Sparkle & Sense is Crystal’s space to share the real moments behind all the hats she wears — Black woman, wife, mom, professional, creator. It’s where she writes about marriage in all its brutiful layers, motherhood in its beauty and chaos, and the lessons that shape her as she grows. It’s real, reflective, and brilliantly human. And, this is where Crystal shines and tells the truth at the same time.
SPARKLES
&
Sense
I’m not the problem. I’m the magnifying glass.
I’ve encountered men (and one woman) throughout my career who’ve felt threatened by me. The pattern took different shapes—different titles, different workplaces, different personalities—but the energy was familiar: the patronizing tone, the sudden competitiveness, the quiet sabotage dressed up as “feedback,” the convenient misunderstandings that only ever landed on me.