Ms. Afrika Abney - Consultant Branding Blog

  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, ...

As I gear up for Women's History Month, I will be posting various women figures throughout the month of March. Prior to Women's History Month, I will be sharing women figures for the duration of Black History Month. "Woodson chose February for Negro History Week because it had the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, and Douglass, a former slave who did not know his exact birthday, celebrated his on Feb." "The first Women's Day celebration in the United States was in 1909, also in New York City. More than 7 decades later, Congress in 1981 established National Women's History Week to be commemorated annually the second week of March in 1981. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month." "The wonderful thing about being an artist is that there is no end to creative expression. Painting is my life; my life is painting."Loïs Mailou Jones

March is Women's History Month - Ms. Georgette S. Powell In 1999, I had the opportunity to participate in art exhibit that took place at the Children's National Medical Center and met Ms. Georgette S. Powell.   "Georgette Seabrook Powell was born in Charleston, SC in 1916 and raised in New York City. After graduating from The Cooper Union School of Art, she became active in the Harlem Arts Workshop. Powell was inspired by Augusta Savage (A’25), a young sculptor and the newly appointed director of the Harlem Arts Workshop. Powell learned from the dedication Savage gave to teaching arts in the Harlem community, and teaching became a cornerstone in her life as well. Powell was employed by the WPA, along with a team of artists, to create a series of murals for the Harlem Hospital Art Project. Her murals, titled Recreation in Harlem, depicted the daily lives, struggles and joys of Harlem’s residents. Once the murals had been completed, they were pronounced “too controversial” b...

"DC PCSB is an independent government agency of the District of Columbia, created in 1996, led by a volunteer seven-member board. DC PCSB provides oversight to 135 public charter schools, which are managed by 69 independently run nonprofit organizations called local education agencies" The DC Public Charter School Board has listed several workshops,The Discovery Summit and Scholarship Awards Ceremony, and Discovering Me...Without You: An Annual Personal Essay Contest which were all launched by Esther Productions, Inc in their bulletin in the past. 10-26 - 22  https://mailchi.mp/3dd58c7b5cc2/wednesday-bulletin-795754?e=4ae2bafe99 11-22 - 22  https://mailchi.mp/6b8b007a5b05/wednesday-bulletin-795758?e=4ae2bafe99 11-23-22  https://mailchi.mp/a3197817a7ab/wednesday-bulletin-795770?e=4ae2bafe99 11-30 - 22  https://mailchi.mp/7498c107cc56/wednesday-bulletin-795774?e=4ae2bafe99 12-7-22  https://mailchi.mp/70cf4b50e59c/wednesday-bulletin-795782?e=4ae2bafe99 9 - 20 ...

  The registration for African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition  (AACL) held on March 2nd has been closed as of Feb 23, 2024.  This event is curated by award-winning author and public scholar jonetta rose barras in partnership with humanities scholar Bernard Demczuk Ph.D. ,The Black Student Fund, The Institute for African American Writing, Teaching for Change, Social Justice Books, Buck Wild Media, and Lesa Warrick. Major funding has been provided by HumanitiesDC with additional support from Kerry S. Pearson LLC, and BusBoys and Poets. estherproductionsinc.com/aachildrensliterature

I t doesn’t make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.” – Jackson Pollock There are various painting techniques that artists use to create their paintings. In my earlier work, I used blended brush stroke techniques where the colors blend into one another. Whereas, in my later work, I used finger painting techniques where I want viewers to see how I express myself through using my fingers to blend colors.  Painting techniques are more successful and achieved when artists implement their own emotions and feelings into their work which is the main reason for creating a piece of art.  Landscape. 2005. Acrylic on Canvas. Afrika Abney          Autumn Landscape, abstract finger paintings focused on using some of the colors of Autumn.  Autumn Landscape #1. Acrylic on Canvas. 2022. Afrika Abney  Autumn Landscape #2. Acrylic on Canvas. 2022. Afrika Abney 

  Registration has re-opened for AACL as of February 16, 2024. Info: aachildrenslit2023@gmail.com. https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/seating-added-african-americans-and-childrens-literature-a-symposium-and-exhibition Mar 02, 2024, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM EST 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017 The following below panel discussions are apart of the African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition which is scheduled to take place on March 2, 2024 at Trinity Washington University. Among them include REMOVING THE MASK, AMPLIFYING OUR VOICES: The Struggle of Black Authors To Publish Authentic Stories About African American People--Their Lives and Their Culture; SEEING OURSELVES IN THE RIVER, IN THE MIRROR, IN THE WORLD: Illustrators Talk About The Challenge of Creating Images That Bring Children’s Books Alive ; TRUNKS, SATCHELS AND THE US POSTAL SERVICE: Book Distributors and Store Owners Tell Their Story About Getting Black Books into the World By All...

Me, Myself and Our Story was launched in 2023 by Esther Productions, Inc and The Institute for African American Writing and is designed for teen girls who have an interest in creative writing. It is a professional creative writing institute providing instruction in poetry fiction and memoir writing. Course of study will provide six weeks of focus and instruction on each topic. That is six weeks of poetry six weeks of fiction and six weeks of memoir writing. The Institute is for young ladies 15-19 years old who have an interest in creative writing. The first session will be in poetry. Students should be prepared to attend all six sessions.  The next session is scheduled to take place on February 24, 2024 at Trinity.  Feb 24, 2024, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST Washington, 125 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA--Room 230 Me, Myself and Our Story: Creative Writing Institute for Young Ladies Aged 15 through 19 is a free course led by professional and published writers. This six-w...

                                                                                       Photo credit - Internet "Honey, I Love, the enchanting poem from the 1978 book of the same name, is about love and the simple joys of everyday life. With new full-color illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist, this poem abounds with that special tenderness surrounding the everyday experiences in a child's life. Originally published: 1978 Author: Eloise Greenfield Genre: Poetry Illustrator: Jan Spivey Gilchrist" "Eloise Greenfield was an American children's book and biography author and poet famous for her descriptive, rhythmic style and positive portrayal of the African-American experience. After college, Greenfield began writing poetry and songs i...

    Feb 20, 2024, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM workshop via Zoom KALEIDOSCOPE WOMEN’S WRITING COLLECTIVE is a monthly writing club for women 18 and older. This is a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multi-racial group of women who share their in-progress writings. Benefits for being a member of this collective: "You meet a fantastic group of women who are at various stages in their development as writers; you will receive the encouragement you need to start or finish a creative project through the regular gatherings; and you will meet professional writers (guest instructors) who can impart words of wisdom and guidance as you pursue your creative dreams." If you are interested in being a member, please register at  https://www.estherproductionsinc.com/events-1/kaleidoscope-womens-writing-collective-accepting-new-members-1

    Sidney Clifton is the opening speaker for African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition which is scheduled to take place on March 2nd at Trinity. "Emmy-nominated producer Sidney Clifton has over twenty years of experience as an executive producer, director and creative executive overseeing animated, mixed-media and live-action content. She has produced hundreds of hours of episodic and longform content, a partial list can be found at her imdb page here. She has produced children’s and primetime content on Apple TV+, BET, NBC, Showtime, Paramount, and Hallmark Channel, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Academy of American Poets. In her role as mentor and recruiter, she has been a featured presenter, guest, and commencement speaker at colleges and universities across North America. "Ms. Clifton’s passion for developing and supporting the underserved community of writers, artists, storytellers and creators was the catalyst for her laun...

UNFINISHED BUSINESS, UNTOLD STORIES: A Look Beyond the Immediate Horizon at The Future of Children’s Literature Written by African American Authors is one of the panel discussions that is a part of the  African Americans and Children's Literature: A Symposium and Exhibition which is scheduled to take place on March 2, 2024 at 3pm. The presenters include Kwame Alexander, Tricia Elam Walker, David Miller, *Tiffany Mitchell Patterson, * Leroy Nesbitt and Joy Jones. " Kwame Alexander has written 38 books, three of them in a chair next to a fireplace at his neighborhood Panera Bread. He now writes in a penthouse in London, where he lives. But, he misses the writing studio he built in Virginia a few years ago. It has huge windows, a large painting of John Coltrane, 3000 books, heated floors, a blue couch, and a loft which was Randy’s idea. When he’s not writing, Kwame’s playing Softball with his soon-to-be six feet tall middle school daughter, walking around London listening to a...