The WOW Gallery was filled with joy and laughter on Juneteenth as Black women from all walks of life came together for a special brunch celebration. The event, organized by Veronica Very, founder of Wonder of Women, was a day of remembrance, empowerment, and sisterhood.

Seattle recently came alive with a vibrant Juneteenth celebration, showcasing the city's dedication to honoring Black history and fostering community unity. The Africatown Community Land Trust's Summer of Soul Juneteenth celebration, hosted by Trae Holiday, drew a diverse crowd eager to commemorate this important day in American history.

Beniam Yetbarek recently visited The Day With Trae, hosted this week by Besa Gordon, to talk about the Art Walk at KOLORS and his activism through visual storytelling. Yetbarek is a digital media artist and manages his online portfolio, B.Y. Visuals.

Yetbarek is one of the first few Black artists to host Art Walk in Pioneer Square. The show opened on Thursday, June 6, and attracted over 200 attendees.

Converge Media's own Deaunte Damper, host of "We Live in Color," stepped in for Besa Gordon on FOX 13 Seattle's Good Day Seattle with Erin Mayovsky yesterday. Gordon is currently taking time off to address some health concerns, and Damper will be hosting her show until Gordon returns. 

The Black Media Matters Studio was filled with a mix of emotions today as Besa Gordon, the beloved host of Back2Besa, made a special appearance to support Deaunte Damper in his debut as the new guest host. Besa's visit was not to be in front of the camera but to work behind the scenes, ensuring everything was perfect for Deaunte's first recording of her show Back2Besa.

Besa Gordon, the beloved host of the show Back2Besa on FOX 13 Seattle, recently opened up about her ongoing struggle with eczema and topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). In a heartfelt blog post, she shared the physical and emotional toll these conditions have taken on her, revealing the embarrassment and discomfort she has experienced due to her skin's appearance.

Recently, Kelvin Peprah appeared on The Day With Trae, hosted by guest host Besa Gordon, to discuss several vital issues impacting the BIPOC community. Peprah is a licensed mental health therapist who runs Peprah Counseling.

Peprah began the conversation by addressing the topic of imposter syndrome.

Recently, Stephanie Morales stopped by The Day With Trae, hosted this week by Besa Gordon, to discuss the importance of holding Black spaces. Morales is the founder of Made Space, an innovative Art, Culture, and Business Hub that launched in early 2021. 

Made Space aims to connect emerging Black creatives and entrepreneurs with essential resources, space, knowledge, and visibility. 

Towers of Tomorrow features replicas of famous skyscrapers like the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, the Chrysler Building in New York, the CN Tower in Toronto, the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and many more.

Get ready to be immersed in a land of LEGO Bricks as Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry hosts the Towers of Tomorrow pop-up exhibit. The exhibit features astonishing skyscrapers from North America, Asia and Australia constructed in breathtaking architectural detail by Ryan McNaught, one of only 21 LEGO® Certified Professionals in the world.

Africatown Community Land Trust held its annual Black Wall Street Market as part of The Summer of Soul Series. The event transformed 23rd and Jackson into Seattle's own Black Wall Street, with over 100 Black businesses celebrating the rich history of Black commercial centers.

Influential names in Seattle's Black business community gathered at Byrd Barr Place for Africatown Community Land Trust’s Building Black Wall Street Mixer and Chat. Hosted by Debrena Jackson Gandy and keynoted by Lewis Rudd of Ezell’s Famous Chicken, the event included a panel of successful Black entrepreneurs

Some of the most respected names in Seattle’s Black business community came together last week at Byrd Barr Place in the #CentralDistrict for Africatown Community Land Trust’s Building Black Wall Street Mixer + Chat. The mixer was hosted by author Debrena Jackson Gandy and keynoted by Central District business icon Lewis Rudd, co-founder of Ezell’s Famous Chicken.

Written by Besa Gordon: So, about my skin these days, part two. When I recorded this episode earlier in the week, I would be lying if I said I was not ready to throw in the towel because I felt awful that day. My skin was dry, cracking, burning, and flaking really bad. But, the show must go on, as some would say. I thought it was important to just really put it out there and show you guys, in real-time, what's truly going on with me and why I've been wearing sleeves even when it's warm outside. Because honestly…

On Monday, Africantown Community Land Trust held its annual Black Wall Street Market, which is part of the Summer of Soul Series. This year’s event brought life to the streets of 23rd and Jackson, where over 100 Black businesses gathered to celebrate and honor the rich history of thriving Black commercial centers throughout the country. T

Starda shared some powerful advice for those, especially the youth, who feel they are stuck in their current situation. “Youʻll never know how free you will feel when you really step out of your comfort zone and try something new.”

This week on Back2Besa, we are highlighting coffee shops in Seattle and Tacoma you should know about. One of those shops happened to be Luv-A-Late, located in the Tacoma Hill Top area. Owned by Andrea McCarthy, Luv-A-Late is loved not only for its drink and food options but also for the artwork by Bruce Pickford that graces the walls of the coffee shop.

L&M Hair Lounge, owned by Melody Brown, has quickly become a cornerstone of haircare in North East Portland, Oregon. Melody launched L&M as an online store in 2020 and expanded to her first salon in 2022. By 2023, she opened a second location, showcasing her dedication and entrepreneurial spirit. But the story doesn't end there.

In case you missed it, this week on Back to besa, we relive Solid Ground’s 50th Anniversary Gala, head to Portland to learn more about L & M Hair Lounge, and show you what it’s like to attend a soccer game in Portland, Oregon. Besa Gordon is also throwing it back to when we met Tiquette Bramlet, founder of Our Legacy Harvested, and when Besa and her friend Abby from Tanazina took the Amtrak train down to Portland for the weekend.

Owned by Quincy and Whitni Henry, Campfire Coffee Co, located in Tacoma, Washington. Was created as the couple wanted to open an outdoorsy coffee shop with the social goal of getting diverse families into nature. They opened their coffee shop in 2020, and have been thriving in their lane of coffee beans and camping ever since.