Black Joy Lab Magazine

BLACK
JOY
b
LAB
BLACK JOY IS A FORM
OF RESISTANCE.
l a c k j o y l a b . c o m
Meet THE
FOUNDERS
1
Alandon Pitts
Brian Shackelford
Cody Valentine
Joyce Marie Fitzpatrick
Karyn Kerr Pettigrew
Kerra Bolton
Linda Summlin Aitch
Marvin Dee Petty
Melody Cooper
Naretha Hopson
Patrick Rameau
Rebecca Robinson
Ronny Turiaf
September Williams, M.D.
Silver Wainhouse
Tash Mitch

WHAT’S INSIDE
CONTENTS
P04| SILVER WAINHOUSE An Invitation To Join
BLACK JOY LAB
P06|
Meet The 16 Founding BLACK
JOY LAB Members
P08| TASH MITCH, Energy Creatrix
‘Black Joy Soul Radiance’
P12| KERRA BOLTON - Award
Winning Writer / Independent
Filmmaker ‘Return Of The Black Madonna’
P14| REBECCA ROBINSON - Fine Art /
Visual Artist ‘My work symbolizes the
appreciation for music, empowerment, and beauty
in our culture as a whole’
P16| NARETHA HOPSON - Founder,
CEO, Certified Etiquette
Instructor ‘I protect Black Joy
by exposing black people to the unspoken
rules of business and social space’
P18| SEPTEMBER WILLIAMS, M.D. -
Physician-Writer & Bioethicist
‘Into The Breeze’
P20| BRIAN SHACKElFORD -
Filmmaker/Freelance Editor/
Content Creator ‘His camera captures
what words cannot’
P22| JOYCE MARIE FITZPATRICK -
Filmmaker ‘Cancer Helped Me Choose
Happiness’
P24| MARVIN DEE PETTY - Clinical
Research Specialist Joy in a Clinical
Trial ‘BLACK JOY’ Poem
P28| RONNY TURIAF - NBA Champion,
Founder, Ambassador ‘Conclusion’ POEM
P30| MELODY COOPER - Playwright
/ Actor / Film / TV Writer /
Director ‘BLACK JOY’
P34| PATRICK RAMEAU - Actor /
Directeur / Professor ‘Black Joy is a
supernatural connection with the forces of life’
P36| LINDA SUMMLIN AITCH -
Philanthropy Consultant /
Non-Profit Leader ‘How I Nurture,
Protect, Create and Share Black Joy’
P40| ALANDON PITTS - CEO/Founder
‘Education is the platform that makes it possible
to defeat all barriers’
P42| KARYN KERR PETTIGREW -
Business Strategist / Coach /
Designer ‘Finding Joy’
P44| CODY VALENTINE - Musician /
Writer / Director / Actor ‘If GOD
is with you, nothing can stop you’
P48| SILVER WAINHOUSE -Author
/ Coach / Dramatist /
Astrologer / Speaker ‘With
Black Joy’
P54| Join Us At BLACK JOY LAB
2 3

An Invitation To Join
BLACK
JOY
LAB
BLACK JOY is a form of resistance.
BLACK JOY LAB MISSION
We recognize the value of Black Joy.
We create, nurture, protect, and share it.
BLACK JOY has among its ingredients healing balms, infusions to restore
and fortify, stepping stones to elevate, tears of joy, love for blackness,
“soul,” and a big helping of you can get through this sauce. Look around
and you will see its influence in every facet of culture. It flows. This savory,
bubbling resource is well-tapped throughout the world.
It charges visual and performing arts, propels science and politics, caresses
literature, and buoys economies. These are only some of the things BLACK
JOY does. I believe that BLACK JOY unimpeded, with its inherent
properties, has the ability to connect and heal the world.
We, the members of the BLACK JOY LAB, invite you to celebrate BLACK
JOY with us as you explore these pages and in your life. BLACK JOY
creates to survive.
We recognize the value of Black Joy.
We exist to create, nurture and protect it.
Black Joy unimpeded has, by its inherent
nature, the ability to connect and heal
the world.
Join Us At BLACK JOY LAB
Join the Black Joy Lab on Facebook!
Silver Wainhouse
Twitter @blackjoylab
Instagram @blackjoylab
Website blackjoylab.com
4 5

16
BLACK
MEET THE
JOY
LAB
FOUNDING
MEMBERS
Tash Mitich
(Energy)
Kerra Bolton
(Film)
Rebecca Robinson
(Visual Artist)
Naretha Hopson
(Etiquette)
September Williams, M.D.
(Physician Bioethicist Writer)
Brian Shackelford
(Film)
Joyce Marie Fitzpatrick
(Film, Cancer Survivor)
Marvin Dee Petty
(Clinical Research Specialist)
Ronny Turiaf
(NBA & CEO:Founder)
Melody Cooper
(TV Writer, Playwright, Director)
Patrick Rameau
(Actor, Professor, Director)
Linda Summlin Aitch
(Philanthropy Specialist)
Alandon Pitts
(Educator)
Karyn Kerr Pettigrew
(Business Strategist, Coach, Fashion Designer)
Cody Valentine
(Musician, Writer, Director, Actor)
Silver Wainhouse
(Dramatist, Author, Coach)
6
7

TASH
MITCH
Energy Creatrix
Life & Business Alchemist,
Energy Master Teacher,
Kundalini Yoga Teacher,
Theta Healer, EFT
Practitioner, Intuitive Guide,
Doula, Channel, Creative,
Writer and Speaker.
I always felt a massive sense
of purpose in being born at
this specific time. As one way
of being breaks down giving
rise to another, there’s a need
for thought leaders, healing
catalysts, creatives and world
bridgers to evolve, to awaken
and to step forward. My path
is to support and assist the
awakening process.
Silver: Tash invited me to an event she was
hosting and told me that I would meet her
mother, Carol Vazquez. At first glance we knew
that we had met before. But where?
Carol and I racked our brains trying to remember.
We practically had on the same dress. Then Carol
shortly thereafter passed on. I know that she
wanted to reconnect and to connect me to her
beautiful daughter, Tash Mitch.
I asked Tash Mitch to call in the energies to
support us on our BLACK JOY LAB journey.
You must hear her voice. After hearing it, you will
understand.
Tash Mitch has a voice--an instrument- - that
simultaneously soothes you and gently nudges you
forward. I encourage you to listen to Tash’s audio,
giving it the time it deserves. Relax, breathe in her
words and don’t be rushed.
https://soundcloud.com/tash-mitchalchemist-healer-intuitive/black-joy-soulradiance
BLACK JOY
SOUL RADIANCE
I AM REALLY
GRATEFUL TO SILVER
FOR BRINGING THIS
INQUIRY AROUND
WHAT BLACK JOY IS.
And I wanted to just record something that
was straight from the heart. No notes. No real
delving into thought. Just allowing Black Joy as
a frequency, as an energy, as a soul radiance,
to just emanate and flow freely and without
hindrance through me. And just to record what
comes along.
So when I think of Black Joy I immediately
think of the drumbeat. I think of a connectivity
to earth that is bare feet meeting the
consciousness and the divinity of the earth. I
think of stamping feet waking up the radiance
of the energy grids within earth. I think of the
deep-seated love for earth that is inherent,
natural.
It comes from spending time in nature,
communing with nature, being with nature,
being guided by nature. And a lot of black
beings have come from places where they
have been outside. Where they’ve been near
oceans, and trees and earth. And have had a
deep seated appreciation for what the earth can
bring. And what the earth can do.
8
9

When I think of Black Joy, I think of rhythm
that flows through the body. Rhythm that is
so connected to the frequency of sound that
the flowing through the body is like physicality
meeting sound current and sound vibration. It
is one of the reasons why when people describe
Black movement, it is always described with
words around fluidity and rhythm and beauty.
And yes, JOY.
And then I think of Black laughter. I think of
groups and circles of women. I think of groups
and circles of men. I think of groups and
circles of men and women gathering together
in community where a remembrance of humor
is put into the center of that group and the
laughter that comes from that has no bounds.
It isn’t contrived. It comes straight from the
soul. And is exuberant and full. And expresses
an inherent frequency of joy that feels like it’s
a coded thumbprint of the culture. A coded
thumbprint of the people.
When I think of Black Joy, I think of the
food, full of spices and flavor. They awaken
the senses. They bring a homecoming
and a celebration to nourishment and to
replenishment. They are like a warm hug.
When I think of Black Joy, I think of ancestry.
I think of the challenges and the struggles
of a soul journey. And I do believe that that
journey has been a soul journey. We sometimes
get distracted and it is very distracting when
we think of the reality of being minimized,
marginalized, reduced consciously. But
ultimately as an energy alchemist, I see the soul
journey. And I see a particular strengthening, a
particular radiance, a particular eminence that
has been crafted by hardships sometimes. By
challenges. But it is asking us to come back to
the table and remember the core of who we are
as divine earth beings. Over and over and over
and over again.
And when we look at other cultures, there
have been some cultures who have been asked
to do that. But when we are feeling our own
culture, witnessing our own culture, it is from
an unique experience. Where we are basically
being asked to clarify our connectivity to our
divinity at all times. Sometimes that can get a
little exhausting.
But at the core of that is a level of
sculpting of divinity in a human form
that is like no other. And so a lot has
been said about the black strength.
About the black integrity. About the
black creativity. About the black
flow. And it comes from this level of
crafting that is just creating the most
beautiful of diamonds.
So again thank you so much Silver
for bringing this inquiry.
Thank you for allowing my soul
to bring in its remembrance of this
journey of Black Joy.
Energy Creatrix
tash@tashmitch.com
Instagram @tashmitch
insighttimer.com/tashmitch
10 11

Return Of The
KERRA
BOLTON
Award Winning Writer and
Independent Filmmaker
Black Madonna
The joy of discovery in the
filmmaking process fuels
her. In her films, we are
drawn as she shows how
vulnerabilities are forged to
strength.
Kerra Bolton is an awardwinning
producer and
director. She is also the CEO/
Founder of Woodbine Films,
which specializes in firstperson,
narrative nonfiction
that examines the meaning of
community, connection, and
identity in the Black community.
Her directorial debut, RETURN
OF THE BLACK MADONNA,
is currently in production.
The documentary traces her epic quest to learn
to swim, dive, and map sunken slave ships with
Black marine archeologists. Kerra produced
and starred in DETROIT RISING: HOW THE
MOTOR CITY BECOMES A RESTORATIVE
CITY (2020). The five-part docuseries follows
Kerra as she witnessed restorative practices
transform nearly every sector of the city
during a time of racial reckoning. The series
was an official selection of the San Francisco
Independent Short Film Festival, called
“illuminating” by The Mercury News, and
won “Best Web Series” (2020) at the Cyrus
International Film Festival.
“OUR BODIES
ARE MOLDED
RIVERS.”
— Novalis
https://vimeo.com/611817376
Andrew Quinn shot the cinematography
and edited the clip.
LOGLINE:
RETURN OF THE BLACK MADONNA
chronicles my journey as a Black woman
in my 40s to learn to swim, dive, and
map sunken slave ships with a group of
Black marine archeologists. A devastating
health diagnosis forces me to confront the
multigenerational trauma of racism that
lives within my body.
KERRA BOLTON
Instagram @KERRABOLTON
FACEBOOK.COM/KERRA.BOLTON
TWITTER @KERRABOLTON
12 13

REBECCA
ROBINSON
Fine Art/Visual Artist
Award-winning mixed
media artist, Rebecca
Robinson studied fashion
design in Atlanta, Ga., and
continued her education
at North Carolina Central
University where she
majored in Art/ Visual
Communications and
graduated with high honors.
Her background also includes
art history, photography,
graphic design, film, and creative
marketing/branding.
Rebecca was mostly known for her fashion
design company PSNOB (pronounced snob)
which launched in 2001 but in recent years, has
taken a new direction with her craft.
In the spring of 2019, Rebecca began the initial
stages of forming her nonprofit organization
called “ONE ARRT ”, which will become
the first black-owned art supply brand that
specifically supports all artists, art organizations,
art education, museums/galleries, and
communities in need who would prosper with
proper funding and resources.
Rebecca has also contributed to several
nonprofit organizations throughout the country
by auctioning her one-of-a-kind handbags
and fine art.
My work symbolizes the
appreciation for music,
empowerment, and beauty
in our culture as a whole.
Rebecca’s artwork has been featured
in dozens of media outlets including;
Indianapolis Business Journal Podcast,
WFYI, NUVO, Jezebel Magazine
Atlanta, Pattern Magazine, Indianapolis
Star, Indianapolis Recorder, New York
Examiner, WTHR 13, WISH-TV 8.
RTV 6, FOX 59, Creative Mornings
Indianapolis, Indianapolis Monthly
Magazine, The National Endowment Of
The Arts including the Black Creativity
Exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science
and History of her painting of jazz legend
Miles Davis In the summer of 2019,
Rebecca was selected by the Arts Council
of Indianapolis to showcase her work for
the annual High Art Billboard project
(2019-2020).
Rebecca is also a self-published author of
the book “Arts Honor”.
REBECCA ROBINSON
artistrebeccarobinson.com
Instagram: @ psnob
Facebook: @ psnob
14 15

I protect Black Joy
by exposing black people
to the unspoken rules of
business and social space.
NARETHA
HOPSON
Founder, Certified
Etiquette Instructor at
EVER-APPROPRIATE Etiquette
Institute
CEO Ever-Appropriate
Etiquette
https://youtu.be/Chuov3J8Br8
We are empowered with the confidence,
tools and information to authentically
own our seat at any table. As a result,
we build our own tables and make our
own rules with a foundation of equity,
excellence and pride.
Naretha Hopson
314.744.9383
nhopson@ever-appropriate.com
linkedin.com/in/narethahopson
16 17

INTO THE BREEZE
SEPTEMBER
WILLIAMS,
M.D.
Physician-Writer &
Bioethicist
Cove international
Publishers Author of
Chasing Mercury and
The Elephant in the Room:
Bioethical Concerns in
Human Milk Banking.
“IN THE TIME
OF MERCURY
POISONING,
LOVING
SOMEONE
ENOUGH TO
LET THEM
GO IS FOR
COWARDS.”
— Sicily Marshall, Berlin, 1973
Amid the death and destruction of the Covid
Pandemic, I find myself oddly content—not
every
minute but more often than ever before. It’s
easy to see water mirages in a desert and feel
relief
until you drink the sand. But, I’m more
inclined to ascribe my own joy to witchcraft.
We “lost”
my mother, Shyrlee Marie, to this hateful
virus nearly a year ago. Though she had been
among
other things a nurse, the occupation on
her death certificate is,“Political and Social
Activist”. I
am certain she has been sending me messages,
masquerading as my own thoughts, since the
day she died. After all, she had done so when
she was sentient.
Though not a scientific natural, I spent thirtytwo
years practicing medicine until five years
ago.
If I could get the story, touch the person, share
findings on rounds or the chart, I could also
figure out the diagnosis and subsequent
management. This was true in clinics,
obstetrical
wards, emergency rooms, surgical intensive
care, geriatrics and hospice units. I became a
crossover doc, working “cradle to the grave”.
The edges of life are, after all, where stories
live.
From the time I was ten, I carried a camera—
either motion picture, still, or in my mind.
Now,
under transcendental orders from my mother,
I’m writing in words or sketches with
thickened
light what I’ve seen and heard from the density
of my human contact. I try to infused my work
with as much truth as the narrative forms can
bear. Romance-suspense is my preferred genre
as it often speaks to women. Women have the
most ability to direct the course of history once
we harness that power.
Recently, I moved my home on the bucolic
Marin County, California coast, across the San
Francisco Bay to Oakland. This was the first
move in my entire adult life made only to suit
myself. It turns out to be useful to others of my
family as well. My new home is a five minute
walk from Lake Merrit. As a child, I saw the
Black Panthers stand on the court house steps
at
the lakeshore, armed with the need to make
change. Because of those images many others
have marched that path. I smile and blow
kisses to their memories, and to the sea birds
overhead, as I row my single scull into history’s
breeze.
September Williams, MD-Writer,
Bioethicist, Filmmaker
August 25, 2021
septemberwilliams.com
415-505-2310
september@septemberwilliams.com
twitter @bioethicsscreen
18 19

‘His
camera
captures
what
BRIAN
Shackelford
Filmmaker/Freelance
Editor/ Content Creator
words
cannot.’
Working flawlessly, Brian makes sure that
what’s necessary behind the scenes works so
that the onscreen image is perfect. Capturing
the most subtle of movements and moods, he
has earned the title of master filmmaker, having
won multiple awards. The film “The Color of
Medicine,” is a stunning representation of his
work.
We rejoice in the ways he portrays Black Life,
protecting our legacies.
https://youtu.be/Ne2Tq_j_CyM
BRIAN Shackelford
linkedin.com/in/brian-shackelford-0b4131a/
imdb.com/name/nm3448224/
Short video on Black Joy
filmed by Brian Shackelford
20 21

CANCER HELPED ME
CHOOSE HAPPINESS
JOYCE MARIE
FITZPATRICK
Filmmaker
“IF NEED
BE, YOUR
ANGELS
CAN SHAPE-
SHIFT INTO
WARRIORS.”
— SILVER WAINHOUSE
https://youtu.be/BdqOk2j7NcE
We often take our time on this big blue sphere
for granted, thinking life will work out as
we’ve planned it. I believed that philosophy
wholeheartedly, until I was struck with an
unforgiving illness that put a permanent stamp
of uncertainty on my existence.
When I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer
in 2015, I didn’t understand why. I beat
myself up…. trying to figure it out. I ate right,
I exercised and had no history, but what I
didn’t do was listen to my body. I practically
killed myself, working a very stressful PR job,
producing movies on my days off. I thought I
was superwoman. What I didn’t do was ‘rest,’
and through my stress,
Cancer snuck up on me and knocked this
black woman on her ass! Cancer woke me
up and made me realize the one thing that
every doctor, every health expert and every
philosopher I met told me was to “Choose
Happiness”!
Happiness is different for everyone,
and I chose to spread “Black Joy” by
doing what I loved that made me the
happiest in my life.
So, I ditched the PR job and only
do what makes me laugh,cry, sigh
and jump for joy! Movies! Movies!
Movies! I have no biological
children, but I hope my legacy of
documentaries, features, web series,
podcasts, books that make my heart
sing, will help bring happiness to
others,GOD willing.
In conclusion, “Black Joy” for me is
“Choosing Happiness.”
Joyce Marie Fitzpatrick
Flatcat-Productions
flatcat-productions.com
22 23

HOW TO GET JOY FROM
YOUR CLINICAL TRIAL
AS MEDICINE
BECOMES MORE
PRECISION
DRIVEN FOR
INDIVIDUALIZED
HEALTHCARE
TREATMENT, I
FEEL THAT DOING
MY PART IS MORE
IMPORTANT THAN
EVER.
Marvin
Dee
Petty
Clinical Research
Specialist
Closing the healthcare disparity gap drives
me. I personally know what it is like to be
on the other side of the desk and receive
life-changing news. African Americans
are too often targets of discrimination by
physicians and healthcare systems and this
discrimination is a significant contributing
factor to healthcare disparities. Little
attention has been awarded to this topic,
fueling everyday distrust.
Black Joy resides most easily in a healthy
body. The possibility of increasing Black
Joy is what fuels my dedication to knocking
down barriers blocking participation of
African Americans and ethnic people of
color in clinical trials. Clinical trials save
lives. Black Joy aids in overcoming negative
influences when recruiting clinical trials
participants.
24 25

Four things to consider before
agreeing to participate in a clinical
trial:
1. YOUR DIAGNOSIS
What is your diagnosis and how
long has it been since you received
it? Have you had time to absorb
what the diagnosis means for you
personally? Are you still in shock or
doubt? Have you done any research
yourself gathering information from
reliable sources? What steps could
or should be taken by a person with
your diagnosis? Have you gotten a
second opinion? What is the rating of
the healthcare facility?
2. TRUST LEVEL
What did you feel from your first
interaction with the physician and
her team? Did the physician fully
listen to you and give you a chance
to ask questions? Did they verify
to make sure that you understood
totally Do you feel that you were
treated as a person or a number in an
experiment? Did the physician appear
competent? How easy will it be for
you to reach the physician’s office
after consent and how long does it
usually take for them to respond?
3. FAMILY HISTORY
How are family members impacting
your decision? Have they themselves
had a similar diagnosis or experience?
Their attitudes may influence the
level of comfort you have regarding
participation.
4. YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION:
Consider the possibility that a successful
clinical trial will add more and healthier
years to your life. What are the ways your
life will improve? How will
your work life be enhanced?
Good health-- physical, mental and
emotional are direct links to Black Joy.
When I look at information about the patient
which includes the zip code they live in, that
number will tell me a lot about particular
challenges they face. It shouldn’t be that
way, but it is.
I have assembled a team of innovative
healthcare professionals dedicated to closing
the gap in healthcare. Our goal is to improve
recruitment numbers and deliver positive
experiences for African Americans in clinical
trials.
Let’s work together to improve Black Joy.
BLACK JOY by
Marvin Petty
Black Joy is the feeling of free land.
Mississippi Dirt.
Black Joy is the feeling when the first
girl you ever had a crush on speaks to
you.
Black Joy is creativity untethered.
Black Joy is love, caring, peace,
respect,
Disagreeing, passion.
Being told you look like your secret
hero. Your father.
Sweet smell of your favorite desert
childhood desert,
Fried Apple Pies.
Riding your first two-wheel bicycle
Without training wheels.
Seeing your favorite cousin for the
summer
Your paternal side
The sweet kiss on the forehead and a
tight embrace
Mothers Love
Getting name called for graduation at
an HBCU
MARVIN DEE PETTY
CallTheseDoctors.com
linkedin.com/in/marvin-petty-3b81233a
26 27

“Conclusion”
RONNY
TURIAF
NBA Champion, Founder,
Ambassador
I walked through the valleys of my life
Erring without purpose
Heart full of grief
Darkness taking a toll
KABOOM, Came out the other me
Roaring with control
Because of my height, just
a bit under seven feet, I’ve
always projected height--
going higher--jumping
higher. If your goal was to
get the ball in the basket,
my goal was to block you
and to not let you reach
your goal.
I made a good living doing that.
I earned an NBA championship
ring. But, I want it to be known
that my real goal is to go lower-
-to go deeper--to get to the
roots of things, of people, and of
events.
My venture, Wanderlust Driven, is at this
intersection. Wanderlust is defined as a strong
desire to travel. My voyage is as much internal
as external. I move my feet and seek ways to
connect with my heart.
The following poem was percolating inside me
for some 8 or 9 years. It was a volatile energy in
my brain that I needed to get out. Then in 2014,
right before I retired from the NBA, I got the last
two sentences.
“THE WORLD IS A
BOOK AND THOSE
WHO DO NOT
TRAVEL READ ONLY
ONE PAGE.”
— Saint Augustine
Wearing my scars proudly
Mind liberated knowing I’m Ready,
Full of determination,
Alive with options
More and More Aware,
Realizing my true Potential,
Breathing this quintessential air
Faced with a choice
Back against the wall
Listening to my inner voice.
Answering my Call,
Choosing to,
Live the life I love
Love the life I live
Descendant of Charismatic lineage
Not interested in cleavage
More so uniting the Masses
Rising from the ashes,
I Found my Identity, a lion, perceived as a
leopard, With the DNA of a Crocodile
I never had to go too far to finally look within,
And realize I AM… Wanderlust Driven
I invite you to Join me at
www.wanderlust.com
Travel and discover yourself.
RONNY TURIAF
WANDERLUST DRIVEN
wanderlustdriven.com
Twitter @Ronny_Turiaf
28 29

MELODY
COOPER
Playwright / Actor / Film /
TV Writer / Director
A 2021 Sundance Episodic
Lab Fellow, Melody Cooper
was in the 2019 HBO
Access Writing program
before she moved to LA
to write on Two Sentence
Horror Stories. Melody has
been named one of the Top
25 Screenwriters to Watch
in 2021 by ISA. She was
winner of the Grand Jury
Prize for Best Screenplay at
the 2018 Urbanworld Film
Festival. In addition to a
feature for Netflix, she is
also developing a TV series
with a major producer.
BLACK JOY
I am a storyteller. I came to it first through
acting, then playwriting and now writing,
directing and producing for TV, film, comic
books and narrative podcasts.
I made a key decision this year in the face of
so much Black pain, sorrow and anger over
racism, police violence, medical inequity,
economic disadvantages, voting suppression and
so much more disparity that has built up over
decades and centuries. I decided to acknowledge
the difficult realities, but to refocus my work
to explore and celebrate Black Joy in its many
and nuanced forms. I see this focus as an act of
resistance and defiance, and a redirection of my
creative energy to much needed stress relief and
healing for our community.
Do I still address the real-life issues that affect
us? Of course. Is social pathology central to the
stories I want to tell? No.
What I will highlight is character exploration,
resourcefulness, winning strategies, moments of
joy and sensuality, courage and the willingness
to fight for what’s right. Storylines with
setbacks? Yes. Characters who go through a
dark night of the soul? Yep. But I don’t stay
there.
There is power in epiphany and success. God
knows, we need to see success to believe it is
possible. (And it is!) I made sure to include a
positive story line in my episode “Our Words
will Not Be Heard” in this past season’s Law
& Order: SVU in which the case of a missing
Black woman is not allowed to be ignored, as
often happens in our society. Incredibly, it was
the first episode to specifically deal with the
issue of missing Black women in the show’s
storied long run of twenty-two seasons.
It was essential to me that the story
ended on a positive note of survival.
What we create is a reflection, and
that creation also reflects back onto
those who take it in. Who are we if
we rarely explore survival and the
joyous aspects of our culture and
lives?
However, the focus on success,
survival and joy is not always easy
to achieve in the genres I usually
work in: sci fi and horror. Sci Fi
is easier because, like in my story
“Igbo Landing” in the graphic novel
anthology NOIR IS THE NEW
BLACK, the future can be positive
and powerful, even if elements that
want to destroy us follow us across
the universe.
30 31

“Tenderness is our superpower.”
The sci fi and Afrofuturism of writers
like Nnedi Okorafor and TV director/
producers Olatunda Osunsanmi and
Hanelle Culpepper (of Picard and Star
Trek: Discovery) explore extraordinary
possibilities through imagined worlds
and situations based on science.
My comic book OMNI is about
a young Black woman who is a
doctor with a unique superpower:
superintelligence in the form of several
avatar personalities. She deals with new
social issues in each story and tracks
down others like her who have very
different superpowers. Possibilities are
endless with those kind of concepts.
Horror, however, instills fear to trigger
examination of the human condition.
One thing I am not interested in is
retraumatizing a community that has
experienced and witnessed actual
violent death against black and brown
bodies played out again and again.
Fortunately, I am not alone, and many
creatives have decided to change the
narrative.
My episodes “Quota” and “Ibeji” on the
second season of the TV horror anthology
series Two Sentence Horror Stories
(currently on Netflix) is a good illustration
of my new approach and artistic evolution.
“Quota” features two Black women who
are friends and work in a company that
quite literally might end up being the
death of them. But the cornerstone of
the episode is their friendship and their
connection to their families and children.
Their decisions come from a place of
agency and love. They courageously
control their future, even if it may not be
ideal.
In “Ibeji” I was able to take the motif
of sisterhood a step further and tell the
story of African twin sisters who have to
fight to be heard and seen by the medical
establishment and go on to literally fight
a monster. Their joyful success comes in
finding the power of working together,
not just for themselves but also for their
community.
What does the future look like for Black
Joy in TV and film?
On the romantic front, I adored LOVE
& BASKETBALL so many years ago
and have wanted more of that. We’ve
gotten the films BEYOND THE LIGHTS,
MOONLIGHT, IF BEALE STREET
COULD TALK, SLYVIE’S LOVE, as well
as Queen Sugar on TV. And now it looks
like the upcoming film REALLY LOVE
will take us there via art and love, in
which the lead actor says, “Not making
any kinda statement. Just showin’ Black
people. Just normal and beautiful.”
With my own upcoming genre work I
hope to chart some new territory. I’m
writing a feature for Netflix that will
explore a whole new, fantastic world
with room for joy and love along with
dramatic action.
It is time to illuminate Black Joy and
continue to present the complexity and
gentle beauty of our community. To that
end, I am looking forward to exploring a
concept that I came across in artwork in
an LA museum that declared “Tenderness
is our superpower.”
MELODY COOPER
melodymcooper.com
Twitter @melodyMcooper
mdb.com/name/nm6077508/
32 33

‘Black Joy
is a supernatural
PATRICK
RAMEAU
Actor / Directeur /
Professor
Conservatoire National
Superieur d’art Dramatique
L’Acteur Sans Frontieres
Actor Without Borders
Black Joy is a supernatural
connection with the forces of
life. It’s the connected sense of
a cadence and rhythm of life. A
pulse that defies the unlimited
conflicts of life. It is Boukman
and Toussaint saying no to
slavery...It is earthquakes that
kills our loved ones but never
our will as a people.
It is a joy that manifests even in the most tragic
of circumstances born out of love for our
sisters and brothers. Black Joy is forged out of
adversity, the pressure that forges diamonds.
Patrick Rameau graces a stage bringing a
smoldering fire that pulls you toward him.
Whether he be on the little screen, the big
screen, or on stage, he will get your attention.
Follow him. See him if you are able.
Treat yourself and experience Black Joy.
He has recently produced Othello at the
Conservatoire National Superieur d’Art
Dramatique, in Paris.
connection
with the
forces
of life’
Patrick directs Othello at
Conservatoire National
Superieur d’art
Dramatique
PATRICK RAMEAU
imdb.com/name/nm0708152/
34 35

How I Nurture,
Protect, Create and
Share Black Joy
LINDA
SUMMLIN
AITCH
Philanthropy Consultant /
Non-Profit Leader
Before I could nurture, protect or create
Black joy for others, I first had to define and
determine it for myself. It’s easy to look to or
feel that someone else was responsible for my
fulfillment or joy, but the reality is it’s my
responsibility. I had to learn the difference
between happiness and joy, and that “Joy is
an inner feeling. Happiness is an outward
expression. A person pursues happiness
but chooses joy.” I also had to realize that
there was nothing wrong with putting my
happiness first. It’s called self-love -- and I
surely could not reach out to others to show
and give love if I didn’t do it for myself.
Over the years, I have read studies that
illustrate joyful people typically have less
chance of having a heart attack, maintain a
healthier blood pressure, and tend to have
lower cholesterol levels.
The studies also state that joy
boosts our immune systems, fights
stress and pain, and improves our
chance of living a longer life, quite
literally adding years to life. Thus,
joy is not a luxury but a necessity
for our lives and our health. Given
the plethora of health issues in my
family, these findings have and
continue to resonate with me.
And yes, a healthy lifestyle --
nutrition and exercise as well as
mental health -- is definitely a
significant part of the equation.
36 37

Everyone wants to achieve and have a joyful life
with a bright and fulfilling future. Thus, I sought
to find joy in my journey, both professionally and
personally.
Awhile back (actually years ago), I ran across,
saved and adopted these 10 tenets and refer to
them often to cultivate and maintain my joy:
1. Be with others who make you smile.
2. Hold on to your values.
3. Accept the good.
4. Imagine the best.
5. Do things you love.
6. Find purpose.
7. Listen to your heart.
8. Push yourself, not others.
9. Be open to change.
10. Bask in the simple pleasures.
In every conversation and meeting, I strive to raise
And these tenets serve as the basis of how I
nurture, protect and create Black Joy and are
integrated into everything that I do. I have
devoted my professional career to working in the
nonprofit field, more specifically philanthropy
and grantmaking. There is an abundance of
data that highlights the gross inequities in Black
communities with respect to such areas as
health care, education, affordable housing, safe
neighborhoods, employment, etc. As such, being
able to attain stability and happiness, let alone joy,
often seem elusive and unattainable.
While my work overall focuses on improving
the quality of life in this region where we work,
live and play, I am particularly attuned to
organizations, namely Black-led agencies, whose
services impact the lives of Black people, families
and neighborhoods.
the awareness of racial equity and how Black
communities are represented -- or not, but how
solutions must be developed with and not for Black
communities.
I also take this stance in my volunteer efforts as
well as share the above tenets among other things
in conversations, especially with Black youth. It is
my hope that by effectively addressing community
issues, not only would our Black neighborhoods
begin to stabilize and thrive, but that residents in
those neighborhoods can then ultimately begin to
define, create and choose joy.
LINDA SUMMLIN AITCH
InSTAGRAM @boldfiercestrong
Twitter @62LMS
linkedin.com/in/linda-summlin-aitch-3b101a8
“JOY ENDURES
HARDSHIP AND
TRIALS AND
CONNECTS WITH
MEANING AND
PURPOSE. IT
COMES FROM
WITHIN AND IS
A MUCH MORE
ENDURING
FEELING THAT
PERSISTS NO
MATTER THE
CIRCUMSTANCE.”
— LINDA SUMMLIN AITCH
38 39

ALANDON
PITTS
CEO/Founder
Alandon Pitts meets the
students where they are
and together, using their
skills in unique ways, they
go places neither has been.
Alandon is passionate
about developing pathways
whereby the talents of his
students are made known
to the community. By doing
this, the community can see
the richness to be developed
and all may benefit.
Education is the
platform that
makes it possible to
defeat all barriers
ALANDON PITTS
MENTORS IN MOTION
Mentorsnmotion.org
40 41

KARYN KERR
PETTIGREW
Business Strategist/
Coach/ Designer
CEO/ FoundeR
If you want to find joy, let
Karyn coach you. Attend
one of her workshops and
you will immediately see
how, by working with her,
you will be a better you.
Skillfully, Karyn will help
you to see and erase your
blindspots and coach you so
that you can thrive. Then,
with Zoe Goes, Karyn’s
fabulous fashion creations,
you are well-dressed for the
new places you will go!
Joy: /joi/ A feeling
of great pleasure
and happiness.
Words can be so tricky. A single word can
change the sentiment or meaning of a thought.
If I had titled this article, Finding Joy. The
word finding might have implied elusiveness,
something for which a search is required. I
could have titled it Claiming Joy which might
have implied the imminent presence of joy;
or even, Being Joy, an act of embodiment.
Instead, I simply call it Joy. You can attach
whatever verb aligns with the word for you
because, joy is, at its core, a very personal,
intimate thing.
Our society attaches great value to joy.
For much of my life, I viewed joy as the
penultimate emotion. There was a striving for
it; an amazement when I felt it and a clear
acknowledgement when it was gone.
That simple awareness of absence, creating a
devaluation of the rest of my life experiences.
If someone were to ask me to make a list of
some of the most joyful times in my life, I
could create a very, very long list. It would
include things like the first plane ride I really
remember, summer camp in Irons, Michigan,
being accepted to business school, having
my children, launching my businesses. But I
have more recently taken to acknowledging
the entirety of my experiences and the value
inherent in all of them.
I now believe that every experience
in my life is happening for me as
opposed to happening to me. What
this means is that I have found value
in all my life experiences. What we
might classify as the good, and the
bad.
I see that there is learning in every
experience and that it is all intended
to make me my greatest possible
human self.
I’ve stopped judging my life in a
binary way and as a result have
found the richness in simply living
each day. Yes, I feel emotions,
but I have taken away the value
judgement which in turn reduces
my suffering. With my clients I refer
to this as turning the kaleidoscope
or reframing. Joy is no longer the
golden ticket. It is one of the many
tickets that make my life golden.
Karyn Pettigrew
ZoeGoes
beyondblindspots.com
linkedin.com/in/karynpettigrew
42 43

If GOD is with you,
nothing can stop you
CODY
VALENTINE
Musician / Writer /
Director / Actor
Where did your journey start?
As a child I loved to perform. I remember
stomping out the drum pattern to The Bridge
Is Over in the back seat of my mother’s car as
a 3 year old. I remember rapping the lyrics to
Fight The Power, Criminal Minded, and De
La Soul all before I was in kindergarten.
I always dreamed of performing and
entertaining, but I never knew what it would
look like. I didn’t have many family members
who could coach me. My biggest coaching
came from my DJ Uncle David, who was an
originator of HipHop, and came from The
Bronx.
When in High School, I was a part of a 3
person hip hop group that recorded and
released 4 mixtape albums during our run.
We sold the tapes and CDs in
school. After high school, I moved
to Atlanta and New York to pursue
a career in Music Production. The
insincerity turned me away and I
returned to the DMV after a few
years.
I started a 10 person Hiphop
Psychedelic Rock band and carried
that ship for 8 years. This band
played most venues here in DC,
and also traveled to states along
the east coast, including VA, West
VA, MD, & NYC. We released 2
albums produced, recorded and
mixed by me. It was through this
time that I learned how to produce
a commercially sound recording.
WHO ARE YOU?
I am a well traveled Black
Man born in Augusta
Georgia in the 1980s. I am a
musician, writer, electronics
enthusiast, director, and
actor. I’ve performed at the
9:30 Club, The Howard
Theater, and The Kennedy
Center.
When I was born, my parents brought me
home to Alan Homes housing projects. I’ve
seen many different life experiences and levels
of comfort. I have a huge family, and I cherish
each member.
44 45

Any Setbacks?
Though music production has always
been second nature, I didn’t always have
it easy. There were many starts and
stops. With my band, I faced quite a few
setbacks. We had hundreds of people
coming to our shows. That attracted the
attention of those who felt threatened.
Our message was positive, and our songs
left the audience feeling uplifted.
We were called Allthebestkids,
which always gave me a rush to lead
the audience in chanting “We are
Allthebestkids!” There were people who
wanted to destroy us for whatever reason.
I met many people who tried to infiltrate
and frustrate our movement. This was
the biggest setback, because I couldn’t
see it for what it was at the time. GOD
kept me, and I can look back now and
see how GOD communicated with them
through me.
On a personality level though, I was left
spinning in circles, wondering why my
efforts were being met with concealed
resistance.
https://vimeo.com/615427946
Now I can see the hidden hands at play. Now I
also see that no one can diminish GOD’s work.
A few of the lesser setbacks were easily taken
care of. I wanted a light curtain like my
favorite band at the time, so I learned how to
build one and made 3. The final model was
16’ x 4’ and consisted of 2400 LEDs. I wanted
to make an LED ball pit for the audience, so
I built a 10’ x 5’ Ball pit and placed it right in
front of the stage at a show in 2018. It was a
hit.
Pretty much anything I put my mind to, I
create. I don’t believe in fear, rather, I don’t
believe that fear is beneficial in creation. There
is truly nothing you can’t do if someone else
has done it before. The only thing in the way
may be resources (money), time, or knowledge.
If you attain two of the 3, you can create it. If
you have all 3, nothing will stop you.
Some people believe in a thing called Imposter
Syndrome. I don’t.
Let’s break it down to it’s core and see what
it’s saying.
The idea of being an imposter is saying that
you are fronting, and you can’t do something.
There is a nugget of truth in there, which is
why it strikes so many to the core.
The truth is that “you can’t do it” is an
unfinished statement. The full statement is
“You can’t do it without GOD”.
This world tries to sell you on self idolatry,
as if to do anything major, you must do it
yourself. This is false. It is through GOD that
all dreams are attained. By tapping in to your
higher source, you will receive the insight and
wisdom to achieve whatever dream you have.
If you think you need to do it by your self,
you cut your self off from GOD’s direction.
When you realize this truly, no one can ever
call you an imposter, because they don’t have
the sight to see if GOD is with you or not.
Anyone who walks with GOD doesn’t go
around breaking the confidence of those who
are pure at heart. Make sure you are pure in
all you do. If you need more knowledge or
time, give it to yourself. Don’t be too hard
on yourself when you are learning. Everyone
needs to learn what they are creating. It might
take a year, it might take 10, but trust that it
will be worth it.
All those setbacks and frustrating agents of
Washington DC have taught me quite a bit.
I am now working on a project that I’m not
quite ready to share with the world. It will
be filled with LOVE, and those involved are
handpicked by me. Perhaps a year from now
you will look back on this article and see
the seeds of my project. I can tell you it is
the grandest idea I’ve had, and it is coming
together wonderfully. Even better than I ever
expected.
If GOD is with you, nothing can stop you.
Even a pentagrammed city like Washington
DC can’t touch what GOD has ordained.
46 47

SILVER
WAINHOUSE
Author | Coach | Dramatist |
Astrologer | Speaker
WITH BLACK JOY
Silver Wainhouse excels at
something people need. She
helps people to frame their
challenges and to discover,
value, and use their
uniqueness to meet them
with creativity.
Go See Silver, her company, is a brand that
claimed her. After having been visited by many
of her clients, and being told by them that they
had been told to just “go see Silver” to find the
help they needed, she took it as her brand. See
her and you will leave, as did they, refueled
and with the knowledge that your business
side and creative sides are friends. You will be
fused with Successatude, a word Silver coined,
denoting fortitude and resilience, and the
courage to take your next best step.
At Columbia University Global Center,
Paris, Silver Wainhouse received a standing
ovation and critical acclaim for her play,
“Amazing Grace is Yellow,” the journey of
painter Beauford Delaney.
Silver is co-author of the book, Unlimited
Beautiful Questions., released in Summer
of 2021. Unlimited Beautiful Questions is
a fun and provocative book helping you to
ask yourself the best questions to advance
in all stages of life.
Clients who choose her benefit from
what she pulls from what she calls
her magic woman-bag. This bag
contains her ample and varied skills
and experiences. Silver’s combination
of skills, talents, and experiences is
truly unique and renders a successful
coaching experience that will lift you
and propel you forward.
48 49

She combines corporate management
experience, coaching certifications,
(CIQ) Conversational Intelligence
and ROI Return on Investment),
certifications in myotherapy, and decades
as a professional astrologer, and her
documented intuition.
Ninth Month Productions, an innovative
film company based in California, has her
on the board.
Silver can rock a stage. Her magnetic
personality motivates. Borders Books,
recognizing her speaking ability, hired her
to speak as an alternative to the Super
Bowl.
She values the ability to connect and form
relationships with others not like oneself.
Her writing group, Pens Unleashed, is a
source of great pleasure for her.
Silver Wainhouse, born in “Motown’’
and raised by “ The Lou” is international.
She has had a home in France for over
twenty-five years, having been convinced
by her late husband to join him there.
He established in France because of his
family’s connection to Albert Einstein.
Silver travels. She can be found as well
creating with clients on the Pacific and
Atlantic coasts of the USA.
Not only does she cross time zones, she
jumps dimensions!
Someone who forgot to knock before
opening her office door after hearing
music, swears that they discovered her
dancing with Prince and Marvin Gaye!
SILVER WAINHOUSE
Go SEE SILVER
goseesilver.com
linkedin.com/in/silverwainhouse
Twitter @blackjoylab
Instagram @blackjoylab
WITH
BLACK JOY
We get in formation
Swag
Box braids
Shine shoes
Polish cars
Color the blues
Choir gospel
Jazz
WITH BLACK JOY
We brush Grandma’s hair
Fry Sweet potatoes
Kiss
Follow Stacey’s lead
Rap hip hop
Make baby clothes
Sign the contract
Slam the dominoes
WITH BLACK JOY
We grace dance floors
Season the greens
Throw the deuce
Stretch the soup
Say prayers
Give it a try
And survive
SILVER WAINHOUSE
50 51

“No matter what
all your teeth
and wet fingers
anticipated,
there was no
accounting for
the way that
simple joy could
shake you.”
Toni Morrison
“There’s joy
in repetition”
Prince
“It’s something
like the joy
of loving you
baby, joy of
dancing too
It’s something
like the joy
of loving you
baby, joy of
being with you”
Marvin Gaye
“Find a place inside where
there’s joy, and joy will
burn out the pain.”
Joseph Campbell
BLACK
JOY
LAB
Join Us At BLACK JOY LAB
Join the Black Joy Lab on Facebook!
Twitter @blackjoylab
Instagram @blackjoylab
Website blackjoylab.com
52