Guess Who Came to Dinner?

This article is an homage to my favorite young Black family. I omit a few identifying factors because we have mutual connections but I needed to highlight them because I love them so much.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally had the opportunity to reconnect with one of my best friends and his family (I've been slacking on my quest to make is wife one of my besties but I think we have good roots and it will grow organically). My favorite thing about spending time with this young Black couple is being the proverbial fly on the wall of the life, even for a moment. Their beautiful son engages in polite greetings and entertains me with jokes he's been collecting over the last few months and their angel-like 3 year old daughter demonstrates the normal toddler shenanigans with an air of, y'all not ready for me yet. I love it.

They remind me of a moment in my childhood when my family and I sit at the table, eat dinner and talk about things but they are much more organized. They show me that this picturesque family I've often imagined exists and it's not hiding anything because there is nothing to hide. The cards are on the table and the leaders of the of the household are consistent in their effort to work together to build and grow into everything they've planned for. I love it.

The partnership is seamless:

Her: Hun, it's getting late; I'm going to tuck the kids in, but the laundry.

Him: Aubria, I have to run down and pick up the laundry. Is that all right with you if we handle these things?

Aubria: I'm OK...how can I help?

Her or Him: Just relax.

A few minutes later, we're at the table with our slices of raspberry cheesecake and the conversation naturally shifts from the unfortunate toxicity that can cripple lawyer-life to our general concerns with the state of the country, NYC and our little corner in Brooklyn. Our values are aligned but we get there in very different ways and there is mutual understanding of each perspective in a way that doesn't happen. And then...

Her: Babes cut me another slice of that cheesecake.

Me: Matter of fact, cut me another slice too.

Him: This cheesecake is quite fluffy and light...it's giving a yogurt vibe right?

Her and Me: Yes it's like we're eating yogurt...

We all laugh as we indulge in our new favorite cheesecake and continue our discussion. I love them.

Our world wants us to believe the Black home is necessarily dysfunctional. They want us to believe Black people aren't talking about anything that matters privately and we are certainly are not doing it in a way that uplifts. They want us to believe Black love is dying and thus our sense of family dies with it. Yet, I'm so full as I witness Black professionals, husband and wife, raising a family, son and daughter, and curating the most beautiful life. I'm sure they fight but I imagine it's the kind of fight that lasts about 45 seconds and one of them says something like, "so what are we going to do to solve this".

I'm excited by it. I love what they represent for Black futures.