#we already know that org members have different goals... i wonder how many of them are really working towards the same goals

[natsubane]

so mister cross guy says... the hearts that the heartless collect are released with the keyblade, and... they eventually form kingdom hearts...? oh, and also that when kingdom hearts is formed, nobodies will finally be able to exist? (i really don't get it)

i guess it makes sense that the hearts released by the keyblade don't return to the bodies...

bonus thought: the heartless ally with those who are stronger, so... see i would think that they would be able to tell a strong heart from a weak heart so they can collect them, but... nobodies don't have hearts in the sense of the things that the heartless collect, do they? (though some insist that they do have hearts. i would guess that means they say they have hearts in the way that they have intangible feelings and goals, rather than. heart hearts) maybe they can sense conviction or will... hm

huh. hey axel.

so what he's saying is that every heartless killed with the keyblade releases a heart. which makes sense with what mage has told me (when separated, the heart becomes the heartless and the body becomes the nobody?) and that's part of xemnas's Plan

earlier they did say that the leader likes to hang about in the chamber with the "friend"... i feel like this is a stretch to say it would be related so maybe...? it's related...? idk man

[ch21con]

2019 Blog Tour: Interview with Julia Byers and ON THE COME UP Giveaway!

Hello, readers! Today we’re participating in the Ch1Con & Ch21Con 2019 Blog Tour, an annual tour in preparation for this year’s conferences, which brings original content from the Chapter One Events team to a number of fantastic, writing-related blogs. This is the 2019 blog tour’s FIRST STOP! Yay!

And: along with it comes a GIVEAWAY for a signed copy of ON THE COME UP by Angie Thomas! In order to qualify, you must:

tweet about the giveaway

follow one of our Twitter accounts (@Ch1Con or @Ch21Con on Twitter)

register for the conference

love Angie Thomas (which every human should anyway)

(Rafflecopter link for this giveaway here)

That is all pretty thrilling, but you know what else is thrilling? A nonprofit conference both for and by young writers, with lots of online events! If you are or know a writer between the ages of 11 and 29 who’s in need of a strong community, well, you’ve come to the right place.

What’s Chapter One Events, you ask?

Chapter One Events is a nonprofit organization that brings writing information and publishing opportunities to young writers—culminating in the annual Chapter One Young Writers Conference (Ch1Con, ages 11-20) and the brand new Chapter Twenty-One Conference (Ch21Con, ages 21-29). The Chapter One Events team is composed of a mix of middle school, high school, college, and twenty-something writers, who work together to create a unique, inclusive experience for young attendees.

The two conferences bring tweens, teens, and young adults together to hear from accomplished authors their own age, participate in professional workshops, and celebrate the influence young writers have on the world. With an atmosphere that combines the professional aspects of writing conferences with the awesomeness of hanging out with fellow young book nerds, Ch1Con and Ch21Con are truly can’t-miss events!

OK, so what is this post about?

To be clear, this post is NOT an advertisement, promoted post, etc. We (the Chapter One Events team) are just way too excited about this conference, and really want the right audience to know about it! That’s what the blog tour is all about: getting the info out so that young writers in need of community can find us.

This year we’re opening up the Ch21Con Tumblr to start off our 2019 blog tour, to let you know all about this year’s conference. (Don’t worry, if you fear you can’t make it, you totally can keep up with us through online events and live-streams!)

We’ve got an interview from the FOUNDER of Chapter One Events, Julia Byers, below. Even if you’ve never heard of us before, I would recommend reading through her interview! She’s got tons of awesome thoughts on the world of being a young writer.

(She’s also being interviewed by Ariel Kalati, a member of the Ch21Con team, who is a large fan of Panera Bread and complaining.)

READ MORE:

1. Can you tell us a brief history of how the conference came to be?

So, our original conference, the Chapter One Young Writers Conference, for younger writers ages 11-20, came about thanks to two things. First, there were these old writing forums for teens called Write It. A group of us on there had become close friends over the years but, being the internet (and us being minors), had never had a chance to actually meet one another. So, we lay the scene with that. Then, when I was sixteen, I began attending big writer's conferences in NYC--and I was pretty intimidated by the scale of the events and the fact that I was one of very few non-adults attending them, and also was frustrated because all of the advice shared didn't quite apply to me (because the speakers were talking about fitting in writing around taking your kid to theatre rehearsal, not, well, being the kid going to theatre rehearsal). So somehow, between these two things, I got it into my head that WE, the teens of Write It, should put on our own writer's conference--something small and fun and tailored explicitly to teenagers. And so, Ch1Con was born. As for our second conference, the Chapter Twenty-One Conference, for writers ages 21-29: fast forward to 2016, and I was graduating from college and moving to NYC to work in publishing, and I wasn't quite the awkward teen writer I used to be. (No, now I was an awkward *twenty-something* writer.) A number of our volunteers and attendees were also aging out of the target age group for Ch1Con. We all really loved the conference, though, and none of us wanted to give it up. So, we thought, "Why not make a similar conference, just targeting slightly older writers? And hey, while we're at it, we're all of age and full of existential dread now, so why not add alcohol?" And so the Chapter Twenty-One Conference was born as well. We officially launched Ch21Con in 2018 and I'm SO excited to see where both conferences go in the future! 2. What are some difficulties that face the average twentysomething writer, and how does Ch21Con help with these?

I think one of the biggest issues my twenty-something writer friends and I face is finding the time and energy to write. It's so easy to get over-scheduled, between work and/or school, chores, working out, cooking, errands, attempting to maintain some semblance of a social life--basically, it turns out life is very good at getting in the way. So, Ch21Con works to help carve out a space in everyone's busy schedules throughout the year, by hosting monthly online events such as Twitter chats on various writing-related topics and virtual write-ins where we all discuss our current projects and motivate one another to get in some words. Basically, we strive to give writers the opportunity to carve out the space in their lives they need in order to tell their stories. 3. What are you most excited about for this year's conference?

Ahhhhh this is such a hard one! I'm excited for everything??! That said, probably what I'm most excited about is hearing debut author Joan He speak. I've been lucky enough to know Joan for years now, and I've had her name tucked away to lead a workshop at the conferences pretty much since the beginning, just waiting for her to get a book published. Joan is such a talented, smart, hardworking young writer, it's going to be truly special to finally hear her speak at the conferences. (And I recently found out that we'll be the first conferences she'll be leading workshops at, which is super cool in itself!) 4. Tell us about your favorite book or publishing-related memories from the past year.

Oof another hard one. My day job is in the industry, most of my friends work in the industry, and I run Chapter One Events and write in my free time--so basically my entire life is favorite book or publishing-related memories. But hmmm. You know, a really, REALLY cool moment was, actually, walking into my hometown Barnes & Noble in Michigan a couple weeks back and seeing so many friends' books on the shelves. Being so immersed in publishing, it's easy to forget that the books we work on are the Real Published Books that go out in the world. But seeing them in my childhood bookstore so far away from NYC--the place where I met my first authors and dragged my parents every chance I got growing up--was surreal. It reminded me of the reality of what we're all doing, that we're MAKING BOOKS, like BOOKS BOOKS, that ACTUAL PEOPLE READ, and I full-on broke down crying in the middle of the YA section. Like a lunatic. 5. Accessibility is necessary in the publishing community. What are different ways that Chapter One Events makes our content accessible?

Our goal always as an organization has been to make information about the writing and publishing processes more accessible to the young people coming up in the industry, whether they're already aiming for publication or only just starting to figure out how to write their first novel. One way we do this, obviously, is through the conferences. We keep the price as low as possible (subsidizing the events as much as we can out of our own pockets) in order to make it as affordable as we can for young writers. We want them to be able to come meet the authors and publishing professionals who are speaking, build a network with their fellow up-and-coming young writers, and learn about craft. Along this same vein, we keep the conferences small and casual, with equal focuses on learning and fun, because we know how anxiety-inducing big professional events can be and we want this to be a safe space for those just starting out. Additionally, we put on free online events throughout the year, such as the aforementioned monthly Twitter chats and virtual write-ins, as well as events such as our annual Yule Ball, which is a live-streamed panel of young authors talking all things writing and publishing. (We like to think of it as a mini, free, online writer's conference.) We're also constantly working to come up with new ways to share information with the young writers of the world, such as the autumn mentorship program we've put on in the past. 6. Finally: if you had to describe the conference using only Panera Bread-related metaphors, how would you do it?

You know, you'd think I'd be prepared for this one after so many years of answering Panera-related questions for this org, yet this is STILL SOMEHOW THROWING ME (much like that time Panera added Parmesan crisps to their Caesar salad and I was like, "Whaaat?")

But okay. I've got this, I've got this. Ch1Con and Ch21Con are all the comfort food items on the Panera menu: the mac and cheese, the tomato soup, the toasted bagels smothered in melty honey walnut cream cheese. Even if it's your first time eating one of these items, they taste like coming home, much in the same way attending the conferences feels like coming home. (It's been a wonder to me over the years to hear new attendees say again and again that attending our conferences feels like finally finding the community with whom they belong.)

That said, the conferences are also kind of like all the "healthier" items on the Panera menu, the salads and smoothies, in that they seem like the "healthy" choice (networking! career development!), but they also taste really good at the same time (new friendships! meeting authors! free books! pizza!). Finally, Ch1Con and Ch21Con are also like Panera's excellent, super salty kettle chips, because we too are a salty bunch when it comes to discussing favorite book characters and least favorite series endings. (I'm looking at you, Ariel, haha.)

If that made you thrilled to go to this year’s conference, yay! (If not, that’s fine. We’re a nonprofit organization and we’re just happy to reach out to young writers at all! But also, please consider coming.)

Here’s all the info you’ll need about the 2019 conference:

This year, Ch1Con (ages 11-20) is bigger and brighter than ever, with more opportunities, cooler giveaways, and a new roundup of fantastic speakers headlining the conference. And the inaugural Ch21Con (ages 21-29) will feature the same speakers and opportunities—just tailored to a slightly older audience. Both conferences will take place Saturday, June 29th at the Hilton Garden Inn – Chicago O’Hare in Des Plaines, IL (a suburb of Chicago). Registration is currently open on the conferences’ respective websites for $99.99. (This price includes a complimentary pizza party lunch during the conferences, with alternate options available for those with dietary restrictions.)

The speaker lineup features Joan He (author of Descendant of the Crane – Albert Whitman & Co.), Riley Redgate (author of several books, including Final Draft – Abrams/Amulet), and more! Between the awesome presentations and workshops, attendees will have the chance to participate in literary trivia games and giveaways, with prizes including professional critiques, signed books, and advance readers copies (ARCs). There will also be an author panel open to any and all questions at the end of the conferences, followed by a book signing by participating speakers.

During downtime, all participants are free to explore Chicago, relax at the beautiful hotel (where a discounted block of rooms is available for attendees), and network with one another, establishing the sort of vital connections that can jumpstart careers and create lifelong friendships.

The conference weekend will kick off with parties on Friday evening. For the Ch1Con crowd, this will be a gathering in the hotel lobby, where lemonade and assorted snacks will be provided. For the Ch21Con crowd, the Friday night party will be an informal cocktail hour hosted at the hotel bar, the Garden Grille & Bar.

More information on transportation and lodging can be found on the Ch1Con and Ch21Con websites. Early bird registration is currently available here for Ch1Con (ages 11-20) and here for Ch21Con (ages 21-29). Those under 18 need a parent or guardian’s consent in order to register.

So, if you’re a young writer and you’re interested in these conferences, register ASAP! With a growing number of tweens, teens, and young adults discovering the magic of Chapter One Events, seats are sure to sell out fast. The last day to register before the higher late rate registration price begins is June 14th. For more information and to join the Ch1Con and Ch21Con communities online, check out the following links:

Chapter One Young Writers Conference (Ages 11-20)

Website: Chapter One Young Writers Conference

Twitter: @Ch1Con

Tumblr: Ch1Con

Instagram: @Ch1Con

YouTube: Chapter One Conference

Facebook: Chapter One Conference

 Chapter Twenty-One Conference (Ages 21-29)

Website: Chapter Twenty-One Conference

Twitter: @Ch21Con

Tumblr: Ch21Con

Instagram: @Ch21Con

Facebook: Chapter 21 Conference

And, of course, you can follow the rest of the Ch1Con & Ch21Con 2019 Blog Tour at: www.chapteroneconference.org or www.chapter21conference.org.

[canaryatlaw]

Okay so today was good for several reasons, one of them being despite having difficult falling asleep last night (because that's what happens when you sleep in) I was still able to get out of bed and didn't feel completely and utterly exhausted all day and don't feel all that exhausted now, so I'm calling that a win. Hopefully we can continue down this path and it's all signs of my body getting back to normal. But yeah, alarm went off at 7, got ready and took the bus to work, somewhere along the way I realized I left my blazer on my bedroom floor. Whoops. Not like it's a big deal though. Got to work and promptly had nothing to do, supervisor wasn't around and the lawyer on my calendar that I needed the file back from to continue my assignment was nowhere to be found, so I decided to be productive and write up my application for my school's public interest summer scholarship, which is due Friday. I had been unsure if I was going to apply because I didn't know if my possible position in NYC would be eligible for funding, but I emailed and asked yesterday and they said any non-profit or legal aid org internationally works so I'm good to go. It would be very nice to have funding (it's typically $5,000 for 10 weeks of working 40 hours a week) because if I get the NYC position I'll still have to cover rent at my Chicago apartment and presumably sublet an apartment in Brooklyn or nearby (because I'm not commuting from my house every day for 10 weeks, it's just not happening) and that can get pricey of course. The application starts like, write a statement, one page max, describing your public service work and of course my mind is going "oh crap I hope I can come up with enough" and of course as soon as I start writing the words just keep coming and soon enough I'm having to edit to keep it down to a page, lol. They wanted to know what positions you applied to and the status of your applications, and what specific school events sponsored by the public interest orgs you've volunteered at, then a cover letter, copy of your resume, and an unofficial transcript. The cover letter was easy enough, and I feel like I should have a solid shot because my public service background is ridiculously extensive (like it's actually insane) and this is very much what I want to do. So I was feeling good about that. I finished that sometime between 10:30 and 11, and there was still no sign of either of the people I was looking for, so I retreated to read some fan fiction and try to work down the ridiculous back up my inbox a bit (my goal for spring break is gonna be to get through all of it) which was of course highly enjoyable. Around noon I got my lunch and soon after found the lawyer I was looking for and received the file, so I got to work on that being that I had already spent time dicking around like I would on my lunch break, and I worked on that for the rest of the day. It's just more of the same trial prep, which is fairly monotonous as you're just summarizing every single page of a report into one giant document, and it's very slow to go through when you have a huge file to go through. So it's not terribly thrilling work, but it's good enough I suppose. I headed out shortly before 5, and DCFS guy from this summer was at the bus stop and onto the train with me since I was going downtown for class, so we talked and traded stories and all that, I forget how amusing he is (strictly platonic though). So that was an enjoyable bus/train ride. Got to the courthouse and panicked for a second because when I walked in it looked like everyone was wearing blazers because there are some weeks we have to dress professionally and OF COURSE this is the ONE day I forget my damn blazer, but upon further inquiry I found out we didn't have to and it was just people coming from work and others wearing sweaters, so that was a relief. Since we have an uneven number of people in our group for our mini-trials we're doing we have one guy from another group hanging with us for the next few weeks, and it happens to be that guy I kind of like to hang out with sometimes (I forget what I called him when I previously spoke about him, but he's been around) and we started talking and decided that we would be each other's witnesses for the mini-trials, and be partners for the final trial at the end of the semester, which I'm fairly satisfied with. He's kind of an ass but he's good and he's funny, so I'll take it, plus I think we work well together so that's a plus. Class we were doing opening statements and I hadn't fully memorized mine, but had a fair idea of the layout and did have my notes with me. Our case got called first, so it was plaintiff and then me. I remembered a surprising amount from memory and barely had to glance at my notes, something the professor noticed and complimented me on, so I was pleased with that. Got that over with, rest of the class was just others doing theirs, and we got out around 7:30 which was nice. I made it home by 8:35 and of course turned on legends immediately, from the beginning of the episode. You guys, this damn episode. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was SO good, I think my second favorite episode of the show just behind Turncoat. There's so much for me to geek out about, but first I have to say THE COMBAT. Watching Caity Lotz fight another version of herself was like, pure combat porn, so incredibly graceful and it was perfectly choreographed for her, just....gah, it makes my inner combat nerd so happy to see. I love Sara and Jax working as a team!! They're so great together. PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEING MEAN TO MICK THOUGH. I was sad about Sara's comment that evil Mick would just be regular Mick. Like, no, he's come so far, even if he does want to kill Rip he's rather justified in that desire and he's not even close to the person he used to be, so stop shitting on him. As stated earlier I was so happy to see them openly acknowledge in canon that Sara is bisexual, specifically, just because of all the crap that happened earlier in the season and around the time of the crossover that had a lot of people very legitimately worried about what they were doing with her sexuality. It felt like we'd come a long way from there so it made me happy to see. GIDEON AND RIP THOUGH. ALL THE YES. They were so perfectly adorable and I totally ship Rip and his timeship (pun very much intended) even if it's partially driven by my desire to keep him from being shipped with certain female members of the crew that will remain unnamed, but that's more of just an added bonus. They were super cute and it was definitely very doctor who and his TARDIS, which I thought was great. Still very meh on Nate and Amaya as an actual couple, but they did manage to be rather cute tonight. And of course Ray would name the female T-Rex Gertrude. And the legends dolls he made, omg, I was dying. Ray you lovable dork. I think that covers most of my feelings on the matter, but yeah I liked it a lot and I like the direction we're headed in. It was still relatively early when I finished legends since we got out early, so I turned on the flash, which was also an exceptionally good episode, it was just so very sad for pretty much everyone. Poor Wally man, he was getting shat on from some many angles this whole episode. It was of course in the end their lack of working together as a team that did them in, which is of course a major theme of the series. DID I NOT TELL YOU THROWING THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE INTO THE SPEED FORCE WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA. I VERY MUCH DID BECAUSE I KNEW YOU'D ALSO TRAP SAVITAR IN THERE YOU IDIOT. But nobody listens to me.....lol. HR comforting Jessie was adorably sweet. The whole Barry and Iris engagement thing gave me a lot of feelings, because of course I want them to be together and get married but I understand how Iris feels now and I can't say I'd feel any differently if I was in her position (which, of course, I hope I never will be). I hope they work it out though because they clearly belong together. I thought it was odd Joe was all "why didn't you ask for my permission" when he proposed using the ring Joe had saved for him?? Didn't he have to ask Joe for the ring?? Lol what continuity?? Small potatoes though. Overall I really liked it. After that I still didn't feel like calling it a night since I don't have to get up super early tomorrow, so I decided to watch the premiere of Time After Time I missed the other night, not realizing it was a 2 hour premiere but ending up not caring. I thought it was very interesting! I'll definitely keep watching. HG Wells is a giant dork and as much as I will continue to yell at him for acting like a hopeless love struck idiot, he is an excellent protagonist and way to frame the story. The guy playing Jack the Ripper is all kinds of brilliant, definitely has the charming but chilling psychopath thing down to a science. So yeah, it was enjoyable and I'm on board the train did now at least. We'll see where it goes in the future. And alrighty folks, that's it for my day and it's past 1:30 am now so I think I will be trying to get some sleep now. Goodnight my loves. Have a wonderful tomorrow.

[theemichelleb]

Sorority Life

I get a lot of questions, looks, and stares about my decision to be in two different Black Greek-Lettered Sororities. In honor of my business org, Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Incorporated’s, Founders Day - June 1, and the fact that I recently turned 5 in the world of my first love, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, I want to address my sorority life.

In the Spring of 2014 I was initiated as a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Alpha Chapter at Howard University. Zeta Phi Beta is an international, historically black Greek-lettered organization, a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (Divine-9) and was founded at Howard University January 16, 1920; we are quickly approaching 100 years of service! Our 5 illustrious founders are Arizona Cleaver Stemons, Pearl Anna Neal, Myrtle Tyler Faithful, Viola Tyler Goings, and Fannie Pettie Watts; also know as our Five Pearls. Scholarship, Service, Sisterly Love, and Finer Womanhood were the pillars that roped me in, and the intimacy of needing to be invited to join gave me peace in knowing all I had to do was be myself and if they thought I fit great, if they didn’t great. If I was open and real about who I was and they decided I was worthy to be a part of the change they wanted to bring to the world that was good enough or me because God had already made me amazing and I knew I was going to take the world by storm. Zeta was a way to be in service to the community to help make it better for people like us and I admired that.

My love for Zeta stemmed from the women that I came in contact with on campus that had the fire of Zeta running through their veins. I had spent years at Howard uninterested in the woes of Sorority life, watching friends jump through hoops to be accepted by something that I didn’t understand, and honestly to this day I still don’t understand. Zeta never gave me the feeling that I wasn’t good enough and it always gave me a sense of integrity, love, and sisterhood, and that is was attracted me to my interest of becoming a sorority girl. Not for the looks and “popularity”, but for the mission, work, and dedication to the community and it’s members. I met women that had amazing personalities and welcoming spirits before I had any clue they were Zeta’s or interested in becoming Zeta’s, and that is what spoke volumes to me. I didn’t need sorority life to make me feel accepted, and that is where many people get confused on their perceptions of sorority life; especially those that have lately come out about feeling it wasn’t a good decision and they regret what they chose to do.

Disclaimer, you should join nothing if you don’t have any idea of who you are or what your goals are to impact the world. If you join any type of organization for some type of acceptance when you haven’t first accepted yourself, the thoughts and influence of others will overcome you and that will cause you to regret the decisions you make because you made them for other people.

Four years later, in the Spring of 2017, I was then initiated as a graduate chapter member of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Incorporated - Gamma Chapter, Washington, DC. Iota Phi Lambda is the first Business Sorority for Business and Professional African-American women founded June 1, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois; 2 days ago we just successfully celebrated 90 years of service and leadership in the black community. Centered around black woman leaders, Iota was the best kept secret, and ever since joining I have helped spread the word and expose the world to some really D.O.P.E. black women that are out here making a difference and influencing more black women to be leaders in the business and entrepreneurial world. Iota is filled with black women that are CEOs, CFOs, Project Manager Professionals, IT Specialists, engineers, architects, and so much more.

Iota rapidly taught me sometimes there is a calling on your life that you don’t even see or you may be afraid to fully realize. This D.O.P.E. Howard Alumna, Tangila Sanders, took a chance on me and helped me transition into a new career path, which changed my life for the better. From working with her she saw potential in me to be a D.O.P.E. black businesswoman the way she is and invited me to take a look into the world of Iota that she had joined fresh out of Howard. Needless to say, with a little push and influence Tangi led the way for to take a another chance, expand my network, and find another sisterhood that would help me influence other young women like me to do what their heart desired. Ever since joining in 2017 I have held an e-board position for my chapter and was just recently voted into a vice president seat for the upcoming sorority year which is scary, but definitely exciting and the leadership development I know I need to continue my growth.

I know many don’t understand what the purpose of being in multiple sororities is, but it’s not for everybody to understand. The only person that needs to understand your purpose is you. Zeta and Iota give me two different worlds to grow in, two different sets of people to influence and help in two different ways. They both hold special places in my heart and have given me unbreakable relationships that I never thought I would find, with women that I can relate to and love the same way I love my biological sisters. We are all geared towards making the world better for little black boys and girls and creating more D.O.P.E.ness in a world that tells us we aren’t enough.

Both of these sororities have helped mold me into a powerhouse and give me an outlet to safely explore who I am and how I want to effect change in the world. Thanks to Zeta I have a network of women that join together to educate and aid our community that is beat day everyday just for the color of our skin. With Iota I have a network of women to help create new leaders to help stop the cycle that plagues us because of the color of our skin. AND THEY’RE BOTH SAFE PLACES FOR WOMEN.

When I was in college my favorite part was working with incoming freshman girls to help them get acclimated to college life and being away from home. Mentoring is my favorite thing to do for young black women, and with the position I am in I have the opportunity to mentor and help women that are both younger and older than I am. We all learn from one another, help one another, encourage and pray for one another and it’s truly a beautiful thing. There’s an amazing uplifting power that resides in communities where black women encourage black women and the world does not want us to experience that. We are each other’s backbones and deserve to prove to each other it’s okay to be D.O.P.E.in your own right, interest, and passion. It’s okay to love on each other and build one another up, and it’s okay to bring along a friend that’s ready to grind and make it to the top with you.

I keep seeing this message, and it rings true to my beliefs, that there is enough success to go around for all of us. There is enough space for us all to eat good, and flourish in the blessings God has promised us. Both of my sororities are geared towards helping the black community get to that success and experience that wealth that has been kept out of our reach for so long. That is why I love being a sorority girl… it’s more about being an impactful black woman than anything else, and that is what Zeta and Iota help me do on a daily basis. They help me impact the lives of those I come in contact with and leave a lasting impression on the hearts of those that hear me speak and see me work.

Sorority life has given me all of this and so much more. There’s a true love you can only experience when you come in contact with the organizations and experience the out pour of love, knowledge, and nurture that comes from no other place than the heart of a black woman.

If you’re interested in learning more about either of these prestigious organizations go check them out!

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc: http://zphib1920.org/

Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc: http://www.iota1929.org/

You can definitely ask me or any members you may know about these wonderful orgs as well!

Be D.O.P.E. Black Girl!

[connectacttransform]

Wow. I hate this article and i am calling BULLSHIT!  The article opens: “The CEO of a top advertising agency has a dilemma. He wants a woman on his all-male management team but can’t find the right candidate. He thinks female leadership would banish any lingering misogyny from his boardroom, but doesn’t want the candidate to be a token hire. Finding the right person is so hard, the CEO said, that he’s “given up the ghost on finding the right female leader because the pool [of talent] is too small.”...   The executive, who spoke to Digiday on condition of anonymity, knows he could look harder for senior women but argued, “If there isn’t the talent that is either right for my business or good enough, then why should I be punished for a [gender inequality] problem that is far bigger than just advertising?” Wait! Let me send a WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaambulance! Dilemma?!? Excuse me?!?! Why should you be “Punished”? He’s admittedly ‘given up’ on the idea of finding the right female leader because there is not enough talent?!?! How hard did he look? Where did he look? No wonder this coward was speaking anonymously, as it’s NONSENSE! There are PLENTY of qualified and talented women... who are not given the credit nor the benefit of the doubt compared to their male compatriots who may already be groomed as part of the Good Old Boys Club... I’ve personally know a massive roster of AMAZING and INSPIRING, QUALIFIED Female Leaders who would be eligible candidates or who could help network and refer female candidates who could fit the bill... There are amazing organizations which are specifically focused on empowering women and helping to raise the bar of equality (for example The Female Quotient https://www.thefemalequotient.com/, which celebrates and fosters networking and empowerment of Women in the Media and Advertising World)... He should be embarrassed of himself for making such an ignorant and stupid comment in today’s day and age! Complacency and Laziness does not equate to any form of REALITY based in “Lack of Talent” in the advertising marketplace for qualified female candidates... His company should be embarrassed of his statements if they know he made this claim... Companies: Stop lying to yourself! Expect Better and Be Better... How about this for a novel idea: Lead the Way to a create more representative panel of leadership that has integrity and reflects the masses you propose to communicate with and advertise to. Women bring an entirely different skill set and qualities which many men lack... Welcome it and Invite it into your organization!   The following part of the article which i pasted below really brought back some memories of a painful personal experiences which I endured in my own career... I prefer not to think about it anymore, but it’s part of my history and my story and it only serves as one example of the bullshit and inequity which is alive and well still today in our industry...  Verbatim pasted directly from the article:  “Women-friendly HR policies Part of the reason there aren’t more women in senior roles is because many feel they are overlooked should they want to start a family... ______ suspected the shortage of women stemmed in part from women being held back for promotions due to maternity leave... “I never really felt held back in my career until I started thinking about having a child,” she admitted. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that men of a certain generation think that women will deprioritize work and won’t be as driven or committed as they once were now that they have children.”

At the age of 27, I was a successful and dependable online advertising sales executive working for a major financial publisher brand in the early stages of my career... I had been working for this particular company for over 3 years... When I started working there, I was dating my boyfriend, then we moved in together, got married... and shortly thereafter we learned that we would be expecting our first child. I had crushed my sales goals time and again, I entertained my clients regularly and I was a dependable and reliable worker and top revenue producer.

I was asked by my boss before I left for my maternity leave to help “train” a new young sales person, who would be covering a lot of my workload during my leave... It was his first job in advertising sales, but he was a male model and a rugby friend of my boss (the General Manager of the site)... So, of course I welcomed the newbie with open arms and introduced him to all my clients and taught him all that I was able to related to Ad Sales to set him up for success. He was a nice kid and was eager to learn, so I was happy to take him under my wing. I love teaching and nurturing and mentoring new talent....  Before I left for my maternity leave, the National Sales Director had resigned from her job, leaving the position vacant. I was invited into the office of my General Manager and informed that because I did such a great job as a regional seller and with training the newbie and because I’m such a valued member of the team, that upon my return from maternity leave, I would be formally promoted to the role of National Sales Director... I was THRILLED! All my hard work and dedication was being rewarded and I felt great! I asked about the formalities of the promotion and he assured me that we would work out all those details upon my return to the office. He suggested that my focus should be on enjoying my leave and my new baby and they’d see me upon my return. He did request that I not mention the promotion to any of my clients in the meanwhile, until it was formally announced when I’m back, which I happily agreed to.... How nice to know that I was cared for and valued and that I’d be coming back to a great company and job and team who cares about me...  Fast forward to my return from my Maternity Leave. I returned to work approximately 3 months after my baby was born. I hadn’t spoken to any of my clients during my leave, with the exception of maybe sharing some pictures of the baby... I was excited to get back into the swing of work and to catch up with my clients and to start my new role as National Sales Director... For the first 2-3 weeks back to the office, I noticed that my GM would tend to “dodge” me when I asked for time to meet with him to discuss my new role and promotion... The Newbie was humming along on the accounts and business that had been given to him when I left for leave... However, it soon became clear that certain key accounts would not be returned to my responsibility... They wanted him to cover those accounts moving forward... I was told that it was to lighten my load, as I would be managing the team, so they transitioned accounts off of my list to him while I was out... OK.... ...  My favorite clients called me upon my return to the office to catch up on life and business and to ask me about the baby. They congratulated me on the promotion that my Boss had told them I was getting while I was out of the office on maternity leave. They expressed that they were SO excited for me (even though I was stunned that they were told anything about it, since I was asked not to say anything externally until it was formalized and negotiated)... OK... I went with it.  Again, I asked my boss for an audience to meet with me to discuss my new roles and responsibilities, and I referenced my surprise that my clients were aware of my “promotion” even though we had not yet agreed to anything. He was the one who told them about it, without my knowledge nor permission... So I did share that I was surprised that they knew about it already... I said again that I was honored, thrilled and excited to work with him on his plan for growth across the National Sales org and was eager to dig in... 

His face looked scared and lost it’s color as he sheepishly faced me and said “um... yeah... about that. While you were out, there have been some changes internally within the company and those plans have changed. We no longer have the budget to promote you to National Sales Director role... Sorry about that”....  WTF!!!! Are you Kidding me?!?!? What changed?

There used to be a National Sales Director role which has been vacant and now somehow, amazingly and mysteriously, there is no budget to fill that role? This is a massive national brand! I really don’t believe that you do not have an approved budget for a National Sales Director role to support your multi-million dollar sales goals. 

Was is the fact that I had a child and you never really intended on promoting me to that role in the first place... however, you wanted to hedge yourself to ensure that I’d return from my Leave? I was planning on coming back anyway! I was awesome at my job and I had full intention of returning to work.. I wasn’t the one that asked for the promotion... you offered it to me! I deserved it because I earned it! 

When did you learn of this “change” in plans and budget, Boss? I’ve been back in the office for almost a month, as you dodged and weaved to avoid having to tell me?!?! Coward... 

What about my clients that you already told about my supposed “promotion”? They have been informed by YOU that I was being promoted to a National Director role and now I have to go back to them and say “just kidding... That’s no longer happening... and not have a solid reason as to why?!?!”  Awkward for my personally, professionally and casts a bad reflection of our company (as my clients are also female, strong, capable women who worked for a Financial Institution, which tends to be male dominated in the first place... just like me)...  Ultimately, I made the decision to leave the company and to get a new job. I was heartbroken and felt betrayed. I did everything that was asked of me, yet I returned from my Maternity Leave in a worse position than when I left... There was no recovery and I hadn’t seen that coming... What a smack in the face by Big Media and Corporate Politics... Wow...  To throw salt in the wound, I had lunch with a colleague a few months after I left. He and I had shared an office together and I trusted him like a brother and he was sad to see me go under the circumstances... I learned that after I left, my “Boss” (the GM) promoted him to National Sales Director role.. but they informed him that they could not give him a formal title change, but that they boosted his pay to reflect it and he was doing the role and had the responsibilities... Apparently, the company didn’t want to leave their self open to any risk of a lawsuit... So, they promoted him under the table and got their male National Sales Director, ... which supposedly they “no longer had approvals for”...  Real Life Example of the Hipocrisy being alive and well...  Karma is a booomerang... The brand is now shuttered. I wasn’t sad to see it fold.