27

“I’ve always admired your knack for trying different things you are passionate about. It takes a lot of courage to go after those things. So yeah, you’re pretty badass if you ask me.”

Since the start of 2024,

• I visited Su Taqueria Thaly’s, a Mexican restaurant in Chicago that serves heart-shaped tortas throughout February. We collaborated online to promote their food and licuachelas for Valentine’s Day! 

• I worked out four times a week and revisited my love for Zumba. Fitting into smaller clothes makes me feel extra spicy, and I love how I look in pictures! I’m owning my progress — plain and simple. 

• I experimented with new makeup and skincare products for fun! Fenty Beauty’s gloss bomb in ‘Riri’ is my latest obsession. My passion is influencing my community to advocate for BIPOC-owned businesses; my latest lipstick reel encourages viewers to support Black-owned beauty brands during Black History Month and all year long. 

• I spent time with new girlfriends. One friend cooked Pozolé (traditional Mexican soup); I tried it for the first time, and it was delicious! Feeling welcomed into her home to enjoy a homemade cultural dish is humbling; this memory is wholesome. 

• I turned to writing more deeply — it’s why this blog was born! Expressing myself has allowed my creative energy to grow. Writing helps me find a balance between my fluid nature and fiery power — I’m learning to let things happen as they’re meant to while taking control of what I can. 

I’m recognized for trying new things, but I wonder if you know how scary it can be to keep my heart open to new experiences. It’s hard to say goodbye to younger lifetimes I outgrow. I miss the connections to my past and still need to accept that I’m not who I used to be.  

Nonetheless, I’m celebrating that I’m alive and receiving what is mine. I’m turning 27 next week — this is just the beginning.

February 15, 2024