After years in traditional media, Joy Reid is embarking on a new chapter on her own terms—one that combines the honesty her audience expects with the freedom to speak without filters.

The veteran journalist and best-selling author settles into our conversation with the same warmth and directness that have connected her with audiences for years. It’s a combination of honesty and approachability that defines her voice. Since launching The Joy Reid Show podcast in June, she’s been navigating her own >departure from MSNBC during Black History Month. “I’m producing content that I love, that I’m super proud of. I’m doing a show that I love, and it’s been, to me, the perfect transition from traditional to this new media.”

The numbers tell the story of that successful transition. Within two weeks of launch, The Joy Reid Show reached one million streams on YouTube—a milestone that arrived with a congratulatory email and award from the platform. “It just made me feel so good that it’s like    my people are here with me, and we’re doing the thing.”

The podcast’s early success was anchored by strategic guest booking that showcased Reid’s range and connections. Her opening interview with comedian and writer Amber Ruffin set the tone: “She came to the studio and we caught up in the basement, like Big Tigger,” Reid laughs, referencing the iconic Rap City: Tha Basement show—one of many nostalgic callbacks woven throughout the series. The interview performed exceptionally well, validating Reid’s instincts about what her audience craved.

But she says a collaborative special coverage event truly demonstrated the power of independent media. Reid reached out to fellow departed network journalists Don Lemon and Jim Acosta with a bold proposal: join forces for comprehensive coverage of President Donald Trump’s June 14 military parade.

“I said, would you guys be interested and open to doing a special coverage with me… I feel like the three of us should get together and form a super group,” Reid explains.

The result was groundbreaking—three broadcasters from two different networks, all having left corporate media, delivering three hours of live coverage that included protest coverage from multiple cities, expert analysis and man-on-the-street interviews. The broadcast was simulcast across all their platforms—YouTube, Substack and their individual shows—creating a cumulative audience that rivaled traditional networks.

“We got what a network would get cumulatively between all six of those platforms,” Reid notes with satisfaction.

The podcast has also featured in-depth interviews, including a conversation with Ebrahim Rasool, the former South African ambassador to the U.S. The discussion explored the Trump administration’s approach to South Africa—especially the controversy around Rasool’s expulsion and the ‘white genocide’ narrative that gained traction at the time.

For Reid, a daughter of immigrants from the Congo and Guyana, the decision to keep moving forward rather than take a break was driven by a sense of urgency.

“I think events kind of dictated how I moved in that moment,” she explains. “I lost the MSNBC gig during Black History Month, which was interesting, but there was a lot that was also happening in February. People started literally disappearing off of our streets for writing op-eds that the administration didn’t like, or seemingly just for being the wrong-color immigrant.”

This personal connection to the immigration crisis shapes Reid’s perspective on why Black Americans must engage with these issues.

“The reality is that Black immigrants are so deeply integrated into the African American story—into our culture,” she says. “If you care about African American history, you have to understand how deeply people who were born outside the United States are woven into that history. If you’re ignoring immigration, you have to ignore Malcolm X, you have to ignore Marcus Garvey, you have to ignore Stokely Carmichael.”

Reid adds, “Nobody asks where you were born when you’re followed around Bloomingdale’s, or Macy’s, or Walmart. Nobody asks when you’re being mistreated by police. They’re not paying attention to your accent or your birthplace.”

Reid’s analysis of the current political moment is both sobering and instructive. She draws a clear distinction between Trump’s first and second terms:

“The difference between Trump 1.0 and Trump 2.0 is that Trump 2.0 has a plan. He’s surrounded by people who are sycophants, television hosts, characters… none of whom have the experience to do the jobs they’re doing. But he does also have a plan. And the plan is Project 2025.”

When it comes to speaking truth to power, Reid credits her upbringing.

“I am my mother’s daughter. That lady was such an adventurer that in her 30s, she got on a ship and went off to England by herself, got her degree there, came to the United States by herself, and then helped bring her family members over.”

This fearless foundation has carried Reid through her career, even when facing professional consequences.

“The worst thing that can happen if you speak out is what happened to me at MSNBC. You lose your job,” Reid acknowledges. “But I also had the self-confidence, and I also had the privilege of the education I was able to gain, that I know I can land on my feet. I’m a writer. I can always make a living as a writer.”

Reid’s evolution isn’t just professional—it’s deeply personal. Her recent decision to cut her hair short and go blonde represents a journey toward authentic self-expression that many Black women in media can relate to.

“I finally did it, and I love it, and it’s so fun,” she says. “I think we’ve been so kind of tormented about our hair as Black women, and our hair has always been political. It used to be illegal for us to wear braids—or not illegal, but people could fire you for wearing braids.”

“I definitely had the anxiety of, how is this going to go over? You know, go over with my audience. And so we think about it all.” But now Reid says she feels free.

The transition from corporate to independent media has allowed Reid to connect with audiences in new ways.

“What we’re learning, and what I think the media infrastructure, the traditional infrastructure, are learning, is that there is an audience for many, if you’ve developed your following. That audience is yours. It’s gonna follow you wherever you go.”

“We want you to be informed—because you’ve got to know what’s going on—but we don’t want you to feel despair,” Reid says, explaining her show’s mission. “We want you to have a little bit of joy, and we also want you to feel empowered. That after an hour of watching The Joy Reid Show, you come away thinking: I can argue with my Trumpy uncle. I’m ready to vote, I’m ready to move, march—whatever I need to do. I have the information I need to thrive, even in this environment.”

As Reid reflects on Essence’s 55-year legacy, she connects her current journey to the magazine’s foundational mission.

Essence has always been reasserting the beauty and value of Black women and Black girls. “As a Black girl, all you saw was Farrah Fawcett and white women in shampoo commercials and you didn’t see us, but Essence is where we saw us.”

Now, through her independent platform, Reid continues that tradition—creating space for Black voices, perspectives and stories that might otherwise be marginalized. In an era of rapid mediarel="tag">Black Women In The News Joy Reid

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“In The Chair” spotlights the incredible hairstylists and makeup artists in our community who are giving us major inspiration. Each week, they discuss their personal beauty and career journeys, what they’ve learned from their clients, and their top glam tips.

Growing up in Nigeria, hairstylist and The Frontal Queen founder Adey Olaoluwa found community in hair. “Saturdays were for the salon. You’d wake up knowing that you were to spend the whole day there,” she tells ESSENCE. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but those moments were really shaping how I saw beauty and my own personal journey with hair.”

At 16, Olaoluwa moved to the U.S., went to college, then grad school, and even earning her ABD status in a PhD program. “But I always had a thing for hair,” she says. While transitioning from relaxers to natural hair during college (and practicing laying her friends’s wigs), wigs were the protective >Lace Melting Spray, Olaoluwa became synonymous with her brand, often referred to as the “Frontal Queen” herself. “It was just always there.”

Read on as Adey “Frontal Queen” Olaoluwa tells all about her earliest hair memory, debunks beauty myths, and more. 

In my earliest memory, I had relaxers; that was just the ‘Nigerian thing’ to do. My personal journey and passion really came once I stopped the relaxers and started embracing my own natural hair care.

It’s the look on my client’s face after they see their new look. Having someone come in being stressed out about something or being excited to try a new hair color, it’s about the human experience and being able to give someone that without them stressing about it because in today’s stylist climate, it’s hit or miss. One thing I pride myself about is really catering to each client and giving them that >Hair Chaser brush we have. [Typically], you use the flat iron and a rat tail comb. But, what I love about this chaser brush is it grips your hair so as you’re flat ironing, it’s smoothing and holding the hair so you don’t have to grip the hair with a comb. And, when you’re flat ironing your hair, you burn your hand a lot because you’re holding that piece that just got flat iron. By using this product, it eliminates that burn so you can go in with multiple passes.

The last product I’m obsessed with is the Kiss Tintation Hair Color Spray. I use it on all my installs to perfect the middle part or side part. It just makes everything look very natural. If you over bleach, it helps recolor the hair to make it look back to normal.

Discipline beats inspiration every single time. There’s days when the vision feels heavy, things don’t go according to plan, tariffs, whatever. But, showing up constantly, even when it’s hard is what builds that momentum and impact.

I’ve also learned that nothing can replace knowing your customer deeply. From interacting with my customers day to day behind the chair to interacting online in comment sections, when you build that intention from a place of real connection, your community is going to ride for you all the time.

I’m always giving words of affirmations. I would say that’s my love language to my customers. There’s just this like glow that comes from within that is indescribable that I really love. I’ve had people break down in my chair; I’ve had people that are going through divorces and I’ve had people that are going through stress-induced alopecia from abusive relationships. The list goes on and on and it’s about providing a safe haven for people to just be. They just want to look beautiful.

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Halle Bailey, the talented actress and angelic voice behind our favorite Disney Princess, has for better or worse lived a majority of her life as a public figure. Her latest single, “Braveface,” gives us a glimpse of what that experience is like, especially when plagued with emotional difficulty, and prompts us to consider how beauty plays a role in wellness and self-preservation. 

Receiving their first big break after Beyoncé discovered them on Youtube in 2015 and brought them into Parkwood Entertainment, her music label, Halle and her sister Chloe Bailey have since evolved into multi-hyphenate entertainers. Experiencing milestones in the limelight can be difficult, even more so when those milestones are fraught by unhealthy relationships that affect our self-esteem and mental health. 

Within the music video for her song, Bailey appears singing as women are dressing, undressing, and making themselves up in different ways. Imagery also depicts Bailey through different lenses, one through a camera which she watches herself on, one under a magnifying glass and so on, as it represents the different ways she feels viewed and scrutinized. The powerful visuals accompany resonant lyrics, wherein Bailey uses the concept of a makeup routine to distract or “blind” onlookers from what is really going on beneath the surface, while at the same time giving her a sense of confidence to take on public opinion. 

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Ruminating on Bailey’s lyrics made me contemplate the ways beauty can be used as a shield, mask, or armor of sorts. In both literal and energetic senses, beauty practices can help boost the inner confidence needed to face the anxieties of the outside world. Whether it is a daily routine that makes us feel most like ourselves, or extra concealer for a stubborn breakout, sometimes the extra help is needed. 

Wellness expert and mindfulness teacher Le’ Jai’ La Troi offers a compelling view from a spiritual perspective, “Halle is bringing her audience back to the reverence of beauty, historically. Throughout ancient mythology, goddesses of beauty like Hathor, Aphrodite, and Lakshmi represented not only physical adornment but also prosperity and divine connection.” She also goes on to explain that many of the deities across mythologies and practices that rule over love and beauty, also rule over war and protection. Grounded in this spiritual lens, beauty is protection. 

Mental health professional Stacy McCall-Martin, LMFT lays out an important point when she says, “The [phrase], ‘thank God I don’t look like what I’ve been through,’ or the belief some of us carry that we can’t let “them” see us break, strengthens our resolve to persist despite feeling like we want to crawl into a hole for a bit.” 

In a way, beauty routines can serve similar purposes as daily affirmations, and show us the power we can hold over our own minds to reframe a situation with a more positive or sustainable outlook. Troi believes Bailey’s lyrics support this thought process, as she focuses on the “I just want to feel good,” section of the song, which she believes serves as a reminder that “taking care of yourself [helps you] feel better mentally.”

Beauty rituals can also serve as grounding, somatic practices. Take, for example, dry brushing or gua sha-ing. On one hand, they yield great results such as exfoliation or lymphatic drainage, respectively. On the other, the two practices can help us connect to our physical bodies, an effective practice used for those with anxiety. They can also contribute to overall mindfulness routines as they offer the time to sit with yourself in a methodical practice, as is supported by Troi. She looks back to practices of ancient Egypt, where women and men engaged in beauty routines not only for physical benefits but for the spiritual connection as well.  

If we aren’t careful, however, leaning too far into physical beauty can complicate our wellbeing.  “Sometimes doing all the things for the sake of beauty worsens our mental state. It can mask our experience, making it difficult to ask or receive support,” McCall offers. Through this tactic, a tough or polished exterior can prohibit us from stepping into the vulnerability we need to seek and accept help. In addition, it can worsen our mental state by causing us to hyper-fixate on the surface issues and exacerbate insecurities, turning vanity into a vice rather than a helpful outlet. To that note, Troi reminds us that beauty can be unhelpful, when, “beauty is filtered through external validation rather than internal connection.” 

McCall-Martin and Troi offer some valuable tips for improving wellness, both internally and externally. These include, above all, setting and respecting your own boundaries. By honoring yourself, you not only strengthen your mental wellbeing but can also incorporate wellness further into your beauty routines. Other tips include daily gratitude and positive affirmations which can be done in the mirror during beauty routines, EFT tapping for somatic therapy, journaling, and pursuing activities that evoke genuine personal joy and peace—for yourself, not for external validation. Importantly, McCall urges us to “find spaces where we can be vulnerable, cute or not.This is about community, acceptance, and (psychological and emotional) safety.” As Troi reminds us, “mental wellness is a practice of coming home to yourself, over and over again.”

The post What Halle Bailey’s ‘Braveface’ Single Can Teach Us About Beauty And Wellness appeared first on Essence.

Lavar Scott has been waiting for this moment his entire life.

And when he climbs into the No. 45 Chevrolet at Dover Motor Speedway this Saturday, he won’t just be racing for himself, but the generation of aspiring NASCAR drivers who come behind him.

No pressure right? 

Well… not quite. But he’s built for it. As one of few Black drivers in NASCAR, the 21-year-old from New Jersey understands this significance, and he’s going into it with the same grit and determination that helped him break through barriers to get him to this point.

“Making my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut is a huge step forward in my career, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity,” Scott said. 

“This is a moment I’ve worked toward for a long time,” continues. “Having the support of Foxxtecca and Alpha Prime Racing means the world to me, not just because they believe in me as a driver, but because they’re committed to creating real change in this sport. Together, we’re not just racing, we’re moving the culture forward, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

Racing is in Scott’s DNA. His grandfather was a drag racer (c’mon grandpa!), and that passion for speed traveled through generations before landing squarely on his shoulders. He started racing quarter midgets at five years old, learning the fundamentals at tracks near his hometown of Carney’s Point. While other kids were playing video games, Scott was studying racing lines and learning how to handle a car under pressure.

All of that hard work paid off in a major way last year when Scott became the first Black driver to win Rookie of the Year honors in the ARCA Menards Series. He finished second overall in the championship standings, proving he belonged among the sport’s elite young drivers. That performance further opened doors and caught the attention of NASCAR officials who had been watching his progress through the Drive for Diversity program.

And now it’s finally time to show Dover what got him to this point. There, Scott plans to pull double duty, competing in both the ARCA Menards Series and the Xfinity Series. 

The weekend will also highlight something significant happening in NASCAR. Scott will compete alongside Rajah Caruth in the Xfinity Series and Bubba Wallace in the Cup Series, creating a moment where three Black drivers are racing across NASCAR’s national touring series. For a sport that has historically struggled with diversity, it’s especially major and represents genuine progress (or at least we hope!).

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Scott’s debut comes at a time when NASCAR is actively promoting diversity initiatives and looking for drivers who can connect with broader audiences. His success in ARCA, combined with his technical background and family racing heritage, positions him as someone who could have a lasting impact on the sport. 

The BetRivers 200 starts at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 19th. 

The post Black, Fast, And Breaking Barriers: Lavar Scott Makes His NASCAR Debut This Weekend appeared first on Essence.

For 55 years, the ESSENCE brand has proudly driven meaningful impact through intentional, locally rooted activations, and this year’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture is no exception.

In partnership with hometown hero Master P, ESSENCE’s “We Love Us” Community Day brings together leaders and organizations of all backgrounds to offer a wealth of resources to New Orleans youth and families who may be unable to attend other ESSENCE Festival of Culture programming and events that typically take place in the heart of the city. To switch things up a bit and cater to the broader community, this impactful and carefully crafted event takes place at the University of New Orleans (UNO) Lakefront Arena, where Percy “Master P” Miller was recently named president of basketball operations and is affectionately known as “Coach P.”

Arguably one of the greatest and most prolific hip hop artists of all time, Miller says he is closing his music chapter – after his farewell performance on the final night of the 2025 ESSENCE Evening Concert Series – to focus on giving back to the city that made him who he is today. “I’m going to coach basketball and make history again, helping kids get into college and doing the right thing,” Coach P says. “It was an amazing ride. I put my faith and trust in God and I’m ready for the next chapter.”

One of the main attractions at the all-day, multi-generational community experience was the youth basketball clinic, designed specifically for the next generation of New Orleanians. Coach P and his all-star lineup of coaches – including “Coach” Spectacular Smith of Pretty Ricky and rookie team members of the New Orleans Pelicans – run some simple yet intense drills with the young ballers, while also giving them life skills they can transfer outside of the game, like the importance of teamwork, taking care of yourself and never giving up.

“This is the place to show the kids that there’s more to life than just entertainment, sports,” Coach P shares. “We want to be able to show them the importance of education and making sure you’re taking care of your health. This is the way we’re going to save our kids.”

As youth participation climbs inside UNO’s practice gym, families explore the ultimate health and wealth pavilion inside the main arena, where various resources are being offered by several community organizations, including the Black Heart Association (BHA), Bexa Equity Alliance (BEA), Operation Restoration, and more. 

“Wherever our people are is where we want to be,” says Frederick Robinson, co-founder of BHA, whose mission is to save lives and eliminate heart disease in the Black community. “We’re trying to change the narrative of heart disease and bring access, information, education, and empowerment to our people and anyone who wants to take advantage of what we’re offering.”

Robinson and his wife Tara, a three-time heart attack survivor, founded BHA together in 2016 after her final near-death experience. He says God sent her back to do this work, and they have been hitting the ground running anddecoding="async" src="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/EFOC2025_ROAMING-371-scaled.jpg" alt="We Love Us: ESSENCE, Master P Join Community Organizations to Curate Youth Empowerment Experience, Resource Fair" width="400" height="266" />

Alongside free heart health screenings, breast cancer screenings were available to guests at no cost as well, thanks to BEA. “We are deeply honored to partner with ESSENCE to bring vital, lifesaving Bexa breast exams directly to the heart of New Orleans,” says BEA’s executive director and six-year breast cancer survivor, Tiara Neal. “This inaugural, community-led event is more than just a service; it is a movement rooted in purpose, equity, and love…because when we meet people where they are – with compassion and care – we help build healthier, stronger communities from the inside out. Thank you to ESSENCE for showing up and showing out for the local community.”

Another community partner helping curate this family-friendly initiative is Operation Restoration, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that supports women and girls impacted by incarceration. “Our work is rooted in supporting and empowering women, making this partnership with ESSENCE even more impactful and meaningful,” says Syrita Steib, the organization’s founder, president and CEO, and cousin of Coach P. “It was really important that we create an opportunity to give back to the community and support the children in the neighborhoods that are adjacent to where the ESSENCE Festival happens. Together, with the help of ESSENCE, Coach P, and all of our community partners, this shows how we are being intentional about how we engage and show love to our community.”

One of the main attractions inside the Lakefront Arena was the Lux Laboratory Neauxla – a new entrepreneurial venture created by the young women part of Operation Restoration’s mentorship program, Operation Girls. Through creativity and connection, these bosses-in-the-making – whose parents have been touched by the criminal legal system – got to explore the meaning of being self-made by debuting their line of lip glosses, candles, and perfumes they all made with their own hands during the ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Nearby, financial educator and strategist, Dr. Jatali Bellanton, hosts a workshop to share key insights on building generational wealth. In addition, L’Oréal Groupe – in its shared commitment to promoting a more inclusive vision of beauty through Black joy, artistry, and resilience – joins in on the fun by giving back and offering free products to community day attendees. 

“In New Orleans, culture, community and commerce come alive like nowhere else,” says Varsay Sirleaf, ESSENCE’s senior director of community and global engagement. “Our goal with this inaugural Community Day activation is to give back to a city that has given so much to us. By creating a culturally rich, high-impact day of service rooted in wellness, empowerment and community joy, we are not only amplifying ESSENCE’s social mission but also demonstrating the true meaning of loving and taking care of one another.”

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The veteran journalist opens up about her MSNBC exit, embracing her authentic self, and why speaking truth is worth the risk. Let me know if you have any questions.

The post WATCH: Joy Reid’s Bold Next Chapter! It’s A Winner. appeared first on Essence.

A Consumer Reports study earlier this year raised question about what’s really in synthetic braiding hair. Although some people do, it’s still uncommon for Black women to wash their braiding hair—despite the fact that we’re often wearing braids for long stretches of time.

While not everyone thinks they have a negative skin reaction to wearing synthetic braids, itchy, red scalps are still somehow the norm. And, when peppermint oil and head patting just aren’t enough, can washing your braiding hair be the answer?

Read on for the truth about washing your synthetic braiding hair and how to protect your scalp. 

“Carcinogens, heavy metals, and endocrine disruptors are some of the few chemicals that are found on synthetic braiding hair,” lead hair artist at Nioxin Gabby Henderson tells ESSENCE. However, according to Michael Dueñas, celebrity hairstylist and co-founder of AROVE, “it isn’t inherently toxic.” 

First, it’s important to know what the word “toxic” actually means. According to Oxford Languages, “toxic” means “poisonous substances” (causing or capable of causing death or illness if taken into the body). While Consumer Reports found lead, acetone, and benzene in some of the most popular synthetic hair brands, Duenãs and other experts claim, unless you’re burning or dipping the hair, the dermal threat isn’t as serious. 

“They can off gas irritants when heated or worn against the skin, but the amount is negligible for the wearer,” he says. “Long-term exposure to the flame retardant can cause health concerns, but it is very rare.” Although, Black women with sensitive skin can still have a reaction to the chemicals, resulting in chronically itchy scalps.

“Since it is plastic and doesn’t breathe, it can trap dirt, sweat, and bacteria,” Duenãs says, which may be cause for concern. “This causes itchiness, redness, and sometimes dermatitis depending on how dirty and how often it is rinsed.” 

If your scalp is already sensitive, synthetic hair can exacerbate your sensitivity. Non-toxic braiding hair brand Rebundle found one in three wearers will experience scalp irritation from plastic synthetic hair, from inflammation and rashes, to bumps and tenderness, and even a more dry, flaky scalp than usual. 

While washing braiding hair isn’t as common as simply ripping open a pack and getting to work, it may be worth starting, especially if your scalp is sensitive. “Pre-washing removes a good bit of the chemical residue,” says Henderson. “It can help remove buildup, dirt, and a small amount of chemicals used on the hair,” adds Duenãs. As a result, your scalp will come in contact with less irritants, which can help make wearing braids much more comfortable (and longer-lasting). 

Washing your synthetic braiding hair is a similar—and just as important—process to washing a synthetic wig. Although it adds an extra step to your braid install process, it’s an affordable and simple way to give relief to even the most sensitive scalps. 

Although washing your braiding hair seems self-explanatory, there’s a few mistakes you should be careful to avoid: 

Even if you wash your braiding hair, scalp care while wearing the braids is still necessary. First, you should prep your scalp with a scalp serum like the Nioxin Scalp Recovery Serum or Relief Serum, and after the install, using a serum like the Design Essentials Anti-Itch Serum can give your scalp a boost of support. 

“Dab diluted tea tree or peppermint oil on itchy spots,” Duenãs suggests. “Tea tree oil is an antimicrobial, so it can help keep the space under the braids cleaner and peppermint oil will cool and numb itchy spots, but also boost blood flow helping to get healthier roots and hair.”

If you have a massage gun or head massager, “massaging your scalp gently can boost circulation,” he adds. “The healthier your scalp is, the stronger your hair will be with less breakage.” Blow out your hair as thorough as possible directly after washing (it may be worth investing in a professional blowdryer, like the Dyson Supersonic) and, most importantly, find a braider who doesn’t braid too tight.

Contrary to popular belief, braiding tighter (and caking on product) does not mean the braids will last longer. Finding a gentle, yet skilled braider who has respect for your hair and scalp health is crucial. While your braids should look clean and in place, your scalp should never be in pain after your appointment. 

“Being extremely tight and too tight for long periods will damage the follicle and cause hair loss,” Duenãs says. “Avoid super tight braids and give your edges a break every few weeks.”

The post Can You Really Soak The Toxins Off Your Braiding Hair? appeared first on Essence.

After a sold-out debut of her first one-woman show Sharoonnn Said It! in Atlanta, comedian, actress, and writer Pretty Vee is stepping into her boldest era yet. This fall, she’ll hit 12 cities across the U.S. with Pretty Vee Presents: Why Am I Like This?, a hilarious and healing solo performance backed by AEG that blends comedy, drama, and testimony into one unforgettable night.

Why Am I Like This? features some of her most beloved characters—including Sharoonnn, the viral no-filter Jamaican auntie, and P-Nut Mama—alongside a cast of new personas that represent the many sides of her lived experience. The show is a layered journey through Pretty Vee’s mind, from laugh-out-loud moments to intimate reflections about purpose and identity.

For Pretty Vee, this new show is far more than just a tour—it’s a spiritual checkpoint. “I used to always look at it like that—Why am I so different? Why am I so bold? Why am I so unique?” she says. “So I just wanted to tap in and say, you know what? Heck, why am I like this? Where does it root from? What’s my story?”

“I’m like this because I’m gifted,” she adds. “’m like this because I have a calling. These are all the characters that live in me, and I want people to come and enjoy the show because I’m going to put on a show.”

The preparation process for this tour has been intense—but deeply ful>HERE.

2025 Tour Dates & Venues:

The post Pretty Vee Gets Raw, Real, And Ridiculously Funny In ‘Why Am I Like This?’ appeared first on Essence.

Money troubles are hitting Americans hard, and although the numbers are sad, they are not in the least bit surprising.

A new WalletHub study found that nearly 9 million people across the country are behind on at least one credit card payment or have had to ask for payment delays because they simply can’t keep up. But through it all, some states are being hit harder than others.

Now the who, instead of the why may be the most sobering, because the results probably don’t match what you’d expect.

Firstly, if you guessed Texas would top the list, you’d be right. 

Now, I know they say everything’s bigger in Texas, and in this case, that also means debt. You’d think a state with its booming economy (and that’s literally bigger than most countries), would be doing fine financially. But this just shows, economic status doesn’t mean much when your residents are drowning in debt. The contradiction is how macro-economic success can mask widespread personal financial struggles happening at the household level.

“Texas is the state experiencing the most financial distress, which is demonstrated by the fact that residents had the ninth-lowest average credit score in the country in Q1 2025,” says Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst. 

Texas also had the third-highest number of accounts in forbearance or with deferred payments per person, and the seventh-highest share of people with these distressed accounts, at 7.1%, according to results from the study.

The financial stress in Texas also spills into bankruptcy filings, which jumped 22% in just one year and is the sixth-highest increase nationwide. People there are constantly searching Google for “debt” and “loans,” which just goes to show that they’re desperate to borrow money even when they already owe too much. This search behavior also would leave one to believe that residents are running out of traditional financial options and turning to the internet for solutions, often while already carrying substantial debt loads.

Florida comes in close second, with about 7.3% of residents having troubled accounts, placing the state sixth nationally for this metric. The speed of deterioration is the most alarming because that number shot up almost 23% between early 2024 and early 2025, representing the second-largest increase in the country. Economic pressures are hitting Florida residents hard and fast, and it’s sure to be a slippery slope.

Now if you guessed the number three spot would be another red state, you are in fact seeing the trend here. Nearly 12% of residents in Louisiana have accounts in forbearance or with deferred payments, which is the highest rate in the country. 

Louisiana also has the third-lowest credit score nationwide and leads in the average number of problem accounts per person. When people have multiple accounts in trouble simultaneously, that indicates a different level of financial crisis than just temporary cash flow issues. It suggests systemic problems with income, expenses, or both that go beyond individual financial mismanagement.

The study examined all 50 states across nine key metrics within six categories: credit scores, people with distressed accounts, average number of distressed accounts, changes in bankruptcy filings comparing March 2024 to March 2025, and search frequency for both “debt” and “loans.” 

The biggest takeaway here? Red states generally experience higher levels of financial distress compared to blue states, but we’re going to say the quiet part out loud: This political divide in financial wellness raises questions about policy impacts, economic structures, and safety net availability across different regions that many of us could have predicted back in November. 

While many don’t believe politics will impact their finances, this is proof that political leadership and policy choices may influence residents’ financial outcomes in measurable ways. But we don’t want to be the ones to tell (them), I told you so.

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