Hello chicas!
If you’re into nail polish like me, then you’ll love this.
The pretty brown girl is having a giveaway for her one-year blogaversary. By the way, this blog is fabulous for all you nail polish fanatics out there. Check out the giveaway here. Good luck (to you and me) lol!
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Vanity Fair’s New Hollywood issue (coming in March) has created some controversy. The issue? All the women on the cover are thin and white (i.e., Caucasian).
“Unless Vanity Fair considers one redhead to be diversity, we need to cry foul,” says Joanna Douglas, a Shine! staff member.
She says that even though Young Hollywood is primarily white, they can think of many “non-white, non-rail thin actors who made a splash this year (Gabourey Sidibe from Precious anyone?)”
Douglas says that the magazine might have been looking for the most promising set of talent, but they should have searched for a diverse group, too.
Now, I’ve never read Vanity Fair, but I’m not all that surprised by the cover. I mean, Hollywood is not really known for being diverse in the first place. Anywho, what are your thoughts about it?
"Hollywood’s New Wave" featured only white women on the cover, too. (Vanity Fair, August 2008)
(You can check out the entire article here)
Source and photo from: Vanity Fair’s “New Hollywood” issue completely lacks diversity
“Do something you love. Whatever you’re going to do is going to be tough enough. Find something that gets you so excited that the sun can’t come up early enough in the morning because you want to go do your thing.”
-Chris Gardner
So, today is Groundhog Day. Instead of writing a long post about the holiday because I’m lazy, here’s a link to some history and facts: What the Heck is Groundhog Day Anyway?
Enjoy your day!
Photo from: craigswarehouse.com
Napptural Beauties features gorgeous women who rock their hair naturally.
How long have you been natural?
I have been natural for about 12 years, but locked about six years ago.
Why did you decide to go natural?
My family has a history of thinning hair, so I decided I had better get ahead of the game and just go natural. I am a cosmetologist (20 years), and it started out as just something different to do. Since I had had every style in the world, it seemed natural to just give my hair a break.
How long did you transition?
Actually, I just cut it very short, and let it go, so the transition to natural wasn’t long. During the six years of being natural without locks, I would just wear it curly. I would press it, and it was to the middle of my back. When I started locking it, I started out with the double-strand twists because of the length. Everyone kept telling me I would have to cut it, but that is not necessary unless you have a relaxer or something. However, my hair is very slick, which made the locking process long. They kept coming undone when I would wash them, so I tied small knots at the ends. I love color, so the bleaching process dried them out enough to where they began to lock. This is what they looked like about eight months into locking:
They shrunk considerably, but I loved this length actually. I didn’t appreciate it when they were short because I was always looking at other people’s who were long, and they could do all sorts of styles with them. After mine grew down my back, I realized how much responsibility came with the upkeep and learned that, as with life, to be grateful for what I have and where I am because every stage has its pros and cons.
What is your favorite style?
I don’t have a favorite style. It just depends on what I am feeling. [Recently], I [had] them braided up, waiting to be taken down into a crinkle wave pattern.
Do you have any hair inspirations? And if so, who?
I love mature locks such as Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. Their locks tell such stories.
Candi also runs a website, Single Mama Diva, which gives lots of helpful info and resources for single parents. Check it out by clicking here.
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”
~Brian Tracy
This week’s question is:
Do you think Black History Month is still relevant and necessary? Why or why not?
As always, I appreciate your thoughts and comments!
Dr. Carter G. Woodson
Of course you know that February is Black History Month, but do you know the history behind it? You do…right? Well, if not this post is for you, and if you do know, share it with someone who doesn’t!
Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Rev. Jesse Moorland co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. The goal? To explore and bring awareness “to the largerly ignored, yet crucial role black people played in American and world history.” Woodson published and distributed what he found in The Journal of Negro History with the hopes of dispelling accepted untruths and teaching black people about their cultural background and give them a sense of racial pride.
With Woodson’s influence, the fraternity Omega Psi Phi created Negro History and Literature Week in 1920, and in 1926, he changed the name to Negro History Week. Woodson chose February as a way to honor the birth of two men whose actions radically changed the future of black Americans: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
The Black Power Movement of the 1970s prompted the ASNLH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) to change Negro History Week to Black History Week. In 1976, the week became a month-long observance.
“We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”
–Dr. Woodson on founding Negro History Week:
Source: biography.com
Photo from: www.noa.gov
“When you let go of anything that’s holding you back, you can truly live the life you imagine.”
Successful Sistas is an interview series featuring successful women pursuing their dream careers.
Job Title: Pageant Queen (Miss Florida Essence 2009, Miss Black Jacksonville are some titles she’s held)- you can call her “Pageant Girl.” (She’s also a law student, piano teacher, tax preparer, organist for a church and on the board of directors for Norman Studios Silent Film Museum.)
Job Description: Competing in pageants commonly in the areas of swimsuit, evening wear, talent, interview and on-stage interviews.
Why did you decide to pursue this field? My mom started me in pageants when I was a kid, so it started to become a hobby that I enjoyed. I love challenges! Pageants make me challenge myself. They also serve as an outlet from school.
What do you love most about it? I love being the center of attention! I absolutely love having all eyes on me. In addition, pageantry takes guts and dedication. To say that I have both and have reached for a goal I set is very rewarding to me.
What is the most stressful aspect of your job? Preparing! It takes mental, physical and financial dedication to prepare for a pageant. You really have to give it 100 percent. Staying in shape, losing weight, preparing mentally for the challenging interview questions and also planning the right makeup, hair and wardrobe combination can all be very stressful but fun at the same time.
What is the most rewarding aspect of doing pageants? To see [that] all my hard work finally pays off. To get up on stage and strut my stuff after months after challenging myself feels great! I may not take home the crown, but I’ve worked hard to accomplish a goal that I set for myself. It’s like setting a goal to graduate, but you really want to graduate on the Dean’s list: even if you don’t wear the honor cords on graduation day, you can at least say that you worked hard to accomplish your main goal- graduating. Not everyone can say that.
What is the craziest thing that’s happened? Pageants are filled with crazy events constantly. Between dealing with your competitors backstage to tripping on stage, pageants can be really funny. I have to say the craziest thing for me was when I was answering an onstage question. I absolutely went blank! I couldn’t even think. I believe I paused for like 15 seconds and was mumbling “um” over and over. That was totally the worst day on stage for me. But I’ve learned my lesson!
Describe a typical day at work for you: A typical day while I’m preparing for a pageant usually starts with me hitting the gym in the morning for a good workout. Later, I practice my talent (classical piano or sing and play a piece) for an hour or more. Other daily tasks are practicing my runway walk in heels and studying interview questions.
What advice or tips would you give someone who wants to do what you do? Give it your all! Be prepared for the unexpected. Anyone can do anything they put their minds to. With pageants, you definitely have to be prepared mentally and physically for anything. My favorite quote is: “The race is not for the swift or the battle for the strong, but it is for those who endure to the end.” If you want to do it, stay dedicated and work hard until the pageant is over, and you can finally say, “I did it.”
Finish this sentence: This career is for you if ____ you have a lot of self-confidence and are willing to dedicate yourself to giving it your all.
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