Y’all enjoying your super powers yet?

According to the grapevine, we were supposed to be blessed with otherworldly abilities when the eclipse strolled in on Monday. I didn’t do any big get-togethers like everyone else in my space-obsessed hometown of Huntsville, Ala. I was chilling in my front yard, listening to the birds singing, the breeze rustling the leaves and new blooms, the smell of rain in the clouds that soothed my soul. It was a nice gift after pulling 12-hour shifts these past couple of days at Walt Disney World (More on that in a bit).

Maybe that was the super power: the ability to find a moment of pause and use it as restoration instead of forcing myself back into hustle culture when I’m exhausted. If I want to break the cycle of Black women being the mule of communities within my bloodline, then that means that I too have to stop living that way. The astrological masters I follow did say that eclipses aren’t a time of manifestation, but a time to listen to our spirit guides to release what no longer serves us. So I wonder how many other sky gazers out there took a moment to release and recognize a gift they’ve had inside them all along.

Sure, it would be cool to see people flying around, shooting lightning from their palms or something like that. But what’s even more fascinating is recognizing the power within ourselves and dissolving the limiting beliefs that hold us back. Slip this over to your friends and fam and prepare to be inspired to achieve our deepest desires.

– Starr

Change-making teens creating a legacy

Legacy Jackson is a 14-year-old St. Louis native who stands on business when it comes to helping others. Sis started her nonprofit, Little Legacies, when she was just seven years old. Since 2016, the organization has helped kids become change makers in their communities by planning monthly community service projects that range from sending shoes to Africa and planning a Black Lives Matter protest. Legacy’s kindness and optimism made her the perfect candidate for Disney Dreamers Academy, a program where 100 high schoolers are invited to Walt Disney World in Orlando to receive mentorship, affirmations and wisdom from celebrities and experts in STEM, entertainment and other fields.

How are the dreamers dreaming now?

The Black Joy fam was invited once again to the most magical place on Earth to report on the Dreamers Academy. To celebrate this star-studded event, we reached back out to the Dreamers we interviewed last Spring to see what they’ve been up to. A million dollars in scholarships and national athletic awards are some of the accolades the Disney Dreamer class of 2023 have added to their resumes since experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime program.

Keep dreamin’ big and spreading the Black Joy!