Real talk. Real life. No apologies.
I’m Shirl — writer, strategist, and a Black woman who says what she means.
I'm Shirl.
I’ve spent 30 years in boardrooms and community spaces watching people dance around the truth. Say It Lady is what happens when I stop doing that.
New here? Start with these three.
Three essays that tell you exactly what this place is.
Latest
The Solo Dinner. A Wonderful Night Was Had by All. Meaning Me.
I get the good bra on, make a reservation somewhere that requires one, and take myself to dinner. I order the wine I like, the steak medium rare, and I tip well on the way out. A wonderful night was had by all. Meaning me.
How I Learned to Let People Underestimate Me. And Why It Was the Smartest Thing I Ever Did.
In my regular life, I am an open book. Not a naive one. Not a foolish one. But what you see is largely what you
We Lost Something When We Stopped Writing Letters. I Am Coming to Get It Back.
I collect stationery I do not write on nearly enough. That is ending. A defense of the handwritten letter, the well-turned phrase, the scented envelope, and the lost art of telling someone off in perfect King’s English.