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Originally Published Jun. 26, 2020.

With the start of summer comes seasonal drinks for kickbacks with friends and family while enjoying the weather. It is a time where you can enjoy your favorite summer drink either by yourself or with a companion. As you prepare your bar with your favorite wine and spirits, add a few Black-owned brands to your top shelf.

For Outdoor Dining And Picnic — Le Fête Du Rosé

As the first Black-owned rosé based out of St. Tropez, France, founder and CEO, Donae Burston wanted to created a wine that had a more multicultural focus in its marketing materials. The fruity, eco-friendly rosé wine is ideal for outdoor outings like picnics with friends on a beautiful day.

For People Dreaming Of Their Next Vacation — Cremas Absalon 

Cremas is a Haitian rum similar to coquito in Puerto Rico. Cremas Absalon brings the traditional drink to a larger audience with a twist: a cream liqueur with a taste that reminds you of an island vacation. The company also produces an ice cream made from the rum to enjoy during the summer.

For Drinks After Dark With Friends — HH Bespoke Spirits

Gin is another popular spirit that shows a lack of diversity in its field. The owners behind HH Bespoke Spirits used the inspiration of the Harlem Renaissance to bring their traditional London Dry style gin to a modern American audience.

For Someone Who Enjoys A Solo Drink — Uncle Nearest

Uncle Nearest is named after the country’s first Black master distiller, Nathan “Nearest” Green, who was believed to perfect the Lincoln Country Process that created Tennessee Whiskey. He is also the one who taught Jack Daniels how to distill his whiskey. The brand opened in 2019 in Tennessee to honor the African American whiskey maker.

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After five seasons and 65 episodes, Star Trek: Discovery has landed in dry dock. The first ever Star Trek streaming series has released its final episode, “Life, Itself.” And the finale has a coda that ties off the journey of Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). What a journey it has been. In the first episode, set in the 23rd century, Burnham (Spock’s adopted sister) is a mutineer whose actions landed her in the Starfleet prison. She joins Discovery‘s crew, and serves under several captains. Then, after time-traveling 900 years into the future, Michael Burnham becomes the Captain of Discovery herself. And now, we see where her life takes her decades later.

Michael Burnham met the man who would be the love of her life, the Kwejian Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), when she arrived in the 32nd Century. This was at the start of season three. The two became partners when Burnham became stranded in this strange future. She became a space courier with Booker, or “Book” for short. Eventually, they became romantically involved, even after she became Captain of Discovery. Over the course of the last three seasons, the pair had their ups and downs. They even split up for a time. But in the series finale, the two recommitted their love for one another. This was at the wedding of Captain Saru (Doug Jones) and the Vulcan President T’Rina (Tara Rosling).

Admiral Burnham Is Married to Booker, and They Have an Adult Son in Starfleet

Then, Star Trek: Discovery drops a bombshell on us. We flash forward decades into the future. We see that Burnham and Booker are now married, living in a country home on a remote alien planet. As Michael wakes up to get her morning coffee, Book follows her, and in their conversation, it’s revealed that today is a big day for her. She’s now Admiral Burnham, and a shuttle is coming to take her to a special ceremony. When the shuttle arrives, a young man beams down, played by Sawandi Wilson. He reveals himself as the son of Burnham and Booker. He’s also in Starfleet, and is about to get his own command and starship. He appears as “Captain Leto” in the credits, although they never refer to him by name. He looks about thirty, meaning she and Booker have been married for at least three decades or more in these scenes.

Michael Burnham Takes Command of Discovery One Last Time

Booker stays behind on the alien world, and mother and son go to Starfleet HQ together. In typical Trek fashion, they have a new uniform design. They talk together on the shuttle about Burnham’s friend Tilly, who is now the longest-tenured instructor at Starfleet Academy. We don’t really find out what became of the rest of Discovery’s crew, although we see a montage of them together in younger days. Once they get to Starfleet HQ, we see that they are reverting Discovery to its original 23rd-century mode, with the letter “A” removed from its registry number.

Michael Burnham beams aboard Discovery, now an empty ghost vessel, and talks to Zora, Discovery’s sentient AI system. They embark on one final mission together. It’s a secret “Red Directive” mission, where Discovery will await a ship of unknown origin for a thousand years. Upon reaching the coordinates, Burnham will disembark, while Zora awaits the mysterious vessel. Zora realizes that after this mission, she and Burnham won’t ever see each other again. Burnham says her famous catchphrase one last time as they go to warp — “Let’s fly.”

Will Michael Burnham Return in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy?

Will we follow up on this future version of Michael Burnham? It depends on exactly when the new Starfleet Academy series takes place. It might happen concurrently with the elder Michael Burnham we see in the Discovery epilogue. What we do know is that after many hardships, Admiral Michael Burnham led a fulfilled and fruitful life, something she could never have foreseen for herself in the series’ original episode, when she was an outcast mutineer, shunned by almost every member of Starfleet. Admiral Michael Burnham has had a journey unlike any Starfleet commander, or Star Trek series lead, before her.

The post STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Series Finale Epilogue Reveals the Fate of Captain Burnham appeared first on Nerdist.

Originally Published Aug. 18, 2015.

The end of the summer should remind us of one thing—the countdown to the New Year starts now. So, if you’re behind in your career goals or need some motivation to launch that idea you’ve been sitting on for several months, check out these awesome books on career and creativity.

Strategize to Win by Carla Harris

Recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of “The Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate,” and Black Enterprise magazine’s “Top 75 African Americans on Wall Street” and “Top 75 Most Powerful Women in Business, “Harris is more than qualified in the career strategies and tools necessary to “start out, step up, or start over in your career.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

When Austin Kleon was asked to speak to students at Broome Community College, he wrote his speech based on “ten things he wished someone had told him when he was starting out at their age.” “Nothing is original, so embrace influence, collect ideas, and remix and re-imagine to discover your own path. Follow your interests wherever they take you.” This message serves as the foundation for Steal Like an Artist—transformative principles that help people discover their artistic side.

And you don’t have to be an “artist” to benefit from this short, yet powerful read about tapping into your creative side. The book includes empowering messages, graphic illustrations, and Kleon’s personal experiences.

The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

If there is anyone who can teach you something about holding out for “hope,” it’s our very own former President of the United States, Barack Obama. According to the book description on Amazon, The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama’s call for a new kind of politics—a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America’s place in the world, refreshingly candid about his family life and his time in the Senate, Obama here sets out his political convictions and inspires us to trust in the dogged optimism that has long defined us and that is our best hope going forward.”

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

If you’re one of the millions of people who dream about escaping the corporate rat race, the 4-hour workweek is recognized by many “career switchers” as the “blueprint.” The book includes 50 practical tips and case studies from readers (including families) who have doubled their incomes, overcome common sticking points, and reinvented themselves using the original book as a starting point.”

Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. Kill It in Your Career. Rock Social Media by Aliza Licht

Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job is described as “mentorship in 288 pages.” Highlights from the book include communication and personal branding tips as well Licht’s invaluable lessons learned from her career as well as advice and inspiration.

RELATED CONTENT: These Books On Black Motherhood Are Right On Time For Mother’s Day!

Photo by Marleen Moise/WireImage By Okla Jones ·Updated May 29, 2024

The 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture is back in New Orleans to kick off the summer season in an atmosphere of Black joy, beautiful music, and food selections that are second-to-none. With this year marking its 30th anniversary, attendees can experience the festival’s rich history, all while creating new memories that will last a lifetime.

To celebrate three decades of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola®, the Evening Concert Series at Caesar’s Superdome will feature an array of amazing performers, including the Nigerian sensation Ayra Starr.

Born Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, Starr has become one of the hottest musicians in the world. After posting covers of songs by notable artists in 2019, she uploaded an original song called “Damage,” which ultimately led to her signing with Mavin Records the following year. In 2021, the singer hit mainstream with the hit track “Away,” building anticipation for her first solo release 19 & Dangerous. The project was met with critical acclaim, achieving two Top 40 hits in her homeland. The lead single “Bloody Samaritan” became the first solo song by a female artist to reach the number-one spot.

2024 has been a huge year for Starr. It started on a high note as she was recognized by the Recording Academy, being nominated for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. She also was announced as one of the opening acts for Chris Brown’s arena tour, and became the first female Nigerian artist to reach a peak of 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify. With today’s news of her joining ESSENCE’s Evening Concert Series, Starr’s career trajectory is trending upwards.

The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is a celebration of Black music, and the Nigerian sensation embodies that perfectly with an amazing skill set and vibrant spirit. In the time since its inception in 1995, the festival has risen to become the must-attend event of the summer. With a legendary music lineup, an atmosphere of Black joy, and the backdrop of the Big Easy, the 2024 edition is one that you won’t want to miss.

The ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola® will take place July 4-7. For more information and updates on the festival, visit our website and follow us on social media @ESSENCEFest on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post 2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture Performer: Ayra Starr appeared first on Essence.