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The Davenport sisters are the founders of the first Black Food bookstore

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Clay Williams

When Gabrielle Davenport was in elementary school, she developed a love for deviled eggs that began in her paternal grandmother’s kitchen. “Almost every time we saw each other, we made deviled eggs,” he says. “It was a great bonding experience for us.”

What made cooking with Grandma so special was the opportunity to learn from her and work together. This involved rigorously following the steps of the process and adding unique ingredients like capers, chinook peppers, and even cayenne pepper to personalize the easy, family-friendly recipe.

Moments like these at her grandmother’s house shaped Gabrielle and her older sister Danielle’s childhood. Rooted in shared family experiences and food, the sisters also developed an early appreciation for storytelling.

“My grandmother’s book shelves were filled with children’s literature. She also really liked books on tape,” says Danielle. “Every time we visited the site, it felt like we were in a library.”

The Davenport sisters, who’ve a seven-year age difference, noticed that as they grew older and life pulled them in numerous directions with recent interests, one or two things remained constant: their love of food and books. This love became a passion project, a goal to rejoice the literature of black culinary ways (that’s, the culinary traditions and practices of a particular people, place or period).

So in January 2021, the Davenport sisters launched BEM books and more, a bookstore that does just that. They began online with the intention of later expanding into traditional brick and mortar, and through construction, they used a pop-up store to achieve the masses in the borough. While developing the bookstore concept, the connection they were able to ascertain with the community was nourishing and in addition strengthened the bond of the Davenport sisters.

The Davenport sisters are the founders of the first Black Food bookstore
New York, New York – May 1, 2023: BEM Books marketing and promotional photos with owners Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport at the current pop-up location at BRIC House in Fort Greene. © Clay Williams / http://claywilliamsphoto.com

“We got to know each other a little better,” says Gabrielle. “It’s a result of our relationship and the things that are important to us.”

“Family heritage has a lot to do with what we do,” adds Danielle about BEM, whose name is a mix of their grandmothers’ names. “There is a spirit of generosity in our family, and being able to tap into that beautiful energy of sharing, cooking, telling stories and loving each other with others in community is truly life-changing.”

Works available of their online store include cookbooks akin to Ghetto Gastro, food fiction including Charmaine Wilkerson, and nonfiction works akin to Jessica B. Harris’ classic. Children’s books are also on sale. An image book for youngsters can be published soon, , by Connecticut kid’s writer Gabriele Davis, can be available soon at BEM Books and beyond. The work refers to her family’s culinary traditions related to peaches.

Sisters Davenport and Davis consider that telling children about our food traditions creates a possibility to construct intergenerational bonds. It’s the same moment that Gabrielle and Daniel enjoyed of their grandmother’s kitchen as little girls.

“When we celebrate our food, we create a welcoming atmosphere. We feel loved and nourished,” Davis says. “Cooking, eating, laughing and sharing stories calm us and allow for meaningful conversation, strengthening our sense of kinship, shared history, cultural identity and community.”

The Davenport sisters are the founders of the first Black Food bookstore
New York, New York – April 30, 2023: BEM Books marketing and promotional photos with owners Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport at the current pop-up location at BRIC House in Fort Greene. © Clay Williams / http://claywilliamsphoto.com

In March, the Davenports achieved a vital milestone in raising sufficient funds (to Kickstarter) to sign a lease for its store in Brooklyn, which is scheduled to open by the end of 2024.

“We have received so much love from the community, especially Black women, in the food space,” Gabrielle says of the financial support. Davis says people realize what a vital place a facility like BEM has in the community.

“Modern food culture, with its emphasis on convenience, threatens to undermine our sacred food traditions. Spaces like BEM books and others help us reclaim them and the intellectual, emotional and physical nourishment they provide,” Davis emphasizes.

Bookstores are also places of social service, especially for black women. They served as protected places to fulfill, learn something recent, and connect with worlds known and unknown.

“It’s great that we are among the group of people across the country who are starting new ventures at the intersection of food and books. It really is like the work of the spirit… the different ways that people build companies around an ecosystem of supporting each other,” says Danielle. “There is something really special about how we can shape this as entrepreneurs caught up in a beautiful sense of community.”

“Feeding this country has been the work of Black women from the very beginning, and unfortunately we are the ones who have received the least recognition for it. But what’s really special is the renewal of the idea that the way Americans eat from coast to coast has been truly defined by Black women,” adds Gabrielle. “We all do. Being in community with the people you support and the people who support you is an indescribable love. Black women made it all possible… and [my sister and I] they are truly grateful.”


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Celebrity Coverage

ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence

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With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is predicted to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Nineteen Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.

Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.

From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.

In case you missed it, take a have a look at 17 of the perfect celebrity beauty moments from the week below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Black artists shine with 2024 Christmas albums – Essence

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This holiday season, a few of the most talented Black music artists are reimagining the sounds of Christmas. From the soulful sounds of gospel legends to the contemporary kind of rising stars, these albums offer something for everybody who wants so as to add splendor to their celebrations. Whether it’s fresh takes on timeless classics, moving original songs, or reissues of beloved favorites, these projects bring joy, warmth and a way of community to everyone.

Jennifer Hudson makes her holiday debut with a track that mixes powerful vocals and heartfelt melodies. CeCe Winans brings a spiritual touch and Coco Jones adds her unique talent. Celebrating her thirtieth anniversary, Mariah Carey returns to the zeitgeist, and the reissue of Boyz II Men offers the right, cozy soundtrack.

As you decorate the halls and meet your family members, let these albums fill your space with music that uplifts, inspires and sets the right holiday mood. Here’s a more in-depth have a look at Black artists bringing joy to the world with their Christmas 2024 releases.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Celebrity Coverage

Let Anok Yai’s spiky bun inspire your holiday hair look – the essence

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Images by Dave Benett/Getty

Earlier this week, Model of the Year nominee Anok Yai appeared at the Fashion Awards gala at London’s Royal Albert Hall. And regardless that the night ended there controversial joke for this yr’s award, the look of her hair stood out, as did her skilled achievements.

Paired with an archival John Galliano gown from 1994, her hairstyle was as avant-garde as the supermodels of the day – and was the most groundbreaking look of the night. On the foundation, a pixie cut with micro-mushrooms framed her sculpted features, and the sides stopped just at the tip of her eyebrows.

However, the summit took an unexpected turn. Almost like a headdress, straight, long strands gathered at the top of the head, overlapping right into a bow. The look was romantic and evoked the essence of Mugler’s Alien Hypersense, of which it’s the face. “I carry a bottle in every purse, it’s an addiction” Yai said in front of the red carpet.

The iconic outfit was repeated by Rihanna, who two days later arrived in an identical style at the thirty eighth annual Footwear Awards Gala in New York. With slight moderation – longer, blunt bangs and full updo – hairdresser Nafia Biała used an identical technique. Could this be the hottest hair trend of the season? These two icons actually suggest that.


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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