Fashion Meets Philanthropy at FashionGLAM!

By: Intern Tia Tia

I love talking about fashion – it’s my passion and one of the fashion icons I follow is Beyonce’!  Beyonce’, girl you better kill it! The number one thing that I love about Beyonce’ is that she is truly a triple threat!  She dances, gliding across the stage in 5’’ heels and hitting EVERY note while looking stunning is something many artists cannot do.  I will not name names, Keri Hilson LOL, but I digress..

From Beyonce’s amazing voice, to her clothing line, Dereon, to being one of the most sophisticated women in the industry; she in fact impacts the lives of many.  Looking at the Hip Hop world there aren’t many women artist who are really making an impact.  She’s conscious and charitable and is someone I can really respect and look up to and that’s why she’s one of the first people I think of when it comes to FashionGLAM, a celebration of fashion, creativity and philanthropy!  Led by the wonderful ladies at TWS Marketing Communications and Chocolate Pink Productions in Atlanta, FashionGLAM’s main purpose is to celebrate feeling good, looking good and being good as a whole.  One deserving woman will be getting a full makeover that includes clothes, hair, makeup and a photo shoot!  Talk about a nice “give back”, wow!  Can someone nominate me?? 🙂

This season’s benefiting organizations are All Grown Up Inc., a youth organization dedicated to helping young girls and maturing teens develop into womanhood and the Millennium Gate National Monuments Foundation. The Millennium Gate’s mission is to preserve and interpret Georgia history,  architecture, culture and philanthropic heritage as well as highlight Georgia’s historical and aesthetic relevance to the United States and to the world.  It’s a really beautiful place, so click the link to check it out!

There will be plenty of trends, trendsetters and lovers of fashion there to get their shop on.  And did I tell you that all you can drink sparkling wine from Pearly Bay – Opici Wines, their official sponsor and food is included in the admission that is only $35 for the “Glam Fashionista All-Inclusive” pass.  Don’t you love these names?

Anyhow, I’m so excited and look forward to all the vendors, retailers, boutiques and lovely sponsors that are coming on board daily.  Well, that’s my “Fashion & Philanthropy” report – I’ll be updating you often, so if you’re in Atlanta and want to be part of these awesome festivities and hear me tell you all the reasons why Beyonce’ is my favorite artist, then hit me up on email and we’ll get to chatting!

Signing off,

Intern Tia Tia

SXSW in Living Color

Tamika, my partner gave an introduction to SXSW in her blogpost yesterday to catch up those, like herself, who were in her words “clueless to the brilliance” of the annual Austin conference that connects, technology, film, and music.

I am continuing the SXSW conversation today bringing you a round-up of diverse people and happenings that took place last weekend. This also helps me feel like I was there. I have known about the conference for a year now. And, I commit to make it in person, maybe next year. But, in the meantime thanks for all those that have allowed me to live vicariously through ustream, video, audio and  blogposts.

Black Blogging Rock Stars and Adria Richards

Thanks Adria Richards of But You’re A Girl for you panel review of the Black Blogging Rock Stars and a bit about your panel on Sci-Fi and Tech’s similarities

 

Black in Tech Meetup

I was able to experience this lively discussion which included a Kanye moment as described by James Andrews’ blogpost.

 

Latinos in Tech Meetup

Inspired by Blacks in Tech, Latinos in Tech decided they would host their own event. See the pics.

 

Baratunde Thurston Tells Us How to be Black

And the ever Informing and Entertaining Baratunde Thurston grabs the SXSW audience according to Venture Beat.

 

Hopefully, I’ll be there next year standing next to these thought leaders reminding these influential new media leaders of their power to connect our buying power with image power on the big screen, small screen, computer screen and everything in between

Glam Media is Proof Positive of ‘Switch’ing Theories

Today was a good day for this media entrepreneur. My task list was as long as it is most days. But, the bright spot came in the form of a scheduled attendance at the Dan and Chip Heath ‘Switch‘ Book Tour being put on by one of my favorite magazines – Fast Company. However the ‘good day’ part of it is important to note because I wasn’t sure it would be when I was awakened by my daughter at 1:45am. 

She was hot and had a headache. I gave her some medicine and sent her back to bed. But I couldn’t go back to sleep. So, I worked through the night to check off some things on said task list. Well 6 hours later, at the beginning of the workday for most, a delayed start to our day allowed my daughter to feel much better, but not 100%.  So, I made the mompreneur executive decision to bring her to the event with me. Now you see why I wasn’t so sure about the good day part – lack of sleep, semi-sick child and much to do could have been a recipe for disaster.  

But, I digress, as I often do. So now, I’ll get back on subject.

Attendance at the event came with a free issue of the current month’s issue of Fast Company, a free year’s subscription and a copy of the Switch, with the option of getting it signed by the author. 

See details at amazon.com

Although I have not yet read the book, I’ll share with you three presentation takeaways that provide theories I look forward to exploring. And, it seems  Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies List  provides the perfect case studies of practical application.

Switch Theory: See—–>Feel —–> Change

Fast Company Case Study: #37, Glam Media – This media company lead the way in capturing the attention of the droves of women finding a need for a place to go online. And, what better way to do that than by connecting through the blogs and micro communities already forming . Smart move!

Switch Theory: Find practical solutions and obsess about your successes instead of your failures.

Fast Company Case Study: #31, HTC – Cher Wang and her team wanted to simplify communications while eliminating the need to carry “huge computers.”  Focusing on the practical needs of someone’s life – “talk to friends and relatives, read books and access the Internet on one device.” Well they have accomplished just that with the Google-phone her company has created. But, she and her team are not done yet. She say’s it’s just the beginning.

Switch Theory: Clear direction is needed for both thinkers and feelers to create effective change

Fast Company Case Study:  GE – You would think change would be glacial when it comes to a corporate giant like GE. Well, Healthmagiantion Chief , Mike Barber ( a black man, y’all) is proving he’s the right man to  get change moving within GE’s healthcare, and greening things up at the same time. In his words, “we believe that what is good for the public at large and what is good for the world is also good business.

See the magazine and the book for more. Looks like it was a good day for me and diversity.

Hollywood’s Need for Diversity Inclusion

Academy Award Nominee, Gabourey Sidibe

By: Tamika Morrison

Vanity Fair said it best on the front cover of their latest Young Hollywood issue without uttering a word.  The picture of the lily white rising stars said it all; Hollywood doesn’t have to acknowledge black or diverse talent.   Really?  Is it that simple as tossing hair over the shoulders with a shrug and keep it moving?

Well just as corporate America was given mandates by Affirmative Action programs in the form of “Diversity Inclusion”, I believe it’s high time for the ‘diversity police’ to start issuing high dollar tickets for the whitewash crimes going down in Tinsel Town.

Essence Magazine just wrapped up their third annual “Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon” and on deck were some powerful women in their own star-right that deserved to be mentioned and acknowledged – not just on the cover of Vanity Fair’s Young Hollywood issue, note Gabby Sidibe, Zoe Saldana and KeKe Palmer all fit the bill, but there’s some other major heavy weight’s among them that seems to fly under the radar a little too much in Hollywood’s elite like, Cicely Tyson, Angela Bassett, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Anika Noni Rose and Nia Long, just to name a few.  This luncheon not only showed off the beautiful black talent that dwell in Tinsel Town, but it’s a sad reminder of the need to hold ‘your own’ awards function to acknowledge black and diverse talent because otherwise, it may remain unnoticed.

And alas, we have the Oscar’s showcasing the most incredible talent in film, television and cinematography that aired on Sunday, March 7^th –Mo’Nique won Best Supporting Actress for her role in the critically acclaimed independent film, Precious.  Mo’Nique is the fifth African-American woman to be recognized for this great honor.  And we can’t ignore the incredible talent that is Gabourey Sidibe who was nominated alongside acting greats, Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side and Meryl Streep “Julie & Julia”.  Should there have been more African-Americans recognized by now or is this the progress we seek?  That is definitely a debatable subject.  We can’t deny Gabby’s nomination and entrance into Tinsel Town is a game changer on so many levels even if she didn’t win.  So maybe we have our first case of Diversity inclusion for Hollywood?

I do see some progress and believe Hollywood will continue to become more diverse.  If Hollywood becomes halted or stunted, you best believe, I’ll be ready to blow my proverbial whistle on my radio program, The Greenlight Project as me and my partner, Rochelle Valsaint look for ways the media industry doesn’t move fast enough in the case for diversity.

What do you think?

Follow me @twsprfirm