Skip to main content

Values







This is a collage that I created many years ago and gave away. It was one of the pieces that I featured on my old greeting cards. I created this piece while I was a student at Bell from 1991 - 1993.


Values. Greeting card created and designed by Afrika Abney


I strive to demonstrate my levels of integrity, empathy, and compassion within my community. I chose the following colors: blue, pink, yellow, black, and purple because it each of those colors have a relationship to one another and meaning. For example, I am a black, so black represents my roots, heritage, culture, and skin color. Without my ancestors and cultural beliefs, I would not be able to have values. Values are apart of who I am. Colors are embedded within me.



"Blue symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth and heaven. It is the color of the sky. And it is the color of Compassion. Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness. Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness."

"The color pink represents compassion, nurturing and love. It relates to unconditional love and understanding, and the giving and receiving of nurturing.

A combination of red and white, pink contains the need for action of red, helping it to achieve the potential for success and insight offered by white. It is the passion and power of red softened with the purity, openness and completeness of white. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exhibits.

Pink is feminine and romantic, affectionate, and intimate, thoughtful and caring. It tones down the physical passion of red replacing it with a gentle loving energy."

"Yellow is associated with the intellect, logic; it has the ability to improve analytical thinking. It is also linked with cheerfulness, happiness, optimism. It inspires hope, enthusiasm. Yellow fosters positive way of thinking, as well as a thirst for knowledge. Its creativeness focuses on mental aspects, it inspires new ways of thinking and acting." It is one of the primary colors and a bright color.

"The color black represents power, individuality, simplicity, mystery and an intense spirituality." I am a black. In fact, black is one of my favorite colors. It represents who I am.


"Black isn't a primary, secondary, or tertiary color. In fact, black isn't on the color wheel because it isn't considered a color. It's all colors. Or rather, the absorption of all colors. Black absorbs all light in the color spectrum."

"The color purple is a rare occurring color in nature and as a result is often seen as having sacred meaning. Lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are considered delicate and precious.

The color purple has a variety of effects on the mind and body, including uplifting spirits, calming the mind and nerves, enhancing the sacred, creating feelings of spirituality, increasing nurturing tendencies and sensitivity, and encouraging imagination and creativity.




Purple is associated spirituality, the sacred, higher self, passion, third eye, fulfillment, and vitality. Purple helps align oneself with the whole of the universe. Different shades, tints, and hues of purple have different meanings. Light purple hues represent feminine energy and delicacy, as well as romantic and nostalgic feelings. Dark purple hues evoke feelings of gloom, sadness, and frustration. Bright purple hues suggest riches and royalty."

Popular posts from this blog

DR. LINDA NIELSEN in conversation with jonetta rose barras

 THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK For Self & Family June 7, 2023 12:30-1:00 pm A Virtual Event DR. LINDA NIELSEN in conversation with jonetta rose barras You’ve heard the tales: Dads’ incomes matter more than fathering. Dads’ parenting styles can’t measure up to Moms. Dads don’t have much impact on children’s cognitive skills. Are any of those statements true? A foremost international authority on father-daughter relations, shared parenting and separated parents,  Dr. Nielson, professor at Wake Forest University, will discuss her most recent book—MYTHS AND LIES ABOUT DADS: How They Hurt Us All (Routledge 2023). This groundbreaking publication slays more than 100 of the most damaging beliefs about fathers—some of them may be at the root of the estrangement in your family. Dr. Nielsen explains how to put an end to such harmful tales, allowing everyone—children and parents—to free themselves and their relationships.  JOIN US FOR A PROVOCATIVE AND INFORMATIVE CONVERSATION...

Black Friday Weekend - BZB Gift Show 2022

  30th Annual BZB Shop til Ya Drop! NOV 25-26th Black Friday & Saturday Shiloh Baptist Church 1510 9th Street NW(9th & P Sts) Washington DC 20001 https://bzbinternational.com/ https://www. washingtoninformer.com/d-c-s- busy-bee-to-reopen-holiday- shopping-extravaganza-after- two-year-hiatus/ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ shop-bzb-black-friday- saturday-tickets-467879559357 Janice Ferebee, MSW,  is an internationally recognized speaker, author, global female empowerment expert, and elected official, with a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2). She is the founder & Chief Woman Warrior (CWW) of Ferebee Enterprises International, LLC, a global female empowerment social enterprise.  With over 40 years' expertise, Janice has the distinction of being recognized by  BET Teen Summit ,  The Oprah Winfrey Show  and  ESSENCE Magazine ,  for her award-winning GOT IT GOIN' ON® (GIGO...

Dr. Rose Shelton - IT TAKES TWO…MAYBE MORE: Blended Families

  THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK June 6-10,2022 12:00PM   - 1:30PM ONLINE EVENT June 9—12:50 pm- IT TAKES TWO…MAYBE MORE: Blended Families   Rose Shelton, PhD, NCC, LCPC, C.Ht, co-leads with Carmen Haskins on June 9, 2022, IT TAKES TWO…MAYBE MORE: Blended Families, which focuses on reconciliation for families. Dr. Rose is a licensed and nationally certified professional counselor. She holds an MBA in International Relations, a master’s in clinical mental health counseling, and a PhD in counselor education and supervision from Capella University with a focus in multicultural theory and social justice advocacy competency. This is Dr. Rose’s second appearance at The National Reconciliation Week. Certified in hypnotherapy and addictions counseling, Dr. Rose uses a number of approaches from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Humanistic Therapy, Psychodynamics to Hypnosis to assist client’s in working through current conflicts in life and bringing about th...

Compassionate Canvas

  Compassionate Canvas. Digital art created on canvas. August 14, 2024. Afrika Abney  The significance of compassion can be beautifully expressed through the use of color. In my digital artwork, titled "Compassionate Canvas," I aimed to capture the very essence of this emotion by employing a palette of vibrant hues. Each color was carefully chosen to evoke feelings of warmth, understanding, and empathy. Through the strokes and shades in "Compassionate Canvas," I sought to illustrate how colors can serve as a visual language for compassion. The bright and lively tones intertwine to create a sense of connection and harmony, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork on a deeper level. 

Djimo Kouyate

  Commissioned Photography for Baba Djimo Kouyate Smithsonian Folklife Festival, 1997, Washington, DC Photograph by Ms. Afrika Abney   "Djimo Kouyaté (August 16, 1946 - August 1, 2004). Djimo Kouyate was from the Malinké tribe, a sub-group of the Mandingo people. Born in Tambacounda, Senegal, he was from a distinguished family of griots who trace their ancestry back to the thirteenth century. A master kora player and a fine singer and dancer, Djimo also played a variety of other instruments including balafon (wooden xylophone), drums, and other string instruments. He worked with the Senegalese National Ballet as a singer and dancer since 1960, and was a founding member of the National Instrumental Ensemble of Senegal."

CHANGE OF LOCATION: Discovering Me Summit and Awards Ceremony

  CHANGE OF LOCATION: Discovering Me Summit and Awards Ceremony https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/the-discovery-summit-and-scholarship-awards-ceremony Dec 10, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST The Woman's National Democratic Club, 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW About the event Each year since 2019, Esther Productions Inc. has presented a unique scholarship essay contest that invites young ladies aged 13 through 18 to submit essays that tell their stories about growing up without their fathers and building their resilience as they face that challenge. A group of accomplished artists, educators, clinicians, business and civic leaders serve as judges. Cash prizes, ranging from $1500 to $500, are given to the top winners during the Discovery Summit and Scholarship Awards Ceremony.  This year, the event is presented in cooperation with The Black Student Fund.  Anita Josey-Herring, chief judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, will provide remarks and present awar...

Poetry

Quote found on the Internet  Ms. Afrika Abney first started writing poetry when she was a high school student in 1991. She, a poet, explores themes of nature, spirituality, and women's strength in her vividly imagery-filled poetry. Ms. Abney advocates for unity, justice, and peace, promoting self-love and personal growth. Through her poetry, she spreads messages of hope and empowerment at various events from 2001 to 2005. Ms. Abney finds peace and upliftment in writing, expressing her thoughts and emotions to inspire unity and self-awareness. She has performed her original poetry at multiple venues in Washington, DC and Maryland, spreading messages of unity and hope. From 2001 to 2002, Ms. Abney organized the 1st Poetry Fest at Starbucks in Chinatown, DC, inviting poets like Sylvia "Lady Di" Beverly, Kisha Morris, and others to share their work. She also facilitated open mic sessions at the Islander and various other venues, including Market Five Gallery and Bossa Bistro ...

Why I do not like the 4th of July!

I do not like the 4th of July because so many lives have been lost. So many people alarmed by the alarming loud sounds of Fireworks. So many people have been hurt simply by Fireworks. As for myself, year after year, I have become traumatized by Fireworks for various reasons. Yet, some people wonder why as a Black American, I do not like the 4th of July.  I do not like the 4th of July because there really is not anything to celebrate. Racism, corruption, brutality, hatred, discrimination and prejudice floods the streets and destroys society. You spend money on Fireworks to wish America, Happy Independence Day, and Birthday. Really? Is America really happy? The colors red, white, and blue are supposed to have a significant symbolization. Yet, to me, it symbolizes blood, disassociation, and anger.  “You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world.”- Oprah Winfrey "Celebrate the little things." – Author Unknown   "Our fl...

Daily Routine and Commitment

    Quote found on the Internet  My daily routine is characterized by a high level of productivity, as I consistently engage in various activities that keep me occupied throughout the day. My focus is primarily on branding, the creation of digital art, and offering a range of services. This commitment to my work ensures that I remain fully immersed in my own work and services, allowing me to maximize my creative output and maintain a steady workflow. As I work from home, I find myself deeply engrossed in utilizing my digital palette and selecting an array of colors to produce my digital art. There is nothing mentioned in my blog posts about relationships. Please take the time to read. Thank you 

April is National Poetry Month

  "In a proclamation issued on April 1, 1996, Former President Bill Clinton declared: "National Poetry Month offers us a welcome opportunity to celebrate not only the unsurpassed body of literature produced by our poets in the past, but also the vitality and diversity of voices reflected in the works of today's American poetry….Their creativity and wealth of language enrich our culture and inspire a new generation of Americans to learn the power of reading and writing at its best."In addition, similar official National Poetry Month proclamation have been issued by mayors from towns and cities across the country, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tucson, and Washington, D.C.." “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is the painting that is felt rather than seen.” – Leonardo da Vinci “ Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” – Victor Hugo “Poetry is the revolution and the ra...