In Love with the Cocoa

I got a chance to check out the movie Barbershop: The Next Cut this past Saturday; I was pleased.  I enjoyed the cast, the message behind the film, and I especially enjoyed the barbershop talk.  The discussions in this movie were real, unfiltered and essential.  They were about men, women, politics, race, social media and a whole other slew of things that peaked my interest.  However, there was one particular discussion, touched on briefly by the cast, that stuck out to me - black women, their weave shenanigans and black men's love for women who resemble Kim Kardashian.  One sister in the shop raised a good point and made a few comments pointing out that some of our men don't appreciate our natural attributes.  The discussion then turned to actress/model Lupita Nyong'o, her hair and how most men wouldn't want their woman rocking that hair style because it doesn't represent the typical standard of beauty in America.  Some of the men disagreed and implied that they could appreciate a woman with Lupita's characteristics.  This made me think.  Do some of our men suddenly have a strong affinity for the cocoa and our kinky locks? Are they finally waking up?  This discussion reminded me of an article I wrote a couple years ago.  See an excerpt below.

According to social media, quite a few men are in love with Lupita's looks.  Coming from SOME men, I find this hard to believe because we live in a society where her attributes (dark skin and a short natural hair-do) are not the criteria for beauty.  Most of our men are suckers for long hair and light skin.  I'm not blaming the brothers for their inflexible interests because we all have been socially constructed by music, television, social media, and some magazines to believe that lighter skin and long hair equate beauty.  As kids, the media shaped our views of beauty and had us believing that long flowing hair and slightly tanned skin were the things to like.  If you didn't have a parent reinforcing and praising other images of beauty like afros and coffee-colored skin, you were not conditioned to appreciate the type of beauty Lupita brings to the table.  

There is an abundance of Lupitas working in Wal-Mart, pumping gas at the gas station, in the hood, riding the bus, etc.  Therefore, if men are really into Lupita and her features like they claim to be, then they would date someone who resembles her.       

I wrote the piece above because at the time I felt some of our brothers weren't keeping it real.  I knew of a few men personally who wouldn't look twice at most of the girls who possessed dark skin and kinky hair but claimed that they were Lupita's #1 fan probably because she was trending at the time.  Fast forward two years later, and a lot of people seem to be amazed by these African characteristics.  The world seems to be catching on and celebrating different hair types and all the shades of our people.  Is the appreciation for our culture real or are some people still on the pro-black bandwagon because it's popular now?  I truly believe that some of this new found love is due to having more brown skin women portrayed in the mainstream media.  These days commercials feature black women with natural hair and dark skin tones.  Seeing more images of ourselves constantly can influence our views in a positive way, and it gives other brown skin women the courage and confidence to celebrate their beauty proudly.

Nowadays, there are several blogs dedicated to just black women and natural hair and paraphernalia being created that celebrates our beauty and uniqueness.  Hell, now the hair stores even sell kinky weave and faux dreadlocks!  I am truly amazed by it all. 

Photo Credit: Instagram - @djeclazz. Retrieved April 17, 2017

Photo Credit: Instagram - @brandanjzachery. Retrieved April 17,2017

Ya'll know I need that swimsuit above, right?!! It comes from Bareswim.com, and it's available for pre-order now!

Photo Credit. Zazzle.com. Retrieved April 17, 2017. http://www.zazzle.com/natural+hair+coffee+mugs

I am loving the era that we are are currently in, and I pray it continues.  I am so glad that our little girls have women in the media like Lupita Nyong'o and others to make them feel beautiful and give them hope.  Black people come in all shades of brown, and we have many different hair textures; this is what makes us beautiful.  We are diversity at its finest!      

P.S. - Shout out to the women who don't need the media's permission to love themselves, and shout out to the men who have been down with the sisters before it was cool! 

Photo Credit: Etsy.com. Retrieved April 17, 2016. https://www.etsy.com/market/black_power

Thoughts?

- One chocolate girl - Samjah Iman

French Quarter Festival 2016

Allow yourself to daydream for a minute and picture this scene - it's slightly windy, around 79 degrees, cumulus clouds fill the sky, brass bands are blowing, people are smiling, children are dancing, colorful clothes decorate the streets, fried fish and shrimp aromas float in the air and a thick, joyous spirit hovers around the atmosphere and covers you like a blanket.  Ladies and Gents, welcome to the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, LA.

The French Quarter Festival (FQF) always gives me the art I fiend for, and this year was no different.  I got to witness an array of fashion, taste my favorite foods, and observe different vibes.  Check out the FQF through my curious eyes and camera lens.

Mardi Gras Indian.

That's right sweetie, stay camera ready!

The dashiki was in full effect at the fest.  I saw this look a few times on both men and women. 

The hat crew.

This dish is called "Crawfish Louise."  It consists of crawfish (my fav!), green onions, breadcrumbs, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese.  Delicious! 

Squad love.

Chicken and sausage jambalaya.

Crawfish pies!

Plum Street snoball with a shot of rum!

Rompers are popular this summer.  They go with festivals like red beans go with rice (yes, I'm currently hungry, hence the food analogy). 

Shorts are always a festival staple.  They keep you cool and cute at the same time.  

I wore a tee created by Chokolat Creme (available here), some BDG cut-off shorts (Urban Outfitters) and Steve Madden combat boots.  I try to be as comfortable as possible when I'm at these festivals. An uncomfortable outfit literally ruins an event for me.  I'm an advocate for functional fashion!   

The FQF 2016 did not disappoint me at all.  There is no other festival that has a similar vibe.

Until next time - Laissez les bons temps rouler!!! (French for let the good times roll.)

What's your favorite festival to attend?

- Samjah Iman

Partying with a Purpose

This past weekend was a busy one, but purposeful.  I got the chance to party with my friends and family for a worthy cause - to bring awareness to Sickle Cell Anemia.  

The Northeast Louisiana Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation (NELA SCAF) held its annual "Evening with Sickle Cell" event on Friday, May 8, 2016 in Monroe, LA.  The reason behind this event was to encourage individuals to educate themselves about this disease that plagues our community and to know their sickle cell status.  My father, brother, nephews, a friend and I all have the sickle cell trait, so I was glad to be able to participate in this meaningful event and give back.       

Check out my coverage of the event below. 

Pictured above is my mother conversing with her colleagues from the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

My brother Brad and his wife Tonya.

My friends and former classmates. 

Above is what I wore to the event.  Black and white are my go-to colors for most events because these colors stand out and look sophisticated.  I had on an Urban Outfitters top and skirt, and my shoes (pictured below) were from Aldo. 

The event was entertaining and lively. I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

For more information on this disease, visit www.sicklecelldisease.org.

Do you KNOW YOUR SICKLE CELL STATUS?! 

- Samjah Iman

Rejuvenation - Creole Style

When life gets busy and a little stressful, sometimes you have to let go, vibe out and adopt an "I don't give a damn" attitude like my friend in the picture above.  

On Thursday of this past week, I declared that I was going to do nothing this weekend but sleep in and rot my brain with reality television shows.  I was dead tired, and I felt that my body and mind needed a huge break.  However, Friday rolled around and the weather was perfect.  I then checked the weather report and discovered that Saturday would be beautiful as well.  I told myself that I would rest Friday evening and take advantage of Saturday.  I woke up Saturday morning and had that "do something" energy within me.  I needed to get out of the house and bask in the lovely weather that Louisiana was experiencing.  We do not get many pleasant, warm days here - so I wasn't letting this one slide.  

I decided to get dressed, pack my camera and head south to New Orleans, LA (NOLA).  NOLA holds a special place in my heart.  There is a vibrant spirit in that city, and I feel it each time I visit.  I love the culture, the cuisine, the free spirits, the art, and the music; it all envelops me.  

I walked miles around the downtown area just to see what I could see.  It was entertaining to say the least (as usual), and it was also refreshing and relaxing - just what my weekend needed.  Check out what I captured in NOLA below.  

I quickly gave this man a dollar....I was about to give him $5 but I remembered that I wanted to eat later on. 

Jazz art in the French Quarter.

Here vibe was peaceful. 

Window art on Royal Street.

I thought he was a cool subject to shoot. #fashionablyliberated

I love the architecture in NOLA.  The detailing and colors of the houses are so artsy.  

Art on the front of a building on Frenchmen Street.

A creepy bar that I won't be having a Bloody Mary at....ever.

People watching.

A simple wedding on Bourbon Street.

Somebody literally read my mind and put it on a shirt! Ha!!

A cool band taking a break in between sets. 

I am trying to take a picture while she is asking me to reveal my breast.  Obviously the party and ignorance never dies on Bourbon Street.   

I was tempted to sit next to her. 

My sentiments, exactly.  

After being flipped off by the silver man above, I felt is was time to dip into a cool restaurant, take a break from walking and feed my face.  I went into Bourbon House (a restaurant on Bourbon Street) that specializes in Creole cuisine.  Check out what I feasted on below. 

For starters, I had charbroiled oysters topped with crawfish.  It was dreamy and delicious. 

For my main course, I had Catfish Pecan served with sautéed shrimp, popcorn rice, Creole meunière, and seasonal vegetables.  God is good.

After dinner, I was back at it.  I recorded some live video of a jazz band playing on the street. The video came out blurry so I won't be sharing it; nonetheless, the music was jumping. 

Overall, my time in NOLA was an adventurous one.  I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend, and now I am rejuvenated and ready to tackle another week.  Until next time!

What do you like to do to rejuvenate your mind and spirit? 

- Samjah Iman