Tales of a Black Woman Podcast

I’ve recently been binging content from Janae Danyiel, and she dropped a video on these decorated beds. Y’all know what I’m talking about, them rose-covered, balloon-filled bedrooms that sometimes have special messages, like “Happy Anniversary”, or more… suggestive language. Much of how we want to be romanced today has been influenced by a mix of desires for old school courting and flashy, trendy, love-bombing-esque moments. It had me thinking on how I love being romanced and how it’s evolved as I’ve aged.Watch her video: https://youtu.be/euhDUKkVi8w This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit talesofablackwoman.substack.com

Alright, before we begin, let’s get some things together:1) This is the perspective of current Ayana. 24-years-old Ayana. This version of me is NOT looking to have a child anytime soon. But conversations related to family planning and how we’d want to go about parenthood have been held between my boyfriend and me.2) This is my opinion on how I’d want to approach my pregnancy journey, healing past traumas, and more. I’m not here to tell you what you should do or what way is the right way, nor am I hear to criticize anyone on their decisions. Feel free to share your thoughts but keep it cute.3) Let me be clear, I do want to be a mother. I’ve dreamed of having children that are half me and half of the person I love. But this rent check alone got me crawling to my next pay day. At the rate this economic sh*t show is going, having children, let alone a house, feels like I’m seeing nothing but dollar signs. With all of the symptoms and unpredictability parenthood brings, is it worth becoming a mother? Maybe 30-year-old Ayana will be stable enough to take on motherhood; one can only dream… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit talesofablackwoman.substack.com

It’s a bit of a vulnerable and scattered episode, but I said imma keep it real.First off, happy Black History Month to my peoples. May our joy be infectious and just as rebellious as its always been. Because one thing bout us - we will overcome, and nothing gon steal our joy. Fun fact: It’s the 100th anniversary of its inception, which… yay, but also… only 100? Mmmkay.In the same breath, I’m feeling realllll… bitter. We all knew about the performative nature businesses took on in years past. From limited-time merchandise to their “reaffirmation" towards profiting off of… er, I mean supporting… diversity. It’s making me realize despite knowing most of the celebration was for profit, it honestly felt nice being celebrated and hearing our history louder. Regardless, it lands back on our community to cheer loudly, foster community events, and continue teaching our history.How are you feeling about BHM this year? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit talesofablackwoman.substack.com

Fake pins on Pinterest, AI slop on YouTube, and now we got moltbook??? What is with this fascination towards a less human, inauthentic experience?As I sat here screaming my head off today, and wishing I could touch some non-frozen grass, a thought hit me: There’s always been a draw towards what’s not real, no matter how harmful or outlandish it seems. Fake news always gets more shares and heated chatter, influencers who seem like they’ve “made it” in life got popular (when in reality, they’re renting 90% of their lifestyle), and now AI generated content is being pumped through our feeds faster than we can scroll. What a time to be alive(ish), am I right?With all this noise, there’s no wonder why folks are returning to physical media, community spaces, and disconnecting from being so wired in all the time…Resources related to this topic:* Check out moltbook* What is Moltbook? Everything to know about the manmade social media app for AI bots [Primetimer]* Humans welcome to observe: This social network is for AI agents only [NBC News]* Moltbook topic on Threads This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit talesofablackwoman.substack.com

Alright y’all, I was going to sit out this convo, because the Barbs are terrifying, and I had no new nuance to add to the conversation. BUT! It hit me last night - Nicki Minaj is a brand, right? That means she also operates on a product lifecycle, too. So, me and my marketing degree got to work unpacking her decline in public perception, her rebrand to maintain profitability, and how morality vs. individuality (aka it’s just business) affects community in our late-stage capitalism (yippie).Keep in mind, this episode isn’t in support of her. But it can help put some explanations behind her actions that we can use for pattern recognition later. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit talesofablackwoman.substack.com