You know who I love? Gabby Sidibe. Why? Well, have you ever heard her speak, read an article about her, seen her act, or do her thing on TV shows? No? Well she was on Jay Leno last night. Here she is-
Cuteness! She’s so confident and comfortable in her confidence that you just have to see it (if you didn’t at first) and respect it. And respect her.
And did you see her when she was on Ellen back in October? She as getting.it.in. If you missed it, thank goodness for youtube. Check it-
How could you not live this chick? Confidence is SO the business. That is all.
UPDATE: So, perhaps I should have qualified this. I do love that she is so confident and is making major moves in her career; however after being given the interview runaround, “yes-I-can-do-it, no-i-can’t,well-I-can-do-this, now I’m just avoid contact, let me just delete my myspace…I’m not feeling the love. I guess a lot can change in 15 minutes, huh? It’s understandable, on some level. But hey, we keep moving and will still (cautiously) rock with the girl.
In October 2008, Alexa Brunetti was crowned Miss New Jersey Teen 2009. It was a fairy tale ending—complete with a beautiful gown and a crown—for the shy teen that hoped she could.
Late last month, during the final days of her reign, she spoke with Homegirlmagazine about her experiences.
Alexa, now 19, grew up on the island of Brigantine, New Jersey, located right next to Atlantic City. “It’s really homey, there are a lot of houses, not really much to do, but in the summer it’s gorgeous,” Alexa said. “We have beautiful beaches and I’m a surfer so I absolutely love it. It’s a great island,” she said. So how did this surfer start competing in beauty pageants? Well, it happened almost by accident.
Her First Pageant
When Alexa was four, she began taking jazz and tap dance classes. That year, her dance teacher told the class about a beauty pageant for girls their age. Alexa went home and begged her mother to let her enter. Her mother said no, worrying that the competition would be too much for her shy daughter, but Alexa was persistent. When her mother finally caved in, Alexa told her, “Mommy, I’m going to win.” And she did.
But the learning curve was steep. Alexa wore a flower girl dress from a wedding, the other girls wore gowns; Alexa did have that much make-up on, the other girls did; Alexa wore her hair in loose curls, the other girls didn’t. “We didn’t know anything about pageants but we just went and winged it,” she said. “I happened to win.”
The Spotlight
Alexa also gained confidence on stage. “I was really really really shy as a little girl, like I wouldn’t even say my own name,” Alexa recalls. “But when I went on stage, I still remember, they actually couldn’t get me off stage,” she said. “It was funny.”
After her first beauty pageant, Alexa was hooked. “I just loved going on stage,” she said, “It’s like when I go onstage, a switch turns on.” And the shy girl, literally, lights up. So Alexa continued to compete and she continued to win. “I’ve competed in a ton of pageants ever since then and I’ve won every single one I’ve entered except for one,” she said.
Then, when she was eight years old, she stopped. “It got big into the fake teeth, the tan,” Alexa said. “It was just really craziness and the money was insane.” Apparently it’s also really expensive to compete in pageants- the gowns, the make-up, and the hair.
Alexa began to explore other interests like cheerleading and sports. She wouldn’t compete again until she was 17.
Showstopper
When Alexa was in high school, she wanted to get into modeling, so she started to compete in pageants again. She entered a “practice pageant” and had fun, so she entered a few more. Then, there was the pageant that almost ended her career.
“I did the pageant my senior year. I had a bf at the time and I gained a lot of weight— for me,” she said. “The pageant was around April and we didn’t think anything of it.” That is, until she came in last place. Alexa was so embarrassed by the loss that when she got the letter about competing in Miss New Jersey Teen USA, she almost didn’t enter. “I was like, ‘No mom, I’m not in shape and it was really embarrassing that I came out on stage like that,” she recalls. “I want to retire, I don’t want to do this anymore.” Her mother convinced her that this would be great exposure and a good career move, so she reconsidered.
Miss New Jersey Teen 2009
Entering Miss New Jersey Teen would require a big commitment and Alexa’s mother reminded her of that. “She said, ‘Alexa, you have to really be serious if you want to win or want to do well.” That meant she had to lose the weight, spend less time going out with her friends and going out to eat, and spend more time studying questions and working on the pageant. She would have to sacrifice. “At first I was like, ‘yeah, yeah, yeah,’” Alexa said, “And then, I don’t know, I got this fire in my belly. I worked out everyday, I studied questions every single day and I was really focused on the pageant.” She lost the weight, dedicated the time and even got her friends to help quiz her on pageant questions. “It was a really big accomplishment,” she said. And it paid off; Alexa won.
“On my website there’s a clipping of when I got crowned,” Alexa said. “It’s so amazing.”
“When the MCs asked me, ‘how do you feel right now,’ I could not talk,” she said. “It felt like my brain fell out, but it was just incredible!”
“I never worked so hard for anything and it was just incredible. It was my first time, so if I was in the top 15, I would have been so thankful and grateful and proud of myself, but I actually came out winning,” she said, “It was such an amazing feeling.”
As Miss New Jersey Teen 2009, what did you win, besides the title and the crown?
You win $30,000 in cash and prizes. You do a year’s worth of reign, meaning you go to different places, you volunteer, you help, and you get to travel.
Do you pick your own community service projects or does the pageant choose them for you?
Well, it’s kind of half and half. They provide you two appearances every month and once you complete those two, you can reach out and do other things as well, if you want.
What was your first appearance?
I did the Snowflake Awards, in North Jersey, for underprivileged children. I got to help judge a tree-decorating contest, take pictures, and sign autographs for little kids.
Did you do any community service projects on your own?
I did a lot. I volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House and that was my choice. The Ronald McDonald House lets families of sick children stay there if a child is getting surgery, is very ill or has cancer. It’s a good price for them in difficult times. We go in and make them dinner or breakfast. The first time I went, I burned the eggs, it was very embarrassing, but thank God we had leftovers. But after that I definitely got better, ever since I was going there.
Miss Teen USA 2009
As the winner of Miss New Jersey Teen USA, Alexa automatically qualified to compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant, held in Las Vegas earlier this year. The Miss Teen USA pageant was a three-day competition where the winners of all the teen state pageants met and competed for the title of Miss Teen USA.
“The Miss USA organization is so much fun,” Alexa said. There is a dance on Saturday where all the girls get to mingle and they share rooms for the entire weekend. “That was actually my first time getting to room with another girl, like a stranger, because I didn’t go off to college,” Alexa said. “That was very interesting, she and I get along, and we still talk today. It’s just a great time.”
Competition
But the beauty pageant wasn’t all fun and games; after all, it was still a competition. So just how competitive did it get? Are some of the girls really as catty and vicious as they appear on some T.V. shows? “It tends to get very competitive,” Alexa said. “Of course I’ve run into that. But you just have to stay positive and stick with people who are positive.”
“I’ve never been like that because I want to be a good sport and play fair,” Alexa said. But the intense competition, at the national level, can bring out the worst in some people’s personalities. “You definitely see some of the girls, their true colors come out,” she said. “I’m not trying to talk down to any of the girls, they’re all wonderful, but you see how they are during pressure.”
Spoken like a true winner.
What attracts you to beauty pageants?
The opportunity. I love working with people, I love helping people and doing the charity work, but also I got to go to Vegas in April and if I hadn’t won, I would never probably have gone out there. I went to the Bahamas; it was my first time out of the country.
If you do get into a good pageant system, doors will open for you.
And what draws me in, definitely, is some of the girls, too; you know, meeting new people. I know a girl from every state! It’s so cool to say and I still keep in contact with some of the girlfriends from my state pageant. It’s so much fun, really it is, I love it!
What was your most memorable experience?
There are so many! I would definitely have to say two things, three things-
The Ronald McDonald House, going to Vegas for the first time with my mom and meeting all the girls for the first time, and Virginia. I’d never ridden a horse before or ride on a staple and do the lasso and. I just did so much that I never ever would think I would ever do. I’ve been to places in New Jersey that I probably never ever would have been to. I didn’t know that North Jersey is mountainous. So when I went there about two weeks ago, I was like omg are we still in New Jersey? I was driving down a mountain and bear ran across my car. I was like, wow, we are not in South Jersey anymore, because South Jersey is very flat and farmland and North Jersey is mountainous, has hills and is definitely above sea level. It’s very interesting.
What was the most difficult part of being Miss New Jersey Teen 2009?
There really wasn’t a difficult part. It was a little challenging being in school at the same time. But since I was in community college, I got to communicate with my professors and get the work I was missing. Dealing with some of the people was rough sometimes but, other than that, it’s been so positive and enjoyable.
When you aren’t modeling or competing in pageants, what do you do for fun?
I surf. I like to do mixed martial arts. I like to swim and I like to ice skate for fun. I’ve also write poetry although I haven’t done it since I got out of high school. I did happen to get one of my poems published. It was pretty cool, actually, to open a magazine and see my poem was in there, it was really, I would never think of that- that it would happen, but it did and it was really awesome to see that.
So, your reign ended on October 18th of this year. What’s next for you?
Well, my last appearance of the year was participating in the Columbus Day Parade. It was a lot of emotion, but I didn’t want to get too upset because I had to grasp everything. I was very blessed to have this opportunity in my life, so I just got to take it all in and just be excited for the new 2010 Miss Jersey Teen USA.
I actually am planning on going to the New York Film Academy next year, if I get accepted. I definitely want to do sports announcing, broadcast journalism, or some type of producing.
Your favorite quote is “be the change you want to see in the world,” what does it mean to you?
When I think of that quote I think, if you want to see the world get better, be a better place, it starts from you—just to help out a little bit, just to chip in every once in a while. Some people are like, “I want to see change,” but it starts from you helping out.
Do the skills you’ve learned participating in beauty pageants apply elsewhere?
Yes, definitely. If you’re a pageant girl, you do an interview with the judges and it’s very tough and nerve wracking. I’ve been through a lot of interviews—you can definitely nail a job interview. I know a lot of people think, ‘oh beauty pageants are stupid, the girls are stupid,’ they have this stereotype of stuck up beauty pageant and beauty girls, but that’s not true. I studied and I learned things that I wouldn’t even think about; you read current events and help out with the community, too.
So why should a girl consider entering a beauty pageant?
I think she should do it definitely for the experience— win, lose or draw—the experience is so much fun. I would say if girls are interested, definitely go for it, it doesn’t hurt to try. And from my experience, I thought I was never going to win. I had a hope that I was, but it was my first time around with girls who had been competing for four to five years. I came in and did my best and I won. So you never know.
For more information on the Miss New Jersey Teen Pageant and to learn how you can compete next year, visit their website.
To learn more about Alexa, read her bio and check out her online photo gallery.
So…you all have heard about the upcoming movie Precious, right? It’s based on the book Push by Sapphire. Have any of you read it? If not…wow. I read it back in the day when I was probably far too young (I snuck and read a lot of books with very mature content back in day, though- tee hee) but I remember it and recently went home and found my original hardcover copy (ok. it was on my bookshelf, so ‘found’ is an exaggeration, but still). I’m thinking of re-reading it before the movie premieres on November 6, but it’s one of those books that troubles you to your soul- like Beloved by Toni Morrison…sometimes, you can only stand to read it once, anything else is kind of traumatic. To get a better idea of what I’m talking about, check out the trailer:
Riiight. Want a little more? Here’s a summary of the film from a recent New York Times Magazine cover story– “Graphic as the film is, it is less so than “Push,” the 1996 novel on which it is based. Written by an African-American poet and writer known as Sapphire, “Push” relied on intentionally misspelled, broken and slangy English to convey Precious’s sense of despair and rage. The novel mixes poems by Precious with sexually extreme scenes, like those in which she is forced to perform oral sex on her mother. It is almost relentlessly bleak: when Precious discovers she is H.I.V.-positive, she is certain of her imminent death. Daniels’s movie, by contrast, offers a greater sense of possibility. He doesn’t ignore her disease, hardships or struggles, but he also liberates her from them. Precious is a stand-in for anyone — black, white, male, female — who has ever been devalued or underestimated.”
Now, the movie is a definite must see…but I want to focus, for a moment on the title character, newcomer Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, a Brooklyn-born, Harlem raised homegirl who is getting.it.IN. And not just in the film. Looking at Gabby, I’m sure you assume something about her, if you’re honest. She’s dark-skinned and overweight, either of which is not generally considered desirable in our community (and you can define “our” any way you choose); the combination of both, definitely not. But don’t get your girl wrong, she’s not the shy, quiet, keep my head down and try to hide inside myself, invisible to boys chick that some may mistake her for. On the contrary, she, unlike many young girls clearly knows her worth and has self-confidence like no other. Don’t believe me? Check her out in the New York Magazine story.
“They try to paint the picture that I was this downtrodden, ugly girl who was unpopular in school and in life, and then I got this role and now I’m awesome,” says the actress. “But the truth is that I’ve been awesome, and then I got this role.”
‘Daniels, who saw hundreds of audition tapes from across the country (350-pound actresses don’t grow on trees), was blown away by Sidibe. “She is unequivocally comfortable in her body, in a very bizarre way. Either she’s in a state of denial or she’s so elevated that she’s on another level,” he says. “I had no doubt in my mind that she had four or five boyfriends, easily.”
“I learned to love myself, because I sleep with myself every night and I wake up with myself every morning, and if I don’t like myself, there’s no reason to even live the life. I love the way I look. I’m fine with it. And if my body changes, I’ll be fine with that.”
“And, of course, Gabourey Sidibe is more likely to bitch-slap a boy than the reverse. Is she still juggling four or five boyfriends? “Yes, but I don’t want to get serious enough to call them boyfriends,” she says. “This one guy, I’ve deleted his number. I would text him at 7 p.m., and he’d be like, ‘I’m at BBQ’s.’ But the thing is, you don’t go to BBQ’s with your boys, you go with a girl. Then he’d call me at eleven. I’m like, ‘Why don’t you call me at six when you’re ready to go to BBQ’s?’ ” Her voice quickens with a touch of rage. “Don’t, don’t, don’t! I’m not a regular girl. I just got off a plane from France. You need to check yourself.”
WHAT?! How can you not LOVE this chick?! Want some more? Well, you can check girlie out on the COVER (say word!) of The New York Times Magazine.
Now THAT’S really a bIg deal. The story’s kind of long, but here’s a (relevant) little taste.
“Unlike Precious, Sidibe is well spoken and cheerful. “I’m not her,” Sidibe said emphatically. “But, when I was 14 or 15, I saw myself in a different way. Back then, I envied a life that I’d made up in my mind. I broke free of that unhappiness and I decided to change — I was going to be happy with myself. No matter what I look like, no matter what people think.”
May we all be so lucky…so support her on November 6th, y’all! I know I will be.
I have a confession to make. This evening, I did something that I said I would never do- I went to see “Good Hair,” the newish Chris Rock moviedocumentary comumentary (comedy masking itself as a documentary).
After I saw this trailer, I surmised that this film was not what it initially advertised itself to be (an informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking look into his why long, straight hair is considered “good” by many, particularly in the black community, which would help answer his daughter’s (and countless others’) question as to why her hair was not “good.” Instead, I got the distinct impression that the film would be more mocumentary (meaning, in this instance, a film mocking weave-wearing black women). So I decided that my $12.50 would be much better spent elsewhere. Then I heard a clip from a radio interview where Chris Rock was discussing the backlash the movie has received and he said that most people who were criticizing it, hadn’t even seen it. Fair enough, so I went to see it for the same reason I finally went to see a Tyler Perry film in the theaters- so that I can speak intelligently and factually about it. And here’s what I have to say.
Chris is a commedian…he might awant to stay in that lane. If I had paid to see this movie, I’d want my money back, but since I knew better, and I can’t retrieve the time spent watching it, I’ll take away an important lesson- trust your instincts. More specifically, I really disliked the wild and inaccurate generalizations made (by Chris) in the film, such as: you can’t (and better not) touch a black woman’s hair, black women are high maintenance because of the price of maintaining a weave, the cost of maintaining one may create some animosity between black women (who wear the weave) and black men (who help pay for it), black women’s hair (and its untouchability) may contribute to the breakdown in black relationships because it prevents black men from really getting close to black women and- my fav- may be a reason why black men are attracted to white women…because they can touch their hair and therefore, get closer to them….gtfoh with that.
Throughout the movie Chris seemed to imply that a) all black women wear weaves, b) reinforce every stereotype imaginable about black women and hair (i.e. they will pay to get their hair done with money they don’t have, they don’t swim or get it wet) without providing any counterbalance, c) that all black women have one texture of hair- nappy- and that if a black woman has long, straight hair, it’s a weave, d) natural hair doesn’t cost money to maintain; and he seemed to forget that d) that some women with natural hair also wear weaves, or hair extensions. Where was the nuance? Where were celebs like India Aire, Chilli from TLC, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott or Solange (although I think her hair cut was more recent) in this film? They weren’t.
And how do you have a movie about “good hair,” featuring only one celeb with natural hair and maybe a couple (literally 2) of other women with natural hair in the whole thing? I’ll tell you how…you can’t. That’s why the title, and the movie, is so fraudulent. The film was not about “good hair,” it was about weaves and the Bronner Bros. hair show. That’s what Chris really wanted to make a movie about all along and he should have kept it honest and stuck to that.
That said, I did learn a few things from watching the movie- 1) the circumstances under which Al Sharpton permed his hair (James Brown advised him to do so for cosmetic reasons before a visit to the Reagan White House to try to gain support for making Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a holiday) 2) Maya Angelou got her first perm at 70 ?!? Seriously. 3) Where a l ot of the human hair comes from- India- and the process by which weaves are made. That was extremely interesting. The rest, not so much. Sure, I had a couple of laughs (far fewer than most of my fellow movie-goers) but I was far from impressed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no natural hair fanatic. Yes, I do have natural hair and yes I have had a perm and a press. But, I also agree with what Andre 3000 said, “Now question, is every nigga with dreads for thecause? Is every nigga with golds for the fall? Naw So don’t get caught in appearance.” And we shouldn’t.
However, Chris’ belief that telling his daughter that what’s in her head is more important that what’s on it is faulty because at the heart of her question was why she is not good enough, why her hair is not good enough, as is. (Btw, I wonder what his wife had to say to her daughter or about her own weave.) And this movie, sadly, will no more help her figure that out than the film will make any real difference. But maybe it wasn’t supposed to. Maybe getting the conversation started was his contribution.
Rapper Lil’ Kim (Brooklyn girl) likens herself to one- “Black Barbie.”
Kimberly Jones in high school
Lil Kim as “Black Barbie”
As does rapper Nicki Minaj (Queens Girl) who calls herself “Harajuku Barbie.”
Nicki Minaj
In a box
As "Harajuku Barbie"
"All girls are Barbie," Nicki says.
And Now…Mattel has a new line of Barbie Dolls out … black Barbie dolls, from the new “So In Style” line, which are supposed look more like real live black girls and “[feature] more authentic-looking facial features such as fuller lips, a wider nose, more distinctive cheek bones and curlier hair.” According to a Mattel press release,
“The So In Style(TM) line features Grace(TM), Kara(TM) and Trichelle(TM) dolls, three best friends who are all about fashion, fun and friendship. Each of the dolls features its own unique personality and style and reflects one of three varying skin tones. The S.I.S.(TM) line also introduces a mentoring theme; each doll is accompanied by a smaller doll or “little sister” and has different interests – from music and math to science and drill team. The big and little sister dolls are meant to introduce and inspire girls with mentoring themes.
eh…if you say so Mattel…who knew Barbie needed a mission statement?
Here’s what the designer had to say,
Thoughts? Now, granted, I could critique the dolls (that hair weave), as nothing is perfect but hey, we’ve got to start somewhere, right?
So, talk to me. You all, I’m sure, no longer play with Barbie Dolls, so I doubt any of you will be running out to pick one up for yourselves. (Or maybe you will) But what about your little sisters, cousins, or daughters? How important do you think it is for young girls to see themselves represented in the toys that they play with? Or for teenage girls to see themselves represented on tv programs, on the runway, in ads, on commercials or in the movies? And what, seriously, do you think about these dolls?
So, tonight, Tuesday, September 22, @ 10:00 p.m., PBS is showing the short documentary, Bronx Princess and I really encourage you to watch it. Channel 13 in NYC; Channel 50 in Jersey. ( I know you all know how to find TV stations…)
(And I’m also just realizing that this comes on at the same time as Brick City. But I would say, if you have to choose, watch this. Brick City will come on again and probably be available online. Bronx Princess won’t be downloadable. Plus, it’s about a Princess in the Bronx! How could you not watch it?)
The film follows the journey of Bronx teen Rocky Otoo, from her life here in NYC where she lives with her mother, a beauty supply store owner, to Ghana, where she and her father are royalty. Here’s the trailer:
Earlier this month, the film was screened at Mullaly Park in the Bronx. I went, saw the movie and I have to say that I recommend watching. It’s a really interesting look at a lot of the issues that teen girls everywhere go through- not getting along with your parents (especially your mother), establishing independence, balancing fun and responsibilities, identity, beauty, culture, growing up, moving out, planning for the future. So, make sure you check it out.
Here are some photos from the screening:
Screening location: Bronx, NY
Sidewalk Chalk for the kiddies
There was a community fair to celebrate the movie.
Making fudge out of: confectioner's sugar, cocoa, peanut butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract. No baking required. Seriously.
Good times.
Arm decorating
West African Adinkra Symbol: "Nyame Dua, "tree of god," symbol of God's presence and protection"
Osram Ne Nsoromma, "the moon and the star," symbol of love, faithfulness, harmony
Musical Performances
Dancing
A little more
Featured Musical Guests- Blitz the Ambassador with The Embassy Ensemble. Blurry shot. Good music.
Presented by Rooftop Films (and a bunch of other sponsors)
The Crew: Musa Syeed (Director/Producter), Rocky Otoo (Start), Marco Williams (Executive Producer)
I know, I’ve gotta get these posts up earlier! But I am sticking to my “one-a-day” guideline, so work with me for now? Ok. So yesterday I mentioned to you that I helped create a magazine when I was 16 that was supposed to celebrate the beauty of all types of diversity right? Well, that idea came about because of some work I did with a group called Teen Women in Action (TWA). Every week, during the school year, we would meet after school and talk about issues that were important to teen girls and think of ways to help. My year, we did what was called a “needs assessment,” – that is, we had to figure out what kind of help girls needed, so we went around our school and conducted individual interviews, group interviews and surveyed other girls to find out what were the biggest problems they faced in their lives- violence, grades, self-esteem, family, dating, sex, drugs, pregnancy etc. We found out that one of the things that most concerned the girls we talked to was body image (another big one was pregnancy). That summer, we went to work for The Young Woman’s Project (the organization that runs TWA) and worked in groups- the body image team, the pregnancy team, etc- to come up with projects that could help make a difference. I was on the body image team and we created this magazine. Good work if you can get it, no?
Anyway, years later it doesn’t seem like things have really changed. I could bore you with the details of an article I read about a new body image survey, but it’s fairly standard stuff- kids start worrying about body image before they become teenagers and these attitudes about their bodies affect their lives for years after. Girls feel extreme pressure to be thin (and were happier when they were thinner) and unhappiness can lead to eating disorders. This being Fashion Week in New York and the U.S. being the land of obese children and all, it got me to thinking about one of the exercises we had to do to encourage us to love all of ourselves. First, we had to think of the part of our bodies that we loved the most and the part that we hated the most. Then we had to- get this- write love letters to both. The idea was to force us to think about what we loved about our bodies, even the parts that we tend to hate. Well I found my old letters and, in addition to having a little laugh, I was kind of proud of myself.
My question to you is- what part of your body do you love the most and which part do you hate? What would you say if you had to write a love letter to both? And would you be honest enough to tell the truth?
See, looking back at my letters, I see a half truth. The body part I said I loved, I really did love; but the body part I said I hated wasn’t the one I hated the most…it was just the one that I felt most comfortable admitting that I hated- and there is a big difference, trust me.
Today is a good day to start something new. For most of you, it’s the first day of a new school year; for me, it’s the first day of my new blog. So Yay! for everyone.
Now, here’s the thing about me—I love magazines. And by love I mean, buy, read, save; repeat. At one point it was so bad I was buying at least ten magazines a month. I couldn’t control myself. I needed help. I was something like a junkie—a magazine junkie. Now, not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I still love magazines like crazy I’m just not as inspired by what I read like I once was. Hence, the blog.
When I was 16, I helped create a magazine for other high school girls and I loved it. The idea was to encourage girls to just feel good about being themselves, whatever they looked like. Here’s the cover:
IMAGE magazine
With Image, we wanted to represent ourselves and the girls we knew—different races, ethnicities, hair textures, and body shapes— all equally worthy of being on the cover of a magazine.
A few years ago I was in a program where I had to design a brochure for a dream magazine. Here’s what I came up with:
CLUTCH brochure
This time, it was a teen magazine called Clutch, for black and Latinas who were underrepresented in a lot of the teen magazines I read (this was back when CosmoGIRL!, Elle Girl, and Teen People were still around).
And later, during that same program, I was the editor-in-chief of a mock teen magazine for Christian girls, called Gracie.
GRACIE magazine
GRACIE Table of Contents
GRACIE Table of Contents
Again, focusing on an underrepresented group of girls and creating a magazine for them. Pattern much?
So, here I am again. Only this time, I have another idea. One that I’ve been told can’t and won’t work by some people. And one that I’ve been encouraged to try by others. Has that ever happened to you? You have an idea, but you aren’t sure if it will work? You’re excited about the possibility, but scared at the same time? Well here’s some advice I was given by a not-so-favorite professor last year. He said: 1) figure out if this is something you really want to do. If not, just do something else. If so, 2) be prepared to stick it out through the hard times—and there will definitely be hard times. And 3) start it now! Find something you love and blog about it. Everyday. Now, he was giving us advice about journalism, but I think it can apply to almost anything.
So that’s my plan. I’m going to blog about the lives of teen girls in the NYC metro area (yes, that means Jersey and Connecticut, too) everyday, because writing about teens is my passion and let’s face it, there’s just something special about NY girls.
But here’s the thing- I need your help. See, I’m coming at this from a certain perspective. I’m a black, 20-something writer chick who lives in Brooklyn. It’s not ALL that I am, but it’s part of me, so naturally it informs my perspective. I’m going to do my best to be representative (of all the boroughs and the girls who live in them) but if you don’t see yourself or girls like you represented, email me and let me know. If there’s something going on in your life (religious holiday or cultural event) and you want to share its significance with other teen girls, please do. If you’re just going through something (body image issues, dating problems, violence at school) and want to talk about it or if you are doing great work in your community and want to pat yourself on the back, get at me. And we can do this thing together- like homegirls should.
Homegirl NYC 