🎶 It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 🎶

But don’t go grabbing that tinsel and lights just yet. Kris Kringle and the gang are still on toy duty.

I’m talking about Halloween, Hoodoo Heritage Month and all the traditions that contribute to Black culture. Now, you may be saying to yourself, “Starr, I get the Hoodoo, but what Halloween got to do with me? Ain’t that Celtic or something?”

And you would be correct, but you know I got y’all when it comes to finding our community anywhere and everywhere. So pause that horror flick for a minute and slip this newsletter in your friends and fam’s inboxes real quick so we can end spooky season with some healing cosplay, Appalachian Hoodoo and nostalgia for the ‘99 and 2000s babies.

– Starr

Cosplay can heal us, y’all. Who knew?!

Fit check! Fit check! Y’all got your costumes for Halloween yet? If you think you’re too old for alla that, trauma-informed therapist Niah Singletary is giving you permission to be a lil’ bit childish. As a doctoral student at North Carolina A&T University, sis is collecting coins for her dissertation researching how cosplay, video games and other aspects of Black nerd, AKA “blerd,” culture can be integrated into therapy.

It’s always trick-or-treat season with the candy lady

Y’all remember when we didn’t have to wait till Halloween to fill our candy buckets in Black neighborhoods? All we needed was maybe a dolla and the candy lady got us together. Filmmaker Taylor Walker is honoring these matriarchs of our community in her animated short film about a Black girl who learns an important lesson from her neighborhood candy lady during her hunt for a Kool-Aid cup. Grab your Hot Cheetos, Tootie Frooties or whatever was your favorite pick from your candy lady’s inventory of joy ‘cause this story is packed with nostalgia.

There’s Hoodoo in the mountains

Black Joy reporter, Danielle Buckingham, chats with Kentucky artist and Hoodoo, Sirene Martin, about her early experiences with Hoodoo, the influence of the church on her practice, why the lived experiences of country Black folks matter and the sometimes problematic, but necessary representation of Hoodoo in popular culture.

Get spooky and spread the Black joy! See ya’ next time!