When I was in the ninth grade I went down to Skippy White’s records and bought Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing. I think I had it for two days before my father took it. I tried to give him some explanation about my rights but that didn’t float and from then on I only heard the song if it came on the radio. Marvin Gaye was cool in the eighties. Everyone talks about Whitney singing the national anthem but it was Marvin Gaye who first put the soul into the song when he sang the anthem at the 1983 All-Star game in Los Angeles. YouTube it right now.

He was great, right? His life however was quite the tragedy. Killed by his father and battling drug addiction his life was tormented. Like Billie Holiday I had no idea the demons he wrestled with till I saw a play based on his life.

Last month I visited Chicago for the first time. If you’ve never been definitely add it to the bucket list because it is an uber hip place despite the rough reputation. The gem of my trip was the Black Ensemble Theater and their interpretation of Marvin Gaye’s life. The play was written by African-American playwright Jackie Taylor who is also the founder of theater.

I was expecting not to be so moved by the play because although Marvin had a brief career lift in the eighties he was still my mother’s generation. I was quite wrong. It was an awesome show. The music was wonderful, all those Motown classics just make you want to get up and dance. The cast was exceptional, especially Rashawn Thompson, bringing to life to life a complicated man, his demons, and the characters that surrounded him. I don’t want to give away too much but the last scene where Marvin’s father kills him and the actress playing Marvin’s mother Yadina Udeen sings the song  ‘He Killed My Son’ will rip your heart to shreds. I spoke to her after the play was over and she said Taylor wrote that song specifically for her to sing. Udeen put her whole soul into those lyrics. It was, for me, one of the finest moments in theater.

By Shahidah Ali

Shahidah is a mother, political enthusiast currently residing in Rhode Island. Her desire is to be an inspiration to younger women of color as others have been to her. 

Read the Anniversary Issue

Two years ago I emailed two of my friends sharing with them an idea I had of starting an online community for women.  Two. Years. Time definitely has wings. This issue marks AfroElle’s 2^nd anniversary. We’ve come a long way, from the time when AfroElle was just a blog called The Ladies Room to what it is now; a global online magazine on a mission to empower, encourage and elevate women of Africa descent.  Starting out I didn’t have much expectation; ok, maybe just a little but did I think that idea would one day turn into  something bigger; no ma’am.

Everything has been gradual, a learning curve, a work in progress. As the editor, there have been many stressful moments putting together issue after issue, but the mission behind this magazine and the passion I have deep inside me to create something great, has kept me going. Every time I see the finished product, it takes me back to the late nights spent editing and proof reading articles or the extremely early mornings trying to keep awake will studying layouts, it’s takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice but at the end of the day it’s all worth it and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Over the past two years, AfroElle has featured inspiring women who have shared their lives and experiences- from their struggles, achievements and their passion to make a difference in society, and in turn we’ve learned invaluable lessons. I’ve been encouraged and motivated by these women to succeed, to reach out and support others in their endeavors.  AfroElle has allowed, not just me, but all of us to connect with women from across the globe creating a sense of sisterhood in the process. I’m grateful for it all.

Many thanks to our volunteers who give their time and talents to further our mission. To everyone who sends an email to offer words of encouragement , to let us know that a story we wrote changed their life or to simply advice us on what we can do better, thank you. To our readers, without you, we would not exist, thank you for taking the time to read us.

Reflecting back on where we’ve come from makes me look forward to where we are going and so this note would be incomplete without a toast. *Raises glass.* Here’s to growth. To endless possibilities. Here’s to many more successful years ahead. This is just the beginning and no matter what new things we try, changes we incorporate or places we move to, we will always remain true to our mission; celebrating women of African descent.

Onwards and Upwards!

Patricia Miswa

Editor-in-Chief

Read the Refresh Issue

If there’s someone who loves new beginnings, it’s me. That’s because I’m a believer in second, third, fifth and 365 chances that comes with a new day. While most people wait for a New Year to turn a new leaf, I see a each day as an opportunity to start over and reinvent myself, an absolutely blank page with which I can decide to do things differently, write new dreams, right yesterday’s wrongs and achieve just about anything I purpose to.

We are already three months into the year, some still feel the year is brand new , while others may have had a rough start, gone back to old habits and are not where they hoped to be.

But that can change because every new day is a blessing from God ; every sunrise is His way of saying, ‘you probably didn’t achieve what you wanted yesterday, you probably shoulda-coulda-woulda done this or that, but it’s not too late, here is a new day, TAKE TWO.’

Isn’t that beautiful? The day I started viewing each day like the first day of the rest of my life, is the day I started facing my days with renewed optimism that I have the power to REFRESH my life and create my own new beginnings. You can refresh your life too. Are there things about your situation that you want to change? Are there dreams you want to pursue? Go for it! You don’t have to wait for tomorrow, start right now.

Our Refresh Issue is a reflection of fresh starts. We tried to squeeze in all our inspirations from the past few months into this issue, from great informative articles to inspirational interviews touching on self help, technology, business, fashion, and travel. In our special feature; we interview 12 women making moves and music sharing the stories of their musical journeys.

This issue is a labor of love, I’d like to thank every one who worked tirelessly to put it together. I’d also like to thank  you, our readers for supporting our vision issue after issue. I hope you enjoy reading every page and when you are done, share our magazine with other women and men in your life, join us on Facebook and Twitter (if you haven’t already) and email us your feedback  to let us know how we are doing so far.

Until next time I leave you with the words of  Jonathan Lockwood Huie, “Let everyday be the first day of the rest of your life, but especially let today be a new beginning”

Peace , Love & New Beginnings !

Patricia Miswa

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

pic source

As women unfortunately we are notoriously known for developing and maintaining nasty attitudes. I have been guilty of having an attitude myself at times. Why? Being a woman, most likely we have been scorned by a man or men in more ways than one in some shape, form or fashion. Therefore we have an immense amount of emotional, physical, and mental baggage that plagues our very being, day in and day out. It is important to remember that you chose your circumstances one way or the other. If you don’t like the current ones, adjust your attitude so that you are focusing on the positive ways in which you will come out of those circumstances. Pouting serves no purpose only to infect those around you with the disease that is your negativity.

Change your way of speaking. There is power in the words that we let our tongue formulate to flutter from the tip of our lips. The situation you may currently be involved in, may seem like the worst series of events to ever cross your oath, but if you continue to speak negatively over the situation, then it will continue to treat you negatively. Negative words have a serious effect on you and those around you. You speak it, therefore it manifest itself in your spirit and eventually penetrating your heart eventually resulting in negativity becoming your overall demeanor.

There are 3 things you can do to begin adjusting your attitude

1. Prayer and Meditation: There is no problem too small for God. Make time during each day to pray and meditate by engaging in long conversations with God, and delving into his word.
2. Surround yourself with people who have positive attitudes.
3. Turn that negative energy into fuel and let it give you the drive you need to get yourself out of those circumstances.

Your attitude has an enormous effect on the attitude of your children, family, and those around you.  Are you constantly angry, yet wondering why the baby won’t stop crying? Are you engulfed with a bad attitude but can’t understand why those you love avoid you like the plague? Again, it’s a domino effect. Your attitude matters in more ways than one.

Lisa Crump is a native Memphian who has been writing since the young age of 7. She is the author of the book, “Tears In A Corner: Ms. Single YOUNG Mother” as well as an accomplished freelance writer who has been featured in numerous online and print publications. Lisa is the owner and creative director at Lost In The Words Inc. and founder of The SheWrites Project which is a mentoring program that guides women through the self publishing process. Visit Lisa on twitter at twitter.com/itsgolden20 or at lisacrump.blog.com.

Spring has sprung! Flowers are in bloom, love is in the air, folks are shedding their winter coats and donning the latest spring fashions. For most, the spring weather also includes spring cleaning: opening the windows, airing their rooms out, scrubbing floors, changing sheets, etc. But why stop there? Spring is the perfect time to think about what really matters to you and who you may want to let go .

A friend often tells me, “Life is a theater, invite your audience carefully.” I have to say this is one of the best pieces of advice she’s given me. If we are lucky, we are presented with tons of positive, supportive and thoughtful friends. If not, we will encounter a few that may challenge our patience and even our sense of self. What is amazing is that we are so quick to change and re-evaluate things, but refuse to do the same with people. When the cost of having people in your life outweighs the benefits, what is the draw? What keeps you there? Yes, you may have been friends with someone since high school, but what is your present relationship like? If the only thing you have in common is the past, it may be time to let that go. Obligation is self-imposed, and if that person makes you unhappy, so is your unhappiness. Don’t underestimate the power of freeing yourself!

While you’re at it, you might as well evaluate your priorities. What matters most to you? Why? If it is making money- are you doing that in a job you love? Are you giving yourself the opportunity to grow and develop your skill set? If not, you may be selling yourself short. Pay no mind to the reports about the economy. If necessity is the mother of invention, then lack is the mother of innovation! The recession is the perfect time for you to polish up your resume and reassess where you want to take yourself professionally. The most important thing to remember is to let go of the fear. Pack that away along with your winter clothes! You are not required to keep anything that no longer adds to your experience. No one and nothing defines you, except you. So open up those windows and let that fresh air revitalize your life!

Brittany is a 23 year old soon-to-be graduate of Boston University School of Law. Originally from New Jersey, she attended Rutgers University-Newark Honors College and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. While there, she interned with Sisterhood Agenda as a staff writer. She is a founding member of The Gem Project, Inc., a non-profit organization that creates leadership programs for youth. Her interests are to increase financial literacy among women of color and to explore the effect of pop culture imagery on women of African descent. She can be found at BeNobodysDarling.com or Twitter.com/MissBHale.

1. Skim off the Top: So this is going to require a little bit of payment, but don’t worry! If you are taking out loans for your education, it’s a great idea if you can make payments on the interest of the loans. The principal (the amount you borrow) will likely be increased by a few thousand (due to interest) by the time you graduate. It might not seem like a big deal now, but you’ll see it when those monthly payments come in. Think of paying on the interest as lowering your future monthly payments. Wherever you borrow from is likely to send you statements showing how much interest has accrued over time, so it is fairly easy to manage. It may not seem like a lot, but putting a $100 (or as much as you can) a month toward your interest on your loan will you save you thousands in the future.
2. Take It To The Web: One of the easiest ways to cut down on your monthly living expenses is to cut off your cable.  Although we should be studying, TV provides a great escape from all those books and papers, but it can also be expensive. Investing in online streaming, like HuluPlus and Netflix, can reduce your bill from around $75 to $15! Also, internet streaming players like Roku connect easily to your television and allow you to stream tons of free internet channels without a monthly bill! If online shopping is your thing, check out programs like StudentAdvantage and AmazonPrime. They offer free expedited shipping and retail discounts to students for a one time fee. You’ll be surprised how much you save!
3. There’s an app for that: If you’re like me you rarely carry cash on you. We’ll address that later, but if you want to keep track of your spending, there are tons of free apps that remind you of where your money is going. Apps like Mint, or my personal favorite Checkbook Free,  connect to your checking accounts and track your spending with every swipe of your debit card. If you’re a visual learner the app can track your spending in graph form. Now you’ll have no reason not to know where your last paycheck went!
4. Stay Green: As mentioned before, I don’t like to carry cash. Why? Because it makes my spending real and I don’t like handing those bills over. This is exactly why I have to carry it! I allot myself a $20 allowance each week and use that cash for my shopping. Just that $20 bill for all of my takeout and random drug store runs. Not surprisingly, I became much choosier about what I spent that money on. Did I really need that milkshake on the way home? Should I go out for ice cream when I know I have froyo in the fridge? Start carrying cash and see just how much you save!
5. Reward Yourself: Don’t think that saving money can’t be fun. It can! It’s exciting to see your progress and know that you are making smart financial choices before you even graduate. Set realistic goals and reward yourself when they’re reached. Splurge on a pair of shoes (on sale, of course) when you haven’t done any shopping for the month. Get a manicure if you chose to cook your meals rather than eat out for the week. Most of all, remember that you are saving for you. Invest in yourself and enjoy the returns ahead!

Brittany is a 23 year old soon-to-be graduate of Boston University School of Law. Originally from New Jersey, she attended Rutgers University-Newark Honors College and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. While there, she interned with Sisterhood Agenda as a staff writer. She is a founding member of The Gem Project, Inc., a non-profit organization that creates leadership programs for youth. Her interests are to increase financial literacy among women of color and to explore the effect of pop culture imagery on women of African descent. She can be found at BeNobodysDarling.com or Twitter.com/MissBHale.

When it comes to love and lust, we have to decide on which one we feel in our hearts.  We tend to get a little confused sometimes and we think that our feelings are pure love when they’re not.  Let’s break it down because it is very important for us to understand it.  Lust gives you the run around and love is what stays around.  What does that mean exactly?  Well, lust causes you to run all over the place searching for something to appease you for the moment.  A lot of people think that what they’re feeling is love when in fact; their desires are nothing more than lust.  Whenever you feel that you have to jump from person to person looking for happiness, than that is nothing but lust.  You can’t love someone one minute and then the next thing you know (or a month later) you love someone else and a month after that you love someone else.  Love doesn’t play games like that.  What love does, is it provides a solid foundation for great things to be built within a relationship.  Let’s be honest.  When you love someone, love stays with you.  Even if that other person doesn’t love you back.  You will, wholeheartedly, still have feelings for that person.  A person can’t bounce around all over the place loving every single man or woman that crosses your path every other week.  It just isn’t gratifying.

If you look up the definition of the word lust, you will find that lust is described as a craving.  Well, what happens when your craving has been satisfied?  You no longer have that craving anymore.  It disappears until you start having a craving for something else.   Lust proves itself to not have a lasting effect at all whatsoever.  Love, however, is an emotional attachment. Love represents so many things that people desire and want to hold on to.  Love is compassion, kindness, satisfaction; it’s strong, and it’s passionate.  Love is the one true emotion that sticks to your bones and works its way through every crevice of your body to let you know that you can’t go a day without breathing the same air as your significant other.

“Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy as cruel as the grave;
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehementflame.

Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can the floods drown it.
If a man would give for love
All the wealth of his house,
It would be utterly despised.”

-          Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Ever wondered who the creative minds behind innovative prints and new textiles are? Printed and woven Textile designer Banke Kuku has worked with the likes of Jewel by Lisa and Duro Olowu – both labels that have been recognized for their distinguished prints and fabrics.

MsK NY: Please introduce your business and your designs.

MsK NY is a fashion blogger who blogs at African Prints in Fashion. Her blog  explores the imprint of the African Diaspora on fashion and showcases African and Africa-inspired designers, designs, trends, stories and opinions.Connect with MsK NY on Facebook. 

MsK NY: Please introduce your business and your designs.

MsK NY is a fashion blogger who blogs at African Prints in Fashion. Her blog  explores the imprint of the African Diaspora on fashion and showcases African and Africa-inspired designers, designs, trends, stories and opinions.Connect with MsK NY on Facebook.