I Met Alfre Woodard In The Bathroom at Essence Black Women In Hollywood + Other Cool Things From That Night
Flossing with the 2017 Lincoln Continental Black Label in White Platinum
Attending the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood event with Lincoln Motor Company was without a doubt the highlight of my 2017 and it’s only February. For the 10th anniversary of the magical publication’s most coveted Black girl magic bash, they held no punches. The room was brimming with legends and next-generation game changers. The little girl inside of me who would lock herself in the bathroom and stand on a stool and recite acceptance speeches in the mirror was in heaven.
When I tell you the evening was freakishly amazing, gah! I met Alfre Woodard in the bathroom. What is my life? We both stumbled out of our bathroom stalls wrestling with our Spanx desperately eyeing the room for someone to zip up our gowns. We exchanged some humor about our hatred for all things shapewear and then things got a little weird when I realized who I was talking. So I quickly ended the convo and when back to the dinner. I don’t have the selfies to prove it because I’m not about that creep life (c’mon guys, we were in the bathroom).
Then Danielle Brooks (Orange Is The New Black) screamed my blog name as she came down the steps to the pre-party. The Bethann Hardison winked at me and told me my hair was powerful. Y’all. Powerful. What is my life? But that moment also fizzled into irrelevant stan girl abyss when I awkwardly called her ma’am and told her I was following in her footsteps. #FacePalm
Point is I was overwhelmed.
This marked the eighth consecutive year Lincoln has joined ESSENCE in celebrating outstanding women in the entertainment industry. I hung out mainly with the Lincoln folks in the blogger bar which was hosted this year by Demetria Lucas. (Here’s to hoping I can be the next host!) The vehicle on display in the blogger bar area was the all-new 2017 Lincoln Continental Black Label in White Platinum.
Black Label is a personalized experience that exceeds ownership. Designed to impress those with impeccable taste for fine art and culture, Lincoln Black Label unifies design and service—featuring a curated collection of interior themes. – from the Lincoln team
Lincoln’s theme for the evening was the Art of Arrival. Sylvia Molly lead designer, Kenya Freeman (pictured above in the red dress) designed two frocks based on inspiration from Lincoln Black Label theme Center Stage. Inspired by the fashion of the theatre world, Center Stage is the perfect theme for those with a flair for the dramatic.
Kenya also blessed the contest winner, Adeola Bakre (pictured above in blue) with a floor length gown that was inspired by the electric blue hue – Rhapsody, a robust and eye-catching color for the all new Lincoln continental. Distinctly tied to the world of music and sound, the Lincoln Black Label Rhapsody theme introduces a thrilling and equally touching experience.
So what did I wear…
I struggled with what I should wear because… I am me! I ended up going with a black dress from Macy’s because Rent The Runway would not let my last minute plans be great. I promise you I was looking for something not black. Ho hum!
I didn’t take that many selfies because I really wanted to be present (but scroll down to the gallery to see what I did take). I mean, I was sitting across from Diahann Carroll and Shonda Rhimes. I just wanted to soak up all the black girl magic in the room. It was a feeling I had never felt before. I’ve interviewed a lot of celebrities but to be in that room with those women was so surreal.
I’ll warn you now (because I know you will be watching this Sunday right), Aja Naomi King‘s speech did me in. Thugs tears escaped and rolled through my makeup hard. She spoke about having imposter syndrome and the feeling of not belonging even though you are clearly in the room and you’ve most definitely arrived. I was surprised to hear her say that because she’s…her, ya know. She’s on a hit primetime TV show, How To Get Away With Murder. She’s in movies. Her life is amazing! It just goes to show how much we have in common with those who we hold on pedestals. We all have struggles, and worries, and doubts. And we are all seemingly moving about despite them.
Anywhos, here’s the selfies I did take.
I’m still all the way speechless even though I was there. I’m gonna need to watch it on TV to get more of these priceless gems. I’ll be on Twitter screaming and fangirling so join me!