Lisa Nichols & Queen Latifah Gave Us A Night To Remember With My Black Is Beautiful

On Friday, July 6, My Black Is Beautiful held a dinner to remember in the center of the black mecca that is ESSENCE Fest.
The My Black Is Beautiful dinner comprised of a three-course meal, an abundance of powerful women, and inspiration for days. And let's just say, it isn't hard to be seduced when you're surrounded by beautiful things and positive energy. For me personally, the My Black Is Beautiful dinner was a reminder of how good it feels to be acknowledged by peers that look like you and reflect your brilliance, your splendor, and your wonder. It was also a reminder of how amazing it is to be black and successful.
Hosted by motivational speaker extraordinaire Lisa Nichols, My Black Is Beautiful treated guests to a night to a remember and featured apperances from celebrity guests like Lil Rel, Jess Hilarious, Naturi Laughton, and Loni Love. And it wouldn't have been a night reflecting royalty without a word from the OG queen, Queen Latifah who graced the audience with a word. We also swooned as we were treated to the musical stylings of special performer Gallant.
Although ESSENCE Fest brings out women by the pound, I think as black women we are united in our shared unconditional love for our men. While motivational speaker extraordinaire breathed life into us with her affirmation speech and the subsequent exercise of telling someone next to you words that they might not have known they needed to hear, guests were also treated to a video presentation that honored the black men that protect and love us.
And that's exactly what the My Black Is Beautiful dinner was, acknowledgement, confirmation, validation, and beauty. It was about shining your light in all its splendor and glory, unafraid of who might be blinded by it because we are worthy of being seen and marveled. Most of all, it was love.
Check out some of our favorite moments by clicking through the gallery below:

Charreah Jackson, Gia Peppers, Lisa Nichols, Sylvia Obell, Necole Kane and Luvvie Ajayi
Patrick Neree

Patrick Neree

Jess Hilarious, Loni Love and Lil Rel
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Patrick Neree

Lisa Nichols and Queen Latifah share a hug
Patrick Neree

Patrick Neree

There was a special performance by Grammy-nominated artist Gallant
Patrick Neree

An affirming moment between all the women at the #blackgirlsdo dinner.
Patrick Neree

Patrick Neree

Patrick Neree
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This article is in partnership with Lexus.
Luxury is often defined by someone else’s standards. But what if the finer things in life looked different through the lens of those crafting and shaping Black culture?
In Redefining Excellence, a two-episode short-form video series presented by Will Packer Media in collaboration with Lexus, we dare to broaden how we think about luxury. Here, it’s not just about the price tag. Luxury is a practice.
At its core, Redefining Excellence is a celebration of intention woven into every detail of how we live: our joy, our spaces, our craft, but also our rituals of care. These are the Black creators who not only give the best to themselves in what they build, but also pay it forward to the communities around them.
Through their vision, they embody the same precision and artistry that Lexus embraces when in pursuit of a higher standard, the Standard of Amazing.
In Episode 1, “Ingredients of Success,” the series follows chef, restaurateur, and Lexus Culinary Master Kwame Onwuachi, whose artistry is imbued with rich cultural storytelling. We see him wander purposefully through a garden, gently testing the ripeness of fresh fruits and vegetables. “Luxury isn’t about exclusivity. It’s about being intentional with your choices and craft,” he says.
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“Now, because of my work and the ingredients I use, luxury means something different. I am boldly setting a new standard of amazing and innovation.”
As he chops vegetables, plates vibrant dishes, and loads the finished product into the sleek Lexus LC Convertible, he continues, “For me, luxury means ingredients that carry memory… dining experiences and locations that honor the stories that raised me and feel like us.”
In Episode 2, “The Texture of Luxury,” the lens turns to founder and CEO of CurlyCon LA Ava Pearl, whose ingredients take a different form. As the trunk of her Lexus LX 700h lifts, she says, “When I think of luxury, it isn’t expensive, it’s expansive.” The scene shifts, and we watch Ava lay down a bouquet of fresh flowers upon entering her home before using aloe vera leaves to prepare gel by hand.
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“When I was younger, I thought luxury was something you bought. Now I know it’s about living up to a higher standard… Black women have always defined what’s next, setting the standard for beauty, luxury, and excellence.”
Like Kwame, she builds with intention, pouring care into the details, believing, like Lexus, that “luxury isn’t just a finish, it’s a standard. One that’s built to amaze.”
Through these stories, Redefining Excellence serves as a reminder that the journey is not just about the destination, but also the ingredients you choose along the way.
Watch both episodes now and learn more about how Kwame and Ava set their own standard of amazing.
Featured image by xoNecole/Will Packer Media
Cardi B Said What She Said About Offset & Moving On
Cardi B is no stranger to keeping it all the way a buck with fans about her personal life. The "Safe" rapper is someone who's going to hear the internet fodder, and instead of dodging the questions, she'll be the one front and center, standing ten toes down in the controversy, so there's never any confusion about her position. Her latest sit-down with Call Her Daddy was no different. While promoting her new album, Am I The Drama?, Cardi was yet again an open book as she shared how she felt about her marriage to Offset.
In particular, despite all the drama, she didn't regret the love they shared.
"Even in the long marriage that I was in, there’s a lot of things that I regret, and there’s a lot of things that people are gonna be like, "You see, you wasted your time,’ but I don’t feel like it was a waste of time," Cardi revealed. Also in the interview she went on to explain that their relationship had several “separation moments” before it officially ended in her eyes, largely due to Offset’s infidelities.
“I really just don’t regret anything. It is what it is. If your heart is not ready, it’s just not ready,” she said. “I felt like I was getting really sick and it’s like, ‘Alright this is dead.’"
Why Cardi B And Offset Aren’t Officially Divorced Yet
But if you're wondering why the divorce papers haven't been signed yet, Cardi says she's not the hold-up. Like she raps on the track "Magnet" from Am I The Drama?, "Got my baby daddy actin’ like my baby mama," the rapper made the reason clear during a recent Spaces conversation. It's Offset dragging the process.
"The only reason why I'm still married is because somebody wants me to pay for their taxes," Cardi admitted, adding that her estranged husband is holding her "hostage" and demanding millions and one of her properties. "I’ma fight for that. This is not no love s---. I’m not gonna stop living my life."
And live her life is exactly what the 32-year-old is doing. With the new album already doing numbers and her recent legal victory, earlier this month Cardi announced that she has even more blessings to celebrate. She's expecting her fourth child, her first with boyfriend Stefon Diggs. After some speculation from internet sleuths, Cardi confirmed the baby news in a sit-down interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings.
Cardi’s New Chapter: A Hit Album And A Baby On The Way
"I''m having a baby with my boyfriend, Stefon Diggs," she told Gayle in the interview, sharing she was "excited" about becoming a mom for the fourth time.
Cardi has three other children. Together with Offset, they share 7-year-old Kulture Kiari, 4-year-old Wave Set, and one-year-old Blossom Belle. Despite the relationship being fairly new and some of Stefon's own questionable headlines regarding a paternity lawsuit for a child he allegedly welcomed earlier this year, Cardi is on cloud 9 with her NFL player beau. Stefon also has an 8-year-old daughter Nova from a previous relationship.
The pair were first romantically linked in late 2024 and went public with their relationship earlier this year.
"I'm happy. I feel like I'm in a good space. I feel very strong, very powerful that I'm doing all this work — but I'm doing all this work while I'm creating a baby."
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Featured image by Skylar Searing/BFA.com/Shutterstock









