Baby girl, you made it, you made it (Teyana Taylor voice). The end of the year is fast approaching, and you made it (insert round of applause here). Whether you had the best year yet, a year that didn’t rock the boat too much, or one that tested you at every turn – you made it. And I celebrate you for that.

This will be my last newsletter of the year, as Black Ballad will be taking a break until 6th January. This three-person full-time team has achieved some incredible feats and navigated some choppy waters in 2024. Lessons have been learned, and I have experienced joy in so many ways.

As this is my final newsletter of the year, I have one thing to say: it is okay to ask for help. It is okay to lean on your community and ask for grace. Often, as women – but especially as Black women – we are leaned on so much, that I think we sometimes forget how to ask for help. Or, we’ve played the role of the helper so well, like Academy Award-winning well, that asking for help or grace comes with a sense of shame.