April 2013 – Ananda Leeke

Happy Internet Geek Tuesday – Demand Success – 2013 Vocus Conference on June 20 & 21

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 30, 2013April 30, 2013in Internet Geek TuesdayLeave a comment

Happy Internet Geek Tuesday!

As an Internet Geek and new media professional, I enjoy learning about communications, marketing, public relations, and social media best practices and strategies. That’s why I am headed to the Demand Success 2013 Vocus Conference on June 20 and 21 at the National Harbor’s Gaylord Hotel. Demand Success is an industry marketing conference that brings together marketers, businesses, thought leaders, and Vocus experts to learn about and discus efficient marketing that yields real results. Vocus is provider of cloud marketing software that helps businesses reach and influence buyers across social networks, online and through media. Click here to register for the conference.

I am really excited the Demand Success agenda includes a keynote address by one of my “digital diva sheroes,” Arianna Huffington, author of Becoming Fearless (one of the best books I read this year) and President and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post Media Group.

I am also excited about attending Wendy Harman‘s session on Lessons from the Social Media Command Center. Harman is one of my digital diva sheroes. Her leadership and work at the American Red Cross during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti was AWESOME!!!

The sessions on the Content Marketing Revolution, Social Media Strategy, Digital Journalism in Flux, Brand Journalism, and Facebook Futures caught my eye too! The Facebook Futures panel features some of my favorite thought leaders including Katya Andresen, Shashi Bellamkonda, and Geoff Livingston.

Be sure to check out the Vocus blog, follow @Vocus on Twitter (use #Demand13 to follow the conference tweets), and LIKE the Vocus Facebook page.

PS: I will live tweet from the conference. So be sure to follow me @anandaleeke on Twitter and Instagram on June 20 and June 21.

Happy Yoga Monday! 4/29

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 29, 2013April 29, 2013in Yoga, Yoga MondaysLeave a comment

Happy Yoga Monday!

I love writing and reading stories about characters who practice yoga. One of my favorite yoga-inspired fiction books is Yoga Mamas by Katherine Stewart.

Yoga Mamas, one of my favorite yoga fiction books

Yoga Mamas is a great chick-lit book to read during the spring or summer seasons. It tells the story of four pregnant women who take an exclusive prenatal yoga class at a Soho yoga studio in New York City. The main character Laura is the book’s narrator. When the book begins, it seems like the only things Laura has in common with her three chic, well-to-do, Prada-wearing mothers-to-be is her pregnant belly and a yoga mat. They do lunch (like the Sexy and the City gals) and become fast friends as they share stories about their lives and partners. You’ll travel with them through their NYC and Long Island adventures. You’ll also witness the unravelling of a juicy secret that gives birth to scandal (it’s a good one….). So pick up the book and read it!

What are your favorite yoga-inspired fiction books?

Photo Credit: http://dccy.org/dc-yoga-week

I love the DC Yoga community. Why? They come together each year to offer yoga lovers an opportunity to practice free and $5 yoga classes during DC Yoga Week. This year, over 40 yoga studios are participating in DC Yoga Week which will be held on April 29 through May 5. The week closes on May 5 with Yoga on the Mall at the Constitution Gardens by the Vietnam War Memorial. The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 p.m. Three of my favorite studios, Embrace Yoga, Flow Yoga Center, and Tranquil Space are participating in the week-long celebration. Smith Center for Healing and the Arts is a partner for the event (FYI – I work at Smith Center as an artist-in-residence). Click here to learn more about the events.

If you are in DC, are you planning to participate in DC Yoga Week?

Does your city celebrate a Yoga Week?

OM #YogaMonday OM!

PS: Need yoga inspiration? Check out my yoga Pinterest board.

If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle

My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase the book on Amazon.com.

Happy Creativity Thursday – 4/25

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 25, 2013April 25, 2013in Creativity Thursday2 Comments

Happy Creativity Thursday!

Today, I am celebrating the artwork of Kesha Bruce. I adore Bruce’s work because it marries collage, written words, storytelling, drawings, and painting with memory, personal mythology, and spirituality. When I see her work, I dream and reflect all at the same time!

Photo Credit: Totem for Sistah Johnson by Kesha Bruce - KeshaBruce.com — Photo Credit: Totem for Sistah Johnson by Kesha Bruce – KeshaBruce.com

The Totem Series which features her narrative portraits of hybrid beings is one of my favorite collections. My favorite piece from the collection is a Totem for Sistah Johnson.

Kesha Bruce and Ananda Leeke at Morton Fine Art in DC

In December 2012, I met Bruce in person at the Morton Fine Art gallery which hosted an opening reception featuring her Wrestling with Angels series of drawings inspired by the story of Jacob wrestling with the Angel in the Holy Bible. What a treat! I told her how much I enjoy seeing her artwork, reading her blog, and following her on Twitter. Visit http://keshabruce.com to learn more about her.

Happy Digital Sisterhood Wednesday – Part 2 Recap of Blogalicious Tech Summit

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 24, 2013April 24, 2013in Blogalicious, digital sisterhood5 Comments

Happy Digital Sisterhood Wednesday!

Today is a perfect day to celebrate the “Digital Sisterhood” experiences I had and witnessed during the Blogalicious Tech Summit held on April 18, 2013, at the Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center in Washington, D.C. First of all, it was great to see the dynamic “Blogalicious team trio” – Chief Curator/Co-Founder Stacey Ferguson, Operations Manager Jazzy Jones, and Publicity Director Xina Eiland in action. These ladies devoted a considerable amount of time, energy, creativity, and effort to making the Tech summit a success. Many thanks to them, Microsoft, and the amazing presenters and attendees!

Stacey Ferguson with New Mexico Democratic Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham

Jazzy Jones (with camera) and Xina Eiland (seated)

Prior to the Summit, I had the honor of serving as an content advisor for the agenda and presenters. Working with Stacey was pure joy! Why? Because she is extremely passionate about and committed to making sure the Blogalicious community is informed and has access to information, opportunities, thought leaders, and tools. The final agenda topics and presenters that Stacey and her team developed represented a gold mine of expertise.

Many of presenters like Social Lens Research founding partner Julie Diaz-Asper, TechSavvymama.com founder Leticia Barr, and ScapsofMyGeekLife.com founder Michele McGraw were women I met during previous Blogalicious conferences.

Stacey Ferguson, Kat Calvin, and Amanda Spamm

Several like Blerdology CEO Kat Calvin, DiversiTech founder Christine Johnson, and Blerdology CMO Amanda Spamm were women I met at social media and tech events in D.C.

A few like MOJO Mediaworks, LLC founder Allissa Richardson and 1776 co-founder Donna Harris were women I connected with on Twitter and other social media sites.

Two women were new discoveries for me: The Social Studies Group managing partner Wendy Goldman Scherer and Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham. These women were all dynamic, friendly, and positive. Each of them displayed an incredible amount of generosity while sharing their expertise during their presentations and throughout the Summit.

The women who attended the event were also dynamic, friendly, positive, and open to sharing their experiences. At the end of the Summit, I told Stacey and Xina that it was one of the best days of learning and networking I’ve had all year. I left the event feeling energized and on fire about my upcoming book, business, and the Digital Sisterhood Network.

Happy Internet Geek Tuesday – Part 1 Recap of Blogalicious Tech Summit

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 23, 2013April 24, 2013in Blogalicious, Internet Geek Tuesday4 Comments

Happy Internet Geek Tuesday!

Last week, I attended the Blogalicious Tech Summit held at the Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Guess what Microsoft had? A Technology Bar for attendees to preview Microsoft products! What an Internet Geek treat!

Ananda at Blogalicious Tech Summit at Microsoft

Stacey Ferguson (a/k/a Justice Fergie), Blogalicious Chief Curator and Co-Founder, welcomed us all and introduced Stephanie Peters, Director of Federal Government Affairs for Microsoft. Peters talked about how powerful Blogalicious is as a community and the many ways it supports its members. I totally agreed!

Dr. Mark Drapeau, Director of Innovative Engagement for Microsoft, gave a keynote address on “Avoiding Mediocrity.” My key takeaway from Drapeau’s address was create outstanding content that is fun, entertaining, surprising, valuable, and simple to read.

Allissa Richardson, Bowie State University professor, journalist, and founder of MOJO Mediaworks, LLC, was truly my favorite presenter. I am biased too because she is a 2012 Digital Sister of the Year and a personal shero! Richardson discussed the five elements of building your mobile platform. The elements include:

Choice: Be the best source of high quality content and information.
Conversation: Start and maintain a dialogue that is meaningful and informative.
Creation: Make your own media to establish yourself as a thought leader.
Curation: Sift through media a lot to highlight the best content your audience will appreciate.
Collaboration: Build smart partnerships.

She shared some tools for making audio recordings and podcasts like Audioboo, a mobile app I have downloaded to my phone. She also recommended that we try using SproutSocial to schedule our social media posts and tweets. She uses this tool instead of Hootsuite. I downloaded the SproutSocial app to my phone and will try it out starting in May.

NOTE: Tomorrow, I will post another blog about the Blogalicious Tech Summit. It was so juicy that it deserves two blog posts!

Happy Yoga Monday and Earth Day!

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 22, 2013April 22, 2013in Yoga, Yoga MondaysLeave a comment

Janice Gates' book Yogini: The Power of Women in Yoga — Janice Gates’ book Yogini: The Power of Women in Yoga

Happy Yoga Monday and Earth Day!

Yoga is a sacred gift because it helps promote self-acceptance and self-love. Check out my yoga video that shares yoga wisdom on self-acceptance and self-love from Janice Gates’ book Yogini: The Power of Women in Yoga .

Today is also Earth Day, an annual celebration that is held across the globe that calls individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to acknowledge the amazing planet we call home and take action to protect it.This year’s theme is “The Face of Climate Change.” Click here to learn more about the day.

Take a few moments and breathe in the beauty of Mother Earth today. Give thanks for all the planet does for you and your loved ones. Make a promise to do three things to support the sustainability of our global home. If you are in DC, stop by the Earth Month celebration at Union Station this month.

How are you celebrating and honoring Mother Earth?

OM #YogaMonday OM! OM Mother Earth OM!

PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle

My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.

Happy Creativity Thursday – 4/18

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 18, 2013April 15, 2013in Creativity ThursdayLeave a comment

Happy Creativity Thursday!

Last weekend, I attended Filmfest DC’s screening of Ballin’ at the Graveyard, a documentary written and produced by Basil Anastassiou and Paul Kentoffio that tells the story of what happens when men come together to play pickup basketball at Washington Park aka the “Graveyard” in Albany, New York. Click here to watch the film trailer.

Photo Credit: http://ballinatthegraveyard.com

In the midst of watching Ballin’ at the Graveyard and listening to the men’s trash talking, I learned their weekend warrior basketball adventures are much more than fun and games. They are fueled by a passionate energy that expresses itself through hours of exchanges on and off-the-court. Their emotions and experiences paint a tapestry of brotherhood, commitment, community, family, friendship, history, intergenerational bonds, leadership, legacy, mentoring, nurturing, and sharing I hadn’t expected to see. The relationships they have formed and continue to build are soulful, life affirming, and rooted in a deep love for one another, their community, and pick-up basketball. This movie has stolen my heart and become one of my favorite films. Please go see it when it comes to your city. Also, tell others about it.

PS: Be sure to LIKE Ballin’ at the Graveyard on Facebook and follow it on Twitter!

Happy Internet Geek Tuesday! 4/16

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 16, 2013April 16, 2013in Internet Geek TuesdayLeave a comment

Happy Internet Geek Tuesday!

Talkshoe.com is a podcast tool that makes my life easy. It’s free to use and requires very little technical know-how. I have been using Talkshoe to host Internet radio shows since 2008. Currently, I host the Digital Sisterhood Radio show which will begin its 2013 season later this year.

Do you listen to or host podcasts?

What are your favorite podcasts?

If you are thinking about launching a podcast, click here to read my 14 tips. Also, I encourage you to read my blog post that discusses the nine benefits of podcasting. Click here to check out my Podcasting 101 Pinterest board. I created it last year for a Podcasting 101 panel I moderated during the BlogHer conference in New York City.

Happy Yoga Monday! 4/15

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 15, 2013March 4, 2013in Yoga, Yoga Mondays2 Comments

Happy Yoga Monday!

I started practicing yoga to support my running practice in 1995. Right after I turned 40, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a yoga teacher at Flow Yoga Center in 2005. Click here to watch a video about my personal yoga journey. Enjoy!

Why did you start practicing yoga?

OM #YogaMonday OM!

PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle

My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.

Happy Creativity Thursday – 4/11

Posted by Ananda Leekeon April 11, 2013in Creativity ThursdayLeave a comment

Happy Creativity Thursday!

Today, I am celebrating the work of Sonya Clark, a textile artist extraordinaire who also serves as Chair of the Department of Craft/Material Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. Clark’s work focuses on her individual and collective identity as an African American woman with Caribbean roots from her Jamaican mother and Trinidadian father.

Madame C.J. Walker tapestry by Sonya Clark - Photo Credit: http://sonyaclark.com/gallery/madam-cj-walker/ — Madame C.J. Walker tapestry by Sonya Clark – Photo Credit: http://sonyaclark.com/gallery/madam-cj-walker/

I discovered Clark’s work and featured her Madame C.J. Walker, a tapestry made from black plastic combs, on my Black American Princess (BAP) Living social networking site in 2008. Since then, her work has been an inspiration for my own creative expression. Visit www.sonyaclark.com to learn more about her.