Cleveland Native, Author Sharon Draper will be in Town Tomorrow Night!

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Teen Author and Educator, Sharon Draper will be at the Cleveland Public Library’s Main Branch (downtown) tomorrow night at 7 pm!

If you are a parent with a teenager, a teacher, educator, librarian, public service’s professional, or perhaps you just enjoy reading young adult and children’s books, you might appreciate this wonderful visit from the Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

Draper is from Cleveland, Ohio, and you know it’s important that we support our natives, so check her out if you can! 🙂 She may be able to offer some insight to educators and parents, facing the challenges of grade school classrooms, especially those with students of African descent. Are you, not quite burned out, but crispy around the edges? ↓

What I enjoy most about Draper’s writing is her realistic edge. Her stories are relatable and can help us to better understand the minds of a teenager. This isn’t surprising, seeing that her background is in education. Her books are an incredible journey through some tough situations, and definite forces to reckon with, but there are lessons in each.

As a poet, a lover of rhyme and rhythm, I especially enjoyed this:

Draper in Cleveland at a young age:

Draper in Cleveland at age 14

Draper at age 15

Draper as a Student Teacher

Check her out.

Peace and blessings manifest with every lesson learned.

I am Shila, but you can call me Nubia of Kush. ♥

Gray, Black & White

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Last week I was massaging coconut oil into my scalp and noticed my first white hair! I was sort of surprised, but shortly after I began to embrace that one little white hair that although dead, seemed full of life. I wanted to do a public service announcement email to my friends, letting them know that Queen Shila Iris had gotten her first white hair. My computer started malfunctioning so I couldn’t send the email. However, I realized that I love gray and white hair! I actually love lots of gray, black, and white things. Pictures, pets, hair, clothes, shoes- together, these colors are hot! I like that salt and pepper look. To me it is distinguished and attractive. Check it out.

Gray, black, and white videography…

Vintage Photos- Sade

Lovely angle… I think the black and white made it look great!

Love this photo of the beautiful Ms. Leah. Found this through a Google search.

Black and white photography is wonderful

Beautiful. I can see the details of her beauty better in black and white.

Oh my! Just lovely.

I love the smoothness of the skin in this photo

Magazine articles done in Black and White! I love it!

Gray, black, and white book covers are very pronounced!

So cool.

Awesomeness!

Is that the Supremes?

The handsome youth in gray, black, and white…

http://www.ashro.com… I would love to have this…

… and this!

Mature gray, black, and white afros are the shi%$#!

Black and white head gear! Go Solange!

Cutey. This cat is actually gray, black, and white.

Check out the good reads…

Love, life with wisdom,

Shila Iris

Embrace Your African Essence

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Be creatively righteous in displaying your Goddess beauty. You can be fashionable and righteous in your style of dress.

Peace, Power & Love

I am the Kush Queen (not marijuana, lol).

Reading: Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology by Barbara Smith

5 Star Rating… that means it’s a really good book!

The Shoe That Would Change My Life!

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Honestly, I have been obsessed with lace up the front cognac/brown tall leather boots for some time now. However, I have yet to get some because I cannot afford them. … but mark my words, I will one day, really soon! I shouldn’t say “obsessed,” but I have done tons of Google searches trying to find a cheaper pair and when I am thrift-ing, I always have my eye open, hoping to find a vintage pair!

WAIT! WAIT!

B4 YOU CLICK ON THE PIC, ANSWER THE QUESTION IN THE POLL ABOVE. Thanks!

This is that one shoe in life, I would splurge on and I would wear these boots year round! If I got these, there would be NO need for me to ever buy another shoe in life (just kidding)! Lol!

What do you think?

Peace and Love,

Queen Duafe for African Essence

P.S. Check out Warriors’ Pulse by Ali.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH- I AM EVERY WOMAN, THAT INCLUDES YOU

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Shila Iris

In speaking to a group of men last week, it was not surprising that they had never heard of WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH. They asked me if this was something new. I told them that it had been a national celebration for quite some time now. The worldwide celebration of women started in the early 1900s but it evolved into a month-long celebration in the U.S. in 1987. It was started as a way to promote equality among sexes in the classroom. This is of great importance around the world even today as women are still denied many rights in countries around the world! Sadly, I do not come across many women who know about Women’s History Month or are ready to talk about the importance of women in our culture. This is a good time to learn!

I feel the necessity for the celebration from two personal standpoints: being WOMAN and being BLACK. Although the month is not just about women gaining the right to vote, women’s suffrage is one of the defining elements. Women wanted to be treated like thinking & feeling human beings and did not want to be disenfranchised on the basis of sex. This is what led to the struggle for women’s rights known as the feminist movements.

DEFINITION

Feminism (n): the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

In America, women’s suffrage movements and Black freedom movements were parallel but indeed separate. I am deeply affected by both. America is still in the recovery years from slavery and oppression. THE DATES:

March 30, 1870, the 15 Amendment was adopted allowing Black men the right to vote. Few actually ever voted because of other oppressive laws that were set up to counter their votes. Blacks were still being lynched and treated like animals well into the 1960s. So, almost 90 years after the initial ratification, there were still too many parameters set up to deter Blacks from voting.

Women’s right to vote came in 1920 after the 19 Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on sex.

Were Black women voting at this point? Not too many. Black people did not FULLY exercise the right to vote until the 1960s after protesting Jim Crow laws that were pretty much scare tactics to keep Blacks from voting. This is why many people believe that women actually received the right to vote before Blacks.

Not until the Voting Rights of 1965 did African Americans start to vote, without fear of being beat, lynched, spat on, turned away, etc. It eliminated literacy tests, poll tax, and other subjective voter tests that kept Blacks from voting.

Technically, all WOMEN did not get the right to vote, free of discrimination until 1965. This meant that any person regardless of race or sex could vote. Every diasporic groups voting rights were strengthened during the Civil Rights Movement.

In the celebration of the history of the woman, I would like to acknowledge the 1920 amendment as well as the Voting Rights Act which was the beginning of the right for every woman to vote free of discrimination. I am you, and you are me and we must celebrate every woman the same.

QUEEN DUAFE FOR AFRICAN ESSENCE

My New Year Start’s Today

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Shila Iris

Today is February 13 and it is my birthday! I am excited! I never really get excited on my birthday but this year I am grateful for so many things, including all the new and wonderful people who have become a part of my world. I can thank my greatest friend in life (he knows who he is) for introducing me to so many new ideas, people, and feelings… we have a chemistry only true friendship can understand.

SMOOTH IS LIFE TRAVELS WITH YOU BESIDE ME… Thanks for being real and being so kind and tough and respectful and thoughtful and supportive. You have helped me evolve as an artist more than anyone. Peace and love to you always.

So… I love being an Aquarius. The sign defines me and I define it. Now it is time to write.

This is my first blog entry of the year. I wanted to write many times, but for some reason I could not! I think I had to get into the groove of the year. I was discouraged from making observations about the year and making resolutions until I made some major decisions about my life. My new year starts NOW- February 13. My birthday always feels more like a new year for me. In the past I have not been a big birthday person, but it means a great deal to me this year because I feel like I have more wisdom than I ever had. I have grown tremendously and I do not mind getting older. I welcome age. I can already see myself loving my gray hair when that time comes!

WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT GETTING OLDER…

I’ve noticed changes in my body. It looks like I will have to get more active this year because my skin feels different and my face looks a bit different.

I’ve noticed changes in the way that I think. Things do not affect me the same. I want more now and I have this constant desire to find freedom.

I’ve started to face reality. I used to struggle with the here and now. I wanted people to be how I wanted them to be and I wanted them to change on the spot. I am not too concerned with these types of things anymore. My biggest concern is connecting myself with nature and seeing the world.

I used to have time to waste, but as I get older I realize that I need to keep pressing on. I do not want to play as much anymore (well, maybe just a bit). I love to have fun and smile every moment that I can… smell the flowers, if I may. I just realize that work and play have to match. THE KEY IS: USE MODERATION IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. Overuse and abuse make you grow old faster. Bad habits make you grow older as well. Only take what you need. Only buy what you need. Only use what you need. I accept enough to get by. Do not be greedy. Have you ever been at a cook out and watched that one person load their plate up until it is spilling over? Then they laugh and make meaningless comments trying to come up with an excuse as to why they are being greedy? DO NOT BE THAT PERSON. Take a little and leave some for others, move on. Do not accept anything for free. Work for the things you desire in life.

2013 HAS BEEN GREAT!

I ushered in January with history and poetry and art. I celebrated Kwanzaa with a group I perform poetry with: The Griot Project. We celebrated our 2^nd Annual Kwanzaa this year. We had all observed Kwanzaa in the past, but we decided to celebrate it together and invite people to our celebrations. For 7 whole days we did this. Each evening we had a brief ceremony, ate, had discussions, took pictures, gave gifts, and glowed in the midst of our ancestors knowing they were proud that we took pride in our African American Identity- no watering it down.

I made Kwanzaa gifts. Since I paint and create, I love to give people art. I used old vinyl records to create Africa-inspired designs.

I enjoyed making these gifts and spending time with friends. I invited my friend Robert over ON my day which was Nia: Purpose (we all take a day and do research and share our findings with everyone who comes). He brought his friend Jennifer who I had never met. She later connected me with another poetry group in Columbus,Ohio. I was very grateful. This is why I enjoy meeting new people because it seems we all touched each other and were there at that particular time for a reason. THAT WAS MY NEW YEAR!

I also spent time with my friends from Umojah Nation Reggae Band. We went to Oil City, PA. They had a 4 hour gig welcoming in the New Year! Yes, 4 hours! It was fun. I do not have a picture from that day because I think everyone was too cold to pose!

Well. this year I hope to do some extensive traveling and see my family more.

More to come…

Check out my birthday playlist:

1. Jill Scott: Spring Summer Feeling

2. Telepopmusik: Don’t Look Back

3. Esthero: Thank Heaven for You

4. Janet Jackson: When We Oooo

5. Madonna: Secret

6. Maxwell: Bad Habits

7. Corinne Bailey Rae: Closer

8. Portishead: All Mine

9. LiAnn La Havas: Don’t Wake Me Up

10. Erykah Badu: Out My Mind, Just in Time

Peace & love and thanks for reading,

Queen Duafe of African Essence

Style Ideas for African Essence Queens

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Outfit Elements:

1. The Crown- I really love my hair short. I’ve kept it short for the past 6 six years or so. Right now, my grooming regimen is simply brush curls. This is- taking the softest bristled brush you can find and brushing your hair in a circular motion, allowing the natural curl pattern to become very defined. I use a a shea oil mixture from aiiznaturals.com to condition the follicles. I then use a non-flake gel (Eco Styler) to hold the curls in place. However, most of the time the gel isn’t necessary. The curls will just stay because I have tightly coiled hair.

2. Manicure- Clear polish.

3. Make-up- I normally like my lips tinted, but I am not wearing any make-up in these series of photos.

4. Jewelry- I wore two sets of earrings. The first set was a bronze colored pair that I got from Kohl’s. The second pair, I got from a natural hair fair that came to my city about 3 years ago. An African vendor sold them for $15 a pair. She made them and painted them by hand. The rings were from various vendors at festivals. They are copper. One is shaped like an ankh and the other is an abstract design. I wear them often. The large bracelet is from an annual African street festival held on Jefferson Ave in Nashville, TN between Fisk and Tennessee State University.

5. Dress- DOTS (on clearance for about $7)

6. Tan sweater- JCP ($20); multi-colored sweater- DEB ($5); large reversible scarf- Forever 21 (maybe about $14)

7. Stockings- Target ($6 on sale)

8. Fringe boots- $10 (Sears/Kmart website on sale w/ free shipping!)

9. Notes & Style Rules: It is rare that I pay full price for any item of clothing or pair of shoes. It is mos def possible to dress for cheap. The items that I like, people don’t normally go for, so I can find them for dollars. Also, I am not into designer brands. So no, I did not need the Minnetonka boots although I know that they are a better quality. Maybe one day, but not for now. I didn’t need to spend much money. These cheaper fringe boots are working out just fine for me.

The dress was a great find. I love the textured look. It matches the stockings. I’ve gotten similar dresses from the thrift store.I do not like a lot of the clothes at DOTS because they look cheap, but the key is to go for those items that you can make look more elegant.

Also, have rules to what you can and cannot buy. For example, I do not ever wear stripes! I think stripes do not compliment what I am- my skin tone, my hair, my mind- they are just not for me. In the cheap female clothing stores you will see a lot of stripes. People go for that, but I go for the items with patterns or for the items that are plain. Another of my rules is not to purchase anything with a logo or name brands unless its something I got from the thrift store. I do no like to rep any company.

Overall, because I buy for cheap, I can splurge on other things when I need to. I work in a casual environment so if I wanted to wear this outfit to work, I would put on the longer sweater so that my butt would not show. At night, to go out with friends, I can wear the orange sweater with the designs. It does not cover the butt (keep in mind it is still appropriate for the African Essence Queen, nothing too revealing). Also, I convert all earrings to clips. I cannot get pierced ears because they don’t agree with my body. I buy clips on earrings at Claire’s on clearance and remove the clips and use them on other earrings. I also buy them from JoAnns Fabrics but they don’t sell any comfortable clip-on findings.

Queen Duafe for African Essence