The Formula of Authenticity

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BJ The Chicago Kid Breaks Down His Song "Too Good"

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Fenty Beauty #420

Fenty Beauty Fenty Glow Lip Gloss

Fenty Beauty Trophy Wife Kilowatt highlighter 

Natural Hair Wand Curled

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(RUDY CURRENCE)

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28 People Who Are Too Good And Too Pure For This World

Good. We all needed this.

Awwww

[wnq-writers]

Everything is about timing and I’m always either too early or too late.

setof-emptybones  (via wnq-writers)

[love-personal]

[eternallybeautifullyblack]

50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

Looking for inspiration? Look no further. In this five part series, fifty talented black women from across the globe share their powerful words of wisdom.

Part 1: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

Starting here, enjoy 50 thought provoking TED talks by 50 super talented black women in this five part series. 

Featured in Part 1:

ELIZABETH NYAMAYARO | TEDWomen 2015 An invitation to men who want a better world for women.

AMMA ASANTE | TEDxBrixton The power of defining yourself.

RAKIA REYNOLDS | TEDxBarnardCollege Rules of the road on your journey to success.

SARAH LEWIS |TED2014 Embrace the near win.

ANNE-MARIE IMAFIDON | TEDxBarcelonaED Let’s save the world with girl-led startups.

SOMARA THEODORE | TEDxCreativeCoast The evolving identity of a first generation American.

MEMORY CHAMPITI | TEDxYouth@Lilongwe Local charity: Yes you can.

DR MAGGIE ADERIN-POCOCK | TEDxHousesofParliament The dawn of a new space era.

NOZIPO MARAIRE | TEDxHarare Indigenous versus indi-genius.

FELICIA HATCHER | TEDxJamaica Tell your failure story.

[LINK]

Part 2: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is part two of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 2:

PANASHE CHIGUMADZI | TEDxJohannesburg A new self-identity for Africans.

MAJORA CARTER | TEDxMidWest Three stories of local eco-entrepreneurship.

PATRICIA OBO-NAI | TEDxLabone The age of the girl geek.

LATISHA CAMPBELL | TEDxYale I am a radical: changing the odds. 

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE | TEDxEuston We should all be feminists.

ANGELA JACKSON | TEDxProvidence Turning urban youth into global citizens.

MAAMEYAA BOAFO | TEDxAccra Being the real me without apology.

OLA OREKUNRIN | TEDxBerlinSalon Womenomics.

MELLODY HOBSON | TED2014 Color blind or color brave? 

MAGATTE WADE | TEDxUFM Disruptive Brands as Cultural Innovation.

[LINK]

Part 3: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is part three of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 3:

THANDIE NEWTON | TEDGlobal 2011

Actor Thandie Newton tells the story of finding her “otherness.”

MINNA SALAMI | TEDxBrixton To change the world, change your illusions.

TARA WILKINSON-MCCLEAN | TEDxBridgetown Re-imaging wealth in global media.

PENINAH NTHENYA MUSYIMI | TEDxAmsterdam I am the change. 

THELMA GOLDEN | TEDxHarlem Innovation Through Art – The Preposition Problematic.

MICHAELA DEPRINCE | TEDxAmsterdam From “devil’s child” to star ballerina. 

SHAKIRAH BOURNE | TEDxBridgetown The curse of the starving artist. 

KIMBERLY BRYANT | TEDxKC Defy Impossible.

ZAIN ASHER | TEDxEuston Trust your struggle.

ALLYSON HOBBS | TEDxStanford The chosen exile of racial “passing.”

[LINK]

Part 4: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is part four of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 4:

HANNAH POOL | TEDxEuston Discovering myself while discovering Erithrea.

JASMINE BURTON | TEDxAtlanta Innovation to sanitation through empathic design.

KAKENYA NTAIYA | TEDxMidAtlantic A girl who demanded school.

MAHLET AFEWORK | TEDxPlaceDesNations Ancient tradition/modern fashion. 

FADEKEMI AKINFADERIN-AGARAU | TEDxEuston Finding my calling.

RAPELANG RABANA | TEDxCapeTown Using mobiles to rekindle learning.

PATIENCE MTHUNZI | TED2015 Could we cure HIV with lasers? 

SAEEDA WRIGHT | TEDxConcordiaUPortland The ultimate selfie – love. 

ORY OKOLLOH | TEDGlobal 2007 How I became an activist. 

SADA MIRE|TEDxEuston Cultural heritage: a basic human need. 

{LINK]

Part 5: 50 TED talks by 50 talented black women

This is the final part of our series of five posts sharing TED talks by fifty talented black women from across the globe.

Featured in Part 5:

ANGELA PATTON |TEDxWomen 2012 A father-daughter dance… in prison.

JULIANA ROTICH |TEDGlobal 2013 Meet BRCK, internet access built for Africa.

CATHERINE PHIRI |TEDxEuston Debunking the made-for-Africa script. 

TALITHIA WILLIAMS | TEDxClaremontColleges Own your body’s data.

JEPCHUMBA|TEDxEuston Asking Why.

CHINWE ONYEAGORO | TEDxWindyCity I’m an inefficient market entrepreneur.

DAYO OLOPADE | TEDTalentSearch The new African narrative.

NDIDI NWUNELI | TEDxEuston Rage for Change.

MAYA PENN | TEDWomen 2013 Meet a young entrepreneur, cartoonist, designer, activist Maya Penn.

DR MAMPHELA RAMPHELE |TEDxCapeTownED Rising to our citizens’ responsibility.

[LINK]

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[the-bluespirit]

President Barack Obama’s farewell address [1/10/17]

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(RUDY CURRENCE)

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First Listen: BJ The Chicago Kid, 'In My Mind'

The Windy City soul man has established himself as a supreme collaborator; his Motown debut features guest spots from Kendrick Lamar and Chance The Rapper.

[nickmahar]

The Legendary Kevin Randolph aka Kai on #theincredibletruestory this dude is one of the most talented people I’ve ever met.

[theformulaofauthenticity]

That’s my brother! :-)

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(RUDY CURRENCE)

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(RUDY CURRENCE)

[sxsweveryband]

BJ The Chicago Kid destroyed his set at the GW Marriott Universal Music Showcase Friday.  #sxsw #sxsw2016 #music

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(via http://vevo.ly/HGALdN)

[independentcreativeservices]

operation: la fuerza y creer

Fitness, wellness, and training is a way of life. It goes beyond exercise. Training is life. Or at least the best metaphor for life. Because life is hard, right? Life definitely has its challenges, as training does; complete with highs and lows.

We have to get healthy as a people. I can be doing great, but if I’m not inspiring someone else to do just the same, I have failed. If I’ve reached a certain level of leadership and I’m not giving back, I’d be no leader… I’d be a selfish coward. We have to nurture and cultivate others to believe that they can do anything. We have to manifest, speaking truth to power, what we want to see. And I want to see everyone doing well. I want to see everyone excelling. I want to see everyone living the life they want.

Star Wars was the topic of the day a few months ago. While I’m no guru, the phrase: “May the force be with you” has always had crossover appeal. I’ll do you one better: “May you be the force.”

May you be a force in your life. Fuerza. May you be bold. May you accomplish your goals. Fight for what you want. You can do it. Si se puede. For those that want to make a change in their lives, whether it be with their bodies or their careers, I’m here to say you can do it. You just have to believe in yourself.  

I like to move weights. How could I do this without force? Without believing that I can? Without in fact taking the first step to even putting myself in the position to try?

Did you know that regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, biking, or swimming, can you give you a better quality of life in addition to extending your lifespan?

You can be a champion. But you’ve got to believe in yourself. How you do anything is how you do everything. It won’t take long to this training mentality spills over into your everyday actions. 

Be patient. Focus. Breathe. 

Believing in yourself is a mentality. It’s a way of life. The greatest relationship one can ever have is with yourself.

We always look to what we can get from others; how about we look within to see what we can get from ourselves? If you look deep enough, you just might find that you have a lot to offer. 

You know what’s always reassuring? To lose yourself and repeatedly come back to finding the same person. 

Know thyself. 

In a world where nothing is guaranteed, it’s a blessing to have yourself. Your values. Your truths. Your being. Your existence is a gift to the world. Remember that.

Keep telling yourself something and it’ll come true. Condition your mind and the body will follow.

Habits form rhythms. Once you get into a rhythm, a groove, it’s hard to be stopped. You become that force.

My motivation? I’ve been bred for it. I’ve got fighter’s blood in my veins. And there’s sure enough to fight for. Don’t get me wrong, it took me a long time to get where I’m at. But I had to do it for me. For myself. Now I’m indestructible.

Keep moving forward and you’ll find what you’re looking for. Just don’t remain stagnant. And definitely don’t go backwards.

But you have to start somewhere. I’ve never had the best body, never been the best athlete on the field, but I damn sure wasn’t going to be outworked. You mix that drive with my work ethic, plus my ego, you’re going to get results. Good ones. Believing in yourself can go a long way, because now in my life, I’m essentially playing hopscotch with options. Good ones. If you want to achieve, you’ve got to believe.

Believe in yourself and watch your life change.

Be well. Be great. Be everything you want to be. 

Maximo is a creative, personality, and force from San Antonio, TX. Follow him on social media @blurbsmithblots.

Photos by Geronimo Rodriguez Photography @SAFitnessPhotos.