15 Black Business Women Share Their Tips for Success

Created in 1926 by historian Carter Woodson, Black History Month celebrates the many achievements of African-Americans, including black business women and men.

If anyone knows the secrets to striving forward, breaking new ground and succeeding despite challenges, it would be African-American women. Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, according to a 2015

“Being a woman-owned business is a task in itself,” says Teana McDonald, founder of marketing solutions company 3EConnections. “For black business women, the odds are stacked even higher.”

To gain even more insight and advice on how to overcome those odds to find business and personal success, I asked 14 more black business women about their secrets to succeeding in the business world.

RELATED: 5 Tips on how to overcome adversity

Embrace Diversity

“Use your diversity as a competitive advantage and champion what makes you unique. Black business women are being sought after more than ever—from academia to corporate environments. It’s important for us to market ourselves well, highlighting our strengths and talents, while also keeping in mind that diversity goes beyond gender. The views, opinions and experiences of black business women could be the very perspective that drives business initiatives towards success.”

—Nicole Joseph, COO, Sharestates

Be Passionate About What You Do

“It’s not always about money. The money will come if you make your passion your business. Along these lines, it’s important to value your relationships. I spend a lot of face-to-face time with my clients. Customers stay with you when they know you care about them.”

—Marcia Jones, founder and president, Urban Connoisseurs

“Understand how your personality, strengths and natural abilities shape the work you do. This is most important, because it’s the foundation for having success that’s fulfilling and sustainable for the long-term. Too many entrepreneurs, including black business women, burn out trying to be something they aren’t. When you know what you bring to the table, you can decide what opportunities to pursue from a place of confidence, meaning and impact.”

—RM Harrison, CEO, RM Harrison Consulting and author of The Pivot Map

Know What You Want

“Happiness is the key to success. If you have a goal, dream or aspiration, your conviction to the end goal is what allows it to come into being. That being said, be clear about what you want. This allows you to say no with conviction and to then bring in more opportunities that are on target. The less time you spend contemplating something that doesn’t feel 100 percent right, the more time you have to identify desirable opportunities.”

—Cheryl Sutherland, founder, PleaseNotes

“Being decisive is very important when running a business. This is something I started intentionally practicing when I launched my company in 2013. I quickly realized not only was I making decisions for myself, but for my team and my clients. Being decisive assures your employees and builds trust. This leads to lifetime value for your customers.”

—Michelle Ngome, founder, Line 25 Consulting

Accept and Overlook Mistakes

“Understand that you will make mistakes, and change will not always come as fast as you would like it to happen. Your internal operations are where to start making positive changes first.”

—Cheryl Ingram, CEO and founder, Diverse City LLC

Be Intentional

“Have a goal/objective in mind and a solid, realistic reason why the particular goal was chosen. This is important, because haphazard thinking and bumbling through life do not result in success. Have a plan and work the plan. Also, keep your eyes open and stay humble with every success. You want others to respect you as much as you respect yourself.”

—Judge Marylin E. Atkins, author, The Triumph of Rosemary: A Memoir

“Decide what problem your product or service solves. Look at the benefits versus features. When we started Girls Gone Forex, it wasn’t so women could make money. It was so women could have the options and freedom to live life in a different way. Money is just the vehicle. Understanding why is what keeps people engaged and tied to whatever you have to offer. Having a clear understanding of what motivates people to buy will allow you to be of service while building a successful and profitable business.”

—Robyn Mancell, co-founder, Girls Gone Forex

Know Your Worth

“Don’t be afraid to ask. The worst anyone can say is no. If you don’t ask at all, you miss out on a lot of yeses. When you do get a no, take it with a smile. For me, no means not right now, but maybe later. I’ve had many situations where a no later became a yes when circumstances changed.”

—Tamara Anderson, owner, Sugar and Spyked

“After 10 years of business, I’ve learned to ask for what I deserve. You may not always get what you want, but asking is very important. It’s also OK to say no. You don’t have to say yes to every business opportunity.”

—Teana McDonald, founder, 3EConnections

Embrace Change

“Keep in mind that change is inevitable. I pay attention to business trends and markets, making it a priority to stay in front of the changes and not get left behind. Many small-business owners, including black business women, can be slow to change, but changing is necessary and required.”

—Shahara Wright, business law attorney and CEO, The CEO Effect

Be True to Yourself

“In your business, you will always have to jump higher, run faster and still maintain composure and charm. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to be yourself. Remember what made you successful. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box, since that’s what got you this far. And don’t try to compete with the competitors—compete with yourself, it’s so much harder.”

—Ashley Hunter, president, HM Risk Group

Self-Promote

“Don’t be afraid to self-promote. Often, black business women have been forced to hide our greatness. Instead of hiding, toot your own horn. Share the work you’ve done. You’ll soon realize that the more you share, the more others will see the value in working alongside you and your business.”

—Stephanie Caudle, owner and founder, Black Girl Group

Seek Balance

“Avoid neglecting your health. Drink water, eat your veggies and stay active. It’s not about fitting into the mold; it’s about you being able to truly enjoy your success. Being successful usually comes with a busy schedule. For you to keep up with that, you need to be healthy. Along the same lines, work-life balance is key. All work and no play makes for a very boring and unfulfilled life. Make time for friends and family. Take a vacation or steal away for a few days to mentally disconnect. This will keep your energy up and your creative juices flowing.”

—Pamela Shand, CEO, Offer Stage Consulting

Learn from Failure

“Having a business is hard in general, but for black business women it still poses additional challenges. Beyond outside factors we can’t control, we wrestle with our own demons. Owning a business comes with extreme highs and lows. When you land a new client or close a deal, you’re on top of the world until something occurs to make you question your skill, worth or ability to succeed. It’s important to learn from failure and get back up. If running a business were easy, everyone would do it, but there is a reason you chose to run yours. It’s an unpredictable journey, but well worth it.”

—Bethanie Nonami, co-founder, Marley Nonami

Awareness Promotion of African-American Top Killers

Negro Documentary joins with others across the nation in recognizing April as National African-American Women’s Fitness Month (NAAWFM). Entering its 12th year, this health observance was created to raise awareness about health issues that specifically impact African-American women and promote an active lifestyle for better health outcomes.

Putting a spotlight on the health of black women and encouraging a physically active lifestyle is vital in helping to prevent and combat conditions like heart disease, stroke and cancer, which are the leading causes of death among African-American women in the United States. While these diseases affect people across the nation, African-American women have a higher chance of getting and dying from them.

The statistics surrounding heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, and their lethal impact on African- American women, are very serious. The unfortunate reality is that members of the African-American community are also very likely to have periodontal disease and untreated tooth decay, both of which can have serious health impact. The great news is that there are things we can do to lower the prevalence of medical and dental issues in the African-American community. Lifestyle changes including being physically active and maintaining great oral health are key.

Here is a breakdown of these diseases and their impact on African-American women:

Heart Disease

While heart disease is the No. 1 killer of all Americans, African-American women are at a higher risk than any other ethnic group, of suffering from this lethal disease. Some of the risk factors for this condition are the frequency of high blood pressure within this group and obesity.

Cancer

Per the American Heart Association, African-American women are diagnosed most frequently with breast cancer, especially those who are 45 years and older. Regardless of age, the mortality rate of this disease is higher among black women. Research also shows that by the time they are diagnosed, the cancer is typically at the later stages.

Stroke

African-American women are two times more likely to get a stroke than Caucasian women. The younger women are also more likely to get a stroke, and more severe ones. The risk factors are similar to heart disease. They include high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and sickle cell anemia (a genetic disorder most commonly found in African-Americans).

Ignorance

Ignorance may be the most dangerous condition of all. Only one in five African-American women believe she has a higher chance of getting heart disease, breast cancer or stroke. Also, many people do not know that overall health and oral health are connected. For example, germs or bacteria from other areas of the body, like the mouth, can travel and attach to damaged areas of the heart, causing Endocarditis. There are also suggested links between heart disease and clogged arteries, with infections and inflammation that originate in the mouth. Positive outcomes increase with health screenings including dental exams, as well as a healthy diet, a physically active lifestyle, maintaining a healthy weight, effectively managing diabetes and blood pressure levels.

Negro Documentary has actively worked to raise awareness of the dangers of these three diseases in their community, as well as the connection between these conditions and oral health. They have been proud sponsors of the Broward Heart Walk for eight years, where they are recognized as having the highest donation per employee over any other sponsor at the event.

Women of Color Get Less Support at Work

Women of color don’t need to be told to “lean in.” Research shows that the vast majority of them have confidence and ambition, determination and desire.

According to a recent Nielsen survey, for example, 64% of black women in the United States agree their goal is to make it to the top of their profession; that’s nearly double the percentage of non-Hispanic white women with the same goal. McKinsey and Leanin.org meanwhile report that 83% of Asian women, 80% of black women, and 76% of Latinas say they want to be promoted, compared to 75% of men and 68% of White women in their study.

And yet, despite representing about 18% of the U.S. population, women of color represented only 4% of C-Level positions in 2018, falling far below white men (68%) and white women (19%). Even graduating from a prestigious business or law school doesn’t help much. Of the 532 African-American women who earned their MBAs at Harvard Business School between 1977 and 2015, only 67 (13%) have achieved the highest-ranking executive positions, compared to 161 (19%) of African-American men and 40% of a matched sample of 150 non-African-American HBS alumni.

It’s clear that the factors preventing women of color from advancing at work are quite different from those holding white women and even men of color back.

These include microaggressions, double standards, and unconscious bias to name a few. A 2006 survey of employees from five large U.S. companies found that women of color are most likely to experience workplace harassment among all groups. They are often held to a much higher standard than their white and male peers and presumed to be less qualified despite their credentials, work product or business results.

Perhaps even more alarming, they receive less support from their managers, according to the same McKinsey and Leanin.org study. They are less likely to have bosses who promote their work contributions to others, help them navigate organizational politics, or socialize with them outside of work. Thus, they’re often left out of the informal networks that propel most high-potentials forward in their careers. They lack the kind of meaningful mentoring and sponsorship that is critical for getting ahead.

This is not always a conscious decision on the part of managers: When looking for employees to sponsor, most executives apply the same rules we use when seeking out new friends: they search for people like them, with similar life experiences. While this is human nature, it can also reinforce existing gender and racial biases. After all, white Americans have, on average, 91 times as many white friends as black friends.

How can leaders help the women of color on their teams to advance? We propose six actions that can be taken immediately.

Take initiative. Being the only woman of color on a team can be extremely taxing. You’re torn between authenticity and assimilating. In the face of this tension, women of color often opt out of happy hour and other social events and rarely share the personal details of their lives as openly as their white and male counterparts. Managers can help employees overcome this hesitation by extending a personal invitation to attend office gatherings and making it clear that they look forward to getting to know them better. We’ve heard that some male bosses have become more cautious with female reports in the wake of #MeToo, but appropriate personal outreach – equal to the socializing you do with colleagues more like yourself and with whom you feel instantly comfortable – is important.

Give credit where it is due. Women of color often feel invisible at work, and justifiably so. Several studies have found that black women’s statements were remembered less quickly and less accurately than those of their white female and male peers. Managers should make people more aware of this unconscious bias and openly call out instances where good work is being underappreciated or ignored. They must also highlight the contributions of these women through formal and informal communication channels, so the praise is on the record.

Provide honest feedback. It can be difficult to share critical, real-time advice – especially when there is an element of difference (race, gender, age) between the giver and receiver. Worried they will be perceived as racist or sexist, managers typically default to feedback that reflects “protective hesitation” rather than the candor women of color need to develop. Bosses should instead push themselves to deliver feedback in a manner that shows they care deeply about their employees’ personal growth and advancement but are unafraid to call out the areas for improvement. In his book The Culture Code, Dan Coyle recommends this prompt “I’m giving you this feedback because you’re part of this group and we care about you and we think that you can do better at….”

Assess potential, not just competencies. Few executives have all the competencies desired for leadership roles. In these instances, hiring managers often make a bet on who they believe can do the job well based on their past experiences and qualifications. But this can have the unintended consequence of excluding women of color, who probably haven’t been given the same opportunities as their white and male colleagues. So it’s important to also widen the candidate pool by recruiting and assessing for potential as well. Egon Zehnder has, for example, created a model that provides organizations with a systematic and objective way to evaluate curiosity, insight, engagement and determination, which it believes are the leading indicators of future competence in leadership roles.

Check for bias. While 42% of companies check for bias in reviews and promotions by gender, only 18% track outcomes for the compounding bias of race and gender. Tracking the performance of women of color and the velocity and rate at which they’re hired and promoted versus their peers is the only way to measure progress in creating a more diverse leadership bench. If for example, the average manager being promoted during a review cycle has driven less business growth, managed smaller teams and been responsible for a less significant P&L than an Asian woman who has also advanced, or one who hasn’t, that is clear grounds for further investigation. Without the data however, such cases might fly under the radar.

Ask why. Exit interviews are one source of rich anecdotal data on the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion programs. But very few companies have implemented a mandatory exit interview policy for diverse employees that systematically asks why they are leaving. These conversations can provide rare insight into the experiences of women of color and can be fertile ground for new ideas on how to improve the overall employee experience before talent walks out the door. If HR doesn’t take up this cause, managers can do it themselves, informally. There are also confidential third-party software solutions like tEquitable and All Voices designed to help employees anonymously report harassment and bias and offer resources and action plans.

Women of color are a motivated, engaged group of high-potential future leaders. Companies and individual managers who want to create more diverse and ultimately more successful teams need to do more to ensure that diverse female talent isn’t left behind.

My First Waxing Experience | Epilfree South Africa Review

My First Waxing Experience | Epilfree South Africa Review. I had my first ever waxing experience last week thanks to Epilfree and OMG has my life changed! I hadn’t ever gone waxing before last week and to be honest with you I don’t really know why. Shaving with a razor at home has always seemed more convenient and (what I used to think) more effective, but I will be the first to say I was wrong.

 

Taryn from Honey Box PE contacted me last week Wednesday and told me about Epilfree and how they wanted to give me a complimentary waxing treatment and of course your girl was game!! I will have to admit that I was a tad bit scared going into because hello, have you watched online waxing videos?

 

I went over to Lush Beauty Salon and was greeted with nothing but warmth and smiles (which is really good because I was still a little nervous). Taryn went first and had her treatment as I was speaking to Van Lee from Epilfree and not hearing her cry out in pain (honestly) did relax me a bit.

 

After Taryn was up it was my turn! Thanks to Chantelle from Lush I was extremely relaxed during the entire process and Van Lee also made me super comfortable having explained what the experience was going to entail and what is was going to feel like before I lay down to get my treatment started.

Before I even go into detail about my experience with Epilfree I just have to mention Lush Beauty Salon first. It is located in a quaint, quiet place in Glen Hurd Drive. The facilities are clean (yes, I notice such things), and Chantelle was extremely friendly and reassuring.

 

They specialize in various beauty treatments including facials, sugaring, manicures, pedicures, tinting and of course waxing. Some of the brands used at Lush include Lamelle, Depileve, Alexandra Sugaring, Essie Nail products, Incoco, Gelish, Professionails, MD Lash Factor, SpaValous Massage Candles and now Epilfree.

I have been obsessing over their Instagram feed lately and I am seriously thinking about heading over there to get eyelash extensions soon. Thank you to Chantelle from Lush for the amazing and relaxing experience!!

Developed in Israel by Dr. Yoel Konis PhD and Dr Zhai Selkovits Dermatologist, Epilfree is a professional hair reduction system. It is a post-epilation treatment that offers permanent hair reduction. Treatment with the preparation is suitable for all types of hair including light hair, and there is no risk of skin damage and no risk of sun sensitivity post-treatment.

 

It is based on a unique scientifically formulated combination of natural and safe synthetic ingredients (no chemicals) that inhibits and slows down the regrowth of unwanted body hair. It works in conjunction with a regular wax routine and is applied post-wax-treatment to the waxed area. It basically gives you laser-like results without the limitations (e.g. light hair) and excessive costs!

 

For the results you ultimately get, Epilfree offers a pocket-friendly solution to permanent hair reduction as treatment does not require the use of expensive equipment operated by a medical team. You can also choose to take single Epilfree treatments at a time meaning you won’t have to make sizable long-term commitments and can rather go for treatments as and when needed! (Don’t say that I’ve never given you financial advice lol).

 

The treatment can be used on all parts of the body by both men and women, young and old. The preparation does contain active ingredients though so please note that if you are pregnant or breast-feeding you should not use it!

From Non-profit Consulting To Empowering Black Women: My First 6-Figure Year

It’s been fun walking down memory lane this week! Let’s do a quick recap, shall we?

So back in 2007, I started a blog, which led to me launching my first business as a nonprofit consultant, speaker and coach in 2008.

For 2 years, I ran my business on the side, earning an extra $10,000-$20,000 a year on top of my 9 to 5 salary.

In 2010, I resigned from my job and I’ve been working for myself full-time ever since!

2010 was also the year I started my second blog. It was called “Diary of a Happy Black Woman” and at first, I just used it as a personal online diary to document my journey of transforming my life, building my business, dating in DC and traveling the world.

As I began to write about my experiences, I connected with hundreds of other women who were on the same path. Through the stories and lessons I shared, I discovered that lots of women wanted to live a similar lifestyle of happiness, success and freedom. Within a few years, that blog evolved into a supportive online community of like-minded women.

After a while, my tribe started asking me HOW I did it. So I began helping other Black women to uplevel their mindset and launch their own businesses as well. It became clear to me that there was an opportunity to do more to support my tribe and I was excited to go into a new direction.

So I decided to shut down my nonprofit consulting business. And in 2013, I officially turned Happy Black Woman from a blog into a full-time company.

A year later, I had grown it to over $100,000 in revenue! 2014 was my first 6-figure year. Since then, my business has consistently generated between $250K-$1M in revenue each year.

Fast forward to today and I’ve been able to go from $0 and an ugly little blog to a profitable business and empowerment brand for women, publishing 2 books, hosting a podcast with over 900K downloads, leading dozens of events, speaking all over the country and being featured in numerous media outlets.

But none of this happened by accident.

Every day, I had to do the work to bring in clients consistently.

In fact, throughout the last 10 years, there are just a few steps that I’ve followed, over and over again, to grow my businesses and maintain my location-independent lifestyle.

These steps became the basis for the strategies that I now teach in my courses to help my clients create successful businesses, too.

What I’ve learned is that long as you keep going and NEVER give up – you WILL succeed. It’s just a matter of time.

Regardless of what anyone else says or thinks about your goals –

I believe in your dream.

I honor your vision.

I love who you are now and I absolutely love who you are becoming.

White, Slim & Pretty! But What About Me?

We like to convince ourselves that our world is equal. Sure we’re not slaves anymore, and I am not running around fixin’ to fetch Master some tea, but our worlds are very separate. Especially in the fashion industry.

If you don’t believe me head over to the magazine section at your favorite bookstore. Have a peek inside of any magazine — OR just look at the cover. I’m usually not there. I am your average brown girl, cute — but not fair-skinned and tall with hair-weaved-all-down-my-back. I’ve got curves. The kind of curves that make a man take a double look. The kind that make a casting director say, “You’re a bit larger than what we’re looking for.”

Point blank — I am not whiteslim, and pretty. Although the last adjective might be debatable.

So I wasn’t surprised to read IFB’s latest entry “Bloggers & Body: Are We Helping or Hurting Ourselves?“. I read the post about 5 times just to make sure that I was clear on the author’s intent, which gets a little lost after reading a few paragraphs. One of the points the author makes is that the majority of our popular blog culture is thin and beautiful. And that these top-tier white, slim, and pretty bloggers…

“have high-quality images, consistent posting schedules, spot-on design and unique style. There are many brilliant and well-done blogs whose authors and content provide a fresh and unique voice that’s also inclusive of more well-rounded audience.”

and that…

“In order for a more holistic image of fashionable women to permeate the top tier of blogging as well as traditional fashion media, there needs to be a serious commitment to higher-quality content, as well as a more committed approach to fostering their growth from brands and larger publications. At the moment, there aren’t enough blogs run by these types of women that get the notoriety they deserve.”

That’s laughable and gave a huge le sigh to the above quotes. While I do agree with some of the post I felt compelled (after a push from LoveBrownSugar) to write my own response to this topic rather than leave a comment on the IFB site.

It’s just silly and rather closed-minded to think, or assume, that the reason why blogs run by women of color or size don’t get the notoriety we deserve is because our blog’s content sucks or it’s poorly designed. Simply put, it’s because I am not whiteslim, and pretty.

The blogging industry is no different from corporate America. Women of color or size get passed over for countless opportunities on a daily maybe even hourly basis. And until the powers that be understand and begin to realize the power of my influence, I believe this won’t change.

For this reason the number models of color and size used during fashion week is significantly low. And let’s not even mention how white celebrities dominate the covers of fashion and lifestyle publications. I wrote a post last summer summarizing my thoughts on who’s really represented in the fashion industry–affectionately titled, Is Fashion Racist, Ageist, and Fattist?.

I ask that same question today and I say YES, it is! In order to get the notoriety we deserve we have to create our own networks, and publications. It would be nice if IFB highlighted more bloggers of color and size. And technically they are a part of the problem too. But kudos for having Iman as a keynote. Maybe change is near?

IFB has received a lot of backlash for this article. So much so that the founder decided to pen an open letter. In my opinion the letter does more harm than good.

One sentence stands out, mainly because it’s in bold — Being featured by another publication is a privilege, not a right. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. And I am elated when I am featured on a site or in magazines because of my blogging efforts.

But as a community of bloggers, as IFB claims to be, it’s OUR responsibility to emulate the diversity that exists in our world. Again these are JUST my opinions. Check out a few other posts around the blogosphere on this topic.

This Is Why Black Women Should Take More Roles in the Society

As the social climate in the United States takes dramatic shifts, it’s a pertinent time to reflect back on the contributions of Black women. 

 

Black women have been under a lot of oppression in history. For years, highly capable women of colour have been unable to participate due to racism and other issues. Now, it’s time for them to start leading. 

Black Women Are Highly Educated

The Reconstruction Era was the period after the U.S. Civil War intended to rebuild the South and to appoint liberties to former slaves who had previously been given no rights. This is where black Americans were first allowed the opportunity to earn an education without punishment. But the school system would remain segregated for almost another hundred years. 

 

These colored schools did not meet the same standards as their white counterparts, causing generations of social hindrances and setbacks. Even as blacks, in general, became more scholarly, it was still considered unappealing for women to seek higher education, as it was believed that their place was at home. But over the last half of the century, black females have been doing diligence in making up for the loss. 

Black women, today, are far surpassing black men in their college pursuits. Among Black students in higher education, women are more likely than males to earn degrees, getting, reportedly, “64.1% of bachelor’s degrees, 71.5% of master’s degrees and 65.9% of advanced degrees.” Black women also outnumber the percentage of other races receiving postsecondary degrees.

Black Women Have Better Selfless Ambitions

Traditional values were core to the survival of the black family unit, but the most difficult times put a lot of weight on the shoulders of the women. Even though men were usually the head of the household, historically, women had to bear the responsibility of caring for their struggling homes and their members. Even as those foundations started to crumble, with diminished assistance, black women held the heavy burden of being the rock of their communities, as the social structure of the American family continues to change. 

 

Black women are more likely to sacrifice their own livelihood to support the ambitions of others. Many acknowledgements of their efforts have gone neglected and unrecognized. Especially during the civil rights movement, when they fought against social injustices during the ‘50s and ‘60s. 

 

Black women played a key role in fighting for the freedoms of their fathers, brothers, and sons that they would not, themselves, directly get to benefit from. The pressures of facing both racism and sexism have been physically and mentally detrimental. And unfortunately, they are also amongst the group of people least likely to have access to excellent healthcare and other wellness opportunities. 

Black Women Are Overcoming Racism

Even after slavery ended, the tensions and misunderstandings between blacks and whites would remain. People still believed they were too different to be allowed in the same spaces, and both groups remained highly segregated for years to come. Pools, drinking fountains, gatherings, and most if not all aspects of life were divided based on skin color. One of the most problematic was the separation of schools. 

Unfortunately, the split would do continuous harm in encouraging racism. Often negative stereotypes or bad assumptions would rise out of the disconnect. Black people — black women, in particular — were often painted with a very aggressive and uneducated brush. These adverse and unfavorable opinions have caused a range of grievous and painful repercussions that plague black people in the United States. 

 

Even today, in popular culture, black women are often portrayed as angry and unagreeable. This unprofessional representation leads to limited work opportunities, diminished expectations, and lower pay. 

Black Women Are Successful Even From the Past

 

With a load of struggle and in the face of diversity, many intellectual Black women of the past and present continue to make strides toward progress and growth in their communities. 

 

Mary McLeod Bethune was one of the first female black activists in the United States. Raised in the segregated South, she knew that education was imperative to the betterment of black people. She became a teacher, and in 1904, founded the Daytona Educational and the National Council of Negro Women. She also served in public administration under Franklin D. Roosevelt. 

 

Alice Walker is a writer and poet who, while blind in one eye, used the power of words to explain the intricacies of the Black female strife. She became the first African-American woman awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her outstanding and emotional novel, about the difficult life of a black teenage girl raised in rural Georgia in the early 20th century. “The Color Purple” would become a staple in American culture and entertainment. 

 

In 1968, the first Black woman was elected to Congress. Shirley Chisholm served fourteen years as a representative from New York and ran for president as a Democrat in 1972. She was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus and later the Congressional Women’s Caucus. Her focus was advocating early education and developing child welfare policies.

 

Maya Angelou was an artist and, arguably, one of the best-known poets from the United States. Her notable 1969 memoir, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” was the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman. She has received more than 30 honorary degrees and, in 2010,  was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  

Black Women Fight 

Poverty and the scuffles of society have left a pockmark on the American Black female. They have had to fight for their civil liberties and the freedom of others before their own. They have fought hard for the right to a high-quality education, and though they are increasingly matriculated into institutions of higher learning, Black women are still most likely to work in the lowest-paying jobs. They are rarely found or encouraged to study within the fields of technical careers in STEM, such as engineering or computers. 

 

The alienation of strong community support and limited resources has created a weakened family foundation and left many black homes broken in the United States. Poor social structures and struggling environments leave many Black women exposed to harsh living conditions. The stresses of carrying so many painful responsibilities have resulted in ailments such as hypertension and other physical and mental conditions.

 

Even in the face of strife, Black women continue to empower and excel. They are selflessly paving the way to hopefully change the scope for future generations and turn around the painful history of their ancestors.

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  • Not quite familiar with the topic? Survival bracelet books then definitely help – just order with the product and have it delivered.
  • Online shopping sites offers the best specialist literature for reading a variety of topics!
  • Need for care and cleaning, do you need extras that you might want to order at the same time?
  • Material: high quality workmanship is reflected in the price, but usually lasts longer.
  • Depending on the survival bracelet material, the weight can also be influenced.
  • How do survival bracelets compare in other comparisons and what rating was there?
  • Customer Service and Contact: Who to contact after purchasing Survival Bracelet?

Many questions can be answered easily and quickly. Maybe also with the help of the online videos, check out more at braceletworld.co.

Customer Recommendation: two Survival Bracelets have the best ratings

Word of mouth and recommendations from other shoppers and customer reviews are important arguments when deciding to buy a particular product. To give you a good overview of the best Survival Bracelet, you can also see the products that have received the best customer reviews.

Conclusion in the survival bracelet comparison

Obviously, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially with Survival Bracelet. Be it the material or the size or the possible care effort. Nevertheless, the above aspects should not be ignored. Survival bracelet offers, leader boards but also new releases are always up to date with our product check.

It is an equipped belt equipped with a load that allows to start a fire, to repair your tent, to clean water, to signal help, to waterproof a poncho, to replace a shoelace, to carve fish, to cut an arrow loop trap, pull a lose screw, or navigate to safety. It is a lightweight bug out bag for your wrist. All items can be carefully placed in the center core under the fabric pattern, which makes it discreet and ready for the apocalypse. This is not only a bracelet which enhances your appearance, but it also helps you in the wild. And yes, it’s very different compared to bracelets of royal origin.

Required Items:

  • Know how to make a standard Cobra Paracord Bracelet.
  • Lighter, paracord, tape.
  • Optional: Pliers & Straws
  • Add Buckle & Survival Gear to the bracelet.

Choose survival tools that would fit what you prepare for and place your selection neatly on your workspace. Here are examples and estimated prices for everyone: all are available from experts or by surfing the internet.

Outdoor emergency: you can un-tie the bracelet and turn it into a three meter long parachute rope. There are three meter long strings in one piece. Caution: not suitable for securing during mountaineering or climbing. This bracelet consists of an approx. Paracord abbreviation for parachute cord is a thin, lightweight kern mantel rope made of nylon. The trendy parachute cord is a true all-rounder, untied you can use it for much.

Even the Huffingtonpost recognizes these bracelet as lifesaver! Read their article to know their take on this!

Super survival bracelet

Test results from consumer magazines can also contribute to a purchase decision. These setups are specialized in examining and testing all possible variants or spare parts of Survival Bracelet Test. The Survival Bracelet Test often checks the security, in addition to the durability, the user manual or handling. Safety is often more important than expected especially when children have to deal with survival bracelet or are in the vicinity that should be considered.

Product Notes

Product details help compare the price / performance ratio of survival bracelet prices. Tip: More about the features or properties can be found on the websites of the manufacturer. Many also offer a good customer support, where you can ask your questions about the survival bracelet test and use your comments.

The Nesting Dolls Hype You’d Want To Participate In

Russian nesting dolls are popular with tourists who arrived in Moscow in connection with the World Cup 2018. Here starts the topic of this article Russian nesting doll how it’s made.

Every day a lot of tourists come to the Izmailovo market in Moscow to buy dolls, considered to be a kind of symbol of Russia. Matryoshka with images of world famous footballers, in particular Ronaldo and Messi, are very popular with tourists. At the Izmailovo market you can also buy dolls with the image of famous athletes from the NBA and NFL.

You can also buy matryoshka dolls depicting world-famous world leaders, including Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Stars of Turkish football are also depicted on nesting dolls.

The immense popularity of Sergiev Posad dolls led to the emergence of competition. Masters from other places could see a novelty at fairs, especially at Nizhny Novgorod’s largest in the country. Sergiev-Posad dolls attracted the attention of Nizhny Novgorod carvers-toy-makers. In the Nizhny Novgorod province appears its large handicraft center for the production of nested dolls – the city of Semenov according to it the matryoshka is called Semenovskaya.

Tradition of nesting dolls

The tradition of painting Semyonov matryoshka dolls originates from the hereditary master toy-maker Mayorov from the village of Merinovo. The village is located near Semenov. In 1922, Arsentiy Fedorovich Mayorov brought from Nizhny Novgorod an unstained sergiy-posad matryoshka. His eldest daughter Lyuba put a drawing on the nested doll with a goose feather and painted it with aniline dye. On her head she depicted a Russian kokoshnik, and in the center she placed a bright scarlet flower, like a daisy. For almost 20 years, the Merinovskie matryoshchechniky took first place among the masters of the Nizhny Novgorod region for 20 years.

The painting process

The painting of the Semyonov matryoshka, is more vivid and decorative in comparison with Sergiev Posad. The painting of Semyonov matryoshk originates in the folk traditions of the “grass” ornament of Ancient Russia. The Semyonov masters left more unpainted surfaces, they use more modern aniline paints also coated with varnish.

The basis of the composition in the painting of Semyonov matryoshka is an apron, which depicts a magnificent bouquet of flowers. Modern masters create paintings in three colors – red, blue and yellow. They change the color combination of an apron, sundress and headscarf. The bouquet on the apron is traditionally written not in the center, but shifting somewhat to the right. Semenovskie turners have come up with a special form of dolls. She, in contrast to Sergiev Posad, is more slender. The upper part of its relatively thin abruptly turns into a thickened lower.

Semyonov’s matryoshka differs from others in that it is multi-placed and consists of 15-18 multi-colored figures. It was in Semyonov that the largest 72-seater nested doll was cut out. Its diameter is half a meter, and its height is 1 meter. Semenov is considered the largest center for the creation of matryoshkas in Russia. Of course, you don’t have to go there to buy quality dolls. You can just buy online at nestingdolls.co.

 

The Forbes mentioned nesting dolls as part of the 2019 toy trends. Read their article.

 

Matryoshka from Polkhovsky Maidan

In the south-west of the Nizhny Novgorod region there is another famous center for the manufacture and painting of dolls – this is the village of Polkhovskiy Maidan. This is an old handicraft center, whose residents specialized in wood carving and wooden toys. The first polkhovskih matryoshka, made on the example of Sergiev-Posad, were trimmed with burning. Later, the locals began to paint them using floral ornament. Masters of Polkhovsky Maidan, as well as Semenov, write with aniline dyes. Coloring Polkhovsko-Maidan’s matryoshka is distinguished by an even brighter, more resonant color gamut and larger painting.

Modern Matryoshka

This is a characteristic feature of the modern author’s dolls – its extraordinary picturesque. Her drawing is similar to flowery fabric and creates a festive mood. One of the main themes of the painting becomes the world around. Many artists turn to motifs from Russian history, from Prince Igor’s campaign to modern history. It turned out that in the matryoshka there is a huge potential for the transmission of events unfolding in time and space. This movement appears as if in front of our eyes and can also be “rolled up and put away” in a nested doll case.

It is worth mentioning that for the inauguration of Bill Clinton in Russia, dolls with the image of the future President of the United States and his closest associates were specially ordered.

Very often, contemporary artists turn to the traditional themes of painting nesting dolls – “Family”, “Motherhood”. Hence, making nesting dolls as great wedding gifts. For the first time, a mother with a baby in her arms was painted in her matryoshka by a master from the village of Krutets, Nizhny Novgorod Region. We do not find such a tradition of painting in the matryoshka dolls of the early Sergiev type, but during the heyday of the author’s matryoshka this theme began to actively develop. The idea of ??comfort, consolation, intercession is connected with the theme of motherhood. This is a lullaby sung at night, and a wonderful fairy tale told to grown-up children. The plots of Russian fairy tales, nested dolls on the apron are very diverse.

Top Picks for Matching Couples Onesies That Will Surely Standout

Warm and cozy pajamas onesies are the top picks for matching couples onesies, sewn from a warm, non-allergenic material is fleece. Fleece soft, fluffy and pleasant to the touch, it is easy to wash, does not require ironing and extra care. In the foots you will be comfortable pajamas, completely close your legs, a hood will save you from drafts, and additional pockets and a compartment for the phone make the fools very practical home clothes.

These clothes are for men and women who love comfort and want to look good at home. This is a warm gift to yourself or close people, especially those onesies with trendy designs.

It is very easy to buy pajamas, the main thing is to choose the size and decide on the colors. You can make an order around the clock through online store or by contacting by mail or phone. Store managers will be happy to help you find best onesies and answer all your questions.

Home wear that warms the body and improves mood

You cannot even imagine how stylish and fun pajamas can be. Creative people are everywhere, and they will appreciate such a non-trivial piece of home clothing, like onesies. Forget unsightly T-shirts and pants. From now on in your wardrobe there is no place for boring things. After all, we have prepared several interesting options for the house:

Classic pajamas onesies: It envelops you with warmth from the tips of the toes and right up to the crown. Thanks to a convenient zipper, such a onesies is unbuttoned with one hand movement.

Model with a pocket on the pope: This is an option for those who value convenience and comfort which is natural, then you know what. In the area of ??the buttocks there is a pocket, which, if necessary, is detached, so be calm: unpleasant incidents do not threaten you.

Kigurumi: This pajamas onesies, which in the blink of an eye will turn you into a fun cartoon character like Giraffe, Stitch, Dinosaur or Kitty? Choose as per your choice. This is the ultimate goal in collecting cartoon character squishies. You collect it for being a fan of it. Until you want to be it.

Buy pajamas in the online store, like kigurumi co, means to ensure the warmth, comfort and good mood.

Read this article from The Telegraph about onesies

Convenient to buy, nice to wear

Do not like banal and faceless things? Then you came to the right place. Online stores offer beautiful onesie gifts, bathrobes and traditional pajamas. Online store will help you find  pajamas for the whole family. At the same time they provide:

  • Delivery throughout America
  • Personal consultation
  • The ability to exchange or return the goods
  • A free fitting

We can buy pajamas cheaply and quickly, and most importantly without any extra effort. Choose, place an order, and very soon the thing you like will delight you with its warmth, convenience and funny appearance.

When kids grow up and begin to walk, the most comfortable and practical clothes also becomes onesies. And in the variety of children’s clothing range, most parents choose onesies for children.

Where do the love of children and their parents for rompers come from?

The explanation is quite ordinary. Children’s onesies are considered universal, comfortable and very practical children’s clothing, in which the kid just run and jump, it is always warm and comfortable. Elegant and beautiful onesies are suitable for children of different ages for all seasons, and winter onesies are in greatest demand.

How did it happen that the children’s winter onesies became the leading, ideal and practical clothes for babies? Let’s look at the pages of history, where we can learn the history of origin and the path of evolution to the present day children’s winter onesies.

History of children’s winter onesies

Onesies is a holistic onesies that connects the pants with the upper part of clothing.

Nowadays, children’s romper has become very popular. One can see different variants of this practical clothing in various onesies fashion collections and on the most elegant celebrities. Despite the fact that fashion is relatively recently directed interest in this version of clothing, prototypes of onesies emerged in the middle Ages. In those days, touring actors’ stuntmen, royal jesters and alchemist experts dressed the dress up. For fakirs and clowns, the integral costume was the key to conditional security and ease of performing complex numbers and stunts, without restricting their movements. For scientists, alchemists’ onesies played a completely different role, characterized more esoteric than practical. It was believed that a solid costume contributes to and helps in the formation of the energy flow in your body.

Baby wardrobe 

In the basic wardrobe of ordinary people, onesies originated around the eighteenth century. The only thing they wore it then was not adults, but kids. Reputable people of noble birth could tailor holistic costumes made of beautiful satin, silk fabrics. Ordinary people of these kind clothes for children were inaccessible. But now, whenever there is a Halloween party, you can see many adults wearing Halloween onesies.

Working uniform

Onesies gained wide popularity and recognition in the nineteenth century among prospectors. This was due to the famous American with Jewish roots of Levi Strauss and his company, the famous company Levi Strauss today. In 1853, during the gold rush hours in America, a businessman made a onesies of sturdy fabric, which was intended for tents. Such a onesies was created especially for gold prospectors, whose trousers were continuously worn down on their knees. In 1870, at the time of Levi Stross, all of his enterprises started mass production of onesies that have only a working purpose. They were sewn from the latest denim and turned out to be so comfortable and practical that they instantly won fame among workers, farmers and cowboys. An abundance of pockets, fairly loose cut products, practicality and durability of the fabric, the ability to qualitatively wash the onesies – have become the main factors of dizzying success. From 1911, onesies began to produce many garment factories of America. In every way they tried to improve the product and supplemented it with various pockets for convenience and practicality. In the beginnings of the twentieth century, outdoor onesies still took place as beachwear for guys. The so-called evolution and the path of passing children’s winter onesies from origin to the present time we will continue in the next article.

You can buy winter onesies for children wholesale from the manufacturer on the site of production enterprise of children’s clothes.

How to Prepare for a New Semester in College

Welcome back, y’all! I can’t believe I am a senior in college and my upcoming semester will be my last one. It seems like time just flew by!

There are definitely a lot of things that I do to prepare for a new semester, especially now that I’m a senior. Today’s blog post is all about how and what you should prepare for a new semester in college.

Check on your class schedule early

The sooner you log on to your school’s website, the better.

Sometimes class times change, locations change and sometimes classes get cancelled. Hopefully your school sends you emails when these things occur, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Taking a five minute break from Netflix and Hulu is worth a peace of mind once you realize your schedule is all good to go.

This practices you to manage your time, too. If you know your school schedules, you get to insert some hobbies or activities for healthy living. Your corsets for healthy exercise won’t get wasted by this so manage your time well.

Do more back to school shopping, on a smaller scale

Let be real, how many pens and pencils do you still have left over from when you bought them in August?

Though you won’t be getting the same back to school deals, you should definitely do a little mid-semester back to school shopping. Replenishing your notebooks and pens will definitely keep you motivated about the new semester.

Figure out how much your books will cost before the first day

I personally like to go ahead and figure out what books I will try to buy, rent or use the e-book version of before classes start.

By waiting until the first day, I only added to the amount of days I’m waiting for my book to be shipped to me, so I like to have them before the first day.

There are loads of great websites to use for textbook comparisons, but my absolute favorite is slugbooks.com. They compare prices from Amazon, AbeBooks, Chegg and a lot more websites. They also include rental prices.

 

Become one with Google Calendar, iCalendar, or your favorite scheduling app

Unless there are a couple of classes you aren’t sure you’re going to be able to get into, or you’re waiting to be put into, I suggest already having your school, work and extracurricular calendar already inputted into your favorite calendar app so you can see when your free time and periods are.

I already have my own class schedule for next year in Google Calendar. I don’t have my work schedule yet, but this still provides me with a rough estimate of what time I’ll be working and when I can plan study time.

A new semester doesn’t have to be daunting if you just plan ahead!