We’re Going To Need More Wine

Gabrielle Union is amazing. Really, she is. I’ve been a fan of her and her work for a long time, and when I learned she had a memoir dropping I was hype. Her collection of stories about her life, We’re Going to Need More Wine has been out for a while and I bought it as soon as it released. Although I've read it cover to cover, I've occasionally dived back into it for some insight from time to time. It's so good. You may want to grab a glass of wine while reading about her interesting, relatable, and incredible life and career. Her stories make you feel like she’s a close girlfriend you’re having an unfiltered girl chat with, which is rare these days since so many people (especially women) claim to be real but are either fake or too afraid to share stories that can help encourage, inspire, and uplift themselves and others. What I admire most about Gabrielle is her candidness and willingness to be upfront, honest, unapologetic, and open about everything from her childhood through adulthood. She shares her experiences with racism, being a child of divorce, racial profiling, colorism, black hair, surviving sexual assault, marriage and divorce, being a stepmother, an advocate and activist, dating and sex, income inequality, breaking barriers in Hollywood, her wins and losses, and even more unbelievably candid thoughts and experiences that have been a part of her journey. If you’re looking for something authentic, funny, inspiring, and encouraging to read, We’re Going to Need More Wine is definitely worth checking out. It’s incredible.

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut...

Twenty Pieces Of Advice & Wisdom For The Twenty-Something Women Of The World

Years ago, a friend of mine asked me for advice regarding a life change she was considering. She explained her situation and shared, “I wanted to talk to you because you give really good advice.” I was flattered and surprised by her statement. Mostly because while I’ve been approached by family, friends, colleagues, different students I teach, and sometimes even strangers who have asked me for advice regarding whatever it was they happened to bring my way, some haven’t always listened and then proceeded to make regretful decisions that could have been avoided if they had listened to what I shared in the first place. And lately, a group that’s heavily been on my heart and mind are women in their twenties. I’m only 33 but I remember what it was like for my friends and me moving through our twenties. It wasn’t the easiest decade to navigate, and it certainly had its ups and downs, but armed with the experiences, advice, and wisdom I have now, there are definitely things I believe we ...

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