Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

sister-hood-award1So I would like to take this time to thank SeasonedSista2 for nominating me for my 3rd Blogger Award (I love your blog design btw! I love those kind of color combinations), as always I am always ecstatic and very thankful for those who find my blog worthy to receive an award:

Here Are The Rules:

• Thank the blogger that nominated you.
• Put the award logo on your blog.
• Answer the ten questions sent to you.
• Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
• Nominate seven blogs

My questions are as follows, they are followed up with my answers:

1. What is one of your favorite quotes?

One of my favorite quotes is by George Benard Shaw:

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

2. If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I would love to learn to speak fluent German. Chinese also appears pretty intriguing.

3. What was the last movie that made you cry?

large_v1WdKm9qQPBfhoHanBP5XxzIBDUWow, this is a very good question…..especially since I don’t really cry during movies, hmmm….I must say Beautiful Mind with Russell Crowe was pretty moving. The movie is based on the life of John Nash (Crowe) who arrives at Princeton University of the prestigious Carnegie Scholarship for mathematics. Nash is super smart and can crack codes with his mind alone. But after meeting a suspicious supervisor of the United States Department of Defense, his mental genius is challenged against the backdrop of insanity and the movie takes an unexpected twist.

4. If you won the lottery, what is the first things you would do?

african-american-children-painting1When I was about 11 years old, we would go to Hamilton Park on the south side of Chicago every day after school and spend the entire afternoon there until being picked up at night. At that center we got help with homework, participated with extracurricular activities like dance and music bingo etc. It was a lot of fun. Today my husband and I run a research and fellowship center (1/5) in Shreveport LA . If I won the lottery one of the first things I would do is contribute to the development of more youth centered activity centers in the inner city areas so that children have a safe and nurturing place to go after school.

5. Have you ever had a nickname, what is it?

My nick name is EC, and Twin

6. What is your favorite holiday?

I don’t celebrate holidays so I do not have a favorite.

7. Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Lol, Definitely an introvert

8. If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?

My bible

9. What is one food that you will not eat?

Anything Pork related

10. Would you rather use Facebook or Twitter?

Hmm, great benefits to both, but while I enjoy Facebook I have to say I’m more of a Twitter baby, it’s a lot more laid back in my opinion (at least mine is lol). Seems to fit better with my personality, short characters, not so much going on, I can get in and out.

I don’t have anyone in mind to nominate at this time so I’m gonna leave it here. Of course by now you all know I’m used to breaking award rules, I’m a rebel, what can I say (I’ll publish a post about that some other time).

In the meantime, I would like to take the time to thank SeasonedSista2 again for the wonderful award nomination! 🙂

 

Black History Fun Fact Friday

Hello there loves, and welcome back to Black History Fun Fact Friday the one day we set-apart to highlight some of the most influential African American men and women of time.

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Panther1995_movie_posterToday’s Black History Fun Fact is the movie Panthers, the 1995 document of The Black Panther Party as narrated by Kadeem Hardison as Judge (based on the real life persona of Bobby Rush), and directed by Mario Van Peebles as adopted from his father Melvin Van Peebles. The film portrays the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (aka The Black Panthers) tracing the organization from its founding through its decline. I must admit I’m going out on a limb by recommending this movie. I may soon be deemed as a promoter of militant anti-government sentiment. However, that is the opposite of why I recommend you add this movie to your collection. For the record I’m not in the business of advocating for militant behavior.

free_breakfast_programI like this movie because it showcased a lot of The Panthers outreach programs: the food distributions, medical assistance, education, and variety of businesses. Mario Van Pebble’s Panther is one of my favorite movies for the same reason Malcolm X is one of my favorite movies, not because I’m Muslim, which I am not, but because of the passion for the uplifting of the black community and the way the actors seemed to literally cement themselves into the roles. I mean, Denzel Washington may as well have been Malcolm incarnate. It’s not everyday you get a bomb story, with truth, AND actors to play it to the letter. Movies like this are very inspiring to me and keep the fire I have to restore the forgotten heritage to the forgotten people going. Just watching it alone compels you to get off your butt and do something, feed the poor or tutor some children, anything to promote progression in your communities; fueled by the passion of the youth before you. Speaking of which, you can’t miss the cast in this one: From Angela Bassett, to Kadeem Hardison, Marcus Chong, Chris Rock, Tucker, the list goes on and on with A list actors and act they did. This film is a must see.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out this week’s episode of Black History Fun Facts! We’ll see ya next week.

In the meantime, go buy that movie 🙂

Today marks our 3rd week in this series so here’s a recap in case you missed it:

Black History Fun Facts: Hair Story

Black History Fun Facts: Ray Charles

The Versatile Blogger Award

versatileThere are a lot of good things happening today: we all woke up this morning, I’m still married to the most handsome man in town, the sun is shining beautifully in Louisiana, I’ll probably go home early (Ok, that’s stretching it), it is a good day though and…oh yea, we’ve been nominated for another blog award people :). (*Yay me* *small crowd goes wild*). Primarily, I would like to take this time to thank Lisa of the Rebirth of Lisa Blog for the nomination.

Here are the rules I think I plan on following this time (I think):

• Show the award on your blog. (check)
• Thank the person who nominated you. (check, check, check again 🙂 )
• Share seven facts about yourself. (Hmm…ok check)
• Nominate 15 blogs. (umm)
• Link your nominees’ blogs, and let them know. (check)

Now for the interesting part, 7 facts about myself. (I actually like the number 7 by the way, but shh, that don’t count,  do over lol) here we go:

1. My name is Yecheilyah (e-see-lee-yah) but everyone calls me EC, you can too 🙂
2. I love children and I work with, teach, and tutor them outside of writing
3. I live in Louisiana but I’m originally from  Chicago, south side
4. I have a twin sister
5. I love laughing, pasta, and I think ice cream is the best desert ever made
6. My favorite colors include anything with an earth tone feel (Green, Beige, Tan, Burnt Orange and especially Brown)
7. and I’m addicted to movie nights with the world’s best husband

Thanks again Lisa for the nomination and here are my nominees for the blogs I think qualify for the Versatile Blogger Award:

The Angriest Black Man in America
http://theangriestblackmaninamerica.com/
Unequivocally Awkward!
http://unequivocallyawkward.com/
Angelicsoul
https://brookebrunson.wordpress.com/
Kindness Blog
http://kindnessblog.com/
Rachel Being Chatty
http://rachelbeingchatty.com/
Thoughts by Mello-Elo

About Me


Silver Threading
http://silverthreading.com/
Poet Creations
http://poetreecreations.org/
Write Dorne–Putting Life into Words
https://dorneawhale.wordpress.com/
Ronovan Writes
https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/

I know, that’s only ten but it took me a really long time to come up with this list! lol. I wanted to make sure to list the blogs genuinely and this is what I came up with because you are all awes…splendid :).

We Do To Others

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“The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.” – Eric Hoffer

Today’s Rap Music

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Today’s rap music (actually today’s music in general) is nothing short of sad. You used to rewind the lyrics of Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Common, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest etc., because you actually learned something. But now you have to rewind lyrics to convince yourself you really did hear what you wish you didn’t. Take Iggy Azalea for example, who ain’t seen one inch of anybody’s hood. She does not talk like that in real life people, is obviously racists and a mockery toward black people, but yall are all over her. Are we so blind?

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I remember being about eleven years old and joking with my cousins. One of the silliest said they can make a song of anything, that they could make a song about water. And as they hummed their made-up lyrics we laughed about it, our innocence sparing no expense on the buffoonery of our cousin’s song. But today it is no longer funny. It is no longer funny because our joke has made manifest itself in the ears of our children. Our jokes have exalted itself over the years and have actually made it inside the rooms of record companies where young men and women do away with logic because it does not pay the bills; where they do away with the positive influence of having achieved something of value, of substance. A place where the Lil Wayne’s do not talk about their college degrees and the Rick Ross’s do not boast of their life as Criminal Justice officers because this does not pay in money and in power like half dressed women and drugs and diamonds bigger than your head. So, somewhere between Young Thug, K Camp and World Star Hip Hop our children are left with garbage. A hodgepodge of people who never grew up in the hood but the hood is all they rap about. But someone’s son is struggling to eat because his mother is addicted to the same crack he pledges to distribute as soon as his voice is deep enough. Can you blame him? After all, it’s fast, it’s easy, and it is all his role model talks about. A woman’s son, who probably seen more drugs and guns in his six years of life than any of his favorite 106 N Park Rap stars.But this is the music he listens to.

I just hope poetry don’t get this bad, where yall start trading your virginity for a tight lyric and hot beat. Metaphors and similes come a dime a dozen so don’t get caught up in what just sounds good. But make sure you are actually talking about something that makes sense. That you’re giving life to life so that you are truly a deliverer, and not just a tool.

Dear Me

If you cannot acknowledge changes you need to make in your own life, you cannot demand change to take place in the life of others. If you cannot recognize progression in your own life, you will not recognize progression in the life of others. So (inspired by poet Rudy Francisco), I have put together this list, a letter of sorts to myself. It’s not exactly a poem (yet), but if I had to tell myself about myself, this is the list of 10 things I would advise myself:

• Dear Mind, you’re beautiful. It’s OK to let down some of these walls.

• Dear Hair, we’ve been through a lot together and honestly you used to get on my nerves, but I finally appreciate you, the most beautiful ropes I’ve ever seen.

• Dear Eyes, stop limiting yourself and see beyond what you can see.

• Dear Ears, pay attention. Not with the intent to reply, but with the intent to understand.

• Dear Heart, you dictate my life that much is clear, but like seriously, control yourself.

• Dear Emotions, you take things way too seriously and store them far too deep.

• Dear Hands, the storage place for my thoughts; honestly I like you more than the others.

• Dear Mouth, learn to open in your season and not  a moment before or after that.

• Dear Legs, don’t be afraid to lead.

• Dear Faith, you got roots, but the mountains are still waiting for you to move them. Keep growing.