Ananda, Dwana, and Pauline — Photo Credit: BlogHer
Happy Internet Geek Tuesday!
While I was co-hosting the BlogHer Multi Culti party with my digital sisters Pauline Campos and Dwana De La Cerna on July 26 at the Sheraton Chicago, I had so many wonderful conversations with the dynamic members of the BlogHer community. The conversations reminded me how diverse we are as bloggers with different ethnic backgrounds, family histories, gifts, life experiences, opinions, perspectives, and talents. Check out some of the event photos below. All photos are from BlogHer.com. Click here to see the entire collection.
Did you attend the Multi Culti Party? If so, what were some of your favorite moments?
Walrond’s book celebrates the concept that what makes us different makes us beautiful — and may even be the source of our superpowers. Her book personifies how I feel about the BlogHer community.
Our differences make BlogHer more beautiful and powerful. Together, we are able to tap into our superpowers as bloggers and give voice to what so many others may not have the access, courage, or right to say online and offline. And for that I am truly grateful!
What makes the BlogHer community beautiful and powerful to you?
Today, I am celebrating my 13 most inspiring moments from the BlogHer conference I attended on July 26 and 27 in Chicago, Illinois. Check out the photos below. Most are from the official BlogHer photo gallery. I included a few of my own courtesy of my Samsung smartphone!
Photo Credit: BlogHer
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #1 – Attending the opening breakfast keynote on July 26 and hearing BlogHer co-founders Elisa Camahort Page, Jory Des Jardins, and Lisa Stone share information about the BlogHer community. Click here to watch the video. Here’s what I learned from the opening keynote.
Over the past four years, the BlogHer Publishing Network paid $25 million to 5,000 women and men who write their own blogs for the Network. They represent a major industry and economy of their own!
Based on the conference attendees survey, 57% attendees write one blog, 30% write two to four blogs, and 10% are new to blogging. Life is the most popular topic attendees blog about. Fifty-four percent of attendees came to BlogHer to meet bloggers they read face-to-face. Forty-six percent attended the conference to learn how to hone their blogging strategy. Developing skills was the major goal for 40% of the attendees.
I HEART DATA! That’s what makes me an Internet Geek!
Photo Credit: BlogHer
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #2 – Watching Queen Latifah host the Voices of the Year (the BlogHer “Oscars”). Click here to watch the Queen in action and the amazing bloggers who read their blog posts during the Voices of the Year. I love seeing the Queen in royal form! She has always been a personal shero ever since the 1990s. I love her movies, music, television shows, and COVERGIRL Queen lipstick collection (today I am wearing her Into the Red shade).
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #4 – Listening to my digital sister Arnebya Herndon (my BlogHer 12 roomie) introduce the Voices of the Year speakers for the Opt-Ed segment. Arnebya is the consummate speaker and writer. She knows how to rock a mic with fabulous style (love her dress!).
Photo Credit: BlogHer
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #5: Hearing my digital sister Kelly Wickam share her blog post, “Demand the Supply.” Kelly started by asking the audience to photo bomb her. And they did because she was wearing a fierce dress! Go Kelly Go! Her blog post discussed her early days as a teenage mother and the power of using the word “Unacceptable.” Kelly gave us all permission to use our voices to call out injustice and inappropriate behavior! Click here to watch her video.
Photo Credit – Photo Collage from the session, “What Kind of Social Media Leader Are You?” held on July 26.Photo Credit – Photo Collage from the session, “What Kind of Social Media Leader Are You?” held on July 27.
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #6 – Listening to the leadership six-word memoirs and questions posed by the women who attended my “What Type of Social Media Leader Are You?” sesssions. They were so authentic and thought-provoking. Click here to read the key takeaways from the session.
Photo Credit: BlogHer – Ananda, Pauline, Lori Luna, and DwanaMulti Culti Photo CollagePhoto Credit: BlogHer – Ananda & Lauren Brown Jarvis having a fun time posing at the Multi Culti party.Photo Credit: Blogher
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #7 – Co-hosting the Multi-Culti Party with my digital sisters Pauline Campos and Dwana De La Cerna, and meeting all of the fabulous BlogHer community members on July 26. We had a great time chatting, taking photos, listening to good music, sipping the “Melting Pot” drink Pauline created, and eating tasty “multi culti” food.
Photo Credit: blogHer
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #8 – Hearing my digital sister Majora Carter talk about her work with the Majora Carter Consulting Group and Startup: South Bronx, and how she maintains a “Just Do It” attitude in her work during the “Makers and Creators” luncheon keynote on July 27. Click here to watch the keynote address.
Photo Credit: BlogHer
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #9 – Watching Lourds Lane, creator of the 2013 Broadway-bound original musical, CHIX 6, perform during the keynote luncheon on July 27. I first discovered Lane during the TEDxWomen series held on December 1, 2012. Her TEDx talk and performance touched my soul in a very deep way and reminded me how important it is to find my inner superhero by embracing my imperfections and vulnerability. She rocks the world with her message of empowering women and girls through music and song.
Ananda at AARP BlogHer booth
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #10 – Serving as an AARP blogger ambassador andworking with the AARP team and Kitchen Cabinet bloggers at the AARP booth. I was able to share information about AARP’s caregiving, Decide.Create.Share long-term planning, and Life Reimagined campaigns with many BlogHer attendees. Click here to read my blog post about my AARP BlogHer experience.
Jenni Prokopy, Veronica Arreola, and Jill Miller ZimonLady M blog founder Monica, Ananda, and Fourth Breakfast blog founder OliviaPhoto Credit: Eva Scott Hanging with Patia Braithwaite & Rae MathisBreakfast buddies Deborah Shane, Theresa Albert, Ananda, and Julie ColeD’Rita Robinson, Chatty Guest blog founder
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #11 – Making new friends, hanging out with current friends, and having great conversations throughout the conference.
Sheryl Sandberg and Lisa Stone
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #12 – Listening to BlogHer co-founder Lisa Stone interview Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg about her book, Lean In and LeanIn.org. Click here to read my “Lean In” BlogHer Moment blog post.
Photo Credit: TrueFashionistaNow.comPhoto Credit: TrueFashionistaNow.comTrueFashionistaNow.com founder Tyrone Farley in action — styling Terez Baskin — Social Media guru Mike Street is standing in the background.
BlogHer 13 Inspiring Moment #13 – Receiving two mini styling sessions from the True Fashionista Now founder Tyrone Farley, my digital brother. I ADORE his style and blog! Check out TrueFashionistaNow.com’s blog post featuring some of BlogHer 13′s best fashion conference moments.
If you attended BlogHer 13, what were your most inspiring moments?
This month, I am using my Internet Geek Tuesday blog posts to share my BlogHer 13 conference recaps. Just in case you didn’t know BlogHer is the Web’s largest community, conference, and leading guide to the hottest news and trends among women in social media. It is also one of my favorite online communities and conferences!
Today’s blog post features my reflections on the second annual BlogHer Fashion Show (one of my favorite conference events). The theme was “Half Woman. Half Amazing.” I think it should have been “Amazing Women Owning Their Beauty” because the women who walked the runway gave the audience the gift of seeing what happens when a group of sixteen sassy, soulful, and stunning stars shine their beauty from the inside out as they strut what the universe gave them in fabulous clothing and make up.
Audrey Hepburn
They reminded me of actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn’s beauty wisdom: “The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a Woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows.” Check out some of their photos below.
Disclaimer: All photos are from BlogHer.com.
Afrobella, co-hostess of the BlogHer fashion show (photo from Blogher.com)Luvvie Ajayi, co-hostess of the BlogHer fashion show (photo from Blogher.com)Grace Hwang Lynch (photo from Blogher.com)Vikki Reich (photo from Blogher.com)Isra Hasmi (photo from Blogher.com)Lianne Farbes (BlogHer.com photo)Meseidy Rivera (photo from Blogher.com)Katherine Stone (photo from Blogher.com)Kareisha Questel (photo from Blogher.com)Natasha Taylor Nicholes (photo from Blogher.com)
Aren’t these women owing their beauty? To learn more about them, see the list below.
My greatest takeaway from the fashion show is that all women have the power and right to define and express what beautiful means to them. And that’s exactly what I did after the show when I asked my dear digital brother Tyrone Farley, founder of TrueFashionistaNow.com to style me. With one small touch of moving my hair to one side, I got a new summer look that truly reflected how I felt: simply beautiful and grateful for a wonderful BlogHer conference experience!
Connecting with new friends Pauline Campos and Sherri Good at the BlogHer 13 Expo Hall on July 25 at the McCormick Place in Chicago, IL
Happy August! Happy Friday!
Last week, I attended the 9th Annual BlogHer Conference held at the McCormick Place and Sheraton Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. What a time I had! It was intense, inspiring, and informative. That’s why I decided to write several blog recaps.
Today’s blog recap is about my “Lean In Moment.” The theme is based on Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead and the impact of her BlogHer Conference interview with Lisa Stone, BlogHer Co-Founder and COO, on July 27. For more information, watch part one and part two of Tracy Baim’s video of the interview.
I read Sandberg’s book earlier this year. It took me a full weekend to inhale her words and wisdom. Her book was filled with many golden nuggets I have used in my life and shared with other women. It also inspired me to write and submit a case study entitled “Lean In and Listen to Yourself” for the Hot Mommas Project. As a result, I was recently named a 2012-2013 author for the Hot Mommas Project case study library.
Sheryl Sandberg and Lisa Stone
When I learned Sandberg would be a BlogHer keynote, I was thrilled! Here are the key takeaways I received from her interview with Stone.
Believe in yourself.
I am unapologetically a feminist (inspired by Mellody Hobson, President of Ariel Investments and one of my virtual mentors from the 1990s).
Reach for any ambition.
Ask yourself what would you do if you weren’t afraid, and then reach for those ambitions.
At the end of her interview, she challenged audience members to write what they would do if they weren’t afraid on paper signs her LeanIn.org provided, take photos with the signs, and tweet and post the photos on LeanIn.org Tumblr. I loved the challenge. Check out the statements I wrote below.
My “Lean In” Statement
Writing these statements helped me get clearer on what I really want to do with my passion, gifts, energy, and time. My next step is to lean in and publish my Digital Sisterhood book (you know the one I have been writing since 2009 — what a journey!), create space in my life to write more books and create art, and plan when I will cut my locs and grow my Angela Davis afro (will probably happen during my 50th year on earth which is fast approaching in 2014 — maybe even 2015).
What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
What are you leaning into?
UPDATE: BlogHer posted a full video of Sheryl Sandberg’s interview. Click here to watch it. Also, check out a video of BlogHer’s Lean In Circles session held at the 2013 conference. Enjoy!
As you may know, I am talking about social media leadership at the BlogHer conference on July 26 and July 27 in Chicago. Just in case you miss my talk on “What Type of Social Media Leader Are You?”, I have included my handout and the key takeaways from my talk below. Enjoy!
1) Michael McKinney’s Leading Blog. McKinney writes, “Leaders are ordinary people that understand that they make a difference and have made the decision to determine the kind of difference they will make. Leadership is intentional influence.” www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog
2) You are social media leader because you have two things: Digital Power and a Digital Platform of Influence. Digital Power consists of your digital footprint (blog, online business, web site, and social media), communities, and efforts. A Digital Platform of Influence is derived from the impact you have on your blog readers and social media followers and friends when you advocate causes. build communities; create mobile applications, art, books, businesses, products, publications, services, tools, and webisodes; curate content; educate and inform; give voice to your thoughts as subject matter experts, thought leaders, and brand ambassadors; share information and experiences; explore and experiment with new technologies as early adopters and trendsetters; participate in social good campaigns; inspire and motivate; mentor; network; tell your personal stories; and promote and celebrate the expertise, gifts, and talents of others.
3) As you engage in these activities, your blog readers and social media followers and friends are watching what you say and do online. They are learning from your example. Whether you know it or not, you are leading them.
4) You have the power to decide what type of social media leader you will be. I am here to share what I have been watching ordinary people like you and me do as they lead in the digital space.
5) The Digital Sisterhood Leadership Project has identified 12 key leadership roles that women in social media are currently playing. They include the roles of:
Advocate
Community builder
Content creator
Content curator
Educator
Influencer
Mentor
Motivator
Promoter
Social do gooder
Storyteller
Thought leader
6) You can use the seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership Archetypes to identify, understand, and manage the leadership roles you play in blogging and social media. Archetypes are various personalities that live inside of us. You can use them as windows of self-discovery. They can help you explore, embrace, and accept yourself. Treat them as team players who help you express your strengths and share your gifts. The seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership Archetypes include:
Creativista is a woman who gives birth to creativity (art, books, films, products, services, and webisodes).
Empirista is a woman who thinks of herself as CEO of her own corporation, ME, Inc.; maintains an entrepreneurial mindset; and gives birth to ideas and transforms them into businesses, economies, institutions, networks, and organizations that add value to people’s lives.
Empowerista is a woman who creates and curates content, shares information and experiences, connects with others and establishes positive relationships, and builds and participates in communities that empower her and others.
Enchantista is a woman who taps into the magic of her spirit as she focuses her energy, opens her heart, trusts her intuition, embraces her fears, and shares her gifts in service to others.
Evangelista is a woman who supports and advocates a philosophy, a values system, a lifestyle, a cause, or a campaign that improves her life and others’ lives.
Flowista is a woman who unplugs from her digital life and tech devices for periods of time so she can recharge and take care of herself; and encourages women to unplug from their digital lives by incorporating mindfulness and self-care practices
Lifestylista is a woman who lives her life as a work of art; expresses it through her passion for beauty, entertaining, fashion, food, home décor, personal style, and travel; and inspires others to live their lives as works of art.
7) While you are here at BlogHer, you are surrounded by a cadre of amazing social media leaders. Some are speakers, sponsors, fellow attendees, party hosts, PR and marketing professionals, volunteers, and BlogHer staff. Keep your eyes open for people who represent your social media leadership style. Find out who they are. If you can, have a brief conversation with them. Make a point of following up with them when you get home. That follow up could be connecting with them via their blog or social media accounts. You can learn a lot by reading about someone and watching what they do. You can also send an email to the person just to keep in touch. If you are not able to reach out to the person at this conference, find the person online. Google them and start watching what they say and do online for information and inspiration. Now everyone that you may identify as a virtual leadership mentor may not be able to connect with you one-on-one.
9) Homework Assignment: Write a six-word about your social media leadership style. Six-word memoirs are six words you use to describe yourself, a state of being or an experience. Tweet Ananda @anandaleeke your six-word memoirs using the hashtag #BH13SMLeader.
If you answer yes to one or more of the six questions listed below, my talk will be of interest to you.
Do you have a blog with more than one blog reader?
Do you use social media and have more than one follower or friend?
Do you use social media to build community and connect with others?
Do you use social media to share information and resources?
Do you use social media to advocate for causes or social good campaigns?
Do you use social media to promote your business, personal brand, products, or services?
A “yes” answer to these questions opens the door to what my talk is all about: showing BlogHer attendees that they are social media leaders because they possess Digital Power and a Digital Platform of Influence.
Digital Power consists of your digital footprint (blog, online business, web site, and social media), communities, and efforts.
A Digital Platform of Influence is derived from the impact you have on your blog readers and social media followers and friends when you:
Advocate causes.
Build communities.
Create mobile applications, art, books, businesses, products, publications, services, tools, and webisodes.
Curate content.
Educate and inform.
Give voice to your thoughts as subject matter experts, thought leaders, and brand ambassadors.
Share information and experiences.
Explore and experiment with new technologies as early adopters and trendsetters.
Participate in social good campaigns.
Inspire and motivate.
Mentor.
Network.
Tell your personal stories.
Promote and celebrate the expertise, gifts, and talents of others.
As you engage in these activities, your blog readers and social media followers and friends are watching what you say and do online. They are learning from your example. Whether you know it or not, you are leading them. That makes you a social media leader. Yes, I said it. You are a social media leader!
My BlogHer talk will help conference attendees define the type of leadership they want to bring to their readers and social media followers and friends. During the talk, I will introduce the 12 key leadership roles I have witnessed social media leaders play in my work with the Digital Sisterhood Leadership Project. They include the roles of advocate, community builder, creator, curator, educator, influencer, mentor, motivator, promoter, social do gooder, storyteller, and thought leader. I will also share how I have used these roles to create the profiles of seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership Archetypes that can be used to develop leadership styles in blogging and social media: Creativista, Empirista, Empowerista, Enchantista, Evangelista, Flowista, and Lifestylista. To learn more about these archetypes, click here to visit my #BlogHer13 Social Media Leadership Talk Pinterest Board. I have pinned photos and a short blog post for each archetype. Happy reading!
If you are seeking additional leadership resources, check out the links below.
ELLA Leadership Institute (mission-driven professional development center and web site that provides leadership coaching, information, and resources to Latina women)
The Hot Mommas Project (the world’s largest women’s case study library, providing free online access to stories of diverse female leaders, role models and mentors)
Calling all BlogHer 13 attendees! Be sure to check out my 30 minute talk on “What Type of Social Media Leader Are You? on July 26 and 27. During my talk, I will introduce the seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes that have helped me understand the leadership roles women play in social media. Today, I would like to introduce you to the Enchantista, one of the Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes.
An Enchantista is a woman who taps into the magic of her spirit as she focuses her energy, opens her heart, trusts her intuition, embraces her fears, and shares her gifts in service to others.
While writing my upcoming Digital Sisterhood book, I created manifesto collages to better understand each leadership archetype. Check out the Enchantista’s key phrases.
Calling all BlogHer 13 attendees! Be sure to check out my 30 minute talk on “What Type of Social Media Leader Are You? on July 26 and 27. During my talk, I will introduce the seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes that have helped me understand the leadership roles women play in social media. Today, I would like to introduce you to the Flowista, one of the Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes.
A Flowista is a woman who unplugs from her digital life and tech devices for periods of time so she can recharge and take care of herself; and encourages women to unplug from their digital lives by incorporating mindfulness and self-care practices.
While writing my upcoming Digital Sisterhood book, I created manifesto collages to better understand each leadership archetype. Check out the Flowista’s key phrases.
Calling all BlogHer 13 attendees! Be sure to check out my 30 minute talk on “What Type of Social Media Leader Are You? on July 26 and 27. During my talk, I will introduce the seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes that have helped me understand the leadership roles women play in social media. Today, I would like to introduce you to the Lifestylista, one of the Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes.
A Lifestylista is a woman who lives her life as a work of art; expresses it through her passion for beauty, entertaining, fashion, food, home décor, personal style, and travel; and inspires others to live their lives as works of art.
While writing my upcoming Digital Sisterhood book, I created manifesto collages to better understand each leadership archetype. Check out the Lifestylista’s key phrases.
Calling all BlogHer 13 attendees! Be sure to check out my 30 minute talk on “What Type of Social Media Leader Are You? on July 26 and 27. During my talk, I will introduce the seven Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes that have helped me understand the leadership roles women play in social media.
Today, I would like to introduce you to the Creativista, one of the Digital Sisterhood Leadership archetypes. A Creativista is a woman who gives birth to creativity (art, books, films, products, services, and webisodes).
While writing my upcoming Digital Sisterhood book, I created manifesto collages to better understand each leadership archetype. Check out the Creativista’s key phrases.
Ananda Leeke 