Our journey
10 Facts I Didn't Know About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE!
On Friday, my niece Kennady was introduced to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by her first-grade teacher. She could not wait to come home to tell her dad, grandmother, and anyone else who would listen to what she had learned. When my mom sent me the video of her doing the Dr. King's, "I HAVE A DREAM" Speach, I had to share. For a six-year-old, I am amazed by how she was able to capture the essence of his speech. On Monday, January 20, we will celebrate Martin Luther King (MLK) Day and while I thought I knew a lot about the late civil rights leader, my niece inspired me to go even deeper to learn more.
- Like Mike: Dr. King was born Michael, and loved ones called him Mike. King Sr. developed an appreciation for the first Protestant after his father's visit to Germany. Though his wife called him Martin, to the rest of his immediate family he was referred to as Mike.
- Emotionally torn: Dr. King attempted suicide when he was 12 years old after his grandmother died of a heart attack at their home. He was supposed to be home with her, but instead snuck out to see a parade, against his parents’ wishes. When King returned and learned that his grandma had passed, he went upstairs and then, jumped from a second story window.
- A brilliant mind: Martin Luther King Jr. skipped the 9th and 12th grades and entered Morehouse College in 1944 at the age of 15. He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology by 19.
- Not always non-violent: Dr. King applied for a gun permit to protect his family. Before King was officially committed to non-violence resistance, he applied for a firearms permit during a period when his home and several Montgomery churches were bombed. Later King decided to fully practice what he preached.
- For the Culture: In 1964 MLK was 35 and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner. Since then, the prize has been awarded to Malala Yousafzai (age 17, in 2014). King donated the $54,000 prize to the Civil Rights effort.
- The First: MLK was the first African American "Man of the Year" in TIME Magazine's 1963 issue. The only other African American man to receive the title was Barack Obama, in 2008.
- Jailed 29 times: As an activist Martin Luther King was involved in many protests and was arrested 29 times in his 39 years of life.
- Good on any MLK BLVD: There are approximately 900 streets in the United States that are named after Dr. Martin Luther King. Even Italy and Israel has streets named after the civil rights leader.
- Happy Birthday to ya: President Reagan made MLK day a national holiday. The first MLK day was celebrated in 1986. Initially, there were many oppositions to the idea, saying another national holiday would be too expensive.
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Non-Violence: Six years after Dr. King's assassination, his mother, Alberta Christine Williams King, was shot and killed by a gunman, too. The murderer believed that “all Christians are my enemies” and fatally shot Alberta while she played the organ at church. He would be found guilty and sentenced to death. But, the killer’s sentence was later changed to life in prison because the King family didn’t believe in capital punishment.
PHOTOS: Getty Images and Time Magazine
How The 7 Principles of Kwanzaa Can Guide Your New Year!
A New Year and A New You! How to use the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa to improve your life!
Do you know the meaning of Kwanzaa? It is an African-American celebration of life from 26 December to 1 January, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 as a ritual to welcome the first harvests to the home. Dr. Karenga created this festival for Afro-Americans as a response to the commercialism of Christmas.
Many moons ago when I was an undergraduate at Kean University, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Karenga. I was only in the baby stages of self- awareness and I had no clue about the importance of celebrating our culture, both ancient and current. Now, I fully recognize that many of our issues within the Black Community begin with the LACK OF SELF LOVE AND AWARENESS!
As I approach 2020, The beginning of a New Year and New Decade I started to reflect on how I can better serve my community, my family and myself. So I decided to start with the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa as my Guide! Here are a few recommendations to start living your best life!
Day 1: Umoja: (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
- Create a Family (OR Personal) Mission Statement.
- Host Soul Food Sunday Meals with Family and Friends.
Day 2: Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves. I love Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, her refusal to wear a wig or a weave and embrace her natural hair and still win the crown is an inspiration to all of us to embrace our beaute' EVERY DAY!
- Create A SELF LOVE Affirmation board!
- Pay a woman a compliment and mean it!
- Embrace Aging.
Day 3: Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together. As a way to uplift the community my company donates $1.00 of every sale to a nonprofit that is dedicated to promoting education and empowering black girls. But giving back is more than just donating money!
- Volunteer at least once a month.
- Donate old stuff that you know you no longer need!
Day 4: Ujamaa (Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
- Support a Black-Owned business.
- Start your own Business!
Day 5: Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
- Bring traditions like Kwanzaa to the spotlight as a way to remind us of just how beautiful our heritage is.
Day 6: Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
- Recycle! Recycle! Recycle! Mother Earth Deserves it.
- Clean up your local park and neighborhood.
Day 7: Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
- Pray without ceasing!
- Meditate and listen to God.
Happy 2020! May God bless you and your family!
Holiday Glow Glow Glow!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be stressful! Regardless of what you celebrate and how you celebrate, we can all agree on how hectic the holiday season can be. Between shopping, traveling, and hosting, it becomes easy to neglect ourselves. Here are a few selfcare tips to allow you to enjoy each moment in fullness and keep you looking Good, Beauté.
Stick to your routine and then some. Between flights and constant changes in scenery, it can be easy to slip up on habits, even if you’ve been doing them. It is perfectly fine to set reminders to complete your skin regimen. Late nights and even earlier mornings may through your schedule off. The key to keeping your skin supple and fresh is to be as consistent as possible in your skincare regime.
- Take off that makeup. It is no secret that the holidays are full of unconventional hours that result in passing out at the end of the night from sheer exhaustion. Before you crash, remember to remove your makeup. Allowing makeup from the day to sit on your skin as you sleep will clog your pores and increase the likeliness for acne and other unsightly blemishes. Use the Vita C Cleanser to gently exfoliates, dissolve dull surface cells, as it supports collagen, reduces dark spots, and nourishes your skin.
- Baby, it’s cold outside, so moisturizing. Flights and cold weather together are a recipe for dry and dull skin. High altitudes reduce blood flow to the face, which can snatch your glow. Use two pumps of our Vita C Serum before your flight to keep the glow going.
- Stay hydrated and Protected. Alcohol, seasonal drinks, and everything but water will be circulating. Be sure to maximize your water intake, at least 3 liters every day and wear your Vita C SPF 50 Moisturizer (even in a winter wonderland). Don’t let chilly temps, clouds or even snow fool you. Those UVA rays are just as damaging in the winter as in the summer.
Celebrating Beaute'
On a mission is to improve the lives of Black Women and their skin!
This month marks a year since we launched the Good Beaute' Company! We've been so blessed to connect with you, listen to you, and grow our company because of your love and support. We are building our company on Kimberly's belief that black women deserve meaningful research, product development, and elevation in the Beauty Industry!
In Celebration of Good Beaute' Turning 1 Use Code: Celebrate to recieve 25% OFF Until 11/4/2019
God Bless you & Stay Beautiful!
3 WAYS TO DETOX AFTER VACATIONING ON THE VINEYARD!
THROUGH FAITH, FITNESS, & FOOD
I love vacationing in Martha's Vineyard; it is the one place that I can relax and where every day feels easy like Sunday Morning. The only downside is the five pounds that I bring back with me from too many lobsters, libations & back door donuts. So when I returned home on Sunday, I had a bad case of the vacation blues, I felt bloated, tired, and out of sorts. So I decided to do a quick detox! At first, it was about only losing five-plus pounds, but I quickly realized that I needed to get my whole life back on track through Faith, Fitness, and Food! So my goal is to become my BEST SELF, by my next Birthday OCTOBER 23RD!
FAITH- Get in the Word & Meditate
Anytime I start anything, God must be a part of it, and getting healthy is no exception. To keep away from bread, gummi bears and begin living the #JLO best life, I will be mediating not just in the morning, but every time I feel tempted to eat something that is unhealthy or overeat! According to scientist the influences on appetite are called "Hunger hormones" that is in our blood and an empty stomach signal the brain "hey boo feed me", then the nerves in the stomach tells the brain "hey boo you are full", but this can take up to 20 minutes to communicate -- and by that time, I could be on my 2nd back door donut. So I have started to pray before and after each meal, to give me time to know if I am hungry or my stomach has not called my brain. Try it, I am only on day two, but so far it prevented me from eating an entire bag of pistachios.
FOOD- The 5-Day Cleanse
No Carbs, No Sugar for the next 5-days! God help my husband! I am not going to pretend that this is going to be easy for any of us. If you are anything like me, and addicted to sugar, you will go through severe withdrawals! So the best way to stick to any eating plan is to get organized, plan and cook a few meals. I find that healthy eating must start with "good food" that you love, so there is no temptation to eat incorrectly. A few of my favorites are salmon, sardines, spinach, avocados, and green kale smoothies. Here are a few other recommendations to keep you on the plan:
- Step one: Avoid refined grains and starchy, processed foods. Instead, build meals around lean protein and fresh, raw or steamed veggies.
- Step two: Put away the salt shaker and avoid adding sauces or condiments to your food. Many condiments, like barbecue sauce, salad dressing, and tomato sauce, provide added sugars and sodium. Sprinkle fresh herbs on food if you need extra flavor and coconut oil for cooking and salad dressing.
- Step three: Avoid All Fruit and any vegetables, like zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and pickles, they are all fruits. According to Dr. Gundry Author of the Plant Paradox fruit can be a sugar bomb, and they can store fat for the winter; plus, the glucose found in fruit causes injury to our kidneys over time. The only Gundry-approved fruits after finishing the cleanse include unripened, tropical ones like green bananas, green papaya, and mango. The only ripened fruit he recommends is avocado — yes, avocados are fruits, too!
- Step four: Drink water, lots of it, and avoid high-calorie coffee drinks, alcohol, and soda.
FITNESS- Back on The Grind
To get that booty tight, working out is a must. I have always loved running, but recently, I have experienced back pain, and I am unable to run. I am feeling like an AA "Aging Athlete"; now, I need to find other ways to sweat, tone, and improve my heart health. So if you are looking for a new plan, start with a 30-day BUNS, GUNS & AB challenge build-up plan.
Here are a few more get-moving strategies
- Step one: Set Specific, Realistic Goals. If you are not a runner, do not go out and run a marathon in your first week. Start slow and track your progress.
- Step two: Set Daily Reminders. Schedule your exercise sessions on your calendar like any other appointment. Also, make sure you have your gym bag in the car, or leave your walking shoes by the door to remind you to get moving.
- Step three: Reward Your Efforts. When you accomplish one of your fitness goals - such as staying on track with your exercise for a full week or month -- treat yourself to a facial, manicure and pedicure. After my 5-day cleanse, I am going to purchase some sexy loungewear.
- Step four: Invest in a Good Pair of Workout Shoes & Sports Bra. Make sure the sneakers have the right cushion and arch support and sports bra that supports your breast. Look for a sports bra that can provide comfort during your workout, help ease your breathing, aid in sweat absorption, and even prevent rashes by allowing air to breathe through.
Living healthy is a journey that encompasses more than a diet; it is about having a healthy spirit, mind, and the body will follow! So don't be hard yourself, listen to your body, and don't give up!
Here are a few resources that can help motivate you through your journey!
@blackgirlgoneketo
https://blackgirlgoneketo.com
@blackwomendoworkout
SUMMER IS COMING! PROTECT YOUR SKIN!
Dear Black People,
Your Melanin is beautiful, but it will not protect you from Melanoma Cancer, #FACTS!
Melanin enriched skin is beautiful beyond measure and as powerful as our skin is, we must take precautionary measures to protect it at all costs.
Yes, we can get skin cancer too! Contrary to popular belief, people of color should use an SPF every day! Our minds tend to automatically associate it with caucasian skin who spend their days at the beach in the sun or frequent tanning salons. We fail to remember that people of color can be susceptible to the harsh UV rays. BLACK PEOPLE are 1.5 times more likely to die from melanoma than Caucasians.
How to protect yourself? SUNCARE = SELF CARE
USE CODE: SPF50 For 50% OFF
- The first step is to use SUNSCREEN daily! Yes, even on cloudy days! Clouds filter out sunlight but not UV rays; the bad ones that cause aging and cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation says that clouds block as little as 20% of UV rays — so on a cloudy day you're still getting up to 80% of the sun's harsh effects.
. - Step 2, Choose the right Sunscreen. Use sunscreens that provide “broad-spectrum protection.” Board spectrum protection is something that will be advertised on the product label, and this means that the sunscreen will protect against both UVA and UVB rays – which are linked to skin cancer and sunburn, respectively.
- Step 3, Use SPF 30 or Higher. No sunscreen can block all UV rays, but what we do know is: SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays and SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays.
- Step 4, Apply, and Reapply! Keep in mind that you need to use an adequate amount, and you may also need to reapply depending on how long you’re outdoors. The basic rule of thumb: You should reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours, and if you go swimming or get in the water, you should also reapply more sunscreen after exiting the water.
- Step 5, Know your skin, and visit your dermatologist! Understanding and knowing your skin is vital! 90% of Melanoma cases could be prevented if people took better care of their skin and recognized the signs and be aware of the ABCDEs melanoma detection.
Make sure that you are checking for new spots and marks for Asymmetry, Borders, Excess Diameter, and Changes. As people of color, it is important to be diligent in examining our skin for any abnormalities.
- BONUS TIP: Did you know the sun isn’t the only dangerous light in your life? Our cell phones, laptops, and other gadgets emit blue light that can be damaging for our skin. In our fast-paced society, we spend a great deal of our time locked in with our devices, whether in work settings or our leisure. Blue light can weaken the skin's surface, which makes signs of aging more apparent as it leaves room for wrinkles and fine lines. Check to see if your devices offer a setting to reduce the amount of blue light your screen emits and protect your skin with Vita C Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum 50.
How to get your Spring Glow!
Hydrate to Glow
Did you know that your water intake can make or break your overall health? There are so many bodily functions that rely on strong water intake according to blackdoctor.org to function properly, all the cells and organs of the body need a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. Given our skin is our largest organ drinking water helps retain moisture and is helpful in reducing signs of aging. I drink 3-liters of water every day; I am always running to the bathroom but believe me it is worth it!
Here are a few tips:
- Start your morning off with an 8 oz glass of water with lemons before you have breakfast or that morning cup of coffee.
- Whenever you feel hungry 1st drink water before you grab a snack. Often hungry can be mistaken for thirst.
Protect to Glow
Sunscreen is for BLACK WOMEN, too. Although there is power in melanin (both literally and physically), it needs to be protected at all costs. Yes, we all know the saying #GOODBLACKDONTCRACK, but we are not exempt from the damage that the sun can cause which means that sunscreen is a MUST. You should use sunscreen every day, even when the sun isn’t shining. Try our invisible daily VITA C moisturizer with broad-spectrum 50 protection. It hydrates and protects against sun damage and premature aging. While helping to prevent discoloration and dark spots.
Eat to Glow
Sleep to Glow
Did you know how much your sleep can impact your skin health? In a society that is built around constant productivity, we tend to underestimate the importance of getting enough sleep. Sleeping is a time for the body to restore and repair. When asleep your body has time to rehydrate and recover moisture. Getting an adequate amount of sleep increases your collagen production which means your chances of wrinkling is reduced. Sleeping the proper amount also prevents puffy, tired eyes. Your bed should be your sleep sanctuary! Make sure your sheets and pillowcases are always laundered. Dirty bedding can lead to breakouts and other skin issues. Also, make sure you are washing your scarf as it is easy for dirt and product to build on them.
Exfoliating to Glow
Exfoliating is not just for your face. Exfoliating dead skin is a must for the entire body. Try making a sugar scrub with three simple ingredients and your skin will begin to GlOW!
- All Natural Coconut Oil
- Essential Sweet Orange Essential Oil
- All Natural Raw Sugar
(BLEND AND KEEP IN A COOL PLACE)
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