Nura Fall 2016

NURA Magazine The POWER of Words with Maimah Karmo

Fall/Winter 2016

Influencers & Trailblazers Leading the Way

INSIDE STORY: DC ATTORNEY GENERAL What “following” someone really means on SOCIAL MEDIA

SUCCESS OF A SOULFUL SOUND:

“strong melodies, strong lyrics & being creative”

Millennial Women

will have a lasting impact on our society!

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TEAM & CONTACTS Co-Founder/ Executive Director Akilah Dia-Amadi Clark akilahclark@NURAMagazine.com Co-Founder/ Editor-In-Chief Crystal Davis crystaldavis@NURAMagazine.com Managing Editor Imani Camp Creative Director Christin ‘Loocie’ Glover

Writers Akilah Dia-Amadi Crystal Davis E. DeSouza Latisha Carr Whitney J. Kenton Rambsy Content Editor Courtney Anderson

Photographers Bernadette Dare (cover & content) Braedon Jenkins John West PR & Branding Media International | Auntea Marie Lead Beauty Consultant Latoiya Crawford Social Media Specialist Eric Jackson Subscriptions| Advertising| Submissions Info@NURAMagazine.com

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Fall/Winter 2016 | NURAMagazine.com

NURA Magazine is a lifestyle women’s feature for our sophisticated ladies of urban communities. You will find articles on world news, beauty, health, fashion, relationships, travel and business.

Our Mission is to empower women to find the best within themselves, to encourage high level thinking, and inspire them to take action toward a fulfilling life. You will find a balance of celebrity gossip as well as food for thought in life’s complexities.

Behind the Name: NURA The name NURA is derived from the Arabic language meaning “the Light.” Light is a metaphor for wisdom, knowledge, and truth. The purpose of light is to give a clear perception of what may not be seen otherwise. The best example is given in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. The men of the cave thought they knew everything there was to know about life until they were expose to light. Light in that example was not only a representation of knowledge but truth. NURA Magazine hopes to provide articles that are captivating yet rich with wisdom.

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NURAContents 6

NURA’S BEAUTY Ashley Harper

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NURA’S BEAU Devin Thomas

10 MILLENNIAL WOMAN MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Meagan Ward 13 BE A LEADER, NOT JUST A FOLLOWER

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14 MESSAGE BY DC ATTORNEY GENERAL

Karl Racine 18 VOW TO BE HAPPY 20 BREAK BARRIERS AND GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL...

with George H. Lambert Jr. 24 THE GODDESS POTENTIAL

by Tara Wallace 29 ENOUGH 30 FASHION MEETS TECHNOLOGY

with V. Hanley Designs 42 AMANDA HOLLEY 46 YOURCURLFRIEND 52 THE POWER OF WORDS: A SURVIVOR STORY

Maimah Karmo - COVER PAGE 56 TRAVEL 58 DESIGNER DESMOND HANDON

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WELCOME TO NURA MAGAZINE

&Blessings

Peace

Dear Readers, Thank you for reading Nura Magazine Fall/Winter 2016.

This season we have decided to focus on Leadership. As the United States welcome in its new Administration, we wanted to drill down to what it really takes to be a leader. During the 2016 Presidential election cycle, we have heard all sorts of controversy and scandal as it relates to our candidates. One question that has been consistently raised is: What qualifies or discredits a leader of the free nation? We know a leader does not have to be a President, Dignitary or CEO, but must exhibit distinct qualities to set him or herself apart from the rest. Leaders are found in some of the oddest places and across diverse disciplines. Leaders are innovators, trailblazers, and sometimes rule breakers.

Leaders may find themselves off the beaten path to explore new discoveries of life. Leaders are identifiers of improvement opportunities but certainly they are problem solvers. Most of all leaders have compassion and lead with social responsibility first. A leader is not perfect and is entitled to mistakes. However, a leader is accountable for all decisions and actions that has an adverse effect on the public. In this issue, we present to you a body of leaders in art, culture, music, health, entrepreneurship and civil rights. Please check our website for more developing stories on leadership and power.

Best, NURA Founders Akilah Dia-Amadi Co-Founder/Executive Director

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Crystal Davis Co-Founder/Editor-In-Chief

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Beauty NURA’s

Ashley Harper

Full Name: @OfficialAshleyHarperNC Education: North Carolina Central University (NCCU) & Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSUD) Occupation: ABC’s The Bachelor Season 17 contestant; professional actress, model, singer/ songwriter

Hobbies: Writing music, mentoring at-risk youth, the beach Community Service: I have been mentoring at-risk and inner city children for over a decade.

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NURA: What is something that your audience should know about you?

ASHLEY: I am thee quadruple threat and my resume speaks for itself. I push to become the best that I can be while utilizing a lifetime’s worth of entertainment industry professional experience. I am not saying I am the greatest; just stating what I am. I began on stage at 4 as a classically trained dancer, started beauty pageants at age 5, was a professionally published print model by age 8, and singing since 7. All of my life I have worked to fulfill and continue to fulfill my talent and God’s promise.

NURA: What do you love most about your career in entertainment?

ASHLEY: I love the love! I work off of love and to receive it every day from doing what I love is amazing! I could not ask for anything more!

NURA: What have you experienced in your career that you have never anticipated?

ASHLEY: Automatic recognition! When you do a show as big as the one I was on, people recognize you and tell you and it still feels weird but really awesome at the same time because they never forgot you. It is a humbling feeling that makes you feel thankful every time someone approaches.

NURA: What do you stand for? What message(s) do you hope to share with your audience in the years ahead?

ASHLEY: I believe in being you and being proud of it! I believe we have enough clones and reproductions of everything in society and so my message is to be CONFIDENTLY YOU! No one wants to see another someone else, so just BE YOU! I have the utmost respect for all those out there who “do them” and do not let other people dictate or judge the outcome of their future.

As long as it is positive and non-harmful to others, be proud of who you are and stand your ground! Respect!

NURA: What’s next for you?

ASHLEY: All that God intends! I perform my original music regularly in the Atlanta area by invitation in

independent artist showcases and live radio shows, interviews, television shows; I am of course staying in the studio recording new hotness! I am gearing up to shoot my debut music video for my new single, “Came A Long Way” around the end of September; I am a Celebrity Spokes model at this year’s International Bronner Brothers Convention and Hair Show in Atlanta; and PROUD to announce my new company Ashley Harper Entertainment is now in business and I own all of the rights and publishing to my music and look forward to having artists under my label in the near future! There is so much more to come because the sky is truly the limit! Make sure you follow all that happens on my journey on IG @ OfficialAshleyHarperNC NURA: Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?

ASHLEY: Within the next decade, I can foresee that I will be utilizing all of my entertainment accreditation and experience in film and television; hopefully with Tyler Perry and amongst A-List Black Hollywood; continuing to make original music, signing new artists on my label Ashley Harper Entertainment; continuing mentoring and coaching at-risk youth in the arts; and continuing to build the Ashley Harper Brand for all things positive in our communities.

NURA: Why is community involvement/ service so important to you?

ASHLEY: Community involvement is everything to me. Our neighborhoods and communities of underprivileged and less fortunate children will always be my entire heart; reason being, they are Our future. And no one out there seems to turn a blind eye or at least to me, not enough. The attention and love that is received from a child in difficult circumstances from an adult they admire that has worked hard to be in better circumstances is sacred and genuine.

Particularly if you resemble their skin tone, attributes, and family upbringing.

So, for those reasons--And, when I look into their eyes and see hope just from them staring into mine--I will always be deeply connected, engaged, and rooted, to the children at-risk and among inner cities. It is a lifelong duty from me that will never be fulfilled because I will always be a part of that mission of love and understanding.

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Beau

NURA’s

Devin Thomas

Full Name: Devin Thomas Height: 6’ 2’ Education: Michigan State Occupation: Professional Football Player, Coach, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur

Devin Thomas is a NY Giants, Super Bowl 46 Champion from the State of Michigan. Devin has a humble spirit and positive outlook on life. He loves giving back to the community by coaching and mentoring. He often visits low-income neighborhoods and inspires youth to achieve their goals. Devin believes that if youth see that he came from a similar background as them, they will know that they too can achieve immeasurable heights. He encourages young athletes to persevere through disappointment and pain. He reminds young men and women that injury and pain is a part of the game. Devin teaches his mentees to work hard on their craft and set high expectations.

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Most importantly, Devin believes that God is the ultimately planner and will put you on the path you should be on. Devin has since retired from the NFL in order to embark on his next journey in life. He is building a program to incorporate health, wellness, and fitness.

Devin is a leader in his community. He defines leadership as someone who can: • Diffuse situations • Lead from behind • Keep a strong head on your shoulders • Take responsibility for others • Keeping calm when facing adversity

“Anything can be accomplished. Shoot for the stars and be okay with landing on the moon. God is the ultimate planner.”

–Devin Thomas

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MILLENNIAL WOMAN MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Meagan Ward is Creatively Flawless

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he calls herself a woman of many hats and this only captures a portion of this woman on the move.

Her name is Meagan Ward. As a millennial, Meagan recognizes that millennial women will have a lasting impact on our society with leadership, innovation and job creation. Owner of Creatively Flawless, her love for women in business encourages her to support woman of color through branding and creative strategies. Her support of women spans beyond her business, as she creates initiatives and forums to reach thousands of women nationwide.

Meagan quit her 9-5 job just a few short years out of college. She went to school for Business Marketing, but soon realized there was a void.

There was no major that encompassed all the many things Meagan knew she loved and all the ideas she had running through her head. “I love fashion, networking, creativity, marketing and fresh new ideas”. She realized how much power she possessed within and decided entrepreneurship would have to be her solution.

“I started off as a MUA because I knew I could be artsy and creative. I then began to play with branding. I created websites and logos for women entrepreneurs. I used Instagram to attract clients.

My clients began referring other clients. After building my clientele and making money, I soon realized I was making just as much with my business

as I was with my 9-5 as a real-estate marketing professional”. Needless to say, the Creatively Flawless Branding Agency was born, a dynamic full service branding and marketing company.

Then came the Powerful Woman, a national organization that brings like-minded women together. The organization hosts sold out luncheons, conferences and workshops. “I wasn’t the party girl.

I went to college to create my dream life. I wanted to connect to other women who were serious like me.”

One day, Meagan invited a group of women who she knew were “go-getters” like her to lunch. Over time, the lunches got bigger and bigger until hundreds of women began signing up and the lunches turned into conferences. “Its something special. The most unique thing is though all the women are powerful and successful, they are also kind and respectful.”

For years, successful women of color have been stereotyped as catty and unpleasant to one another.

Meagan is excited by the transition she is witnessing first hand in the community. “We are sisters, we face challenges together. Sisterhood has not been a strong foundation. We need to overcome learned behavior and reprogram our minds. Millennial women are the turning point. We are meant to be in this world for a purpose and collaborating only helps.

Generations will be better than us and I am excited.”

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Millennial Woman Making a Difference

Meagan, a new mom who has welcomed her son on October 4th, 2016. She recognizes the challenges ahead. “So many things to overcome as a woman in business. Everyday we are going against stereotypes. I promised myself that above all I would not loose focus of my goals.”

Excited about welcoming her bundle of joy, she knows that building her family will make her journey ahead more meaningful. “Now I will have a part of me that enhances everything that I am doing.”

She leads by example and service.

“Being a leader is not about you. It’s about creating other leaders, I am a reflection of role models that I had.”

She tell all those who want to walk in her shoes to “Get Your Feet Wet” and “Be Open to Change.” She believes many of us get stuck being unhappy because we are not open to change. She attests “As women we change and in college we change. Resisting change will hinder us from our purpose.”

Meagan is still embracing change as she transitions to become a public speaker. This past summer she was a panelist and speaker at the RISE Empowerment Weekend conference alongside names such as, Karen Civil and Angelic Nwandu. Meagan is ready to embrace life for all that is in store. “I can never see myself doing anything else. I can wake up and do what I love. I love connecting women and helping them become successful.”

Society wanted me to be something different than what I wanted to be.

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BE A LEADER,

Not Just A Follower:

Leadership in the Age of Social Media By: Latisha Carr In a time where the amount of Twitter and Instagram followers you have seems to deem your status in the world, I often find myself thinking of something my childhood best friend’s Dad would tell us all the time as kids. “Be a leader, not a follower.” There could be a huge impact on our culture and generation if more people recognized the importance of being a leader and behaving as such. Although leadership is a multifaceted concept, taking a look at what leadership looks like for millennials is imperative to our forward progress as a culture and generation.

A leader is defined a few ways by Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Two of those definitions are: “Someone or something that leads others: such as, someone who guides other people” and “a powerful person who controls or influences what other people do; a person who leads a group, organization, country, etc.” Social media has given every person with a Twitter or Instagram handle the ability to lead, even if it is unintentional leadership. We quickly hit the “Follow” button for celebrities, people we know, and people we want to know. We usually do not stop to think about what “following” someone actually means. When we follow people on social media or when people follow us, it opens up a space for influence and guidance over our own lives or the lives of those who follow us. Having a large social media following is an opportunity to influence and lead people, which comes with responsibility. Utilizing social media as a realm for leadership gives you the platform to impact hundreds, thousands, or millions of people on a daily basis. In today’s culture, a simple post can be seen across the world. If you want to be a leader in your community or environment, and not just a follower, take the simple steps to be intentional about how you are leading and guiding those who follow you. Show integrity and be authentic. Perfection is not a requirement, but authenticity and integrity can create positive influence on those that follow.

On any social media outlet, you occupy, be aware of the impact you have on all who “follow” you. First, be authentic in who you are. Post things that represent you and what you want the world to be. Remember that what you post could impact others.

Choose to be a positive light to those that follow you. Use your social media presence to encourage, inspire, and move people forward from your unique perspective. We all have the ability to not just “follow” on social media, but to lead in a powerful way.

Message by DC Attorney General

KARL RACINE

Pivotal Life Moments I am from Haiti. My family is Haitian. Five months after my birth, my parents decided to leave Haiti.

There was a brutal dictatorship that was violating civil rights and there was a lot of violence. My parents were activists and didn’t want to raise their children in that kind of environment. They left my sister and I, settled in DC, and after getting established they sent for us three years later.

What’s crucial about that is:

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1. Being Born in Haiti 2. Being born to my parents 3. My parents’ courageous decision to leave their children, get settled, and then send for their kids

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I learned about leadership at home through my parents. My parents were extraordinary role models. My mother was an educator. My mother was a professor at the University of the District of Columbia. My father was the Mayor of his town in Port A Prince, Haiti. He later became the Haitian console in New York. I also played sports growing up here in DC. I had excellent coaching in public recreation clubs, police force club leagues, and in high school. I learned a lot about leadership from those sources.

Qualities of a Leader The most important aspect of leadership is that a leader must be selfless. It’s fundamentally not about the leader and his or her ego. It’s about the team. I learned that in order for a leader to be successful, a leader has to collaborate with a lot of people. It’s everybody on the team. If it’s the government its with other agencies. If it’s a managing partner of a law firm, which I had the honor of being a part of for 6.5 years, its really working with other leaders of the firm to bring the results to help the firm.

Its important for the leader to work extremely hard to understand the necessary facts so that he or she after being advised by their team, can make the best decisions. In making decisions, it’s important to persuade the members of the team in order to get them to line up and implement that which has been decided.

1. Being Selfless 2. Being Collaborative 3. Understand Important Facts 4. Persuade and Motivate people to accomplish the goals

OAG Objectives & Legacy The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for the first time is fully independent. For the first time the OAG has an Attorney General who is elected by the people. Its responsibilities specifically include always acting in the interest of the public. When I finish my time here at the OAG, I would like people to really know that the office functioned independently. We were guided by law. We were also guided by public interest. We were not guided by the direction of a politician or convenience or any selfish interest. We were independent. Our office touches the lives of children in very important ways.

Unfortunately, in ways that sometimes are difficult.

There are pockets in areas of DC where kids live in poverty, experience immense trauma and having a very hard time developing and making it out of their neighborhoods. I like our office to be viewed as an office that was fundamentally focused on the well being of kids. That we tried our best to make sure we diverted as many kids as we possibly could away from the criminal justice system and diverted them to services that benefited them. Also, to allow them to pursue their lives in an independent way without being involved in the criminal justice system.

My third objective in leaving the office is that I want people to know the quality of work the office produced was truly excellent and highly respected.

I want the office to be known in the District of Columbia by the courts, council, by citizens and also throughout the country as the best Attorney General offices in the United States. I want people to know that the office, upon my tenure, was able to attract, recruit, retain and promote extraordinary talented people (both lawyers and non-professionals).

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Message by DC General Karl Racine

Police Relations in DC Thankfully, we have avoided some of the troubling situations that are occurring in the country. The truth is, the trust between the community and police is extremely fragile. What’s important to know is that in the 1990’s, DC had more shootings and more officer involved killings than any of the larger cities in America; more than Los Angeles and even Chicago.

During that time period, there were very significant concerns. The department of justice came in and brought a lawsuit against the District of Columbia.

That required the District of Columbia to have an outside monitor, a person who would monitor the police and impose certain training requirements and other requirements. As it turns out, that particular period of difficult times in the 90’s and how the District of Columbia reacted to it, set the stage for better relationships with the community relative to other cities and towns in the country that we have today. It’s really important to go back and look at what was going on in the 90’s and to ask ourselves whether we are still focused on the change and progress that occurred in the 2000’s and into today.

We need to focus on a renewed way of making sure that all citizens feel that law enforcement is being fair and equitable, that they are being treated as everyone else. That African Americans or people that are brown and of color are not being treated in a discriminatory fashion and that when there is misconduct on account of the police, it is investigated fully and we are appropriate. We need to insure that steps are taken to bring the police officers to account.

Effects of Mass Incarcerations of the 1990’s In the 80’s, 90’s and into the early 2000’s there were policies in criminal justice that resulted in mass incarcerations. Sociologists and scientists [both] debate whether policy in fact was the main cause in the decrease in crime. I’m of the view, that those policies were certainly not the cause of the decrease in crime. I share the view with President Obama that those mass incarcerations policies where drug offenders who were caught with crack cocaine powder were treated disproportionately to people who were found with pounds of cocaine. In fact, [those laws] were unfair to the criminal defendants, 16

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unfair to the communities in which those men and women came from. They uprooted an entire generation of lives. I am entirely supportive of the attempts now to treat drug offenses as a health epidemic. We are seeing that now in respect to heroine. I am certainly an advocate for less incarceration for nonviolent offenses.

Youth Rehabilitation & Services Young people by virtue of where they were born or raised are confronting all manner of trauma.

They have been victims of crime at a young age.

They have witnessed crime at young age. They have loss, in some cases, their parents and siblings.

These young people exhibit common traits of post-traumatic stress disorder. When you are going through that kind of trauma, you better believe succeeding in school becomes extremely difficult.

You are more inclined, unfortunately, to go in the line of misbehavior of violence and crime. If I were at the helm of the policy chair, I would put a lot more resources into allowing young kids to have a fair shot in life. I am happy to say there are programs in the District of Columbia, one in which the OAG works with very closely. The program is called ACE and it is out of the Department of

Human Services. Through the ACE program, the young people are offered services, as opposed to being prosecuted for non-violent or first time offenses.

What kind of Services?

1. Mental health serves 2. Parent therapy 3. Family therapy 4. Anger Management 5. Exposure to life beyond that block in which they live

What we are seeing when the delivery of service and excellent case managers are involved is that these young people who would ordinarily be on probation or in a children’s jail are thriving. So far we have diverted over 600 kids in 14 months. 90% of those kids have not been involved in the criminal justice system again. I would urge lawmakers to put their money right where the solutions are working.

We need more resources to help kids have a better chance at an independently successful life. It’s a winning proposition not only for the kids but it reduces violence and makes our community safer.

For the Next AG I look forward to the day where there is a successor, whose been elected by the public. I would be fully available to help in anyway.

What I would impress upon my successor is the privilege, honor and the extraordinary responsibility and opportunity that person has to impact lives of people every day.

Sometimes, I see public officials lose site of that. Every single day a decision that a public official makes, which is the way [they] treat people has the potential to really radically transform a young persons life. I would stick to my area of passion and give as much advice and encouragement to continue to focus on the lives of young people.

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VOW to be HAPPY L

adies, in the world we live in there are so many distractions. Social media, reality television, “get rich quick” schemes and everything in between. These factors cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture (love, marriage, family, and legacy). We love, we have children, but as of late, marriage is either put on the back burner or held as an ideology not practicality. Being the nurturing supportive beings that we are, we sometimes push the men in our lives to live up to their potential including helping them realize that they “want” to be married. In other words, we do what we must do to speed up the chronological timeline. We use our biological clock or power couple ambitions as bait. We can’t forget about the pregnancy scares or the “marry me or else” tactics. We’ve all heard it or said “You have a year to marry me or I’m leaving.” Often enough, our gentle pushes work, but how does affect the health of our relationships?

Since the 1970’s, we’ve been told time and time again that the divorce rate in America is around 40-50%.

While the accuracy of this measurement has been disputed, what is commonly shared is that the divorce rate of American Americans is significantly higher than both Hispanic and Caucasian families. According to Divorce360.com, “70 percent of black women’s first marriages will end in divorce, as will 47 percent of white women’s marriages.” The Demographic Research Institute published that 32 percent of African-American couples divorce as compared with 22 percent of Hispanics and 21 percent white couples.

assets are being bought, enhanced, and perfected. At an age when women are formulating family goals, men are on a paper chase and women conquest.

Talk to an unmarried man in his late twenties or early thirties and ask why they are not married. Even with long-term (5-10 year) girlfriends, men will often say “I’m just not ready.” What we should not do is force, pressure or coerce. If a man says he’s not ready, chances are he’s not ready or is just not that into you. Either way, it can be a loose-loose situation. If a man feels he is not up to the challenge, he will not commit mentally yet alone physically. Cheating comes in many forms and having a female, go-to for everything, best friend in many cases is a sign of immaturity.

Now ladies, we are guilty of this ourselves. In a relationship your partner comes first. It is not a women’s job to force a man to value her and do well by her.

Those are fundamental principals that are given to young men in their upbringing and reinforced by the community as the man becomes of age. So what are we to do?

First, love our selves. Sometime we get so caught up on needing love we put ourselves in compromising, toxic, or less than desired situations. Second, let love come to you. This doesn’t mean take the first train smoking. Don’t settle for anyone. Have standards and goals, but be sensible. Next, be upfront and open about what you want. Let it be known from the beginning of a relationship what you’re looking for and what you are willing to wait for. Transparency is On the other hand, some believe the divorce rate is always best. It’s hard to repair a relationship after you declining, yet African Americans are getting married have turned a blind eye to undesired behaviors for later and later. Men don’t see the value of professing years. Lastly, vow to be happy. Don’t make having a love with such a permanent gesture, and for good relationship be what stimulates you. Focus on your reason. Entertainment is becoming reality and reality entertainment. The world we live in is over sexualized career and immerse yourself in activities that you love and there are “goodies” to be seen everywhere. Those to do. Cultivate your mind and explore the world.

Take time to be the best version of you.

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Breaking Barriers and Getting to the Next Level with the Greater Washington Urban League G

eorge H. Lambert, Jr. President and CEO of the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL), has had a long leadership history with the Urban League Movement. The organization does a good deal of work of leveling the playing field to help African Americans and other people of color live more fulfilling lives. As an affiliate of the National Urban League, the Greater Washington Urban League parallels the focus of the National Urban League.

Locally, the focus is also on civil right activism, housing equality, economic empowerment, education, workforce development, and health and wellness.

Their programs include a variety of housing purchase programs, a robust entrepreneurship program, a longstanding scholarship program, workforce development services, and several stop-gap programs to forestall foreclosure, eviction and/or termination of utility services (gas, water or electricity).

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“In the non-profit and social service space we have to think about how to go about our business with the clientele that we serve, preserving their dignity and treating them with respect�, George H. Lambert, Jr.

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Breaking Barriers and Getting to the Next Level with the Greater Washington Urban League In an interview, Mr. Lambert gave insight to the challenges he’s met with the Greater Washington D.C. region compared to working in the same role across other cities in the nation.

The Greater Washington region, which includes Montgomery and Prince Georges County, has one of the wealthiest African American populations in the country. Unfortunately with such a rapid growth in the middle class, there is also an increased fear of stigma or shame associated with requesting help with issues such a foreclosure or a termination notice from the electric company.

This is an area of cultural competence in which the League has particular insight. For example, during the mortgage crises a couple of years ago, banks in Prince George’s County were having a difficult time informing residents of their options to stave off foreclosure. The League recommended having office spaces where it would not be noticeable if clients were coming in to navigate a foreclosure or inquire about a million dollar loan. It made a world of difference.

“In the non-profit and social service space we have to think about how to go about our business with the clientele that we serve, preserving their dignity and treating them with respect”, Lambert explains.

Though there are actions that can be taken up to the 11th hour for families in financial crises, Mr. Lambert believes that if people reach out to the League when they receive their first notice, there would be a significant increase in the level of support that they could receive. The challenge is to inform the community of the programs and remove the barriers to seeking help.

On the other end of the spectrum is gentrification in the District of Columbia. Gentrification is a controversial and often polarizing topic. Those who are against it often believe that minorities are being pushed out of urban areas. Mr. Lambert eloquently points out that minorities have also benefited from the development in the city. “We too are a part of the transition. It’s not about race, its economics”, says Lambert.

He views the challenge of gentrification as one of education and fairness, especially with elders. Native Washingtonians and long-term residents are not

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always financially benefiting from these transitions.

Elders are often selling their homes for next to nothing without understanding the demographic changes so that they can maximize on the value of their property. “Those who have been a part of the fabric of the community should be a part of the redevelopment of the community. It starts with education.”

The Washington region has a relatively larger housing portfolio and with that, foreclosures too are unfortunate realizations. The difference between homeowners in Washington and in other communities where the Urban League serves, is that constituents in the Washington area typically don’t want anyone to know when they run into financial trouble. Homeowners are often not aware that there are programs to help navigate through these issues before it becomes a crises. Thus, the League has a campaign for this specific reason called “Don’t Suffer in Silence.” It’s about making sure that homeowners are educated about their options and empowered to contact the appropriate agencies early in the process.

As a civil rights organization, the League realizes that there is work needed in race relations. “We are at a defining movement about where we as a community are with race and we need to get beyond it. Like a marriage, we have two parties and need to make it work”, say Lambert. On the subject of leveling the playing field, Lambert affirms that astute politicians know how to “play on both sides of the aisles in order to deliver the goods to our residents.” Likewise, organizations like the League are work across party lines to develop lasting solutions to guaranty equal access and parity. For the critics that may call foul on compromising, Lambert reminds us that it’s about working together as we did in the Civil Rights Movement.

access so that all of our citizens have access to the abundance this region has to offer,” says Lambert.

In addition to the housing space and advocacy, the League’s programs focus on economic empowerment. They often partner with companies to help identify and recruit qualified workers from diverse communities. These workforce development programs range from identifying candidates, providing them with interviewing skills, delivering onboarding training, and other activities geared towards helping companies recruit and retain workers from within the district and beyond.

They have partnered to fulfill hiring challenges for the expansion of the Silver Line to Dulles and the arrival of big box stores such as Target and Walmart as they plant feet in the city. The Entrepreneurship Program has now been in place for nearly five years. With the help of the National Urban League, Wells Fargo and BB&T bank, the League’s Entrepreneurship Center delivers technical assistance to assist entrepreneurs in starting, growing and sustaining their businesses. As a part of their focus on economic empowerment these programs are built on formulating solid business practices that can catapult companies to the next level.

“We have the expertise to take you and your business to the next level,” says Lambert. “We’ve got some good visibility on the work we’ve been doing and lives we’ve touched. We want to continue to be a part of the success stories.”

“It’s about moving the needle together; getting closer to the permanent goals of where we want to be. In seeking common ground, we are not ‘giving up everything’ but understanding that we want to achieve parity and empowerment for the long term, not for the sprint or for a piece of the course. That requires that we come together and work together to make our community stronger and provide

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THE GODDESS POTENTIAL

By Tara Wallace (VH1 Love & Hip Hop)

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“Every morning find a way and a motivation to get out of bed and make it happen!”

-Tara About the Book I co-authored The Goddess Potential with a young lady by the name of Allyson Leak. We basically wanted to help women build a relationship with their inner selves. We entered this project with just a desire, a passion and a story to tell. This book portrays the work I’ve completed within myself, past experiences and things that I actually had to sit-down and do. The book developed from situations that happened in my life, which at the time seemed very negative. However, you have to trust that you are where you’re supposed to be.

Everything that happens to you is to only push you further in life. The Goddess Potential was also created from the perspective of a working mother who forgets about herself. You’re always giving and trying to do for other people and just wondering when your day will come. When will all the good things that you do for other people come full circle. I don’t live my life like that anymore.

I realized that you have to live in the moment.

Every minute that you live is as equally important and you need to do something that makes you happy. If you’re not, then tomorrow you need to regroup to get closer to that. That’s what The Goddess Potential is all about.

Every chapter begins with a self-affirmation which involves retraining your brain. If you’re doing something a certain way for a long period of time, it will take a minute to refocus and retrain your mind. Although you may know something isn’t right it may take a long time for you to complete the necessary steps to change it. There is also a chapter in the book where I talk about dating yourself. This involves taking the necessary time out for you. When you have children and people

pulling you from every direction, taking 10 minutes is very necessary. Whether that involves reading something inspirational, eating a Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar or taking a minute to clear your head.

Those are the moments that I take for myself.

In the beginning stages of writing the book we had to map it out, complete research and use different studies. The book is self-published and the best thing about being self-published is that we were able to operate according to our own standards. We were able to set our own rules and deadlines.

On Image As corny as this may sound, I want people to look at me as a great mom. It’s a job that we all take for granted. As mother’s we are so busy loving others that we are not always loved enough. I am a mother of 3 and it’s definitely a full-time job. You have to find a way to make it work every day. Some days it’s very rewarding and some days it’s not. Regardless, you have to keep going no matter what.

I’m less worried about what I want people to look at me as. I would like for them to look at me as a whole. I’m okay with the fact that some people are going to relate to me and some are not. People have different journeys for a reason. My journey is not for people to mimic or even belittle in any way.

Sometimes people assume that I don’t love myself, I don’t believe in myself, I have low self-esteem and or that I didn’t have a father figure. That is all false.

I have several positive male figures in my life. My father and I are very close; my grandfather and I are very close; and my maternal grandfather and I were

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The Goddess Potential

very close when he was alive. I am comfortable saying that I will help the people that I can help and those that I cannot it’s just not meant for me to help them.

Love and Hip Hop New York has positively and negatively affected my career. It has placed me on a platform where people can see me and what’s going on in my life. You may not be able to see that I am loved from my social media, but if you were to take a glimpse at my DM you would see women pouring their hearts out to me. They may not have the courage to talk to anyone else. Because they see another woman going through similar situations, they understand that they are not alone. They feel very comfortable and open reaching out to me. After hearing [stories] from these women, I now feel as though my story isn’t really anything. I try to respond to as many people as I can but I may not be able to respond as often as I would like to. I do, however, let them know that I do understand and that I am here for them. I always try to give them positive feedback and encouraging words.

Lastly, I want people to see me always working hard and growing. That’s what life is all about. As humans, we never get to a point where we are completely satisfied and happy. It’s just about being consistent with your journey and finding ways to get through it day by day. Sometimes, life appears long when we are going through it. Later in life, we will look back and say life is so short. That’s why it’s important to live in the moment and refrain from looking too far in the future.

Future This book is only the beginning. I don’t want to map out the future because it’s wherever it leads us. I’m just trying to let The Goddess Potential grow without any expectations that’s beyond our control.

Visit www.TheGoddessPotential.com

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“Goddess doesn’t mean that you’re perfect. Goddess just means above everything you’re able to rise no matter what’s thrown your way.”

-Tara

NURA Magazine 27

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ENOUGH

BY WHITNEY J.

H

ow do you know when enough-- is enough?

Many times in relationships, you get the feeling that this may not be the one for you. Instead of bowing out gracefully, you make up every excuse as to why you should not leave. You ask yourself things like, “what’s wrong with me?”, “Am I too picky?”, “Will he/she change?”, And “Can I change them?” The thing is, all of these things are just a part of the fear inside to actually get with and be with whom you actually deserve . Yes, you are correct, there are quirks with all people that some may not be able to handle.

However, if you are aware that it’s something that absolutely bothers you then why settle for it? When you meet that person who is just right for you, the thing that seems to be a quirk to some will not appear that way to you.

Why settle? When people describe love, we first reference what we’re programmed to understand at a young age from fairy tales. At a young age I watched Cinderella. I grew to understand that when the Princess kissed her Prince, there were stars and a magical up-beat song that played to let me know that this was it! This was the love story that the fairy tale was leading up to.

Now reflect on the times that relationships did not work out. The times when you settled just to coexist, times when you knew in your heart that this wasn’t

it. The butterfly feeling may have reached you in the beginning, but after the awe of the newness wore off, you were just comfortable. If love is supposed to lead to happily ever after, how do you expect to get there by settling?

For me, it seems that when I take off the “Rose Colored” glasses, I am then able to see what everyone else around me has known for much longer than me. I was once involved in a relationship where there were so many warning signs but I had tunnel vision on the potential. I wanted so badly for the relationship to work that I focused on the good in the person and ignored all of the bad. Then, life hit me hard and it was as if my “Rose Colored” glasses fell off my face and I finally saw the person for who they were and not who they potentially could become.

Needless to say--that relationship is no longer in existence. I truly believe that when people show you who they are you have to believe them!

As quoted from the poem “Invictus” written by William Ernest Henley, “I am the Master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul”. This poem can be interpreted for many different reasons, but when it comes to this love thing it seems that it makes sense for you to take the lead over your own happiness.

Stop settling for being comfortable and push through to lead yourself into your happily ever after.

Social Media: Instagram- @__whitney.j Facebook- Whitney Jazmine

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram | Model: Love Tucker Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: Natural Allday of Natural Touch Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

Fashion Meets Technology with V. Hanley Designs

Fall/Winter 2016 | NURAMagazine.com

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Jacqueline Gonzalez | Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: @mim12766 Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Alyssa Salazzar | Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: Natural Allday of Natural Touch Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Sharae Moultrie | Shoes and Purse: Roberta Fabiani USA | Hair: Lowell Shelton Make-up: Agieszka Choinska of Aga Makeup Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Nomi Mongolian | Shoes and Purse: Roberta Fabiani USA | Hair: Lowell Shelton Make-up: Agieszka Choinska of Aga Makeup Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

Fashion Meets Technology with V. Hanley Designs

N

ew York City native, Vedeta Hanley is on her way to become an industry leader in fashion design.

Inspired by her grandparents who both sewed clothing, Vedeta has been around fashion her entire life.

She began her career in the early 2000s during the time of a huge shift in the market. As a graphic designer and multimedia specialist, Vedeta was called upon to be a fashion design assistant for a major company. At that time, companies began hiring graphic designers and teaching them how to design clothes. During that time, many designers were still hand sketching. Moving into a realm of technology, designers needed experts in Computer Aided Design software (CAD) to transfer creative concepts to computer-generated models. Vedeta was a natural and decided to enhance her skill-set at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Working in the industry she gained a wealth of knowledge in fashion design, fabrication, pattern making, and sewing. More importantly, Vedeta began to pay attention to the business models behind the scenes. Vedeta has since launched two clothing lines. She first launched the high-end line, V. Hanley Collections. This collection is sophisticated, elegant and sexy. She uses quality fabrics such as silk, satin, Chantilly lace, leather and sequins. She incorporates sport technology into her fabric selection such as breathable fabrics, wicking (for sweat and odor), stain resistance and water resistance.

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She then launched a daughter line Genesis N Luke,

by V. Hanley. This line is for a younger demographic who may not be able to afford the couture line.

Genesis N Luke is fun and youthful. You can expect trendy styles with splashes of color.

Vedeta pulls inspiration from all over including museums, pedestrians, high-end designers, media, research, and current trends. Her personal style encompasses sex appeal, elegance, and good quality clothing. You see a lot of her personal style built into her brand. When styling, Vedeta believes it’s imperative to work from a person’s body type to find what compliments them best. She learns from the best. She admires Roberto Cavalli for his flashy garments, Valentino for his meticulous attention to detail, Diane Von Furstenberg for creating social awareness with fashion, and Zara for her business strategies. Vedeta also takes note from Nike & Under Amour for their dedication and commitment to textile technology.

As a result of her talent and knowledge Vedeta has had opportunities to work with Jessica Simpson, Jay-Z and Lauren Hill. She waits for the day she can work with Kerry Washington, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey and First Lady Michelle Obama. She recently participated in NY Fashion Week (Fall 2016) displaying her latest collection.

Find more of V. Hanley designs at www.VHanley.com

V. Hanley runway show style fashion week during NYFW at the Hammerstein ball room. Photography: Courtesy of style fashion week NYFW

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RUNWAY Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photography: Courtesy of style fashion week | Four models left to right: Model: Niara Johnson | Model: Candice zhao Model: Anzhelika Polimonova | Model: Love Tucker

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Nomi Mongolian | Shoes: Roberta Fabiani USA | Hair: Lowell Shelton Make-up: Agieszka Choinska of Aga Makeup | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

FASHION

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SEXY

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Katherine Angelique of K.A Photography | Model: Mariaelena Perez | Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: Natural Allday of Natural Touch Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

CONFIDENT

Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Love Tucker | Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: Natural Allday of Natural Touch Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

FASHION

SILLY

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram | Model: Nomi Mongolian (sitting) Shoes and Purse: Roberta Fabiani USA | Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: Agieszka Choinska of Aga Makeup Model: Love Tucker (standing) | Make-up: Natural Allday of Natural Touch Artistry | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

DIVINE

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Ken Gram Model: Jacqueline Gonzalez | Hair: Lowell Shelton | Make-up: @mim12766 Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

FASHION

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STRONG

Fall/Winter 2016 | NURAMagazine.com

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Designer: Vedeta Hanley of V. Hanley Collections | Photographer: Katherine Angelique of K.A Photography | Model: Mariaelena Perez | Hair: Lowell Shelton Make-up: Agieszka Choinska of Aga Makeup | Place: Monarch Rooftop luxury lounge

CHARMING

nda

a Am Fall/Winter 2016 | NURAMagazine.com

ley Hol

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A

manda Holley (21) of Newark, NJ is a force to be reckoned with. Her mix of R&B, Jazz, Pop, Hip Hop and A Capella creates a sound unique to her soulful nature. Multitalented, Amanda not only sings but a is trained musician. She plays the cello, violin and piano. She has been playing instruments since she was 2, writing songs since she was 3 and singing at events by the age of 7.

Music comes quite naturally for Amanda as it runs through her veins. Her dad is a notable songwriter, writing songs for musicians such as singer Sarah Vaughan. Her mom was a concert cellist who often brought Amanda to sit in orchestra pits as a child.

If asked Amanda would tell you she was trained in the womb. As if it could be any sweeter, her dad’s sister Pat Holley (singer/songwriter) vocally trained and mentored Stephanie Mills. Pat Holley continues to have a significant impact on her career. Growing up she advised Amanda to focus on jazz and theater while connecting her with strong industry ties.

Amanda comes from a diverse background. Her dad, who is African American, has Cherokee and Egyptian ancestry. Her mom is has a background of Italian, German and French in her family. Even with such a beautiful blend of heritages, Amanda experienced, racism growing up. For that reason she believes that the music industry should not be separated. “It’s silly”, she explains. Music has been therapeutic for Amanda. Growing up, Amanda had to overcome a number of trials and obstacles.

Even though she keeps her past private she shares, “Everything is for a reason. Music has carried me throughout my life. I had a crazy life but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. In difficult times, sound waves and messages have uplifting powers.”

Amanda writes most of her own songs, not only just lyrics but the composition too. “I hear melodies [in my head] all day long. I’m always adding to my music.” She continues, “It’s just about being creative. I’m a little bit different, I hear things differently like unexpected chord structures. My lyrics are influenced by poetry. I studied world-wide poets. With poetry, you are the instrument to telling a story.” What makes Amanda’s talent so unique

is her ability to pull inspiration by connecting the universe around her. “I love science. When you play a song, watch the brain activity. Turn the music off and you will experience the same brain wave function.”

Amanda believes the path to her success will be her “strong melodies, strong lyrics and being creative”. Amanda contributes her accomplishments to the amazing individuals she has the opportunity to work with on a daily basis. Amanda was also mentored by producer and arranger Dennis Doc Williams. “He was like my uncle and is in my family background.”

Williams is known for his work with the O’Jays, Patti LaBelle and Backstreet Boyz. Amanda now works with XXL Magazine freshman class producer Korey Laws.” She is managed by Ralph Cooper Jr. of the Apollo Theater. This summer Amanda released Feenin’ an EP

by Tommy Boy Entertainment.

This collection of music is about opening up ones passion and letting people in. Amanda gives her audience a chance to get to know her better.

“When I perform I feel like I’m flying. It’s one place I can be myself.

I’m not afraid. I’m free.

The stage is my favorite place.”

Amanda continues to tour and perform nationwide. Her passion doesn’t stop short with music and poetry. When she is not performing, Amanda involves herself in humanitarian efforts such as kids’ causes and United Kingdom initiatives. Its makes sense that she is often called America’s Soulful Sweetheart.

Angelique A

ngelique Michelle is a styling icon. Her passion for fashion grew from watching TV. As a child she grew up watching A Different World, admiring Whitley Gilbert. This fashion infused show caused Angelique to ask questions such as, “How does she [Whitley Gilbert] look so fabulous” and “How does the cast look so great?” Her inquisitive personality paid off as a child. Angelique was soon informed that there’s actually a person that dresses the people on TV, selecting their clothes for appearances, movies, film and etc. Seeing fabulous images on TV, really peaked her interest and made her realize what she wanted to do in life, which was to “dress people to look fabulous on TV.” Presently Angelique is the President and CEO of ICONIQ, which is a Virtual Styling and Image Consulting company. Over the years she has worked with several celebrities such as Venus & Serena Williams, Gloria Estefan, Dany Garcia and several others. With clients in different parts of the world, Angelic found it hard to be in several places at once and readily available to her clients. This lead to the development of her ICONIQ Style App. As she explained: “The demand from my clients led to the app development. My clients would call me and ask if I’ve seen for example their Valentino pumps or say ‘hey I’m in my California house and I can’t find my… and or ‘hey I just bought this new dress, what shoes should I wear with it?’. At times being so far away and having so many closets to keep track of, I really couldn’t

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Michelle remember what was in whose closet. So I thought like gosh I wish there was a way to remember what’s in their closet from where I am. At first I use to run around with a bunch of photos physically in my hand. I then moved to digital photos; however, I had to make so many categories and subcategories to keep track of everything.”

In 2015, Angelique published The Closet Club, which consists of short stories of all of her closet jobs over the years. The names of her clients have been changed to protect their identities. This book is a fun beach read containing humor and stories that will give you that “oh wow fashion moment.”

Some stories are crazier than others and may leave stunned saying, “oh my gosh that really happens in this world.” Angelique plans to turn The Closet Club into a movie, similar to The Devil Wears Prada but for closets.

Angelic attributes her success to hard work and determination. “I work really hard. I pretty much work 24/7.” There are no days off for this entrepreneur who believes the key to success is to never give up. She highlights that there will be moments where you will feel like you can’t do this anymore. She believes you have to keep pushing forward because you will make it, if you stay focused, are organized and plan accordingly. She also thinks that your team is a major component as well. “Whatever you are lacking that’s what you need to pick up. If you are really creative you need someone who is a strategist in your right hand corner. If you’re a straight and narrow person you may need that outside thinker or out of the box person to be your ying to your yang.

My thing is whatever you’re flawed at find someone else who is not flawed in that area to work with you.”

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YourCurlFriend 46

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How did you get started with blogging?

It all started when I randomly went natural. I had a death in the family and became depressed.

I stopped doing my hair and going out. After a few months I realized that I hadn’t had a relaxer. I was just being lazy at first but I then wanted to see what my hair was going to do in its natural state. I went to YouTube. I started researching and reading books. I googled articles about Black hair. I found out so many things that you could do without having to use a lot of products. When you look at hair or shampoo commercials, they tend to cater more to Caucasian women, containing products that have sulfates and parabens in them. That’s why I researched it so much because I couldn’t find anything on TV or in the media catering to African American women and their hair.

During my journey of trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my hair, I thought about blogging about it. I knew there were a lot of black women that didn’t know much about their hair. This was before the natural community got as big as it is today.

What kind of experiences have been afforded to you since you’ve been blogging?

My lifestyle changed. I still go out occasionally with my friends but not as much as I use to. I’ve always been kind of healthy but starting this natural hair journey I realized that I needed to eat even healthier. My goal was at first to grow my hair as long as possible and I realized in order to grow my hair I had to make this a lifestyle change. It gave me the opportunity to research healthier foods that I can eat to promote healthy hair growth and healthy living.

Your Curl Friend

“Be You!”

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I have been able to work with several brands such as some upcoming natural brands that I can’t really talk about because they haven’t launched. However, a brand that I have just finished working with was Crème of Nature. I was influencing their natural hair product lines that just came out. I’ve also been able to travel and attend other natural hair events such as Curl Fest 2016 in Brooklyn. I’m really just starting and have a few things in the works.

What were the hardest things to cut out of your diet?

Junk food! I don’t eat a lot of fried or fast foods as it is. The biggest thing I had to cut out of my diet was chips and different carbs. I love to snack.

My snacking was a huge problem. I had to change a bag of chips into a bag of seeded grapes or something really healthy. It is very difficult to do.

I’ve experienced green peppers and hummus instead

of a bag of candy. It was a little difficult for me at first. Now it’s easier and the food tastes good.

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style is laid back but chic. I don’t feel that I have to dress up for every little thing. I’m not the person to wake up in the morning and put on a full face of make-up to go to the grocery store. You will catch me in sweatpants, tennis shoes, a T-shirt, a big fro and I will not care. I also say chic to because maybe those sweatpants or that T-shirt will fit me a certain way that I will still show my curves but be chill at the same time. I like it both ways. I like to dress-up but as a woman, there’s pressure to always look perfect. I’d like to break down that wall and do what I want to do. I don’t want to have to put on a full face of make-up, slick back my hair and be cute all day every day. That’s not my personality. I like to throw on things and go, unless it’s an event or something like that.

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Your Curl Friend Who influences you?

The person that influences me the most is my grandmother. She is one of those Christian women who has never had their ears pierced, very disciplined, goes to church every Sunday and attends bible study faithfully. She was a teacher and she’s very intelligent. She also inspires me because she’s a business woman. My great grandmother had a museum called the Black Fashion Museum.

It was founded in New York and then it came to Washington, DC. When it came to DC and my great grandmother got Alzheimer’s, my grandmother took it over. She has always been in that type of business with my great grandmother. She is a business woman to the T. Even with the opening of the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, she will have an exhibit in there from her museum. I just feel like even in her older age she is still inspiring young African American women just like me.

In the natural hair community, I would say one of my major influences was this natural girl on YouTube (Longhairdontcare2011). She actually passed away but she inspired me so much because of how delicately she was with her hair and how intelligent she was about African American hair period. It really inspired me to learn more about my hair more than anyone else.

1. Coconut oil 2. Apple cider vinegar 3. Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle conditioner & shampoo

What would you say your most rewarding experiences have been since you’ve began blogging?

My best experience is to have people DM me. I had a 12-year-old girl message me, asking about her hair and how she had just came from Africa. Her and her family had only been in the States for 3 years.

She was asking me for tips about her hair because she didn’t know what to do with it. She actually used my tips and sent me pictures. It made me tear up a little bit because I am a big softy. It’s really cool

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What is something that your followers don’t know about you?

I don’t think my followers know much other than my MAC laptop breaking down on me and having to purchase a new laptop. All my natural hair videos disappeared. I can usually only edit and do videos on the weekends because I am also a loan officer.

I work 14 hour days and that’s why you will usually see me post every two to three days. A lot of people don’t know that I work in the mortgage industry and I am usually exhausted working 14/15 hour days.

How do you balance your career, blogging and your personal life?

Time management. I learned that at Norfolk State.

University. It was very difficult for me because I also write articles for RollingOut Magazine. It’s just time management. You can’t do everything every day. Make sure you make enough time to see your friends, your family, write articles, take a nap, do your work and do everything else that you need to do. Time management is key and it has been kicking my butt. Having a schedule works.

What can we expect from you in the future?

What are your top 3 go to products?

to have people reach out to you. Although, I can’t answer everyone all the time, it’s nice knowing that I am helping someone. It’s good seeing people living with their natural selves.

You can expect a website launch of YourCurlFriend.

I will have products up there and much more blogging than I use to.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start blogging or start their hair journey?

Research, research, research and have fun! I feel like a lot of people take it so seriously because they do these videos and they make people think that they are perfect. I did a couple videos on my personal Instagram before I even started my professional YourCurlFriend Instagram page. On my personal page I was messing up and it looked a hot mess but usually those are the videos that most people draw closer to. They realize that my hair messes up just like theirs. Half of the girls in the natural

hair community look like they are perfect and they can do whatever to their hair. While the other half actually want to help people manage their hair better without having to watch an hour and a half video.

What are your expectations from a leader in the natural hair community?

My expectations are to stay as professional as possible. I’ve worked with some very unprofessional people. I was about to work with a company; however, I didn’t work with them anymore due to how unprofessional they were. If you’re going to have a contract and it states that someone needs to get paid in 15 days, then pay that person in 15 days. Be punctual. I’m really strict on time and being professional and I feel like that’s one thing that a leader in the natural community should be.

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THE POWER OF WORDS: A SURVIVOR STORY 52

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Cover Story

M

aimah Karmo, founder of the Tigerlily Foundation, emphasizes the importance of healthy conversations with young women. Liberia native, Maimah is beautiful, brilliant and brave. Maimah Karmo was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32. Like most, breast cancer was a physical and emotional journey for her. Maimah knew she had to triumph for her 3-year-old daughter Noelle, who unknowingly gave her remarkable strength.

Maimah steadied the course living a healthy lifestyle, becoming spiritually connected, and ultimately becoming an inspiring survivor.

When speaking on surviving, Maimah gives much credit to her mother. She cannot thank her mother enough for educating her as a teenager on the importance of

doing regular breast self-examinations. When Maimah felt a lump in her breast, she knew exactly what to do.

Being so young, Maimah had to push for a mammogram.

Even though the mammogram came back negative, she wasn’t comfortable and demanded a biopsy. Had she not advocated for herself, Maimah may have had a different ending to her story.

Maimah is a firm believer in the “Power of Words.” She believes it is important to talk to our daughters at an early age.

The conversation doesn’t just have to be about breast cancer, but more importantly, how to live healthy lives. Maimah engages her daughter, Noelle, in an ongoing conversation about life.

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The Power of Words: A Survivor Story

Noelle, now 13, is so engaged with her mother’s initiatives, she has started her own popular event called Pajama Glam. Pajama Glam annually invites women and girls of all ages to experience a day of pure enjoyment while learning how to live healthy lives.

Watching her mother fight and survive inspired Noelle to educate youth who may not be aware of the impact of breast cancer or how we can make choices early in life to lower risks.

The Tigerlily Foundation, founded in 2006, provides resources for young women with breast cancer under the age of 45. Through the organization, Maimah has become one of the most sought after advocates for women and breast cancer awareness. In 2010, the Tigerlily Foundation worked to pass The Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act. The Tigerlily Foundation also launched the Young Women’s Breast Health Day on the Hill, to engage healthcare providers, policymakers, grassroots organizations and young women in advocating for issues facing young women and breast health.

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“We underestimate the power of words. My mom had a simple conversation [with me]. It took no more than 15-20 minutes. Those words followed me for 18 years. It’s important to me as a mother and as a woman to pass on that legacy of conversation with our daughters. It’s good to train our daughters on etiquette and how to live in the world. Its also important to teach them how to take care of their bodies inside and out.”

- Maimah Karmo

Watch Maimah Karmo’s latest appearance on Oprah’s Where Are They Now which aired in September 2016.

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TRAVEL: A Best Friend for a Day in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

BY E. DESOUZA

I

n my travels I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some really interesting people with some interesting stories. More than likely, you won’t ever hear about these people in the media to know they exist. In traveling alone, especially in hostels, you often meet fellow travelers. Since you all are in the same boat, it becomes much easier to spend a day or two traveling together. When you meet these fellow travelers, you typically don’t have to be concerned about someone trying to con, get over or sell you something. The parties simply reach a tacit agreement to hang, see the sights and become “best friends” for a day. We talk about our lives back home, what led us to travel and our plans for the future. Since we know we will probably never see each other again, most people feel they can be open and revealing when talking about their life stories.

Thus, I wanted to talk a little about my “best friend for a day” in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. After the almost 4 hour bus ride from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands and another 20 minutes taxi ride to my hotel, I found myself with two free hours until my tour of the various strawberry and butterfly farms.

During this time, I walked down to a local restaurant to get some food. I happen to have noticed that there was a fellow traveler sitting alone not too far from my table. Her hair was corn rolled and her clothing was mismatched. She wore the typical “almost” parachutelike pants worn by backpackers. The one thing I found most interesting was that she was a Black woman traveling alone. When I heard her talking to the waiter, I was almost shocked that I “thought” I heard an American accent. In all my travels, I’ve never met an American Black woman

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backpacker traveling alone.

Since she would have my first encounter, I said to her, “excuse me, are you American?” She then said “No” and when she saw my facial response, she replied, “sorry to disappoint.” After that, she put on her backpack to leave but somehow we got into a discussion which then led her to be my “best friend for the day.”

The woman was a 24-year-old Londoner with a mother from Israel and father from Barbados. She quit her job doing marketing work at “Save the Children” in order to pursue a lucrative and enriching career of being a backpacker. Although she’s done some traveling within Europe and the United States, she selected South East Asia as the destination for her backpacking adventure.

Initially, she thought her mother would be surprised by her announcement to backpack for 4 months, but her mother was surprisingly supportive. She initially started her journey in Thailand volunteering in an elephant sanctuary. From Thailand she went to the Philippines and then to Malaysia.

She arrived in Cameron Highlands a day prior to me and initially spent the morning hiking alone. After her hike, she found herself wanting to explore further up a mountain but was too tired to walk further. At that point, she decided to hitchhike! Once she arrived at the top of the mountain, she came to a restaurant where she met another traveler who became her best friend for that day.

I encourage everyone to travel alone and stay in hostels. By doing so you have to opportunities to meet and spend time with other fellow travelers. In reality, you are typically not as open to engaging new people when you have a travel companion already. There is so much to see and so much to learn from others around the world. More surprising is what you learn about yourself in such a boundless pursuit.

Turmeric Facial Mask

INGREDIENTS: Turmeric, Honey, Milk

DIRECTIONS:

• In a small bowl mix Turmeric and Honey in equal part.

• Add in a few drops of Milk.

• Stir until all ingredients To thicken your paste, try using a dash of chickpea flour, brown rice flour or simply more honey.

• Seal and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

TREATS:

Eczemam, Acne, Rosacea, Dark Spots & Dark Circles

HOW TO USE:

• Wash face with a mild soap removing all make-up, dirt and oil.

• Spread a liberal amount of the turmeric mask on your face making to cover all trouble spots including under your eye and under your chin.

• Let mask sit for 20 minutes.

• Wash mask off thoroughly.

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HOW DOES IT WORKS:

BENEFITS:

• Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial Turmeric’s healing properties is due to a photochemical called curcumin. Small amounts of curcumin can also be found in ginger.

• Honey is an antibacterial and moisturizer • Milk is a lactic acid that exfoliates.

Reduce redness, heals, moisturizes, lightens & brightens the skin.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Turmeric will stain anything it touches a bright yellow color, including your face. It may be helpful to use the mask at night (before bed), so that you may wash your face once more in the morning before heading out. It’s a small price to pay to healthy clear skin.

• Keep away from clothing and light colored surfaces.

• This mask can be ingested to treat internal inflammation. (Always consult your physician first) NURA Magazine 57

Designer Desmond Handon Produces Showcase for Rihanna’s Debut Collection

BY KENTON RAMBSY

On Wednesday, September 7th, Rihanna’s clothing line made its store debut at Shoe City in Baltimore, Maryland. The store hosted a private viewing party for the Barbadian beauty’s 2016 Fenty Collection sponsored by Puma.

“As Creative Director, [Rihanna] fuses her independent approach to music and fashion with the sport-driven design of PUMA,” the brand’s Instagram account said in an announcement on August 22. “The result is fearless.”

Rihanna has been Puma’s creative director since 2014. However, the recent launch is her first full collection for the Puma brand. In the past, she’s designed shoes and slides and appeared in several ads for the company.

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DC native and creative director of EthniCITY, Desmond Handon, served as the show producer for the event. “When I got the call to produce the show, I was so excited,” Desmond said about the showcase. “I love Rihanna, and I wanted to create a show that was sexy, sporty, confident, and unfiltered—just like the collection.”

Desmond is no stranger to the fashion world.

Founded in 2010, his fashion and production company, EthniCITY has quickly become one of the fastest emerging companies in the DMV area. Over the past two years, Desmond has had tremendous success growing EthniCITY’s national visibility. He has served as a BET red carpet correspondent for VH1’s 2014 Fashion Rocks, a personal stylist for a wide range of celebrity and professional clients, as

well as a well-known personality and host for New York Fashion Week events.

Desmond brought the flare of New York Fashion Week to Mondawmin Mall for the “EthniCITY x Fenty x Shoe City” event. The Shoe City store was transformed into a dance hall as guests jammed to their favorite Rihanna hits during the VIP reception. Bre-Z who plays Freda Gatz on Fox’s hit show Empire was on hand to host the event.

She welcomed guests to the event and was on hand to sign autographs and take pictures.

Celebrity Chef, Robert Stewart all the way from California catered the special event. When the show began, models strutted down the multiplatform runway; all eyes were on the signature pieces from the Fenty Collection.

Desmond explained, “When planning something like this, I keep urban diversity in mind. I’m a stylist. I always have the client in mind.” He continues, “In this case, I was interested in cultivating an edgy feel to compliment the Anti theme of Rihanna’s latest album.”

What’s next for the DC designer, Desmond Handon? He is focusing on his 2016 Fall men’s jewelry collection which launched on October 1.

Shoe City has also signed him to produce their annual fashion show.

For more information about Desmond and EthniCITY follow Ethnicitybrand on Instagram, Snapchat, and like the fan page on Facebook.

Lastly, be sure to shop for the Fenty Collection exclusively at Shoe City.

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