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A Perspective Holding Two Truths: Addressing Misconceptions, and Naming Harm in the Divine Nine
Recently, I watched (most of) one of the latest viral videos in which a former member of a Divine 9 (D9) sorority is a guest on the “We Need to Talk” podcast. The episode is entitled, “Exposing the True Horrors of Sororities and Fraternities.” In this video, like in many of the other viral denouncing videos, she is publicly discussing her denunciation of involvement in D9 organizations, and is making statements based on her belief that certain symbolic practices, including
Stephanie Burton
Apr 16 min read


Beyond Comparison: Desirability, Colorism, and the Work of True Sisterhood
During a recent conversation with a dear friend, she told me, “You know, people will choose not to like you because they believe you are unworthy of things.” She explained that their dislike is rarely based on evidence of your unworthiness. Instead, it often reflects their own fears about worthiness. This becomes especially complex when we talk about desirability. When a woman with a larger body, darker skin, or kinkier hair experiences social success or life milestones befo
Stephanie Burton
Feb 126 min read


Believe Black Birthing People: Our Lives Depend On It
The March of Dimes just released its latest Maternal and Infant Health Report Card — and once again the United States earned a D. That letter isn’t abstract. It is a life sentence: higher preterm births, entrenched racial inequities, and a system that fails families long before they reach the delivery room. It means too many people who are pregnant—especially Black women—are carrying pregnancies in a landscape where the odds are already stacked against our survival. We see ho
Stephanie Burton
Nov 19, 20254 min read


Overwhelm, Bonnets, and the Weight We Carry
This morning, on my way to work, I felt the familiar tug of overwhelm. I had rushed through my already hurried routine, barely managing a...
Stephanie Burton
Sep 30, 20253 min read


Protecting Our Campuses, Protecting Our Stories: The Calculated Attacks on HBCUs
The attacks on HBCU campuses are not random. They are meticulously calculated. And that fact alone should infuriate us all. What we are...
Stephanie Burton
Sep 24, 20254 min read


Trauma Responses Aren't Permanent: Learning to Notice, Pause, and Choose
When we think about the common trauma responses—fight, flight, freeze, fawn (people pleasing), or shut down—we often mistakenly imagine...
Stephanie Burton
Sep 22, 20252 min read


The Weight of Being a Black Woman Therapist: When Your Role Gets Romanticized and Weaponized
As Black women in healing professions, we often carry a double weight. On one hand, our work is revered - people admire our insight,...
Stephanie Burton
Sep 10, 20252 min read


The Mind Matters in Sexual Intimacy
You and the love of your life have built something beautiful together. Maybe you’ve launched a thriving business side by side, or reached...
Stephanie Burton
Aug 24, 20254 min read


From Anita Baker to After 7: Why Love Songs Sound Sweeter When You're in Love
Like Lenny said, "Maybe you've never been in love like I've been in love. And maybe you've never felt the things that I've felt." Have...
Stephanie Burton
Aug 11, 20253 min read


Braids, Beads, and Grace: A Reflection on Hair, Healing, and Holding Space
I've been doing my daughter's hair since she was about seven or eight months old - basically since the moment I could safely put it in...
Stephanie Burton
Aug 7, 20253 min read


On the Receiving End of Jealousy
Moment of transparency… Something real, that’s been on my heart and mind, that not enough of us name out loud… I’ve been on the receiving...
Stephanie Burton
Jul 27, 20252 min read


The Vulnerability of Friendship Break-ups
There’s a very specific kind of discomfort that comes with trying to rekindle a friendship after a spat, a friend-breakup, or even one of...
Stephanie Burton
Jul 27, 20252 min read


For the City...
The city of Fort Wayne has really been going through it this summer. It’s easy to label violence among teens as senseless, but when you...
Stephanie Burton
Jul 27, 20253 min read
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