Wayna

It dawned on me that nearly all the people I asked to take pictures w during GRAMMY week were politicians or pundits.

Maybe it’s because of the state of our world and who we’re hoping will get us thru.

Or maybe it’s how this moment makes me remember a season of my life when politics and public service was my world.

I don’t know…but they felt like the most ‘important’ people in the room.

God strengthen them and us 🖤

So very honored to help present the GRAMMYs Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award, a category I helped to create. 🙏🏾

This year’s winner “Ice Cream Man” by is a powerful anthem about sexual assault and couldn’t have been more timely, vulnerable, and evocative. It is especially meaningful to me to present it as a longtime advocate of women’s issues and the mother of two girls.

A HUGE thanks to the Chair of our GRAMMY Board of Trustees for this honor and for representing living history as the youngest and first Black woman to serve in this role.

And a special thanks to for overseeing the creation and ex*****on of this category over the last 4 years and championing women’s voices across the Academy.

Styled by ‼️

Grateful to return to my alma mater to host and perform at the scholarship pageant I won at 21. Congrats to our new Miss Unity and thank you Anne Carswell, Trinity, and everyone at for letting me relive this very special night of my life

Speaking of beauty queens, a happiest birthday to my mom, who would have crushed us all at 21 🤍

This day is my template for what I intend to manifest in 2026. Let me explain.

Growing up in the DMV makes you a default football fan. The Hogs, Darryl Green, Doug Williams — all heroes to us. And while I cheered and followed, I wasn’t really one of the hardcores until I started working at the White House. See, one of my assignments there was to write the President’s congratulatory letters to all the teams or players who’d won championships.

As writers, we were responsible for being up on the latest news involving our issues, and I could lowkey feel one of my male colleagues wanting my sports assignment and doubting how informed I really was. Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

So the 23 yr old me started reading the sports page daily just in case he ever tried to test me in front of our editor. It wasn’t long before I started to see a connection between sports and my dream of becoming a performer. Particularly, the parallels of how athletes cope w pressure and that moment when the game is on the line and all eyes are on them.

One day, I looked up and realized my office walls were covered w pictures of my favorite sports stars. By then, it didn’t matter that I could go toe to toe w anyone who challenged me, I was a genuine fan.

So to be at Northwest stadium as the performer I dreamed of becoming in those days while inspired by home team and to stand on the sidelines reading, up close, the energy and focus of the players I’ve analyzed from afar — all while having my own game time moment, was just so meaningful and inspiring.

I receive and declare more of this fun and excitement in 2026🙏🏾 And I know that when it counts, I too, want the ball 🏈

Let’s go👊🏾

Instrumentation
Make up
Grace - My Heavenly Father

Merry Christmas❤️🎄🤍