The month of May arrives like a dinner invitation. We are called back to each other, to bloom in our brilliance, and revel in our longstanding traditions and connections. Across many African descended communities, our ability to gather around the table has always been a space for storytelling, care, improvisation, and joy. From cookouts to Sunday dinners, from intimate gatherings to laughter-filled evenings and follies with games spades, Uno, and dominoes, we’ve long understood the practice of gathering (“who all gonna be there?”) matters just as much as what we serve.
And, how do we do this? Windows open. Patios, decks, yards, and porches come alive. Tables are decorated with bright colors and dishes are equally vibrant as the days themselves. The art of entertaining family, friends, and neighbors doesn’t need to be elaborate in order for the gathering to be meaningful. A thoughtfully prepared meal. A familiar playlist. The list goes on. Still, all of these elements together ensures the table reflects our people and traditions, big and small.
For those who imbibe, wine, too, finds its place. The crisp white shared at brunch, the chilled rosé at sunset, the bold red poured slowly over conversation. Not as a symbol of exclusivity but as a companion to the moment being created with others. With each pour, drinking wine is less about mastering rules (“see, swirl, sniff, sip, and savor”) but more about embracing the experience. And yet, for many, entertaining with wine has not always felt accessible or reflective of us.
That’s why this month’s conversation feels especially timely. On May 19, 2026, the Belonging to Blackness podcast will feature guest Stephanie Browne, founder of Sipping Sense and Divas Uncorked, and author of the book Sipping Sense: Uncorking the Flavors of Wine, Entertaining and Healthy Cooking. As a global wine traveler, author, and cultural connector who celebrates Black life through food, wine, and storytelling, Stephanie’s work bridges hospitality with her thirty-plus years of corporate leadership to challenge the idea that wine must be intimidating or exclusive, offering instead an approach grounded in curiosity, accessibility, and community for all. Together, we’ll explore how to approach wine without hesitation, how to curate dining experiences that feel authentic rather than performative, and how Black representation in wine culture expands not just who is seen but how the experience itself is defined.
So this May, we encourage you to open the windows. Set the table. Pour something that feels like you. Invite others over. And let the season do what it has always done for us: create space for connection, for memory, for love, and for belonging.
#BlackWines #EntertainWithStyle #SippingSense #BelongingToBlackness #DivasUncorked #StephanieBrowne #HealthyCooking #FoodAndWineExperience #WomenInWine
Peace and blessings,
Dr. Yndia & the Belonging to Blackness, LLC team
