What do you think it means to be a good girl?

Being a good girl is knowing who God created you to be and thriving in your calling, in your purpose. It’s pulling your sleeves up, getting your hands dirty and going after things that matter to you! It’s encouraging those around you and lifting as you climb. In a world that loves to put women (especially Black women) against each other, it’s being comfortable in your own skin and knowing that someone else’s shine won’t dim your own light. I think this platform is so important because there are so many societal constructs on what it means to be a “good girl” and it’s time for us to redefine what it means.  

Tell us about Well Read and Fed…

Well Read and Fed is a book + food blog I started about a year and a half ago. It started as a finsta account because I would get a lot of questions from friends/family about good books to read or good places to eat. Once I started connecting more with other “bookstagrammers,” I really started to become more involved in the community. I started joining book clubs ran by Black women and becoming more passionate about my hobby. I’m looking to get WR+F incorporated to become less of a blog and more of an organization that aids in literacy awareness for children in inner-city schools that don’t have adequate access to books.

What makes a good book?

There’s so many things that can make a book good to me. I think what sets books apart for me is how they make me feel. If a book can evoke emotion, if it can make me cry or laugh or re-experience heart break, it’s good. If it’s relatable to my experience as a Black woman or can shed light on some of the things I’ve experienced, it’s good. If I can learn something from it, it’s good. It’s really hard for me not to like a book.

How many books did you read last year, and how do you balance reading with your hectic schedule?

Last year I read 52 books. I intentionally set that goal because the year prior I read the same amount. I realized though that reading is much less fun when you give yourself a limit so I’ve been focusing on just reading for leisure this year. I travel a lot for work so I do a lot of my reading on the plane. I’m also an introvert so after work I feel like I need to recharge and reading is my outlet to do so. I get the question about balancing reading with a hectic lifestyle a lot and my response is always if you have time to read at least 20 pages of a book a day, you can read way more than you do now. Simple lifestyle changes like that can help to kickstart your reading goals.

Describe yourself in a song.

I literally struggled for two hours trying to answer this question because I feel like there really isn’t one song to describe me but if I had to pick a mashup to be played at my funeral I would want the following songs: Set It Off by Lil Boosie, Soulmate x Lizzo, We All Try x Frank Ocean, Cranes in the Sky x Solange and The Blood Still Works x My Grandma. I’m a culmination of all those. LOL.

Paint a picture for us of your ideal reading space.

My ideal reading space would be a home library with ample lighting that overlooks a body of water. I would love for it to be filled with plants, candles, and comfortable seating. It would definitely need to be big enough to host small book club meetings but small enough where I’m not overwhelmed. I’d love to have some sort of sliding door to access the outside just in case I wanted to read outside as well.  

What’s your stance on social constructs?

I believe in the theory of social constructionism and that we assign meaning to things that really don’t have a meaning. Most of things we experience in this world are just constructs (money, books, gender). We give these constructs reality through social agreement. I think we place a lot of emphasis on things that really don’t matter at the end of the day.

We noticed you’re very religious and have a long term bf, how do you intertwine your relationship and religion?

What I believe in is apart of me so before getting into the relationship I had to feel out if that would be an issue. I wouldn’t consider myself very religious but I did grow up in church and feel like I couldn’t see myself dating/marrying someone with opposing views. We don’t have to agree on everything but we definitely need to agree on that. As far as intertwining it into my relationship, I think it’s much easier that my boyfriend believes in what I believe in. We try to do devotionals together and pray together because I do feel like it helps to strengthen our relationship.

Your caption game is strong, how do you come up with such dope captions and do your friends ask you to make up theirs lol

I haven’t heard that in a while, I’m washed now. Honestly, I don’t know. I literally will look at a picture and just think of a caption for it on the spot. I know some people that have notes in their phone or places where they save future captions but I’m not that organized. I suck at helping my friends with captions. They don’t even ask me anymore, LOL.  

With their being 6 months left in the year, what are your goals you will accomplish before 2020?

I took a hiatus from social media during the first quarter of 2019 to set my intentions for the year and I feel like I’m on good pace to completing my 2019 goals but  my number one goal before this year ends is to construct at least 2 Little Free Libraries in Richmond, VA. I’m expecting to have those up by the Fall. Some smaller goals I have for myself is to remain consistent in the gym, attempting to be more present and working through issues that I’ve unearthed in therapy.

What’s your current fav read and all time fav?

My current favorite read is The Girl Who Smiled Beads. I read it like a month ago and it’s about this girl who grew up in Rawanda during the Rawandan genocide and it chronicles her experience and her journey to America. I try to express gratitude always but that book reminded me of just how blessed I am. My all-time-favorite read will forever be The Alchemist and that’s super cliché but I really encourage everyone to buy that book and read annually. It will seem like a simple story at first but you will grasp new meanings for every season of your life.

We are making a Good Girl Reading List. What are some must haves for the list.

·       An American Marriage x Tayari Jones

·       Piece of Cake x Cupcake Brown

·       Homegoing x Yaa Gyasi

·       We’re Going to Need More Wine x Gabrielle Union

·       Hunger x Roxane Gay

·       Year of Yes x Shonda Rhimes

·       Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks x Rebecca Skloot

·       The Sun Does Shine x Anthony Ray Hinton

·       The New Jim Crow x Michelle Alexander

·       You Are A Bad Ass x Jen Sincero

·       The Bluest Eye x Toni Morrison

** Reading has always been a form of escapism for me. I used to go through really terrible depressive states where I would literally not want to do anything except lay in my bed all day and reading provided an outlet. It allowed me get out of my own head even if just for an hour. I still struggle at times with anxiety and mental health especially when feeling overworked and reading allows me to take a time out and just be present in whatever I’m reading.  

What’s meant to be for you will not pass you. You can’t run your own race if you’re worried about what the next person is doing. Look forward and know that your time is coming!

     I love the GGM because I love seeing Black women flourishing! I literally come on this page often to read about the GG of the Month and what my sisters are out here doing in the world. This platform is something special and deserves all the recognition! Much love. <3

@WellReadandFed/@Creamykinss