Intellectual Ink Editor in Chief
Julia Press Simmons
Creative Director
Charlotte Young-Foye
Arts & Entertainment Opinion Columnist
Haikeem Stokes Erick S. Gray
Book Reviews
Diane P. Rembert
Graphic Design
Lamont Press
Flash Fiction ~ Contemporary
Braheim Gibbs
Health & Wellness
Shonda Mayes
Events
Author Untamed
Cultural
Karen E. Quinones Miller
Song of the Shadows The Creative Corner Photography
Phoenix Kabali JB Favour Alexandra Foye, Fearless Curves Photography, & Haitian Boy Images
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ONLINE ISSN 2833-7220 Julia Press Simmons ~ Julia@IntellectualInk.com Charlotte's Closet ~ Charlotte@IntellectualInk.com Haikeem Stokes ~ Haikeem@IntellectualInk.com Diamond Literary Reviews ~ DLR@IntellectualInk.com Erick S. Gray ~ Erick@IntellectualInk.com Karen E. Quinones Miller ~ Karen@IntellectualInk.com Phoenix@IntellectualInk.com GhostwriterJB@IntellectualInk.com Submissions ~ Submit@IntellectualInk.com PHILADELPHIA, PA. INTELLECTUALINK.COM
Dear Readers,
Editors' note
As we step into the crisp and promising embrace of a new year, it is with great pleasure and excitement that I extend my warmest greetings to each one of you. January marks the beginning of a fresh chapter. As we open the pages of Intellectual Ink Magazine's 26th issue, we find ourselves immersed in the enchanting world of literature, art, and intellect. This month, we are particularly thrilled to unveil our much-anticipated fashion issue. Fashion designer Keah Cher'i takes us behind the scenes of the "House of Sheba," to explore "TIMELESS: FULL FIGURED, FASHIONABLE, & FORTY PLUS!" As always, we have our staples. Get into Charlotte's Closet's Five Holiday Finds, Inspiration from Shonda Mayes in "The Pressing," W.T.F. is Going On with Author/ScreenWriter Erick S. Gray, & Who's down with B.R.A.E. by Author Untamed, Who's Next with T.H. Moore, and Write News with the ladies of the "Breakthrough: Beauty for Ashes Anthology." This edition promises to be a feast for the senses, featuring thought-provoking essays, interviews, captivating short stories, and stunning visual narratives from Phoenix Kabali & JB Favour columns. We invite you to embark on this literary and sartorial journey with us in the spirit of the new year. Immerse yourself in the enchanting tales, lose yourself in the vivid imagery, and allow the words to transport you to a world where intellect and style dance in a mesmerizing embrace. Thank you for being part of the Intellectual Ink community. May this year bring you inspiration, joy, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us in both the written word and the art of fashion. We are wishing you a year filled with literary wonders and sartorial splendor. Warm regards,
Julia Press Simmons EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Charlotte Young Foye CREATIVE DIRECTOR PG 2
Contents 2. EDITOR'S NOTE 4. THE PRESSING - BY SHONDA MAYES 7. WHO’S DOWN WITH B.R.A.E? =BY AUTHOR UNTAMED 13.WHO’S NEXT ~AUTHOR T.H. MOORE 37. CHARLOTE’S CLOSET’S TOP FIVE BRANDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS 44. WRITE NEWS BREAKTHROUGH: BEAUTY FOR ASHES 89. WTF IS GOING ON - BY ERICK S. GRAY 93. PHOENIX KABALI -SONG OF THE SHADOWS -AN INTRODUCTION, 215 FASHION, WILL ELLSWORTH, &JAZMINE ALVES 111. DIAMOND’S LITERARY WORLD BOOK REVIEW ~ IN THEIR SHADOWS
14. HOUSE OF SHEBA CELEBRATING PLUS SIZED BEAUTY WITH STYLE 72. POETRY ~ MADNESS BY PHOENIX KABALI & IRONY OF A STORM BY YASMIN S BROWN
111. DIAMOND’S LITERARY WORLD BOOK REVIEW ~ IN THEIR SHADOWS 113. CREATIVE CORNER WITH THE GHOSTWRITER JB - MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN BY ASHLEY WILLIAMS -WHEN LYRICS BECOME LIFELINE BY ANYANWU BEAUTY - MOTHER BY STELLA ANIEMEKA -ÓNÁ ÍBÍYÉ – DAVID AUSTINE OGBADU - RESILIRE – DENISE JONES
PG 3
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Don’t you set down on the steps ‘Cause you finds it’s kinder hard Don’t you fall now— For I’se still goin honey, I’se still climbin And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. An excerpt from the poem Mother to Son by Langston Hughes
THE PRESSING BY SHONDA MAYES Finding the power to keep going when it feels like life is lifin’ isn’t easy. If we’re honest, trying to keep going despite being knocked down can be downright exhausting. The reality is that some of us are just going through the motions, surviving and living to see another day. And if we’re being real, seeing another day is a huge blessing not to be taken for granted in the time we live in.
PG 4
So, I don’t want to downplay that, but it’s going through the motions of life and never getting to the place of
success that we see for ourselves that can be heavy at times. Existing and not living because we’re trying to brace ourselves for the next blow life might bring our way. We put our dreams in our rearview mirror and forget what we’re passionate about to become the heroes our families, friends, and anyone else close to us need. A lot of pressure can come with just trying to make it in this crazy world and take care of those around us. Overwhelming pressure can
sometimes leave us wanting to give up and throw in the towel on everything. We all face trials, and if I’m being honest, I have gone through things that have made me want to give up and forget it all. I’ve faced betrayal, heartbreak, being let down by others, and so much more. I’m not unlike many of you who have been dealt similar cards. At times, I didn’t understand why I got the short end of the stick when I gave so much or tried so hard. I’ve come to realize that there is purpose in everything that happens to us. It’s all in how we look at it. The pressing and the pressure come to refine us. The hurt, the anger, the pain, the hard times all serve a purpose. We must ask ourselves what lesson we are supposed to get from our trials. Is it not to be so trusting of people and their intentions? Is it to show us who’s for and against us? Has the pressure and pressing come to remind us of those dreams we’ve let go of? Maybe even some of our trials aren’t just for us. As cliché as it may sound, some things we go through are so we can reach back and help someone who finds themselves in a place we once were. I guarantee you that the pressure and the pressing we face in life don’t come to make us give up. It comes to make us better. It comes to stretch us and grow us. We must shift our perspective to see what good we can get from what seems like a bad situation. So, when life hits hard, don’t sit down. Don’t give up. Just grab hold of the lesson that’s being taught and keep climbing. instagram.com/shondamayes/ facebook.com/Shonda.Mayes PG 5