A National Day of Rest, “Sister Senators” Talk Next Steps, Women Remember Bloody Sunday
Plus, my interview with Jana Naomi Smith, an alarming study on synthetic hair, a blogger who retired at 30 talks financial freedom, a Mara Brock Akil remake of Judy Blume's "Forever," and more.
Hello Wakeful readers (and what a week…)
The Persistent—a journalism platform amplifying women’s voices, founded by Francesca Donner (formerly of The New York Times, where I worked with her on the defunct “In Her Words” section)—just published my interview with filmmaker and writer Jana Naomi Smith. Smith co-created, co-executive produced, and wrote “Red for Revolution,” a star-studded scripted audio drama starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“Nickle Boys,” “Caste”), S. Epatha Merkerson (“Law & Order,” “Chicago Med”), Loretta Devine (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dreamgirls”), Jennifer Beals (“Flashdance,” “The L Word”), and Danny Glover (“Lethal Weapon,” “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”). We talked about why she made radical revolution—not family or romance—the core of her protagonist’s love story (a narrative usually reserved for men), the ways audio storytelling lets Black women create in ways film and TV don’t, and how her childhood obsession with Lena Horne and other Black women icons helped shape the series.
Also this Saturday, March 8, Red for Revolution is hosting an International Women’s Day panel on Instagram Live, where Smith and her collaborators will talk about the stories and perspectives that influenced the series. Join the conversation over at @redforrevolution at 2:00 p.m. PST/5:00 p.m. EST.
—Patrice, The Wakeful founder
Wakeful Voices
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The Rundown
“Sister Senators” reflect on their historic win and the road ahead
For the first time in U.S. history, two Black women are serving in the Senate simultaneously. In a joint interview, “Sister Senators” Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester discussed the significance of this milestone and their priorities. As the Senate faces key legislative challenges, both senators have highlighted their focus on policies aimed at addressing economic equity, healthcare access, and community development.
New report finds harmful chemicals in synthetic hair
A Consumer Reports investigation found carcinogens and lead in 10 synthetic hair products frequently used in braids, wigs, and extensions and marketed specifically to Black women. Magic Fingers, Sensationnel, and Shake-N-Go were among the companies flagged. While some brands dispute the testing methodology, the findings raise urgent concerns about the hidden risks in beauty products that Black women have few alternatives to avoid. The report adds to a growing body of research exposing the disproportionate exposure Black women face to toxic chemicals in everyday products, from hair relaxers to makeup and skincare.
60 years since Bloody Sunday: Honoring the Black women who powered the Selma-Montgomery Marches
Sixty years after Bloody Sunday, the stories of the Black women who made the Selma marches possible are being recognized. The National Council of Negro Women, led by Dorothy Height, mobilized local members to provide shelter to activists and partner with Black sororities to feed demonstrators. The Dallas County Voters League, led primarily by Black women, did the unglamorous yet essential work of organizing voter drives and building the trust that made the movement possible. “You may see the flashy protest,” historian and professor Hasan Ashley D. Farmer told The 19th, “but below the surface is a strong collective of people, Black women usually, that are creating the networks, trust, community-building, and organizational literacy for something [like this] to be able to take place.”
A Particular Pain as Prestige at the Oscars
In an Oscars post-mortem, Janell Hobson points to the continued pattern of the award show’s rewarding actresses—especially Black women—who package their pain into digestible, vulnerable roles while overlooking those who channel their rage or complexity in less palatable ways. Whether it’s historical dramas, harrowing biographies, or roles steeped in trauma, the industry remains fixated on a particular kind of feminine suffering, she argues.
Patrice’s Pick
How we rest: thoughts on a National Day of Rest for Black Women
One of the best parts of writing this newsletter is feeling that spark of discovery—when a story intrigues, inspires, and pulls me in. By no means do I know everything about Black women, still after reporting across almost every news vertical for over a decade, I’ve come across a lot. So I was surprised to learn there’s a National Day of Rest for Black Women, which falls on Monday, March 10 this year.
I first saw the day mentioned in a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed by columnist Jenice Armstrong, titled “Kamala Harris deserves time to rest. We all do.” Then I came across a WUSA9 interview where anchor Lesli Foster spoke about the significance of the day with Jalina Porter, the former principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department under President Biden. Armstrong, a fellow Black woman journalist, shared that she’s planning to unplug completely. No work emails, no social media, just rest. “Zero plans” is the plan. She ties her need for rest to what she calls an “ugly time in American politics.” Armstrong’s op-ed also reflects on former Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing that her recent presidential run—and the overwhelming 92% of Black women who voted for her—exemplifies how Black women consistently go above and beyond for the collective, often at the expense of their own well-being.
If you follow me on YouTube or Instagram, you know that I spent the past two months in Mexico City. The stars aligned: a friend let me sublet her place while another needed a sublet from me. After the 2024 election and an exhausting year, I embraced the change—not just in location, but in habits. I prioritized morning meditation, daily stretching, full eight-hour sleep cycles, fresh produce, strength training, and, most importantly, standing still—ie. not distracting or numbing myself with excessive partying, Netflix binges, alcohol, etc.—to gain clarity and self-knowledge (I talk a bit about that in a recent vlog).
Don’t get it twisted: I know self-care discourse is played out. I won’t pretend we can wellness our way out of systemic oppression and I recognize the privilege of having space and resources to prioritize them. At the same time, it seemed like these practices have helped me in very noticeable ways. I returned to Los Angeles feeling more refreshed than I have in years, and it took me a few days to understand why. Then I listened to entrepreneur and coach Myleik Teele break down the difference between rest and recovery in a recent episode of her eponymous podcast. “To recover is to actively replenish what has been depleted,” she explained. “Rest stops the exhaustion, recovery restores your energy. You need both.” That distinction clicked. I hadn’t just rested in Mexico City. I had unknowingly prioritized recovery.
And that’s what made the difference for me, at least in this season of my life. It’s something to consider as we think about what we, as Black women, want and need from rest. Will our approach truly restore us, or will it just press pause on exhaustion until it inevitably resumes? Taking the day off is important, but so is making intentional moves toward replenishment. Because real rest is about more than stopping. It’s about rebuilding.
Cultural Reset
Reimagining Black love and sex on TV
Mara Brock Akil is bringing a fresh perspective to Judy Blume’s “Forever,” reimagining the classic (and once controversial) teen romance through a Black lens for Netflix. The series, premiering in May, follows Keisha and Justin as they navigate young love, exploring how race, gender, and societal expectations shape their journey. As she tells Harper’s Bazaar, Brock Akil sees this adaptation as an opportunity to expand the portrayal of Black relationships in media, moving beyond trauma-centered narratives to embrace the joy, complexity, and self-discovery of first love. Meanwhile, over in the “Bridgerton” universe with Season 4 in production, fans are eager to see how Will and Alice Mondrich’s storyline unfolds, offering a rare depiction of Black love thriving in a period drama. Will their characters finally get the steamy, intense lovemaking treatment that the series is known for? “I don't think you'll be too disappointed,” actress Emma Naomi, who plays Alice Mondrich, teased to Unbothered. “That's all I can say."
Poets and Plays Reshaping Cultural Spaces and History
A new What I’m Reading podcast episode reveals how Jewel Rodgers, Nebraska’s first Black state poet, is on a mission to make poetry accessible to all. Since her appointment in January, she’s taken her work beyond traditional literary spaces, bringing poetry readings to dive bars, community centers, and unexpected venues across the state. Across the Atlantic, a new South African play is spotlighting the untold stories of women who fought apartheid, not only on the front lines, but in their homes and communities, too. “Winnie and the Forgotten Women” explores the complex lives of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and other South African Black women who held families together while their husbands were in exile or prison, challenging the idea that the struggle for freedom was fought only by men.
Reclaiming our flowers: Black Women and horticulture
A new movement is blossoming as Black women reclaim their place in horticulture, reviving an industry with deep historical roots in their communities. An in-depth feature explores how today’s Black florists, gardeners, and agriculturalists are using their craft as a tool for healing, self-sufficiency, and economic empowerment, disrupting an industry that has often sidelined them. One initiative, the Los Angeles-based Flowers for First Responders, is launching wellness events aimed at community volunteers, firefighters, and disaster relief workers in the aftermath of the L.A. fires.
Honoring Culinary Icons and Sports Pioneers
A feature spotlights four pioneering Black women restaurateurs—Alberta Wright of Jezebel, Toukie Smith of Toukie’s, Pamela Strobel of Little Kitchen, and B. Smith of B. Smith’s—whose New York City restaurants blended food, fashion, and art, creating spaces that weren’t just dining experiences but cultural statements. Another roundup by Word in Black highlights Black women athletes, coaches, and pioneers who have redefined sports. The feature celebrates history-makers in basketball, gymnastics, racing, and more, including Coach Dawn Staley, sprinter Tara Davis, and NASCAR’s Tia Norfleet.
Power Moves
At ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood, former MSNBC host Joy Reid spoke about embracing the love and support of her community since “The ReidOut” ended and made one thing clear: this isn’t a loss; it’s a transition. That same energy of reinvention fuels Issa Rae, who recently discussed her remarkable come-up and booming business empire. The “Insecure” creator-turned-beauty investor just secured a major win: her clean haircare brand, Sienna Naturals, is now available at Sephora.
Filling Critical Gaps in Medical Access, Hygiene, and Reproductive Care
In a world where access to and knowledge of healthcare is often limited, Kyndred is rewriting the rules. An Elle feature unpacks how the telehealth platform, founded by Kimberly Huggins, Brittany Brathwaite, and Tesiah Coleman, bridges the gap in sexual and reproductive education and care for Black women.
Artist and activist Michelle Browder is tackling Alabama’s maternal mortality crisis head-on. Her mobile medical resource center crisscrosses the Black Belt, providing essential health screenings to pregnant women in communities where 34% of counties lack reproductive care providers. Ricki Fairley is also pushing for a life-saving shift. Black women have the highest mortality rates for several cancers, yet make up only 2% of clinical trial participants. Through Fairley’s organization TOUCH: The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, the When We Trial initiative is ensuring that Black women have access to research opportunities that could change—and save—their lives.
Access to basic hygiene shouldn’t be a barrier to education. Tennessean Claressa Ham recognized this issue firsthand at her alma mater and took action. After overhearing high students struggling to afford period products, she installed free vending machines stocked with essentials like pads, deodorant, and soap. What started in one school has now expanded to 10, ensuring that local students have what they need to show up for class with confidence.
How Laila Edwards and Purple Are Redefining Hockey and Personal Finance
Laila Edwards is carving out a new path in hockey, becoming the first Black woman to play for Team USA’s Women’s National Hockey Team. “I’m becoming a role model for so many people,” the 19-year-old college junior said. On the financial front, anonymous blogger Purple is rewriting the rules of wealth-building. She retired at 30, challenging the perception that financial independence is “just for white guys.” By blogging about her journey—strategic job hopping, meticulous budgeting, and frugal living—she’s showing other Black women that early retirement isn’t just possible, it’s within reach.
Under the Radar
For decades, the image of "Rosie the Riveter" has symbolized the women who kept the country running during World War II. But behind the iconic poster, countless Black women were also on the front lines of the war effort, yet their contributions have largely gone unrecognized. A critically acclaimed documentary is finally changing that, highlighting the stories of African American women like Ruth Wilson (not pictured above), a Philadelphia native who worked at the Naval Shipyard in the 1940s and passed away last October at 102.
Maria W. Stewart, a name also too often left out of history books, was the first Black woman to deliver public speeches to mixed-gender audiences, boldly calling for racial and gender equality in the 1830s. Through essays and lectures, she challenged oppression and laid the foundation for generations of activists. Historians recognize her rhetorical techniques as a clear precursor to orators like Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. Read more about her in the New York Times obituary series, Overlooked No More.
Save the Dates
The 10th Annual Black Women Film Network Summit
The Black Women Film Network Summit returns on March 22 at the Loudermilk Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Celebrating its tenth year, the event highlights Black women shaping the entertainment industry under the theme “Plot Twist: The Art of The Pivot.” Honorees include “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” star Aja Naomi King, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, and Tyler Perry Studios executive Angi Bones. Learn more and purchase tickets
Apply for a 19th News Fellowship
The 19th News is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship, a yearlong, salaried program with full benefits for HBCU graduates and mid-career alums and former students. Fellows will gain experience in reporting, audience engagement, and news product management. Applications are due by March 31 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Learn more
Grants for Women Entrepreneurs in Michigan
The Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation is accepting applications for its latest round of business grants, supporting women entrepreneurs in Michigan. Launched in honor of Olga’s Kitchen founder Olga Loizon, the grants provide financial assistance to women actively building businesses in the state. Applications are open through March 29, and eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need and submit a formal business plan. Learn more