This Week
Rabbi Susan Silverman (Sarah's sister!) leads Tiffany Haddish at her recent Bat Mitzvah (Image via Alma)
A hearty “Mazel Tov” to Tiffany Haddish on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah at age 40. Check out MailChimp’s Second Act, which follows five people who’ve chosen a new direction in their careers, discovering their passions and defining their own version of success. After 37 years flipping the letters on Wheel of Fortune, Vanna White steps in to host (in episodes airing this week) while Pat Sajak is out for surgery. Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is the non-binary pronoun, “they.” An unforgettable love story that started at Auschwitz. Boo hiss: No Golden Globe nominations for women in Director, Screenplay, or Motion Picture categories this year. Jennifer Lopez followed the #sayyourage mantra in her SNL monologue this week. A friendly reminder for anyone sending out holiday cards this year.
TUENIGHT GIFT GUIDE 2019 🎁
Editor's Note: This week we're doubling the Gift Guide goodness with special selections from Stacy Morrison and Deesha Philyaw.
"Let’s face it: The ’10s have been quite the shitshow of a decade. Given the sad state of our democracy, extrajudicial police killings, and the reinvigoration of fascism and white supremacy, never before have I wished so hard for peace on Earth and goodwill toward humanity. So, as a firm believer in the transformative power of a good book, I invite you to roar your way through the ’20s, starting with these deep, daring, delicious reads."
Deesha's picks are sure to delight the book lovers in your life.
"Welcome to that time of year when you need to find a gift for the seemingly impossible: an affordable, somewhat generic, yet memorable gift for people you don’t know that well (the office Secret Santa), or for people you know entirely too well (the family swap)."
Stacy's got you covered with gifts under $25, and under $10. Check them out!
TueNight 10: Kenrya Rankin
Kenrya posing with her book at Busboys and Poets in Washington, D.C.
Age: 38
Quick Bio: Kenrya Rankin is an award-winning writer and editorial consultant. She hosts the literary erotica podcast, "The Turn On," and her latest project, How We Fight White Supremacy: A Field Guide to Black Resistance, is now available as an audiobook.
Beyond the Bio: “After many years spent splitting myself into easily digestible parts — this is the writer part, this is the activist part, this is the part who doesn't bite her tongue — I'm now clear that I'm my best when I bring my entire self to every situation. Gone are the exhausting days of deciding who to be each moment, of worrying how I'll be received, of worrying that I won't be enough — and it feels amazing."
1. On the nightstand: I'm in the middle of scouting literary erotica written by Black women for season two of my podcast; there are sooooo many books in my phone waiting for me to finish them.
2. Can't stop/won't stop: Not sleeping? Seriously, I don't sleep enough.
3. Jam of the minute: "Up Late," by Ari Lennox is on constant replay, both in my car and in my head.
4. Thing I miss: Sleep.
5. 80s crush: Eddie Murphy; I think of it as an inherited crush — he was my mom's fave.
6. Current crush: My partner. He is amazingly supportive and emotionally intelligent and gorgeous to boot. We both got lucky!
7. Will whine about: My work centers the lived experiences and advocacy of people of color and others who are pushed to the margins of society. I have zero plans to shut up about the ways we can inch this nation closer to freedom and justice for everyone.
8. Will wine about: I gave up meat more than a decade ago, and the only terrible side effect is that I now cannot drink wine without getting sick. I can manage a cider beer or half a glass of something bubbly on special occasions, but otherwise, it's dry over on this side.
9. Best thing that happened recently: My eight year old daughter told me I was "the best mommy," a day after telling me I was "the worst." I'll take it.
10. Looking forward to: My spidey sense tells me that 2020 is gonna be a personal banner year on a lot of levels. I'm excited to see what it brings.
One more thing...share us with a friend.