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thefirstgems

@thefirstgems

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💎: a safe space for first gen millennials to unite, discover, heal & share their experiences @revolt #REVOLTCreatorNetwork

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“Regardless of the institution you’re connected to or the job title you hold, you are your best thing.”

Early in my work as a coach and founder, I made an ethical decision: I would never coach Black women to “just finish the dissertation.”

I started Write Your Dissertation, Sis right as the executive orders hit—sitting in coaching sessions where brilliant Black women found out their positions had been cut or the tenure-track line they’d made it to the final round for had been canceled.

I watched scholars move through application after application, rejection after rejection, and I kept thinking:

How do I tell a Black woman to just keep pushing toward the dissertation when everything she was building toward suddenly feels uncertain?

What I was watching wasn’t only a job market problem.

I was watching Black women’s sense of themselves as scholars begin to erode because so much had been tied to one institution, position, or version of success.

My coaching had to be bigger than getting someone across the finish line.

I coach Black women to see their scholarship as legacy—as how they want their work to be remembered in the world.

Because your scholarship goes with you wherever you go.

Not your job title.
Not your institution.
YOU are your best thing.

And yes, let’s finish the dissertation, Sis.

It doesn’t have to be perfect or carry the weight of your whole legacy. But it can be the foundation for what you build next—publications, fellowships, consulting, public scholarship, and possibilities beyond one job market or one definition of success.

That’s the support we build into Write Your Dissertation, Sis: not just finishing, but learning how to tell the story of your work, navigate publishing and the job market, translate your scholarship across academic and non-academic spaces, and build a scholar legacy that isn’t dependent on one institution.

Black women deserve support getting through the dissertation… and we deserve support imagining what becomes possible because we did. 💜

✨ 2027 early enrollment is open through September 30.

Comment “DEFEND” for details or visit the link in bio.

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We all have that one thing that makes people say, “Yep… that’s definitely African.” 😂
The question is… what’s yours? 👀

Catch the full conversation with @thefirstgems in our next episode!🎙️

#AfricanCulture #AfricanIdentity #AfricanDiaspora #AfricanHumor #AfricanCommunity #BlackDiaspora #AfricanAmericans #AfricanHeritage #DiasporaLife #AfricanStereotypes #Africa #AfricanContent #AfricanCreators #Afronomics

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Too African for America OR Too American for Africa? 😭🌍
If you know, you know.

Watch our new episode with the amazing ladies of @thefirstgems on YT! Live now🤩

#AfricanDiaspora #AfricanIdentity #AfricanCulture #NigerianAmerican #DiasporaLife #BlackDiaspora #Afronomics

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Throwback Thursday 💗💗

In this conversation on @thefirstgems Podcast, I talked about one of the deepest things I help Black women scholars work through: Black girl perfectionism.

The pressure to get it right…
To prove you belong...
To keep pushing even when you’re EXHAUSTED.
To feel like asking for help somehow means… you aren’t capable.

So much of my work has been about creating spaces where Black women scholars can write differently: with sisterhood, community, accountability, and room to be human in the process.

I also shared more of the story behind Write Your Dissertation, Sis. and the kind of support I wanted Black women to have while moving toward the finish line.

Sis, we’re now enrolling for our next coaching cohort.

Early enrollment closes September 30, and scholars who enroll early can receive up to $600 off, an extended payment plan, and a bonus Dissertation Roadmap Session with me.

If you’re ready to finish your dissertation in 2027 with more structure, consistency, and support:

Comment “DEFEND” and we’ll send you the application link — or apply directly through the link in our bio. 🎓

This is our ONLY coaching cohort of 2027.

And if you want to hear the full conversation on perfectionism, purpose, sisterhood, and legacy, listen to the full episode of The First Gems Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. ✨✨

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summertime fine in LA 🌴 #cousinsturnedcohosts

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traditional values vs. modern dating norms…how do we find balance? 💭✨

in this episode of @situationships.pod, we’re joined by @annaem.e - host of @thefirstgems podcast - for an honest conversation about relationships, success, and challenging traditional dating expectations 💜🎙️

anna shares her perspective on modern dating, being a love girl, and her big plans for season 4 of the first gems podcast. plus, anna talks about her experiences as a first gen women and the influence it has had on her dating life ✨

tune into the full episode on @revoltcreatornetwork! 💜🎧

#situationshipspod #situationships #podcast

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new pod alert! 🎧💜 balancing traditional values with modern dating norms with @thefirstgems’ @annaem.e this week on @situationships.pod! listen now!! 🎙️

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/situationships-podcast/id1789395620?i=1000776064720

#situationships #firstgems #rpn

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🚨 The wait is over! Introducing the Abiriba Creators Zoom Session! 🎥✨

Join us for an evening of conversation with talented Abiriba creators as they share their journeys, lessons, and insights on building brands, creating meaningful content, and staying authentic.

Whether you’re a creator, entrepreneur, student, professional, or simply looking to learn, this conversation is for the entire Abiriba community.

📅 Thursday, July 9
🕗 8:00 PM EST
📍 Zoom link in Bio

Invite a friend and join the conversation. We can’t wait to see you there! 💚

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Shopping hits different when it’s culture-first! 🎁🤏🏾 
Meet our featured first-gen owned brands, each one building legacy, not just product.

Tap through, shop intentionally, and help us grow the catalog by tagging a business you love. 💎

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one time for the artists & curators consistently pushing the culture forward >>> biggest takeaway from Art Basel: seeing ideas take physical form forces you to rethink your own limits and think bigger 💙

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Odessa, Anna and Wize talk about bridging the gap between the African continent and the Caribbean region.

Check out the episode in full on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. #podcast #podcastshow

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On this crossover episode of Behind the Mic, @therealwize takes you inside AFRICON 2025, recorded live at REVOLT Studios in Atlanta with @annaem.e from @thefirstgems and @oblessa from @reasoningswithodessa.

We talk about the energy, panels, and connections that made this year’s @africon.global a powerful African diaspora link up.

Check out this interview at listen.revolt.tv or on your favorite podcast platform.

#revoltpodcastnetwork #PoweredbyCreators

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