DulceDiverseDost

I'm African-American (searching for my cultural history). A college graduate (may '13) who studied International Business and Anthropology. Now working on my MPA. What you need to know about me: I'm exceptional, a Christian (and loves to learn of other religions), about that Natural Hair life all day 'er day!, and I'm in Love(xmillion) with all things on India and Africa!! What you'll find on my blog: Bollywood, Elephants, The 90s, Languages, Africa, India, Aishwarya Rai, Ranbir Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Johnny Depp, Idris Elba, Travel, Culture, Dance, African-Americans, Daffodils, Babies, Rugby and other awesome things!!

[peachgreentea]

studying for the lsat (for free)

i know lsat prep courses are so expensive and i cannot pay for that so i thought i’d share what i’ve been doing

insight lsat on youtube has a playlist with a free prep course, in which they go over each section of the lsat/each type of question you’ll encounter. it’s very helpful and i recommend pausing the video and trying to answer yourself whenever the instructor recommends it!

after going through question types, he provides a list of “homework questions” — the questions add up to essentially being 2 full sections from a few different practice tests, so at the moment i’m doing the questions one recommended practice test at a time (making it 2 full sections each time i practice)

i compile answers to these practice questions in a google doc, where i correct myself and make notes on what went wrong, as well as label what types of questions i missed so i can see any patterns

i use a notion spreadsheet to track how much time per day i study, as well as scores and/or percent accuracy for my actual practice (when doing the homework questions/2 sections instead of a full test, i calculate accuracy since i do not have an actual score)

after working through the lsat insight course and doing all recommended practice, my next step will be to do full timed sections (when i do homework practice it is untimed)

then, i will take a full timed test, so that i have a new diagnostic score and i can plan out the next phase of studying. i will once again track what types of questions i’m missing so i can implement more targeted practice.

more notes:

- i get my practice tests of pdf coffee

- i check answers using manhattan prep (it’s a forum so explanations are detailed and written by real people)

i hope this was at all helpful, and if anyone has any questions or recommendations let me know! :)

[monsieurenjlolras]

you've heard of "quiet quitting," now I'd like to introduce you to the next level, The French Work Ethic:

Do exactly what you're paid for and nothing more

Absolutely refuse to be available to contact when you're off the clock

Never prioritize work over your own health, wellbeing, or family because that would be insane, it's just a job.

Have a little glass of wine

Take as long as you feel like for lunch

Deeply understand that work doesn't matter

Make sure your boss knows they're always your second priority ❤️

[queerism1969]

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Anonymous asked: Of all the many languages you speak which is your weakest one? Do you use those languages?

It’s privilege to learn any language that isn’t your mother tongue. As Ludwig Wittgenstein correctly observed, “The limits of my language means the limits of my world”. If English is our native tongue we put ourselves at a disadvantage because we expect every other nationality to take the trouble to speak it. There seems no incentive to learn a foreign language. We become lazy not just in language but also in other ways including our cultural enrichment, our imagination, and a misplaced sense of our self-importance in the world.

Of the European languages I know, I probably think German would be my weakest. When I was in school in Switzerland you’re brought up in three languages: French, Italian, and German (even if the Swiss speak Swiss German). When I say weakest I mean I can converse fluently, but I don’t have time to read German literature in the same immersive way I would say with French literature or take any special interest in German affairs.

I would say I’m fairly fluent in French now but still prone to silly mistakes. I’ve been told that I can speak without an accent and that is heart warming to know, because that was always the goal once I moved here to France. I don’t really use French in my work as it’s a multi-national entity and so English is the default language of corporate world, but I’m speaking French pretty much the rest of the time outside of work.

I was extremely fortunate to be born into a multi-lingual family where Norwegian and English were spoken from birth. All my siblings were being versed in Latin (not Greek which came years later after doing Classics at university) by the time I was 8 or 9 years old because my father was a classicist and he felt Latin was the building blocks to mastering other languages.

All this occurring whilst we moved lived and moved around a lot in the world such as China, Japan, India, and the Middle East. When I was initially sent to one of the first of my English girls boarding schools I was horrified that most of the girls only spoke English. I thought I was the stupid one for only knowing 6. Boarding school, if nothing else, gave me a great privilege to hone in on the languages I did know and start to learn others.

My parents didn’t take the easy way out and put us children in international schools like all the other expat children. That would have been too easy given how tight knit the British expatriate community was out there. Instead we were left to sink or swim in local schools in places like Tokyo and Kyoto in Japan or Shanghai in China or in Delhi, India. It was a struggle but you soon find your feet and you stumble towards some basic level of fluency.

I’m fortunate that before Covid my corporate work took me often to the Far East and it was a great opportunity to hone what I already knew. The result is I can converse and take business meetings in Chinese and Japanese (though English gets thrown into the mix too).

I would say Chinese is more of a struggle for me these days because I’ve not been back since before the Covid lockdown in 2020. Chinese is one of those languages that can easily melt away if you don’t get the chance to converse in it on a regular basis. Japanese less so, probably because the culture had more profound impact on me than Chinese culture.

Hindi is less of an issue because I have close Indian friends and also I watch Bollywood movies as well as converse with Indian immigrants here in Paris who have local stores. Urdu I learned through the backdoor because Urdu has a spoken affinity with Hindi (if you know Hindi then you know spoken Urdu, more or less, especially in Northern India and cities like Delhi where Urdu was born in the burnt ashes of Mughal India). Reading is another matter because they each use different scripts - Sanskrit for Hindi and Arabic and Persian script for Urdu.

Strangely enough when I was doing my tour in Afghanistan years ago with the British army, I would speak Urdu with local Afghans who served as official translators or were selling goods on the base. These Afghans knew Urdu because an entire generation of Afghan boys and girls grew up in refugee camps on the Pakistani border during the different phases of the Afghan war. I have very fond memories of their friendship and hospitality, but less so of the war itself. 

With Arabic, it had lapsed woefully until I did a posting in Dubai in the past year (as catalogued in my blog) and I found myself suddenly remembering a lot and asking Arab friends. Soon I was able to hold my own amongst my colleagues and corporate clients. In these cultures it’s really hard to stay focused because so many of them speak very good English. So it’s hard to get them to stick with their own language because you want to learn from them - but they want to show off their English proficiency - and so you have to be polite but persistent to stick with Arabic.  

If you’re learning a new language then I hope you stick with it. There’s almost nothing more rewarding in your life than the disocovery a rich culture through language. The key is to find a way to make it fun rather than a trip to the dentist chair for a root canal operation.

Thanks for your question.

[beforeiread-studies]

Discovered 2 new Hindi resources:

A Door Into Hindi, free online programme created by American universities. It tackles Hindi for beginners, explaining grammar stuff

Shikshaa Deekshaa, a YouTube channel about grammar, vocabulary, etc. It hasn't been updated in 3 years but the videos look useful anyway.

[wild-aloof-rebel]

what is zhampagne?

it’s whatever kind of fake ass champagne they serve in schitt’s creek. it’s def some kind of sparkling wine, but it’s not real champagne, since it’s actually illegal (in many places and cases) to call something champagne if it wasn’t actually produced in the champagne region of france using grapes grown in specifically designated areas specifically for the purpose of making champagne. 

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

“There’s a story behind every person, a reason why they are the way they are. So think about that before you judge someone.”

— Unknown

[anxietyproblem]

[dgfgdffggfgf]

[deejay]

This is our first single called “Make You Mine” written by Big Mood and Lyons & Vinn. It will be released on Spotify and Apple Music in late February.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter updates!

Instagram

Twitter

[ruinedchildhood]

[bvg-jai]

a vibe

[theherblifee]

THIS HITS YALL. DAMN.🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[relatabilities]

THIS HITS DIFFERENT!! THIS. IS. A. MOOD.

[disney-hiddensecrets]

In the beginning of the movie, Tiana’s dad writes “Tiana’s PLACE” on the picture. At the end, the menu reads “Tiana’s PLACE”, but the restaurant is named “Tiana’s PALACE”. This deliberate name change is to emphasize the fact that Tiana is now a princess.

[dulcediversedost]

eBay

Africa with Ankh necklace

[blackmenloveblackwomen]

[blackmenloveblackwomen]

pretty

[sensei-aishitemasu]

2019 Black-Owned Gift Guide!

It’s that time again! This Black Friday, try and support a Black-owned business for all your gift-giving needs. For last years gift guide, click here. For the 2017 gift guide, here. For the 2016 gift guide, click here. For the 2015 gift guide, click here. (This is the FIFTH annual gift guide! Time flies!) 

Similar to 2018, I kept every individual item listed under $100! Click on the links to be taken to the websites in order to peruse more yourselves. Every item and brand has been hand selected and curated. Sustainability has been increasingly on my mind, especially when it comes to fashion; as such, several brands on this list are ethically and sustainably sourced. Several also include donations from your purchase being made to philanthropic causes. 

[And as always, this guide has been split into categories to make it easier to get through, but feel free to mix and match for the person in your life that fits all of (or none of!) these categories!]

Gift Guide 2019 Items

For the Homebody:

eLo ‘Gloria’ Cotton Spray, $30

Shea Shea Bakery Candy Cane Candle, $22

Shea Shea Bakery Coffe Mug Candle, $12

Shea Shea Bakery Bowl of O’s Signature Candle, $20 

Shea Shea Bakery Milk & Cookies Bath Set, $16

Shea Shea Bakery Bath Whip - Confetti Cake, $12

Shea Shea Bakery Honey Bear Bubble Bath, $6

Shea Shea Bakery Milk Mates - Salts + Bubble Bath, $16

Shea Shea Bakery Milk + Honey + Syrup Bubble Bath Set, $22

Shea Shea Bakery Cast Iron Skillet Wax Burner, $22

Shea Shea Bakery Sweet Mini-Melt Cinnamon Bun Wax, $10

Shea Shea Bakery Sweet Mini-Melt Peanut Butter Cups, $10

228 Grant Street Candle Co. Amber + Sandalwood Apothecary Jar, $30 (pictured)

228 Grant Street Candle Co. Oakmoss + Amber Jar, $20

228 Grant Street Candle Co. Botanical Garden Gold Travel Tin, $10 

Kicky Mats ‘Don’t Bother, We’re Broke’ Doormat, $50 (pictured)

Jeffrey Manning “You Are” Art Print, $55

Jeffrey Manning “Mellow Bliss” Art Print, $40

Duchess 365 ‘When I Get Home’ Art Print, $23.99 (pictured)

Tactile Matter ‘Safe Space’ Art Print, $45 (pictured)

Tactile Matter ‘Peaches & Coffee’ Art Print, $45

Galerie.la Small Market Basket, $28

Galerie.la Botanica Medium Candle Harvest, $24

Galerie.la Relaxation Rituals Box, $44.95

Galerie.la Botanica Large Candle Nirvana, $32

Galerie.la Rooted Incense Holder In Gray, $68

Galeria.la Calma Herbal Salt Soaks, $20

‘Hypnotic’ Quilt Set by Justina Blakeney, $100 (pictured)

Brass Bette Planter by Justina Blakeney, $ 75

Ida Mirror by Justina Blakeney, $70

Kahelo Black and Gray Rug by Justina Blakeney, $89

Kashmir.VIII ‘The Party’ Pillow, $50 (pictured)

Cards For All People “Angry Moms” Card Game, $17.99

Cards For All People “Black Card Revoked” Card Game, $17.99 (pictured)

Trading Races Card Game, $24.99 (pictured)

Winsults Card Game, $25 (pictured)

For the Foodie:

Zach & Zoe Wildflower Honey, $12  Zach & Zoe Wildflower Honey - Lavender, $15

Zach & Zoe Wildflower Honey - Raspberry, $15 (pictured)

Zach & Zoe Honey with Ginger Root, $15

Soul Fit Grill Assorted Spices, $55.99 (pictured)

Raw Cells Mind Fudge, $15 (pictured)

Raw Cells Calm Cookie, $8

Raw Cells Brain Brownie, $5

Raw Cells Bliss Bar, $7 (pictured)

Chris Cardi ‘H Street’ Apron, $25.03

Cultured Kombucha ‘Flight Glass’ Set of 4, $35 (pictured)

Cultured Kombucha ‘Cultured’ Tote, $15 (pictured)

Kashmir.VIII ‘Ms. Hill’ Mug, $16

Kashmir.VIII ‘Easin’ Mug, $16

Kashmir.VIII ‘We Did It First’ Mug, $16 (pictured)

Kashmir.VIII ‘The Black Power Mixtape’ Coaster Sets, $35 (pictured)

Botanicals on Blush Kitchen Tea Towels by Justina Blakeney, $28 (pictured)

‘B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style’ by B. Smith, $29.99

For the Beauty Guru:

Oui The People ‘The Single’ Rose Gold Single-Blade Razor, $75 (pictured)

Oui The People ‘Sugarcoat’ Shave Gel-To-Milk, $64 (pictured)

Galerie.la Rose Quartz Facial Roller, $28

Galerie.la Jade Mask, $42

Galerie.la Base Coat Nail Polish Vault, $20

Galerie.la Base Coat Nail Polish The Simon Collective, $20

Galerie.la ‘The Makeup Bag’ (Navy), $59

Galerie.la ‘The Makeup Bag’ (Yellow), $59

Galerie.la Mermaid Milk Superfood Moisturizer, $42

Shea Shea Bakery Buttered Pound Cake Body Mist, $5 (pictured)

Shea Shea Bakery Glazed Donut Body Butter, $25

Shea Shea Bakery Detoxifying Charcoal Cleanser, $15

Shea Shea Bakery Antibacterial Apple Cider Toner, $6

Shea Shea Bakery Almond Milk + Chocolate Peppermint Moisturizer, $6

Shea Shea Bakery Scar Healing Serum, $23

Shea Shea Bakery Gentle Foaming Cleanser, $8

Shea Shea Bakery Chocolate Coffee Bean Scrub, $12

Shea Shea Bakery Rose Garden Soap Bar, $5 (pictured)

Monie Squared Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Soap, $8

Monie Squared Brown Sugar Fig Goat Milk Soap, $7

Monie Squared Warm Vanilla Sugar Goat Milk Soap, $7

Monie Squared Leave-In Detangling Conditioner in Blood Orange, $16

Camille Rose Naturals Algae Renew Deep Conditioner, $20

Camille Rose Youth Burst Anti-Aging Night Time Elixir, $18 (pictured)

Camille Rose Seedless Skin Pore-Perfecting Facial Exfoliator, $19

Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade, $13.99

Oyin Handmade Boing! All-In-One Coil Styler, $14.99

Oyin Handmade No Ash At All Lotion, $9.99

Hunny Bunny Boutique Hunny Lavender Face Bar, $9

Hunny Bunny Boutique Rose Clay Facial Mask, $8

Bejia Flor Naturals Acai Mango Lotion, $22

Vee + Co. Apothecary ‘Seven’ Aromatherapy Roller, $18

Vee + Co. Apothecary ‘Mellow’ Aromatherapy Roller, $18

Vee + Co. Apothecary ‘Faith’ Aromatherapy Roller, $18

Vee + Co. Apothecary ‘Tisane’ Body + Bath Oil, $25

Jade & Fox Co. Liquid Gold Facial Cleanser, $15 (pictured)

Jade & Fox Co. Neptune Hyaluronic Face Mist, $15

Jade & Fox Co. Flower Power Toner, $18 (pictured)

Jade & Fox Co. Fineapple Face Mask, $22

Jade & Fox Co. Maui Wowie Serum, $17 (pictured)

Jade & Fox Co. Angel Eyes Under Eye Cream, $24

Jade & Fox Co. Crushed Velvet Butter, $26

Jade & Fox Co. Honeysuckle Spray, $14

Jade & Fox Co. Lust Oil, $15

Jade & Fox Co. Crush Body Oil, $17

Jade & Fox Co. Vixen Oil, $15

Jade & Fox Co. ‘Show Girl’ Body Oil, $17

Jade & Fox Co. Siren Highlighter, $18 (pictured)

Makeup/Beauty/Hair Brands:

Plain Jane Beauty (pictured)

Mented Cosmetics (pictured) 

Beauty Bakerie 

Bovanti Cosmetics 

Colour U Cosmetics

Hue Noir 

Gold Label Cosmetics 

Lamik Beauty

Lip Addyct 

Magnolia Makeup 

Lotus Moon Skincare

The Lip Bar (pictured)

Ginger + Liz Nail Polish

Foxie Cosmetics

Blac Minerals Cosmetics (pictured)

Danessa Lyrics Beauty

Lena Lashes

AJ Crimson Beauty

KSquared Nail Paint

Kinky Curly Yaki

Heat Free Hair Movement

Big Chop Hair

Princess Hair Shop

Haute Kinky Hair

Private Stock Kair

Catface Hair

Mischo Beauty (pictured)

Brown Butter Beauty (pictured)

Her Muse Studio

Elo Lipcare (pictured)

Glam Goth Beauty (pictured)

For The Fashion Conscious:

Galerie.la Abbot Corduroy Knit Robe Berry, $98

Galerie.la Denim Crop Bra, $35

Galerie.la Golden Organic Cotton Crop Bra, $35 (pictured)

Galerie.la Recycled Cotton Baby Tee Black, $39

Galerie.la Alicia Crossbody Brown Bag, $85 (pictured)

Galerie.la Stacking Rings Brass, $25 (pictured)

Galerie.la Diamond Stacking Ring, $25

Galerie.la Petite Arch Earrings Brass, $34

Galerie.la Thelma Top Mauve, $48

Galerie.la Silver Hashtag Earrings, $58

Galerie.la Cascade Dress Charcoal, $59

Galerie.la Petra Jumpsuit Charcoal, $65 (pictured)

Galerie.la Sabbath Cocoon Tunic, $98

Galerie.la Flap Wallet Mustard, $79

Galerie.la Zipper Wallet Blush, $69

Glam Goth ‘Goon’ Beanie (red), $25

Glam Goth ‘Goon’ Beanie (black), $25

Glam Goth ‘Goth’ Cap, $30 (pictured)

Glam Goth ‘The Young Angel’ T-Shirt, $20

Instant Vintage - Azul by Giancarlo Bolero, $55

Instant Vintage - Merlot Veiled Hat, $30

Instant Vintage - Turquoise Velvet Bow with Headband, $45

Instant Vintage - Sweetheart Floral Dress, $48 (pictured)

Sir and Madame Striped Wool Split Back Shirt, $75

Sir and Madame Logo T-Shirt, $40

Sir and Madame ‘Madame’ Cropped Tank, $28

Sir and Madame 70′s Script T-Shirt, $45

Sir and Madame “A Better Tomorrow” T-Shirt, $40

Sir and Madame Red Wing Engineer Boot, $75

Sir and Madame Jungle Camo Woven Shirt, $45

A Life Well Dressed ‘Artsy’ Statement Cap, $16 (pictured)

A Life Well Dressed ‘Create’ Statement T-Shirt, $20

Gregory Sylvia ‘Farrah’ Watch, $95

Gregory Sylvia ‘Chandler’ Watch, $78 (pictured)

Gregory Sylvia ‘Rosen’ Watch, $105 (slightly over budget but a beautiful watch!)

Gregory Sylvia ‘Crimson Crave’ Wallet, $69

Tree Fairfax Lois Belt, $40

Tree Fairfax Distressed Wrap Clutch/Wallet, $54

Chris Cardi ‘H St. Nostalgia’ Tee, $30.03

Chris Cardi ‘Bastards’ Tee, $30.03

Sole Rebels ‘The Surge’ Shoe, $90

Sole Rebels ‘The Exodus Ahhh’ Shoe, $100

Sole Rebels ‘The StepUP’ Shoe, $95

Sole Rebels ‘The Exodus RIFF’ Shoe, $100 (pictured)

Sole Rebels ‘TooTOOS Holees’ Shoe, $85

Enbois ‘Jafari’ Watch (Zebra), $85

For the Bookworm:

‘The Water Dancer’ by Ta-Nehisi Coates, $28 (pictured)

‘Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland, $18.99 (pictured)

‘Black Talk: Words and Phrases from the Hood to the Amen Corner’ by Geneva Smitherman, $6.38 (pictured)

‘Talkin and Testifyin: The Language of Black America’ by Geneva Smitherman, $7.77 (pictured)

‘White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue … and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation’ by Lauren Michele Jackson, $23.49

‘Mules and Men’ by Zora Neale Hurston, $15.99 (pictured)

‘The Black Book’ edited by Toni Morrison, $35

‘Bloodchild and Other Stories’ by Octavia Butler, $14

‘Rebel’ by Beverly Jenkins, $7.99

‘B. Smith: Rituals & Celebrations’ by B. Smith, $35 (pictured)

Rayo & Honey ‘Eat Words, Drink Stars’ Pin, $12 (pictured)

Rayo & Honey ‘Read More, Writer Better’ Banner, $50 (pictured)

Rayo & Honey ‘Books Change Your Mind’ Banner, $55

Rayo & Honey ‘Hundreds of Books Under My Skin’ Bookmark, $8 (pictured)

For the Kids:

Yinibini Baby ‘Trunk of Hearts’ Elephant One-Piece, $29.50

Yinibini Baby ‘My Neighborhood in DC’ Tee, $26.00 (pictured)

Jade & Fox Co. Fantasy Body Lotion for Babies, $16

Duchess365 Framed Art Print [Ladybug], $57.99

Duchess365 Throw Pillow [Lollipop], $29.99 (pictured)

Duchess365 Framed Art Pillow, $47.99 (pictured)

Herbaceutikals Talc Free Baby Organic Baby Powder, $14.25 (pictured)

‘Party, A Mystery’ by Jamaica Kincaid, $17.95 (pictured)

‘The Last Last-Day-of-Summer’ by Lamar Giles, $8.49

‘Puppy Truck’ by Brian Pinkney, $11.38 (pictured)

‘Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten)’ by Laura Veirs, $17.99

‘Little Melba and Her Big Trombone’ by Katheryn Russell-Brown, $18.95 (pictured)

Vee + Co. Apothecary ‘Mamatoto’ Aromatherapy Roller, $12

KaAn’s Designs ‘Living The Dream’ Denim Jacket, $40 (pictured)

Sir & Madame ‘Sir’ Kids Pullover, $55

Amina Abdul Jillil Kids Velvet Sneaker, $89 (pictured)

For the Masculine:

Gregory Sylvia ‘Durham’ Watch, $78 (pictured)

Gregory Sylvia ‘Grayson’ Watch, $95

Gregory Sylvia ‘Fullerton’ Watch, $95.00

A Life Well Dressed ‘Create’ Sweater, $34

A Life Well Dressed ‘District of Champions’ Sweater, $48

Sir & Madame Scratch Goods Beard Oil, $24 (pictured)

Sir & Madame ‘Sir’ Shirt (Blue), $40 (pictured)

Sir & Madame ‘Sir Shirt (Orange), $40

Sir & Madame Classic Logo Beanie (Gray), $40

Sir & Madame Classic Logo Beanie (Orange), $40 (pictured)

Sir & Madame ‘Sir’ Long Sleeve Black Shirt, $55

Sir & Madame ‘Sir’ Lapel Pin, $10

Instant Vintage - Pink and Blue Plaid Pants, $50 (pictured)

Instant Vintage - Camel Leather Blazer, $90

Instant Vintage - Tan Trench Coat, $60

Enbois ‘The Weekend’ Bag, $60 (pictured)

Enbois ‘Cocoa Collection’ Bracelets, $50 (pictured)

Enbois ‘Garvey’ Watch (Black), $70 (pictured)

Vee + Co. Beard Mist, $12

Vee + Co. Beard Oil, $20

Vee + Co. Beard Wash Shampoo + Conditioner, $18

Mr. Blackmans Bergamot & Spice Beard Balm, $11.99

Scotch Porter Nourish & Repair Hair Conditioner, $24.99

Scotch Porter Hydrating Hair Wash, $24.99

Scotch Porter Charcoal & Licorice Moisture Defend Face Lotion, $19.99

Levi Fisher Balm Diggity Softening Beard Butter, $12.99

Levi Fisher Smooth Operator Detangling & Conditioning Beard Serum, $9.99

Levi Fisher Go Tea Herbal Grooming Spray for Short Hair and Beards, $9.99

Sole Rebels ‘exodus Traveller ‘Shoes, $100

Sole Rebels ‘stepUP Ed. 2′ Shoes, $95 (pictured)

Sole Rebels ‘the SURGE any’ Shoes, $90

For The Technologically Savvy:

Enbois Case iPhone 7/7plus/8/8plus/iPhone X/iPhone XS/iPhone XR, $12 (pictured)

Enbois Walnut Case iPhone 6/7/8, $8

Enbois Rosewood Case iPhone 6/7/8, $8

Enbois Power Bank, $15 (pictured)

Enbois Grip Socket, $3 (pictured)

Embrii Shop Iridescent Macbook Case, $49

Embrii Shop Matte Gold Messenger Laptop Sleeve, $39

Embrii Shop Champagne Gold Glitter Macbook Case, $49

Embrii Shop Emerald Tartan MacBook Case, $49

Chic Geeks Black Faux Crocodile MacBook Case, $78

Chic Geeks Emerald Faux Crocodile MacBook Case, $78

Chic Geeks Grey Marble MacBook Case, $68 (pictured)

Chic Geeks Rose Gold Keyboard Cover, $12 (pictured)

Chic Geeks Space Gray Ombre Keyboard Cover, $12

Chic Geeks Emerald Faux Crocodile iPad Case, $78 (pictured)

Chic Geeks Unicorn Sparkle iPad Case, $68 (pictured)

Chic Geeks Emerald Glitter MacBook Case, $58

Chic Geeks Black Marble MacBook Case, $68

Chic Geeks Gray Marble iPad Case, $58

Puku G8 Earphones, $29 (pictured)

Khristian A. Howell Fig Life Sleek and Chic Phone Case, $39.99 (pictured)

Khristian A. Howell Deuces Sleek and Chic Phone Case, $39.99

Khristian A. Howell Buffalo Plaid Sleek and Chic Phone Case, $39.99

Cards, Stationery and Gift Wrap:

Greentop Gifts Clarence Claus Candy Canes & Trees Gift Wrap, $7.50 (pictured)

Greentop Gifts Clarence Claus ‘HOHOHO’ Gift Wrap, $7.50 (pictured)

Greentop Gifts Clarence Claus Close Up Gift Wrap, $7.50 

Greentop Gifts Clarence Claus Gift Bag, $4.50

Sweet Potato Paper Red Plaid Gift Wrap, $9.95

Sweet Potato Paper Yellow Triangles Gift Wrap, $9.95

Sweet Potato Paper ‘Can Swim’ Gift Wrap, $9.95 (pictured)

Sweet Potato Paper ‘No Worries’ Notecards, $10.50

Sweet Potato Paper ‘Sunny Thanks’ Thank You Cards, $1.25 per card 

Sweet Potato Paper ‘Audio Thanks’ Thank You Cards, $1.25 per card (pictured)

Sweet Potato Paper Blotting Paper, $1.25 per sheet 

The DynaSmiles Stationery & Gifts Assorted Christmas Cards Bundle, $28

The DynaSmiles "Fro La La" 4x6 Sticker Sheet, $3.50 (pictured)

The DynaSmiles "Santa’s Beard" Christmas Collectible Mug, $20 (pictured)

Addie Rawr ‘A Room Full of Dolls’ Adult Coloring Book, $15

Addie Rawr Fall Dolls Stickers (Die Cut & Sticker Sheets), $6.50

Midnight Reflections Melanin Prima Ballerina Ceramic Ornaments, $15.99 (pictured)

Midnight Reflections Kwanzaa Wrapping Paper Kit, $15.99

Midnight Reflections Black Santa Gift Bag Kit, $18.99

Midnight Reflections Black Angel Wrapping Paper Kit, $8.99 (pictured)

Midnight Reflections Black Santa with Snow Flakes Wrapping Paper Kit, $8.99 

Khristian A. Howell Rosey Holiday Gift Wrap, $8.99

Khristian A. Howell Rosy Twinkle Gift Wrap, $8.99

Khristian A. Howell Ansley Park Gift Wrap, $8.99

Kashmir.VIII ‘Maya’ Notebook, $11 (pictured)

Kashmir.VIII ‘The Marathon Continues’ Sticker, $9-$20

[thepowerofblackwomen]

Year-old Kensington comic book store and coffeehouse getting attention

Since Ariell Johnson opened her comic book store and coffee shop in Kensington in December 2015, she has taken the world by Storm.

In fact, her childhood fascination with Storm, the X-Men superheroine, led her to comic book and sci-fi fantasy geek fandom in the first place, she said.

She has been profiled on ABC News, CNN Money, and MSNBC, not to mention various nerd and geek websites, as the first African American woman to open a comic book store on the East Coast.

And in November, she was depicted on a variant cover of the Invincible Iron Man No. 1 comic book, along with Riri Williams, the 15-year-old African American superhero character known as Ironheart.

Storm “was the first black woman superhero I ever saw,” Johnson, 33, said at her shop, Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse, 2578 Frankford Ave.

“In addition, she was a powerhouse; she was one of the most powerful mutants in the X-Men universe. She controlled the very elements. She wasn’t a sidekick. She was the main event, which was exciting.”

Johnson said all the attention has been good for business.

“I think we’re doing well. We’ve had a very strong first year, and an untraditional first year, with all the hubbub around the shop,” she said.

Diversity in comic books has been met with some backlash from mostly male fans who assert on YouTube videos that characters should not be suddenly changed to black or gay. Some have called it pandering to attract more women and people of color to comics.

Johnson has not hesitated to speak out about the importance of the comic book world becoming more inclusive.

That means having characters who represent everyone - black, white, Latino, Asian, and people of all religions and sexual identities.

She makes sure to carry books written by and for women and people of color.

Johnson said people like them as heroes in fantasy and science fiction can empower young readers.

“When young girls come in here and know that a woman owns the shop, a black woman owns the shop, and they can see titles where girls are the heroes and not just the love interests or the sidekick … when they see women and girls taking the lead in things, that’s really powerful,” she said.

Since word of Johnson’s success got around, celebrity comic book writers have visited Amalgam.

The store was packed a couple of months ago when Ta-Nehisi Coates came for a book signing to accompany the release of a new comic in his Marvel series Black Panther.

She has also welcomed Greg Pak, author of X-Treme X-Men and other titles, and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights icon who coauthored a graphic novel, March.

Amalgam is spacious and colorful, with a red couch at the front window and blue and yellow armchairs nearby. In fact, it’s like entering a live comic strip tableau.

Small round tables have comic book logos: symbols for ThunderCat, Captain America, and Spider-Man.

Johnson said she became enamored of superheroes while watching television cartoon shows as a child.

“I’ve always liked shows about super powers,” she said. “I grew up watching ThunderCats, He-Man and She-Ra. But none of those shows had any black characters featured.”

When she was about 11, she saw herself in the character Storm in X-Men cartoons.

“In addition to being black and a woman, she had dark skin. The only thing that didn’t look like me was that she had white hair and blue eyes.”

A Baltimore native, Johnson came to Philadelphia to attend Temple University and earned an accounting degree there in 2005.

It took a decade of working for other people, first in retail and later as an accountant, before she decided to fulfill her dream.

Inside Amalgam the other day, Sam Woods Thomas, the commercial corridor coordinator for New Kensington Community Development Corp., said the coffee shop was the only one in the neighborhood.

Still, he said, things are looking up, with a new apartment development in the next block that people are comparing to the Piazza in Northern Liberties.

But he said it’s small businesses like Johnson’s that are key.

“They bring life back to the block,” Thomas said.

[ancestorswatching]

It's 2020, which means that the Harlem Renaissance, at the time known as the New Negro Movement, started approximately one hundred years ago. This is one of my favorite historical periods.

In the decades after slavery ended, life in the southern USA continued to be difficult for African Americans. Many chose to leave the sharecropping jobs in which white landowners were still exploiting their labor, and began to migrate north on huge numbers.

Literature, music, fashion, and art exploded in African American culture as a result of this move out of the stagnant South. Black owned businesses and publications as Black people used art to advocate for equality and show White Americans that they were human too- capable of producing beautiful novels, paintings, and music just as White people did.

Some famous authors who were active during this period include my favorite poet, Langston Hughes, as well as Zora Neale Huston and Claude McKay. Marcus Garvey was leading the Back to Africa movement and W.E.B. Du Bois worked to highlight the African Americans who had obtained college degrees and owned property. Josephine Baker and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson were two of the most prominent entertainers of the day. Louis Armstrong, Gladys Bentley, Cab Calloway, Billie Holliday, Lena Horne, and Dorothy Dandridge were just a few notable musicians. Romare Bearden, Sargent Johnson, and Lois Mailou Jones were visual artists who became well-known.

[officialblackwallstreet]

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This would make a great gift for any day or occasion. Go and show some support to this man Patrick Anvil and his partner for being distinctively different. Enter coupon code (chocobogo) on their website to get a Free item with your purchase: www.3somechocolates.com

[whitepeopletwitter]