It was like a ritual. Clutching ropes tied to wooden planks, earthBrotha SkyHy and earthSista Angelica, danced around each other in an awkward strutting peacock sort of way. Momentary respect gives way to intense curiosity and attraction. Walls tumble down as ginger embraces become bold, welcome intrusions. Awkward moments become warm comfortable embraces filled with smiles and laughter. He kisses her shoulders. He kisses her breasts. And on these swings in the public where anyone may pass, SkyHy and Angelica drop all walls, boldly and proudly baring their brown bodies to one another. In the heat...

Today, I am pleased to add earthSista SepiaAngel has stepped up to the role of Editor here in Pangea’s Garden. Sepia has been an avid participant and contributor here since her debut in September of last year. She calls herself “a wife, mother, sister, granddaughter, aunt, friend, model and creative soul.” She is also a student of the Graphic Arts and true cultivator of the culture of Afrosensual beauty. Sepia has chronicled her explorations into her own afrosensuality, here in the Garden. She has been a muse to artistic photographer Remy the ECCENTRICsoul. And together they...

Midnight Erotica celebrated the art of Afrocentric sensuality or Afrosensuality. In the days and weeks to come, much discussion will be had regarding what Afrosensuality means because it definition plays a huge part in culture of the Pangea’s Garden. And in a way Midnight Erotica was a reflection of that influence. As the evening progressed that hot night in August, the patrons who had surveyed the visual gallery of black eros paintings, sculptures, drawings and photography, settled down to listen to the passionate, provocative verse of the various spoken word artists. earthSista AlleyCat...

“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape. Adichie’s newest book, The...

“I never feel like people should box themselves into any one concept.  That goes for jobs, clothes or relationships.  Just live.” From SirReal Kia Chenelle & Christiana Maria Greene are fancy girls with not-so-fancy pockets.  They call themselves Pretty in Penury and they are the stylish yet thrifty shoppers behind everyone’s new favorite style blog.  Collectively, they have backgrounds in styling, modeling, and photography.  But apart from all that, it’s my pleasure to actually introduce them to you as friends of mine. We got together on what felt like one...

Playfully exuberant, earthSista MoreEssence (MoEss for short) gleefully marveled at the exquisite hand-crafted artistry of Moebanga bangles. MoEss started this photo shoot in her favorite HarvestGirl design. And as the late morning sun bounced brightly off the white Egyptian cotton sheets, she laughed and smiled in awe of the creative variety that artist-photographer-cinematographer (an all-around creative) Maurice Evans had spawned. MoEss was sassy, provocative and beguiling. She was also delightfully mischievous and frankly lighthearted; a true free-spirit. When we created these images, I was...

My life is known as QueenSoulSista. QueenSoulSista has been my spoken word performance name since 2008. Always expressing the Soul of a Queenly Sista. One proud of who she is wholeheartedly. I’m a Baltimore native, natural, locked, strong, well-spoken, spiritual, star searching, determined, loving Woman. The World will never know what a Queen it has until she Steps forth and delivers her blessings to them. I am ME . I am more of the Natural hippie chic, metro casual, urban, vintage, galactic goddess inside her own realm. Very different & extremely eclectic. Never caring what anyone...

Last night, thousands of people tuned in to the 84th Annual Academy Awards.  The glitz, the glamour, and scores of actors, actresses, and celebrities occupied the red carpet.  Even though that there was a lot of buzz about who should win for each category (congratulations to Octavia Spencer for winning Best Supporting Actress!), the natural hair world focused on Viola Davis. The Oscar-nominated actress for her role of Aibileen Clark in the movie The Help was breathtaking in her emerald green Vera Wang gown and, yes, her fabulously chic natural pixie cut.  She looked beautifully radiant as she...

In Atlanta, I’ve has found a new home at the Goat Farm. A few weeks back we talked about the place when we featured Pangea’s Meet & Greets from last year. The Goat Farm was introduced as one of the new locales that would be ideal for Garden shoots by photographer Bobby Williams of WillowBMedia. I was inspired as soon as a I saw it. Deconstructed and wild, as if nature was reclaiming the space, at the same time, humanity was still making an effort to leave our artistic mark on the space. Its an excellent, organic, industrial, chaotic backdrop for the images we create. So for my first...

I went over to Loca Luna to check out The Soul Train Line Flash Mob. This was the brain child of Soul artist Anthony David with the help of Jay Carter of Sol-Fusion . This event was one of many Soul Train Line tributes that happened across America. It was our way of saying thank you to Soul Train creator and host Don Cornelius , who past away on February 1st . When I got there people were trickling in trying to figure out if they missed the event , patrons at Loca Luna were getting nervous as the were seeing folks come in with their costumes and afro wigs on. Dj Loweki was getting the crowd in...