Everyone is judged on their physical appearance, but the gavel comes down much harder on Black women. — I held off on writing about this topic because I wanted to sit with Monique’s comments as she presented them — as advice, wisdom and an observation — instead of how the Internet ran with them — as judgment and criticism. When it comes to the topic of Black women…

Love yourself enough to pour back into your body more than you demand out of it. — It is your first time getting a Brazilian wax and you tell the lady as much when she asks, despite your desire to lie. “It’s not that bad,” she says with a laugh. “Don’t worry.” “I’ve had two kids so I can’t imagine it will hurt more than giving birth.” …

Because life is for living and learning. — Ask for help before you reach your breaking point. Family is who you choose. The past always seems simpler. Try to remember that. one day, you’ll look back at this time, and it will seem simple too. If you’re competing against anybody other than yourself, you will lose. Peace and…

Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I became a mother. When I was 21, a good friend of mine had a baby. Though we had not spoken in years, she invited me to her baby shower and I was excited to attend. Of course, one part of…

I took a month off of writing on Medium. Now I’m back. Welcome or welcome back! It is a new year and that’s as good a time as any to reintroduce myself on this platform. My name is Kesia. I’m a 30 year old writer from Washington, DC now living…

This old fashioned way of networking is still valuable…if you do it right. Last week, my partner and I were loading our kids into the car when a man approached us. I had already noticed him actually because of how loudly he was playing his music as he pulled into…

What can we do about that saddening feeling that the best of life is behind us? Somewhere along the line, it became a popular goal to try and live a life with no regrets. We take risks when we’re young and hope they pay off. We’re told to spend our…

While details might be foggy, if you remember how you felt, the story is still there. Maya Angelou once said: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Trust yourself. I am often…

One rejection is just that: one. I was young when I applied to an MFA program — only 24. I felt old though. For one thing, I had always been a year older than everyone in school because I’d started late. I also took a gap year between my second…