When In Rio

I’m carrying a lot of gratitude this day after Thanksgiving. I spent the holiday here in London cheering on a good friend (Vivienne) who was conducting an extremely timely lecture to students at the London College of Communication (more on this below!). Post-lecture, we had a very necessary debrief over Nigerian food. It wasn’t a traditional Thanksgiving, but my plate was still full in all the ways that mattered.

Part of that fullness is because I’m still processing the magic that was my first trip to Rio. I was there for my first Black Travel Summit — an experience that’s hard to summarize in a few bullets, but here goes. Some standout moments were:

• Taking a food tour centering culinarians and their very Afro-centric approaches to food and experiences. We stopped at Casa Omolokum, Dida Bar e Restaurante, and AGÔ, plus this really cool bar and retail shop in one called Favela Hype. Shoutout to our amazing guide, Gustavo!

  

• Getting humbled by the content creator life (being a one-woman show is no joke, but I was grateful for a friend’s support when she was able to lend it).
  

• Getting humbled again when I realized samba is… kind of extremely challenging to pick up.
  

• Bonding with other attendees building new lives abroad — from couples to solo travelers — and feeling so seen in my own journey.
  

• Meeting incredible leaders across the travel space — and finally getting to hug people I’ve only ever known online, including Tenille Clarke (also a past Stella guest). My girl took home the Public Relations of the Year Award!!

• Experiencing an all-women set of artists at Casa Black Rio.
  

• Celebrating my dear friend’s milestone birthday in a city (also Rio) that she handpicked for its unabashed energy and Blackness, which did not disappoint.

And I should mention: I was in Rio in part to represent EatOkra and capture content and interviews for its growing editorial platform. Joining the EatOkra team has genuinely been one of the best professional decisions. In case you didn’t already know, it’s a Black-owned restaurant directory in the form of an award-winning app helping you find eats at home and while traveling but also shaping stories and resources across the Black culinary community. I’m grateful to the team — and honestly, to myself, for sliding into EO’s DMs in the first place.

So yes, this Thanksgiving looked different. But the gratitude remained. I hope you’re also finding your way back to the things — and people — you’re grateful for, including yourself.

Now onto this week’s featured guest…

Featuring Leila Davis

Pole dancing has a rich history that Leila Davis is intent on bringing to the global stage. Through Blackstage, which she founded in 2020, Leila is building a community that centers artists of color and reclaims an art form that’s too often stripped of its truth.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE

Upcoming events for your calendar:

• She Did That. 2025 Holiday Bazaar (December 6, Brooklyn)

• Miss EmpowHer IT Girl Walk (December 6, Brooklyn)

• Girls Link Up Winter Pop-Up Shop (December 6, London)

• HERspire’s Brush & Bond (January 17, London) - *Use code HSBB10 for 10% off*

• Fundhership: The Connectionship (January 25, London)

• Femmeland at Sea (February 20-23, 2026, Miami to Nassau, Bahamas)

Some job opportunities I’m seeing:

• Freelance Graphic Designer - Miss EmpowHer

• Multiple roles - Liberation Ventures

• Senior Editor - MadameNoire

• Senior Strategic Partner Manager & Growth Partner Manager - Patreon

• Senior Copywriter - Aritzia

• Associate Social Media Editor - Delish

• Lead Digital Communications Strategist - Wells Fargo

• Content Creator - Cécred

• Director of Podcast Subscription and Memberships - Vox Media

• Digital Marketing and Audience Editor - The TRiiBE

• Creator Management Lead - LinkedIn

Circling back to Vivienne’s presentation at LCC yesterday: It truly felt like this seamless bridge between the traditional journalism I was taught in school some years ago and the new media landscape we are all navigating now. She broke down everything — from how to pitch to PR with integrity to how to show up ethically in an era shaped by social media, press trips, and brand partnerships. The rules have shifted so much but she managed to take a complex, ever-changing ecosystem and make it digestible, honest, and hopeful.

I’d be remiss not to mention that Vivienne isn't just a skilled lecturer, she’s also the founder of Akovi Comms, a consultancy for “the ones doing meaningful work but struggling to get the visibility they deserve” — and she’s got some openings for new clients heading into 2026.

Some standout reads this month were:

• We’re All Working for the Algorithm Now by Taylor Crumpton

• All I Ever Wanted Was to Beat My Grandmother at This Card Game by Brooklyn White

• Topicals’ first Community Business Letter by Olamide Ayomikun Olowe

In other interesting news, Bon Appétit, helmed by editor-in-chief Jamila Robinson, is opening a two-level restaurant and market at JFK’s new Terminal One next year.

Lastly, what an honor it was being featured by ESSENCE GU alongside other incredible voices in media. Some new platforms were put on my radar, and I’m grateful for that, too!

Till next time x

Bri