• Proud Scholar Moments

    Journal Entry by Eryn McCallum

    Eryn Entries from my personal journal with edits for clarification/context and some omissions for privacy July 23, 2020 Writing Activity with Dr. V <3   What is your current writing ritual? I write daily out of a now 2-month-old habit.  Usually, I prefer to wait until I’ve learned something new to write.  Other times, I just write my feelings/thoughts and don’t force myself to write more or less than what naturally comes out.  I also make sure to date all my pages so I’ll have some context if I ever reread my entries. What is my healing ritual? Allow self to feel my feelings and sit with my emotions Write…

  • Music Playlist

    Black Sis Bliss by Mia Muoneke

    For your enjoyment… It feels like everyday we find out another artist is problematic in some way or another, like Doja Cat or J. Cole. We wanted to create a playlist completely free of toxic energy. At first, we discussed how to have men in the playlist, but it felt impossible to pick some out of others based on our own biases when most, if not all, male artists objectify women just to create their music/music videos. And that’s just the baseline, some have done so much worse. For that reason, we have created a black non-male playlist in order to not only uplift black non-men, but also to allow…

  • Young Scholars Program

    Meet The Scholars

    We, the Young Scholars Program at the African American Policy Forum are a group of Black women developing research skills to advocate for Black women. For the past six weeks, we’ve learned so much about research while creating a bond grounded in our intersectional experiences. Since, we know each other best as Black women, having a space to foster that community is, honestly, pretty healing. Even though we’re all miles away from each other, you’re not alone. We want you to feel community wherever you are. Think of SisterSoulGirl.com as your go-to space to de-stress and heal while you follow recipes, quarantine self-care tips and learn a new hobby all…

  • Nutrients For The Soul,  Think Wellness

    Quarantine Recipe – Biscuits

    Homemade Family Biscuits     Ingredients:  2 Cups of flour 4 tablespoons of baking powder  2 tablespoons of sugar  Pinch of salt 1 – ½ cup of buttermilk  1 stick of butter (cold)   Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Lay out flour and cornmeal on a clean surface, a sufficient amount to cover the entirety of the dough without sticking to the surface. Scoop up the dough with your hands and place it on the flour and cornmeal, move it around until the dough is covered. Flatten out the dough to medium thickness and take a cup or mason jar and use it to cut out small biscuits. Take a…

  • Nutrients For The Soul,  Think Wellness

    Quarantine Recipe – Granola

    Homemade Granola!  This recipe is super flexible depending on personal preference. I do not do measurements, just listen to your ancestors chile!  Ingredients: Butter Sweeteners (honey, molasses, maple syrup, agave, sugar)  Seasoning (I use hymalayan pink salt) Oats  Nuts/Seeds/Other Add Ins  Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay out all of your dry ingredients on a sheet pan, or anything that can be put in the oven, spread out so that it can toast. Putting dry ingredients on parchment paper allows you to more easily move the ingredients around during baking to ensure even toasting. Put the nuts in until they are lightly brown (you will be putting all…

  • Nutrients For The Soul,  Think Wellness

    Quarantine Recipe – Rasta Pasta

    Homemade Rasta Pasta Recipe      Ingredients  Penne Pasta  1 Red and 1 Green Peppers ½ Onion and ½  red onion Cheese (eyeball it) 1 can of Coconut Milk  Jerk Seasoning  Salt  Pepper Oregano Chilli Lime Powder Garlic 4 cloves Follow instructions on Penne Pasta Box  Chop red and green peppers (orange and yellow onions optional), onions, and garlic In a large saucepan, add oil. Add the onions, garlic. Wait a few minutes then add the red and green peppers and the rest of the desired vegetables. Saute the vegetables on medium low heat Add coconut milk. Stir for a minute then add cheese and jerk seasoning, then oregano, garlic…

  • Black-owned Skin & Hair Care,  Think Wellness

    Melanated Skin & Glorious Curls

    Welcome to Melanated Skin and Glorious Curls. A one-stop-shop of black-owned businesses that will nourish and empower your beautiful black hair and skin. It’s time for us Black women and girls to love our beautiful hair and skin. Below is a list of Black-owned skincare and hair brands that are made especially for you. This is to ensure that we as black women indulge in products that are made by us and for us. Enjoy the list and remember to wear your skin and crown proudly Queen.   Melanated Skin   Black-Owned Skincare Brands   Ayele & Co.   Hyper Skin   Base Butter   BLK +GRN   Oui the People   Black Girl SunScreen   skin BUTTR* …

  • Nutrients For The Soul,  Think Wellness

    Nutrients for the Soul

    Bay Area:  Oakland  2nd Half Bar & Lounge Abesha Ethiopian Cuisine  Addis Ethiopian Alamar Kitchen Alem’s Coffee Arawak Farm Asmra  BABS Catering  Barcote Ethiopian Restaurant Better Chew Blue Nile Brown Sugar Kitchen Brundo Spices Burlap Coffee  Cafe Colucci Cafe Dejena Cafe Romanat Calavera Caña Cuban Parlor & Cafe Catered to You Chef Cook and Run Chef Kenneth Wynn Chef Michele McQueen Chef Ron’s Pastries  Chef Smelly’s  Chefs Way Catering Chris Evans Events Cupcakin’ Bake Shop DeVaughn’s Cajun Kitchen Dimond Slice Pizzeria Dixon’s  Elve’s BBQ and Soul Food  Enat Winery Fat Man Super BBQ Flavors & Smoke Flip N Soul Full Belly Bakery Gourmet Puff Graffiti Pizza  Grandeur Grandma’s Hands  Gregory’s…

  • Affirmations,  Think Wellness

    Affirmation Station by Kayla Bobb

    Affirmation Station As Black women, we often forget to take time for ourselves because we are wrapped up in being the “strong” ones. While confidence and leadership is in your DNA, it is essential to remember to love oneself. Affirmations can range from telling yourself “I am strong” when in the middle of an intense workout to spending a few minutes in the mirror staring at yourself and appreciating everything that you see. Now, the latter may seem difficult for some because we live in a society that makes it easier to hate what we see than love it, but engaging with this bit by bit can make real positive,…