Celebrate Black History Month 2013! (Bay Area Events)

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Hey folks! I put together a list of Black History Month events I find interesting and which I plan on attending in the Bay Area.  I’m always looking for activities to keep my mind engaged so why not go to hair show, network with young black professionals, support black film, and sip cocktails at the same da– … you get the picture!

I  post to twitter of all the happenings I find out about– but here’s what on my #BHM itinerary so far.

Mills College Back History Month – “Please Don’t Touch My Hair”

Feb 11th 7 pm, Student Union

The Black Women’s Collective presents “Please don’t touch my hair,” an exciting and engaging hair show featuring diverse representations of blackness and black hair. A woman’s hair is her crown of glory and we’ll show you why. Join us as we explore Black women’s hair as it relates to their unique sensibility and complex identities. Hear personal experiences and stories from Black women and learn about the complexities of black hair choices and maintenance.

Ernst & Young – Black History Month Roundtable

Feb 28th 6-9 pm, The Kaiser Center — Oakland

African American Executive Business Leaders will join together to share knowledge, discuss diversity and inclusion business strategies and provide insight to their career progression. Pre-event networking includes appetizers, refreshments and entertainment. This is a free community event and all are welcome.

Featured speakers: Gregory A. Adams, President of the Northern California Region, Shellye Archambeau, Chief Executive Officer at MetricStream, Gina Wolley, EVP, RBG Administration at Bank of the West …and more! Great opportunity to network and meet new people!

SF Noir Remixology (for you party-goers)

Feb 21, 2013, Otis SF

Remix•ology is a SF Noir Food & Wine event that is sponsoring an evening where top African-American Mixologists create an original cocktail menu that is influenced by our diverse American culture as well as the African Diaspora. If you’re a cocktail enthusiast, you won’t want to miss this! Free admission!

Angela Y. Davis Book Signing

March 1st  6:30 PM , Marcus Books Store , Oakland

“The Meaning of Freedom and Other Difficult Dialogues”

List of other events going on at Marcus Books for BHM

Oakland Local has a list of BHM events to do for all 28 days here

Are you attending or participating in any Black History Month events this year? Share with us in the comment box below 🙂

Hairless 4 Her Awareness, Inc. “Save The Women Not The Boobies” 2013 Campaign

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Check out the new look and new models for the 2013 Hairless 4 Awareness Inc. “Save The Women Not The Boobies” campaign. Diversity and Beauty all in one creative ad campaign?! Gotta love it!

Hairless 4 Her Awareness is a non-profit organization established after founder Turquoise Johnson decided to part ways with her hair to honor a former teacher and close friend after she lost her battle to breast cancer.  The organization celebrates the lives of the women affected by the disease and provides a support system all women.

With the same familiar brand this year’s campaign features actress/model Shillae Anderson, BET’s 106 & Park producer Stasia Tomlinson and NuVoTV’s “Curvy Girl” Lornalitz. Founder and Creative Director, Turquoise Johnson managed to combine her original vision with new surprises. These lovely models are strapped up with Everlast and included their pink Pro Style Training Gloves symbolizing the beauty, strength, and confidence to combating breast cancer.

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For more information please visit  www.Hairless4HerAwarenessinc.org

Online Petition to Ban Shawty Lo’s “All My Babies’ Mamas”

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If you haven’t heard about the new Oxygen reality series with Shawty Lo “All My Babies’ Mamas” then you must be sleeping under a rock.  I am going to admit today, right here on this post, that I do have my share of guilty pleasures when it comes to reality shows, however, I do feel that Oxygen Media has taken it too far with this reality show that will depict stereotypes and of course give the media another reason to talk about black women and their children.

I honestly think that Oxygen Media makes their $$$ off the most ignorant stereotypes of women and a show with just a title that includes “Baby Mama” is going to get a lot of attention, whether its negative or positive and they DON’T CARE. But.. I do and hopefully you do too.   Shawty Lo should not be proud of a show like this airing his family business and issues that will more than likely make him look like a lousy father. Now, if in fact they do end up airing this in the early spring, and it’s about uplifting black women and children, providing a great example of fatherhood, and it will have a positive impact on its viewers then I will gladly take all that I said back. (…HA!)

I don’t like to see my race continue to fail so I will pass this along in hopes that you share it with your friends, family, and blog circle cause ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Sign the petition here <—–

Also, what are your thoughts on the reality series? How do you feel about the term “baby mama” used to describe these women?

NYE Recap – Erykah Badu @ The Fox Theatre Oakland

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New Years Eve has always been a nervous feeling me. Pondering plans on how I’m going to spend my last few moments of the year gives me anxiety; hell if you’re indecisive like me making plans in general will give you anxiety. While I juggled the club idea, couch potato idea, or the secret destination idea my thoughts brought me back to music. What better way to bring in the New Year in my hometown of Oakland, California with one of my favorite artists of all time, ERYKAH BADU. It was the perfect night to celebrate, dance, reflect, and of course scream and cry tears of joy and excitement.

Photo by Reesa

My best friend and I were front row in the newly renovated Fox Theatre and stood there for hours just five feet away from a phenomenal crowd pleasure, Erykah.   She was mid “yaaaayoooo” when the clock struck midnight and I couldn’t even wish everyone blowing up my phone Happy New Year cause of the musical trance she had put us in. Balloon drop, countdown, confetti, the beat drops, but no New Years kiss this time.  Just happiness and excitement for a new beginnings and another chance to be great!

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I’ve grown to hate writing concert reviews however I couldn’t pass up on this one.  So, instead of a long drawn out description you probably won’t read, check out these moments I’ve captured:

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Erykah9 Erykah10 Erykah5 Erykah

Photo By Reesa

photo by Reesa

Photos by Reesa

New Year, New Me, New You, New Us.  .  . .Can you say that again?

Shea Moisture Product Review – CVS Haul

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Greetings!

I promised I’d do a quick review on my CVS Haul of the Shea Moisture products so here it goes.  About a month ago, there was a sale on Shea Moisture products at CVS for “buy one get one 50% off” and since a few of my friends have tried some of the products I couldn’t pass up on my chance to try for cheap.  I got a shampoo; Curl & Shine Shampoo and a moisturizer; Curl & style milk. Below you will find Shea Moisture’s claim and my results. Enjoy!

Curl & shine Shampoo

Claim: Gently cleanses, hydrates and detangles hair for bouncy and healthy curls. Ingredients; coconut oil, silk protein, and Neem Oil.

Results: This shampoo did the opposite of everything it said it would do. I felt like my hair was dehydrated because I had to lather three times just do get suds going.  The smell is enticing but if you have dry hair or just a lot of hair I don’t think this will do the trick in the moisture department.  I waited so long to do the review not just out of peer laziness but because I wanted to give this a couple washes – I had faith that it would deliver and it didn’t. Maybe it was better for you guys?

Style & Curl Milk

Claim:  Apply as a no-rinse protective and styling cream to damped, towel-dried or dy hair as needed. Detangles, conditions curl, while restoring body and shine. Ingredients; Coconut Oil, Silk Protein, and Neem Oil.

Results: We have a winner! I treated this product as both a conditioner and a styler to do my twist outs and two-strand twists. I used a small dollop for each twist I created mixed with natural refined shea butter of my own and sealed from root to tip. I sat under the dry for 20 minutes, woke up the next day and my results were satisfying.  I really like the smell that it left lingering on my hair for a few days and also the shine. I’m all about shine and fluffiness so I’d give this 4 afro puffs!

 

You can get these at your local CVS stores for around $11 but if you’re lucky you might catch a sale like me!

So what were your thoughts on shea moisture products?

Shop Indie for the Holidays – Your Favorites

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I know most of you, if not all of you, are thinking about what to get your loved ones for the Holidays and if you’re anything like me, you will NOT be in the stores come black Friday morning fighting over some retail sweater that will end up under everyone’s tree.

In this time of giving, I’d like to support small businesses, local boutiques, and online stores. If you’re looking for a stocking stuffer, jewelry for yourself, or a closet staple for your guy these shops are what’s happening in the streets.  So in no particular order, these are a few of my favorite Indie shops and yours that you should look out for this chrismahanukwanzakah !

What are you some of your favorite Indie Shops?

Rachel Stewart Jewelry

Junk Prints

Peace Images

Bon Bon Vie

Oaklandish

Cre8tive Class

Dope Only

Marcus Books 

Free Your Mane (my favorite product line)

Young Adult Author Rita Williams-Garcia presents “One Crazy Summer” – Marcus Books Store (Oct. 12)

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Thanks to my aunt ( & author Dera Williams), just got word that award winning young adult author, Rita Williams-Garcia will be presenting her new book One Crazy Summer at Marcus Books store in Oakland, October 12th.  What makes this event so special is not only will it take place in the oldest black bookstore in the country,  but rather One Crazy Summer recounts the era of 1968 during the black panther party movement.  What better place to have it in Oakland!

One Crazy Summer is about three young girls from New York, who in 1968, visit their Blank Panther affiliated mother in Oakland, California.  This story is said to be rich in heritage and African American history. The book has one various awards; Newberry Honor Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and was a National Book Award Finalist.

Williams-Garcia will be reading excerpts from One Crazy Summer and will do a Q&A session.

Event Details:

October 12, 2012 at 6:30 pm, doors open at 5 pm

3900 Martin Luther King Blvd. The phone number is (510) 652-2344.

Life is Living Oakland 2012 – (Oct. 13)

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It’s that time of year again, if you’re local check out this free event at DeFremery park in Oakland.  Its a FREE Celebration Of Urban Life Through Hip-Hop, Intergenerational Health, And Environmental Action.  There will be a music concert featuring local artists like Los Rackas and The GetBack Crew, host DJ Talib Kweli and a Nina Simone tribute by Isis Rising.  From 11-6 pm the park will be filled with live demonstrations, art exhibits, local vendors, teacher’s lounge, and a kids zone. So come out and learn, grown, inspire, and celebrate in the community!

Fore more information visit –> lifeisliving.org
(Bio from the website)
LIFE Is LIVING is a national campaign of Youth Speaks Inc. that generates partnerships between diverse and underserved communities, green action agencies, local community groups, urban environmental activists, and the contemporary arts world. Life is Living encompasses a series of six-hour inter-disciplinary, intergenerational, eco-equity festivals in neglected parks in underserved neighborhoods around the country. Previous cities include Oakland, CA; Harlem, NY; and Chicago, IL & Houston, TX.National funders include Columbia Foundation, Irvine Foundation, East Bay Community Fund, Doris Duke Charitable Fund, Center for Cultural Innovation, and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts.

Natural Selection Presents: “Fall Into the Natural” Brunch Affair

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Attention all Bay Area naturals, check out this upcoming meetup hosted by Natural Selection,  Cassidy Blackwell, “Fall Into the Natural” Brunch Affair.  Happening September 23rd at Hibiscus Cafe in Oakland. Enjoy inspiration and empowerment from special guest Dr. Kari Williams.  I’ve met quite a few ladies at these events and thought I’d share with you guys an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, learn something new, and of course win prizes and freebies! (and not too mention, who doesn’t love brunch?!) Check the details below for more information.

Date: Sunday, September 23, 2012

Time: 11 am

Location: Hibiscus Cafe, Oakland ca.

Tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door

purchase here –> http://fallintonatural.brownpapertickets.com/

Your ticket to  “Fall Into Natural” includes one of the best #naturalhair event experiences you’ll ever have as well as:

–Live styling demonstrations for all styles of hair ranging from curls to coils to locs
–Presentation by world-renowned trichologist Dr. Kari Williams
–Panel discussion and Q&A featuring stylists and bloggers
–Delicious brunch buffet (included!)
–Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! YAY!
–Specialty cocktail (cash bar)
–Giveaways and goodie bags for all!

Fall Into Natural welcomes all stages, textures and ages of naturalistas and their friends, loved ones, and supporters.  And yes–kids are welcome to join!

Special thanks to Fall Into Natural Sponsors: Huetiful, EDEN Bodyworks and Strawllers for supporting this event.

Featured Vendors include:

Fatemeh’s Jewelry and Accessories
FunkyButtons
The Natural Splendor
La Femme d’Epaisseur Belle

Can’t wait! 🙂

Serena Speaks Out on Tennis Star Taylor Townsend

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With all the positive news revolving around Serena Williams winning the U.S.Open women’s singles last week, there has also been negative feedback for the number one ranked junior girl’s tennis player Taylor Townsend. According to Essence and the Wall Street Journal, the United States Tennis Association feels she’s overweight. Her coaches refused to travel entry to the U.S. Open because she needs to work on her “health”.  Although the USTA’s player development program made a statement denying these allegations, it still makes me go hmmm…

You would think that this whole weight/body image issue would not be a problem, because Serena Williams (amongst other athletes) have proved grand slam after grand slam that a like donkey in the back will not deter success.  Serena responded (more professional than me) to the media by saying, ” If that happened, that’s obviously a tragedy, because everyone deserves to play,” said Williams. “She’s so sweet and she works so hard. For a female, particularly, in the United States, in particular, and African-American, to have to deal with that is unnecessary. Women athletes come in all different sizes and shapes and colors and everything. I think you can see that more than anywhere on this tennis tour.” ( via ESPN)

The issue with body image and health will forever haunt women in the media and I feel that although we should be focusing on our health and making sure we are fit, we should NEVER be shameful of what God has given us.  I have broad shoulders, and I used to get mad about them but now I’m working to tone my arms and I will be flaunting my new muscles next summer.

 So my question for you all, Do you feel that in order to play a sport you have to be the stereotype of physically fit? Or is the USTA just haters? (based on the allegations)