“A Best friend isn’t a person, its a tier” – Mindy Kaling
Hello hello,
This entry needed a lead-in quote to help explain my view of friendship and how incredibly blessed I am to have so many awesome best friends in my life. I remember a distinct moment at the office in my first job out of college. After a couple months of telling stories to my coworkers about my ‘best friend’, it became clear to them that I couldn’t possibly be talking about one person. Finally someone asked me, ‘so who’s this best friend that does everything and is everywhere?” I know I don’t remember the exact words of that exchange, but I guarantee that I can still remember precisely how I felt in that moment which was an overwhelming sense of gratitude! I am so fortunate to have a tier of best friends. I cannot quantify the dividends that my best friend tier has returned to me over the last 20 years! (Also, I cannot believe I just typed a 2 followed by a 0 to describe anything in relation to my life because I still feel 17 years old.)
That said, one of my beautiful best friends recently recommended the most phenomenal and impactful Netflix series that I’ve consumed in a long time. The docuseries is called High on the Hog, and it’s a MUST WATCH (I know everyone is relieved it’s not another podcast. I can branch out with the help of my friends!) As we approach Juneteenth, I can’t think of a better show to teach us about the history of African American cuisine in America, a cuisine whose roots cannot be decoupled from the history of slavery. My overwhelming sense as I watch this series is a recognition of the complete underappreciation of the mastery of African cuisine. Present day African food is complex and challenging – the preparation of which far exceeds the attention span of most Westerners (myself included!) Sometimes it is oversimplified through the lens of an entire continent when the variation within each country is immense. And to see how the docuseries traces what we consider to be “soul food” in America to its origin in Africa is both obvious and nuanced.
Happy Pride Month!!! 🏳️🌈
#blacklivesmatter #powertoprivilege #courageousconversations
Be well,
Jessica