The Texture Lounge

Queen Bey's latest drop and a check-in on my themes of the year.

We are back in the Lounge with an incredibly dynamic guest and an episode that will be worth the wait! Kimberly Dillon, Founder of Frigg, a stress-less beauty brand powered by plant magic, gives us a beauty lesson, history lesson, and science lesson on the power of cannabis and we will all be the wiser after listening to Kimberly’s expertise. We chat about her experience as the first Black female CMO in the cannabis industry, how burnout led to her aha! moment, combatting anxiety, transparent and science-backed beauty, why cannabis is stigmatized, the importance of meditation and SO much more! Business Social handle: @getfrigg Personal Social handle: @kimberlykdillon Website: https://www.getfrigg.com/ Show Notes Kimberly Dillon on... (6:00) - how her career trajectory led her to the cannabis industry (9:10) - how her search for women’s place in cannabis historically and her love of comic books led to the name of her company (13:19) - her hair and beauty rituals growing up and in the corporate world (18:22) - being a Black, female CMO in an industry that became legal overnight (25:15) - anxiety + the science of cannabis (28:34) - getting her expertise questioned by a junior executive as CMO (30:58) - her AHA moment connecting the dots between CBD oil and her radiant appearance (33:48) - what is a tincture (34:41) - the definition, history & context of cannabis, hemp, THC & CBD, cannabinoids (38:35) - the endocannabinoid system (41:13) - what CBD is doing in the skin (50:16) - her 3 pillars for combatting anxiety - CBD, exercise, and meditation (54:31) - using sound baths or chanting as a way into meditation (58:50) - the benefits of Frigg’s Attuning Hair Potion (1:00:45) - the benefits of Frigg’s Attuning Face Potion (1:05:20) - her reasoning behind developing a scientific advisory board (1:13:41) - toxic ingredients and unethical supply chain practices in some beauty ingredients (castor oil) (1:15:11) - conscious capitalism in cannabis and her holistic philosophy on approaching business (1:17:10) - the reason why cannabis is stigmatized thanks to Harry Anslinger & his racism (1:25:52) - the creation of the marijuana & prison pipeline (1:32:59) - myth-busting stereotype of cannabis users as lazy and criminal (1:35:55) - myth-busting stereotype of cannabis as dangerous & the importance of purchasing from a reputable source (1:44:31) - the full potential of wealth of the cannabis industry (1:48:04) - how being slow will speed you up and the origin of self-care (1:51:37) - her rituals - gratitude prayer, morning pages from The Artist Way, Voluspa candles, aromatherapy (Palo Santo, Sandalwood & Rosemary), and adding colorful lightbulbs to increase the whimsy in her life (1:56:01) - her go-to beauty products (1:58:54) - her favorite Black-owned beauty & wellness product - @peakandvalleyco Balance My Stress Adaptogen Blend (2:01:40) - how we should all take as much care with our emotional wellbeing as we do with our physical appearance (2:02:51) - where to follow Kimberly @kimberlykdillon and check out Frigg at getfrigg.com and on social @getfrigg

Lauren Napier on… (02:00) - her personal definition of beauty. “It comes from within” (03:45) - her own beauty style (07:00) - when she feels the most beautiful (08:00) - being a morning person and how it impacts her productive levels (09:50) - how Lauren Napier Beauty got started and the philosophy behind the brand (12:00) - sustainability being a core part of her product development (16:15) - the negative perception of makeup wipes and why her brand of wipes are more superior (19:52) - what she wished she knew before joining the beauty industry (23:48) - her confidence killers growing up. Talks about being a late bloomer (27:19) - her favourite skincare ingredients. Apricot oil, coriander, avocado oil… (29:27) - the products from Black women-owned beauty brands that she integrates into her self-care rituals @sundayIIsunday, @hyperskin and @leland_francis (37:00) - pamerping and her ultimate night-time skincare routine (40:35) - her hair journey (44:53) - ‘Consider Something Better:; an initiative Lauren has started that encourages corporations to give back to startups for economic empowerment (47:50) - her must-have skincare + body products (49:23) - where to follow Lauren: @laurennapierbeauty

Meet Nai'vasha. Memphis native, New York dweller. Celebrity hairstylist to many including Alicia Keys, Tracee Ellis Ross, Storm Reid, Yara Shahidi and more. Founder. Mother of five. Introvert (-kinda). Academic. All-round certified creative. From finance, real estate to the beauty industry, Nai'vasha and I chat it up in the Lounge and she vulnerably shares her fears and insecurities about public speaking, body image and so much more.

Yene Damtew on… (04:19) - being an introvert, despite her require sometimes requiring her to exert extroverted energy (06:16) - the advantages of quarantine and how she has found the good in it all. “Who are we at our core?” (10:52) - the meaning and origination of her name, Yene Bicha. Meaning: Mine only. Named by her father (14:00) - being a first generation ethiopian-american and how her heritage influences her daily American life (17:51) - spending time in city/country where the majority looks like you (19:38) - beauty traditions from the ethiopian culture (21:00) - when she knew she would be a hairstylist. At 16 years young (22:40) - having a BA in Business Administration and how it has helped her as a business owner (22:55) - what she wished she knew before beginning her career as a hairstylist. “You don’t have to know everything” (26:32) - her go to hairstyles for herself. Yene talks about style shifting and reinventing her look through multiple hairstyles (28:20) - her journey from graduating from cosmetology school and moving from Orange County to the White House, as one of two hairstylists to the Obama family (30:20) - what it was like working with the First Lady, Mrs Michelle Obama (32:00) -the origination and signification of our Black cultural hairstyles and we touch upon cultural appropriation (39:33) - the CROWN act. Creating a Respectful and Open World/Workplace for Natural hair (44:15) - a key business building tip for all salon owners looking to build their business and careers in the hair industry (45:00) - running as therapy. Her current self-care ritual (47:15) - her beauty essentials. Yene names Mizani’s 25 Miracle Milk as a must-have for textured hair (49:35) - her final message: "You have to know who you are…” (51:31) - where to find Yene: @yenedamtew; her salon: @aesthetics.salon. For professional stylists, click here to find out how you can join her academy community for salon business tips

In today’s climate of civil unrest, both in the US and in the wider world, conversations of the Black Lives Matter movement, social injustice and slavery are bubbling up to the surface. While many are spending time reading about how to become an anti-racist, or identifying biases, I have decided to go further back and learn about the history of where my ancestors come from - Africa; where we started and what that looked like, pre-slavery. As I research and read of our plight, I can’t help but smile. Because, despite it all: the sadness, the disbelief and the trauma, we still stand today, stronger than ever and we are just brilliant. It is a written piece that i chose to record for those of you who prefer the audio format. Whenever you need to remember just how inspiring, beautiful and resilient you are, come back and listen to this. Read the full piece here

Dr Michelle Henry on… (00:02:45) - the origin of her name (00:05:00) - how COVID-19 has impacted her day to day positively (00:07:33) - Tumi shares a tip on how she purposefully disconnects from her phone in the evenings (00:08:55) - how she started in dermatology. She initially thought she would become a breast cancer surgeon (00:11:55) - the importance of being able to infuse her culture into her role as a dermatologist, to ensure the right diagnosis are made (00:16:12) - what she wish she kew about this industry before she started in her career. To trust her voice her much earlier on (00:17:17) - on seamlessly speaking up at all times (00:18:57) - Tumi on her recent favourite way of making time for herself. Long luxe baths (00:20:15) - her confidence killers as child growing up (00:21:18) - her hair journey through the year and getting into a stride as someone who wears her hair natural, while shifting her style with confidence (00:24:00) - skincare routines growing up (00:25:33) - nay to coconut oil on the face but ok for the body (00:25:44) - turmeric in skincare. breaks up excess pigment, soothing and anti-inflammatory (00:28:14) - black don’t crack but what if your black is cracking? Dr Henry shares her position on this famous phrase (00:31:00) - how melanated skin should be cared for (00:33:57) - you skincare regimen must-haves (00:33:45) - Tumi walk s through her own skincare favourites. Dr Henry shares the importance of a daytime and night-time regimen. (00:39:28) - skincare multi-taskers to help simplify your regimen (00:41:41) - clarifies how facial oils should be used. Under or over the moisturizer? (00:44:22) - ingredients to avoid for those with sensitive skin (00:46:10) - breakdown the difference between the popular skincare acids: AHAs, BHAs and hyaluronic acid (00:47:42) - debunks the myths of organic/natural ingredients versus chemicals. (00:50:24) - her favourite buzz ingredients. Dr Henry also speaks about the need for sunscreen to help protect melanated skin against blue light (00:53:02) - the difference between chemical and physical (mineral) sunscreens and she names her faves for darker skintones (00:55:48) - rituals that keeps her grounded: meditation (00:57:30) - the final messages she wants to leave you with

Tara Gbolade on… (00:05:48) - why she has decided to explore the wealth of African history; pre-slavery (00:11:30) - babalawos, diviners and healers (00:17:10) - the link between Christianity and slavery (00:26:48) - community as a core value in many African communities; and the importance of creating more socially equitable spaces for our community (00:29:55) - a brief introduction to Tara and her career in architecture (00:32:36) - the submissive nature of Nigerians and how this impacts our ability to challenge and speak up to authority (01:03:30) - her experiences while meditating (01:09:44) - the meaning and power behind her name (01:16:00) - definition of a babalawo (01:26:55) - the books she is reading. A Very Short Introduction to African History, A Very Short Introduction to African Religions, Black & British: a forgotten history and Africa Architecture. Follow Tara on Instagram: @taragbolade and find out more about Gbolade Design Studios.

Re-joining me this episode is Diallo Brooks. A social justice advocate based in Washington, DC who works for People For the American Way. You will remember him from the COVID-19 episode. Sitting with us is Dave; and we will go by his first name only, to protect him. Dave joins us as a Black cop based on the East Coast who shares the flaws he sees daily within the police department, the reason why he joined the force and his thoughts being an officer, while Black, in America. Diallo Brooks and Dave the Cop on… (07:30) - What inspired Diallo to get into social justice. Fact: his great-great grandmother, Maggie Walker, was the first woman and first black woman to found a bank. A statue has been erected in Richmond, VA in her honor (07:30). (09:17) - What it looks like to champion social justice. (13:17) - How they would feel if their kids decided to become police officers. (17:33) - On policing being a way of fighting for social justice. (18:45) - Officers that stand by and watch their colleagues kill black civilians. (21:00) - Being on the side of the protestors. (22:25) - What inspired Dave to become a police officer. (23:17) - What he wish he knew before becoming a police officer. (25:36) - Whether Dave identifies more as being a black man or being a police officer in America; and how it affects how he does his job. (29:40) - How Dave, as a Black man, feels seeing and hearing about the senseless murders of Black civilians. (31:58) - What “the talk” sounds like in both their households. (42:00) - Racial biases within the police department. (44:17) - The quota system - productivity goals within the police department. (52:44) - Historical context of how policing came about as a formalized structure during slavery. (54:38) - Police reform. Understanding the core needs of the community will dictate what level of policing is required. (66:20) - Respecting due process & timelines for the investigation and indictment of wrongful police officers. (71:00) - Police violence stats according to https://mappingpoliceviolence.org. 72:00 - Defining qualified immunity. (75:00) - Accountability around police misconduct in the Black community. (79:00) - What their actions would have been had they seen George Floyd being murdered firsthand. (93:45) - Whether this is a movement or a moment.

Take a seat in the Lounge and eavesdrop into the multi-layered, curated cocktail of conversations for women, told from a Black perspective and hosted by Tumi Brooks. Expect interviews from women across industries including Art, Fashion, Beauty, Medicine, Fitness and more; plus solo-sodes (solo episodes) where Tumi addresses topics pertinent to today's woman.

Ariane Hunter on…. (09:00) The story behind her name (11:45) How Project She Went For Her Dreams came about (14:52) Navigating the move from corporate to owning her business (21:10) Taking the leap into the unknown and how to manage the fears of our African/African-Caribbean parents in doing so (30:45) Launching The Mentors Circle. A mentorship program for women of colour (36:19) Her first mentor and how she found and approached her. (37:00) What good mentorship looks like (45:42) What a career could look like with and without mentorship (51:00) Entrepreneurialism: How the global pandemic has impacted her business. Positively by the way (55:11) What she has learned about herself during the current global pandemics (59:28) Actionable tips on how entrepreneurs can take the leap into finally starting up their new venture (01:03:45) How she protects her mental space and the importance of morning routines (01:06:42) Her top beauty essentials. Skincare, makeup and haircare. 01:12:00 The Mentors Circle scholarship initiative. Want to contribute monetarily to the fund? Do so here (01:13:00) Everyone’s favourite part. The lightning round (01:16:00) How to keep up with the work at Project She Went For Her Dreams

Dr. Cindy Duke on…. (00:00:00) - Check out our new theme tune. ‘Driving Me Crazy’ produced by @Rheimidi (look up his work on Instagram). Preview the full length at the end of this episode. (00:04:04) - Introducing Dr Cindy Duke. (00:04:50) - The meaning behind her name. (00:07:45) - How she fell in love with the world of Fertility. (00:11:09) - Some facts on uterine fibroids and its impact on black women (00:13:03) - What is a fibroid and what does it look like? (00:21:10) - Why fibroids are so rampant among black women and its link to vitamin D deficiency and its impact on fibroid growth. (00:25:10) - Link to relaxer use and fibroids in black women. (00:27:14) - The tell-tale symptoms of someone suffering from fibroids (00:28:50) - The disparities. Black women aren’t taken seriously by the medical community when they show up with their symptoms and therefore aren’t tended to quickly enough (versus non-black females) for treatment. (00:32:24) - Listen up: if you are experiencing any of these abnormal periods, get a physician to look in your womb and address the situation. (00:33:28) - The fear of forced sterilization among Black American women. (00:35:35) - I share my curious experience of finding out whether I have fibroids or not. (00:43:34) - The difference between a myomectomy and hysterectomy. (00:45:15) - Call-in Q1: Returning fibroids after myomectomy. What can we do differently to slow down or eliminate the growth of fibroids outside of surgery? (00:53:15) - Top tips for women who plan to have children after the age of 37. (00:55:17) - Environmental issues that affect our egg quality and egg count. Dr Duke breaks down the number of eggs women have over our lifespan. Mind blowing. (00:57:37) - Egg freezing as your backup plan. (01:00:00) Call-in Q2: The egg freezing process. Am I giving up on the traditional way of having kids? What is the ideal age of egg freezing for successful results. (01:08:50) - What men need to do to boost their reproductive health. (01:13:40) - Dr Duke advises we when should schedule our 1st appointment with a fertility physician. (01:22:00) - Call-in Q3: For someone with low egg count, what should they do to keep them healthy? (01:28:02) - Call-in Q4: Irregular periods? How much of a concern should this be? (01:31:00) - Her go-to beauty essentials (01:34:00) - Where to find Dr Cindy Duke. @drcindymduke on social media and www.drcindyduke.com. Look for her new ebook “Infertility in the time of COVID-19”. (01:36:00) - The lightening round. Everyone’s favourite bit. A series of quick questions on popular culture.

Brandice Daniel on…. (00:03:16) - Who she is and her company, Harlem’s Fashion Row. (00:04:43) - Her name story: how the name ‘Brandice’ was born. (00:06:28) - Exploring the first ‘F’ word: the Force that birthed HFR and what got her passionate about elevating designers of colour. (00:10:10) - The resources Brandice did not readily have at her disposal to get HFR off the ground and how she acquired them. The harsh realities of being in the Big Apple with no money and no connections. (00:11:15) - Accepting help from your friends and how she acquired most of her resources by taking people up on their offers. (00:13:20) - Passion and going after your idea full throttle, no matter what. How passion will attract those resources you are looking for. (00:15:30) - Summarizing her top tips for budding entrepreneurs who want to start their own business. Be brave. Get comfortable with the discomfort. Leverage your tribe. Go towards your goals and be courageous/say the thing you need. (00:16:23) - Fashion. Rediscovering her personal style and shopping designers of colour. (00:16:26) - Her why she has set closet goals. “My goal is to have 80% of my closet be designers of colour.” Wow. (00:21:46) - What fashion should really mean. (00:23:27) - The shifts she has experienced first-hand within the fashion industry. She touches on race and racism in fashion. (00:27:07) - What she is still yearning to see change in the industry. There are no multi-billion dollar fashion brands owned by black designers today, yet we spend $22 billion and more on apparel. (00:28:19) - Her first upcoming fundraiser. The HFR Icon 360 non-profit and virtual fashion event which sees the worlds of fashion, sports and philantrophy coming together 30th May, 2020. All proceeds to go to designers of colour. (00:29:42) - How designers of colour can attract visibility to their work and step out from behind. The dos and don’ts. (00:32:25) - Debunking on myth (mynth, as i said! Shaking my own head here…) on the fashion industry. (00:34:06) - Fears and confidence killers. She is human and still has them today. Brandice talks about the importance of cliff jumping. (00:37:55) - What she wishes she knew before starting her career. The importance of sales and marketing. (00:40:19) - An example of a Failure she has experienced and how she learned from it. “I think it is better we quit something we know that we don’t love versus trying to force it to work.” (00:44:05) - When she last celebrated herself. (00:46:25) - The Fire. Brandice shares her go-to sources to re-ignite her flame. (00:50:12) - The Fundamentals: 1 skincare, makeup, hair product and fashion essential. Brandice spills the tea on her faves. 00:54:00 - A personal note of advice to all listeners from Brandice. You are brave! Where to follow Brandice: @brandicedaniel, www.brandicedaniel.com, @harlemsfashionrow, www.harlemsfashionrow.com (00:55:35) - The lightening round. Everyone’s favourite bit. A series of quick questions on popular culture.

Tippi Shorter, Itaysha Jordan & Patricia Akello on… (00:08:52) - Exploring the meaning behind my guests’ names and their origination (00:18:19) - Black beauty industry statistics extracted from this ESSENCE online article (00:20:25) - Why interest in Black Beauty continues to rise within the Beauty industry. Itaysha touches on the rise of the indie beauty brands giving larger corporates a run for their money. 00:29:00 - Patricia shares how she felt when her agency made the decision to shorten her name on signing. So as not to confuse clients with another model on their books who was also a black model called Patricia: “Even if we have the same name and we come from the same place, we are different people”. (00:30:56) - Patricia acknowledges the growth of black models booked for runway jobs & speaks on the lack of dark-skinned black models as inspiration for her, when she was growing up. (00:34:35) - Confidence issues: Tippi on having a curvy figure. (00:38:00) - Confidence issues: Patricia on being the tallest and darkest girl in school, being called “black charcoal” and almost bleaching her skin to fit society’s ideal of beauty. (00:41:32) - My guests define what beauty should mean and what beauty means to them. (00:44:27) - Itaysha and Tippi explore why there is so much power behind our beauty. A must-listen. Key buzzwords: authenticity, innate, royalty, dynamic, versatility, layers and diversity. (00:50:39) - Itaysha and Tippi address the importance (or not) for photographers to capture subjects of colour and whether only black hair stylists can style black women’s hair. (00:57:00) - Tippi’s experience backstage at Fashion Weeks styling the hair of model’s of colour. (01:00:00) - Patricia’s negative experiences as a model backstage at Fashion Week and having to style her own hair for shows due to the lack of texture styling expertise backstage. (01:02:00) - Guests spill the tea on their favourite beauty essentials. (01:11:00) - Eavesdrop into this part to hear when our guests feel the most full of beauty. (01:14:24) - Where to follow my guests. Tippi: tippishorter.com and @tippishorter; Itaysha: itayshajordan.com and @itayshaphoto Patricia: @akellopatricia (01:15:53) - The lightening round. Everyone’s favourite bit. A series of quick questions on popular culture.

Diallo Brooks, Dr Okem Okpara & Nicole Clark on… (00:07:12) - Exploring the meaning behind both Diallo and Okemefuna’s African names and their experiences of having non-western names growing up. (00:14:42) - Coronavirus vs COVID-19: the distinction. (00:20:12) - CDC stat cited by Dr Okpara: Approx. 80% of those who contract the virus will have a mild/moderate response. (00:22:30) - Dr Okpara walks us through the common and uncommon symptoms of infected COVID-19 patients. (00:28:57) - Nic shares her experience of how she contracted the virus and how the symptoms showed us for her. (00:38:58) - How the virus spreads. (00:44:00) - Being quarantined with an infected person. Dr Okpara shares his self-quarantine process and how he has been protecting himself and his family from potentially being exposed to the virus. (00:47:45) - Masks. Which ones and why. (00:52:56) - Diallo Brooks hits on why the black community is vulnerable and therefore heavily impacted by COVID-19: “Choosing between a paycheck and protecting our health”. (00:59:05) - Death toll of American Americans are disproportionally higher than any other race/ethnicity. The latest data from APM Research Lab. 01:00:00 - Diallo Brooks highlights the racial disparities that continue to exist in this country’s (the USA) structures, leaving a majority of African Americans vulnerable to these pandemics. What about hazard pay for those working on the frontlines? (01:07:00) - Africa & COVID-19. The role of hydroxychloroquine; a malaria treatment. Dr Okpara shares why African Americans are more susceptible to this disease. (01: 17:18) - Nicole raises the shame that comes along with being a COVID-19 patient. (01:19:47) - My guests share their biggest adjustment since COVID-19 and the first thing they will do when this is eventually over. (01:36:30) - The lightening round. Everyone’s favourite bit. A series of quick questions on popular culture. For more information on today’s guests: Follow Diallo Brooks on: Twitter: @DKBrooks45 Instagram: @DialloBrooks www.PFAW.org Follow Dr Okem Okpara on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okemefuna.okpara More about Austin Emergency Center Follow Nicole Clark on: Instagram: @nicworldwide

Kehinde Anjorin on… (00:09:40) - We share our experiences of having Yoruba names (00:17:35) - Why fitness should be a priority for women of color. It is not a luxury but a necessity (00:23:55) - Debunking the myths. Kehinde shares those common concerns female clients have when they start training and why they don’t need to be concerns (00:27:26) - How COVID-19 is impacting her business. Virtual training sessions vs in-person (00:31:17) - Tips on how to keep fitness levels up during quarantine. Basic equipment for home workouts and where you can get them from. Perform Better https://www.performbetter.com and Dick’s Sporting Goods https://www.dickssportinggoods.com (00:39:28) - Bodyweight vs weighted exercises (00:41:19) - Alternative exercises for barbell workouts (00:42:19 - Tips for those wanting to shed pounds and those who want to build mass (00:48:15) - I talk about my dreamy power smoothie and Kehinde shares how to make it heartier. This is the vegan protein powder I use (and like a lot) from Organifi https://www.organifishop.com/products/organifi-complete-protein-meal-replacement-1-bottle (00:52:52) - Kehinde shares her position on protein shakes and supplements. Focus on the low hanging fruit first. Sleep is key. (00:55:17) - Hair. Working out and maintaining hairstyles. Choosing between health and working out. “I’m not choosing between my hair or my health. I’m gonna work out”. (01:00:52) - Kehinde shares her recommendations on how to track progress in your body changes. Scales vs photos vs the way your clothes fit on your body (01:03:11) - Working out during the menstrual cycle (01:07:52) - Find out what keeps Kehinde motivated (01:10:00) - Winding down and creating time for herself. Skincare rituals and being a plant mum. (01:15:50) - Travel: Kehinde’s favourite travel destination to date and her future travel plans. Working out on vacation or nay. (01:19:25) - Everyone’s favourite part. The lightning round.

Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the past month, many employers have issued/mandated work from home policies to their employees. This means adapting to a new behavior and way of working, without the time needed to prepare for such a big change. As someone who has been working from home permanently for the past 8 months, I have written a 7-step playbook detailing the best practices that work for me, in the hope that they can work for you too.

No. Don’t dilute our rich, textured stories and the beauty behind our names. You can’t call me Olu, Nina, or anything else, unless I offer it to you. You cannot request to sub out my name for one familiar to you, just because it is easier for your tongue. Sound familiar? Listen on….

She is Hollywood’s go-to for natural hair within the Hollywood scene and with 26 years in the industry, she has reached stratospheric heights. Taking time out to ‘meet’ with me in the Lounge, while on set with Issa Rae in New Orleans, Felicia imparts how she practices self-love and the role it plays in serving her clients authentically.