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DISCOVERING ME…WITHOUT PERSONAL ESSAY CONTEST presented by Esther Productions Inc. & The Black Student Fund

 DISCOVERING ME…WITHOUT PERSONAL ESSAY CONTEST presented by Esther Productions Inc. & The Black Student Fund opens on September 1, 2023 for submissions. Submit your essay Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2023 WIN CASH AWARDS (Up TO $1500), GIFT CARDS, PUBLICATION YOU CAN HAVE IT BUT YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN! Questions please send them to estherproductionsinc@gmail.com. Discovering Me…Without You Essay Contest was launched in 2019 by the Fatherless Daughter Empowerment Project, a division of Esther Productions Inc. The essay contest is designed to educate the public about the importance of fathers in the lives and development of girls and women. Nationally, more than 24 million children are growing up in homes without their fathers. In the Washington Metropolitan region at least 60 percent of homes are single parent households, many of them headed by women. The contest is intended to provide a platform for some of those children, particularly fatherless girls. M...

POSTPONED - DR NIELSON conversation with jonetta rose barras - NRW

  Greetings, I hope all is well with you. I would like to inform you DR. LINDA NIELSEN's conversation with jonetta rose barras has been postponed.  If you can please share the attached flyer with your community, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thank you

CANCELLED - FINDING YOUR WAY FORWARD: Creating A Reconciliation Plan for You an interactive workshop with jonetta rose barras - NRW 2023

  Greetings, I hope all is well with you. I would like to inform you that  FINDING YOUR WAY FORWARD: Creating A Reconciliation Plan for You an interactive workshop with jonetta rose barras  has been cancelled.  If you can please share the attached flyer with your community, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thank you​

Rage, Abstract painting created on canvas

The streets of my own hometown have been very difficult to take long leisurely walks and stop to enjoy a scene or two without wondering if I am going to be subjected once again to gun violence? So, I spend my time expressing my pain, anger and experiences of growing up as a black girl listening to guns and fireworks. These sounds creating endless nightmares and terror. I pick up my paint brushes sometimes and other times, I create my paintings with my fingers and hands. Two years ago, I created numerous paintings. One of which entitled: Rage. Rage. January 1, 2022. Acrylic on Canvas. 16 * 20. Afrika Abney Before, I created my abstract painting on canvas entitled: Rage. I first applied white paint on the canvas. I entitled it rage because as a professional visual artist, I believe it is important to incorporate emotions and expressions into my artwork to let the audience know how I feel about my community, society and world. Each color that I chose to create my painting has a meaning. ...

FINDING YOUR WAY FORWARD: Creating A Reconciliation Plan for You an interactive workshop with jonetta rose barras

THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK For Self & Family June 9, 2023 12:30-1:00 pm A Virtual Event FINDING YOUR WAY FORWARD: Creating A Reconciliation Plan for You an interactive workshop with jonetta rose barras Ms. Barras is the The founder Esther Productions Inc. and The National Reconciliation Week: For Self and Family. She has been leading reconciliation coaching workshops since 2004. Ms. Barras is also an award-winning author of Bridges: Reuniting Daughters and Daddies (Bancroft Press 2005) and Whatever Happened to Daddy's Little Girl: The Impact of Fatherlessness on Black Women (RandomHouse 2000). https://www. estherproductionsinc.com/ events-1/the-national- reconciliation-week-for-self- and-family-june-9-2023-2023- 06-09-12-30   "The National Reconciliation Week advances the concept that leading a healthy centered, balanced life requires being in touch with our emotions and understanding the effects they may have on our physical, mental and spiritual health. The process...

Panel Discussion: ESTRANGEMENT & RECONCILIATION

 ESTHER PRODUCTIONS INC. presents ESTRANGEMENT & RECONCILIATION: The Wound and The Balm a conversation during   THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK For Self & Family June 5, 2023 12:30-1:30 pm   A Virtual Event The challenges of life can sometimes cause devastating traumas that can lead to personal or familial estrangement. What does estrangement look like? When we separate, losing our way, how do we find the path back to wholeness? How do we reconcile? Join us for the answers to those and other questions during a provocative, informative and entertaining conversation during a week of live and previously recorded activities. ESTRANGEMENT & RECONCILIATION features psychotherapist Dr. Nic Hardy, Tasha Smith, LCPC-S, LPC, CCTP-II, CTMH, CMC-1, NCC and Myla Johnson, Trinity University Washington senior whose award-winning research project focuses the impact of father absence and African American boys.  IT'S FREE. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED at  ...

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...

Oil Painting on Canvas, Rocky Roads

  When I was a student, I learned about oil painting. Oil paint requires proper ventilation and takes longer to dry. The above features demonstrates Ms. Afrika Abney working on creating her oil paintings on canvas. Rocky Roads. Oil on Canvas. 16 * 20. May 1, 2023. Afrika Abney Rocky Roads is about the imbalance that humans face when traveling from one place to another place. Soft gradients of pink blend together with hints of yellow and purple, creating a calming and dreamy effect.  The use of subtle variations in hue and shading adds depth and dimension to the composition.

Dark Magic, abstract painting on canvas

  “A star becomes a sun, under the pressure of darkness.”-  M. R. Noble "Some thought magic came from the mind, others the soul, or the heart, or the will."-  V.E. Schwab I created Dark Magic based on how some people use magic for their own personal agenda or some spiritual purposes. While others do not have a purpose for magic at all. What is the meaning behind dark magic? Dark magic symbolizes how some people want to have the power of humans. This creates an overwhelming sense of imbalance. Dark Magic. May 12, 2022. 14 * 18. Acrylic on Canvas. Afrika Abney

Ms. Lesa Warrick at Women Blossoming

Please join Ms. Lesa Warrick and other members of Kaleidoscope Writing Collective at Women Blossoming.  Kaleidoscope Women's Writing Collective, a diverse group of poet and fiction writers at various stages in their career. They released their first book this year "Women of Color Reflecting on Life." LESA WARRICK is a proud mother of one son, Courtney Jr. (CJ), but she mentors and pours into the lives of young people daily. She is a National Board-Certified Exceptional Needs Teacher who enjoys working with children of all ages, but her passion is working with students with special needs. She also has a passion for teaching young people about empathy and compassion through civic engagement and service-learning projects as she believes in blessing others so that her life can be blessed. During her personal time, she loves listening to gospel music, journaling, volunteering, walking, and traveling. Ms. Warrick credits much of her personal growth to her strong faith and the ...

Kaleidoscope Women's Writing Collective at Women Blossoming

  Kaleidoscope Women's Writing Collective, a diverse group of poet and fiction writers at various stages in their career. They released their first book this year "Women of Color Reflecting on Life." Sharon Burton, Kanimozhi mv, and Betty Nyangoni are among the members scheduled to appear reading new and published works at 4:00 pm. (an open mic will follow from 4:30 to 4:45 pm) SHARON BURTON is an artist, poet, and creativity coach based in the Washington, DC area. She is a visual artist whose preferred medium is collage and mixed media and has exhibited her art in galleries, art venues and other settings across the country since 2007. Her work can be found in private collections in Atlanta, Washington, DC and other places across the country.   In 2018, she started writing poetry as a form of creative expression after dealing with a life lesson. In 2019, she compiled a chapbook of 35+ poems which she self-published for her friends and family entitled Moon Rising in Capri...

MEET ADDISON SWITZER at WOMEN BLOSSOMING

MEET ADDISON SWITZER at WOMEN BLOSSOMING  ADDISON SWITZER is a professional actor who has been on most of the local stages, including Arena, Shakespeare Theatre, African Continuum Theatre and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has appeared on popular television programs like The Wire, and SWAGGER. Mr. Switzer has most recently been seen with Julia Roberts, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle in The Kennedy Center Honors Awards in Washington, DC. Mr. Switzer is also co-chair of the board of directors of Esther Productions Inc. and its visual director. A native Washingtonian who currently resides in Cheverly, MD., Mr. Switzer is president of Buckwildmedia.com at 4:00 pm during the Women Blossoming Celebration will present an original dramatic monologue. Esther Productions, Inc presents Women Blossoming: A Traditional Tea & Celebration to Inspire and Empower May 06, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT Trinity Washington University 125 Michigan Ave NE Washington, DC 20017, USA IT'S F...

MEET ANA R. HARVEY, BUSINESS AND CULTURAL LEADER EXTRAORDINAIRE AT WOMEN BLOSSOMING

MEET ANA R. HARVEY, BUSINESS AND CULTURAL LEADER EXTRAORDINAIRE WHO WILL KEYNOTE "Women Blossoming: A Traditional Tea & Celebration to Inspire and Empower" May 6, 2023 from 3-5 pm at 125 Michigan Ave. NW (on the campus of Trinity Washington University). It's free BUT tickets are required. Get them at https://www. estherproductionsinc.com/ events-1/women-blossoming-a- traditional-tea-celebration- to-inspire-and-empower-girls- and-women-16-and-older Ana R. Harvey  is president / CEO of HarveyHudson Group and  Chief Executive Officer of the Dupont Underground, an arts organization committed to developing a multidisciplinary platform for creative expression. She is a former director of the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). For four years, she served in the administration of  President Barack Obama as the U.S. Small Business Administration's Assistant Administrator for Office of Women's Business Ownership, managing a budget of over $50 ...

MEET CREATIVE WELLNESS EXPERT JENNIFER Y. OKOSUN AT WOMEN BLOSSOMING

  A creative writer, author of the blog Power upWell, speaker and creative entrepreneur,   Jennifer taught herself as a child to use the arts to cope with trauma. As an adult she   used them to heal. Jennifer has facilitated several workshops locally and nationally on self-care and   healing from trauma. ON MAY 6 at 3:00 pm during the WOMEN BLOSSOMING, she   will share her expertise, teaching you what she knows while helping you as you move   on your path to greater empowerment. COME CELEBRATE YOURSELF! YOU DESERVE IT! Register at   www.estherproductionsinc. com/events-1/women-blossoming- a-traditional-tea-celebration- to-inspire-and-empower-girls- and-women-16-and-older Esther Productions, Inc. is a Washington, DC-based national nonprofit organization. Founded in 2004, it is dedicated to inspiring and empowering girls and women. It is supported through generous contributions from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, Emmanuel Bailey, Veterans Services Corp, Pepco, an...

MEET AFRIKA ABNEY at WOMEN BLOSSOMING

MEET AFRIKA ABNEY at WOMEN BLOSSOMING  An award-winning visual artist and art consultant, Afrika Abney holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from the prestigious Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC. She has received numerous grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She has been nominated several times for a “Mayor’s Arts Award.” Ms. Abney’s abstract paintings and collages have been exhibited widely across the east coast, including at Emma Mae Gallery (Washington, DC), The New Harlem Gallery (New York City, New York), Wisteria ArtSpace (New York City, New York), Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), Market 5 Gallery (Washington, DC), The Phillips Collection (Washington, DC) and Dupont Society (Washington, DC). Come and see a few of her latest abstract paintings on May 6th at 3pm as Esther Productions, Inc presents  Women Blossoming: A Traditiona...

THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK: FOR SELF & FAMILY 2023

  THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK: FOR SELF & FAMILY 2023 June 5-June 9, 2023 Virtual Event  "Reconciliation Week Created by Esther Productions Inc.the National Reconciliation Week: For Self & Family has been designed to: Raise awareness about the importance of family in developing whole, healthy children and adults;   Raise awareness about the importance of family to developing strong communities and a healthy society;   Provide specific information and techniques for strengthening the family, whether traditional or blended;   Provide specific information to help young single mothers and fathers understand their roles as parents;   Provide tips to enable single mothers and fathers to become more expert at parenting while juggling other external responsibilities   Encourage more parents who do not live in the same household to embrace co-parenting as a process improve emotional, spiritual and healthy outcomes for their children and themselves;...

Women Blossoming

  Women Blossoming: A Traditional Tea & Celebration to Inspire and Empower  is the event of the spring season that features fantastic speakers and creatives: Business and cultural leader  Ana R. Harvey,  a former senior executive in President Barack Obama's administration and current director of Dupont Underground, a dynamic cultural hub national and international in the nation's capital, will provide information and guidance to help women lean in--whether creating their own business or lifting and amplifying their voices.  Jennifer Y. Okoson,   reminds us that "our capacity to create is where we begin to live more fully, experience transformation, and embark on a journey of healing." In a mini-workshop she will help participants "explore Creativity as a Wellness Practice!" Come and enjoy a creative activity to enhance your personal self-care. Speaking of creativity, the members of the  Kaleidoscope Women's Writing Collective  will share ...