🌟 “Stay Busy, Stay Free”

Auntea: Denee “NaeNae” Davis ☕

Topic: DC Roots, Real Talk, and Staying Out of Trouble

---

---

💌 Sugar Q: “DC is crazy. My friend got shot. How do I stay out of trouble?”

Whew, Sugar — that’s real.

“You can’t hang with everybody, baby,” Denee said. “If you know somebody doing wrong, and you stay around ‘em, you’re gonna get caught up in the mess.”

She remembers growing up around the same streets — the fights, the peer pressure, the chaos. “That’s why I stayed busy. I joined the dance team, took up braiding hair, anything to keep my hands moving and my mind focused.”

💡 The Tea:

Staying busy isn’t lame — it’s how you stay free. Fill your time with something that feeds your spirit. ✨

---

💅🏾 Sugar Q: “So, how do I deal when people call me fake for changing?”

Denee laughed. “Let ‘em talk! Growth don’t make you fake, it makes you focused.”

She said when she started working and saving, some old friends thought she was “acting brand new.” But Denee knew her path was bigger. “When you’re serious about your goals, the people who really love you will respect it.”

💡 The Tea:

Evolving doesn’t mean you’ve switched up — it means you’re leveling up. 💅🏾

---

💬 Sugar Q: “What if my mom doesn’t understand what I’m going through?”

Denee sighed. “I love my mama, but we bump heads, too.”

She explained that parents sometimes carry their own fears. “They just want us safe. But you can’t shut down — keep talking, even when it’s hard. Write it down if you have to.”

💡 The Tea:

Communication is care. Say what you feel, even if your voice shakes. ❤️

---

💇🏽 Sugar Q: “You’re always put together! Why does style matter so much to you?”

“I always say — look good, feel good,” Denee said. “It’s not about being fancy; it’s about confidence. When I put on my outfit and fix my hair, I’m saying, ‘I showed up for me today.’”

She added, “It’s DC — you gotta represent where you’re from. We do everything with style.”

💡 The Tea:

Confidence is an inside job, but a cute fit never hurts. 😉

---

💖 Sugar Q: “How do I keep my faith when the world feels so heavy?”

“Faith got me through everything,” she said. “Even when I didn’t know how things would work out, I prayed anyway.”

Denee keeps a journal of things she’s grateful for — big and small. “Some days I just write, ‘I woke up.’ That’s enough.”

💡 The Tea:

Faith isn’t about having it all figured out — it’s trusting that you’ll be okay anyway. 🙏🏾

---

💋 Simi’s Sip

You can’t control everything that happens around you, sugar — but you can control your choices. Stay busy, stay hopeful, and keep choosing peace over pressure.

You’re not missing out — you’re leveling up.

Not a lecture, just a sip of tea. ☕💖

---

💁🏽‍♀️ Meet the Auntea— Denee “NaeNae” Davis

Denee Davis, known as “NaeNae,” is a DC native, mentor, and advocate for youth safety and wellness. From dance studios to local schools, she’s all about helping young women find focus, freedom, and faith — with a little sparkle, of course.

✨ Follow:  @denee.naenae