Interracial marriages are so common these days that you forget at one point in time they were actually illegal.
The film Loving is based on the true story of interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving who were married in 1958. The couple spent nine years fighting for their right to live as a family in the state of Virginia. Richard Loving was arrested and sentenced to a year in prison because their marriage was a violation of the Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which prohibited marriage between black and white people. The Supreme Court eventually declared the prohibition to be unconstitutional, ending all race based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.
The film stars Joel Edgerton as Richard Loving and Ruth Negga as Mildred Loving. Loving was written and directed by Jeff Nichols; It will open in select theaters on November 04, 2016.
It’s hard to believe that people were denied the right to love simply because of their skin color! I’m really looking forward to seeing this movie!
Check out the trailer below:
Check out this interview 1967 interview from Richard and Mildred Loving.
When I first saw the trailer for Surviving Compton I didn’t have high expectations for the film, especially since it was premiering on the Lifetime network which doesn’t have the best track record for biopics. I wasn’t really familiar with Michel’le besides her appearing on the reality show Hollywood Divas but I do remember hearing stories that Dr. Dre abused her back in the day when they dated.
Many people speculated she was releasing the movie for financial gain and that she was lying about the abuse endured by Dr. Dre. The fact that she has been so consistent with her story for so many years made me think otherwise.
It took a minute for me to get into the film because of the narrative format and having to adjust to the actor’s high pitch voice(which was very annoying!), but after a while I became intrigued with the story. I saw the movie Straight Outta Compton which I really enjoyed so it was interesting to hear another side of the story from a woman’s point of view. I didn’t realize how much of a role Michel’le played in the group NWA or that she was signed to Ruthless Records which was Dr. Dre’s record label back in the 80s. I can see now why she wanted to tell her side of the story being that she was not included in Straight Outta Compton. I thought it was crazy how she was taken advantage of by some of the guys from the group. The movie revealed that she was initially not getting paid for her vocals on a lot of their tracks.
Eventually Michel’le is approached about creating her own album and that’s when it seems like Dre’s attitude towards her became aggressive. The first scene in the movie where Dr. Dre hits Michel’le is almost unbearable to watch, he climbs on top of her in the bed while he is sloppy drunk and begins to punch her in the face until her nose starts to bleed. In the scene the real life Michel’le walks into the room with her character and explains why she chose to stay with Dre. She explained how she was taught growing up that abuse was a sign of showing love. To cope with the pain of abuse she indulged in drinking alcohol and taking drugs.
Although the film was supposed to highlight Michel’le’s singing career, the physical abuse overshadowed most of the movie. The most heartbreaking scene in the film is when Michel’le is in the studio recording her popular single Something In My Heart; she is singing with a bruised face looking fearfully at Dre who threatened to beat her again if she couldn’t sing the song correctly.
The scene was such a pivotal part of the movie because it sums up the emotions of what a lot of abused women go through. Many women equate love with physical pain which is very unfortunate. Most abused women feel helpless and trapped in relationships because of the fear caused by the abuser. I’ve never been hit by a man but I always wondered why women decide to stay in abusive relationships.
Many people, especially men shunned Michel’le because of her decision to date both Dr. Dre and Suge Knight, but the movie explained why she made that decision. When you’re coming out of an abusive relationship and you find someone else who treats you great, it is easy to see how she could fall for him so quickly. Although Suge eventually did hit her she explains in the movie that it was a one time occurrence. Later in the movie Michel’le is coerced into marrying Suge which she later finds out wasn’t a legal marriage; she also finds out that he was primarily using her to run his business while he was in prison.
After ending the relationship with Suge Michel’le is left drained and damaged from all the years of abuse and pain that she endured. The end of the film shows how she was able to get her life back on track and most importantly how she was able to survive. The majority of women in abusive relationships don’t survive so her story was an important one to tell.
For a Lifetime movie the film was decent and I think the network did a wonderful job with the casting. Rhyon Nicole Brown who formerly starred on the show Lincoln Heights did an amazing job portraying Michel’le, especially with mimicking her voice. Actor Curtis Hamilton also did a great job portraying Dr. Dre(He also wasn’t bad on the eyes!).
Surviving Compton wasn’t an amazing movie but it was definitely a story worth telling as I’m sure it impacted a lot of women who have experienced abuse in relationships.
As a blogger it is always nice to meet fellow writers who are on the same path as myself. Most new bloggers face the challenges of creating a brand, building a following, and trying to earn a few coins on the side. At times blogging can become frustrating and even challenging when you aren’t seeing a financial gain or when your followers don’t seem to be growing.
Blogger Elly J started her blog to create a platform for young aspiring entrepreneurs to share their dreams and success stories. After blogging for a few years, her readers expanded and she made numerous connections with writers, directors and other successful entrepreneurs. Because of her perseverance she even got an opportunity to work on a film set.
Elly J is gearing up for the relaunch of her blog. We caught up with her for a brief interview to discuss her love for writing, the Elly J brand and future goals.
Check out the interview below:
Amy Nicole: What inspired you to start your blog?
Elly J: I always loved to write. When I created my blog “What’s Up Elly J?” in 2011, I guess I wanted to find a way to keep myself creatively active with my writing and at the time blogs were becoming popular. I actually saw a friend of mine’s blog she created and I loved it so I thought why not?
Amy Nicole: Tell us more about your brand and what sets you apart from other bloggers.
Elly J: It’s funny because as I was working on my biography for my website, I didn’t truly understand what my brand was. In the beginning, my brand was geared towards creating a platform for young adults where they could discuss their careers, their brands, their dreams etc. I would say that this is still true, but through my experience of blogging I met many older, career-driven people that were starting their own businesses. I also gained a larger audience and I didn’t want to make it where they couldn’t relate to the stories that were shared on my site.
Now I would say that my brand is about creating a platform for all upcoming entrepreneurs and those that would like inspire anyone in the process of starting their own careers. I think that’s what sets me apart from other bloggers. My blog was created to inspire not just young adults, but everyone.
Amy Nicole: What are the most rewarding aspects about blogging?
Elly J: I would say the most rewarding aspects for me has been able to meet the different people that have inspired me and supported my brand. “What’s Up Elly J?” has definitely grown over the past five years and I’m so proud of the community that has grown with it.
Amy Nicole: What has been your most memorable experience since starting your blog?
Elly J: About a year ago, I interviewed director, producer, and actor Jahmar Hill. He was looking for bloggers to promote his first movie, “Last Love Lost” and I reached out to him after a close friend of mine told me about it. I think that was my most memorable experience because when I met him, I told him I wanted to work in film and I would love to assist him in anyway I can and he actually took me seriously lol. Since I met him I was able to work on set for his second film, “Fourth Quarter”, which will be out soon and I got a chance to learn about the film industry. I would say this is my most memorable experience because I was able to work with someone who believes in my talent wholeheartedly and trusts me to do write ups about his movie and his brand. It taught me a lot about myself and made me want to take my career to next level.
Amy Nicole: What are the most challenging aspects about blogging?
Elly J: It is very time consuming. I believe that if there is anything you want to do you have to be willing to sacrifice and be consistent. I do wish that I had been a little more on top of prioritizing my time because writing is an art and has to be perfected. So you have to stay on top of perfecting your craft and making sure you are putting your all into it. That’s definitely something I find is difficult and frustrating at times.
Amy Nicole: You conduct a lot of interviews for your blog. What story has inspired you the most?
Elly J: Oh wow, it’s been so many different people who’s stories have touched me and really motivated me. I would have to the interview I did with college professor and motivational speaker Lenny Williams probably touched me the most. His back story about being robbed at gunpoint, almost losing his life but the gun backfired and his life was spared was the most inspiring story I’ve heard. After that experience, he did a complete 360 and changed his for the better and now his traveling and speaking to different young adults. I’ll always go back to interview and read it over and over again because to me it’s a true testament of how God can work and use people in the most unexpected way.
Amy Nicole: What are your long term goals for your writing career?
Elly J: In addition to relaunching my site, I will be releasing my first novel. I have been working on three different novels since 2012 and I never got around to finishing them. I’m really excited because when I write is when I feel I am able to really express myself. I would like to keep releasing books that will be adapted into television shows and movies!
Amy Nicole: You are in the process of relaunching your site. What are some of the new changes that readers can expect?
Elly J: With this new website, I didn’t want to stop conducting interviews. Readers can definitely look forward to more articles about different people as well as more personal articles written by me. I really wanted to make this new site a reflection of who I am and what I like. Basically it will be an online magazine where you can get a little bit of everything, from fashion, to lifestyle tips, and more! My site will be up on October 17th and I’m very excited!
Amy Nicole: How can people reach you for business inquiries?
It was great getting to know more about Elly J and her brand! If you are an aspiring entrepreneur or a blogger just starting out, we hope her story has inspired you to continue your journey to success! Visit her blog here.
Beyonce’ made us get “In Formation” and now younger sister Solange wants us to have a seat and listen. A Seat At The Table which is now the number one album on Billboard 200 is Solange’s 3rd studio album.
The album is such a breath of fresh air because it’s so authentic, personal, and relatable. It’s also such a symbolic album because many of the songs touch on topics that are relevant in today’s society especially regarding black culture. This album really put Solange at the forefront and made many (both of us included) who failed to notice her music before take a second look. For many years people have referred to Solange simply as “Beyonce’s younger sister” but with this latest project she proves that she is a creative genius and a force to be reckoned with.
Solange has been a singer and music writer for years, and she has always been content with being in her own lane and creating the type of music that she wants without looking for recognition.
ASATT is socially conscious, filled with black pride and in true Solange fashion beautifully artistic. It’s obvious she put a lot of time and passion into the creation of this project because everything about the album is so cohesive; from her vocals, to the instrumentation, the lyrics, the artists she chose to collaborate with, and even the location where she created majority of the album which was in New Iberia, Louisiana where her grandparents met.
The album includes interludes from her parents as well as several interludes from rap veteran Percy Miller (aka Master P.), who is one of Solange’s musical inspirations. He discusses reaching major success as a black owned company, the formation of his record label No Limit Records, and being able to recognize your value and worth in the industry.
Tina Knowles talks about black pride and the the stigma that sometimes comes along with that expression, and Matthew Knowles recounts the negative experiences he had growing up during the civil rights era.
Each dialogue presents a different discussion to engage the listener’s ear. I assume this is why Solange named the album “A Seat At The Table” being that most people who sit at a table together engage in conversation. Dope concept! The album is packed with over 21 tracks each delivering their own unique message.
Cranes In The Sky is one of our favorite tracks and one that Solange actually started working on it 8 years ago. The song is so relatable because it speaks on trying to escape a pain or filling a void by replacing it with temporary fixes.
Don’t Touch My Hair is another favorite of ours. As black women who proudly rock our natural hair sometimes we notice the stares of people who may feel our hair looks too ethnic. The track also speaks of owning individuality and not trying to change or conform to appease others. It’s about not letting others diminish your shine or light.
The song “Weary” addresses the whole concept question everything and trust no one……
Solange advocates for human equality and urges listeners to question the reasoning for having a social hierarchy .
But you know that a king is only a man
With flesh and bones, he bleeds just like you do
He said, “Where does that leave you?”
And, “Do you belong?”
I do, I do
In the song “Mad” which features Lil. Wayne Solange expresses the anger that many black people are feeling towards the continuous loss of innocent black lives by police officers. It also speaks on being mad without being able to fully express being mad due to possible ramifications.
In the chorus Solange sings,
Why you always gotta be, why you always gotta be so mad (mad, mad, mad)
I got a lot to be mad about (be mad, be mad, be mad)
Lil Wayne raps:
Then I walk up in the bank, pants sagging down
And I laugh at frowns what they mad about?
Cause here come this motherfucker with this mass account
That didn’t wear cap and gown
Are you mad cause the judge ain’t give me more time
Other songs like F.U.B.U.which is the acronym for the the 90s clothing like For Us By Us encourages the empowerment/unity of black people in a majority white society.
All my niggas in the whole wide world
Made this song to make it all y’all’s turn
For us, this shit is for us
Some shit is a must
This shit is for us
The album as a whole is a wonderful and creative body of work! Kudus to Solange for staying true to who she is and for putting out music that is relevant and important to what’s going on in society today.
Life shifts so quickly from one moment to the next and at times even though we may be present in the moment, we may not be living in the moment. Social media doesn’t help with this because we are so busy trying to capture our life through photos or videos that we are actually robbed of really enjoying that time.
A few days ago I was looking at old pictures on my phone and I came across one of me and my sisters at the beach in Destin, Florida from two years ago. I laughed looking at the photo because I remember asking my brother’s girlfriend to take the picture of us literally like 20 times so that I could post the perfect picture on Instagram.
Looking back on that moment I realize how much I was missing out on making a great memory with my sisters instead of being focused on a picture that we don’t even look at anymore. That was actually the case for most of the pictures in my photo library and I thought about how many moments in life I actually missed out on. Another issue that I have that prevents me from living in the moment is being a compulsive thinker LOL! Even when I’m out having a good time I either find myself dwelling on situations that have happened in the past or I worry about things that I have to do in the future which causes me not to be present in the moment.
Over the last two to three years I’ve either lost a family member or someone that I know has lost someone close to them. This has definitely changed my outlook on life a lot. Death always puts life back into perspective because it makes you realize just how temporary and short life can be and it also makes you appreciate every day that you have to be alive.
Aside from the promotion of my blog I don’t share too much of my personal life on social media anymore and I’m enjoying life so much better now. Life is nothing but moments in time and I want to really enjoy these moments while I still have my family and friends around and while I have the opportunity to do so!
When I first saw the trailer to WTBB a few months ago I didn’t have high expectations for the film. It looked like a movie with a storyline that you’ve seen before a million times, and it didn’t help that the average critic rating was a 4 out of 10! I think most people including myself were more drawn to the cast instead of the film; I mean it’s hard to turn down an opportunity to see the gorgeous Regina Hall and sexy Morris Chestnut on the big screen together. My mom kept going on and on about wanting to see the movie “with that black guy” (how specific) so we went to check it out a few days ago.
The film centered around the lives of John and Laura Taylor played by Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall. They seemed to have the picture perfect life; a nice home, successful jobs, and they were deeply in love. The only thing missing in their lives were kids. The couple tried several times over the course of their marriage to have children but Laura unfortunately suffered a few miscarriages. With Laura only having one viable embryo remaining, they decided to hire a surrogate as another option to have their child. That’s where Ana Walsh played by Jaz Sinclair comes into the story. A 21 year old student that desired to give a couple the gift of life. She was beautiful, innocent, vulnerable and sweet, and Laura felt she was the perfect person to be their surrogate.
Things went from 0 to 100 real quick once Anna was pregnant with the Taylor’s child. Shortly after learning she was pregnant Anna and her boyfriend Mike were involved in a domestic violence situation in which he physically assaulted her leaving her homeless and helpless. After Mike gets arrested John files a restraining order and warns him to stay away from Anna. The Taylors insist that Anna come live with them until she has the baby and is able to get back on her feet. (Now how realistic is this type of situation? Regardless if a woman is carrying your child what are the odds of a person willingly inviting a stranger to live in their home?) What John and Laura don’t realize is that Anna and her boyfriend were scheming them from the beginning; their plan was to get as much money out of the couple as they could then keep the baby for themselves.
While living with the couple Anna becomes infatuated with John and she doesn’t hesitate in letting him know. Anna quickly goes from sweet and innocent to full out psycho. During the film Laura goes out of town leaving Anna alone in her home with John. (Really Laura??!) Anna really takes advantage of the situation and uses it as an opportunity to pursue John; she goes as far as to show up to his job unannounced in front of his co-workers, and sends him graphic videos which ultimately puts his career in jeopardy. She really played with the fact that she was carrying the baby and had the right to change her mind about giving up the child at any time. John feels helpless so he tries to appease her without crossing the line in an effort to get her to cooperate until the baby arrives. All the while Laura is totally in the dark not knowing that anything is wrong. When Laura gets back in town all hell breaks loose. Anna can’t control her feelings for John so she attempts to cause tension in the Taylor’s marriage. When that doesn’t work she takes off leaving Laura and John frantic and clueless on how to find her with only a few days left before the baby’s due date.
During all the chaos a friend of Johns’ uncovers that Anna is a dangerous felon who was able to bypass the background check of the surrogate agency because she was listed under an alias.
The movie ends in a goose chase with the couple putting their life on the line to get their child back. When The Bough Breaks was a recycled blend of the films Fatal Attraction, Obsessed and Single White Female without a more innovative plot. It wasn’t a terrible movie but it wasn’t great either. There were so many predictable, unoriginal and unrealistic moments, and the acting was just sub-par. It was nice to see Regina Hall in a more serious role since she is notorious for comedies. I wasn’t familiar with Jaz Sinclair but I would definitely consider her the wild card of the film. Her acting depth was impressive. I would recommend saving your money instead of going to see the film in theaters. The 3 minute trailer actually breaks down the movie in its entirety.
Power has become one of my favorite shows on television. The show is so unpredictable and it’s packed with suspense, action, and drama! When season two ended viewers were left with several cliffhangers. Ghost and Tommy seemed to have ended their friendship and the biggest surprise of the season was the revelation that Kanan had survived the basement fire.
In season 3 Ghost and Angela decide to take their relationship to the next level by moving in together but they both struggle with trusting one another because of their lifestyle differences. Ghosts’ relationship with Angela causes a riff in his family which creates tension between him and Tasha. It also causes his son Tariq to develop animosity towards him. Because of Ghosts’ absence in the household Tariq begins to act out at school and is disrespectful towards Tasha.
Photo Credit: VibePhoto Credit: UPROXX
Kanan takes advantage of Ghosts’ damaged relationship with Tariq by stepping into his life as a sort of father figure and exposing him to criminal behavior. The return of Kanan puts Dre in a tough situation because he works for Ghost but Kenan still demands his loyalty.
(Sidebar) As much as I would love to see Ghost work things out with Tasha I think she deserves better than him. What woman would be eager to take back a husband who left his family to pursue a relationship with his high school sweetheart!? But on the other hand I try to keep in mind that Tasha was not supportive of Ghost getting out of the drug business.
Photo Credit: Breathe Cast
I think the biggest question on everyone’s mind for season 3 was whether or not Tommy and Ghost would be able to reconcile their friendship. Tommy doesn’t want to let the drug business go but Ghost is adamant about leaving the game for good which causes major conflict in their relationship.
After Tommy discovered that Ghost tried to pay Holly off to leave town it seems as though their friendship would totally be destroyed. The loyalty of their friendship was tested when Lobos ordered Tommy to kill Ghost. Tommy however when presented with the opportunity to kill him couldn’t bring himself to pull the trigger on a childhood friend that he considers to be a brother.
Because of Tommy’s slow response to getting the job done Holly takes action into her own hands by paying someone else to kill him. When Tommy discovers what Holly has done he chokes her to death in a fit of rage without knowing that she was carrying his child. Ghost helps Tommy get rid of her body reconciling their friendship and the two decide to work together to take down Lobos.
Photo Credit: TV RUCKUS
Ghost finds out the transportation route for Lobos which allows him and Tommy the opportunity to take him out. The murder of Lobos causes an investigation into the police taskforce where Angela works prompting an internal search by detectives to discover who in the company leaked Lobos’ whereabouts.
Photo Credit: StufflyPeopl
Agent Greg Knox spends the majority of the season compiling evidence to incriminate Angela as the leak and Ghost as the killer. After Greg has all the evidence to convict Ghost he arranges a meeting with Agent Mike Sandoval to share his new found knowledge about the Lobos case. During their meeting Greg receives a phone call from Mexican county authorities which makes him realize that agent Sandoval is actually the leak. Greg confronts Sandoval about being the leak which ends in Greg being shot and killed. (Dang I was annoyed by Greg’s interference in the case but I hated to see him go out like that!)
Photo Credit: Black Film
It looked as if Ghost would finally be able to get out of the drug game until he realizes that his security guard Milan is a drug dealer for a Serbian gang. Milan coerces Tommy and Ghost to sell drugs for him otherwise he threatens to harm their families. (Although I love the bad boy drug-dealing side of Ghost I also sympathize with him because I know how badly he wants to live a life free from crime).
Fortunately with the help of Dre, Ghost and Tommy are able to take out Milan and his crew freeing them of his control. However little does Ghost know Tommy is secretly taking over the Serbian drug supply and plans to sell drugs in his club.
Things seem to be smooth sailing for Ghost by this point; his upscale event for Truth is a success and he manages to reclaim the club partnership with Karen. It looks like Ghost will get his opportunity to start a brand new life until Angela shows up at the club and surprises him with handcuffs and charges him for the murder of Greg.
Photo Credit: GOT
One huge mystery this season left us with is the whereabouts of Keisha! The season ended without any kind of indication of what happened to her. Tasha convinced Keisha to work with her so she could help expand her hair salon as a way to bring in more of a profit for the both them. In actuality,Tasha was using the salon as a way to clean Ghost and Tommy’s “dirty money” from the drug business; similar to how they used the laundromats. After overhearing a conversation between Tasha and Milan, Keisha finds out the truth and feels hurt and betrayed that her best friend Tasha would lie and involve her into that type of situation. Milan tells Tommy that Keisha needs to go “bye bye” and the last we saw of her was Tommy walking into her empty salon at the end of the night. It left viewers wondering did Tommy cancel Christmas on Keisha or did he pay her off to leave the area.
The season ends with Tasha receiving a photo of Tariq unconscious with Kanans’ burned arm around him. Obviously this is a warning sign to Ghost that Kenan is back with a vengeance. Season 3 was definitely epic! The writing is amazing and I’m so looking forward to what season 4 has in store! What did you guys think of the season 3 finale?
Thanks to social media my time-lines are flooded with selfies of engagements, happy couples, weddings and cute kids on a regular basis. See most women my age are married with multiple kids trying to find a balance between being a mom and a wife. They are juggling the responsibilities and challenges that come with having those two roles along with the many other roles that life brings. As I write this post the most challenging thing on my mind is what I am going to eat tomorrow. My life as it pertains to only me right now is for the most part pretty simple and I like it! I have nothing close to a potential spouse and the thought of having a baby is the furthest thing from my mind. I even have thoughts that maybe marriage and kids might not happen for me and I’m totally fine with that outcome if that’s my fate. Making the decision to commit to another person for the rest of your life is serious business and it’s a job that not everyone can handle. Being from the south and living in the good ole Bible belt where tradition is the norm, many people especially older adults are shocked by my carefree attitude towards being single and childless.
At one point in my life I found myself always being in a relationship and when I wasn’t in one I was searching and longing for the next relationship that I hoped would be the “right” one. The “right one” being that relationship that would get me the ring and a walk down the aisle in my white dress because that’s what I grew up believing was the goal for women and a key to a piece of happiness. As I’ve mentioned before in a previous post (The Coldest Winter Ever: My Battle With Depression), I found myself in a difficult battle with depression over a year ago. One bad life experience after another kept piling up on me until mentally I broke down and had to reach out to a therapist for help. During that time I kind of shut myself off from men because I had too much going on internally and I wasn’t in the right state of mind to develop a relationship with anybody. Truth be told most of my previous relationships had caused me more stress than happiness.
My time of isolation allowed me to take a thorough internal look at myself; the good, the bad, and the ugly and I was able to analyze who I really was. With me always being in a relationship I didn’t know who I was outside of one. When you enter a relationship not knowing who you are it’s easy to get lost in someone else and become what that person feels you should be instead of being who you truly want to be. Surprisingly I found out that I didn’t know myself as well as I thought and I wanted to make some changes. It was also during that time I became more spiritual and I started studying the law of attraction. I reassessed past relationships and the type of person I was in those relationships.
I remember having a conversation about relationships and marriage with a lady about a year ago and her words stuck with me. She said sometimes when we dislike a person it’s because there is something about them that reminds us of ourselves; it’s like looking at your reflection in the mirror. It made me think about the energy I was giving off to people and in exchange what type of relationships/energy I was attracting in my life. Being alone has given me time to reflect on my past and really analyze what I want from a relationship. I questioned what exactly was happiness to me and was I looking for a relationship to bring me happiness? Was I basing my happiness on another person’s standards?
I’m definitely more self aware of who I am now and I’m constantly growing. I feel like I’ve changed for the better being single which I think is amazing because I want to be the greatest version of myself before someone else becomes a part of my life. I don’t necessarily believe another person should complete you or make you whole. I think another person should enhance the good that’s already within you. Since I’ve changed my experiences and the people coming into my life have even changed for the better. I think I’m happier now than I’ve been in a while and I finally feel like I’m living in the moment instead dwelling so much on the past or the future.
Some people look at me almost in pity like being single is a death sentence but I pity a lot of people who are miserable in relationships because they don’t want to be alone or because they feel it’s the right thing to do based on another person’s standards. Many people are out here looking to fill voids and they think a relationship is going to fix their problems. At some point you have to come face to face with yourself and recognize who you are and many don’t know who they are.
One of my college friends who is married gave me some advice about a year ago. She said there are perks to being single and married but once you get married your life changes forever. She said marriage is very challenging at times and it has its ups and downs. She told me to appreciate where I was at that point and to enjoy life as much as I could being single because once you make a lifelong commitment to another person it won’t be about just me anymore. I was in a bad place mentally at that time so it was hard for her words to sink in, but now her words are echoing all throughout my head and I am very much happy as a single woman and just living and enjoying the moments I have by myself. And if I decide to make that decision to get married or just commit to an exclusive relationship again I can say without a doubt I lived and really enjoyed my life as a single woman.
It’s cliche but it’s so true, if you don’t know how to be happy single, you won’t know how to be happy in a relationship. I’m happy and I’m done defining my happiness and living my life by another person’s standards. I’m doing me and loving it! 😉
When I first saw the preview for Greenleaf I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was certainly intrigued by the storyline. A mega church in the south becomes disrupted by family scandal, secrets and lies. You hear about church scandals all the time so I was excited to see how a script would play out on television. Religion is such a sensitive topic for most people so I think it’s good to have a show that doesn’t sugarcoat the topic.
The show centers around the Greenleaf family; a prestigious, wealthy, black family in Memphis Tennessee. Bishop James Greenleaf(Keith David) is the patriarch of the family and Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield) is his devoted wife. They are the pastor and first lady of Calvary Church. The show also follows the lives of their three adult children: Jacob, Charity, and Grace. Oprah Winfrey has a recurring role on the show as Lady Mae’s sister but they have an estranged relationship which can at times get volatile.
Each family member has their own unique story which unravels more secrets and scandals.
Just to give you an idea Charity discovers that her husband is struggling with his sexuality and Jacob is having an affair with an employee of the church. (Yasss honey it gets real LOL!)
Grace is the central character in the show. She returns home to Memphis with her teenage daughter Sophia after being gone for over 20 years to attend the funeral of her sister Faith. After coming back home she makes the decision to stay and return to the ministry. Grace no longer considers herself a very religious person but she does have a relationship with God. I can relate a lot to Grace in this aspect because I don’t consider myself to be religious anymore. I definitely have a strong relationship with God, but I don’t feel like I need a title to define that relationship. As the show progresses you learn what turned Grace away from the church and her family.
I grew up in Mississippi which is a huge Bible belt state, and I think the depiction of the southern church and congregation is very accurate! From the women wearing the big church hats to the overzealous pastors it was very on point .
I think the biggest issue with the the church is the fixation with church leaders. Most people that attend church look up to church leaders as if they are perfect when in fact they are far from it. They make mistakes just like everyone else which the show depicts. The biggest scandal on the show this season is when the family discovers that Lady Mae’s brother, Mac McCready had been sexually assaulting young girls in the church for years including Bishop Greenleaf and Lady Mae’s deceased daughter Faith.
The season concludes with Mac arriving at the Greenleaf mansion escorted by police officers. Mac kisses Lady Mae on the cheek before entering the house to confront the bishop which in my opinion signified an act of betrayal like when Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek before he betrayed him in the Bible.
Some people might get offended by the series and say that it is disrespectful to the Christian religion but I would definitely disagree. The show is real and it highlights relatable issues. Growing up I was taught to just pray about my problems and everything would be okay but as I became an adult I realized that life was not that simple. Greenleaf exposes the reality of the church. Going to church doesn’t erase your problems and it doesn’t make you any better than anyone else. The show focuses on flawed human beings who are all trying to figure out and navigate through life the best way they can by having faith.
I really enjoyed Greenleaf and I’m very excited to see what type of drama season two will bring!
