Reader,

✨ BIG NEWS FIRST

I’ll be speaking at Essence Festival of Culture 2026 in New Orleans on July 4th!
I am my ancestor’s wildest dreams and my blessings come in two folds.

I have not one but TWO activations:

🖤 We Love Us Marketplace Stage — I’ll be moderating the See Life Differently Panel at 10:20am CT. This is the room for conversation about representation, storytelling, and what it means to see yourself centered in spaces that weren’t always built for you. Panelists are: Lisa C. Willis, Dr. Lana M. Joseph, and Derra Howard.

🖤 Unbothered and Well Stage – 12:00–12:30 PM CT — Soft Stories: A Sensory Reset Session for anyone who feels stressed out. Whether that’s sensory sensitivity, sobriety, neurodivergence, or simply being a Black woman in a loud world, I will guide the circle through a Soft Stories practice.

🖤 New Voices Village Entrepreneur Hub — At 3:30pm CT, I’m facilitating an interactive mini workshop on accessibility, self-advocacy, and navigating travel and professional spaces as a disabled or neurodivergent person. Small groups. Real conversation. Tangible takeaways.

If you’re going to be in New Orleans, come find me. If you’re not — keep reading, because I need my community around me either way.

🤝 HERE’S HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF THIS

This kind of programming doesn’t happen without support. I’m currently open to:

→ Sponsors — brands and organizations aligned with inclusive storytelling, accessibility, and Black community impact. I’d love to talk partnership.

→ Donors — if this work has ever moved you, a contribution goes directly toward making this programming possible and keeping it accessible.

→ Volunteers — will you be in New Orleans July 4? I’m looking for a small, passionate on-the-ground team.

Reply to this email.

📣 MARKETING STORY OF THE WEEK

Beyoncé just gave us all a brand storytelling masterclass. Most people would called it a vlog because most of the footage is from a phone.

On the surface: a personal moment between husband and wife and their daughter. Underneath: a precision brand move.

Here’s what she did:

→ She made the ordinary extraordinary. Combing out 9 years of locs. A couple and a Houston loctician. Every frame carries weight. She let the intimacy do the work.

→ She controlled the narrative on her terms, in her aesthetic, with her voice, instead of letting the press continue to make assumptions about Jay-Z’s hair appearance a story.

→ She reminded us that your personal life IS your brand, when you deploy it intentionally. This was curated vulnerability and it landed because it was real and relatable.

The lesson for you: intention, authenticity, and the courage to share something that feels personal will always be exactly what your audience is waiting for.

If you haven’t seen it, she posted a 7 minute YouTube video documenting Jay-Z’s hair transformation. Watch it here →

video preview

What story are you sitting on that you haven’t told yet?

Thank you for being here.

Until Next Time.

With love,

Zaakirah

P.S. Forward this to someone who you know will be at the convention center on July 4th. 🖤

I am Zaakirah (zaa-key-ra) Muhammad, a deafblind retinoblastoma cancer survivor, creative tech-savvy entrepreneur and TEDx speaker, with over a decade of experience in photography and digital communications. As a brand cultivating strategist, author, and podcaster, I empower you to step outside of your comfort zone, understand your purpose, and show you how to powerfully tell your story through digital marketing. As your brand therapist, I uncover your blind spots showcasing your superpower.

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