Sharing thoughts on Beyonce’s new Vogue magazine cover, Black Women’s Equal Pay, and the new Netflix film Nappily Ever After.


Happy Friday! How did your work week go? Did you accomplish any of your goals this week?

I think I made great progress on my work goals. I’ve been feeling very inspired to continue working on a few creative projects I have going on at the moment.

Travis made a BIG accomplishment this past week: he completed his first semester of college! Woot!

He passed all four of his classes with A’s and B’s! *round of applause*

I’m so proud of him for starting school and working so hard. His fall semester will begin in a couple of weeks and he’s excited to keep working toward his college degree. Way to go, babe!

If you have any goals that you want to complete, I encourage you to keep working hard. Don’t give up! You got this!

Today’s Friday Highlights:

  1. Beyoncé’s on the cover of the Vogue September Issue!
  2. Nappily Ever After is coming to Netflix in September.
  3. The Smithsonian said Detroit’s Murals in the Market is one of the top mural festivals in the WORLD!
  4. August 7th was Black Women’s Equal Pay Day.

1. Beyoncé Graces the Cover of Vogue‘s September Issue

Beyonce Vogue Cover
Image courtesy of Vogue’s Instagram

In the September issue of Vogue, Beyoncé talks about pregnancy, body acceptance, her amazing performance at Coachella, and the On the Run II Tour.

In her interview, the singer said she chose a more natural look for her cover shoot because she thinks “it’s important for women and men to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies. That’s why I stripped away the wigs and hair extensions and used little makeup for this shoot.”

On giving birth to twins Rumi and Sir, Beyoncé said: 

“My health and my babies’ health were in danger, so I had an emergency C-section. We spent many weeks in the NICU. My husband was a soldier and such a strong support system for me. I am proud to have been a witness to his strength and evolution as a man, a best friend, and a father. I was in survival mode and did not grasp it all until months later. Today I have a connection to any parent who has been through such an experience. After the C-section, my core felt different. It had been major surgery. Some of your organs are shifted temporarily, and in rare cases, removed temporarily during delivery. I am not sure everyone understands that. I needed time to heal, to recover. During my recovery, I gave myself self-love and self-care, and I embraced being curvier. I accepted what my body wanted to be. After six months, I started preparing for Coachella. I became vegan temporarily, gave up coffee, alcohol, and all fruit drinks. But I was patient with myself and enjoyed my fuller curves. My kids and husband did, too.”

Thank you, Queen Bee, for opening up about your birth experience and keeping it real. It truly helps other mamas! You can read the article here.

2. Sanaa Lathan’s Stars in Netflix Original Movie Nappily Ever After

Nappily Ever After
Photo courtesy Netflix

Actress Sanaa Lathan stars in a new movie on Netflix. Based on the novel by Trisha R. Thomas, Nappily Ever After is a film about Violet Jones, an African American woman who has a successful high-powered corporate job and is in a relationship with a doctor.

Soon Violet loses her job and her relationship with her boyfriend comes to an end. Making a life-altering change, Violet decides to shave off all of her hair.

Many women can relate to Violet’s transformation and journey to accept her natural beauty and newfound confidence.

I’m excited to see Lathan’s new movie because (1) Sanaa Lathan is one of my favorite actresses, and (2) I began my natural hair journey when I was 30!

I used to let my hair define me and pretty much rule my life, so I am beyond ready for this new film!

Nappily Ever After premieres on Netflix September 21st.

3. The Smithsonian Says Detroit’s Murals in the Market is One of the Best Mural Festivals in the World

Whoa, right?!

I was really excited to see Detroit’s Murals in the Market make the list for the Smithsonian’s “Where to See the Best Mural Festivals Around the World”.

Murals in the Market is coming up in a few weeks and we can’t wait to check out the festival and see all of the new artwork!

The 4th Annual Murals in the Market will run from September 13 – 22 at Eastern Market. You can see who the artists are for this year by clicking here.

In late September, I am joining Feet on the Street Tours to take their Murals in the Market Visual Tour. It’s going to be a lot of fun!

4. August 7th Was Black Women’s Equal Pay Day

Black Women's Equal Pay Day

August 7th marked how far Black women have had to work in 2018 to catch up with what white men earned in 2017.

According to Lean In, Black women on average make 38 cents less than white men and 21% less than white women. To help raise awareness of the pay gap, LeanIn.org launched their #38PerCentCounts campaign.

What’s even more astonishing is many people do not even realize women there is a pay gap. Lean In reports 1 in 3 Americans are not aware of the pay gap between Black women and white men.

Here are the key findings from LeanIn.Org’s 2018 Black Women’s Equal Pay Survey:

  • Too many people don’t know that Black women are paid lessMore than 30 percent of Americans are not aware that, on average, Black women are paid less than white men.
  • Even when people know there’s a pay gap, it’s bigger than they realize. On average, Black women are paid 38% less than white men, which amounts to almost $870,000 lost over the course of a typical career. 40% of people who are aware of this gap underestimate its size.
  • People are overly optimistic about the state of Black women. About half of white men think obstacles to advancement for Black women are gone, but only 14% of Black women agree. Moreover, nearly 70% of people who are not Black think that racism, sexism or both are uncommon in their company—yet 64% of Black women say they’ve experienced discrimination at work.
  • Almost everyone agrees that earning less is a huge problem. 85% of Americans think it would be a major problem or crisis if they earned 40% less money. Yet compared to white men, Black women face this pay gap every day.
  • When people know there’s a pay gap, they think it’s unfair. When presented with information that Black women on average are paid 38% less than white men, 72% of Americans think it’s not fair.
  • The pay gap between Black and white women is even less understood. On average, Black women are paid 21% less than white women. Yet 50% of Americans—as well as 45% of hiring managers—think Black women and white women are paid equally. And 77% of working Americans think no gap exists between Black and white women in their own organizations.

You can get more information about the survey at www.leanin.org.

Hope you have a great weekend! xoxo


Feature image courtesy of Vogue/Photographer Tyler Mitchell.

Also, check out: 7 Cool Detroit Events (Aug. 10 – 12) and Actress Regina King Shines in Seven Seconds on Netflix.

Written by

Jennifer Hamra

Freelance creative Jennifer Hamra created her blog Good Life Detroit in 2015 after relocating from Tennessee to Southeast Michigan.

Inspired by her love for personal blogging and photography, Jennifer likes to share her favorite Detroit things, from cool places to visit (the hidden gems are her favorite!) to the amazing people she has connected with over the years.

When she's not busy juggling family life and her creative projects, you can find her at an art gallery, community event, farmers market, or spending quiet time at home with a good book and cup of tea.

Jennifer lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband Travis and their six children.

Connect with Jennifer on social media @goodlifedetroit on all social media platforms or via email at [email protected].