Tag: Blogging

Ananda’s #BlissDom12 Conference Pinterest Treats for BlissDom Attendees: Fierce Living From Your Creative Heart

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Ananda's 2012 Creative Heart Mantra Statement

The #BlissDom12 Conference is two days away.  I AM SO EXCITED!!! It’s my first BlissDom experience!  I am gonna have big fun meeting new people, seeing old blogging friends, networking with brands, hanging out at the great events, listening to the keynote speakers, and learning a lot about video and photography from some amazing speakers.  I am also facilitating a workshop session on “Fierce Living from Your Creative Heart” on February 24 from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm.

Happy to be going to BLISSDOM
In preparation for the session, I created a Pinterest board with 40 different pins that include photos, images, videos, and links to creative inspiration and information that I hope will encourage my workshop attendees to open their hearts and embrace fierce living.  Each pin includes a question that invites reflection and comments.  To learn more about what’s on my #BlissDom12 Fierce Living from Your Creative Heart Pinterest Board, click here to listen to my Cinchcast audio blog.  Feel free to check out my board and leave a comment.  If you are unable to attend my session and/or #BlissDom12, you can still use my Pinterest board as a source of inspiration in your creative life Enjoy!
Love's Troubadours by Ananda Leeke

PS: I will be signing copies of my novel, Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One on February 25 at 11:00 am at the Barnes & Nobles booth at BlissDom. If you are in Nashville, drop by.  Click here to purchase the book on Amazon.com.

Watch Video of #HeartofHaiti Blogger Ambassador Ananda Leeke @ Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

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February 26, my second day in Haiti, began with a visit to the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince.  As the van pulled up in front of the Palace, I heard the sound of a marching band.  Men dressed in matching band uniforms played beautiful music as I surveyed the earthquake damage.  I looked across the street and saw the tent camps in Champ de Mars plaza and wondered how could music be made in the midst of heartbreaking devastation.  The answer came in the form of a six-word memoir equation as I noticed Haitian people moving through their morning with grace and dignity.  Faith + Hope + Determination + Resiliency + Creativity = HAITI.

Watch a video of my visit to the Presidential Palace and Champ de Mars Plaza, the location of the largest tent camp in Port-au-Prince.  See below.  Listen to my audio blog about the visit. Check out photos from my visit below.

The Heart of Haiti campaign is a partnership between Fairwinds Trading, Macy’s, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. It was created to provide sustainable income to Haitian artisans impacted by the January 2010 earthquake. Through the partnership, the artisans create artwork that is sold as the Heart of Haiti collection in Macy’s stores. The sales from these hand-made products including quilts, metalwork, paper måché, painting and jewelry generate the sustainable income and provide trade instead of aid to the Haitian artisans.  Everywhere, a social media firm that represents Macy’s, sponsored my trip to Haiti.  Click here to read about my trip’s details.

Photos from Visit to Presidential Palace and Champ de Mar Plaza

Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Largest tent city housing Haitian people after January 2010 earthquake in Champ de Mars plaza in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Largest tent city housing Haitian people after January 2010 earthquake in Champ de Mars plaza in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Tap Tap Bus in front of Champ de Mars plaza, largest tent city in Port-au-Prince

Saluting A Heart of Social Good: Pamela Pressley, Founder/Editor of The COTILLION

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Photo Credit: Pamela Pressley's Facebook Photo Collection

As a Heart of Haiti ambassador, I was asked to blog about a fellow blogger who has a “Heart of Social Good.”  Pamela Pressley, founder and publisher of The COTILLION has an overflowing “Heart of Social Good!”  Pamela established The COTILLION to serve as a news resource and membership organization dedicated to highlighting and promoting philanthropic and cultural enrichment activities in the Washington, DC area and other metropolitan cities. In November 2010, she organized the National Philanthropy Day with The COTILLION, an event that gave Washington DC professionals and area philanthropist an opportunity to discuss their causes or missions.

Pamela and I met at my book signing in December 2009.  I will always remember the way she shined her smile as she talked about her work with The COTILLION.  Her positive energy, passion, and commitment to tell the stories of people and organizations who are involved in social good efforts was IMPRESSIVE and INSPIRING!  In the midst of telling these stories, I have watched her personally serve organizations and causes. She has a generous spirit and shares what she knows with anyone who asks.  That’s what makes Pamela a precious diamond diva with a Heart of Social Good who gives back and encourages others to do the same!

Are you planning to share your “Heart of Social Good” with an organization or cause in 2011? How? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

PS: Remember to follow the Heart of Haiti campaign on Twitter to stay updated about January 2011 events.

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.

Tune into my conversation with NYCity Mama Carol Cain about BlogHer 2009 on 8.22@5pm on Sisterhood, the Blog Radio

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carol1

carol

Carol Cain, founder of NYCity Mama Blog (www.nycitymama.com)

 

Happy Thursday!

Tune into Sisterhood, the Blog Radio on August 22 at 5:00 p.m. EST (had to cancel the original date – August 21@ 8pm) for my juicy conversation with NYCity Mama Carol Cain, a Latina and native New Yorker (www.nycitymama.com).   Carol will talk about the reasons she established her NYCity Mama blog,  lessons she learned from blogging, and favorite moments at the BlogHer 2009 Conference.   She is an amazing woman who previously worked as a publishing and public relations professional. Carol considers herself a nomadic spirit with a passion for cultures, languages, and customs.  Click here to listen to the show:  http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015.  If you miss the live show, don’t panic.  You can download a recording from the web site (http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/42015) and listen to it at your convenience.

Enjoy your day!

Peace and Creativity,

Ananda

Why do Black women blog?

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laptop

Hi All,

Last night I hosted a juicy discussion on BAP Living Radio (http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/18598) with the following brilliant Black women bloggers:

-Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik, journalist and founder of Afrobella.com and Afrobella social networking site
http://www.afrobella.com and http://afrobella.ning.com

-Sondra Lewis, makeup artist, fashion editor, and founder of Chic Chocolate For Fashionistas, Stylistas, Urbanistas In DC & Beyond
http://chicchocolatedc.blogspot.com

-Shwana Ruth-Bridges, attorney and founder of Character Corner: The Blog Where Hip Hop Meets Scripture
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com

-Lori L. Tharps, writer, speaker, founder of My American Melting Pot blog, and author of Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love & Spain
http://www.loritharps.com and http://www.myamericanmeltingpot.blogspot.com

We talked a lot about the power and freedom of expression Black women have discovered in blogging.  Blogging allows Black women to explore their creativity, build community, and establish connections with others.  Blogging gives Black women the space to tell their stories in their own authentic voices.  Blogging opens the door to new creative possibilities for Black women. Blogging builds sisterhood among Black women.  Blogging offers Black women a chance to advocate for causes and campaigns that reflect their personal interests.  Blogging allows Black women to share their thoughts and information about race, gender, books, motherhood, fashion, beauty, culture, politics, popular culture, spirituality, health, travel, and so much more.  Blogging serves as a form of therapy for Black women … a way to release stress … an opportunity to inspire and honor others.  Blogging makes it possible for Black women to earn money with online ads.  Blogging helps Black women brand their businesses, build their audiences as a writer/author, and market their creative efforts with assistance from Twitter and Facebook.  Blogging helps Black women network online and offline.  To hear more about the ways blogging and social media have impacted Black women’s lives, click here to listen to the show (episode 21 – aired on June 3 – 1 hour, 42 minutes): http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/18598.  Be sure to tune into BAP Living Radio episodes on Black women in social media on June 7, 9, and 10.

More about social media … Today I read several blog posts that I think social media folks might be interested in.  See the links below.

1) Barack Obama’s Blackberry As An Effective Communication and Business Tool – http://barack20.com/index.php/barack-obamas-blackberry-as-an-effective-communication-and-business-tool

2) Is Bing the Search Engine of the Future? – www.blackweb20.com/2009/06/04/is-bing-the-search-engine-of-the-future

3) Marketing vs. Advertising vs. Public Relations: An Analogy – http://www.elasticmind.ca/innerpreneur/index.php/2009/05/12/marketing-vs-advertising-vs-public-relations-an-analogy

4) Blogging for Small Business – http://pink-heels.blogspot.com/2009/05/blogging-for-small-business.html

5) Internet Marketing: A good Investment During an Economic Slowdown – http://blogs.openforum.com/2009/06/04/internet-marketing-good-investment-economic-slowdown

6) 3 Questions Entrepreneurs Should Ask Themselves – http://blogs.openforum.com/2009/06/04/3-questions-entrepreneurs-should-ask-themselves

7) Is Twitter Evolving from the Facebook to the Myspace of Microblogs? Analyzing Twitter trends and demographics – http://www.briansolis.com/2009/06/is-twitter-evolving-from-facebook-to.html

8) Out of bounds – http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/out-of-bounds.html

9) Audience or Community – http://www.chrisbrogan.com/audience-or-community

 Happy Blogging!

 Many blessings,

Ananda