Introducing. . .Mariyama!

I am very proud to present this young lady as my first featured guest. Mari is a rising junior in high school and she is interested in science! She's participating in a paid summer research program for high school students--It's important to start early, there are programs all over the country that place students in research labs for the summer, let me know if you want more info. This young lady has a beautiful spirit. She always brings a lot of energy to the lab and is a joy to be around. Mari and I connected after she came to lab crying over the fact that her older-set-in-his-ways Driver's Ed instructor informed her that people with locs are dirty and are criminals! What!?!? Well you know I had to set the record straight and stop the viscious cycle of natural hair hateration. That's what I mean when I say black folks need to have a self-love session--But I digress. Mari has beautiful natural hair and is considering locs. I say come on home girl! But it is more important to do what makes you feel comfortable with yourself and beautiful inside and out. No matter what you do to your hair remember that your beauty is within (:
Thanks Mari!

Speak of the Angel. . .

I think all this talk of India Arie must have been fate because I got to see her at the Taste of Chicago this week! Every year, restaurants, musicians and different businesses come out to show their wares at this annual festival. There's also a fireworks show on the 3rd of July. So I got to see Anthony Hamilton and India Arie this week and they were hot! Anthony Hamilton knows he can dance! He even came out into the crowd. Afterwards he was like "I ain't scared of y'all!" Definitely a performer. So after waiting 5.5 hours in the sun--which wasn't too bad, I brought a blanket, read a book, and caught up on my tan (; it was like going to the beach!--Ms. Arie arrived and she didn't disappoint! She gave a FULL concert. Not common for free concerts at the Taste--artists usually do 15-20 minutes and then they are up. She sang songs from her first cd, songs from her most current cd and did a two song encore--and we all sang along. I have to say that India has a beautiful spirit. We can already tell from her music. Her cd is number one this week in sales. In talking about this she skipped around the stage singing "I'm number one y'all. I love it!" like a little kid. She also knows how to really connect with a crowd. At the concert she said that her goal in life is to uplift people with her music. Its so beautiful to see someone do what they love with conviction and to know that they are fulfilling their purpose in life. What a blessing! You go India! I'm buying my cd from Itunes as I write and then I'm going to have a "Private party"--Love that song! Until next time (: