Young, Gifted .. and Blogging!

This sounds like so much fun!! Can't wait to connect with other Black Bloggers and have some fun on the beach! 

Nationwide (November 28, 2011) -- Black Bloggers Connect is partnering with iHustleNation to present the Black Bloggers Connect Cruise 2012. Bloggers, vloggers, webpreneurs, mompreneurs, social media experts, tech gurus & business owners are all invited to join the Black Bloggers Connect Cruise to Ocho Rios, Jamaica & the Cayman Islands on June 2nd- June 7th 2012. Attendees will have the opportunity to: network with members of the Black online community, participate in break out discussions, be eligible for prize give-aways, and experience Ocho Rios, Jamaica & the Cayman Islands.

The Cayman Islands yall! 

BlackBloggersConnect.com is one of the largest online collectives of Black bloggers worldwide. It is also the #1 resource for Black bloggers to network online. BBC members are from over 20 countries, across the world including: U.S.A, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Ghana, Thailand and the U.K.   

"We are really excited about the Black Bloggers Connect Cruise 2012. We wanted the Black online world to connect in an exciting way. iHustlenation has hosted this cruise for 3 years with last year having hundreds of attendees from all over the country. This year, our partnership hopes to unite networking with relaxation and fun, " says Jessica Ann Mitchell, the founder of Black Bloggers Connect.  

Attendees that sign-up for the cruise on or before January 2nd will have their blog, website or business featured on the homepage of BlackBloggersConnect.com and NationalBlackPages.com. Attendees are able to sign-up and receive additional information at BBCCruise.com.  

Other cruise partners include: Naturals With Attitude, Next Level Entertainment Group, Time 2 Play, and Youtube sensations TxCutie and iHustleNation. Visit www.BBCCruise.com to get more information and register.

For sponsorship information, contact info@blackbloggersconnect.com.

Just to let everyone know, the BlackInTheCity blog is going to pay for me to go on this trip, so I need all of my loyal faithful readers to check out my ads and advertisers, leave a comment, let me know what you want the BlackInTheCity blog to talk about.  

Pretty sure these people aren't bloggers, but they're black and they look good...all that matters! Cruisin' yall!

See you on the ISLAND! 

She's Pretty ... being #BlackInTheCity

I have heard it time and time again, "You talk white."  And each time I never have a response.

What does it mean, to talk white?

Until a good friend of mine created the perfect comeback after an Arab man in a gas station repeated the phrase to me, her reply, "It's because she's educated."  She mixed in the proper amount of sass with an informative motherly gaze, and later told me that her sons (5 and 4) have been dealing with the same accusation of sounding white as well.

Most people don't understand differences in sound, color and size amongst the divides of race, the conversation gets deeper when these divides are within a racial construct.  Me sounding white is an oxymoron, because I am noticeably a darkskin black girl, and then there's the dreads.  Apparently dark skin black girls are supposed to be loud, obnoxious and ghetto, with speech patterns that mimic rap lyrics.  Not the case in my situation, or that of my close colleagues.

*Most recently while chatting with @LovePublicity I mentioned that I was "conversing" with other professionals about some event, she interrupted with "Don't you mean 'conversatin'? As we both broke out in hysterical laughter I realized that most people don't really know the later isn't a word.

Now, I have been known to use certain words in jest, but common conversation would never find me peppering speech with grammatical mistakes.  I have been reading books for too long to make minor up-chucks in prose.


But what other issues assist in creating this misconception of black women?

My Family ... Dad an Mom are in front

Of course, the idea of color.  Now my family is not at all mixed ... my father is a handsome darkskin man, and my mom is a little, actually she's quite fair, much like the members of her family who all seem to be a shade or three lighter than my sis and myself.  But I don't ever remember being ridiculed for it or feeling bad until I went to high school.  There I found that "lightskin, long hair" chicks were all the rage.  And at that time, I had a wild and crazy afro, so I really had no chance.

I remember two guys, revealing that they had a crush on me, but both of them had girlfriends that were either mixed or could be mistaken for such.  And another gentlemen who I felt was a nice guy questioned continuously my choice of hairstyle, stating that I'd "never make it in the professional world with an afro".

(Newsflash bro .. check me out)

Pretty for a ...
you bet not finish that sentence!

But no one out right told me that I wasn't pretty because I was dark skin, nevertheless there were girls in my classes that would be endlessly called out for their "darkness", to the point where one decided, mid-sophomore year, to wear blue contacts and a long weave for the remainder of her high school career.  It was confusing how quickly the ridicule stopped.  They accepted her as the pretty woman she was, even though she had to filter herself.

Later on I encountered a friends' father who would constantly refer to me as her "darkskin" friend.  He himself wasn't even that light, and the comments really didn't hurt me, however as a grown man, I wondered how would fall victim to differentiating me by my complexion.  Both myself, and his daughter we black, right?  The classification just didn't seem necessary.

Most recently @BLACMagazine featured a video via twitter of a new documentary focusing on the history of the divide in the definition of beauty in the black community and it really hit a sensitive spot.  I addressed how black people saw dark and light skin women ... and its noticeable ... amongst most communities, the darker a person is, the less pretty, the less smart or the less happy you are.  Despite the amount of talent, the amount of potential your education or experiences have endowed you, this is something millions of people deal with.
(Like, why is Beyonce more popular than Kelly? Seriously, I just jumped a ton of guns...but I'm just saying.)

Peep the video that inspired this post

Well, now at 26-years old, living in Texas, people that I never would think have told me that I was pretty (yes, I am talking about white men).  I don't know if its the exoticism that is talked about, I've never thought that I was exotic by the least, I am American (of African descent as my mom puts it).

Can one American appear exotic to another American?

Its all quite a confusing argument.  I guess for now, I'll just be #BlackInTheCity and see how far that takes me.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

TTYL

Black men ... still struggling, apparently

I recently had a very deep conversation, on twitter, with an old friend. Now, this guy is familiar to me ... meaning, he should know how I talk and my ability to present a counterargument that is both knowledgeable and a little sarcastic, but apparently I went a little too far. You'll see what I am talking about in a second.

Just a little background, both @ALogan100 and I are from Detroit, the eastside, I am older, we went to college literally 10 miles (or less) from each other, his alma mater is Eastern Michigan University and as some of you may know I went to the Univ. of Michigan, just down the road in Ann Arbor. But the schools couldn't be more different. Eastern is about 80% black, while Michigan boasts a wavering 5%. However, coming from Detroit Public Schools, I like to think that both of use had enough sense to make good of any situation.

Now, the conversation between myself and @ALogan100 stemmed from his comments on the struggles he's facing as a black man. His tweets caught my eye because (1) I had just had a great conversation with another follower about Detroit's renewal, and I was already riled up, and (2) when people start talking about black men, I like to be all in.

So, @ALogan100 was making comments on how the black man really hadn't been given his due, there was no justice being given to equalizing the plight of black men against, say, the rest of the men in this country. My argument was "it's getting better" which I backed up by adding that the amount of hardship and struggle has e

xponentially decreased in the years of American history. I think that my buddy didn't yet seem to understand my point, I wasn't knocking the struggle, just shedding light on the fact that its been worse.

Last year, everyone and they mother (ie. momma, for my black readers) was chiming in on the plight of black women, how we can't find a man, how we are always angry, and with the rise and fame of Basketball Wives and the Real Housewives of Atlanta, apparently we were all golddiggers, fighters and tattoo covered. From Steve H

arvey to GMA host Steven Stephanopolous, every man had something to say... keeping up with the trend Tyler Perry put out like 27 movies about black women. But no one was talking about black men ... apparently, they were having a hard time too.

I did a little research, found some good points from Trumaine McCaskill of the A&T Register who wrote in his article "For Colored Guys",

"Our education does not make us an exception to anything. The cops still harass us, we still struggle to find a good black woman, and we still try to show the generation who follows what is right and what is wrong. However, if the stories of educated black men are continuously ignored, then maybe we will continue to fade away."

I understand where he's coming from. In the news this week Kobe

Bryant was fined $100k for calling someone a homophobic slue, Barry Bonds allegedly took steroids and has been in court for the past few months, the NFL is not paying

its players and they are taking out high interest loans and having bunch of kids outta wedlock ... then there are the gangsters, the rappers ... and on the other side of the spectrum, there's President Obama, Hill Harper, Denzel, preachers, male teachers and the such. None of which in the news, but what young black boy (the at risk of being lost in a system, not everyone else) watches the news? I'm looking at the big picture. The news can say one thing, you can have a bad interview, the white lady may still grab her purse tight, but what does it matter if the next generation doesn't prevalently live to both gain a momentum and decrease the stereotype.

There are opposite sides of every spectrum, black men have been pushed around... mistreated and misunderstood, however in order to get into a better place, please recognize the progress. There are currently less black men in college on athletic scholarships then on academic scholarships. There is a rise in responsible single parent households ran by black men ... I know of three myself, in Detroit no less. Black men are realizing their potential and entering the world fashion, the blogosphere, photography and education. The prevalence of positive r

ap amongst new rappers is gaining popularity, whereas they talk more about the "lifestyle" rather than bitches and hoes ... and emphasis is being placed on the "grind" rather than sitting back and smoking weed, playing video games and other tomfoolery. Would these instances be the straw that breaks the mantra that "its not cool to be smart" amongst black boys? Would it decrease the belief that being lazy is the same as being smooth?

What's next for the black man? A little more than 135 years ago blacks were still slaves, in 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson gave the race a little elasticity as they fought for equality, but still faced segregation. Less than 20 years after that the NAACP was formed which began a trailblazing fight for positive treatment in America, then "Birth of a Nation" came out ... which I thought shoulda been called the "History of Racism" and "Roots" should've been titled "Birth of a Nation", just saying ... both cinematic productions were groundbreaking in the history of the struggle of black people. But, in the words of Jay-Z (a black man and the epitome of the bootstrap method), on to the next. What now...what happened, has progress halted?

I think were we went wrong was seperating the struggles of black men and women. The crack epidemic killed a ton of fathers, broke up a lot of homes, leaving women and mothers to make strides on their own. Did they want to us to wait for them to get clean, and to get outta jail, or to wake up from their "woe is me" mindset? Apparently, yes.

Black women have been groomed by this country to be leaders and matriarchs, while black men have found a place in their struggle, which to me, is nothing but taking the bait (I mean, whoever took cocaine and bought it to the hood would've given it to anybody to sale, it just so happens, that most of the dealers where men). I am by no means saying that black women have it made, in my entire conversation, via twitter, @ALogan100 kept thinking I was "angry", he diminished my arguments by saying I wouldn't understand, and that he didn't want to "fight" ... and even when I assured him that we were simply conversing, that no anger was in my words, I felt he wouldn't be moved. He had placed me in "angry black woman" category ... was he looking for a way out or just a little sympathy? Did he want me to concede and instead, give him a hug, rub his back and sooth him with an old negro spiritual?

Um... not gone happen babe. I understood completely what he was going through, all black women should, simply because we've been standing next to them, visiting them in prison, taking care of their kids while they "hustle", watching front row center at how they've dealt with the extremities of mistreatment and a struggle to lead our entire race into a bright and shiny future in this country.

But when it comes down to it...

We are the masters of our own fate. If you want better, ofcourse you have to do better ... or sit back and wait for better legislation to come out to even the playing field, or get another sandbox, and play there.

TTYL ...oh, to view the convo between me and @ALogan100 ...copy this URL in ur browser http://keep.la/dXbGny

Wu-Tang Clan and More Play Village Voice Media and Frank 151's SXSW Party - Los Angeles - Slideshows

Black in the City made LAWeekly ... how dope is that!? The homie Remi and I walked at full speed to catch up with Wu-Tang, seriously we almost ran across Austin to get to this concert ... and it was sooo fly, Erykah Badu was the dj, Ghostface was murdering the stage and the Wu ... well... it was the WU!

Peep the Link...you can find me at image 47...looking a little tired, but still Black...beautiful, and in the City.

Wu-Tang Clan and More Play Village Voice Media and Frank 151's SXSW Party - Los Angeles - Slideshows

Interview Detroit :: Denise Reed, artist, seamstress, innovator, DIVA

Residential Innovation.

Let me explain that. I’m in Public Relations and it’s a game for me to think of a pitch for every new and fantastic idea I hear. And during my conversation with seamstress, artist and mother, Denise Reed all I could think of was Residential Innovation. An approach to recycling that not only assists the everyday mom in staying organized, but also stand for things of beauty and useable decoration. She’s the queen of reuse, duchess of reconstruction, this woman has an eye for making things last forever. And I’m not going to lie, I’m comfortable with it. An uber-Detroiter, often times she’ll quote definitions of the meaning of various architectural motifs in City buildings. She’s smart, little, and the ultimate Diva.
I had the chance to sit down with Ms. Reed in her home-based studio this past week. During our conversation she busied up two sewing machines and an industrial steam iron, impressive. Mmmm, creativity.

Black in the City:: What is your stand on business?
DR: Business today has gotten too big and too impersonal, its not looking out for people. It’s become business for business sake. We are producing a lot of product that has just turned into waste. And we are becoming too dependent on that waste that the good product isn’t readily found. Where as when business used to be “find the need and fill it“, it has evolved to “think of something stupid and sale it.” Simple?
Don’t get me wrong, I love being in, having and producing business because I can see that today’s global economy is going to create more people who are taking charge of their income producing status.

Black in the City:: What, do you feel, is necessary to include with every transaction aside from an A-1 product or service?
DR: The ability to meet a real live person. That is what business has to come back to. People want to know that they are able to have a relationship with a real live individual. They can hate an entity, but the consumer doesn’t immediately gain hate for a real live person, who is devoted to delivering an excellent skill or service.

Black in the City:: Has the way you think of business (in general) affected your success? How so?
DR: Yes, when I see a business, I check out how their product is affecting everyone, not just me, and if I see something that is unnecessary, I won’t support it. I understand price, community and the connection between the two. You have to accept it for what it is. Its business.

Black in the City:: I am sure you have goals, but tell me about your next transition?
DR: To move from having my hands on everything, I know to continue to grow I need to have a better team. I need to spread the wealth around by hiring a management team.

My sentiments exactly. As I launched BethanyEastPR.com this past month I realized that presentation is not the only necessary aspect of the new frontier of small business in Detroit. There needs to be an equal amount of attention paid to providing customer services, understanding your competition (and the non-competition), implementing a change in individual communities.

And I learned from Ms. Reed today that you must also pay attention to being able to let go aspects of your business, introducing help to your business is often times vital when it comes to how fast other small businesses are moving. Don’t dare to think that everything could be done by yourself. The growing community of independent contractors, consultants, small management firms show that some skills are hard enough for someone can actually do only that to make a living. Take for instance shipping. If you designed special shoe sole inserts, you wouldn’t do your own deliveries, right? It’s customary to allow UPS or Fedex to handle that aspect of your business, because that’s what they do. Then why would you decide to do your own contract negotiations, pattern making, web maintenance, organization or talent sourcing? Don’t be afraid to grow your business by asking for help when you need it, think of the cost as an investment in getting you projects done correctly and efficiently.

Innovation is inevitable, make sure can keep up.

*for more information of Denise Reed, visit denisereed.com

Thoughts?

Um..Monday's Revelation

Good evening everyone ... gnrlstudies here. i don't think we've met. i an extremely comfortable individual who has decided that i am going to let go of a few hard earned pounds. naturally, i am very comfortable with my appearance, accepting early on that my situation doesn't really offer the opportunity to change anything about myself, physically, thus and therefore, i work with what i've been given. and so far it has been workin' quite well, lol... i mean, i haven't had many complaints. (ii someone's mind somewhere that sentence is going to be taken in the wrong context, but hey...that's you)

and yes, i do know that i haven't capitalized the letter i at all in the previous paragraph. bare with me, i am going somewhere with this.

Nevertheless, in the recent events that have bought me this far, I've learned one thing. I need to stay busy.
But that is not to blame for my growingly round body. A very expensive YMCA membership didn't even persuade me to stay on track and work off the pudge.

And now, in lieu of a cross country excursion of the minds (check out twitter accounts lilkimqueenb and LadyWhitehead), I've decided to prepare physically.

Also, the launch of my new career in public relations and marketing has to first and foremost benefit me. I am my on first client. And I should act in the interest of the well being of my public appearance. Which leads me into my discussion. What do you think of companies that require their employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Yeah, I said REQUIRE. There are plenty of companies that provide programs offering healthy incentives. But its all for naught. Have you ever gone to one of those contracted in weight management/aerobics after work events, its a bunch of office women flopping around for an hour after sitting for eight hours on a computer. It's hilarious.

In Japan it is not uncommon for an employer to require workers to attend weight management courses if they do not abide by company body size standards. Harsh treatment? I wouldn't think so, it's more like a protection of an investment. Studies show that costs formerly used for healthcare and settlements would instead be spent on maintaining business practices and improving the investments that the company had previously built.

That's me justifying the fact that I am about to be super duper sexy in just a matter of months (I'm not dillusional, I know it takes time and dedication, yada yada yada). I am doing it for my future, to be a better worker...for myself. This is what being black in the city is all about...this is what I am learning on a day to day basis...this is Monday's Revelation...work for you, in all of your life and livelihood. If a dancer wants to be successful, he must dance...and a singer must sing, if I want to go into the business of creating a public image of someone...then my image must be A-100 ...

Check back in for progress...I'm thinking I am going to dance it off, follow my twitter (darealchrisreed) for updates and cravings.

Recognition Of Actuality

I am going to try to make this post readible, but I ain't making no promises.

Detroit could and will become a thriving city, full of entrepreneurs, new merchants, new beginnings. 

It has too.  The City actually doesn't have a choice.  

Hitting rock bottom must've been a slow and joyous occassion because I honestly don't believe that we would get this far behind without a warning.  It couldn't have happened so suddenly, i.e. the death of our beloved Mayor Coleman A. Young...I mean the man ran Detroit for 20 YEARS, nobody took notes! WTF!  anyways Detroit has become Ground Zero.  We have the great honor of showing everyone how to do this, how to once again rise from the top.  

New text messages came out this week, how interesting right?  

Why does this continue to be interesting?  Honestly, it amazes me that the media of Detroit are continuely airing the downfall of the City without realizing that they're the main cause.  Take for instance, the news about the now infamous Sex Message Scandal...it dropped right before the 2008  North American International Auto Show, an invent that brings hundreds of possible investors to Detroit,  seeking cities to host other events and bring millions in dollars of revenue to the City.  I believe that the media, or was it just Steve Wilson singlehandedly, wanted to put themselves in the limelight...promoting their reach to national headlines at every chance they could.  They were so proud to be front and center that they failed to realize the new one they'd just ripped into Detroit.

Martha Reeves is mad at Jay Leno, no good deed goes unpunished, especially when your PR/Management team is made of idiots.

Why didn't they realize that whomever thought it was a good idea to throw a Detroit benefit more than 30-minutes from the city should be quiet...and fired.  I mean no one on the Jay Leno team figured that (1) maybe we should hurry up and have this before NCAA Final Four events begin, and (2) maybe it would be smart to have the event in the City you are benefiting.  Come on Jay Leno, are you thinking, open the garage door next time your sitting in one of you 500 cars next time.  Now, I'm no expert on turning free comedy shows into "help" for a slowing urban economy, so I am currently looking for someone to explain the full details of this event to me.  I suggest selling tickets to the event ($10-$20) and taking the money, matching it, and turning it over as scholarships for children who've parent laid off from their jobs.  

I swear I could save the world with my COMMON SENSE!!!!

In other news, Christine Beatty is being released early, apparently she really didn't like jail, and she petitioned for early release...oh wait, that was Berny Madoff's thieving ass...Christine was good, which is understandable, Kwame moved out the city and she has no reason to be a disappointed any longer.  May I point out that on someone's blog page they referred to her as "a dissappointing example of a jump off..." I have to say they've taken it to far (although it is hilarious).  But, did you read those text messages?  Are they serious?  Were they serious?  And, Steve Wilson..you might as well go find natashiadooley@yahoo.com, I really REALLY want to know that she is someone other than the person that came up in my Google search for that name. All I can say is, Kwame don't deal wit no gutter sluts.

But this is what Detroit is dealing with right now.  That and a rogue City Council who don't understand that Detroit is not really losing anything but its mind if this Cobo deal...WAKE UP PEOPLE...its not a handout or a buyout or a sell out if YOU COMPLETELY WIN IN THE DEAL!!! Other cities have done it  (google: intercity cooperation - tourism).    An interesting subject, that began to interest me after I took a job in Procurement for an insurance company.   

But, back to the point that I was trying to make.   Detroit is coming up.  I believe the people are going to realize that our new industry should be the creation of new industries/products/fields of interests and brands.  

See you at the top.

Help is not an option

Nobody Loves You When You’re Down and Out

When I got my job with a very well known Health Management company in Michigan it seems that my email was immediately flooded with resumes from “classmates” that I had barely talked to when I was in school…I’m talking high school “friends” and college “chummies” all magically got my email address and would send me their resumes along with some lame message saying 

“Hey Chris, whassup girlie.  

You know how it is out here, its hard.  

But listen, I heard you are at LOLLIPOP HEAVEN (name has obviously been changed) now.

 I attached my resume, do me a favor and pass it on for me.  If that’s possible.  Thanks, owe you one.”  

How in the world did I immediately go from “BRAND SPANKING NEW GIRL, WHO GETS LOST IN THE BUILDING EVERYDAY” to HR REPRESENTATIVE for all of the nobodies I didn’t speak to in high school and college.  But don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against a hook-up or a favor, but context and principal…has anyone ever heard of them?

Apparently not.  

Here's the part where I rant.

There is a trend in my community, one that involves the weird understanding (mental investment) that if one black person does something then they are obligated to keep that door open for everyone else, despite skill set and qualifications.  But is this really affordable?  I am not drop in the box of inspirations that our people have to pull from, but I see where many of our most presentable leaders have risen above the masses and assisted in lifting our people up, not by giving out random free jobs or money to those that want them (that’s how you get caught up, google search Kwame Kilpatrick) but these leaders present a message (either verbally or in their lifestyle) of hard work, dedication to a specific task and ultimately getting what you deserve, ofcourse the congregation-traits of or people is strong, and I don’t mind explaining to people how I got where I am, and they can follow suit, but I am not in the position to reprimand someone else’s  kids (no matter how I want to, especially in movie theaters and grocery stores), so why should I have to risk my “She’s new” status for someone who probably can’t pass the drug test, missed out on four credits and can’t produce a degree, has been fired due to the inability to come to work on time everyday (because, what are they doing for you, right?) well if that’s the mentality, I can’t deal with it…I won’t.  

For the past 16 years, I’ve been busting my hump, learning, working my way through college and never did I ever receive any kind of unscrupulous hand out, I walked for miles everyday…(lol, like your grandparents used to say), because my parents didn’t believe in cars, and I had to get home, to school, to one of my three jobs…even in college, I worked to keep up with the white kids and their massive amounts of cynically useless information (that the professors seem to love) .  Now don’t get me wrong, I asked for help, I cried for help, begged even.  But to no avail, my desperation went practically unnoticed (mostly because my classmates/friends and family where in the same or worst positions than I was).  

I began to live with a new mantra, HELP IS NOT AN OPTION.  Work hard, play to keep your sanity and work some more, these are my guidelines, my rules and I hold them close.  Am I wrong?

I think not, I'm BLACK in the City.  I have to work hard, get myself noticed, so that in the future people can look back and see that I did it, and yes it can be done, it just takes time, work and dedication, and no one owes you a thing, they may take it from you...and in that case, its hard out here, learn how to keep your $T%$ close, even if it stinks, its still yours.