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Shawanna Collins and Shakea Jerry. These dynamic groups of young ladies that engage in regular community service have done everything from pass out care packages to the homeless to hold events for inner city youth. They are taking on another cause, Domestic Violence.

On July 17th they’re holding a march against domestic violence but this isn’t your average walk for a cause. They’ll be walking in stilettos and heels. Yes, beautiful women, walking down the street enduring pain, cause lord knows their feet will be hurting, to bring light to this common occurrence.

This is surely worth my time; I hope you’ll join us.

For more info Contact

Shawanna Collins pooh@fairysisters.org

Shakea Jerry mzkea@fairysisters.org

The star of stage and screen rambled a bit and faltered at times, confessing his discomfort with speaking live in front of thousands in Philly versus appearing on film before millions worldwide. But he soon won the hearts of his audience by making insider jokes as a UPenn parent and being bracingly candid about his own failings as a college student, and as a young actor feeling his way toward success.

Washington reflected on how he started out pre-med at Fordham University, but switched to pre-law and then journalism before, barely passing, he was “asked to take some time off” to consider his future. “I had a 1.8 GPA one semester,” he admitted to the Class of 2011. “I was 20 years old and at my lowest point.”

Washington also recalled on working in his mother’s Mt. Vernon beauty shop for a few months before returning to Fordham, where he finally claimed his calling to the theater and changed his major for the last time. He insisted that the great lessons of his winding academic road—to identify your particular gifts and to persevere in honing them no matter what—were never lost on him.

“I’m sure people have told you to make sure you have something to fall back on,” Washington told the graduates. “I never understood that concept…I don’t want to fall back on anything except my faith. If I’m going to fall, I want to fall forward.”

Sharing a story about how Thomas Edison persevered through 1,000 failed inventions before nailing the light bulb, the Oscar and Tony award winner implored students to take risks and embrace failure, continually and without shame.

“You will fail,” he said. “Accept it. You will lose. You will embarrass yourself. You will suck at something. I should know. In the acting business, you fail all the time. If you don’t fail, you’re not even trying. So you got to get out there and give it your all.”

Taking risks, he said, is about being open to life, to people, to foreign ideas and new frontiers. He insisted that while that might be frightening at first, “it will also be rewarding. Because the chances you take, the people you meet, the people you love, and the faith that you have, that’s what’s going to define you.”

In the end, he charged the Class of 2011 with a universally inspiring mission: “Never be discouraged. Never hold back. Give it everything you’ve got. And when you fall, fall forward.” The crowd was on its feet before his final words were out of his mouth. A decade earlier, Washington received a standing ovation when he became only the second black male to win an Academy Award in the Best Actor category. I’m guessing this moment was just as meaningful.

Charles Darwin

Are you willing to change to survive?

The Rise2Power Project

The “Made in America”  documentary should be used to evaluate what we all can do to help in even the smallest way to empower communities to never accept the neighborhood in which they live as their only option.

http://www.hulu.com/embed/OrYJ_9S5PgovXDt8JlGXxg

John C. Maxwell says leadership is just as much about developing your team’s talents as it is about nurturing your own leadership skills. The best-selling author of Talent Is Never Enough reminds us that growth is modeled after and expected from leaders. As a successful leader, you must do eight things.

1. Find your own personal strength zone.

A successful leader is a person who knows what they do well and does it, but they also know what their people know well and help them practice it.

2. Help others find their strength zone.

What is their special ability? You can’t make others good at something you are bad at. You can only increase a person’s giftedness by helping them answer important questions of themselves. What is their temperament? What is their passion? What choices are they making in their life? Help them with these things and there’s no limit to how much someone can improve in these areas.

3. Help them define success.

Success is hugely subjective. Knowing your purpose in life, growing to your maximum potential or sowing seeds that benefit others are all great definitions of success.

4. Help them understand how to be successful.

The secret of our success is determined by our daily agenda. Decision-making is important and the management of the decision-making is even more important. Do the right thing today to be in a good place for tomorrow.

5. Teach and practice the four pillars of success.

• Relationships

• Attitude/Tenacity

• Leadership/Influencing people

• Equipping and developing other people

6. Teach your team the 20/80 principle, or the Pareto principle.

Within this, prioritize life. What is required of me? What gives the greatest return? What give me the greatest reward? When these three line up, then life becomes wonderful.

7. Provide resources for them.

There are only three times when people change. When they’ve heard enough that they have to change; they learn enough that they want to change; or receive enough that they are able to change. Put those resources of change in their hand.

8. Require them to reproduce themselves.

They have to teach someone else what they learn. Don’t spend valuable time with people who want to consume but not share. Share the knowledge. Share the wealth.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

Early in my job search career my aunt advised me on the art of asking for job applications and asking about employment opportunities. It may not seem like brain surgery but how you approach a prospective employer makes all the difference.

You must present yourself in the best light possible. I’ve seen young men and women enter a store and say “Hey, Is Yall Hiring.” My heart sinks in my chest and my ears burn because I know a stereotype has just been confirmed. It’s important for you to understand that first impressions are lasting, therefore cementing a positive or negative image in the minds of people for years to come.

1.) Never approach a potential employer with a due rag or scarf on your head.

2.) Proper English and introduction is a must

a. Hello, I’m (Enter name here). Is there a manger I can’t speak to about career opportunities?

3.) Make sure clothes are neat, ironed, not revealing or too baggy.

4.) Have all your past employment history, references and resume on hand in case they want to interview on the spot. (This also makes the process faster.)

5.) Don’t leave without a mangers name and saying “Nice to meet you, Have a nice day.”

6.) Follow up with a call at least 2 days later.

a. Ask the manger if he received your application

b. Ask for an expected review or interview date

Many teenagers carry the “I don’t care attitude” I’m guilty of having that attitude from 13-17 years old. I’m sure you’ve heard this before “If I knew then, what I know now.” I didn’t make my life any easier by walking around like somebody owed me something, I actually blocked many opportunities because who wants to help someone with a stank attitude.

Listen to the people that really care about your progression. I’m not talking about your girlfriend that’s always trying to get you to smoke a blunt after you’ve told her 100 times you don’t get high, or the boyfriend that tells you to come over when he knows you have an exam tomorrow. I’m talking about the people you don’t want to call because they are going to point you in the right direction. Sometime we just want to live life without worries or consequences but a REAL friend is going to say “Man that ain’t for you.” “You’re bigger than this fam.” I had people around me to correct me. They didn’t just say “Oh, that’s just how she is.” They recognized greatness in me but knew if I kept my attitude I wouldn’t flourish.

I know you have greatness inside you. How do I know? You weren’t born to blend in with the crowd, your DNA is unique and there isn’t another person like you. This doesn’t mean you belong on tv, radio, bossip.com, Vibe or on the cover of Essence but it does mean you should be the best possible version of yourself.

The Rise2Power Project
http://www.bgrise2power.com/

• Write down your goals (Seeing your goals on paper brings them to life
• Determine a realistic time frame to reach your goal
• Research: the more you know the better prepared you’ll be for obstacles.
• Map out the steps that need to be taken to achieve your complete goal and place them on a Calendar in plain eye view.
• Get started immediately: You only have today, tomorrow never comes.