“You can kill a man, but not an idea.” These words, often attributed to civil rights leader Medgar Edgars, have been hanging out in my mind for the last couple of weeks. They are so widely applicable, because ideas take a long time to form and an even longer time to change. There’s nothing like sitting in the house for five months (OMG it’s been fiiiiiivvvve mooooonths) to make you re-examine your ideas about yourself, your place in the world, other people, and their place in the world. I certainly have had to question and retool my own thinking, and I hope you’re doing the same. Much of what I choose for “Kelundra Recommends” each week is a reflection of things that have pushed me out of my comfort zone or challenged me, and I want to share those things with anyone who will listen.

My hope for the world right now is that we start to question, challenge and examine our ideas. If you stand firm in something, know why and understand the greater impact of how that idea is executed. I truly believe that most of us have the same ideas about what it takes to make this world a lovelier place to live: fresh air, clean water, safe shelter, time with the people we love and the opportunity to see a dream or two come true. As we go into the weekend, I pray that you have all of these things. Let’s get it!

1. TO WATCH: When I went to the Sundance Film Festival in 2017, one of the documentaries that I regretted missing was Tell Them We Are Rising. I finally had the chance to watch it, and I was not at all disappointed. t’s about the rise of historically Black colleges & universities in the U.S. Many people question why Black colleges still exist in an integrated society, and I think this film does a nice job of providing context for their existence. The film starts during slavery and goes through the establishment of Black colleges during Reconstruction, changes in administration during the Civil Rights Movement, and ends at present day. One thing I took away from the documentary is how the existence of HBCUs is intrinsically tied to Black liberation and the existence of the Black middle class. So much to unpack there…let me know what you think the comments.
2. TO EAT: I did some socially distanced glamping with my bestie and made some delicious campfire eats with very simple ingredients. On our last night at the campsite, I made some sweet Italian sausage links from Sprouts sauteed with onions with a side of skillet potatoes seasoned in rosemary, pepper and season salt. Finally, we had a side of roasted brussel sprouts tossed in a bit of salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. It’s a delicious, filling meal that’s easy to make.
3. TO DRINK: I discovered my new favorite tea company, Me Plus Tea. It’s owned by a brother-and-sister duo that grows their own tea leaves and makes their own tea blends. I’ve been sipping on their Creamy Earl Grey, Ginger Peach, and Apple Vanilla Chai. Pinkies up!
4. TO PLAY: I recently had the pleasure of appearing on the podcast, Token Theatre Friends to discuss the Disney recording of Hamilton. We had our own cabinet meeting to discuss why Hamilton is the perfect musical, why Hamilton is a completely imperfect musical, and how the experience of seeing it onstage compares with seeing it onscreen. Get ready for a fast and fun deep-dive!
5. TO READ: For the last few weeks, I’ve been speaking to restaurant owners about the ways COVID-19 and recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations have impacted their businesses. Now, the article has published on Food & Wine Magazine website. My biggest takeaway from these interviews is that it is going to take all of us to steer the ship that is America in the right direction. All of these entrepreneurs are living manifestations of the American Dream, and we owe it to them and ourselves, to ensure that in this country all people have equality of opportunity.