By Bridgette Bartlett Royall ·Updated March 28, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… These days, it is easy to feel like the world is on fire: all of our bills are too high, we’re at war with Iran, the government is…Well, you know how stressful politics are right now. Our news cycle usually feels like one sad or depressing story after another. But, there is still an abundance of Black joy and Black excellence in our midst. So we’ve gathered up some of the week’s most cheerful news to help take your happy meter up a notch. Enjoy and be sure to share this story in your favorite group chat. Every last one of us can use more joy in our lives!
Jill Scott x HBCU Pride Award-winning R&B singer Jill Scott performed at this year’s HBCU Aware Fest in Atlanta, GA on March 26 (see pic above) and as usual her melodic, soulful vocals did not disappoint. In addition to her musical talents, the custom designed dress Jilly from Philly rocked has everyone buzzing. Scott’s Patched Gal look features upcycled HBCU tees patched together! Her stylish ‘fit was creative, environmentally conscious and embraced our rich culture. Scott’s stylist (and former ESSENCE Fashion Director) Pamela Macklin shared with us exclusively, “I provided direction to this young designer from ATL and she did not disappoint. This is art.”
Grandmas Gotta Work It Out Popular actors, influencers and parents of four Khadeen and Devale Ellis often go viral for their hilarious relationship driven content on social media. This week, Khadeen’s mother was the center of one of their most talked about videos. 68-year-old Mimi, as the family affectionately calls her, worked out on the couple’s front yard with her four young grandsons. She not only kept up with them, but she showed off some of her former track star moves as well and proved that fitness goals do not have an expiration date.
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From Janitor to Doctor Shay Taylor-Allen just matched at Yale New Haven Hospital where she will begin her anesthesiology residency in a few months. (Anesthesiology happens to be a highly competitive, top-tier specialty.) The Howard University Medical School graduate’s impressive credentials go much deeper. For a decade, Taylor-Allen was a janitor at the very same hospital. (She was also born there.) The New Haven, CT native raised by a single mother took the cleaning job fresh out of high school, simply to pay her bills. Now the young woman who once took out the trash is an M.D. in the same facility. Congratulations, Dr. Taylor-Allen!
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Jay Z is a Super Proud Dad In his recent cover story with GQ, Shawn Carter gushed about being extremely proud of his oldest daughter with wife Beyoncé, Blue Ivy. Of her musical talents he revealed, “Blue is a crazy pianist, but she won’t let us get her a teacher. She doesn’t want it to be a job.” He added, “But she has perfect pitch.” And as for her performing onstage with her mama, he says, “I saw her fight maybe for the first time in her life—like, not everything is just given to her and everything is easy. She fought for it. I don’t think we’re going to be able to get her off that stage now.”
Dance = Therapy Watching these precious (and talented) little ones dance is relaxing and even blissful. The confidence they exude is truly noteworthy for their young ages. In the process of dancing they are building helpful fitness and wellness habits, coordination, teamwork, counting (excellent for reinforcing math skills) and expressing themselves freely which many View this post on Instagram
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