There’s a lot I’m not willing or ready to let go of. I even still have the teddy bear that my father gave me the day I was born. Another thing that means a lot to me is my old EMT shirt. I am currently working as a paramedic and I remember going through EMT…
When you have a child your life changes dramatically. I was 20 years old, nervous about everything that came with having a kid and going through the pregnancy. Everyone told me horror stories. I would listen to the old wives’ tales about what you feel and do when you are pregnant, and how it affects […]
This is not just a shirt, it is an armor. A bloody shield capable of preventing all damages coming from outside. But beyond that, it protects me from my own self, my own mistakes. I’m incapable of keeping myself safe from love. I was wearing Iggy, so I would not have to say out loud […]
I recently attended an annual holiday dinner. I wore my blue velvet shirt and black velvet pants, and my fluffy blue boa—my uniform for the month of December. I live in Istanbul, Turkey, and this is the third annual company holiday dinner I’ve attended. I wasn’t sure if I was going to feel like attending […]
When I was 22, I moved across the country to San Francisco. My best friend from high school had moved there after college, and I was so excited to join her in this new city. She was like a sister to me for many years, and I was ready to embark on an amazing experience […]
When I was a child, Nigeria meant stacks of cloth in my mother’s closet. My mother is not African. She’s of Welsh-Irish-Assorted ancestry; most of her early life was spent in St. Louis. Her first international trip was a big one. She was 22 in 1962; one of the early waves of Peace Corps volunteers […]
There are times when a radio station needs a little levity. I can never predict exactly when I’m going to need the cowboy hat that I keep in my desk area. I just kind of know the moments when I see them. The Team Kojo Cowboy Hat ™ was procured when Kojo visited Colorado for […]
Of all the obvious similarities between my paternal grandmother and I—our incredible height, long legs, and nose, among others—people often mentioned our hands first. They’re almost identical, save the 63 years between us: Long and delicate with strong nails, slim fingers and a certain curve that suggests elegance and grace (Don’t be fooled: I’m deceivingly clumsy). […]
Cardiology is kind of my thing. I’m not a doctor or anything, but I have had two open heart surgeries, which is not something most people under the age of 30 can boast. Perhaps because heart disease is a topic usually associated with grim prognoses and chronically ailing grandparents, I tend to serve as a […]
Before January 2014, if you asked me about the clothing items that had deep personal meaning to me, I probably would have talked about old music tees and hoodies that connect my adult-self to my teenage punk rock days. But the most important and meaningful article of clothing in my family right now belongs to […]
