There’s a lot of power in the stories we tell.

Whether it’s through oral histories or the written word, recording the legacies that made us and the ones we leave behind has been one of my greatest blessings as a journalist. I founded Black Magic Project – the precursor of Black Joy – to tell the stories of Black people to reverse the curse of the media profiting off of our trauma. In April 2021, four years after building up our community, we published our first newsletter. It has since become another avenue to remind y’all every chance we get that Black joy is a birthright and that abundance is always ours.

To honor this milestone, we’ve spent the past couple of days celebrating our first Black Joy Week, where we revisit the stories that have empowered our community to tap into something greater than themselves. I believe that our ancestors added to this reserve of joy before we arrived on this plane of life. It happened when our grandparents used their growing hands to tend to their gardens. It happened when our aunties and uncs gathered together to share tales of their childhood from front porches and family reunions. These moments can be from the past and feature people who are still here and those that are long gone.

But remember that you, and those around you, are contributing to this celebration of life everyday. Joy holds our hand as we walk away from hustle culture to create a life that fills our cup. Joy dances in the sparkle of a child’s eye as the imagination blooms to life in their mind. The stories we live are opportunities to leave light and love behind in honor of our ancestors and for our descendants.

So slip this newsletter to your inner circle and take a journey with us as we revisit some old friends in hopes it will help you find new spaces to honor the legacy of Black joy.

With love and Black magic,

– Starr

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Black Adventure Crew!

Ain’t no mountain high enough or valley low enough that can stop the power of Black Adventure Crew. This North Alabama family of five was the first story published in the Black Joy newsletter. Since then, the Stephens’ family has helped about 700 Black and brown people get access to the great outdoors without the threat of racial microaggressions. Prepare for wild exploration as you follow a family that’s been camping, glamping, crystal mining, canoeing and all the things the great outdoors can offer!

Where to “get” when you “get away from it all”

Good news: Mercury is finally out of retrograde 🙌🏾 If you’re looking for solace after dealing with the wild west of life, we got you, fam. A few of our beloved nature enthusiasts chatted with me about their favorite nature spots to find Black joy.

Go touch some grass and spread the Black joy! See y’all next week!