About the Author

Ekemini Uwan is a public theologian and co-host of Truth’s Table Podcast. Her writings have been published in The Atlantic, Washington Post, Huffington Post Black Voices and her insights have been quoted by NPR, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker.

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  1. My soft girl summer looks like me sitting on the beach in Jamaica, taking in the Jamaican sun and gazing at the beautiful blue ocean.

    It is me leaving behind the worries of the world if not just for a moment to seek peace and serenity.

  2. My soft Black girl summer looks like daily walks and journaling in the warmth of the sun and discovering new tea flavors. Oh, and reading: lots and lots of reading.

    • I love this Soft Black Girl Summer plan, Whitney! Soaking up the vitamin D during a walk is so therapeutic. I also love journaling. Thank you for reading my article, and have a great rest of the summer.

  3. I love this beautiful story. Summertime happens to be my favorite season also. For me, soft girl summer means I can gently take care of myself. Self care, taking in a deep breath, journaling and learning more about who I am. Thank you for a beautiful message.

    • “Soft girl summer means I can gently take care of myself.” I love this quote, Lisa. That really sums up the season for me. I hope you get plenty of time to do just that. Thank you for reading and engaging my article.

  4. Thank you for the provocative insight to “soft girl summer”. A time to slow down, reflect, bask in the sun, and become woke to the negative surroundings. Continue to enlight the readers.

  5. Beautifully said. I can picture myself in that respite place. With friends/family being able to forget for even a small time, the things that wear you down. Looking for ways to extend that beautiful time. God knows us, and puts us where we need to be. 🌹

    • Beautiful reminder, sis! God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I’m glad my writing provides a brief portal to that place of respite you enjoy and desire. God bless you!

  6. My soft Black Girl Summer is very similar to the authors. I’m hanging with friends yet no afraid to say no if I need a break. I’m focusing on me yet available, at MY leisure.

  7. I love the imagery in your writing! I also LOVE summer, this is definitely a “Soft Black Girl Summer” for me! I’m using each day to find its own peaceful place, no agendas, relaxing with soft outdoor lighting on my patio at night, swimming and beach napping with my two kids often! This is a moment in time where I am committed to embracing beautiful sunsets and the nothingness that is required back from me! As an elementary principal, I needed this softness to catch my breath and lavish in the nothingness agenda of summer! Reading, listening to music and enjoying wine and snacks with my sistas is the added bonus!
    Be well Sisters 🥰

    • As a principal, you definitely earned a Soft Black Girl Summer, sis! Take it all in. Yours sound so lovely, peaceful, and restorative, which is what you need to keep pressing on when the school year starts again. Enjoy the rest of your Soft Black Girl Summer, sis!

  8. So far my soft black girl summer consists of various picnics with my husband sitting under a tree, just enjoying the here and now. A trip to St. Louis in Aug. visiting the beach with my girlfriends locally. I’m also intentional with taking a moment out my day to read novels & self help books while sipping on black tea w lemons. Life can be overwhelming at times and life is TOO short. Enjoy the gifts that God gives us everyday

    • I love the ease that is jumping out as you describe your soft Black girl summer, sis! Taking those intentional moments out of my day is something I need to incorporate. Thank you for reading.

  9. My soft Black girl summer feels like frolicking in the pool, dancing it out to oldies but goodies remembering when life was simpler, remembering when we were all here, cracking up about nothing until out stomachs hurt. It definitely involved ice cream of all sorts, from the pink soft serve ice cream truck, from some little hole-in-the-wall gelato spot, from banana popsicles on the fourth of July. It involves root beer floats on a hot summer day, and a little baseball game playing out in the background with the volume turned down so we can catch up as sisters. You cannot celebrate summer without koolaid concoctions of every color, and way too much sugar making your brain speed and collide with dreams of joy and days gone by.

    • Michelle, WOW! Thank you for this beautiful trip down memory lane! Can it be that it was all so simple then? The world is much more complicated now, and the pace is out of control. Reading your comment caused me to slow down and reminisce. Thank you for this!

  10. My dear sister, I am thankful for your voice. You have said what I have been feeling for awhile. My body has been telling me for months I need a soft black girl summer. God has shut me down a couple of times in the past few weeks to reassure me I can rest in him. We are tired of being tired as black women. We were also created in God’s image. You look stunning and glowing in your pictures. Thank you for showering us with your gifts once again. This piece was excellent.

    • Thank you so much, sis! I thank God this article resonates with you. One thing about God: He knows how to get a message through. I hope you get the soft girl summer you so desperately need. God bless you!

  11. Love it what you have written sis and embracing soft girl summer. As a single mother of 3 I went to powerful exhibit last week and I had to encourage myself to go cause I have been doing for others..but God reminded me to do something for myself. This week I decided not to push past the exhaustion to add more and say I will do laundry another day. I guess what I am saying no and embracing what personally brings me joy is how I am doing Soft girl summer!

    • Sis, it warms my heart to know that you are making time for yourself. I know this is hard for moms to do; I’ve heard that “mom guilt” is real. I love that you went to an exhibit. Art has a healing and calming effect on the mind and body. “No” is a complete sentence, and I’m glad you’re learning to use it more often. Have a glorious soft girl summer, sis!

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