The summer TV season is finally here and that means, in addition to indulging in all of the wonderful summer activities, you also have a lot of good things to watch—specifically as it relates to black star power.
From comedies and dramas to game shows and award shows, there is something for everyone to watch this month and the best thing about the programming is that it's full of melanated options. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood are returning to the small screen this summer, including Ava Duvernay, Jamie Foxx, Steve Harvey, Niecy Nash, Marlon Wayans and more.
Related: Black Star Power: Check Out What's New & Black On Netflix In June
Click through the gallery to check out our round-up of all the TV premieres to keep things hot and interesting all summer long!
1."Queen Sugar"
OWN
The third season of the OWN network hit will tackle the intense journey of fatherhood, as Ralph Angel deals with the paternity outcome of his son Blue. (Premiered May 29, airs Wednesdays at 10pm.)
2."Beat Shazam"
FOX
The FOX game show, inspired by the popular music app hosted by Jamie Foxx, features a new addition to the season two cast in the form of Foxx's daughter Corrine as resident DJ. This season's celebrity guests include Demi Lovato, Shaquille O'Neal, and Smokey Robinson. (Premiered May 29, airs Tuesdays at 8pm.)
3."Pose"
FX
Ryan Murphy's latest FX series is a musical drama set in New York City about the 1980s ball culture created by the minorities of the LGBTQ community. It has the largest number of transgender actors ever for a scripted television series. (Premiered June 3, airs Sundays at 9pm.)
4."Celebrity Family Feud"
Host Steve Harvey returns to host a new season of the ABC game show and this season promises to be the biggest yet for one reason…the Kardashians and the Wests are competing against each other, including the man himself, Kanye West. (Premiered June 10 at 8pm.)
5."Claws"
TNT
TNT's addictive comedy-drama starring Niecy Nash is back for another round to determine who will reign victorious in the battle to lead the Dixie Crime Mafia. (Premiered June 10 at 9pm.)
6."Marlon"
NBC
The NBC family comedy starring Marlon Wayans and Essence Atkins as a divorced couple trying to maintain a friendship for their kids, returns to find Wayans in all-new hilarious scenarios. (Premieres June 14 at 9pm.)
7."Luke Cage"
Netflix
Mike Colter is once again front and center as unlikely hero Luke Cage in the Netflix hit series. Season two finds him facing a new threat just as he cleared his name and became Harlem's savior. (Premieres June 22 on Netflix)
8."2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards"
Hosted by the always funny Tiffany Haddish, this year's ceremony features a host of nominees, including the biggest hit of the year Black Panther, which has multiple nominations. (Premieres June 18 at 9pm.)
9."2018 BET Awards"
This year's annual event that celebrates the biggest and best in black music, returns with Jamie Foxx as host. Multiple nominees include: Bruno Mars, SZA, Kendrick Lamar and Drake. (Premieres June 24 at 8pm.)
10. "Power"
The Starz crime-drama is one of TV's biggest hits and one of the reasons that summer TV is always lit. As we dive into season 5, viewers will get to see Ghost and company get revenge for the heartbreaking death of his daughter. (Premieres July 1 at 9pm.)
11. "Snowfall"
The FX drama from acclaimed director John Singleton returns to continue to tell the saga of the rise of the crack cocaine epidemic in the setting of inner-city L.A. (Premieres July 19 at 10pm.)
12. "Orange Is The New Black"
The long wait will finally be over when the popular and critically-acclaimed prison dramedy returns for season 6. The inmates say goodbye to Litchfield prison and embark upon a new correctional facility. (Premieres July 27 on Netflix)
13. "Insecure"
With the multiple cliffhangers fans were left with at the end of last season, the return of the HBO series for a third round is highly-anticipated. Now that Issa's moved in with Daniel and Molly's still seeing Dro...it's about to be a hot summer! (Premieres August 12 at 10:30pm.)
Featured image by Pose/FX
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The Art of Birdwatching
I traded in my usual resort stay for the rainforest, signing up for a weeklong trek with the local eco-adventure company HADCO Experience. After a quick flight from Miami to Port of Spain and an hour and a half drive, I arrived at Asa Wright Nature Centre. The eco-lodge is nestled deep into the rainforest, far from the hum of traffic, and I immediately felt a sense of peacefulness that would follow me throughout my stay.
Guestroom at the Asa Wright Nature Centre.
Credit: HADCO Experiences/Jake Naughton
The Asa Wright Nature Center is famous for its birds (there are over 180 species of birds around the 1,500-acre property), and though I wouldn’t consider myself a bird-watching enthusiast, it was hard not to get sucked into the excitement of having an up-close encounter. One of my first finds was a toucan; the eco-lodge manager, Warren, pointed out a tiny speck on a branch and handed me a pair of binoculars. I was skeptical, but when I raised the binoculars, I was surprised to see a brightly painted bill come into focus. Birdwatchers, I get it now; there’s something a little bit magical about spotting birds in their natural habitat.
But one of the activities that most pushed me out of my comfort zone was bat hunting. Our tour leader suggested that we hike to the Tamana Caves, home to one of the largest bat colonies in the world. At sundown, millions of bats emerge from the caves to find food and will return at sunup the next day. I begrudgingly agreed to go along on the sundown hike to witness the bat exodus, which is how I found myself trudging up a steep, muddy hill in the near dark.
When we reached the caves, silence descended on our group while we waited for the nocturnal animals to appear. Within minutes, hundreds of thousands of bats emerged from the cave in a stream, their papery wings flapping in the warm air. Terrified, I stood completely still, praying none would make contact with me (they didn’t since their elocution helps them avoid anything in their way, like humans). Though it was scary, once I got past my initial fear, I realized what a privilege it was to witness nature in action.
The Caroni Swamp at dusk.
Credit: Mariette Williams
Embracing Swamp Life
One of our day trips from the Asa Wright Nature Centre included a boat ride through the Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary. The highlight of the boat ride was visiting the Bird Sanctuary, where we watched a flight of bright red Scarlet Ibis, the island’s native bird, gracefully land in the mangroves. To our left, a flock of flamingos stepped gracefully through the murky swamp water. It felt like time stopped: we were too far out to get any cell service, and there was no sound, no distractions, just the sound of rustling birds and the water lapping against the boat. It was a reminder that the most beautiful moments when we’re traveling are often the quietest, a feeling I knew I would carry with me long after I returned home.
Flock of flamingos at the Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary
Credit: Mariette Williams
Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel
Credit: HADCO Experiences/Jake Naughton
Releasing Turtles
After a few blissful days at the Asa Nature Wright Centre, we drove two hours to Mt. Plaisire Estate Hotel, located in Grande Riviere, a tiny, remote beach town. Grande Riviere is home to one of the most active Leatherback sea turtle nesting grounds in the world, which we had the opportunity to witness.
During nesting season, local turtle conservationists collect the hatchlings, protecting them from predators, and then releasing the baby turtles at sundown. During our stay, we were invited to participate in an unforgettable sunset ritual: releasing dozens of Leatherback turtle hatchlings right on Grande Riviere Beach. It was such a special moment watching the hatchlings make their way through the wet sand to the water, and a humbling reminder of how important it is to protect nature.
Grand Riviere Beach
Credit: Mariette Williams
Releasing leatherback turtle hatchlings on Grand Riviere Beach.
Credit: Mariette Williams
Embracing Adventure
Spending a week in swamps, caves, and on muddy hikes pushed me out of my comfort zone and surprised me with how much I enjoyed things like hiking and bird-watching. Although you won’t catch me chasing bats again, the trip was a reminder that I shouldn’t box myself in as a certain type of traveler just because it’s unfamiliar.
Mariette Williams hiking in Trinidad and embracing the adventure in travel.
Credit: Mariette Williams
Traveling has given me so many unforgettable experiences that I don’t take for granted, especially as a Black woman who has the freedom and means to travel internationally. While I'm still a girl who loves a good pool day, now I know I'm also one who isn't afraid to get a little mud on her boots.
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Featured image by Mariette Williams