Eclipse season may be coming to an end, but I’m still embracing how the universe moves. It always is—regardless of if and how we choose to pay attention.
Case in point: I recently traveled to Jamaica for a friend’s wedding. Not too long after landing, we took a quick peek at the nearby beach before heading to our Airbnb to refresh. About 30 seconds later, my phone buzzed with a text:
It was Chef Lacey Williams. We’d mostly connected through calls, though we first met at EatOkra’s Culinary Creatives Conference last year and later collaborated on her Martha’s Vineyard Apple Guide (she’s global like that—Jamaica born and raised, with roots and reach spanning the States and the West Indies). We knew we had to seize the serendipity, which unfolded into a fun girls’ night out. What it evolves into from here is still to be determined, but I have no doubt it’ll parlay into more beautiful things. It’s also a reminder of the value of nurturing relationships—you never know when and how they’ll bear fruit.
Do you believe in serendipity? I certainly do. I’ve come to believe that when we’re intentional with life, that’s when the most fated, unexpected, beautiful moments find their way to us. There’s a certain duality in it: intention and surrender moving together, hand in hand. Fate lives in both the actionable and the unknown.
Which brings me to this week’s featured guest…
Featuring Gabrielle Nicole Pharms-Barr
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms-Barr has had her fair share of curveballs in life. She wasn’t even active on social media when an editor at the publisher Quirk Books reached out about a potential book deal. “ She found my articles through American Whiskey Magazine’s website and then she said she went down the rabbit hole,” Gabby tells me. “She Googled my name and just started reading.” Now Gabby’s debut book, Stuff Every Whiskey Lover Should Know, releases in fall 2026.
Then there was another major life twist—getting misdiagnosed with Bipolar II (and years later learning she actually has ADHD)—which has led to using her platform for neurodivergent advocacy. Gabby is proof that very often it’s the unexpected moments that direct us toward our purpose.
Upcoming events for your calendar:
CultureCon (October 4-5, Brooklyn)
Roadmap To Billions Conference (October 6, Toronto)
Black Girls in Media’s 6-Part Webinar Series (October 9-December 18, Virtual)
AfroTech (October 27-31, Houston)
The Black Girls Tech Summit (November 13, Berlin)
Black Travel Summit (November 13-16, Rio de Janeiro)
Some job opportunities I’m seeing:
P/T Social Media Manager - Strangers in the City
Content Director - Allure
Senior Social Media Marketing Specialist - Expedia Group
Social Media Manager - Partiful
Senior Social Media and Community Manager - Hey Jane
“The Essentialisn’t rejects the insistence that Black people, namely Black women, must always deliver entertainment, comedy, pleasure, or catharsis to a waiting audience,” writes Asia Stewart in her review of Eisa Davis’ theatrical performance, which ran at HERE Arts Center through much of September. I didn’t get a chance to see it myself, but Asia’s thoughtful reflections captured so much of the work’s timely, striking message.
This “confidence heist” take—a refreshing spin on Imposter Syndrome—from Lois Aymes (she’s behind Saint Aymes) is definitely worth a watch:
Sundance Collab is now accepting applications for its 2026 Cultural Impact Residency—a six-month online residency supporting early-career, underrepresented storytellers whose work is rooted in creative, cultural, and social impact. Up to eight fellows will be selected across three tracks: screenwriting/TV writing, writer/directing, and documentary filmmaking.
Till next time x
Bri
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