Cupcakes and Broccoli

Cupcakes + Broccoli has always focused on helping people navigate systems that were not designed with them in mind.

For founders, that shows up as marketing consulting and strategic advisory work, which many of you know about. What you may not know is that teaching has always been part of my work as well.

I’ve supported students in SAT preparation on and off for nearly 20 years. One consistent pattern: many capable, motivated students simply need their foundations made reliable and test-ready. The challenge is rarely intelligence. It’s translating knowledge into consistent performance under timed conditions.

This spring, I’m offering a structured 6-week SAT Prep Program aligned with upcoming national test dates. Live online. Small group. Intentionally capped at five students per group.

Program details and enrollment information:
https://www.cupcakesandbroccoli.com/learning

At first, I was uneasy about telling a stranger my story. But Christine Yarde was warm and receptive. She was exactly who I needed to talk about a very emotional professional journey filled with highs and lows.

We met inside a lovely Black-owned restaurant in Brooklyn for brunch. I was nervous, wondering what she might ask, what parts of my story might feel too personal or too complicated to explain. But she listened. And then she went out and talked to people who used to work for me, former bosses, and even Cupcakes + Broccoli clients to understand how I show up IRL, not just the s**t I say about myself.

It’s strange to commission someone to write about yourself, I know. It’s giving narcissistic? But I wanted to see myself through someone else’s eyes. I wanted to understand how the people I’ve worked with describe me, what stands out to them, and what they remember when I’m not in the room.

This process forced me to pause and really reflect on how much I’ve grown, on how I lead, and on how I’ve learned to blend intuition, insight, and empathy in my work. It also reminded me how deeply personal professional growth can be.🍪🥕

🪞Read the full story on my website — link in bio. Written by

📸

I first met Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman when I was 17 - pictured here. I won a full scholarship from the Carl T. Rowan foundation, and she was the person chosen by the scholarship board to present me with the award. She was warm and loving and magnificent.

This was before I knew what a Delta was. And years later, in colleges and researching Sororities, I saw that Secretary Herman was a member, and it further validated my desire to be a Delta woman.

RIP Soror. I feel blessed to have spent just a little bit of time with you. 🪽🔺🐘

Here is an updated list of companies cutting DEI:

1800Flowers.com
ACE Hardware
Act Fluoride
Alamo Rental Cars
Allegiant Air
Anthropologie
Arby’s
Arizona Diamond Backs Frys Electronics
ArmorAll
Ashley Furniture
Auto Zone
Bacardi
Bali Underwear
Baskin and Robins
Bausch + Lomb
Big Heart Pet Brands
Bike Athletics
Blue Bell
Boost Mobile
Brooks shoes
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buick
Cadillac
Carl’s Jr.
Champ Clothing
Charmin
Chevrolet
Chiquita Brands
Cincinnati Financial
Cinnabon
Conair
Coors Beer
Cuisinart
Dairy Queen
Dean Foods
Dirt Devil
Discount Tire
Dole Foods
Dudley Sports
Enterprise Rental Car
Exxon
Farberware
Florist.com
Folgers
Fruit Bouquets.com
Fruit of the Loom
GMC
GNC
Garmin Sports Products
Geico
George Forman Grill
Grey Goose
Hanes
Hardee’s
Hardware
Helzberg Diamonds
Hendrick Motorsports
Hershey Products
Hobby Lobby
Home Goods
Hoover Vacuum
Horizon Bank
Jimmy Deans
Keller Williams Realty
L.L Bean
Land O Lakes
Las Vegas Sands
Leggs Pantyhose
Los Angeles Angels
Maidenform underwear
Marshalls
Martins Famous Pastry Shoppes Urban Outfitters-Free
People
McDonald’s
Meta
Miller Beer
Milwaukee’s Best Beer
Mobile
Molson
Molson Beer
Motorola
My Pillow
NAPA Auto Parts
NY Yankees
New Orlean Saints
Norwegian Cruise
Old Dutch Foods
Omni Hotels
Oreck Vacuums
Papa Johns
Playtex
Procter & Gamble
Public Storage
Publix
Purdue Farms
Rail Vac
Schlotzsky’s
Shell Oil
Sierra Trading Post
Slumber Land
Smucker’s Products
Soma Intimates
Sonoco
Spalding
Stanley Black and Decker
Star Furniture
Stiletto Tools
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Popcorn Factory
Tito’s Vodka
Toast Master
Tractor Supply
Turtle Wax
Vanity Fair Paper Products
Walmart
Wendy’s
Wonder Bread
Wow Cable
Wynn Resorts
Young Brands

Photo dump 2.

One of my favorite films - Apollo 13 - is the story of a successful failure, in that the astronauts returned safely to the Earth, having never reached the Moon.

That’s life. You have to learn to flip your failures into successes. And it is in those successes that come through trial and pain and hurt … therein lies the blessing.

In case you forgot:

These are my favorite photos of you, and that’s why I’m sharing them.

Queen.

Queen.

The legendary Nichelle Nichols has died at 89.

She was one of the first Black actors to play a major role on a television series. Her role on Star Trek was groundbreaking.

Gotta slice the onions thinly.

RIP.