Ms. Afrika Abney - Consultant Branding Blog

  Photo found on the Internet  " Born Eugene Ethelbert Miller on November 20, 1950, in the Bronx, New York, he developed an early interest in literature. His passion led him to Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in African American Studies in 1972. His time at Howard was transformative - it was here he began to shape his voice, honing his skills as a poet and emerging as an activist. While still a student, Miller founded the literary magazine, 'Obasi,' marking the beginning of his lifelong dedication to promoting the arts. In 1974, two years after graduation, he was appointed as the director of the university's African American Resource Center. During his forty-plus years of service at the center, he curated an impressive collection of Black literature and culture artifacts. Miller's poetry is an exquisite blend of personal and political, addressing themes of racial injustice, love, and the human condition. He publish...

  Ms. Joy Jones - Fearless Public Speaking: A Guide for Beginners (SparkNotes) Photo found on the Internet  " Scared of speaking in public? You’re not alone! This accessible guide, written by a former teacher and poetry slam coach, will help tweens and teens find their voice!   If you have weak, wobbly knees and a pounding heart when you face an audience—don’t worry, that’s good! Joy Jones is here to show teens and tweens that stage fright is your friend. With its funny, friendly, slightly irreverent approach,  Fearless Public Speaking  helps young people feel more comfortable and confident in front of a crowd. Jones covers it all, from how to write and organize your speech, to how to deliver it and use audiovisual equipment, to how to troubleshoot when things go wrong." https://www.amazon.com/Fearless-Public-Speaking-Guide-Be ginners-ebook/dp/B07JNN8QW7 https://www.yabookscentral.com/yanonfiction/24481-fearless-public-speaking " Joy Jones has taught creati...

 The AACL Tour opened on March 16th and took place at Francis Gregory. The next AACL Tour is scheduled to take place on April 20, 2024. Please see details below:  (Photo credit from Esther Productions, Inc's programs)- https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/aachildrensliterature   Esther Productions Inc., in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing presents two authors Ms. Joy Jones and Mr. E.Ethelbert Miller on April 20th. Info:  aachildrenslit2023 @gmail.com . " Joy Jones has taught creative writing and public speaking to middle school students and coached poetry slam teams. Her children’s book Tambourine Moon (Simon & Schuster) was chosen in 2000 as a Kid’s Pick of the Lists by the American Booksellers Association, selected as one of the best books for children by the black caucus of the ALA, and seen on Fox TV’s hit show The Bernie Mac Show. She is also the author of Private Lessons:A Book of Meditations for Te...

(Photo credit from Esther Productions, Inc's programs)- https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/aachildrensliterature  ​ Sat, Apr 20 at Cleveland Park Library SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: DC'S AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERARY HISTORY ON TOUR  presented by Esther Productions Inc. in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing       Register Now  -  Ms. Joy Jones  (trainer, performance poet, playwright and author of several books including Private Lessons: A Book of Meditations for Teachers; Tambourine Moon, which was selected as one of the best books for children by the black caucus of the ALA and seen on Fox TV’s hit show The Bernie Mac Show; Private Lessons:A Book of Meditations for Teachers (Andrews McMeel);Fearless Public Speaking (SparkNotes), Jayla Jumps In (Albert Whitman & Company, 2020 and Black Caucus of the American Library Association BCALA, 2020 Best of the Best Bookli...

Mr. Ethelbert Miller and Ms. Sheila Crider knew me before I knew myself. Mr. Ethelbert Miller and Ms. Sheila Crider Photo found on the Internet Ethelbert Miller is a memoirist, award-winning poet and 2022 Grammy nominee for the Best Spoken Word Poetry Album--Black Men Are Precious-- will be the guest speaker for the workshop, providing insights and tips into memoir writing. Mr. Miller is the author of two memoirs and several collections of poetry. He also is the editor of three anthologies of poetry. He is the editor of Poet Lore magazine and the host of the radio show "On the Margin," which airs Thursday mornings on WPFW-FM. He is the former director of Howard University's African American Resource Center, and has taught at several universities and colleges including American University, Emory & Henry College, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Photo from Internet "Sheila Crider is a self taught artist currently based in Baltimore after practicing in Washi...

  Award-winning poet Brian Gilmore will read excerpts from his upcoming book " No More Worlds To Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington DC Since Paul Laurence Dunba r" on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at Francis Gregory. " BRIAN GILMORE  is a native of Washington D.C., a poet and long-time public interest attorney. He is also the author of four books of poetry and numerous essays for The Progressive Magazine.  Brian has won numerous awards, including the 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award for his book, come see about me marvin (Wayne State University Press). He is Senior Lecturer in the Law and Society Program at the University of Maryland - College Park." Register at  https://www. estherproductionsinc.com/ events-1/african-americans- and-childrens-literature-on- tour Please join him along with Ms. Mathis on Saturday. Info:  aachildrenslit2023@ gmail.com

  Author, Sharon Bell Mathis of several books will be at AACL Tour held this saturday from 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM at 3660 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020, USA. Info: aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com The Hundred Penny Box (Picture Puffin Books) - https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Penny-Picture-Puffin-Books/dp/014240702X Photo found on the Internet "This charming story is of Michael, a young African-American boy, and the close relationship he enjoys with his Great Aunt Dew, who is now one hundred years old. Michael does not think his mother understands Aunt Dew and the value of her precious hundred penny box, which holds one penny from each year of her life.Aunt Dew likes to take pennies out of the box and tell Michael stories from the year the penny represents. The conflict in the story revolves around Michael's mother's attempt get rid of the hundred penny box and his plight to protect it." https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/african-americans-and-childrens-lite...

 " Nkechi Taifa is an attorney, activist, scholar, motivational speaker and author. A native Washingtonian, she has been part of many movements for justice throughout the decades - the Black Power Movement, the New Afrikan Independence Movement, the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the Movement to Free Political Prisoners, the Reparations Movement, and the Movement to End Mass Incarceration. Incensed that books for Black children failed to highlight freedom fighters, she authored a book in her twenties, "Shining Legacy: Storypoems and Tales for the Young, So Black Heroes Forever Will Be Sung," (1983) followed by "The Adventures of Kojo and Ama" (1992). She describes her latest book, "Black Power, Black Lawyer: My Audacious Quest for Justice," as "part memoir, part textbook, part study guide, part expose'." Although sometimes raw, sometimes abrasive, sometimes passionate, Taifa offers her truth, unapologetically and unfiltered, with honesty and a...

Many years ago, when I was a high school student, I met Ms. Valerie Jean at SisterSpace and Books. Valerie Jean  is a poet, writer, teacher, and editor. She is the author of two poetry chapbooks, LPs (or  Recordings of one journey through a grief), and Woman Writing a Letter (winner of the 1991 Artscape Literary Arts Award for Poetry). Her poems have appeared in three anthologies, Double Stitch: Black Women Write About Mothers and Daughters, Spirit & Flame: An Anthology of Contemporary African American Poetry, and the forthcoming Beyond the Frontier, as well as in numerous journals, including The Black American Literature Forum, The Missouri Review, and Callaloo.

  " Sharon Bell Mathis (born 1937) is an American librarian and author who has written books mainly for children and young adults. Mathis was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She started writing at an early age, and her love of reading was fostered by her parents. Her mother, a poet, encouraged her to write. In 1958, she earned a degree in Sociology from Morgan State College and, in 1975, went on to earn a master's in Library Science from the Catholic University of America. Mathis has written many books for children and young adults, and has received many accolades in her career. Her book Ray Charles, a nonfiction biography of Ray Charles, received the Coretta Scott King Award. The Hundred Penny Box received a Newbery Honor Award and is a recipient of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award and also an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. English Journal placed Mathis alongside writers such as Toni Cade Bambara and Nikki Giovanni, characterizing them as "d...

Esther Productions Inc., in partnership with The Black Student Fund and The Institute for African American Writing presents two authors Sharon Bell Mathis and Brian Gilmore on Mar 16, 2024 from 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM at  3660 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC 20020, USA . " Sharon Bell Mathis (born 1937) is an American librarian and author who has written books mainly for children and young adults. Mathis was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She started writing at an early age, and her love of reading was fostered by her parents. Her mother, a poet, encouraged her to write. In 1958, she earned a degree in Sociology from Morgan State College and, in 1975, went on to earn a master's in Library Science from the Catholic University of America. Mathis has written many books for children and young adults, and has received many accolades in her career. Her book Ray Charles, a nonfiction biography of Ray Charles, received the Coretta Scott King Award. The Hundred Penny Box received a Newber...

"Be careful, think about the effect of what you say. Your words should be constructive, bring people together, not pull them apart."Miriam Makeba "Miriam Makeba was a South African singer, daughter, mother, and an antiapartheid activist. After she was exiled from South Africa in 1960, she used her success to shine a light on the ugly truths of apartheid government. She utilised her voice to sing political songs and deliver two speeches at the United Nations."

  March is Women's History Month "Nana Ruth Seshibe passed away in June 2015 Originally from South Africa, Nana was active on behalf of the Pan African Congress and as a result was forced to flee to Tanzania where she continued her fight against apartheid. In 1963 she moved to the U.S. to get her Bachelor’s degree before coming to CIE. Her research at CIE was based on both her own and others’ experiences as refugees. She undertook a detailed review of policies of organizations responsible for refugee education and an analysis of the curricula of refugee education programs. After getting her graduate degrees at CIE, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she taught at Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia. She also was actively involved with and taught at the Ujamaa School, the Roots Activity Learning Center, the Kemetic Institute of Magnificent Achievers, as well as Bell Multi-cultural High School."

  The materials that I use to create my new collages and paintings are mentioned below. Acrylic Paint " Staples Premuim Acrylic Paints Show artistic visions in brilliant colors by using this assortment of acrylic paints. The set features 12 shades that stand alone to cover craft projects or blend well with other colors to make creative signs and images. A chart on the back of the package provides guidance on mixing colors, and the paint dries quickly and thins easily with water to create different effects. These ArtSkills premium acrylic paints come in small tubes for easy application. Acrylic paints for both small and large projects provide you with vibrant colors in every stroke Comes in 12 vibrant colors that are sure to give you the best shade Each of the 12 paints has a volume of 0.32 fl. oz. Packaging is made in the form of a color box Package contains 12 acrylic paints in different colors Can be thinned with water" Oil Pastels "Crayola® Portfolio® Series Oil paste...

  Photos from Internet "The medium that an artist chooses to work with contributes to both the style of the art and its meaning. It can also enhance the texture. Medium is not a neutral choice in artwork but rather a highly complex and codified one. To learn about art, it is important to understand how mediums are used and why." When selecting materials to produce my new collages and paintings, I generally think about what I am creating before hand. For example, research suggests that smaller pieces sell faster than larger pieces. I prefer creating my new collages and paintings using 5 * 7 canvas panels, and 8 * 10 canvas, 9 * 12 canvas.

Two companies that focus on women and girls include African American Women's Resource Center, Washington, D.C - Cassandra Burton The African American Women's Resource Center is an educational and cultural service center. Esther Productions, Inc - Jonetta R. Barras Esther Productions, Inc. is dedicated to using a variety of vehicles—traditional and nontraditional—to develop communities throughout the United States and Europe. It was created in 2004 by Jonetta Rose Barras, award-winning journalist and author of Whatever Happened to Daddy’s Little Girl? It is a non-profit organization that empowers young women and girls to heal from past familial trauma and tension. It is supported through generous contributions from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, Emmanuel Bailey, Veterans Services Corp, Pepco, an Exelon Corporation, Fort Myer Construction Corporation Charitable Foundation and Esther’s Friends. ​ Some of the sponsors of the programs include The Black Student Fund, Kerry S. Pearson LLC, ...