserve to feel good and to find what brings you happiness. Claim that. It will help get you through.

Photo Credit Artem Varnitsin from Canva

We’ve been through a lot over the past year, and we’re still going through it. There has been so much loss, so much suffering, and living on the edge. Not long ago, just going to -- or going to work at -- the grocery store was wrought with anxiety. For some, it still is.

Reflecting on this time makes me think of how often I’ve heard everyone from clients to friends compare themselves to other people who have made dramatic life changes during quarantine like starting a new business or drafting a novel, and feel as if they haven’t done enough. After I remind them that comparing yourself to others rarely makes you feel good (hello, social media), I remind them that they survived. And in this particularly dreadful year that we’ve come through, surviving is enough. There is beauty in that resilience.

This calls to mind Alice Walker’s poem called “The World Has Changed.” She wrote it in the wake of Barack Obama’s first presidential win. It was a dose of reality for those who still couldn't believe a Black man could actually become president, and who feared that harm would come to him. The world has undergone monumental changes since then and we survived those, too. 

Walker’s poem is just as relevant today. It opens with a call to action: 

… Wake up & smell*

The possibility. 

The world 

Has changed:

It did not 

Change

Without 

Your prayers 

Without

Your faith

Without 

Your determination

to

Believe

in liberation

&

Kindness; … 

It reminds us that we made it through rough times and did hard things. There were moments when you laughed or even cried. There were moments that blurred together -- months of days on repeat. There were moments when you were bone-tired when you were snippy with those you love when you turned to comfort food way too much. You may have felt guilty for surviving, but you kept going because what else were you going to do? And through the most awful moments, you emerged resiliently. 

You didn’t have to write a book or finish a dissertation —  that’s great if you did, but for some of us, just getting through with our sanity and a sense of peace is enough. 

However you emerge from a year of Covid should be celebrated -- it’s different for everyone.

As we look back on the past year, and consider how our world has changed, and remind ourselves that surviving is success in and of itself, take a moment to consider the lessons we’ve learned and how we’ve grown. Grab your journal and answer these two questions: 

What has the past year woken you up to? 

What gifts do you have that helped you make it through the year, and how can those gifts help you going forward?  

It’s true that the world has changed, but as Walker wrote, it did not change without your strength. 

* From Alice Walker’s Hard Times Require Furious Dancing.

Visual Art By Gajic/vgajic@iStock

When Kamala Harris was sworn in as U.S. Vice President, shattering the glass ceiling and making history as the first Black woman and first woman of Indian descent to hold the position, her landmark victory came 13 years after Barack Obama became the first Black U.S. president. We now have a generation of children who can say that they see themselves represented in the highest offices in the world. 

As Vice President Harris said in her victory speech on the night the election was called for Biden-Harris:

 “But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”

But the moment was powerful for Black and brown women as well. 

Seeing someone who looks like us rise gives us a sense of hope and instills the belief that we have equal access to opportunities. This can boost confidence and ease self-doubt, and help us feel more connected and less isolated. This powerful imagery can also help reduce anger, resentment, and chronic stress we may experience from working in spaces where our talent and hard work are not recognized and rewarded, or from toiling in a stalled career as white and male colleagues pass us by.

Even as adults, if we haven’t witnessed someone move to a certain level or position, it is difficult to imagine what’s possible. But with Vice President Harris -- and with the many Black women who have been recently tapped to lead everything from newspapers and TV networks to nonprofits, major corporations, and more, we’re seeing what is possible and celebrating our wins as each new door is opened. And Black women don’t just go through the doors, we hold the door open, reach back, and pull others forward.

In the spirit of moving forward and continuing to lift one another up, I’m taking a moment to give some trailblazing women their flowers and show the vast possibilities. The following list celebrates pioneers who I admire -- they’re breaking barriers and making history and holding the doors for more. And that, of course, inspires hope. Obviously, this list is by no means exhaustive, so if you think of someone who should be here, celebrate her too. 

Naomi Osaka

This tennis champion made history when she won the Australian Open in February, becoming the first woman since Monica Seles (in the early 90s) to win the first four grand slam titles of her career with a perfect 3-0 record following the success of the U.S. Open in 2018 and 2020, and the Australian Open 2019.

 Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones took over the role of president of MSNBC in February, making her the first Black executive to lead a cable news network. Previously, Jones spent seven years as the chief of breaking news and major events at the network and led its coverage of the 2020 elections.

 Roz Brewer

Roz Brewer stepped up to the title of CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc, in February. This move makes her the only Black woman to currently lead a Fortune 500 company, but she’s not new to this. Previously, the Spelman grad was the first African American person to lead a division at Sam’s Club.

 Joy Bailey-Bryant

My soror and friend Joy Bailey-Bryant is president of Lord U.S., a consultancy firm for cultural institutions. She is responsible for leading the company’s U.S. operations, as well as serving on the firm’s global leadership team. Her work with the firm over the past decade includes overseeing the creation of and planning for more than 15 museums in the U.S. and abroad, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the African American History and Culture, The Studio Museum of Harlem expansion, and other projects at the intersection of culture art, community, and the world.

Thasunda Brown Duckett

When Thasunda Brown Duckett, another one of my sorors, steps into the role of CEO of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) on May 1, she will be one of two Black women currently leading a Fortune 500 firm (along with Roz Brewer), and just the fourth Black woman in history to serve as a Fortune 500 CEO. (Ursula Burns was the first when she served as the CEO of Xerox from 2009 to 2016. And Mary Winston was second when she served as interim CEO at Bed Bath & Beyond in 2019.)

 Bozama Saint John

Bozama Saint John joined Netflix last year as its chief marketing officer, making her the first Black woman to join the streaming giant’s team of top executives. She previously made waves as a top executive at Apple and Uber.

Source: Romantic Country: The Second Tale: A Fantasy Coloring Book; coloring by Irene LIn.

Guest blog post by Irene Lin

Coloring has always been my go-to whenever I need some time away from my workspace. All I need is a coloring book and coloring pencils to get me started. Seeing the colors appear at my fingertips gives me an oddly satisfying feeling, and time flies before I realize it. 

Few experts in the art therapy field have considered coloring to be a part of art therapy because of its structured nature, and while art therapy emphasizes creativity. But coloring can be an introductory task for those new to art therapy and to get them interested in visual arts.  

Coloring helps you relax by taking your attention away from yourself. When your brain is focused on coloring, you are not disturbed by your own thoughts, and your brain will find this rewarding. Coloring has been proved to reduce stress levels and negative thinking. In contrast, it has fewer benefits than in-person art therapy sessions, but its positives include affordability and accessibility. 

Coloring supplies can be found easily at major retailers (like Amazon), and no art experience is needed to be able to color. Though color pencils are one of the most versatile mediums, other options include brush pens, watercolors, colored markers, and water-soluble colored pencils.

Colors can have many representations, and people assign conscious or unconscious meaning to them. I associate green with nature, while others can see green as health and growth. One can choose to color flowers pink because that is the color they associated flowers with, while others can choose to color flowers blue because they have an important memory attached to blue flowers. Whatever is the case, colors have meanings whether you realize them or not. 

I have been coloring since 2015, and I still color today. Through coloring, I can see my growth as an artist and as a person. I have always chosen bright colors and tried to bring in as many colors as I can. Over the years, I learned to match colors that will go well together and to use the blank space outside the lines. 

Coloring has been a part of my growth from a high schooler to a mental health counselor in training. Along the way, it’s helped me find peace and calm. Coloring is my way of journaling: It documents my journey. 

Irene, an Advanced Clinical Intern at my practice, is a Mental Health Counseling graduate student at Hunter College in New York City and a proud owner of dozens of coloring books.

Other Resources:

Free coloring pages

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