
CultureCon is one of the top conferences for creative people of color to attend to meet fellow changemakers. The event, which is presented by the Creative Collective NYC, has attracted some of our favorite entertainers as keynote speakers such as Tracee Ellis Ross, Chloe x Halle, Michael B. Jordan, and many more.
Attendees get to interact with other creatives and engage in panel discussions that cover an array of topics from entrepreneurship to branding. This past weekend, CultureCon took over Atlanta with some big names such as Kat Graham, Stacey Abrams, Kandi Burruss, and Insecure star Jay Ellis.
xoNecole caught up with CultureCon founder Imani Ellis to share her self-care routine, her tradition before every CultureCon, and advice for creatives.
How CultureCon Founder Imani Ellis Prioritizes Self-Care
Imani on Her Self-Care Routine
“My self-care routine is gotta be sleep, at least eight hours. Coffee because we need to make sure we’re awake but also water so we can make sure we’re hydrated. And then for me, I just love to eat and I know that’s not a traditional self-care but I think that you should just have lazy days where you can just eat fried catfish and grits.”
Imani on Her Tradition Before Every CultureCon
“I started this recent tradition where about a month before CultureCon, I will go on vacation for a week just clear my mind, release the stress and really prioritize everything. Then when I come back from that vacation, I hit the ground running executing everything but it just become a moment to look forward to. It’s like the calm before the storm.”
On the Best Advice to Give Creatives During Times of Struggle
“I think to just remember that there’s hills and valleys and the valleys make the hills so much more important because you had to fight and go through something to get there. I think for me whenever I’m having these moments where I cannot see how I’m gonna get through, I remind myself that the only way out is through. You can’t stop in the middle you gotta keep pushing and so the vision pulls you through it.”
CultureCon’s next stops are Los Angeles June 16-18 and New York City October 3-7. Visit their website theccnyc.com for more information.
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Cree Summer Opens Up About Being A Single Mother: ‘You Find What Sisterhood Is About’
Since her days as Freddie on A Different World, Cree Summer has captivated audiences with her free spirit, beauty, and style. Since starring in the beloved sitcom, the actress has been working behind the scenes voicing cartoon characters such as Susie Carmichael on Rugrats and Numbuh Five on Codename: Kids Next Door.
During that time she also released music and became a mother to two daughters Brave and Hero with her now ex-husband Angelo Pullen. In an interview for Style Like U, Cree opened up about navigating motherhood as a single mom. The 52-year-old always knew she wanted to be a mother before she even knew what that meant. “I had turned 40 and then their (her daughters’) father appeared. He literally appeared. He bought the house across the street,” she said. “He moved in here. We had a really nice, almost a decade together, really good. And then when that relationship ended I became a single mother.” She called becoming a single mother the “greatest fear of my life.”
Growing up, Cree had a great relationship with her parents and she was a “daddy’s girl.” So, becoming a single mom was hard for her to deal with. “I just fell apart, in front of my girls too and they got to see me. Because I have to tell you, that destruction was the best destruction of my life in retrospect,” she said. “I am a totally different person after that. Probably a couple of years ago I would have said I was abandoned but now I say I was really liberated. And my daughters got to see me hanging on by a mosquito [inaudible] right? And then they got to just see me soar.”
She added, “And I think now the greatest, biggest job as a mother is to be yourself.”
Another thing she found since she and her daughters’ father split is sisterhood. While she didn’t go into specifics about it, she did gush about having a sisterhood of women to help guide you through the changes.
“I often find when you go through a separation and you’re on your own as a single mother, boy you sure find what sisterhood is about for real, right ‘cause your sisters come in, especially the ones that have been through it already,” she said. “They come in and they tell you that there is another side.”
Cree and her daughters formed a band called Mama and the Savages and the actress shared how much she loves spending time with her girls. “The thing that I feared the most is the thing I love the most. I feared doing it on my own and I love doing it on my own. Who would of known?”
Cree Summer Proves That Freedom Is Not Giving A F*ck What Anyone Else Thinks
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Exclusive: Jay Ellis Shares ‘Full-Circle’ Moment With His Parents & His Self-Care Ritual
While Jay Ellis’ claim to fame is starring in Insecure as Lawrence, the 40-year-old actor racked up many acting credits prior to and after the iconic series. He starred in The Game and currently, he’s promoting his new film Top Gun: Maverick where he plays the character Payback. The role could be considered a full-circle moment for the actor since he was a military brat.
Jay’s father was in the Air Force and they moved around a lot. In an interview with SSENSE, he revealed that he attended 12 schools in 13 years. Due to his successful career, he has been able to give back to his parents who had him when they were teenagers. Jay was a keynote speaker at CultureCon in Atlanta earlier this month and he spoke with xoNecole about the sweet gift he bought his parents for their wedding anniversary.
“I remember the first time I bought my parents cars this year for their 40th wedding anniversary and that to me felt like a full-circle moment,” he said. “I don’t know if I ever really thought about it before then but that to me was just this moment of like, 'Oh I can do this for my family. I’m excited to do this and proud to do this for them.' And that was huge.”
The former model is also a huge proponent of self-care. While there is a community on social media that believes “sleep is for the weak,” Jay has no qualms about prioritizing eight hours of sleep a night.
“I get eight hours of sleep no matter what. Always. If I gotta go to bed at 8 o’clock at night that’s what I gotta do I don't care,” he said. But he also enjoys his quiet time and explains how that has helped him over time. “Whether that’s meditation, whether it’s prayer, whether it’s a walk. I go on a walk pretty much every single morning for like 45 minutes,” he said.
“I wake up early before I gotta go to work before I gotta get ready for work to go on a walk just to have some quiet time and to me that’s been super helpful. I think it’s helped with my energy and endurance but I think even also decision making and all the things coming at you so fast. I feel like it’s really helpful to be able to have a moment to step away from all of that and get back to get grounded.”
It may be surprising to know that the NAACP Image award-winning actor manages to get eight hours of sleep and finds quiet time now that he’s a father. Jay welcomed a baby girl in 2020 and in an interview with Essence that same year, he noted the exhaustion with balancing work and becoming a new father.
“Then I was directing and then becoming a father. I was back and forth to New Orleans every week, and I was just so exhausted that God was like, You need to sit down, and this is the week to do it.”
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Five months into 2022 and already it feels like it has been a year. New levels come with new devils (new stresses) and though we are proud of our accomplishments in the year so far, as a team, to say we aren't in need of a vacay is an understatement. A part of recovery from burnout includes being intentional about how we approach our self-care practices. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, the xoNecole team decided to put better mental health into practice. And what better way to prioritize our mental health and manage our stress levels than through the use of CBD products?
The first Black woman-owned CBD brand that came to mind was Brown Girl Jane. CBD is the non-psychoactive 'cousin' of THC known for its more medicinal properties. When infused in products like oils, water, and gummies, CBD is used to provide relief to those experiencing health conditions like anxiety, stress, inflammation, depression, migraines, and even chronic pain. With product offerings like Balance Wellness Drops, CBD Gelées, and Rest Wellness Drops, Brown Girl Jane is taking up space as beauty and wellness innovators tapping into the power of CBD.
BGJ has a wide variety of products, both edible and topical, and we at xoNecole were all very excited to try them all. Here's what each team member had to say about their experience with Brown Girl Jane's CBD products:
Aromatic Body Oil
Courtesy of Kyra Jay
"First of all, it's the aesthetics for me. I love the cute packaging and the gold text on this bottle is giving luxury! Roses to all responsible. I have very dry skin so I usually use oil over lotion on areas of my body like my heels, toes, elbows, and fingers. So, I was looking forward to trying this one out.
"There was little to no scent at all which kind of disappointed me as someone who enjoys smelling things but I can see how this is would be a plus for someone who is sensitive to strong fragrances. That definitely doesn't take away from its quality. It left me glistening, as it should, and if there was a travel-sized version I would carry it everywhere I go. Hint. hint."
-Kyra Jay, Brand and Social Manager
CBD Gelées - Anti-Stress
Courtesy of Kyra Jay
"I've always been very interested in trying these after seeing so many people say that CBD gummies really helped with their anxiety. Living with an anxiety disorder and knowing there's something that can possibly help was comforting. I tried the strawberry rose flavor and I loved how tasty it was at the beginning, masking the taste of the plant initially.
"It definitely made me feel calm and eventually sleepy. I wasn't very stressed or anxious at the times I took them so I'm curious to see how clutch they will be mid- or post-anxiety attack."
- Kyra Jay, Brand and Social Manager
Heal Body Butter
Courtesy of Tyeal Howell
"So since becoming a mom I’m always looking for different products to add into my evening routine to really help me wind down for the night and get the best sleep possible. It’s sometimes so challenging for me to turn my mind off and allow my body to relax and release the day. The past three days, I have added some Brown Girl Jane products into my evening routine and they’ve been a complete game-changer.
"I’ve been using the Brown Girl Jane Heal Body Butter. I have been putting it on my lower back, my neck, shoulders, and my feet, and it has been so relaxing. I honestly almost feel my body relaxing and the effects of the CBD on my sore muscles and my tense areas instantly. I’m obsessed and I will continue to add this as a staple in my evening routine, for sure."
- Tyeal Howell, Special Projects + Client Services
Glow Luminous Facial Serum
Courtesy of Tyeal Howell
"I’ve also added the Brown Girl Jane Glow Facial Serum into my evening skin care routine and I loved it as well. I think I probably used a little too much the first time but the second night that I tried it I used a little bit less and it still felt so good. The combination of both of these products into my evening routine has really allowed me to relax and just take a deep breath and ease into my night.
"I’ve been using both of these products right before reading my book and laying in my bed and they’ve been just really relaxing. I love them both. If you’re looking for some nice CBD products to add to your evening routine, I highly suggest the Brown Girl Jane products. They’ve been a game-changer for me."
- Tyeal Howell, Special Projects + Client Services
Rest Wellness Drops
Brown Girl Jane
"If you’re anything like me, the word 'rest' is typically one of those mythical moments you hear about but rarely achieve or witness every single day. There’s life, there’s stress and there’s the Big 'A' wearing its scarlet letter loud and proud: anxiety. Between those three culprits, finding organic and consistent rest for me, as of late, has been like a modern game of musical chairs. I’ve tried it all…melatonin, sleep aids and even working out before bed. I might've landed on one for a while, but none of it gave me the rest I was looking for nor the aftermath of a truly great night’s sleep (you know the rest I’m talking about - when you wake up refreshed, energized, and barely know what day it is).
"For me, an ally and advocate of cannabis, I was hella intrigued to discover if Brown Girl Jane’s Rest Wellness Drops would end up a nighttime staple or just next to the staples in the bottom of my nightstand drawer. Before I hopped in the shower I took one dropper-full and placed it under my tongue; I let it sit there for 30 seconds before swallowing and proceeding with my normal nighttime routine. Shower, facial, lotion, brush my teeth, and spray my melatonin spray on my pillowcase. By the time I’d crawled into bed, I felt relaxed, at ease, and at peace. My mind wasn’t racing as it normally does before bed, it was rather in a state of subtle euphoria.
"Just to make sure I wasn’t experiencing a fluke, I continued trying the drops for a week and each time, I found myself reaching for the drops as part of my nighttime wellness routine. The beautiful part? I don’t feel addicted to them, I feel aligned with them. I’m so impressed with the experience that I’ve texted just about every friend of mine and raved about finally witnessing the mythical 'rest' moment firsthand. 'Girl, you won’t believe the sleep I had last night.' Because every woman should experience six things in life: love, great orgasms, God, happiness, luxury, and rest…lots of rest."
- Ebonee Thompson, Social Media Manager
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Last year, Meagan Good experienced two major transformations in her life. She returned to the small screen starring in the Amazon Prime series Harlem, which has been renewed for a second season and she announced her divorce from her longtime partner DeVon Franklin.
The divorce was a shock to many folks who praised their relationship due to how supportive they have been to one another in the public eye and how they displayed a positive image of what healthy, Black love looks like.
Fans were hurt over the couple splitting up, but no one hurt more than the individuals involved. Earlier this year, Meagan revealed in a Twitter Spaces conversation with xoNecole that their breakup was “the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.” Following the divorce announcement, DeVon told a reporter that the Harlem actress was still the love of his life.
Now, everybody’s crush is dishing on what she’s learned since her 9-year marriage ended. Over the weekend, she was honored by Hollywood Confidential and received the Icon award for her decades-long career in acting and she opened up about finding herself.
"I've learned to not be as much of a people pleaser," she said in an interview with PEOPLE. "I've learned that not everybody's going to get you or like you, and that's okay. And knowing who your tribe is and being really thankful for that, and knowing sometimes they're not your tribe — that's okay too."
The 40-year-old wants to make sure she is using this time "loving and treating people with respect regardless, and never letting how people treat you change the integrity of who you want to be. I think in this season especially, I'm learning to live again in a different way."
She acknowledged the many changes that she faced last year and finds the success rewarding although she is still working through everything.
"It's been a lot of changes like going through a divorce and having a hit TV show where I'm playing the character of my dreams and having massive support from Amazon," she said.
"It's like, 'All right, Lord. I'm walking this out, figuring it out,'" she added. "It's just about being present and being really thankful and just taking everything in as it's coming. I think that's the biggest thing for me in the season [is] just being present and every single day and being really thankful for my quality of life and the people I get to do life with."
Meagan is gearing up to shoot the second season of Harlem and shared that she planned to move to the Big Apple for the time being.
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Lizzo has never been the one to shy away from being her authentic self whether anyone likes it or not. But at the end of the day, she is human. The “Juice” singer has faced a lot of pushback for her body positivity social media posts but in the same vein has been celebrated for it. Like her social media posts, her music is also often related to women’s empowerment and honoring the inner bad bitch.
Recently, Lizzo appeared on Big Boy’s Neighborhood and discussed body confidence, how she handles social media trolls, her three-month vow of silence, and much more.
Here are eight things we learned about the multi-hyphenate artist.
Lizzo On Her Issues with Confidence Growing Up
"I’ve always been confident in my talent. I could always lean on my talent, my personality. Physically, [I] did not have the confidence that I have now. I had to work really hard for it because I was born with it and the world took it away from me and it was my job to get it back.
"Growing up watching television, growing up going to school, and being told through messaging and explicitly being told from people’s mouths that I was not beautiful. That I didn’t look good, my body wasn't good. My body was bad. I need to lose weight. I would be so much prettier if I was thin. That! And seeing movies not seeing myself, seeing magazines, not seeing myself. That kinda took my confidence away. Watching movies where fat people were made fun of where they’re the butt of the joke. They’re always out of breath. Never the love interest, never desirable. That is what took my confidence away from me because I believed it."
On Falling Victim to Society’s Views on Beauty
"I tried to change myself. I dieted most of my entire life, wore girdles and shapewear to school when I was in middle school. Uncomfortable girdles that was breaking [out my] skin [and] making me sweat profusely in class. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed of myself. I worked out in the gym all the time. I didn’t eat. I was obsessed with being thin ‘cause I thought that would make me pretty."
Lizzo On People Who Gave Her Confidence
"I never had a Lizzo, but there were people before me that gave me hope like Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott and it’s wild that now I’m in spaces where I can share spaces with Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah. I’ve done a song with Missy and a music video 'Tempo' and she gives me great advice. I saw Queen Latifah at the Songwriters Hall of Fame and she was like man, you are doing everything that you’re supposed to be doing. I wished I had seen this when I was coming up and I was like but you’re you. That’s what I saw. So to hear it from my inspiration from my influence is wild because it’s confirmation that I’m doing the right thing."
Lizzo On How She Handles Social Media
"I’m a part of a new generation of artists. I’m in a new class. It’s like me, Lil Nas X, and Doja Cat. We’re coming up in this age where this is normal. It’s almost like well, it’s a part of the game where you gotta get abused verbally on the internet by millions of strangers every day. You kind of make that a part of your identity as an artist and it’s actually sh–ty. We shouldn’t be putting up with this.
"I remember the first time I really talked to Adele on the phone was when I was getting a lot of backlash for just being a fat person and she called me and was like, ‘How the hell are you doing this?’ She was like it wasn’t like this when she was first coming out which goes to show how quickly the industry has changed. I think it’s fun to piss people off. I like pissing them off because it’s like what are you gonna do about it bitch and if you try to do something I’d beat yo' mothaf--kin' ass."
Lizzo On Being Genre-less
"I’m an artist and my art is this thing that evolves and it’s growing so whatever I feel like doing in that moment, I’ma do it. So right now, I’m a singer and I’m singing. My voice is the genre because I think also this new age of artists we have kind of taken the boundary line off of genres officially which is a beautiful thing because genre’s inherently racist. They used genre to keep white kids away from black music period, back in the day. Race music, whatever they wanted to call it, it was segregation, and the fact that we’ve played into it for so long just shows how much it works and we have turned that down and said, 'F–k that, nah.'
"It started with people saying, ‘I listen to everything.’ Remember when people used to be like no, I listen to rap or I listen to r&b or I listen to rock. People didn’t listen to other stuff and now it’s like nah, we listen to everything and I make everything."
Lizzo On Being a Fan of Her Own Music
"I love my stuff. I listen to my music all the time. It’s really the only music I listen to because I’m listening to my demos. Sometimes I be with my friends and they be like can you put on that song, I’m not gonna say the name of the song, but the unreleased ones, and I be like sure."
Lizzo On Her Gift of Discernment
"God doesn’t let people around me who not supposed to be around and this is a bigger conversation than who I’m touring with in general but my circle is tighter than my p–sy and it’s just as good."
Lizzo On Her Three-month Vow of Silence
"I didn’t talk to nobody and I lived in the house with my mom and my brother and we were in Denver, Colorado and I was just in a bad place in my life. A lot of horrible things happened back to back to back and I kind of shut down—I really just stopped talking. I just had nothing to say to nobody. I was angry with the world and I changed my life. I was gonna be this concert flutist.
I was gonna move to Paris, study at the Paris Conservatory, [and] try to be in a symphony. That was the dream and when that dream ended, I was like okay what are you gonna do now? I think in that three months I was like okay, you’re gonna be a singer, you’re gonna be a rapper, you’re gonna do music. And I was like this is delusional but in those three months, I completely convinced myself. It sounds nice like I took a monk’s vow but it hurt my mom’s feelings a lot. It hurt my brother’s feelings and it hurt me too to do that. I was out of my body. I was like what are you doing? Just talk to them and it was like no you have nothing to say.
Lizzo On Why She Didn't Speak For Months, SNL, Coachella, Dr. Dre, and Playing Flute | Interview
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Featured image by Matt Winkelmeyer/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue