we know what your future holds
“it isn’t where you came from, it’s where you’re going that counts.”
– ella fitzgerald
the recent headlines that have caught our eye
Here are the things we are doing, reading, listening to or heard about
that we think can help you on your path—whatever that path may be!
newsletter: new york times internet culture reporter taylor lorenz shares everything you need to know about internet culture. we’re a little smarter every time we read it.
book: the book you need if you are ready to start #winning
These are the ladies we follow that, in short, make sh!t happen.
Don’t you want to fan girl with us?
photo: instagram/@misskristagram
kristen turner (@misskristagram) is creative director at the newly founded mae jones magazine, a bold new media company dedicated to the representation of black style and glamour - plus her personal feed brings us inspo and joy.
photo: instagram/@jennyong
jenny ong (@jennyong) started as a fashion blogger in the early 2010s, but more recently has converted her feeds into becoming an “earth activist.” you can follow jenny to see her feed, which serves as an eco-conscious lifestyle lookbook! we are fangirling!
Products that get the void seal of approval, at your service! and it’s not just us—our friends and family love them too!
p.s. all the companies featured in this section are women founded or women-led, duh!
t.a.
ig: @t.a.newyork
against all odds, telsha anderson took a risk and opened a brick and mortar store in the heart of nyc mid-pandemic, t.a. while so many businesses were forced to shut their doors, there is a bright new store nestled into meatpacking. the new boutique and concept shop has everything from clothing to home decor. check out the exclusive, ever changing selection of clothing from independent designers.
the weekly mantras, horoscopes or astrological insights to help you attract what YOu what.
book: astrology for yourself by demetra george
the stars really are aligning because this week we have a book recommendation straight from our “she said” feature guest - mecca woods - which launched her path as an astrologer!
if you’ve ever wanted to know how to read your own birth chart it’s time to get in touch with your inner cosmic wizard! this book is designed to introduce you to the language, art and science of astrology through self-directed exercises that allows you to write your own chart interpretation. this book not only provides you a step by step look at how to read your chart but promises to promote personal growth and change your life!
why couldn't the astronaut focus? he kept spacing out :)
a weekly q&a featuring kick-a$$ women ranging from celebrities and ceos to the women
that are hustling every single day to make things happen for themselves and others.
astrologist, author and mom mecca woods: the skeptics guide to reading your sign
if astrological signs and birth charts are too “woo-woo” for you, and you think that they have absolutely nothing to do with your path in life, then we ask you, give mecca woods a follow first. in her own words, you’ll find "no hocus-pocus, fairy dust, or wizard of oz-like gimmicks here. just astrology—made plain and simple."
mecca is an astrologist, author, coach, podcaster, and working mom, so, you know, she’s just a *little* bit busy. she even collaborated to create and release her very own beer with @bronxbrewery this past year called black moon rising - on top of that, she’s a regular contributor and featured astrologist for some of the biggest women-centric websites—think bustle, girlboss, essence, popsugar, refinery29. the reason she’s such a star? her practical advice and no-nonsense approach resonates with the masses (just like you! see, we told you this would be worth it!).
we got the chance to chat with mecca about how she found her path in astrology, how she, a woman of color, helped push forward an industry that is traditionally dominated by white women, and why your astrological birth chart actually has practical uses that can help guide your life. you can thank your lucky stars now, because we’ve got some mecca woods wisdom comin’ your way.
the void: let’s get right into it. what drew you to astrology as a profession?
mecca woods: what drew me to astrology was being at my own personal crossroads. i was always an astrology enthusiast but i didn't really realize how deep it went until just after i turned 30. basically, i was in a place where i was just really unhappy. i wasn't happy with the work that i was doing, i felt like i should be doing more. my love life wasn’t all that great either. and i was just in this place where i was feeling kind of lost.
i ended up finding an astrology book called the celestial sexpot's handbook, and i was reading about scorpios, because i was dealing with a scorpio at the time. i really appreciated what the astrologer wrote, so much so, that i ended up getting two readings with her. she pretty much just blew my mind in terms of, you know, informing me. i didn’t know what a birth chart was, she taught me what that was. and from there, i just became hooked.
i started to research and read as much as i could. and what drew me in even more, was that astrology was empowering. it gave me the opportunity to make choices as opposed to being a victim of circumstance.
the void: unfortunately, you don’t see a lot of women or men of color talking about zodiac signs. how has that changed over the years since you started practicing? have you seen a cultural shift in astrology?
mecca: i definitely think that there has been a shift since i first started out about 10 years ago. i didn't really know many people of color that were practicing. but i guess the stars aligned in a way because i went to twitter and started playing around with the search, and actually found a couple of astrologers of color who i connected with. and these individuals are an integral part of my career, both for their friendship and as mentors.
i do see that now, astrology is becoming more popular and it's becoming more accepted. there are a lot of more people of color—they're gravitating towards it, and it's good to see!
tv: plain and simple, why is it important for people to follow their signs and their intuition?
mw: people should have their chart read because i know it helped me to figure out some things that were lacking in my life and some challenges i was facing both in my personal life and in my career. i see astrology as a tool or a resource that we can use to empower ourselves and help us to make the best decisions. even when it comes to things that we may not necessarily be able to control, astrology can still show us how to navigate those periods of time.
another big part of it is also learning how to trust yourself and your intuition. no matter what, you're the final authority on your life, and when i am reading someone’s chart i am just showing them a path or giving them options. at the end of the day, you have to figure out what's the best decision for you and trust that.
the void: it seems there have been so many huge astrological occurrences in the past couple years (it feels like mercury is always in retrograde). why do you think that is?
mecca: i think the best way to explain it is that astrology is really a study of patterns and cycles. you have your own personal cycles in your own life where you have your highest periods, your lowest periods, and your in-between, and collectively , it's part of the same principle. we all have our moments where things can be very good and then we have our periods where things are more challenging. the planets really provide a language for those cycles.
the things that are happening now have happened already in the past. as the planets move, they kind of trigger different movements—shifts or changes within the collective. essentially, what the planets are doing is highlighting the past. they are kind of saying that you’ve done this before—do you want to change the outcome or make it better? so therefore, it's up to us, as individuals who are leading these lives, to determine if we want to keep with the same path or if we want to change it.
the void: what would you recommend to a newbie who wanted to start to break down their own personal chart?
mecca: oh, that's a great question. one book i would recommend that i think is really great, and i actually used it when i first started out, is this book called “astrology for yourself” by demetra george. it is a workbook that basically teaches you how to read your chart, step-by-step.
the other thing that i always tell people is to get their chart read by a professional, a professional that you trust and will become committed to your wellbeing and growth. once you've kind of got squared away, a professional can help you really break your chart down in a way that you probably can’t do on your own. it feels good to have that knowledge upfront and then to continue studying on your own—there are a lot of great books out there!
follow mecca on instagram @1meccanism and you can find information on her stars on fire podcast and don’t forget to check out any of the 14 books she’s written including the astrology journal: a celestial guide to recording your cosmic journey and astrology for happiness and success available for purchase (and guidance!). and don’t forget to check out her site mylifecreated.com too!
[interview has been truncated and edited for clarity; original interview took place in 2019.]
