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Meet the Jacksons

In the film Michael, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Jaafar Jackson step into one of the most sacred legacies in music: The life, The family, and The genius that is Michael Jackson.

From Gary, Indiana to stages across the globe, the journey unfolds through music, sacrifice, and ambition. The story moves through a father’s discipline, a mother’s grace, and the quiet weight carried by a child destined for greatness.

Because before the icon, there was a son. Before the myths, there was a family.

At its core, Michael is about complexity. Talent and pressure. Growth and expectation. This time, the story is told with care.

From Off the Wall to looking at the Man in the Mirror, the reflection reveals the full picture of the soul of Michael.

Read more from the cast of Michael in ESSENCE’s digital cover story at ESSENCE.com. In theaters April 24.

Photography: @Mr_Dadams
Creative Producer, @laurenpaigecreates of @allworthypeople

Colman Domingo
Styling: @waymanandmicah
Grooming: @jam_rich
Barber: Pierce Austin

Jaafar Jackson
Styling: @ilariaurbinati
Grooming: @bcorso

Nia Long
Makeup: @kilprity
Hair: @farmercarla
Styling: @thereismans

ESSENCE
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
Writer: @coolhandoak
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Manager, Content Operations: @shelbylnstewart
Art Director: @so.lit
VP, Video: @nicolejanuarie

Romance is back and it’s got a passport stamp!

For years, we’ve been craving the kind of love stories that once gave us Nina and Darius, Monica and Quincy, Syd and Dre. The soft, funny, heart-tugging magic of Black rom-coms that made us believe in love again.

Now, You, Me & Tuscany arrives like a warm breeze off the Italian coast, reminding us exactly what we’ve been missing.

Starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page as our new favorite couple, Anna and Michael. For a minute, Hollywood forgot how to let Black love be soft, joyful, and a little messy in the best way. This film remembers.

So yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s drama. But most of all? There’s the reminder that love can still surprise you, especially when you least expect it.

Sometimes healing looks like laughter. Sometimes, it looks like letting love meet you exactly where you are, and sometimes, it looks like Tuscany.

Read our latest Of The ESSENCE digital cover story at ESSENCE.com and see You, Me & Tuscany in the theaters on April 10th.

Photographer: @giulia_parmigiani_photography
Production: @lumina_productions_
Talent: @hallebailey and @regejean

Halle Bailey
Styling: @bryonjavar
Hair: @sparkyourhair
Makeup: @beautybychrisc

Rége-Jean Page
Stylist: @holly_macnaghten
Groomer: @carlosferraz_
Barber: @aj_rapture

Special Thanks To @universalpictures

Essence
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Content Operations Manager: @shelbylnstewart
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
VP, of Video: @nicolejanuarie
Visuals Director: @hashtag_bre
Art Director: @so.lit
Manager, Branded Content & Activations @fiftyshadesofkd
Writer: @bougiebadazz

Romance is back and it’s got a passport stamp!

For years, we’ve been craving the kind of love stories that once gave us Nina and Darius, Monica and Quincy, Syd and Dre. The soft, funny, heart-tugging magic of Black rom-coms that made us believe in love again.

Now, You, Me & Tuscany arrives like a warm breeze off the Italian coast, reminding us exactly what we’ve been missing.

Starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page as our new favorite couple, Anna and Michael. For a minute, Hollywood forgot how to let Black love be soft, joyful, and a little messy in the best way. This film remembers.

So yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s drama. But most of all? There’s the reminder that love can still surprise you, especially when you least expect it.

Sometimes healing looks like laughter. Sometimes, it looks like letting love meet you exactly where you are, and sometimes, it looks like Tuscany.

Read our latest Of The ESSENCE digital cover story at ESSENCE.com and see You, Me & Tuscany in the theaters on April 10th.

Photographer: @giulia_parmigiani_photography
Production: @lumina_productions_
Talent: @hallebailey and @regejean

Halle Bailey
Styling: @bryonjavar
Hair: @sparkyourhair
Makeup: @beautybychrisc

Rége-Jean Page
Stylist: @holly_macnaghten
Groomer: @carlosferraz_
Barber: @aj_rapture

Special Thanks To @universalpictures

Essence
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Content Operations Manager: @shelbylnstewart
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
VP, of Video: @nicolejanuarie
Visuals Director: @hashtag_bre
Art Director: @so.lit
Manager, Branded Content & Activations @fiftyshadesofkd
Writer: @bougiebadazz

Romance is back and it’s got a passport stamp!

For years, we’ve been craving the kind of love stories that once gave us Nina and Darius, Monica and Quincy, Syd and Dre. The soft, funny, heart-tugging magic of Black rom-coms that made us believe in love again.

Now, You, Me & Tuscany arrives like a warm breeze off the Italian coast, reminding us exactly what we’ve been missing.

Starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page as our new favorite couple, Anna and Michael. For a minute, Hollywood forgot how to let Black love be soft, joyful, and a little messy in the best way. This film remembers.

So yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s drama. But most of all? There’s the reminder that love can still surprise you, especially when you least expect it.

Sometimes healing looks like laughter. Sometimes, it looks like letting love meet you exactly where you are, and sometimes, it looks like Tuscany.

Read our latest Of The ESSENCE digital cover story at ESSENCE.com and see You, Me & Tuscany in the theaters on April 10th.

Photographer: @giulia_parmigiani_photography
Production: @lumina_productions_
Talent: @hallebailey and @regejean

Halle Bailey
Styling: @bryonjavar
Hair: @sparkyourhair
Makeup: @beautybychrisc

Rége-Jean Page
Stylist: @holly_macnaghten
Groomer: @carlosferraz_
Barber: @aj_rapture

Special Thanks To @universalpictures

Essence
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Content Operations Manager: @shelbylnstewart
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
VP, of Video: @nicolejanuarie
Visuals Director: @hashtag_bre
Art Director: @so.lit
Manager, Branded Content & Activations @fiftyshadesofkd
Writer: @bougiebadazz

Romance is back and it’s got a passport stamp!

For years, we’ve been craving the kind of love stories that once gave us Nina and Darius, Monica and Quincy, Syd and Dre. The soft, funny, heart-tugging magic of Black rom-coms that made us believe in love again.

Now, You, Me & Tuscany arrives like a warm breeze off the Italian coast, reminding us exactly what we’ve been missing.

Starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page as our new favorite couple, Anna and Michael. For a minute, Hollywood forgot how to let Black love be soft, joyful, and a little messy in the best way. This film remembers.

So yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s drama. But most of all? There’s the reminder that love can still surprise you, especially when you least expect it.

Sometimes healing looks like laughter. Sometimes, it looks like letting love meet you exactly where you are, and sometimes, it looks like Tuscany.

Read our latest Of The ESSENCE digital cover story at ESSENCE.com and see You, Me & Tuscany in the theaters on April 10th.

Photographer: @giulia_parmigiani_photography
Production: @lumina_productions_
Talent: @hallebailey and @regejean

Halle Bailey
Styling: @bryonjavar
Hair: @sparkyourhair
Makeup: @beautybychrisc

Rége-Jean Page
Stylist: @holly_macnaghten
Groomer: @carlosferraz_
Barber: @aj_rapture

Special Thanks To @universalpictures

Essence
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Content Operations Manager: @shelbylnstewart
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
VP, of Video: @nicolejanuarie
Visuals Director: @hashtag_bre
Art Director: @so.lit
Manager, Branded Content & Activations @fiftyshadesofkd
Writer: @bougiebadazz

Romance is back and it’s got a passport stamp!

For years, we’ve been craving the kind of love stories that once gave us Nina and Darius, Monica and Quincy, Syd and Dre. The soft, funny, heart-tugging magic of Black rom-coms that made us believe in love again.

Now, You, Me & Tuscany arrives like a warm breeze off the Italian coast, reminding us exactly what we’ve been missing.

Starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page as our new favorite couple, Anna and Michael. For a minute, Hollywood forgot how to let Black love be soft, joyful, and a little messy in the best way. This film remembers.

So yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s drama. But most of all? There’s the reminder that love can still surprise you, especially when you least expect it.

Sometimes healing looks like laughter. Sometimes, it looks like letting love meet you exactly where you are, and sometimes, it looks like Tuscany.

Read our latest Of The ESSENCE digital cover story at ESSENCE.com and see You, Me & Tuscany in the theaters on April 10th.

Photographer: @giulia_parmigiani_photography
Production: @lumina_productions_
Talent: @hallebailey and @regejean

Halle Bailey
Styling: @bryonjavar
Hair: @sparkyourhair
Makeup: @beautybychrisc

Rége-Jean Page
Stylist: @holly_macnaghten
Groomer: @carlosferraz_
Barber: @aj_rapture

Special Thanks To @universalpictures

Essence
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Content Operations Manager: @shelbylnstewart
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
VP, of Video: @nicolejanuarie
Visuals Director: @hashtag_bre
Art Director: @so.lit
Manager, Branded Content & Activations @fiftyshadesofkd
Writer: @bougiebadazz

Romance is back and it’s got a passport stamp!

For years, we’ve been craving the kind of love stories that once gave us Nina and Darius, Monica and Quincy, Syd and Dre. The soft, funny, heart-tugging magic of Black rom-coms that made us believe in love again.

Now, You, Me & Tuscany arrives like a warm breeze off the Italian coast, reminding us exactly what we’ve been missing.

Starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page as our new favorite couple, Anna and Michael. For a minute, Hollywood forgot how to let Black love be soft, joyful, and a little messy in the best way. This film remembers.

So yes, there’s romance. Yes, there’s drama. But most of all? There’s the reminder that love can still surprise you, especially when you least expect it.

Sometimes healing looks like laughter. Sometimes, it looks like letting love meet you exactly where you are, and sometimes, it looks like Tuscany.

Read our latest Of The ESSENCE digital cover story at ESSENCE.com and see You, Me & Tuscany in the theaters on April 10th.

Photographer: @giulia_parmigiani_photography
Production: @lumina_productions_
Talent: @hallebailey and @regejean

Halle Bailey
Styling: @bryonjavar
Hair: @sparkyourhair
Makeup: @beautybychrisc

Rége-Jean Page
Stylist: @holly_macnaghten
Groomer: @carlosferraz_
Barber: @aj_rapture

Special Thanks To @universalpictures

Essence
Editorial Director: @ghostwritervic
Content Operations Manager: @shelbylnstewart
VP, of Social & Special Projects: @mentionme
VP, of Video: @nicolejanuarie
Visuals Director: @hashtag_bre
Art Director: @so.lit
Manager, Branded Content & Activations @fiftyshadesofkd
Writer: @bougiebadazz

The power of Sinners lives in the women who helped bring it to life.

Zinzi Coogler, Ruth E. Carter, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Jayme Lawson, Wunmi Mosaku, Shunika Terry-Jennings, and Hannah Beachler shaped the film’s visual language and cultural depth. Through design, cinematography, hair, performance, and world-building, they helped reimagine Black history through horror, myth, and memory.

The results speak loudly. A box-office phenomenon. Sixteen historic Oscar nominations.

But the real impact lives deeper. These women did more than tell a story about ancestry and survival. They protected it.
Frame by frame, Sinners reminds us that when Black women create with intention, it becomes legacy.

The Women of Sinners are our 2026 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luminaries. Read more at ESSENCE.com.

Photographer: @peacebureau
Writer: @be_vic

Zinzi Coogler 
Makeup - @janicekinjo
Hair -@marciahamiltonhair
Stylist - @JasonBolden

Jayme Lawson 
Makeup - Mila Thomas
Hair - @dhairiusnyc
Assistant - @heather_borah/?hl=en
Stylist - @jasonrembert

Wunmi Mosaku 
Makeup - @u.z.o
Hair - @iamaraxilindsey
Stylist - @shameelahhicks 
Nails- @chuenails

Hannah Beachler 
Makeup -autumnmoultriebeauty
Hair - @kimblehaircare
Stylist -  @fresh2impress

Shunika Terry-Jennings
Makeup -@camillearianemakeup
Hair - @therealritabee
Stylist -  @fresh2impress

Autumn Durald Arkapow 
Makeup - @camillearianemakeup
Hair - @therealritabee
Stylist - @fresh2impress

Ruth Carter 
Makeup -@brandyallen
Hair -@Stylesbydavonte
Stylist - @fresh2impress

Nails
Lead -@sayo_irie

We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams…

When we accomplish our goals, no matter how small they are to us, we never know whose prayers carried us to this moment. Thankfully, @ohohohohsheila got to experience that first hand.

Congratulations on your new book!

The job hunt has always been an stress-inducing process.

It’s a never-ending cycle of apply, get rejected, apply again, complete a task, get an interview, then get ghosted. Rinse and repeat. The job market right now is probably the most daunting we’ve seen in decades.

Not only were nearly 600,000 Black women pushed out of the workforce this past year alone, we’re also facing an economy, and a president, doing very little to support job growth while the AI boom continues and mass layoffs keep hitting our communities in ways that don’t make national headlines nearly enough.

And now, in the middle of all of that, scammers have found a way in to make things even worse.

The FTC reported job scam losses grew from $90 million in 2020 to more than $501 million by 2024. For Black women already navigating one of the worst job markets in recent memory, that creates a particular kind of exposure.

Read more of how you can spot the scams at ESSENCE.com.

The job hunt has always been an stress-inducing process.

It’s a never-ending cycle of apply, get rejected, apply again, complete a task, get an interview, then get ghosted. Rinse and repeat. The job market right now is probably the most daunting we’ve seen in decades.

Not only were nearly 600,000 Black women pushed out of the workforce this past year alone, we’re also facing an economy, and a president, doing very little to support job growth while the AI boom continues and mass layoffs keep hitting our communities in ways that don’t make national headlines nearly enough.

And now, in the middle of all of that, scammers have found a way in to make things even worse.

The FTC reported job scam losses grew from $90 million in 2020 to more than $501 million by 2024. For Black women already navigating one of the worst job markets in recent memory, that creates a particular kind of exposure.

Read more of how you can spot the scams at ESSENCE.com.

Welcome to The Empty Edit, where we keep it cool, calm, and prepared for whatever the forecast brings.

The warm weather has officially entered the chat, and Vie Beauty’s portable fan is already working overtime.

Lightweight, powerful, and small enough to slide into your tote without a fight, it’s the kind of summer essential you don’t realize you need until the heat hits your edges and your patience at the same time. Translation: it’s basically ESSENCE Festival survival gear.

Tap in, reset, and stay cool all summer long. Shop Vie Beauty and more at WeLoveUs.Shop.

Now THIS is how you spend Fourth of July weekend.

Our “Forever First Lady” Michelle Obama will bring the IMO: The Look podcast to life at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® Evening Concert Series with an intimate conversation to bring us together through honesty, reflection, inspiration, and joy.

It’s equal parts wisdom, laughs, real talk, and the kind of gems that have everybody leaving inspired. It’s a chance to be in the room for a truly special cultural moment.

When Mrs. Obama speaks, we listen.

And trust us, you’re going to want to experience this one live.
Get your tickets and hotel packages now.

The face is mine.

Brandy & Monica. Sy’rai & Laiyah. The perfect picture. Some after Mother’s Day love we all needed.

P.S. The copy and paste of it all.

Photos: @ShaunAndru

The face is mine.

Brandy & Monica. Sy’rai & Laiyah. The perfect picture. Some after Mother’s Day love we all needed.

P.S. The copy and paste of it all.

Photos: @ShaunAndru

This is how you second line into the next chapter of your life!

This Howard University graduate brought the Bayou to the Mecca in true Bison fashion!

Congratulations @skylar.julia.c and to all the 2026 graduates. If you’re a part of the graduating class of 2026, make some noise in the comments.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

The phrase “It was written in the stars” isn’t some elusive fairytale for every couple.

For New York Giants running back Devin Singletary and Toyonnie Smith, it’s their real-life love story. Their journey began long before either of them realized it, while both were still in their mothers’ wombs.

Devin and Toyonnie first connected through their mothers. They were close friends who happened to be pregnant at the same time. Consequently, the longtime couple grew up in the same circles, staying in close proximity to one another throughout the years.

After nearly eight years of dating, the couple officially tied the knot during a luxurious ceremony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami, Florida.

“We grew up around each other without realizing we were building the foundation of something much greater,” Toyonnie shares.

Now married after nearly a decade together and years of building their family with son Miles, the couple is stepping into this new chapter with intention, love, and a future rooted in choosing each other daily.

We spoke to the newlyweds about their wedding day and their ageless love at its center in this week’s Bridal Bliss! Read more at ESSENCE.com.

“Mama once said…” and somehow those little one-liners turned into life manuals.

From “watch the company you keep” to “nobody going to hand you nothing,” the lessons, warnings, prayers, and side-eyes still follow us everywhere we go.

For Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating the words that shaped us, saved us, and still pop into our heads at the exact right moment.

What’s something your Mother always said that stuck with you forever?

Dear Mama,

Thank you for the love that stretched the groceries, the prayers, and the patience. Thank you for the scoldings that sounded sharp then, but later became the soundbites to our survival.

For molding us with equal parts tenderness and “don’t play with me,” we owe you more than flowers and brunch reservations.

And to the mothers not by blood, but by choice: the aunties, godmamas, cousins, big sisters, bonus mamas, and caregivers who stepped in without hesitation, thank you for filling empty spaces with full hearts. You loved us unselfishly, corrected us honestly, and showed up every time.

To every woman who poured love into someone else while asking for nothing in return: we see you, we thank you, we celebrate you.

Happy Mother’s Day!