I feel like I should properly introduce myself.

Wait, let me restart.

I feel like I should properly introduce the 2022 version of myself.

Late last week, I got to thinking about how much I miss the journals and notebooks you could buy at the Scholastic book fairs where they asked you things about yourself, like your favorite color or your current best friend. You know what I’m talking about?

Those were so much fun to look back on and see how much you have or haven’t changed, which is what I hope to remember to do with this writing some day.

Without further ado, I introduce myself… Jamilah

Actually, I’m not the best at introducing myself (probably one of the many reasons I struggle with making friends and only admire strangers from afar). Anyway, my name is Jamilah (juh-mee-luh), and I’m going to try my best to not make this sound like a LinkedIn profile.

For starters, I’m in my early twenties, and I’ve graduated from college. I’ve gotten trapped in the “wonderful” world of retail, and since I have no idea what I want to do with my degree, I’ll be there for a while. When I’m not busy sort of being a merchandiser and keyholder, I am creating. For me, creating is writing and utilizing the internet to make my voice heard, whether it be on this blog or its adjoining podcast. Both platforms really allow me to showcase every authentic part of myself, and though they involve the easily accessible world of the internet, I don’t feel judged. Simply Jamilah is literally about being myself, going through this thing called life, and falling in love with the beauty that lies within.

When I’m not working or writing, I try to continue educating myself in a way that doesn’t involve paying a racist institution thousands of dollars for a master’s degree that has nothing to do with my bachelor’s degree. Instead, I read books and watch YouTube videos related to a profession I could actually see myself doing. Speaking of watching things, I do watch an unruly amount of YouTube videos, movies, and television shows, but that’s nothing compared to how much music I listen to on a daily basis.

Now for a semi-random list of all my favorite things, like you’d see in those aforementioned Scholastic journals:

• Favorite food: mac & cheese
• Favorite movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
  • I often think about young Heath Ledger <3
• Favorite musical artist: AJR
  • When it comes to music, I’m more connected to songs with great lyrics, and ninety-eight percent of AJR’s lyrics describe what I’m feeling, experiencing, thinking, etc. They will never know how much their music has truly saved me and helped me feel like I’m not completely alone.
• Favorite visual artist: Salvador Dali
• Favorite color: yellow
• Favorite animal: panda
  • They’re nice & cute until you mess with their food, and I’ve never resonated with an animal so much.
• Favorite flower: yellow roses
  • Not just because they’re yellow.
  • Yellow roses symbolize friendship, and as I’ve stated many times before, I think the foundation of any great relationship (familial, romantic, soul sisters) is friendship. Plus, it’s important to be friends with yourself before you can have any sort of meaningful relationship with somebody else.
• Favorite super hero: Hulk
  • I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about giant green guys… I used to go hard for Shrek before Mark Ruffalo started playing Hulk; it was game over after that.
• Favorite vacation spot: New York City
  • I am incredibly inspired every time I go to New York City; it’s also a place where I feel the most free and least judged. Though I can never see myself living there, I want to get to the point where I can travel there often.
  • Being in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship is also my favorite vacation spot because I’m forced off my phone to live in the moment.
• Favorite Golden Girl: Dorothy
  • Though I’m definitely more like Rose, I aspire to have the same sarcasm and one-liners as Dorothy.
• Favorite snack: tortilla chips & blanco queso
• Favorite plant: aloe
• Favorite holiday: Juneteenth
• Dream life partner: taller than me when I wear platforms, communicative about literally everything (emotions, interests, vulnerabilities), physically affectionate, not racist or stereotypical, extremely patient & understanding (because I have major trust issues, and we all know about that annoying attachment anxiety)
• Dream home: four bedrooms (three for sleeping, one for office), mailbox (since they’re building houses nowadays without them), no backyard neighbors, lots of kitchen counter space, open floor plan, one eating area (breakfast nook or dining room), no fireplace
• Favorite actress: Awkwafina
  • But I also love Zendaya, Yara Shahidi, Marsai Martin, literally the list for inspiring women in the film industry is endless
• Favorite news source: The Black Wall Street Times
• Favorite game: We’re Not Really Strangers
• Favorite past time: trying on/mentally conjuring outfits for a social life I don’t have
• Favorite ice cream flavor: coffee

Hi, I’m Jamilah 🙂