The first time I experienced racism and understood

The first time I experienced racism and understood what it was, I was in my kindergarten classroom. Other racist incidents had happened in my life before and I understood that there was tension between my mother and other adults when this happened, but I didn’t quite know what was going on. By five, I knew.
Most black children experience racism at an early age. And then, for most of us, we don’t stop experiencing it.
Some days it’s subtle. Maybe a joke about our names, a remark about how well we speak, or being told how attractive we are *for a black person*. It usually leads to unwarranted touching. Maybe fingers in your hair from a complete stranger. If you ask them to stop, you are an angry Black woman. After all, your hair is so beautiful and they just wanted to know what it feels like.
Some days are more intense. Maybe we are physically assaulted and called n*ggers. Maybe we are murdered. It might be because we were carrying a pack of skittles and walking through our neighborhood. Or maybe we were taking a jog. Or sleeping in our own beds, in our own homes.
No matter what we do, there’s a chance we will be murdered for the color of our skin.
And if we do have a problem with the genocide of our people, we are told not to riot, not to kneel peacefully, not to let our presence be known as it might inconvenience the non-black people who would rather pretend that we don’t exist.
It’s been happening my entire life. It’s been happening since before I was born. And it is exhausting.

But the fight continues. No justice, no peace. We will keep standing up until we have justice for every black life stolen. We will continue standing up until we stop being murdered in cold blood. We will keep standing up until black lives truly matter.

I see quite a few new faces around here! It seems

I see quite a few new faces around here! It seems like a great time to reintroduce myself. I'm Charisma! I love bookstores, traveling, and all things Harry Potter. I'm a creative entrepreneur based in Orlando, Florida. I quit my day job at 21 and became a wedding and portrait photographer. That lead to working with other small businesses on everything from branding and social media to copy writing and storefront design. These days I usually photograph a wedding or two a month at Disney, photograph a few local creatives and families a month, and work with a handful of one on one branding and social media clients. I love working with women, queer people, and people of color because those are the communities that I belong to. I always try my best to give back to my communities and make the path a little easy to navigate for the next generation. When I'm not working you can usually find me reading, eating thai food, traveling. and laughing with @thefitfatkid and @valkyrieambrosonokeefe. It's so nice to have you here and I can't wait to get to know you better!

Monday mood. I can’t wait to go exploring nearby

Monday mood. I can’t wait to go exploring nearby cities again in the future! But for now, this holiday will be spent working on tea latte recipes and diving into a new book. What is one thing you are looking forward to today?

A trip to Mills isn’t complete without a visit t

A trip to Mills isn’t complete without a visit to @lineage for some herbal tea.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What kind of tea is your favorite? ☕️

I can’t wait for the day I can head back over to

I can’t wait for the day I can head back over to the UK and jump on a train to explore dusty bookshops and delicious bakeries. Where do you want to go when it’s safe to travel internationally again?

As a child I was always taught to look for the sil

As a child I was always taught to look for the silver lining in every situation. Lately, the silver lining has been the opportunity to spend more time reflecting inward and more time making my home cozy. John and I have had more time to work on new scents for @helloitskismet, we’ve been enjoying taking the time to cook, bake, and make tea lattes, and we’ve have plenty of time for extra cuddles with our dogs. I read these two books last year but I’ve found myself referencing them both a lot this year during quarantine. If you are looking to get yourself and your home in order, I definitely recommend checking out both of them.

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be on Platform 9 3/4

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be on Platform 9 3/4 right now. This is probably the longest I’ve gone without going to Hogwarts since Universal added the Wizarding World. To keep the magic going, I’m always re-reading the series. I’m currently on Deathly Hallows in my reread and on Goblet of Fire in my current listening session (I like to listen to Harry Potter while I clean, walk, get ready for bed, etc.) But I think it might be time for another movie marathon as well! Have you done a Harry Potter movie marathon during quarantine?

I'm definitely missing the days when I could pop i

I'm definitely missing the days when I could pop into the Wizarding World after work and grab an Otter's Fizzy Orange with John. It's impossible for me to be sad or stressed when I'm exploring Diagon Alley or Hogesmeade. It's my happy place and I'm so thankful to live so close to it. I can't wait to go back when it's safe to go to busy places again. ❤️ Have you ever been to Diagon Alley? What’s your favorite thing to do when you visit?

Missing Grand Floridian dates with friends! Especi

Missing Grand Floridian dates with friends! Especially the ones that include sitting outside with snacks and watching the fireworks. Is it weird to say that I miss the Disney resorts more than the parks? Because I definitely do!

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Travel · December 10, 2019

Photo Diary | National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh

In: Travel · Tagged: edinburgh, National Museum of Scotland, scotland, travel, wanderlust

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I'm Charisma, a creative entrepreneur who loves to help others reach their full potential. In my little corner of the internet you'll find my latest travels, what I'm currently reading, and how I'm practicing hygge in my daily life. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea, and stay awhile.

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The first time I experienced racism and understood

The first time I experienced racism and understood what it was, I was in my kindergarten classroom. Other racist incidents had happened in my life before and I understood that there was tension between my mother and other adults when this happened, but I didn’t quite know what was going on. By five, I knew.
Most black children experience racism at an early age. And then, for most of us, we don’t stop experiencing it.
Some days it’s subtle. Maybe a joke about our names, a remark about how well we speak, or being told how attractive we are *for a black person*. It usually leads to unwarranted touching. Maybe fingers in your hair from a complete stranger. If you ask them to stop, you are an angry Black woman. After all, your hair is so beautiful and they just wanted to know what it feels like.
Some days are more intense. Maybe we are physically assaulted and called n*ggers. Maybe we are murdered. It might be because we were carrying a pack of skittles and walking through our neighborhood. Or maybe we were taking a jog. Or sleeping in our own beds, in our own homes.
No matter what we do, there’s a chance we will be murdered for the color of our skin.
And if we do have a problem with the genocide of our people, we are told not to riot, not to kneel peacefully, not to let our presence be known as it might inconvenience the non-black people who would rather pretend that we don’t exist.
It’s been happening my entire life. It’s been happening since before I was born. And it is exhausting.

But the fight continues. No justice, no peace. We will keep standing up until we have justice for every black life stolen. We will continue standing up until we stop being murdered in cold blood. We will keep standing up until black lives truly matter.

I see quite a few new faces around here! It seems

I see quite a few new faces around here! It seems like a great time to reintroduce myself. I'm Charisma! I love bookstores, traveling, and all things Harry Potter. I'm a creative entrepreneur based in Orlando, Florida. I quit my day job at 21 and became a wedding and portrait photographer. That lead to working with other small businesses on everything from branding and social media to copy writing and storefront design. These days I usually photograph a wedding or two a month at Disney, photograph a few local creatives and families a month, and work with a handful of one on one branding and social media clients. I love working with women, queer people, and people of color because those are the communities that I belong to. I always try my best to give back to my communities and make the path a little easy to navigate for the next generation. When I'm not working you can usually find me reading, eating thai food, traveling. and laughing with @thefitfatkid and @valkyrieambrosonokeefe. It's so nice to have you here and I can't wait to get to know you better!

Monday mood. I can’t wait to go exploring nearby

Monday mood. I can’t wait to go exploring nearby cities again in the future! But for now, this holiday will be spent working on tea latte recipes and diving into a new book. What is one thing you are looking forward to today?

A trip to Mills isn’t complete without a visit t

A trip to Mills isn’t complete without a visit to @lineage for some herbal tea.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What kind of tea is your favorite? ☕️

I can’t wait for the day I can head back over to

I can’t wait for the day I can head back over to the UK and jump on a train to explore dusty bookshops and delicious bakeries. Where do you want to go when it’s safe to travel internationally again?

As a child I was always taught to look for the sil

As a child I was always taught to look for the silver lining in every situation. Lately, the silver lining has been the opportunity to spend more time reflecting inward and more time making my home cozy. John and I have had more time to work on new scents for @helloitskismet, we’ve been enjoying taking the time to cook, bake, and make tea lattes, and we’ve have plenty of time for extra cuddles with our dogs. I read these two books last year but I’ve found myself referencing them both a lot this year during quarantine. If you are looking to get yourself and your home in order, I definitely recommend checking out both of them.

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be on Platform 9 3/4

Oh what I wouldn’t give to be on Platform 9 3/4 right now. This is probably the longest I’ve gone without going to Hogwarts since Universal added the Wizarding World. To keep the magic going, I’m always re-reading the series. I’m currently on Deathly Hallows in my reread and on Goblet of Fire in my current listening session (I like to listen to Harry Potter while I clean, walk, get ready for bed, etc.) But I think it might be time for another movie marathon as well! Have you done a Harry Potter movie marathon during quarantine?

I'm definitely missing the days when I could pop i

I'm definitely missing the days when I could pop into the Wizarding World after work and grab an Otter's Fizzy Orange with John. It's impossible for me to be sad or stressed when I'm exploring Diagon Alley or Hogesmeade. It's my happy place and I'm so thankful to live so close to it. I can't wait to go back when it's safe to go to busy places again. ❤️ Have you ever been to Diagon Alley? What’s your favorite thing to do when you visit?

Missing Grand Floridian dates with friends! Especi

Missing Grand Floridian dates with friends! Especially the ones that include sitting outside with snacks and watching the fireworks. Is it weird to say that I miss the Disney resorts more than the parks? Because I definitely do!

Happy Monday from me and the two books I always ha

Happy Monday from me and the two books I always have with me. Reading good books and escaping to different worlds for a bit has really kept me grounded during this quarantine. What are you reading this week? 📚

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