Photo Courtesy LOAL by Jenise Justice Brown You’ve done the work. You ’ve gone to therapy. You’ve read the books. You’ve listened to the podcasts and told yourself, “I’m ready for a healthy relationship.” And yet... here you are. Ghosting the good ones. Clinging to the complicated ones. Overthinking every text. Wondering, “Why do I keep pushing love away when I say I want it?” Let’s tell the truth: It’s not that you’re broken. It’s that your body remembers what your mind is trying to override. 🧠 Your Mind Wants Love. However, your nervous system is on high alert. When you’ve lived through betrayal, abandonment, emotional neglect—or simply a string of letdowns that taught you love isn’t safe—your body learns to prepare for loss, not receive connection. This is what researchers call implicit memory —where past pain lives in your body, not your logic. It shows up in: That tightness in your chest when someone gets too close too fast The way you scroll instead of reply The sudden urge to self-isolate, even when you crave intimacy Sound familiar? That’s not sabotage. That’s survival. ❤️ Love Isn’t Just a Feeling. It’s a Somatic Experience. Real love doesn’t just whisper sweet nothings to your heart—it knocks at the door of your nervous system. When someone says “I care about you,” but your body tenses…When someone holds space for you, and your first instinct is to disappear…That’s not you being too much or not ready. That’s your body saying: “We’ve been here before. And it didn’t end well.” This is especially true for professionals, healers, entrepreneurs, and those of us who are brilliant on paper but battle loneliness behind the scenes. You know how to lead, perform, give, build...But receiving love? That’s where it gets tricky. 🔄 You’re Not Addicted to Chaos—You’re Attached to Familiarity Here’s the kicker: Your trauma taught you what to expect—and now your body scans for it like a heat-seeking missile. If you grew up managing adult emotions before knowing your own... If love came with conditions, guilt, or absence… Then, stability might feel foreign. Boring. Even suspicious. You’re not choosing the wrong people. Your unhealed parts are choosing what feels safe, even if it hurts. 🛠 The Good News? This Is Rewireable. Here’s what no one told us growing up: Healing isn’t about becoming “better” so you can finally be loved. It’s about building a new relationship with your body so you can finally feel safe in love. Start with this: Name the trigger. Awareness breaks the cycle. Slow the response. Breathe before you retreat. Let the love in. Let safe people prove your body’s old story wrong. The version of you that knows how to receive love without fear? She’s not missing. She’s waiting. ✨ Final Word: You Don’t Have to Keep Fighting Yourself You can want love and feel scared. You can crave connection and need space YOU are not crazy. YOU are not doomed. And YOU are not alone. Your body just wants to know that this time, love will stay. And when you honor what your trauma taught you without letting it lead, that’s when the real healing begins. Want support unraveling this pattern in real time? I created a free guided reflection + a masterclass just for you: “Love Without Losing Yourself.” Let’s help your body say yes to the love your mind already chose. _______________________________ For more information: Website: Jenisebrown.com Email: info@jenisebrown.com Linkedin: JeniseJusticeBrown Text: 757-912-6108 Engage, Follow, Share Facebook: JeniseJusticeBrown IG: JeniseJustice TikTok: JeniseJusticeOfficial

Photo Courtesy LOAL This isn’t just a dating trend—it’s a cultural shift. Across the country, women are saying "no thank you"  to relationships that require them to compromise on their values, and "hell yes"  to aligning love with justice. It’s not because we're picky. It’s because we're powerful. And because we know the truth: how someone shows up politically is a mirror for how they show up in partnership, parenting, and public life. So let’s go deeper into why this matters and why so many women in general and Black women specifically are done with “agreeing to disagree.” The Problem: We Can’t Afford to Love Without Alignment For many Black women, politics isn’t just an abstract debate—it’s about survival . From voter suppression to the maternal mortality crisis, from book bans to the rollback of reproductive rights, policy decisions reach right into our homes, our bodies, and our futures. So when a potential partner shrugs off these issues, they’re not just disagreeing with our politics, they’re disregarding our lives . We’re not debating ideas. We’re protecting ourselves and our communities. The Psychology: Love That Conflicts with Core Values Isn’t Love That Lasts In a relationship, political beliefs aren’t surface-level opinions. They’re identity markers  and reflections of how someone views race, gender, power, freedom, and equity. Psychologically, shared values create emotional safety , a sense of trust, and deeper intimacy. When your partner’s beliefs challenge your humanity or dismiss your lived experience, the relationship becomes emotionally unsafe, even if it looks “peaceful” on the outside. And let’s be real: Black women have spent generations making other people comfortable. This era is about choosing ourselves. “We have to constantly critique imperialist white supremacist patriarchal culture, because it is normalized by mass media and rendered unproblematic.”  — bell hooks The Facts: The Legacy, the Data, the Proof This alignment didn’t come out of nowhere. It’s rooted in legacy: Black women have always been political torchbearers, from Harriet Tubman to Fannie Lou Hamer to Stacey Abrams. We’ve led marches, shaped policies, and saved democracy (often without getting credit). A 2023 Pew study revealed that 74% of Black women under 40  consider political alignment a non-negotiable in romantic relationships. Over 60% have ended relationships  due to value conflicts (Essence, 2024). Black women have the highest voter turnout rate  of any demographic group in the U.S., not out of loyalty to any party, but out of loyalty to our people . Black women’s intertwining of love and politics is a rational, historically grounded response to collective vulnerability and exclusion. For this to evolve, there must be: Greater societal justice and safety, Broader representation and solidarity, Cultural shifts toward healing and self-actualization, And a reimagining of love that does not require constant political vigilance. Until those conditions are met, love will likely remain political for many Black women, not by choice, but by necessity. Tips: How to Build Love Rooted in Shared Values If you’re a Black woman navigating dating, relationships, or even family dynamics where politics get brushed under the rug, here’s how to hold your line: 1. Honor Your Non-Negotiables Your values are not “extra.” They are the map of your soul.A relationship that forces you to ignore them will shrink you. 2. Ask the Questions That Matter Not just “What do you do?” but: What communities do you show up for? What issues do you care about—and why? How do you vote, and how does that reflect your ethics? 3. Normalize Political Intimacy It’s okay to say, “I want a partner who not only loves me but shares my fight for liberation.” That’s not “too much.” That’s  intimacy . 4. Build with Those Who Build With You Whether romantic, platonic, or professional, seek alignment over aesthetics. “When love is directed by the will of God it becomes a divine harmony, a symphony of spirit.”  — Abdu’l-Bahá Final Word: Politics Is the Pulse of Black Womanhood Our ancestors organized in silence, raised generations in resistance, and loved in defiance. We carry that torch, not just at the polls, but in who we allow into our sacred spaces . To love as a Black woman is to be purposeful . And today, we’re no longer separating who we vote for from who we sleep next to. We are the revolution, and we deserve relationships that reflect it. References Pew Research Center (2023). Dating & Democracy: What Drives Political Compatibility? Essence Magazine (2024). State of Black Love Survey Journal of Black Psychology (2022). Value Systems and Emotional Safety in Relationships Black Women Radicals Archive (2024)

The dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives is more than a policy shift—it is a deliberate erosion of the principles that uphold justice, recognition, and collective liberation. Yet, in the face of such resistance, we find pathways to persevere, guided by the wisdom of thinkers, activists, and spiritual teachings that illuminate our path. Photo Courtesy of Artist Helen Butler Kimberlé Crenshaw: Intersectionality as an Unyielding Framework Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality reminds us that the fight for justice cannot be siloed. The rollback of DEI is not just about racial injustice, gender discrimination, or economic inequality in isolation—it is about the compounding effects of all these forces. To persevere, we must resist attempts to pit marginalized groups against each other. We must continue to articulate how exclusion manifests in different yet interconnected ways. Rather than retreat, we deepen our commitment to naming the structures that oppress, because what is unnamed remains unchallenged. Jasmine Crockett: The Power of Relentless Advocacy Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett embodies the relentlessness of truth-telling in spaces that were never designed for voices like hers. She reminds us that policy and legal battles are not won merely through compliance with existing systems but through the bold, strategic disruption of them. As DEI programs face elimination, we must shift our approach from institutional dependency to grassroots resilience. If formal initiatives are dismantled, we create our own. If they take away funding, we redirect resources. We demand, strategize, and persist in the face of suppression. Unity in Diversity: A Radical Shift of Being The spiritual principle of unity, woven through the core of all major religions, teaches that we are one—interconnected, yet distinct. Christianity speaks of unity through love and service. Islam affirms tawhid (oneness of creation); Buddhism reveals the truth of interdependence; and the Baháʼí Faith upholds the oneness of humankind and spiritual truth  that diversity is not an inconvenience—it is a divine reality. It is the power of diversity moving in harmony, where As DEI is stripped this principle must move beyond policy into embodiment at the soul level. To persevere, we lean into education and community-building . We cultivate spaces where people see beyond rhetoric and recognize that unity is not uniformity but the honoring of our differences as essential expressions  of our collective humanity. Mooji Baba: Awareness and the Power of Inner Liberation From Mooji’s teachings, we learn that oppression is not only external—it is also psychological. If the structures of society seek to erase the truths of marginalized people, we respond not with fear but with rooted awareness of who we are. The dismantling of DEI is an external disturbance, but what cannot be dismantled is our inner knowing, our unshakable presence that stands beyond systems and policies. Through self-inquiry and unwavering self-awareness , we remain free within, even as we fight outwardly. bell hooks: Love as a Revolutionary Act bell hooks reminds us that the struggle for justice is, at its core, an act of love . As DEI is stripped away from institutions, we must not only resist but also reimagine . Love demands that we do not simply fight oppression on the oppressor’s terms but that we create spaces of radical belonging outside of their control. Love means we do not burn out in reactionary cycles but sustain ourselves through community, art, and healing. Love transforms institutions, but even more importantly, it transforms people —and people carry movements forward. The Artist as the Guardian of DEI When systems attempt to erase DEI, artists paint it back into existence . When institutions silence truth, artists shout it through poetry, film, and movement . Art serves as a spiritual and cultural archive, ensuring that justice, diversity, and radical belonging are woven into the fabric of society, even if they are stripped from official policies. From guerrilla murals to visionary storytelling, artists craft the alternative reality we must believe in, creating what the system fears most—a world where exclusion has no power. The Path Forward Persevering in the face of DEI’s dismantling is not just about policy—it is about strategy, spirituality, and storytelling. We continue Crenshaw’s fight to name oppression in all its forms. We embody Crockett’s defiance in political arenas. We uplift spiritual principles of unity as a divine truth. We cultivate Mooji’s stillness to remain centered amidst the storm . We practice hooks’ radical love as an antidote to despair. And through art, we manifest the justice that systems attempt to erase. If DEI is removed as a formal structure, we become the DEI we seek. We educate, advocate, create, and build because liberation is not granted; it is lived. #intersectionality #dei and #diversityandinclusion #equityandinclusion #futureofwork #inclusionmatters #bi+blackwomen #bisexualblackwomen #jenisejustice

Imposter syndrome can feel like a weight that hampers our progress. Many successful people experience this feeling, filling their minds with doubts about their abilities. According to research, about 70% of individuals will encounter these feelings at least once in their lifetime. It’s not confined to certain groups; students, professionals, and even leaders can feel this way. This blog post shares real stories of individuals who faced their inner critic, revealing how they transformed self-doubt into self-assurance. Understanding Imposter Syndrome Imposter syndrome is the feeling of being a fraud, often despite clear accomplishments. Recognizing this common emotional hurdle can be liberating. For instance, a study from the International Journal of Behavioral Science found that up to 82% of women experience it at some point in their careers. Remember that feeling inadequate is not a reflection of your actual capability; it’s merely a mental pattern that many have faced. Once you understand this, you take the first steps toward addressing it. Personal Story: The Art Student's Journey Take Maya, a talented art student who excelled academically. She received praise from professors but often felt like an imposter. "I would walk into a gallery and think everyone could tell I was just faking it," she shared. This mindset kept her from displaying her artwork publicly. Maya decided to challenge herself by applying to a local art exhibition. Though she submitted pieces showcasing her talent, anxiety gripped her. However, the reaction from the audience was overwhelmingly positive. Each compliment chipped away at her self-doubt and helped her realize that her art was worthy of appreciation. As Maya spoke with her peers, she learned that many experienced the same struggles. This support network became crucial in her journey, highlighting how community can help build confidence. Embracing Vulnerability Alex, a software engineer at a prominent tech firm, felt he didn’t belong among his smart colleagues. "I thought everyone around me was smarter and more skilled," he recalled. His path to confidence began when he opened up during team discussions. By sharing his challenges, he found that many of his colleagues felt similarly. This newfound camaraderie fostered a supportive atmosphere, boosting his self-esteem. Alex learned to recognize the value of his unique experiences and insights. His story shows that vulnerability can forge genuine connections and nurture self-worth. The Shift in Perspective Lily, a journalist, battled the fear of judgment from her peers. "I used to see every article as a test of my worth," she reflected. A significant change occurred when she began documenting her writing journey online. By sharing her experiences, she engaged with her audience on a personal level. Lily discovered that many found inspiration in her honesty and struggles. This shift in perspective taught her to embrace writing as an evolving process rather than a final verdict on her abilities. The supportive feedback from her readers helped her appreciate her value beyond mere accolades. Seeking Support David, a marketing strategist, initially struggled to talk about his doubts. After joining a mentorship program, he began to understand the importance of seeking guidance. Through his conversations with his mentor, he learned that self-doubt doesn’t diminish his skills or contributions. David discovered that even seasoned professionals often question their abilities. His experience reveals that surrounding yourself with supportive figures, such as mentors or peers, can significantly impact your journey to confidence. Actionable Steps to Foster Confidence Overcoming imposter syndrome is a personal journey, but here are some steps to guide you: Acknowledge Your Feelings: Accept that it’s normal to feel inadequate. Awareness is vital for growth. Connect with Others: Open up to friends or colleagues about your feelings. You may find common ground, creating a bond. Engage in Supportive Environments: Seek mentorship or join support groups. Hearing others share their journeys can bring relief. Practice Kindness to Yourself: Celebrate all victories, no matter how small. Self-compassion can lead to greater resilience. Tell Your Story: Documenting your thoughts can offer clarity and highlight your progression over time. Visualize Your Success: Create a vision board reflecting your goals, allowing you to see your journey clearly. Empowerment Through Community Imposter syndrome is a shared experience, as demonstrated by the stories of individuals like Maya, Alex, and Lily. Understanding that you're not alone can ease the pressure of self-doubt. By embracing vulnerability and building supportive networks, you can reclaim your confidence. Remember that overcoming these feelings takes time. Celebrate every step; every interaction, story shared, and successful project contributes to your growth. Internalizing your worth will ultimately help you stand firm in your abilities. Embrace your journey, and let your unique story guide your path toward confidence in your skills. A personal notebook opens on a rustic table, symbolizing personal reflection and growth.