If you didn’t know, tomorrow (June 19) is Juneteenth, the oldest celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

It dates back to 1865; on June 19th, the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Gavelston, Texas with the news that the war was over and that the slaves were now free. However, this was two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation; it had become official January 1, 1863. Due to the small number of Union troops to enforce this new Executive Order, the Emancipation Proclamation had little influence on Texans.

When General Lee surrendered in April 1865 and General Granger’s regiment arrived, the forces were strong enough to influence and conquer the resistance.

Here are a few speculations about what caused the two year delay (none are known to be true):

• A messenger was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom.
• The news was intentionally withheld by slave masters so they could maintain the labor force on plantations.
• The federal troops actually waited for slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

Today, Juneteenth observes African-American freedom and highlights education and achievement and is marked with celebrations, speakers, picnics and family gatherings. Additionally, it’s a time for reflection and rejoicing, assessment, self-improvement and future planning.

For more info about Juneteenth, visit my source, Juneteenth.com.

Photo from: dioncommunications.com

My besties and I-- Happy Black Girls : )

It’s the second Wednesday of the month, and you know what that means– Happy Black Girl Day! [Read more about it here.]

I wanted to share a few tips on how you can be happy from one of my faves, Amy Dubois Barnett; after all, isn’t this day all about being happy?

Celebrate right now. Today is a new day and a fresh opportunity to create something fabulous.

Make better choices. Avoid making quick judgments and think things through [just remember to trust your instincts]. And to make better choices, start small; for example, try eating a healthy snack today instead of grabbing a candy bar.

Be your best. Really believe that you are meant for excellence and greatness, and begin doing everything- whatever it is- to the absolute best of your abilities.

Stop comparing yourself to others. “What she’s got, that’s fine for her. But you, girlfriend, are unparalleled. Your life and your path are your own. Learn from others’ successes and failures, but do you.” <–That is one my all-time favorite quotes, and it’s so true. You will be so much happier when you stop worrying about what others are doing and focus on you.

Define success for you. Consider what success is on your terms and what it means to you. Your definition of success should be whatever brings you pleasure. Success is accomplishing goals that only you can set for yourself.

Think positively. Come up with an affirmation [or several] and repeat it/them aloud daily until they sink in. How to do it: think about an aspect of your life that needs work, write down in present tense how you want to feel [example: I am a successful entrepreneur with a thriving business.] Repeat your mantra every morning and night and when you think about it throughout the day. Your subconscious will get the message and push you in the right direction.

Feel free to share you tips for being happy!

Source: Get Yours: How to Have Everything You Ever Dreamed Of and More

In honor of this month, each week, I will focus on a woman and/or organization making a difference for women. This week it’s all about Tamika & Friends, Inc.

Tamika Felder, founder of Tamika and Friends, Inc.

Tamika & Friends, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about cervical cancer and its link to HPV (human papillomavirus). The organization was founded in 2005 by cervical cancer survivor and advocate Tamika Felder. Its network of survivors and their friends spread the essential message that through education, prevention and treatment, cervical cancer can be completely eliminated. Believing that creative communication is far more infectious than HPV- Tamika and Friends provides hands-on ways to spread the word to women in all walks of life.

Tamika created this nonprofit after being diagnosed with cervical cancer at 25-years-old. She had visited the doctor for a routine Pap after not having one for a few years due to lack of insurance and body image issues.

Doctors informed Tamika that her best chance of living was to have a radical hysterectomy (giving up her womb and chances of giving birth) or a radical trachelectomy; if she was a candidate for the latter, she’d have to get pregnant immediately or freeze her eggs. She ultimately agreed to have the radical hysterectomy.

Through all the chemo and radiation treatment, Tamika emerged a survivor! However, during her ordeal, in the early 2000s, cervical cancer and HPV weren’t in the news nearly as much as they are now, and Tamika and her friends felt they needed to do something to help and educate other women about HPV and cervical cancer. Ultimately, Tamika and Friends was born.

Currently, Tamika is cancer-free and enjoying life.

For more info about Tamika and Friends, check out the website, and for more information about HPV and cervical cancer, go to the Pearl of Wisdom Campaign website.

In honor of this month, each week, I will focus on a woman and/or organization making a difference for women. This week it’s all about Women in Progress.

Global Mamas co-founder, Renae Adam, instructs workers on assembly for new Global Mamas beaded products

Women in Progress works to acheive the economic independence of women and alleviate poverty at a grassroots level in Ghana. They do this through the sustainable growth of small women-owned businesses. The organization believes the best way to improve the standard of living for those living in poverty is by presenting innovative solutions to expand women-owned businesses to create new jobs and increase income levels.

The guiding principles are:

• Be accountable for all that they do
• Promote teamwork
• Respect the diversity and contributions of each individual

Women in Progress also does business as Global Mamas, a U.S. based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit established in 2002; it assists African women in obtaining economic independence.

The sales from Global Mamas’ allow these women to earn a living through the production of handmade batik products. All proceeds go directly to the women creating the merchandise and to the business development programs carried out by Women in Progress.

By helping women help themselves, Global Mamas is taking small steps towards helping end Africa’s dependence on foreign aid and creating a sustainable society.

For more info, check out the websites: www.womeninprogress.org, www.globalmamas.org

Photo from: womeninprogress.org

HBGD was created by the lovely blogger, Sister Toldja, and it’s celebrated every second Wednesday of the month. Check out her post about it here.

I really have no clue what to write about because I just found out about it approximately 15 minutes ago. So, I guess I’ll do a ‘What I love about black women’ post (note that all of these are probably generalizations, so yeah…)

• We pretty much look good in all colors (including clothes and makeup).
• We come in such beautiful shades.
• Our hair- need I say more?
• Black women are some of the most beautiful women on Earth- #imjustsayin #maybeimbiased?
• How we overcome racism and sexism to achieve greatness and success.
• I ♥ skinny black chicks : )
• We hold it down in the community and at home.
• We set trends- even though many won’t admit it, lots of people want to be like us #justsayin again

Ok, that’s all I can think of for now. Please share what you love about black girls below!

In honor of this month, each week, I will focus on a woman and/or organization making a difference for women. This week it’s all about CARE.

CARE is a top humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting global poverty. They place special focus on working with underprivileged women because when provided with adequate resources, these women have the ability and potential to assist entire families and communities in escaping poverty. Women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to further basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, develop economic opportunity and protect national resources. Additionally, the organization supplies emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters and assists individuals in re-establishing their lives.

The mission of CARE is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from their global diversity, resources and experience, they promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility. They facilitate lasting change by:

• Strengthening capacity for self-help
• Providing economic opportunity
• Delivering relief in emergencies
• Influencing policy decisions at all levels
• Addressing discrimination in all its forms

 In 2009, CARE backed 800+ poverty-fighting projects in 72 countries that reached more than 59 million individuals. Not only does the organization feed the hungry, it also helps tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can be self-sufficient. Because women and children experience poverty disproportionately, CARE puts special emphasis on working with women for lasting change:

Its programs include:

• Agriculture and natural resources
• Cross-cutting initiatives
• Economic development
• Education
• Emergency relief
• Health
• HIV/AIDS
• Nutrition
• Water

For more info and find out how to help, check out CARE’s website, www.care.org.

Photo from: llb.co.uk

In honor of this month, each week, I will focus on a woman and/or organization making a difference for women. This week is Tracey Friley, creator of OneBrownGirl.com.

According to its website, OneBrownGirl.com (OBG) celebrates culture, diversity and strong self-image amongst Brown Girls across the globe with positive messages, products, adventures and stories about The Brown Girl World. The site is the place for everyone and anyone with an interest in celebrating culture.

OBG loves everyone, and their viewpoint is always from a global perspective. Because they recognize (with disdain) that in many cultures being Brown hasn’t been historically celebrated, OBG’s ultimate goal and mission is to educate, uplift and enlighten people around the world about the beauty of the world’s different Brown Girl’s cultures.

Like the site says, it’s time for Brown Girls to take a stand and be proud of the skin they’re in, of who they are and who they were born to be.

Check  it out: OneBrownGirl.com.

As you all know, Sunday is Valentine’s Day! Here some fun facts I found about the holiday.

• Around 1 billion V-day cards are exchanged in the U.S. every year. It’s the second largest seasonal card-sending occasion (Christmas is first).
• Women buy 85 percent of all valentines.
• Over 50 million roses are given for V-day around the world.
• 73 percent of individuals who buy flowers for V-day are men.
• In order of popularity, V-day cards are given to teachers, children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.

And here are some V-day superstitions:

• You’re considered lucky if you are awakened with a kiss on V-day.
• On that day, the first guy’s name you read in the newspaper (or online news, I suppose) or hear on TV or radio is the name of the man you will marry.

If, on this day, you see:

• A squirrel- you’ll marry a cheapskate who’ll hoard all your money.
• A goldfinch- you’ll marry a millionaire.
• A robin- you’ll marry a crime fighter.
• A flock of doves- you’ll have a happy, peaceful marriage.

Source: Valentine Day Fun Fact

Photo from: images.outinamerica.com

Dr. Carter G. Woodson

Of course you know that February is Black History Month, but do you know the history behind it? You do…right? Well, if not this post is for you, and if you do know, share it with someone who doesn’t!

Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Rev. Jesse Moorland co-founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. The goal? To explore and bring awareness “to the largerly ignored, yet crucial role black people played in American and world history.” Woodson published and distributed what he found in The Journal of Negro History with the hopes of dispelling accepted untruths and teaching black people about their cultural background and give them a sense of racial pride.

With Woodson’s influence, the fraternity Omega Psi Phi created Negro History and Literature Week in 1920, and in 1926, he changed the name to Negro History Week. Woodson chose February as a way to honor the birth of two men whose actions radically changed the future of black Americans: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

The Black Power Movement of the 1970s prompted the ASNLH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) to change Negro History Week to Black History Week. In 1976, the week became a month-long observance.

“We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice.”

 -Dr. Woodson on founding Negro History Week:

Source: biography.com

Photo from: www.noa.gov

Of course, you know today is MLK Day, but do you know the history behind the holiday?

It was signed into law as a national holiday in 1983 by Ronald Reagan; it is currently observed every third Monday in January. However, it wasn’t celebrated as a holiday until 1986, and not all states officially celebrated it until 2000.

MLK Day has been met with controversy and resistance since its beginnings. Several states were hesitant in accepting the federal holiday with its current name, and even some who voted for it to become a holiday didn’t like the “fact that it was a national holiday for a private citizen.” Lots of states observed it under various names, like Civil Rights Day, and some celebrated it in connection with other holidays.

The initial resistance to identifying MLK Day a federal holiday ended after a petition to Congress started. It was signed by more than 6 million U.S. citizens demonstrating that Americans wanted to honor the great Civil Rights leader.

Dr. King is the only American other than George Washington to have a national holiday designated for his birthday.

“Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. A (person) should do his/her job so well that the living, the dead and the unborn could do it no better.”

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Source: patriotism.org, Photo from: writespirit.net