The Spring Issue · 2026 · Vol. I
Be
here
now.
A seasonal ezine for women of color who are done performing and ready to inhabit their lives — morning by morning, plate by plate, season by season.
The Spring Issue · 2026 · Vol. I
A seasonal ezine for women of color who are done performing and ready to inhabit their lives — morning by morning, plate by plate, season by season.
Chapter One
The season doesn't need your agenda. This is a menu — pick what calls to you, leave what doesn't. Nothing here requires a plan.
Morning — before the day has weight
Start with warm lemon water before anything else. Let that be the first thing your body receives.
Open a window and stand in front of it for two minutes. Let the air be the whole thing.
Put on a full outfit you love with nowhere to go yet. Notice how the day shifts when you dress for yourself first.
Eat breakfast somewhere with natural light — a window, a porch, outside if you can. Let the morning in.
Make a playlist for the season you're actually in — not the one the calendar says you should be living.
Take the longer route to your first stop. Let the morning use you up a little before the demands do.
You don't need a reason to be somewhere beautiful. Spring is reason enough.
Outside, Alone — solo isn't lonely
Find a botanical garden near you. Go on a weekday morning when it's quiet enough to hear yourself think.
Visit a local farmer's market solo. Take your time at every table. Buy something you've never cooked before.
Find the free admission day at a museum or cultural space near you and go alone. Spend as long as you want in front of one piece.
Find water — beach, riverfront, lake — and sit near it longer than you planned.
Have lunch at a restaurant you've always wanted to try, alone. Sit at the bar or a window seat. Order slowly.
In Atlanta — visit ADAMA, a cultural art space rooted in African diaspora arts and experiences. Go without an agenda.
Being alone and being present are the same thing — when you finally let them be.
With People — your kind of crowd
Pick a restaurant none of you have been to and let no one research it first. Just show up and order.
Take a floral arranging class together — or visit a flower market, each pick a bundle, and arrange them at someone's kitchen table.
Go to karaoke. It doesn't matter if you can sing. That's exactly the point.
Organize a potluck where everyone brings a dish from their roots. No theme, no coordination — just plates and the stories behind them.
Find a free outdoor concert, film screening, or cultural festival near you this spring. Pack snacks. Go early for the good spot.
Watch a sunset together. No photos. Not even a good one. Just be there while it happens.
Eat — what spring tastes like
Mango with tajín & lime
On a warm afternoon. Outside if you can. No fork required.
Hibiscus tea over ice
Deep, tart, stunning in a clear glass. Make a big pitcher Sunday. Keep it cold all week.
Jerk salmon, mango salsa
The heat and the sweet in one plate. A full sensory experience.
Papaya and lime, first thing
Before coffee. Let the morning start with something that asks nothing of you.
Watermelon, feta, fresh mint
Salt, sweet, cold. Exactly what a spring afternoon tastes like.
Cucumber ginger water
Make it Sunday. Add lemon. Drink it all week. Spring tastes like this.
Strawberry arugula, any vinaigrette
Bitter and sweet together. Don't overthink the dressing.
Go Somewhere — near or far
An HBCU town in spring
The energy is specific and unmistakable. You don't have to be an alumna to feel it.
A city you haven't eaten your way through
Pick the city based on the food. Go hungry. Let the meals be the whole itinerary.
A Black-owned bed & breakfast
Look up Travel Black Enough or innsfortheheart.com. Stay somewhere built with you in mind.
A coastal town on a Tuesday
Off-season, off-peak. The same place is entirely different when it isn't performing for the weekend crowd.
Wherever someone you love keeps telling you to go
You've been saying "one day" for a while. Spring is a season. So is "one day."
Chapter Two
March is Women's History Month. Real gatherings, real cities, real women. Spaces built with us in mind — or worth showing up to.
Spring 2026 — Events Worth Attending
Miami Gardens, FL
Miami Open
March 15–29, 2026 · Hard Rock Stadium
World-class tennis plus exceptional dining, live entertainment, and pure South Florida energy. Grounds passes give you full access without the premium price.
miamiopen.com →Miami Gardens, FL
Jazz in the Gardens
March 7–8, 2026
One of South Florida's most beloved Black cultural institutions. Outdoor jazz, R&B, and soul. The music is the whole point.
jazzinthegardens.com →Miami, FL
Sunset Yoga at PAMM
March 12, 2026 · Pérez Art Museum
A sunset flow with live beats at one of Miami's most stunning cultural venues. Waterfront, outdoors, worth every minute.
pamm.org →Houston, TX
HUE Affair × Kaleidoscope
March 13–14, 2026
10th anniversary of the Black-owned beauty and culture expo. Free on March 13. A community a decade in the making.
Learn more →Las Vegas, NV
Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit
March 11–14, 2026
20+ years of bringing executive women of color together for development, real community, and substantive conversation.
blackenterprise.com →Brooklyn, NY
18th National Black Writers Conference
March 25, 2026
One of the most important literary gatherings centering Black voices and the power of language. For writers and devoted readers both.
Learn more →New York City, NY
HUE Affair NYC Marketplace
May 30, 2026 · Metropolitan Pavilion
60+ Black-owned beauty and lifestyle brands in a curated marketplace. A community in its 10th year. Tickets from $25.
Learn more →Austin, TX
A Black Girl's Guide to SXSW
March 2026
Curated pop-ups and wellness spaces for Black women moving through the festival with intention. Powered by Black Girl Vitamins.
whereyallatthough.com →Find Your People — year-round communities
Outdoor Afro
60+ Cities Nationwide
The nation's leading org connecting Black people with nature. Regular hikes, paddles, and outdoor events. Find your city at outdoorafro.com.
ADAMA
Atlanta, GA
A cultural art space rooted in African diaspora arts, exhibits, and experiences — including a Flowers × Seeds program. Worth planning a solo visit or group outing. adamatl.org.
Black Girls Trekkin'
Los Angeles, CA
Nonprofit hiking group bringing Black female representation to LA trails. Hikes, rock climbing, beach cleanups. @blackgirlstrekkin.
Hammock Gang
Houston, TX
Black-led outdoor community exploring the Houston area with the conviction that nature belongs to everyone. Follow on Instagram for events.
Hike Clerb
LA & San Diego, CA
Intersectional BIPOC women's outdoor club weaving hiking with breathwork and sound healing. Sign up and show up. @hikeclerb.
Black Girls Hike
Nationwide + Trips
Group hikes, travel stays, and a growing community of Black women in nature. Solo retreat options available. blackgirlshike.net.
A Deeper Experience
Miami, FL
South Florida wellness workshops for Black and POC communities — breathwork, sound healing, meditation. Check Eventbrite for spring dates.
BlackFemaleProject
Oakland, CA + Online
Wellness, community, and resources centering Black women year-round. Their 2026 Wellness Calendar is worth bookmarking. blackfemaleproject.org.
Chapter Three
Perimenopause and menopause — this is a season your body is moving through, with its own rhythms and its own requirements. Here's what actually supports it.
Eat — what your body is asking for
Flaxseed
Phytoestrogens that help balance shifting hormone levels. One tablespoon ground — in a smoothie or yogurt daily. Ground absorbs better than whole.
Fatty fish — salmon, sardines, mackerel
Omega-3s shown to reduce hot flash frequency and support mood stability. Two to three servings a week makes a measurable difference.
Whole soy — edamame, tempeh
Isoflavones that gently support estrogen levels. The fermented versions are easier to digest. Food over supplements here.
Dark leafy greens
Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K in one place. Bone density becomes a real priority now. Rotate collards, kale, and bok choy.
Berries — any kind, often
Antioxidants that reduce inflammation and support brain clarity. The cognitive fog is real. Berries help. Eat them every day.
Magnesium-rich foods
Pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, black beans. Supports sleep, reduces night sweats, eases tension. Many women in this season are quietly deficient.
Fermented foods daily
Kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut — gut health and hormone health are deeply connected. A healthy gut metabolizes estrogen better.
Move — what actually feels good
Walking outdoors, 30 minutes daily
Not for weight. For cortisol regulation, bone density, and the clarity that only comes from moving through air. Morning walks hit different in spring.
Strength training, twice a week
The most protective thing you can do for bone density and muscle mass right now. Consistent matters far more than heavy.
Pilates
Core stability, posture, and pelvic floor health — all things this season quietly affects. Low impact, high return.
Swimming
Full body, cooling, and forgiving on joints that may be more sensitive. If there's a pool or open water near you, use it this spring.
Yin or restorative yoga
Not hot yoga — heat amplifies symptoms. Slow, held poses support the nervous system without demanding more from a body already working hard.
Dancing
Cardio that doesn't feel like cardio. Joy in your body — exactly what this season can make you forget you're capable of.
Stretching every morning
Ten minutes before the day begins. Joint stiffness and disrupted sleep both improve with consistent morning movement.
"This body is not in decline. It is in transition — the way seasons are, the way everything that matters is. The discomfort is real. So is what's on the other side: a body that has carried you this far, asking only that you finally pay attention."
— just B.E. · HerDecree 2026
Chapter Four
The SS26 palette is built for bold self-expression — Lava Falls, Marina, Alexandrite, Muskmelon, Burnished Lilac, Acacia. Here's how each color actually lands on the full range of us.
Deep & Rich
Ebony · Espresso · Blue-Black
Bold contrast lands effortlessly here. Lava Falls and Marina are luminous. Cloud Dancer as a full look creates striking, unforgettable impact.
Medium Deep
Mahogany · Rich Caramel
Dusty Rose reads rich here, not pale. Marina makes a statement. This range owns the entire warm half of the SS26 palette.
Deep Warm
Deep Brown · Red Undertone
Warm earthy tones glow here. Muskmelon doesn't wash — it radiates. Alexandrite brings out the depth in red-brown undertones.
Medium
Honey · Bronze · Warm Tan
Alexandrite is the standout — teal-blue against golden-brown reads as deeply intentional. Acacia adds electric, unexpected energy.
Light Medium
Warm Olive · Golden Beige
Burnished Lilac reads editorial, not soft. Marina is the season's best pairing here — deep blue against warm skin is the SS26 statement look.
Light Warm
Light Golden · Fair Warm Undertone
Cool and muted tones contrast beautifully here. Acacia is an unexpected pop that works. Burnished Lilac reads closer to a neutral than a statement.
These aren't rules. Your skin, your undertone, what makes you feel alive in the morning — those always outrank any palette. This is a starting point, not a prescription.
just B.E.
None of this was a prescription. It was an invitation — to be somewhere fully, to eat something alive, to show up where your people are, to wear what was made for this moment, to let the season you're in be exactly what it is.
Spring doesn't ask you to become anything. It just keeps moving. You can too.
When you're ready for more —
HerDecree · The Spring Issue · 2026