Cuffing season is upon us, ladies and gentlemen and we are rapidly approaching the prime time of the year for Netflix and Chilling.
There are approximately two months left in the year and now is the time to get your 2020 intentions all the way together, but in the midst of preparing for your rebirth for the new year, it's never a bad idea to catch up on some up on some of the new and Black AF content on Netflix.
Whether it's with your boo, your bestie, or by your own damn self, xoNecole has the perfect list of flicks to add to your watchlist this November.
Bebe’s Kids (Nov 21)
GiphyWe don’t die, we multiply! If you’ve never called someone a “bebe’s kid” then you might want to turn Netflix on and watch this 90s classic. It was just added to their November lineup making it the perfect addition before Thanksgiving.
Sparkle (Nov. 1)
Sparkle
We got to see our fairy godmother in her very last role before her untimely death in this reboot of an old school classic. Starring Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, and Tika Sumpter, Sparkle tells the story of a young girl from Detroit with dreams of becoming a star.
Superfly (Nov. 1)
Superfly
I was today years old when I learned that Trevor Jackson looks so damn good with a perm and I'll take two, please. This 2018 crime drama remake stars Trevor Jackson and Jason Mitchell as Atlanta-based drug kingpins who find themselves in more trouble than they can handle.
Love Jones (Nov. 1)
Love Jones
I'ma let y'all finish, but Love Jones was one of the most iconic love stories of all time. More than 20 years after the date of its release, the film has held its ground as truly necessary and essential to the culture, and much to our delight, the film is finally making its way to the streaming platform on November 1st.
Paid in Full (Nov. 1)
Paid in Full
Based on the 1987 hip-hop track by Eric B. and Rakim, Paid in Full is another underrated classic that we didn't know we needed back in our lives. On Nov. 1, you can relive all of the nostalgia of this 2002 crime drama in real-time.
Cleopatra Jones (Nov. 1)
Netflix did not come to play with it's throwback selection of films this month, and the 1973 Blaxploitation action-comedy hit, Cleopatra Jones is here to give you the ultimate boost of feminism and style inspiration that you've been needing this fall.
Getting Played (Nov. 1)
Alamy
This 2005 romantic comedy stars Vivica A. Fox, Carmen Electra, and Stacey Dash as a group of friends who decide to play a game of seduction on a stranger (Bill Bellamy).
King's Ransom (Nov. 1)
Before his hit role as Dre Johnson on Black-ish, he starred as a rich, arrogant divorcee who finds himself all the way f*cked up after staging his own kidnapping and being betrayed by his partners in crime.
American Son (Nov. 1)
This Broadway play-turned-Netflix Original tells the story of an estranged couple who are forced to put aside their differences after the disappearance of their teenaged son.
Burning Cane (Nov. 6)
Burning Cane
As the winner of three awards at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, Burning Cane was written and directed by 19-year-old filmmaker, Phillip Youmans, and is set in rural Louisiana. In a story about faith, addiction, and redemption, this young cinemetographer's debut is sure to get you all the way in your feelings.
Let It Snow (Nov. 8)
Netflix
With Christmas time approaching, its understandable to get a touch of the Holiday blues, but Shameik Moore's new rom-com will definitely get you in the spirit.
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays Season Two (Nov. 8)
Netflix
Tis' almost the season for milk and cookies and this British baking competition has you covered with brand new holiday special.
Nailed It! Holiday: Season Two (Nov. 22)
Nailed It/Netflix
Nicole Byers and her crew make failing funny AF and the gang is back together for the holiday edition of the Netflix original cooking competition, Nailed It. Featuring hilarious guest stars and even more hilarious kitchen mishaps, the search is on for America's Best Worst Cook on November 22.
Holiday Rush (Nov. 28)
Netflix
Starring Romany Malco, La La Anthony, and Deon Cole, this holiday comedy tells the story of a radio DJ and his four spoiled children who, after losing his job, are forced to forfeit their lavish lifestyle.
Atlantics (Nov. 29)
Directed by the first Black female director to ever compete at the Cannes Atlantique (and win), this supernatural drama is a "ghost love story" that is inspired by the real-life experiences of Senegalese migrants.
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Did you know that xoNecole has a new podcast? Join founder Necole Kane, and co-hosts Sheriden Chanel for conversations over cocktails each and every week by subscribing to xoNecole Happy Hour podcast on Itunes and Spotify.
Featured image Love Jones
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There's definitely a need for women like Robinson, especially since recent research shows that between 47% and 55% of Black consumers' needs "are not being met" in the wellness space, and the U.S. fitness industry hit $32 billion last year and that it's important for Black women to see themselves prominently in the space.
As a health and wellness programming expert, licensed nutritionist, mom, wife, and former all-women's gym owner, Robinson has built up a body of experience that has culminated into doing something she loves via the FabBody Retreat, an experience for women ages 30-60 to be enriched via group activities, good food, and connection in the backdrop of tropical peace and tranquility.
This year's retreat was held in Grenada, with special guest and TV host icon Free Marie (BET's 106 & Park). Next year's event will be held in St. Maarten with plenty of opportunities to enjoy beach vibes, authentic and healthy dishes, and all the pleasures of being among other fabulous Black women seeking holistic wellness in paradise.
"My God-given purpose is to help serve, connect, and heal Black and Brown women," she said, taking her experiences serving corporate and individual clients via projects like the NFL's "Fuel Up To Play 60" initiative and the Nike Training Club live experience, to do just that.
xoNecole caught up with her to talk about why she chose the fitness industry, her success in launching and running the FabBody Factory, and how she's pivoted to use her skills to build impact on a larger scale in health and wellness.
xoNecole: What sparked your interest in a career in health and wellness?
Deanna Robinson: I have always been involved in sports, always been active in cheerleading, dance, [and] gymnastics. In my college career, I was a competitive cheerleader at the University of Maryland, College Park, and I've just always been passionate about physical activity, health, and fitness. I double-majored in kinesiology and public and community health, and it's always been a passion for me about others being well.
Out of college, I wanted to be a personal trainer, and I interviewed at a big-chain gym. I was really excited about getting this job, but when I had the interview, they informed me of what the split was—what the client paid, what I'd get as a personal trainer, and what the gym got. And I just thought it was a ridiculous split. I've always been into entrepreneurship as well, and doing things on my own terms, so I actually opened up my own gym in the community I grew up in called the FabBody Factory, an all-female gym in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
I was able to hire several trainers, offer group classes and personal training, and one of the things I was always a big proponent of is making sure that they got a better cut than they would get at larger chains.
Courtesy
xoN: Talk a bit more about that in terms of starting a gym, especially one that caters to women. What was the process and motivation?
DR: I have worked out in big-box gyms before and just never felt comfortable. It was always really uncomfortable working out in a huge gym where men would be gawking at you or try to get your number when you're trying to focus on yourself in that moment. So I always wanted the FabBody Factory would be a safe haven where we didn't have to worry about our titties flopping when we're doing jumping jacks, it was just for us by us, and we could just [be] comfortable making ourselves a priority.
I was almost talked out of doing something like that because people would say, "You're cutting off half of your potential clientele," but I never had an issue. Women flocked to the gym, and I'd sometimes have to split classes. I might have to do part one of a class at one time and a second another time. It was majorly successful. Ladies loved it. And on top of this being all-women, it was all Black and brown women.
Culturally, we get each other, so it was a big social thing for us, too. We were able to fellowship with each other and get fit at the same time.
xoN: Your brand includes the concept of a 'Fab Body.' What does that mean for you---and just wellness---in general, for Black and brown women?
DR: FabBody in itself is not a look at all. It's more of a mindset and a willingness to invest in your mental, spiritual, and physical self. In promoting the FabBody Retreat, I actually had someone DM me and ask me, "Do you have to have a 'Fab Body' to come on the retreat?" and my response to her was that you do have a 'Fab Body.' Everyone has a Fab Body. It's more of a state of being—a sound, healthy mind, body, and spirit. It's not about aesthetics at all but about overall improvement.
xoN: You decided to pivot from owning a gym, which you ran successfully for more than a decade, to your current role in health and wellness programming and launching the FabBody Retreat. How did this come about?
DR: My gym closed last year, and the reason was because of where I saw myself going and where I wanted to be in the next 10 years. A lot of my time at the gym was selling and getting people to register for classes, and it wasn't as lucrative and fulfilling for me as it had been in the beginning.
Now I'm doing more consulting work with larger companies. One of my passions is programming, and that is where I see my future going. I'm moving more toward passive income, coming from my being able to use the knowledge I have from years in this industry and putting together programming that can reach the masses versus individuals.
xoN: What can people expect from the FabBody Retreat next year, and how does this venture continue your love for advocating for health and wellness among Black and brown women?
DR: One of the things that really sets this event apart from so many other retreats is that I have married everything that is important to me: wellness, my faith, and my community. God is a huge part of all of the events we do, and all are interwoven with faith-filled, intentional activities, and I think that's what makes it different. On Sunday, we do a service on the beach, and we always have a guest speaker—someone you can relate to where you don't feel like you're being preached to. It's an awesome experience, unlike any retreat I've seen.
It's definitely rooted in faith, but at the same time, there's a balance. We'll get on a boat and have a cocktail with an umbrella in it, and then we'll go back to wellness. There's a healthy balance.
Find out more about Deanna Robinson via Instagram @deannarobinsonfit and more on the FabBody Retreat via the website.
Featured image courtesy
