JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019 | ISSUE NO. 3
N.A.I.
MAGAZINE WELCOME CHECK OUT YOUR NEW NEIGHBORS AND SEE WHAT YOUR NEW COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER
NEW & INSPIRING
About the Visionary
Danielle N. Pope
Danielle N. Pope is an Administrative Consultant, business owner, author and publisher of the quarterly magazine N.A.I. (New & Inspiring). She believes in promoting small businesses who do not get the attention and publicity they deserve. Businesses that offer great service, great products and give back to the community. With the publication of N.A.I. Magazine, Danielle hopes to bring to the forefront the hidden treasures of the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area. Danielle is originally from West Philadelphia and for the past 20yrs. has made Prince George's County her home.
STAY CONNECTED https://www.facebook.com/naimagazine/ https://twitter.com/n_inspiring
EDITOR/CREATIVE OFFICER Danielle N. Pope
Contributing Writers: Danielle N. Pope Melanie Rivera Chef Iris Francis Terri B. N.A.I. (New & Inspiring) Magazine is published four times per year. Reproduction, whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed by writers for articles published by N.A.I. are not necessarily those of the magazine. For information in advertising in N.A.I., please click here to access the N.A.I. Magazine 2019 Media Guide.
Photo Credits: Unsplash.com Cover: By Kevin Jarrett Page 2: Stay Connected - By David Švihovec Page 3: Background - By Terence Starkey Page 7: 'Genie' lamps - By Louis Hansel Page 7: Labor Day - By Nils Schirmer Page 7: Farmers Market - By David Izquierdo Page 7: Farmers Market - By Gary Butterfield Page 11: Y&R cover page - By Victor Vorontsov Page 12: Caution tape - By Muukii Page 20: Plane - By Jacob Mathersh Page 21: People at the Mall - By Jacob Creswick Page 23: School Bus - By Denisse Leon Page 23: Obesity - By Christopher Flowers
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HIGHLIGHTS April - June 2019 Issue Ask The Expert: LaShawne Holland "The Queen of Green" Wealthy Life Architect Purse Power: 10 Tips Every Woman Must Know About Money and Wealth
Young & Relentless: Sharon Asonganyi, PhD Entrepreneur & Nonprofit Strategist The Art of Community: A Sense of Belonging
Palatable Pleasures: Chef Iris Francis Owner and Head Chef of Steve's Cuisine A Private Catering and Personal Chef Service "Always love people. Love yourself and put God first"
Culturally Speaking: Terri B. Impressions...The Arts and Spring
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CONTENT July-September 2019 Issue 03
7 8 11 14
COMMUNITY NEWS
ASK THE EXPERT YOUNG & RELENTLESS THE READING ROOM
CONTRIBUTORS
Danielle N. Pope Administrative Consultant Pope Consulting, LLC
Melanie Rivera Nonprofit Executive & CEO Breaker28, LLC
Chef Iris Francis Owner The Steve's Cuisine
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CONTENT
16 20 23
PALATABLE PLEASURES CULTURALLY SPEAKING
CONTRIBUTORS (cont'd)
Terri B. Culturally Speaking
AWARENESS
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JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019
COMMUNITY NEWS Summer Concerts & Movies On the Lawn July 11 - August 15, 2019
FARMERS MARKETS Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. North lawn of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Bldg., across the street from the U.S. Capitol.
Disney's Aladdin July 18 - Sept. 7, 2019
The Kennedy Center 2700 F St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20566. Tickets & Information (202) 467-4600 Toll-Free: (800) 444-1324
Labor Day Weekend Events 2019
Aside from growing the food yourself, it doesn't get any fresher than this. Farmers markets are wonderful and fun places to shop for fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and other palatable pleasures. It's also a great place to meet new people and make new friends. The DMV has a plethora of farmers markets in its local neighborhoods and communities. See information below about local farmers markets and take a trip to your friendly neighborhood farmer. They will be glad to see you.
15 Benefits Of Shopping At A Local Farmer's Market
2019 Opening Dates for DC-Area Farmers Markets Information for Maryland Farmers Markets 10 Must-Visit Farmers Markets in Virginia
Community News
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THE BENEFIT OF SUPPORT A Necessary Investment
ASK THE EXPERT
"Doing everything yourself is never a good idea."
If you could operate your business from anywhere in the world, where would it be? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that wherever you were you had access to your business support team? People who you work closely with and depend on to help different aspects of your business flow smoothly? Such people may include a Project Manager, Social Media Guru, Lawyer, Accountant, Contract Specialist and an Administrative Consultant. Wait a minute! An Administrative Consultant? What is that? Well I’m glad you asked. Just as your Accountant, Lawyer, Project Manager, etc. possess specific skills related to their field, so does an Administrative Consultant whose skills are related to providing administrative support in specific areas. Did you know that working collaboratively and in partnership with someone with administrative support expertise gives a business a comparative and a competitive advantage? How? It allows a business to play to its strengths while partnering with another business to provide services that they are not experienced in performing or for which they just don’t have the time to set-up and execute. ASK THE EXPERT
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ASK THE EXPERT Other benefits of having an Administrative Consultant on your team:
business owners who try to work in those areas of their business that ARE NECESSARY, but for which they lack the skills or time to properly perform. More Energy and Less Stress: As a business owner you should spend Believe it or not, performing at least 80% of your time networking, functions that do not come planning and strategizing in your naturally to you can burden you business. As it stands, many business both mentally and physically. owners spend about 40%-60% of their More Time and Focus: Now you time working on administrative can turn your attention to functions. Is this really the best use of strategizing how to GENERATE your time? Think about it. Every REVENUE. business requires general as well as More Resources: An specific administrative support as these Administrative Consultant has are NECESSARY functions that keep a access to resources for business operating at top accomplishing goals of which the performance. Are you finally convinced average person may not be aware. yet that your business requires an Save Money: Using an Administrative Consultant? administrative support expert gives you access to different levels of Let’s face it. Having an Administrative administrative support packages, Consultant as part of your business thus allowing you to know, up front, support team is no longer an option, what you will spend on a monthly but a necessary investment. basis.
Doing everything yourself is never a good idea. While it might seem like a cost-effective solution, on the contrary, it slows down your progress, especially when building your business. This is often the downfall of new or small ASK THE EXPERT
Danielle N. Pope is an Administrative Consultant and CEO of Pope Consulting, LLC. With more than 15 years of experience as an administrative professional, she knows what it takes to keep a business running smoothly from behind the scenes.
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"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." -- Jim Rohn N.A.I. MAGAZINE - PAGE 10
R & Y u Yo
n
R & g
n e l e
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Melanie Rivera, SPHR Nonprofit Executive & CEO of Breaker28, LLC
Landing a Great Nonprofit Job In the DMV Whether you’ve just moved to DC or been here a while, one of the trickier things to navigate is finding the right job in this tricky employment marketplace. This is especially true if you’re seeking to find a role in the nonprofit community here. One of the things that makes DC special is the thriving ecosystem of national, regional, and local nonprofits working to make the United States more just and to influence policy to meet their missions. Sounds dreamy, right? You’re right: many organizations in our sector are *great* places to work. Others, not so much. If you’re currently looking for work in the sector - or if you’ve always been curious about making a leap, I’m here to show you what to watch out for, and what to focus on to make your next career move the best move for you.
Not All DMV Nonprofits Are Created Equal One of the hardest lessons for me to learn in my career working in nonprofits is that not all orgs are created equal. Some orgs are struggling financially, and others are spendy and flush with cash. Some orgs are more flat and consensus-driven in their decision-making with everyone getting a voice; others are more bureaucratic and hierarchical with a clear and enforced chain of command. Some are actively working to become more woke, equitable, and just internally - considering their diversity and inclusion practices and gaps and working tirelessly toward being an inclusive and race-intentional workplace. Many, I’m sad to say, are not. I share this to say that if you want to love your work in the nonprofit sector in DC, you’ve got to do your homework. If not, you risk job-hopping quicker than you’d like when the green grass you thought you saw was really astro turf.
Get The Scoop On Salaries, Benefits And Culture Online One of the most helpful resources for folks seeking to learn more about national and regional nonprofits anchored in DC is Glassdoor.com. Although Glassdoor is primarily for corporations, many nonprofit employees post frank reviews about salary, benefits, and culture to help others make better career choices. If you’re looking for a local org with a national reach, it’s also sometimes helpful to check out Nonprofit Times’ Best Places to Work List, Indeed.com’s Best Nonprofits to Work For list, and others. If one of your desired workplaces appears year after year, it’s definitely a sign that you may be on to a winner. Young & Relentless
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sense of this is to check their 990 for annual revenue, expenses, and what the top leaders are being paid. If that’s not available, in your Another way to get access to the best interview process (or even after you’ve started nonprofit jobs in DC is to build the community a job), it’s totally fair to ask for more you need, before you need it. One of the best information about the organization’s financial ways to do this is to join local groups and goals for 2019 and where they currently stand taskforces in your industry, to be able to against those goals. Sure, it can be an contribute to coalitions that are working to awkward conversation, but it’s still one you’d make the city, your region, or the country rather have before you sign on, then after better around a specific issue. Another simple when they miss payroll. step is to make friends with your counterpart at three to five orgs doing similar work (or There Are Some Gems Here working at a similar level) in other nonprofits. Having worked in the nonprofit sector in the If you’re newish to mid-career, Young DMV area for almost all of my career, I can’t Nonprofit Professionals DC (and Young tell you how impressive our community is. Education Professionals, if you’re in the ed With some diligence, you can find a role and sector) are great places to start. There are an organization where you can contribute also some useful LinkedIn affinity groups significantly, be paid fairly, and build a body of specific to our area that you might be skills to advance your career. With that said, interested in, like DC Nonprofit Connect. great nonprofit careers won’t just happen Lastly, if you’re a creative or in tech, Meetup even at the best organizations - we must occasionally has local networking events make them happen. A key part of building catered to your role that you can take outstanding nonprofit careers here in DC is advantage of. I couldn’t emphasize enough learning to navigate our ecosystem and be how much knowing folks will help you land the strategic and planful about our career moves best opportunities, especially here in DC rather than just going with the motions. It’s my (some open positions aren’t ever posted). So, deepest hope that the work you find in our for best results, don’t wait until you need a job sector brings you great fulfillment and great - make friends now! increase...and if it doesn’t, that you’ve built the
Build Your Network Before You Need It
Get The 411 On Finances
network and the skills to pivot quickly to work that does.
The struggle is real for nonprofits (especially Melanie Rivera is the CEO of smaller, newer, or more loosely managed Breaker28, LLC, a nonprofit created to ones) in DC. It’s super important, especially if help women of color rise to leadership you’re joining a community-based nonprofit or roles in their industries, to bring more one with a small budget that you’re really of our voices to the table to solve the clear on the front-end what their financial challenges our nation faces and make runway looks like. A simple way to get a
the world more just for everyone. Young & Relentless
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THE
READING
ROOM
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Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Drinks
Place Your Order Today N.A.I. MAGAZINE - PAGE 15
CHEF IRIS FRANCIS
Palatable Pleasures
Music Duo 'Dancing on Glass' releases new album. Shares behind the scenes and how to create chart topping music.
“...ALWAYS LOVE PEOPLE, LOVE YOURSELF AND PUT GOD FIRST”
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EXCLUSIVE
STEVE'S CUISINE Chef Iris' Story I was inspired to become a chef because my mother was always hosting parties, having big cookouts and serving the community. I guess I'm following in my mom's footsteps. She raised me to have respect for myself to have values and to always love people, love yourself and put God first. At the age of 11yrs. old I started cooking. My mom worked and I had to have food done when she got home from work. The first thing I ever learned cook was my mother’s southern fried chicken for dinner and once I passed the test my mother knew then that I could cook. My mother went home to be with the Lord, but I hold her recipes and recipes that our family passed down through our generations dear to my heart. I use those recipes that were passed down from my grandmother, aunts and my mother daily. With the cooking experience, I went to a two-year course culinary arts school, but graduated in one year at the top of my class. I was so ready to graduate and get into the industry working as a cook. My first job was at INOVA hospital which gave me a chance to meet and help people. Being a dietitian for the Heart Center there were patients who couldn't eat certain things because of illnesses. I also have the awesome opportunity to serve at my church cooking for the homeless shelter at 2nd & D streets and New York Avenue.
I named my catering Steve's Cuisine after my husband and Cora's Heavenly Desserts after my mom who liked sweets. It's been a journey, but God has inspired me and guided me through this journey and I know I couldn't have done this without Him, the support of my husband, family who has always been behind me and the blessings of my church leadership.
I like to make Cora's Heavenly Desserts, create new desserts and make some of my customers’ favorites such as banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, and birthday cakes. There are always challenges with desserts because there are so many people with dietary restrictions. To meet some of those challenges, I have learned to create sugar-free and gluten-free desserts. Palatable Pleasures
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EXCLUSIVE When springtime and summertime arrives, I enjoy creating specialty drinks like watermelon Breeze, Jamaica punch and sorrel tea smoothies of all sorts. My favorite dishes are always fresh fruit and vegetables. I like them because of the sweetness and this time of the year you can always find an assortment of healthy fresh fruit with bright fresh colors and sweet to taste. It's just something about seeing the colors on a plate that is so beautifully decorated and full of vitamins our bodies need from each fruit that is necessary for existence. In the summertime, you really don't need to eat a lot of heavy food so it's always better to eat salads and fruits. At Steve's Cuisine, we do a lot of event planning from weddings to parties, to family reunions, BBQ's, baby showers and a whole host of other different events. We enjoy what we are doing to make our clients’ events successful so that they are relaxed and enjoy their event without worrying about cooking and/or serving their guess. We are elated when we receive great reports telling us about their favorite dish and referrals for more events.
Iris Francis is the owner and Chef of Steve's Cuisine, a Private Catering Service serving the Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area Contact Information: Address: 7246 Suite D-4, District Heights, MD 20747 Phone: (301) 395-2075 Email: irisfrancis@rocketmail.com Palatable Pleasures
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DOES CULTURAL TOURISM PROVIDE AN OPTION FOR YOU? Recently, I spoke to a manager of a small arts institution in the DC area. Happily, he shared that he would be taking a month’s long vacation in Europe and the organization which he directs, would close July and August. This practice, no longer the norm, usually provided a modest salary with a rewarding vacation in exchange for a laborious ten-month season. In years past the principal staff of most museums and arts institutions would enjoy a welldeserved hiatus and head off to Europe where art fairs and expos beckoned, as they still do. Certainly the museums got the windfall ---- they retained their devoted and under paid employees and gained The Summer Loan Show. With little monetary costs for the institutions, this exhibition was composed of art from the first rate collections of the esteemed trustees and donors. Culturally Speaking
By Terri B.
Culturally Speaking...
L A R U M T S L I U R C OU T
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While these collections were exhibited and protected under the museums’ reliable security systems, the happy lenders often enjoyed worry-free summers on the French Riviera, Monaco, Provence or other places where the rich congregate. Over time, such exhibitions were swapped out by different forms of philanthropy as lenders installed their personal security systems in their homes and art museums moved to create the kinds of shows they really wanted--those in which the costs are shared with other institutions. In such traveling exhibitions, some curatorial responsibilities may be shared among colleagues, at other institutions, which host the shows at different times. Major support often comes from corporations, foundations and yes, those “angels� or deep pocketed individuals. These exhibitions are pricey but they are curated to be groundbreaking as well as academically and historically significant. Thus, they can appeal to a wide variety of visitors. Moreover, lots of art lovers are willing to travel the globe to see these special shows. Some patrons visit the same show at different venues to compare how it is mounted and see what may be added at different points. Yes, art or cultural tourism is no longer limited to summer months but takes place year round. Today the business of cultural tourism is booming world-wide. While critically important and aesthetically sensational exhibitions are offered year round, most festivals still take place during the summer and occasionally extend through the fall. Conversely, exhibitions and programs of the smaller and/or private establishments do not generate enough foot traffic or revenue to remain open at times when patronage is often highest and more varied. Many of these institutions struggle to exist. In the DC area we are fortunate as we have large and small institutions. In fact, we have one of largest art per capita ratio in the country and one is constantly faced with how to get to a gallery or a museum to see a brilliantly curated exhibition before it closes. Most recently, Tintoretto: Artist of Renaissance Venice had a booming run at the National Gallery of Art (March 24, 2019-July 07, 2019). In times past one could not imagine seeing such an
Culturally Speaking
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exhibition in Washington, D.C. It consisted of 46 works of one of the greatest artists in Western culture who was born 500 years ago. In times past, one would have to take a trip to Venice to see most of this Michelangelo influenced genius’s work. Tintoretto often created works for churches and civic buildings; thus his greatest paintings are too large to travel. Nevertheless, what we had in early summer in Washington was nothing short of amazing. While there is still some summer left, do take advantage of three special shows in the DC area: The Life of Animals in Japanese Art: National Gallery of Art - East Building, Concourse Galleries - June 2 – August 18, 2019. These are works representing 17 centuries (from the fifth to the present day) in a wide variety of media—sculpture, painting, lacquer work, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, and the woodblock print. There is also a selection of some 300 works, drawn from Japanese and American public and private collections. The Japanese government has designated several works as Important Cultural Property. Artists Respond: American Art and the Vietnam War, 1965-1975: Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and F Streets, NW) - March 15, 2019–August 18, 2019. This exhibition includes 100 works representing artists of various races and backgrounds who responded to the moral implications and ideologies of the War in Viet Nam and Culturally Speaking
America’s part in that tragic event that took the lives of 58,209 Americans. Some 47,424 are listed as combat deaths, and 10,785 are listed as being killed in other circumstances. In addition, 2,489 Americans are listed as missing. The Evidence Room: Hirshhorn, Independence Ave and 7th Street, SW - June 12 - September 8, 2019. This exhibition visually exposes and testifies to the atrocities of the Holocaust while drawing on forensic evidence to focus our attention on the architecture that made the Auschwitz concentration camp a systematic factory for mass murder. Commissioned by the Venice Architecture Biennale and curated by Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, the Hirshhorn’s presentation is the U.S. premiere. Enjoy the role of the cultural tourist this summer. A lot of institutions are counting on you and you will benefit greatly.
Terri B. N.A.I. MAGAZINE - PAGE 22
AWARENESS
JULY Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month
AUGUST Back To School Month
SEPTEMBER National Childhood Obesity Month
Juvenile Arthritis Warriors Fight Every Day Against Arthritis Pain.
When Is Your State's Tax Free Weekend in 2019?
Learn ways to promote healthy growth in children and prevent obesity.
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POPE CONSULTING, LLC
THE ANSWER TO YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT NEEDS SPECIALIZING IN PROVIDING TAILORED ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Contact Pope Consulting for your Administrative Support needs.
