photo diary 01: toni morrison said if you can't find the book you want to read, write it. & i took that very seriously.

an archive of photos from the ease & other feels era

Apr 08, 2025

documenting life as a black woman, living, loving, healing, and finding joy is a responsibility. when i shared my vision for founding the archives, i wrote about being dedicated to the art of self and community preservation.

my instagram and photo albums serve as a time capsule, but that didn’t feel complete enough. i needed something to hold, to share, and to style in my space, so i gathered hundreds of photos, stories, and journal entries, and put them into a coffee table style book - ease & other feels.

and what an era it’s been. from the moment i announced the book pre-order on my 30th birthday, to the moment i sold out of the drop.

so in the spirit of archiving, here’s a photo diary of this moment in time~~~

the book is all about capturing moments in time, so back in september, my girlfriend & i curated a dinner to shoot video and imagery for the announcement. camcorder, film camera, iphone, fuji film mini polaroid, you name the type of camera - we had it.

weeks later, the first book sample came in, and it was incredible to hold something so beautiful that i created in my hand. i shot the cover reveal images for the book product page. the final book was only slightly different, and i love seeing the evolution of the book from idea, to sample, to final. the cover was inspired by how i often screenshot my instagram feed and how i view it as a little personal art gallery.

when the final book sample came in, i did a final round of self portraits and product images for promotion. as a lover of aesthetics, it was really important for me to show how the book can be styled in people’s spaces. everything about the design was incredibly intentional and aligned with my taste in design.

the book was published on march 1, 2025, and i curated an intimate cocktail hour to celebrate. i told my friends to come in timeless, classic all black fits, and we gathered to chat stories from the book and celebrate the moment. more details about the launch party are here, and i’m obsessed with the way we curated and captured this moment. what an evening. my goal was to sell out by march 31st. i did it by march 23rd :) thank you.