Our girl Monique is on a roll this year and we’re only into the end of the first month of the new year. She has been killing them with the numerous awards she has taken home thus far. She nabbed a Screen actors Guild award, Golden Globe, Ctritics’ Choice award, Independent Spirit award, Kansas City Film Critics award, London Critics Circle Film award, NSFC-National Society of Film Critics award and has appeared on countless television network shows and sitcoms. Remember when she was Nikki Parker on The Parkers, then became Deidre on a ‘Soulplane’, next Lateesha in ‘Domino’, and then Jazmin in ‘Phat Girlz’, to Evetta Washington in ’Nip Tuck’, to Jamiqua in ‘The Boondocks’, to Betty in ‘Welcome home Roscoe Jenkins’, to Mary in ‘Prescious’ and also Aunt Carla in ‘Steppin the movie’. Damn. You still think she is sweating all those haters out there gabbing and yakking about her marriage to her long time best friend and her recent weight loss? Probably not, she’s too busy handling her own and doing what she does best. Making the public laugh and cry by tapping into her true self and experience as a woman of courage to give her best in her roles as an actress and comedian.
Hey guys, here are the quotes for another hump day survived. And enjoy a little something something inspirational from one of my favorite songstresses India Arie. I think it makes for a great theme song and day starter. Without further a do here are the quotes~
"There ain't no man who can avoid being born average. But there ain't no reason why a man has to be common"
Satchel Paige
"Life appears to me to be too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrong"
Charlotte Bronte
“Seeds of faith are always within us; sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth.”
Susan Taylor
Helene D. Gayle, M.D. was the third child born of five children in Buffalo New York to her parents. Mom and Dad were influential and played a major role in young Helene's life. Her mother was a psychiatric social worker and her father an entrepreneur. She was raised during the Civil Rights era and became a leader early on as the leader of the Black Student union in high school. She went on to obtain her psychology degree from Barnard University in 1976, then pursued and earned her medical degree from University of Penn in 1981. She entered the epidemiology training program at the CDC (Center for Disease Control) after acceptance and studied the AIDS virus. She became the coordinator of the AIDS agency while there and traveled to Africa and Asia to study the effects AIDS had on a variety of people. She is the president and CEO of Care USA, a charitable organization that fights global poverty. Care is known for helping to provide emergency assistance to victims and survivors of war and natural disasters. Care is dedicated to helping these individuals get their lives back on track. She recently received the Ethics Advocate Award on December 9,2009. She gained this honor because of her consistent work in aiding women, minorities, and the overlooked. Helene also took initiative to combat global poverty, inequality, and injustice. CARE is setting up added emergency teams to go out to the city of Port-au-Prince help the victims of the most devastating earthquake which left thousands of individuals homeless and ill. A sister like this shows us all that a true woman's work is never finished until she takes her last breath.
I absolutely love the way Vivica kept it real with Mrs. Monique when asked about her 'lovers spat' rather quarrel with 50 cents. At least one time in a sista's life a man has gotten a bit salty over something and perhaps put the situation on blast, at least that's how I viewed it. Whatever was between those two adults, however was just that-between those two adults. She handled herself well on the show and kept it civil enough to make an appearance, grab a small role in his video. Kudos to ya Vivica. Check out the clip from Dime Wars.
So I sat down for an evening of reality TV and decided to check out Fantasia’s new show, which I absolutely loved. Family drama is as real as you get, who doesn’t have family drama? I loved that she spoke on how she raises her daughter, and supports her family. But her brother.. he H-A-S G-O-T- T-O- G-O! I mean for real-tearing up the pool house all upside down like that, why we got to be so ghetto people? Hmmm…tsk tsk…anyway as the night progresses and I sip some left over Prosecco and enjoy crackers with red pepper hummus I overhear Jacque (Reid) on Let’s talk Pep (Peppa from salt & Peppa) new VHI reality show…Jacque mentions she might ask her ex to have a baby with her. I sucked my teeth at the thought~get impregnated and raise a child with some ex that isn’t right for me and I might have dumped for etc . anyway? I think not. And girlfriend Kittie.. I mean brotha was making some good pointers about investing and all, but on the very first date…..dag was this an interview? Truth is I would love to meet some of these guys the women were dating on the show. A run his mouth too much investment banker, I’m saying much better than a smoke too much herb alcoholic, right? So as I listen to girlfriend Jacque I wonder and remember the line from ‘The best Man’ when I think it was fine behind Morris Chestnut’s character who states, “Well she’s just a step away from lesbian anyway She’s the type of woman that doesn’t need no man”. So if a woman is truly holding things on her own and doesn't have to depend on a man for her financial needs she's the one that'll be calling up her ex to beg for him to donate his sperm one last time for a baby? The other thing that crawled up my skin-why so much strawberry tasting, tongue wagging, feet showing, and sexual intentions type convo on the first date? And hitting up a gentlemens club to ‘make it rain’ (Long sigh….) I mean was I still watching For the love of Ray J? These women on the show Let’s talk about Pep are in their late thirties I figure. Why do ladies have to express themselves with such a foul mouths? Gee, the older I get the more loose and unsettled I have to act? The hell with that. No dude will be sucking these toes and make it rain having me rubbing up on some stripper pole on date#1 This all just makes me miss my mom, grandma, and aunties days when the old school lovin’ sort of dating was truly in. Well I was sort of looking for a 'women of color' version of Sex in the city. We'll see...
and another thing,
Is taking leftovers home from your date really g-h-e-t-t-o?
If you fall off it is totally up to you to pick yourself up, inform true family and friends of your issues and gather your dream team to prepare and finally execute your comeback. What comes to mind to give a primary example of a lady who exemplified this task is Chamique Holdsclaw. Chamique initially lived with her mother and father as a child, and at age 11 years old her and her 8 year old brother moved in with her grandmother. Her mother and father suffered from alchoholism. While her parents battled the illness her grandmother stepped up to raise her and her brother. Her grandmother (a true majestic daughter in my eyes) rose to the occassion as duty called to support, nuture, and guide her granddaughter. She was the primary strength behind Chamique's determination and focus towards a career in basketball. She eventually went on to join the WNBA and play for the Washington Mystics. In 1999 she was voted rookie of the year, and number 1 draft pick. Chamique's grandmother passed on in 2007. Not long after her grandmother's passing Chamique suffered from clinical depression and spent approximately two seasons out of the WNBA. She eventually returned to the sport with the support of her family and friends,to play the sport she loved. She joined Atlanta's The Dream. Even with surgery performed on her right knee, she has been a force to reckon with. She is a true leader to her team members according to her coach and helps others deal with their illness. She came out of her depression and set an example for others. She did as her grandmother wished and built a strong, tight relationship with her mother instead of hold in anger towards her mother. You can read her story in Denzel Washington's New York best seller A Hand to Guide Me.
Every other Wednesday I’ll focus on a prolific someone special and post their quotes for you to take in and smile at.
This week’s Wednesday quotes-Five of the best quotes from an all time favorite poet Nikki Giovanni who’s book, Racism 101 help put my purpose on the map Now when you read each quote, take it in, sip some hot tea and reflect on how it correlates with your own life experiences-Enjoy.
“I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try.”
“Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.”
“There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don't expect you to save the world I do think it's not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your live those who offer you depression, despair and disrespect.”
A lot of people refuse to do things because they don't want to go naked, don't want to go without guarantee. But that's what's got to happen. You go naked until you die.
Some say we are responsible for those we love. Others know we are responsible for those who love us.
(Joyce McDonald's sculpture shown at The Queens Museum of Art)
I was so touched and intrigued by the story of 56 year old Joyce McDonald, a Brooklyn NY native who is HIV positive. Not only is McDonald HIV positive but also has Hepatitis C and challenges thyroid cancer. None of this gets in her way. This woman rocks. She truly exemplifies heroism. She has experienced, suffered and survived domestic abuse, rapes, 25 years of heroin abuse, and prostitution. This was no excuse to quit. She stepped up, not hid out. Miss Joyce is a painter, sculpture, and HIV/AIDS activist. She is a HIV ministry coordinator as well helping to manage the help hotline, community projects regarding awareness, visits homes of those affected with HIV/AIDS, and organizes the clothing drive. This sister even launches and presents discussions among women living with HIV/AIDS as an outlet for them. Her artwork is shown in New York and as far as Africa. They show slides of her artwork to HIV positive individuals there. Check out the picture of her sculpture which was displayed at the Queens Museum of Art this past year. To read more about this magnificent woman and her story read http://www.thebody.com/content/art45869.html
payvand
(care.org)
If you fall off it is totally up to you to pick yourself up, inform true family and friends of your issues and gather your dream team to prepare and finally execute your comeback. What comes to mind to give a primary example of a lady who exemplified this task is Chamique Holdsclaw. Chamique initially lived with her mother and father as a child, and at age 11 years old her and her 8 year old brother moved in with her grandmother. Her mother and father suffered from alchoholism. While her parents battled the illness her grandmother stepped up to raise her and her brother. Her grandmother (a true majestic daughter in my eyes) rose to the occassion as duty called to support, nuture, and guide her granddaughter. She was the primary strength behind Chamique's determination and focus towards a career in basketball. She eventually went on to join the WNBA and play for the Washington Mystics. In 1999 she was voted rookie of the year, and number 1 draft pick. Chamique's grandmother passed on in 2007. Not long after her grandmother's passing Chamique suffered from clinical depression and spent approximately two seasons out of the WNBA. She eventually returned to the sport with the support of her family and friends,to play the sport she loved. She joined Atlanta's The Dream. Even with surgery performed on her right knee, she has been a force to reckon with. She is a true leader to her team members according to her coach and helps others deal with their illness. She came out of her depression and set an example for others. She did as her grandmother wished and built a strong, tight relationship with her mother instead of hold in anger towards her mother. You can read her story in Denzel Washington's New York best seller A Hand to Guide Me.
