Independence Day: Year One Sharing Stories of Black Owned Business
One year ago today, Independence Day 2016, I launched #THECOLOROFINGENUITY. I remember how proud I was to post the first article. I was filled with nervous energy, excitement and a tad bit of fear from the moment I hit “publish” but somehow managed to do it anyway. After all, The Color of Ingenuity was going to be my solution to a problem. The problem? I’d spent the last year, feeling powerless as stories dominated airwaves of African American’s who suffered “death by police” and heartbroken when their murders didn’t result in charges or worse– ended in acquittals. You see, we’ve reached a trillion dollars in buying power and we weren’t…
Modish Vine Style Tips For Gents
We went back into our bag of gems from African American Entrepreneur Chiwionne Mason, owner/visionary behind Modish Vine, to pull out a few style tips. Gentlemen and the women who love them–take note! The Look: BE VERSATILE. No matching tie and hanky’s. According to Mason, “If you’re going to get the matching tie and hanky, that’s cool, just DON’T wear them together. Use the tie and find a completely different pocket square in that same color scheme.” Not sure what to do now that you know the matching tie and hanky set is a fashion don’t? Mason offers this tip, “You can never go wrong with going to Target and…
The Color of Ingenuity Spotlights Lupita Nyong’o
Scrolling through social media today, I ran across a wonderful display of beauty wrapped in melanin, Ms. Lupita Nyong’o. While her beauty was captivating, it was her words from a few years ago that kept ringing in my head. Hollywood crowned her a star for her riveting portrayal of Patsey in Steve McQueen’s critically acclaimed “12 Years a Slave.” Subsequently, on Oscar Sunday 2014, the world applauded as Nyong’o received Hollywood’s highest honor with her win as Best Supporting Actress. Just over three years later and the world is still singing her praises. Nyong’o has been the talk of Hollywood for everything from her flawless skin and striking beauty to…
Shenette Swann: Constantly Evolving
There are no boxes or labels vast enough to describe the constantly evolving talent that is Shenette Swann. A classically trained vocalist, percussionist, dancer, author and motivational speaker, Swanns’ gifts came naturally and were nurtured by parents who are both artists in their own right. Her mother a professional singer with a band as a teenager, her father a drummer and her aunt a professional opera singer; music was a living and breathing member of the household. Born in NC to a military family, Swann lived in multiple states throughout the U.S. Her exposure to various cultures was instrumental in shaping not only her world view but her musical palate.…
Solitude Scents: Discovering the Gift of Solitude
LaToya Adkins moved to Durham NC in search of a change of scenery but stumbled upon her path to entrepreneurship. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI following graduation from high school; while most of her friends were going off to college hours away from home, Adkins made the decision to attend UW Madison which was only about an hour and a half away. There, Adkins received her bachelors in Legal Studies and Spanish followed by her masters in Social Work. A couple of years into her career, she decided the time was now to move and experience life away from the comforts of home. In October 2015, Adkins packed…
Moni B Cosmetics: A Kiss of Confidence
Born in Harlem but raised in the Bronx, NY native Moni “Moni B” Brodie has been enhancing the confidence of women with the stroke of her brush for over two decades. A makeup artist since the age of 19, Moni B has turned her passion into a lucrative business called Moni B. Cosmetics, LLC which launched in 2014. The beauty maven has used her platform to create numerous opportunities to further the reach of her brand including motivational speaking, most recently adding talk show host and producer to her long list of credits. She’s managed to accomplish all of this while balancing her most important role as a single mother…
#BlackExcellence: Salute to Colin Kaepernick
Whether you agree with Kaepernick’s actions or not, he has caused a dialogue that was a whisper after the Espy’s address by Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Chris Paul and spearheaded by Carmelo Anthony to become a loud roar. The question about what role celebrities and athletes should play when it comes to social issues, injustices and even politics can be argued back and forth for centuries to come and there will likely never be a defining consensus. I personally believe that each of us has a responsibility to stand against injustice. We all have a voice that when used can impact someone no matter how big or small our platform.…
