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Cash Prizes for Reading

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On Saturday, November 7, 2015, 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, at 3509 South King Drive, Chicago, Illinois, The Black Star Project is sponsoring
Black Girls Read 
for Cash and Glory!

Top Prizes for 9th- to 12th-grade Black female readers
$200.00 for 1st Place
$175.00 for 2nd Place 
$125.00 for 3rd Place    

Top Prizes for 5th- to 8th-grade Black female readers
$150.00 for 1st Place
$125.00 for 2nd Place 
$100.00 for 3rd Place 

Top Prizes for 1st- to 4th-grade Black female readers 
$100 for 1st Place
$75.00 for 2nd Place
$50.00 for 3rd Place

Young women will read passages from Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, Sojourner Truth, Rose Marie Harding or other great Black heroines from history.    

You must register to participate in this event.  Registration is limited. This competition is only open to young Black females.You must bring proof of grade level to enter this contest.  Awards will not be given without proof of grade level.  

Readers will be judged by a panel of educators, mentors and community members. 

Selected winners will read to all of Chicago on The Parent Revolution Radio Show on WVON1690AM.  

All prizes will be awarded within one week of November 7, 2015. 

Please call 773.285.9600 to register your Black girls and young Black women readers for  this competition of courage, skill and excellence.  This event is open to the public.     
Originally posted in the Black Star Newsletter

Get That Money Girl: How to Create Powerful Client Presentations

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Hey ladies,

Passing on info from one of the many professional development email lists I’ve signed up for. 

Persuasive Presentations 
to Sell More Or Pitch For Funding 

Overview :

A presentation can be a powerful tool if you need to persuade prospects, clients or investors to consider your project positively.  With a persuasive presentation, you are clearly in charge.  You stand while they sit.  You control the sequence and flow of information.  However, if you are uptight, nervous or drench your slides with text/words, you will seriously undermine your message.

 

Workshop Description:

This one day workshop is limited to only 8 participants. and involves multiple exercises to help you stand before the group and practice new skills. The participant will learn the following:

 

Delivery skills–How to master physical delivery techniques, (like those in tennis or golf) and how to stand and speak persuasively, so that you project an image of sincerity, conviction and expertise. 

 

Staging techniques How to keep the focus on you and how to get and stay away from the lectern and work with your visuals to better connect with viewers. (However, you are the “show,” not the slides.)

 

Q&A tips-How to encourage questions, neutralize negative ones and involve the whole group.

 

Effective uses of visuals-How to create PowerPoint slides that reinforce your message, entertain and ensure retention. (Text/word slides fail on all three counts!)

 

Presenter:

Paul LeRoux started as a corporate speechwriter and then spent 25 years in his own business, coaching senior executives for important speeches and preparing startup companies for venture capital presentations.  He is a co-author of Visual Selling and creator of numerous training DVDs to help individuals enhance their written proposals and oral presentations                                     

 

Date: Wednesday September 16, 2015

Time: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm  (Light lunch provided)

Place:  South Suburban College, Oak Forest Campus, Room 5250

             16333 S. Kilbourn Avenue, Oak Forest

                               

FREE EVENT  Registration required, Limited to 8 participants per class

 

To Register:  Call 708-596-2000 ext. 3258

        

How Does It Feel to be 30? Depends On Who You Ask

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Last weekend we celebrated my bestfriend’s 30th birthday. It reminded me of when I turned 30 last year. People ask you the same question. 

How does it feel? What kind of question is that. Am I instantly suppose to start wearing depends and using my senior discount. It’s not 65 people. The most amazing thing that happens is your license expires on your birthday. Which, reminds you that you have to stand in the longest line ever at the DMV. And they don’t even sing happy birthday to you. Crazy!

Now, for many 30 is the sign of the end of youth. It’s a time when some women start using more anti aging cream and panicking over wrinkles and opportunities lost. We start thinking about where we thought we’d be and what we thought we’d have. 
That’s no way to live life. Come on. I’m standing with Jay-Z on this one. “30 is the new 20. I’m so hot still. Better chick. Better automobile.” 

My boyfriend, ride and confidence are much better at 30. I feel more comforable than any other time in my life. My bestie said the same thing. It’s like I’ve accepted myself for who I am and who I’m not. 
My late teens and twenties challenged me to face my weaknesses and work on myself. Although I didn’t have much (still struggling, but blessed) I still felt like I was growing into a woman I could be proud of. I learned to rely on myself for encouragement. 
All those lessons my mom taught me, suddenly came in handy. Now maybe, I wouldn’t be so confident if I hadn’t accomplished some of my personal goals (I have a bus load more to work towards.) 
So that brings me to this – how you feel at any age is up to you. I view life as growth and development. If we allow it, every action we take will move us closer to better living. Don’t be ashamed of where you are now, no matter how old you are. I’ve slept on couches, blow up beds and in trailers with no water. It helped build my story and character. 
We are relevant at every age. Learn the lesson where you are and rock your age proudly. 

Who Are the Mountains In Your Life?

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Are you surrounded with movers or mountains ? Movers are people that keep pressing forward no matter how hard things get. They keep it moving. Mountains are people that never progress from their situation. They are often negative, always making excuses for why they can not move forward to get ahead. 

Identify these people immediately. Who we surround ourselves with can effect our growth and development. “Movers” get rid of “Mountains” to succeed. ‪#‎MoveMountains‬

Box Braid Glory: My Simple Fix to Effortless Cuteness

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Oh my goodness. Where have these box braids been all my life. As a kid, I remember asking my aunt to give me two dinosaur braids so I could play outside. It was my go to hair style. 

Fast forward 25 years later – braids are still amazingly versatile, easy to maintain and stylish. I’m very strategic with my hair and clothes. Not to mention, I’m still a tomboy at heart. As a kid, my mom made sure her athletic little girl was always well coordinated with pink, purple and yellow barrettes. I guess that carried over into my adult style. 
I need styles that work well at the office, date/girls night and mommy duty. This can be a real challenge. Going from mom jeans to MILF is a must when maintaining a marriage and family.
It took me a few months to convince myself that my edges wouldn’t fall out. I love my edges and you should too. I’ve had a few traumatic micro braid situations. I’m sure it was my lack of knowledge for removing micro braids, but I’ve sworn never to wear those Devils again. 
So here I am in box braid glory. Absolutely, loving the ease and style of them. Mommy just doesn’t have a lot of time to worry about getting cute. I’m dedicated to simple styles that keep me cute in the office and in the streets. 
How do you stay cute while mommying?

Young, Dumb & In Love – How Toxic Relationships Can Stop Our Progress

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Why are young people putting more time into finding and maintaining relationships than pursuing personal goals? It wasn’t too long ago that I was the young lady deeply in love with a man that was so vividly not for me. All the signs were slapping me in my face, PHYSICALLY. 

So, why did I stay? I stayed because the relationship with my parents was pretty much nonexistent. My mother was an amazing woman, she just wasn’t open to girl talk. My father at lack for better words wasn’t invested. Ok, so that leaves a young girl in the inner city trying to figure who she is, what she likes and where her life is going.

I’ve always been a church girl, which if preachers new the things I was doing then, they would have locked the doors. I wasn’t a bad girl; I had a bit of an attitude, hated for anyone to tell me anything and hated to be accused of wrong doing. That’s typical teenage behavior. I wasn’t looking for love but when it got me, I was way too invested for a 15 year old. Not having anyone to talk to probably didn’t help. (This is why it’s important parents keep the lines of communication open.)

Let’s skip the gritty details. Self evaluation is a great tool. Because I didn’t know my worth, I let some lost young man tell me what I was worth. I let him put a price on my body. I sold myself for way below market value. I don’t completely blame him for his jacked up ways. He didn’t have anyone to tell him how valuable he was either. So you have 2 kids that have no idea what love is controlling each other pretending to be in love. 

This is happening everyday to our young kids. Lost kids are falling in love with other lost kid, which eventually morphs into a tornado of destruction that often leads to reproduction of the storm. Lost kids, have lost babies and continue the cycle until someone is brave enough to say “I’m better than this, this cycle stops now.”

How did I get out? I had to get away from him –  I decided that college was my best option. I’ve always loved reading books, so college just seemed like a natural transition. I applied to 2 schools. I got in and I was ghost. 

Letting a dude that had no life aspirations keep me stuck wasn’t an option. Besides that, my mother wasn’t having a fast tail girl – her words, not mine – laying around her house. She made it clear way before graduation I needed to do something with my life. I know this situation sounds familiar to a lot of young ladies. Some still stay close hoping that young man will grow into the man of their dreams. I’m not the gambling type – well not on others 😉 I wasn’t willing to risk my future on the growth of someone else.

I’m fortunate that I had someone to push me. My mother’s love was tough love; regardless it pushed me in the right direction. My mother had made the same mistakes she saw me making but she decided enough was enough. Although she wasn’t up for the girl talk, she was always up for talk about prosperity and she led by example. I desperately wanted a better life and she pushed me towards it.

What I did miss is someone telling me why I should focus on my school work and future. Everyone says how important college is but not many people take the time to break down why the college experience is important. College changed my life for the better. It allowed me experience new people, mature and understand who I was without my mother and boyfriend. We have to push our youth and explain why they need to succeed. We need to let then know that love isn’t going anywhere. 

Having someone to confide in is very important for development. Listening to the experiences of others is even more important. People give out million dollar advice everyday. Unfortunately, only a small percentage listen and an even smaller percentage apply the advice. Don’t despise wise words. Those words can alter your path forever, just as sleeping with the wrong individual can tie you to that person forever.

I share my experience with you with the hope that you can learn from my mistakes and realize if you’re jacked up now you don’t have to stay that way. We all have choices. Even if it’s only one small voice that’s telling you that you’re special, hold on to that voice until it becomes the loudest voice in your life.

Love yourself first,

Sincerely,
An Overcomer of Dumb and In Love 😉

Help Your Kids Save Some Commas 💰

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Saving money in a world that encourages you to spend spend spend is so hard. I mean how many pairs of shoes do they really need to design. Just stop it already! 

Despite my want to buy every shoe that pops up on my Instagram timeline, I save cash monthly for my son. Financial independence is something we all dream about, but it’s much easier when the parents lead the way.  
This Saturday The Monroe Foundation is hosting Bank Day. Take your kids in to open an account and learn about good money habits. If they want to have “that bag” as my husband calls it – they need to start working, saving and investing now. 

With Only $5.00, You Can Open a $25.00 Bank Account for Your Child at First Midwest Bank!


Doors Open 9:00 am/Seminar 10:00 am
AKArama Community Serive Center
Please call 773.914.1534 for more information

Learn more about The Monroe Foundation 

In These Streets: Free Thursday’s at Chicago Children’s Museum

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There is no word in the dictionary that excites parents like the word “FREE.” Well here is another freebie to add to your weekly excitement. Target sponsors free entry at Navy Piers Chicago Children Museum. 

Because everything is better with a friend, we invited my son’s favorite playmate to make it a play date. 
The Thursday night admissions line extended through the indoor garden, which is a pretty cool place to wait in a line for 20 minutes. I can dig a little greenery while I wait to be ran over by kids. Once the doors were open to the free crowd, the boys took off to the first play station. 
We let the youngins lead the way through the maze of play stations. There is the fire station, tunnel, maze, climbing thingy, public transportation station, artifact dinosaur station, splash – make a damn whole mess – station.
Our 6 year olds had a ball. Non stop running, laughing, fighting and screaming. A kids dream and a parents headache lol. A headache, we were happy to endure. 
I suggest you take your kiddies to The Chicago Children’s Museum before they turn 9 years old. After that they’ll be the kids too big to be at the playground, running over the smaller innocent kids – nobody wants their kid to be the play area bully.
Do you have a favorite free activity? Share it in the comments section 😉

Happy Meals, Healthy Kids & Better Communities

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80’s babies remember how popular McDonald’s Happy Meals were back in the day. My mom couldn’t pass those golden arches without me and my brother screaming from the back seat of her Oldsmobile, “Mommy, can we have a Happy Meal.”
McDonaldland 1986You remember the Hamburgerlar, Grimace, and Officer Big Mac – the fry kids.  Hands down McDonald’s had the best kids meal commercials.  Add the McDonald’s playland to the mix and the company was definitely winning the kids vote for best restaurant in America.
As a kid my focus was on the food, but now that I’m a parent, I’m impressed by McDonald’s commitment to community. There are a lot of businesses in urban communities that don’t sow a dime into the well being of the residents. It’s good to see McDoanld’s actually take a stake in the communities they serve.
There’s The Ronald McDonald’s House Charity that offers a comfortable living space for families of children with complex health conditions. The 365 Black Awards celebrates the accomplishments of African Americans. And not to mention the countless jobs created in neighborhoods across the country and scholarships awarded to those in need.
Over the years McDonald’s has lightened up its promotion of the famed Happy Meal – perhaps due to concerns with nutrition.  The Government has cracked down on thefood industries use of trans fat and nutrition labeling. It’s with good reason too. 
Nearly one and three children in America are over weight or obese.  Unfortunately the numbers are even higher in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40% of the children are overweight or obese.
Of course McDonald’s isn’t to blame for all this. I’m all about taking responsibility. As parent’s we decide what we want our children to eat. We can’t let commercials or the tears of kids distract us from making healthy food choices. Let’s also note that exercise is also apart of the obesity problem in America. With the growth of technology – more kids are opting for Playstation 3 over the playground.
I’ve never banned fast food, but I certainly limit how many times my kids eat it monthly. And if we’re pressed for time or just really have the taste for something – we couple our burger with a salad, fruit and water. Small changes often can make a difference.

Thanks to McDonald’s revised menu, our choices are bit easier. My son absolutely loves the McDonald’s yogurts that now come with Happy Meals. Let’s not forget about the apple slices. Fist bump to McDonald’s for modifying the portion control for the kiddies too. If you haven’t noticed, the kid’s meals have less fries in exchange for the fruit and yogurt.  
My favorite McDonald’s item is the yogurt parfaits. I’m not big on eating breakfast, so the parfait is just enough to fill me up in the morning. And it’s on the dollar menu. #Winning


We have to remember that we have options when it comes to our food choices. We don’t have to take meals as is at any restaurant. Ask for salad instead of fries, water instead of pop or eat a wrap instead of a burger.
Our kids do as we do, not as we say. If they see us making healthy food choices, they’re more likely to follow us. Let’s be healthy role models for our kids. Our lives depend on it.

How do you encourage your kids to make healthy food choices?

Giving Up Isn’t an Option

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Happy Thursday Move Makers: My message today is about finding your own path. 



Maps, examples , land marks, travel guides are all helpful when going somewhere. What happens when you’ve lost your map? 

When your GPS Google maps is off?  For me that was my mother. For you that could be the absence of a father or maybe you took a wrong turn that caused you to get a little lost off path. 

Once we lose our map or get off path our life becomes about getting back on track. We spend an excessive amount of time trying to figure out “Why” and “How” we got lost. 

I’m here to tell you that you’ll make it there. Yes, it’s taking you longer to get to where you feel you should have been years ago but you’ll be wiser and much more appreciative of what took so much effort to attain. Quitting is not an option!! 

You can take a break, cry, yell and regroup. Just know that if something is meant for you, you will get there. 

Pray, Plan, Persevere