Brown Mommy Diary

Motherhood & Lifestyle



I knew my life would be a fight…

and I realized this: 

I had it in me.

(Viola Davis, Finding Me)

As we have transitioned from Black History Month to Women’s History and Colon Cancer Awareness Month, we want to express our gratitude to everyone who has joined us on this journey. Approximately two years ago, the “A Change For Brown Mommy Diary” campaign was launched to seek justice for the loss of our daughter, Shundra Seay Massey, to colon cancer at the age of 29. The campaign originated from a place of unanswered questions, deep pain, and intense anger.  However, finding purpose in pain was a powerful way to transform adversity into something meaningful. 

Martin Seay, Minority Leader Sen. Gloria Butler (GA), and Rosonja Seay

Martin Seay, Minority Leader Sen. Gloria Butler (GA), and Rosonja Seay

Today, we are filled with gratitude for all of you, as well as for Minority Leader Senator Gloria Butler (GA), whose unwavering support has been instrumental in advancing our mission to raise awareness about young-onset colon cancer and its disproportionate impact on African Americans. Leader Butler has been a true champion, spearheading two resolutions in the Georgia Legislature. These resolutions advocate for the adjustment of the minimum age for colorectal cancer screenings and the establishment of the Senate Colorectal Cancer Study Committee. Her dedication to this cause is commendable and sincerely appreciated. 

Over the past two years, we’ve been deeply invested in this campaign. The loss of our cherished daughter to colon cancer in 2021 sparked a commitment to educate and advocate for changes in colonoscopy guidelines. It’s disheartening that while colon cancer isn’t solely an ailment of older individuals, screening guidelines don’t encompass those under 45. As colon cancer rates decline among older adults, they’re on the rise among the young. Young people must be well-informed about this disease. 

During Women’s History and Colon Cancer Awareness Month, I actively seek your help and collaboration with others passionate about colon cancer, women’s health, and the health disparities faced by the Black community. Education and empowerment are essential tools for uplifting others and creating positive change. Together, we can make a difference.  

As change makers, we can make a difference in the world, no matter how big or small our actions may seem. Embracing these beliefs can guide us toward creating a brighter future for ourselves and those around us.

With profound gratitude and affection,

Martin and Rosonja Seay

Fun Toddler Outing: We Took A Trip To The Zoo!

Father with red nike shirt and black shorts, mom with blue jeans and a tie-dye t-shirt standing behind the stroller with toddler sitting in the stroller.

We took a trip to Zoo Atlanta! This was actually EJ’s first outing since the start of the pandemic. We are slowly easing our way back into activities, because there is so much that we want EJ to experience, because quite honestly he has missed out on a lot. 

Zoo Atlanta hosted our family for a fun, filled trip this past weekend! I wanted this to be a fun, safe outing for the entire family even though mask restrictions have been lifted for the state of Georgia. Zoo Atlanta has several safety measures in place. If you are considering taking your family, check out the current safety measures below. 

Toddler sitting in the stroller affixed next to a statue of a gorilla at Zoo Atlanta.
Toddler wearing a yellow rain jacket while sitting in an umbrella stroller at Zoo Atlanta.

Zoo Atlanta Safety Measures

  1. Employees wear masks
    1. Although I could not find this on their website, I observed all employees except for one wearing a mask
  2. Timed Ticketing
    1. General admission guests must select a time reservation 
    2. Daily capacity is limited
  3. Hand Sanitizing Stations
    1. Hand sanitizer stations were available throughout every part of the zoo
  4. Frequent cleaning/disinfecting touchpoints 
  5. Masks are recommended for general admission
  6. Masks are required for ages 2 and older for optional in-Zoo experiences

Our Zoo Trip Experience

We had a blast at Zoo Atlanta and here’s why! It was so easy to social distance and get a great view of the animals, because of the time reservation slots. Its a win, win situation! If you are considering bring a stroller, I would say go for it given the current circumstances. We did bring strollers, but it didn’t feel like a burden, because there was plenty of space to maneuver. 

I would highly recommend visiting the Zoo in the morning. We arrived at the zoo around 10 AM, which meant that the animals were visible and active. Due to the tropical storm last week, we experienced some rain during the second half of our visit. However, the experience was still enjoyable! The zoo itself is shaded very well with trees, which blocked most of the rain in certain areas, and there are covered viewing areas available too. If you know that there is a possibility of rain coming in the area that day, just bring rain jackets and/or umbrellas.  

Let’s talk about how I was a little nervous about taking EJ to the zoo. EJ is quite afraid of our family dog. So, I wasn’t really sure how he would feel about seeing other animals since this would technically be his first encounter with live animals outside of seeing our dog every day. Thank goodness the zoo was a hit!

If you’ve been thinking of engaging activities for your toddler, take them to the zoo! Zoo Atlanta is on my list for fun toddler activities. If you are ever in the Atlanta area, be sure to check out what all Zoo Atlanta has to offer.

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Simple, Easy DIY Easter Basket With Target Finds

Dinosaur Easter basket filled with non-candy items.
Close-up of dinosaur Easter basket with items like sunglasses, toy care, and toy dinosaur.
Close up of Easter basket showing a wind up toy dino, toy care, and spiked light up ball.

Making your own DIY Easter basket doesn’t have to be complicated. With Easter approaching, all I can think about is how fun it used to be as a kid to receive an Easter basket filled with all types of goodies. Sometimes the pre-made Easter baskets may not be what you exactly had in mind. In my case, I prefer EJ’s Easter basket to be filled with non-candy items, which is why it was so necessary that I share how I made this simple, easy DIY Easter basket.

EJ’s first Easter was last year. However, with the unknown of COVID we opted to not participate in any family gatherings to keep everyone safe. As a result, my parents dropped off an Easter basket for EJ at the front door. This was literally the highlight of my Easter although it wasn’t the traditional way that we would normally celebrate Easter.

4 month old EJ sitting in his baby Einstein walker with his first Easter basket provided by his grandparents.
Grandparent standing at a 6 feet distance waving at her grandchild.

Whether you decide to gather together with those in your household or with other family members/friends, I want to share how I made this easy DIY Easter basket with items that I purchased from Target, which is a for sure hit! And to make it even better, everything purchased was via Target drive-up. At this point, I think the Target drive-up employees know me by name- like, seriously! Here’s how I created this simple, easy Dino Easter basket. 

*Disclosure:This post may contain affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here.

Items You Need For The DIY Basket

First, you want to decide on a theme. I am so obsessed with dinosaurs, which is why I immediately picked up the Dino Easter basket as soon as I saw it. I promise I didn’t go hunting for it! Second, you want to start building around your theme. The Dino basket is green, which prompted the idea to fill up the basket with as many green items that I could find. I found it quite easy to complete this basket by purchasing party variety packs. I think I did a pretty good job considering all of the items that I purchased were $5 or less. You’ll find below all of the items that I purchased from Target to fill this basket. 

Please note that some items may not be suitable for your little one(s). The items listed are suggestions and will require you to determine if it is safe for your little one(s). 

How To Assemble The Basket

I really didn’t put too much thought in how I assembled the basket-I just kind of went with what fit in the right place. Whatever you feel is best, go with it! Depending on how many items you place in the basket, it may be a good idea to wrap the basket in cello gift wrapping paper to keep the items from falling out of the basket.

Creating a Dino Easter basket may not be up your ally, but Target has a great variety of Easter baskets that may fit the idea that you had in mind. Here are more of the felt Easter baskets along with the traditional Easter baskets.

Most of the items that I used for this Easter basket can be used for any basket since it comes in a variety pack. Again, it is up to you what items would be suitable for your little one(s). I hope this will help you get a great start on making the perfect Easter basket. Happy creating!

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