Month: December 2010

Re-Cap of DC Digital Sisterhood Focus Group on 12/12: How Women in Social Media Discuss Beauty, Fashion, Hair & Lifestyles

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Photo of Digital Sisterhood Focus Group Panel on 12/12/10

Day #12 of Digital Sisterhood Month was a special digital diva day for me because I moderated the Digital Sisterhood Focus Group on how women in social media discuss fashion, beauty, hair, and lifestyles at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. The dynamic digital sister panelists included:

1. LaWanda Amaker, Founder of L.A. Beaute Beat and Media Mingle;

2. Monica Byrd, Founder of Fashionista Flea Market, Pregginista, and Charm Chat, and DC Women’s Style Examiner;

3. Kelly Collis, Founder of City Shop Girl;

4. Glory Edim, Founder of I Hate My 9 to 5 blog;

5. Sheena D. Franklin, Founder/CEO of Bella Bush;

6. Aisha Massac, Esthetician, Makeup Artist, and Founder of I.C. Faces;

7. Courtney Powell, founder of ThinkandGrowChick.com;

8. Laquita Thomas-Banks, Founder of All Naptural blog and DC Natural Hair Examiner; and

9. Dana Williams-Johnson, Founder of The Art of Accessories.

Many thanks to Xina Eiland for serving as the event videographer, Sharon Malachi for serving as the event photographer, and Glory Edim’s mother Ms. Henrietta for making “Digital Sisterhood” cupcakes (they were yummy) for the ladies!

  • Click here to see photos from the event.
  • Click here to listen to my audio blog recap of the event.
  • Click here to watch a video (21 minutes) that introduces the panelists and their blogging passions.

Ananda’s Digital Sisterhood Month Adventures @ DC TED Women on 12.7.10

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The first week of Digital Sisterhood Month 2010 ended with me attending a local DC TED Women event – on December 7, 2010. The event was co-sponsored by Melanie Spring, Amy Liz Martin, and Nicolette Pizzitola at Nicolette’s offices. These three women brought together a group of approximately 13 digital sisters and one digital brother to watch the TED Women’s webcast which featured a group of dynamic women a and men speakers who gave short talks about how women and girls are reshaping the world. It was an amazing afternoon and evening. It was just the kind of Digital Sisterhood Month outing I needed to keep myself moving through December!

Click here to listen to my audio blog re-cap about the speakers I admired.

Click here to see photos of the DC TED Women event.

I have included some of my favorite tweets by women who attended the DC TED Women event and photos of several TED Women speakers (photos were taken by James Duncan Davidson for TED).

  1. @TEDWomen: E Lesser started listening to mystics to avoid what Einstein called “the optical delusion of everyday consciousness” #TEDWomen Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:59:48 PM via HootSuite

  2. @tbdunmasked: Tony Porter – thank YOU for breaking out of the Man Box and inviting others to do so. #TEDWomen first standing ovation. Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:59:08 PM via HootSuite
  3. @TEDWomen: Elizabeth Lesser is deeply disturbed by the way cultures are demonizing “the other” #TEDWomen Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:43:35 PM via HootSuite Retweeted by NicPiz
  4. @NicPiz: Elizabeth Lesser suggests new movement to counter our habit of ‘otherizing’ – the take the other to lunch movement Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:46:47 PM via TweetDeck
  5. @TEDWomen: Tony Porter: My liberation as a man is tied to your liberation as a woman. #TEDWomen Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:41:48 PM via HootSuite
  6. @Sisarina: When a coach says ‘you play like a girl’ why does it destroy a man? What are we teaching guys about girls? #TEDWomen Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:32:56 PM via TweetDeck
  7. @Sisarina: .@monaeltahawy learned that Orthodoxy was much kinder to men than women so she became Liberal Muslim. #TEDWomen Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:08:28 PM via HootSuite
  8. @Sisarina: I totally can’t do @monaeltahawy justice. She’s ridiculously incredible. #TEDWomen#WOW Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:08:06 P via
  9. @kristasande: Mona Eltahawy #TEDWomen: “This is an incredibly exciting time to be a Muslim woman.” Tuesday, December 07, 2010 6:05:50 PM via web Retweeted by NicPiz and 1 other
  10. @NicPiz: Sheryl Sandberg is so on target – love hearing a C level exec with this message! Tuesday, December 07, 2010 5:50:57 PM via TweetDeck
  11. @NicPiz: Messages 4 women who want to stay in the workforce:Sit at the table.Make your partner a real partner.Don’t leave before you leave. #TEDWomen Tuesday, December 07, 2010 5:48:29 PM via TweetDeck
  12. @NicPiz: Courtney Martin, Feministing #TEDWomen mother told her “I will not stand for your desperation.” 5:37 PM Dec 7th via TweetDeck
  13. @NicPiz: Courtney Martin, Feministing – “we don’t want just one hero.” #TEDWomen – YES! 5:35 PM Dec 7th via TweetDeck
  14. @healthpolicygrp: Pres Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: I’ve been a *Victor* of circumstances. #TEDWomen Video Q&A posted http://bit.ly/esob8g ht @TEDxDeadSea @NicPiz 3:36 PM Dec 7th via Mobile Web Retweeted by NicPiz and 1 other
  15. @Sisarina: Embrace the differences between women & men. It’s not either/or. Embrace the balance. Just do good business. – Halla #TEDWomen 3:44 PM Dec 7th via HootSuite
  16. @jbhertel: Lisa Witter: “Women want to give because they want to feel connected.” #TEDwomen 3:34 PM Dec 7th via TweetDeck Retweeted by NicPiz
  17. @NicPiz: Halls Tomasdottir #TEDWomen. We believe in profit with principles. We care how we make profits. 3:26 PM Dec 7th via TweetDeck
  18. @NicPiz: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – I’ve been a victor of circumstances #TEDWomen – brilliant! 3:20 PM Dec 7th via TweetDeck
  19. @NicPiz: Hanna Rosen #TEDWomen forget the glass ceiling – the high bridge is a better image. (spot on!) 3:06 PM Dec 7th via TweetDeck

TED Women Speakers I admired:

Courtney E. Martin - Photo Credit James Duncan Davidson / TED
Iyeoke Ivie Okoawa - Photo Credit: James Duncan Davidson / TED
Elizabeth Lesser - Photo Credit: James Duncan Davidson / TED
Sheryl Sandberg - Photo Credit: James Duncan Davidson / TED

Ananda’s Digital Sisterhood Month Adventures at Fabulous Women Business Owners’ December Meeting

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Digital Sisterhood Month Week #2 started with a bang. I taught an online kind and gentle office yoga class that you should check out if you have 18 minutes and a need for some OM energy in your day. Click on the link to watch the video: http://stickam.com/anandaleeke.

I also launched the weekly Digital Sisterhood Wednesday celebration and hosted the Tweetchat about women’s most popular Twitter conversations. Both Twitter events inspired me and really helped me reach into my heart to give thanks for the beauty and power of women sharing online.

The highlight of my offline day was attending the DC Fabulous Women Business Owners holiday party and mentoring meeting that was hosted by Christina Bailey, co-founder of Tindale Real Estate, at Hounshell Real Estate offices. Visit www.tindalerealestate.com to learn more about Christina and her business. I took several photos. Click here to see them on Flickr.

Kathy Korman Frey, Chief Hot Momma and founder of the Hot Mommas Project, was the keynote speaker. Kathy talked about the power of mentoring in women and girls’ lives. For more information, visit www.hotmommasproject.org.  Sarah Massey, founder of the Fabulous Women Business Owners group  and Massey Media, jumpstarted the evening with a mentoring sharing circle that allowed women to share their business, mentoring expertise, and mentee needs. Click on the link to listen to my audio blog about the event (it begins with my 12/9 morning reflection on – 16 minutes): www.cinchcast.com/anandaleeke/133841.

I love the Fabulous Women Business Owners group because the women are about business and being bright lights of sisterhood. Many thanks to all of the women who made the event a sisterhood sensation!

Do you belong to any local women’s groups that meet offline?

What makes these groups so fabulous in your world?

Share your thoughts in the comment section of this blog. Thank you.

Digital Sisterhood Month Blessings,

Ananda Leeke

Highlights from DC Digital Sisterhood Month Weekend

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010, originally uploaded by anandaleeke.

Digital Sisterhood Month has been amazing so far. Yesterday, I hosted the DC Digital Sisterhood Month field trip to the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Digital sisters Danielle Hatchett (@dyhatchett on Twitter) and Xina Eiland (@xeiland on Twitter) attended the event. We had a wonderful time viewing the beautiful artwork of Dr. Lois Mailou Jones, an African American artist and former professor of art at Howard University. Click here to see additional photos from the event.

Danielle arrived first. So she won a copy of my debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One. Love’s Troubadours tells the story of Karma Francois, a museum curator, art consultant, and yoga teacher. It is based in Washington, DC. It also discusses Dr. Jones’ artwork “Jennie” and “Les Fetiches” (two paintings in the museum exhibit) and the National Museum of Women in the Art.  Visit www.lovestroubadours.com for more information. My book is available on Amazon.com too.

I also enjoyed having dinner at Teaism (www.teaism.com), an Asian-inspired cafe that is owned by woman entrepreneur, on Sunday evening and practicing yin and yang yoga during the field trip to Tranquil Space, a yoga studio owned by author/yoga instructor/entrepreneur Kimberly Wilson on Saturday afternoon. Visit www.tranquilspace.com for more information on the yoga studio. The whole weekend was a Digital Sisterhood blast that allowed women to support other women-owned businesses and cultural institutions!

I am happy to report that this weekend’s Definition of Digital Sisterhood contest had two winners Treva Lindsay (@divafeminist on Twitter) Bernadette Davis (@bernadettedavis on Twitter). See their definitions below. Both ladies won a one hour creativity coaching session with me. Bernadette has already scheduled hers!

@divafeminist #digitalsisterhood def: strength in our virtual dissonance towards injustce&our affirmations of each other

@BernadetteDavis – #digitalsisterhood = making authentic connections, keeping an open mind, having someone’s back and using your talent, network to help women