Blavity contributors Christine Edwards and Lukogho Kasomo take on what it was like staying in the #BlavityHouse for Essence Festival 2015.

Describe the Blavity House; what were the bedrooms like in the house and how was the neighborhood? Did you have enough privacy?

LK: Homes in New Orleans are pretty deceiving from the exterior. We stayed in a traditional shotgun style house where the outside makes it look petite, but the inside is expansive. The house was very spacious to the point that some rooms only had one to two people staying in them. There were bathrooms in every room so it wasn’t difficult to get ready in the morning or evenings. I wish I would have spent some time in the backyard on the porch, which was spacious and comfortable. The neighborhood was pretty chill, but like anywhere we made sure we traveled in pairs and took note of our surroundings. I felt really safe overall.

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With so many women in the house, was it easy to get along with everyone?

Christine Edwards (CE): It took some time to feel everyone out but after a day or so, I had gotten used to most personalities. I’m usually a pretty shy person, so I’m surprised at how quickly I opened up to people. Just knowing that I personally want to work in the media and communication field, I knew I had to be a bit outgoing for this experience to be worthwhile. It helped not having my own friends from back home with me (however, some girls knew each other beforehand) because if I had, then I wouldn’t have been as open to getting to know the other women. In short, the house was a melting pot of life experiences. You just had to figure out where you fit in.

During your stay, did you learn something new about yourself? others?

Lukogho Kasomo (LK): I was mostly amazed at how easy it was for us [women] to open up to each other. For the most part, my interactions with each woman felt very natural, almost as if we’d been friends before this. The biggest lesson I learned was it’s okay to lean into others for support. During the first rounds of press coverage, I suddenly became really nervous when a radio station asked me to do a quick shout out for Blavity. Luckily one of the ladies from the house was there to reassure me. She came in clutch in a moment when I started to doubt myself, and her humor helped to calm my nerves. (Thanks, Ruky!)

Were you able to make some new connections and friends?

CE: Absolutely! I met women who worked for themselves, who worked for Fortune 500 companies, who were in school and some who had been out of school for a while. The ages varied more than I had expected, from early-20s to late-20s and even one guest in her 30s with kids at home. I was able to exchange information with women working in other creative fields such as blogging, writing and editing, photography, policy work and entrepreneurship. Lastly, in terms of connections, it wasn’t just about name-dropping the dope company you work for or the dope startup you are creating on your own, it was more about being able to relate with the ladies on a personal level and realize that this girl I met who is so down to earth actually does scheduling for TLC or is an editor for O, The Oprah Magazine. As far as friendships, sometimes you vibe with someone when you first meet them and you can tell you’re going to be friends. During the four days I was in the house, I felt free to express my opinion without judgment and felt comfortable enough to share personal things in a safe environment. I can honestly say that I made a couple of lasting bonds this past weekend.

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Did you feel there was enough balance between Blavity-planned activities and personal down time in between activities?

LK: I spent most of the time at the conference, but that was by choice. The planned events were great in the sense that it allowed us to meet people outside of the house. Since most of us came alone, the transition between downtime and planned activities felt pretty seamless, most of us would just head out to a different destination afterwards. You’ll have time to do your own thing if that’s what you want.

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Which Blavity sponsored event was your favorite?

CE: My very first New Orleans experience was the Blavity Happy Hour co-sponsored with DOPEciety and Norlinians. My flight arrived earlier that day so I was still adjusting to the house and the girls, but as soon as I went to the happy hour, I knew what this weekend would be about. It was about music, making connections and insanely beautiful fashion (among other things). The ironic thing is when we went to eat that night, I saw one of the performers, Tank and the Bangas, from the event featured in a local magazine. That shows the raw talent from NOLA locals and the level of access we had in that laid-back environment. This event pretty much set the tone for the weekend.

How easy was it to get around in NOLA without a car?

LK: There is definitely a good amount of public transportation in the city. There are street cars, the bus and the train that folks can use. I think most of us solely used Uber during our time there. It just made it easier to get from point A to point B during a time crunch and in the humidity. Next time, I plan on exploring the city more and using the public transportation.

What was your absolute favorite part about staying in the Blavity House?

CE: I have two favorites; the connections that I made in the house and the exposure I had to the city of New Orleans. Not to downplay the festival itself, but I enjoyed my time in the Blavity House and the time spent outside of the convention center. The concerts at the Superdome and the wealth of information presented at the convention center would make me want to return next year, but it cannot compare to the experience I had at the Blavity House. Being a part of a team made the experience unique and the gifts from our sponsors and the black girl magic t-shirts helped to solidify that feeling.

How did this experience embody Black Girl Magic?

LK: Everything about the house embodied black girl magic. It was great to eat, sleep, play and explore the city with so many educated, brilliant and enterprising women of color. It felt like being at a neverending hub of innovation. I met women who are making moves in their respective industries. I was able to receive a lot of positive feedback and criticism on my projects that I shared with them. More than anything, it was beautiful to walk through the city and see black women affirming each other.

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Given all your experiences, would you stay in the Blavity House again?

CE: Yes, I would stay at the Blavity House again. Except for next time I would bring more outfits, more money for shopping and make sure to see parts of New Orleans I haven’t seen before.

LK: I think Blavity should take #BlavityHouse on the road. I vote SXSW or Coachella as the next destination (c’mon Morgan). But on the real, I would stay in the Blavity House again. It was great way to meet and collaborate with new people.

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