FEBRUARY
2017
FREE
JUST ME MAGAZINE You don't have to be a celebrity to be a star
www.justmemagazine.com
THE B-SIDE THE GREATEST
HE SAID, SHE SAID VALENTINE'S LOVE
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
FINE THE WAY I AM THE PERFECT LOOK
JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS
stand up community
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Freedom is never given; it is won. A. Philip Randolph
06
10
12
15
The Greatest
Star of the Month
Energy Medicine
Found A Rare Jewel
17
18
The Perfect Look
Valentine's Day Couple
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise. Maya Angelou
06 10 12 15 17 18
The B - Side Freedom Ties Journey To Wholeness He Said , She Said Fine The Way I Am Valentine ' s Day
February 2017 justmemagazine . com
The question is not whether we can afford to invest in every child; it is whether we can afford not to. Marian Wright Edelman
Editor's Note It's always those not following their dreams or aspirations that say, "It's impossible". You can't sit and worry about those people. Surround yourself with mentors, coaches, doers and believers, and before you know it...you will have completed the impossible. I definitely see my life going the way I am now planning. Weeding out the nonÂbelievers or nonÂdoers. Continuing my journey as I see fit and learning on the way to something wonderful. I hope to see you on my journey. Always LOVE Alice Boswell
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THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER . . .
Sacrifice (noun) – A sacrifice is a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better cause. For Ali, that CAUSE was his people. His people were Africans worldwide and their descendants, along with the poor and shut out. The higher he rose in prominence, the more he used his platform to advocate for his people. Ali sacrificed his life, legacy, livelihood, and his legendary status for his people. He far exceeded the definition of what every MAN should be by leaps and bounds. I see the title “G.O.A.T.” being thrown around and attached to many men who attain a certain level in sports, men who rise to the top of their respective games experiencing lots of success and the accolades and awards that come with that success. For me, Ali set the bar too high for most of them. There have been a few like Mahmoud AbdulÂRauf (Chris Jackson), who gave up his NBA career in order to adhere to his own religious beliefs and his disdain for what America represents for African people. Craig Hodges quietly stood up and spoke out for our oppressed collective through correspondence to the Commander in Chief that eventually got him benched, permanently “blacklisted” and banned from the NBA. I’m certain there are a few more, but no one did it like Ali. Ali was by far the best in the sport of boxing during his tenure. He was big, he was strong, he was fast, he was evasive, he could take a punch, and he was CONFIDENT. He was unshakeable. He proclaimed he was the GREATEST and meant every syllable, spoken with his chest. Ali was clearly the BEST. He won most of his fights before he ever stepped in the ring simply because his light was too bright for the opponents he faced. They couldn’t see him. He was literally a STAR. Ali was humble. Ali was a man who pledged his life to the teachings of men who empowered him with the knowledge and understanding of himself. Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X helped to turn a light on in Cassius Clay that would render him an ascended version of himself, ALI, who would never return to being a mere mortal man. He became a global icon that represented what it meant to be FREE. Freedom was his essence. He spoke and did exactly what he wanted to do however he wanted and was both unfailing and unflinching when it came time to voicing the needs and concerns of his people in a way that made them clear. He made it clear that he wasn’t content to eat while his people starved, while they subsisted from crumbs allocated by a sick and sinister system, a government that kept his people in bondage, worldwide. Michael Jordan gave us 13 years of basketball bliss and was by far, the best to ever play the game, but he and Ali are not in the same universe. The differences are a bit more than subtle. In 2016, many of us have succumb to the patriotism that leads us to celebrate the Memorial Days, the Veteran’s Days, and the Independence Days. Ali was the only athlete on record, and one of a few Black men who stood and spoke to what lies dormant in many: “ . .why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while soÂcalled Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality. If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years. .” His positions and proclamations cost him dearly. He lost his championships, he lost his license to fight in the ring, he lost tons of money, and he lost his freedom. He lost his freedom, but he established his FREEDOM. He was the epitome. Ali was chastised by not only the U.S. government and Whites who hated him already, but he was also chastised and became the subject of scorn from many Black Americans who still clung tightly to the American dream, that dream that as long as they soldiered up and donned the red, white, and blue, they’d come home no longer oppressed based on hue. Sixteen years into the second millennium and the castes and conditions are still exactly the same for that collective. Ali was a soldier for US, and was courageous enough to take those stands many men still won’t. He was both a pioneer and a beacon. He showed the way and mapped a path, although collectively we still haven’t garnered the strength, the stamina, or the fortitude to follow his lead. A tough act to follow, but we’ll get there. If we all strive to be even half the human Ali was, we’ll end up in a very good place. We’ll be almost there. His life was a map for us. Be courageous, be brash, be bold, be conscious, be conscientious, be confident, be daring, BE YOU, BE FREE! . .UNAPOLOGETICALLY!!! Heroes sacrifice. Ali was my HERO. R.I.P. .LOVE, RESPECT, and HONOR. http://statuskno.com/ does mens and womens tees and hoodies. .pay a visit.
Fred & Tavares Bethel
People Are Getting "Tied Up" In The Movement On Thanksgiving Day of 2015, Fred Bethel and Tavares Bethel (brothers) were discussing the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the many shootings of Black men across America as well as the deplorable conditions surrounding Black communities. With approximately 46 million Black Americans in the U.S. that generate roughly 1.2 trillion dollars in the purchase of goods and services yearly within this country, it's alarming to know that a group of people can generate such wealth and, yet, only possess 13 cents of wealth to every dollar of wealth obtained by White Americans. The primary reason behind this economic imbalance is because of the 1.2 trillion dollars generated by Black Americans only 3% of that money find its way back into Black communities. For this reason Fred and Tavares Bethel decided to stop talking about the problem and actually do something about it. Thus, one year later to the date, these brothers on Thanksgiving Day of 2016 launched a website called FreedomTies.com that is designed to be "by the people to build a people". FreedomTies.com is an innovative approach that utilizes the principles of online business and combine them with the techniques of pop culture T.V. programming such as American Idol, America's Got Talent and all other shows that give their audience the power of the vote to choose a winner. FreedomTies.com is designed to provide an array of high quality silk ties at a reasonable price in which half of the proceeds from the purchase of such ties will be granted to a community need, charity, unique family situation, etc. The decision of where these funds will be directed to will be determined by the majority vote of those who register on the Freedom Ties website. These donations will be awarded each month providing a scheduling of 12 charitable donations per year. In addition, individuals will be able to submit ideas of organizations, fund raisers and special causes that are in need within their community. These submissions will also be presented for vote to those registered on FreedomTies.com so as to narrow the selection down to the top four. These top four will then be presented for final voting. Thus, each month there will be two voting's, a preliminary and then a final. Once a vote is made and an organization or special need situation has been determined, half of the proceeds that were collected for the month from the purchasing of Freedom Ties will be sent to such organization or special need situation in the form of a check. "It's a simple concept, when you think about it, that will allow our Black communities to better take control of how their dollars are being utilized", says Fred Bethel. "I'm pretty sure Dr. King's dream was not only for us as a people to gain civil freedoms but economic freedoms as well". With having been in business for less than 2 months, FreedomTies.com is already making a difference. Just recently Tavares Bethel was able to present a donation check of $700 on behalf of the purchases made from the site during the month of December to Maeva Jackson, founder of Black World Books which is a center where children can learn more about their black heritage and explore the reality of the black existence through books. "What if we sell 1,000 ties or 10,000 ties or even 1 million ties; if a million ties were sold that would be 10 million dollars going back into our Black communities", says Tavares Bethel. As the website gains traction, more and more people are realizing the importance of getting "tied up" in this movement so as to help make a change within their communities. Those who visit the site are not even required to make a purchase in order to be part of the voting process; allowing everyone the opportunity to do their part in helping make a difference. To learn more in how you can get "tied up" in the movement simply visit www.FreedomTies.com.
Energy Medicine
The Future of Healing: by Kimberly J. Davis Due to the change in our political climate, there is much panic, concern and fear regarding the ability to afford rising health care and prescription medicine costs. It is a very realistic concern with the imminent danger of losing affordable health insurance knocking at our doors. Now is the time to take ownership of your personal health care needs and look at alternative methods and approaches to get and stay well. Many of these alternative approaches are ancient and have been practiced for thousands of years by indigenous cultures who believed that all healing was within themselves and the land. The true foundation of holistic healing is acknowledging the fact that the human body is designed to cure and heal itself, if you create the right environment within your body to keep it centered, balanced and free from poisons and toxins. The creation of this environment begins with Energy. Primarily healing is achieved by bringing energy into all aspects of the body – Mental, Physical, Spiritual and Emotional to create and maintain a state of wellness and balance. What is Energy Medicine? Energy Medicine refers to a broad range of therapies that have one thing in common. They all consider the fact that humans have an energetic system that supports and nourishes the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of the body. Energy medicine is both a complement to other approaches to medical care and a complete system for selfÂcare and selfÂhelp. It can address physical illness and emotional or mental disorders, and can also promote highÂlevel wellness and peak performance. Healing occurs through the activation of natural healing energies and restoring energies that have become weak, disturbed, or out of balance. Some of the more common advanced energy healing techniques and modalities include Reiki, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Yoga, Emotional Freedom Technique (E.F.T), Kinesiology, Qi Gong, and Sound & Vibrational Healing, just to name a few. All of these modalities of healing are available at healing centers, like the Journey to Wholeness Center, for individuals actively seeking an alternative approach to healing. Simple Energy Medicines & Practices There are also some basic energy medicines and practices that you can begin to incorporate into your life today without going to a healing center or working with a practitioner. These are practices that everyone should integrate into their lives to maintain overall health and wellness and reduce the need for medical attention due to DisÂEase in the body. I. Healthy Live Foods fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts. Ingest Energy! Detoxify! II. Deep Breathing  It energizes your energetic system and removes toxins from the body. • Yoga, Breath work, Meditations, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Exercise III. Natural Herbs & Products Herbal Medicines and Pure Essential Oils IV. Holistic Doctors and Health Care Practitioners – These doctors focus on all aspects of you Mind, Body, Spirit and they work to find root cause of health issues versus treating symptom V. Energy Awareness – Clear & Balance Chakras. Release Blocked Energies. Shield from negative energies. • Protect your energetic space by surrounding yourself with positive thoughts, ideas, feelings, people etc. • Meditate, Set Intentions, Natural Healing Practitioners, Sound Therapy, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Tapping, Emotional Clearing, Reiki All of these things will serve to heal, balance, restore and reduce pain in your body to allow it to heal the way it was meant to heal. If you want to find out more about Energy Medicine and the modalities of healing I mentioned, come to the Journey to Wholeness Center for a free Wellness Assessment. Call Us to Book 708.634.3664 or book online. We can recommend the best approach for you based upon your own needs.
Kimberly J. Davis is the founder & owner of the Journey to Wholeness Center, a holistic healing and wellness center located in Oak Lawn IL
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When a man has found a rare jewel, he becomes proud & shows her off. A woman should never have to prove to anyone that her man loves her, that's his job. John Momplaisir
She Said Camille Thomas "Right on. Show me off Big Daddy. Lol lol"
He Said Ezekiel Moore "#facts this is me and my baby living life to the fullest without all the crazy drama...!!!" Join in on the conversation on Facebook.
Fine The Way I Am Adrienne & Brittany Hughes
Eleg ant B ehav Satu r d ays, ior intel 11a lectu alrad m io.co m
The Perfect Look As a society, we have a tendency to allow social media or celebrities to dictate to us “the perfect” look. Just take a look at the fashion magazines the models pretty much all resemble one another. If you are not the woman that is a perfect size 2 or a man that is tall dark and handsome, you don’t “fit”. You don’t fit the description of what is considered “beautiful” or “handsome” according to society. The fashion industry is, more now than ever, very critical of what is supposed to be the “perfect” size. The media puts a lot of pressure on adolescent females, and sometimes males, by setting the bar of what the “perfect body” is supposed to look like. Television, radio, social networks, etc. have constructed definitions of a proper body and its various attributes should look like, to be socially accepted. Abs, breast, buttocks, thighs etc. have become prized possessions within our society; many individuals (adolescents) go to extreme measures to assure themselves that they’re accepted by the media. Women are constantly perceived in a negative way (i.e. fat) if their body does not meet societal standards. The media has a major impact on adolescent’s perceptions on body image and body dissatisfaction. We challenge you to dare to be completely satisfied with who you are. Full lips, large hips, short hair, no hair – be totally in love with you! It is fact; everyone will not like you, or your look and that is totally okay. Nothing is more empowering than to see a woman or man that walks in total confidence, not arrogance but confidence! That kind of confidence that screams that no matter what you think of me, I am totally okay with myself. However, as a disclaimer, we should always strive to improve ourselves, for ourselves – but not for anyone else to accept us. It’s totally fine to want to continue your education, improve your career or even your image. But do not allow what others think to dictate your opinion of yourself. www.elegantbehavior.com
My Valentine
Charles & Lakeshia McKay We have been together four years and married three. Met in college Florida Memorial University in Miami FL. I was going through a stage where in my life where I was debating quitting my job at the Ale House, working as a waitress full time and going to school full time to focus on an opening a shoe store. It was kind of making me depress me because we did not have the necessary finances for me to be able to quit my job and just focus on opening the business. Plus we were still in college full time living with family. Long story short everyone kept saying not to do it because were both too young. Keep my job and finish school first and then think about opening a store later. But May 2, 2013, I was sitting on our bed crying and he came in the room and said to me, "Today, you're not going back to work, nor are you going tomorrow." I was sitting there looking crazy like what are you talking about. He took a ring out of his pocket and said, "I want to ask you to be my wife, and in order to be your husband, I am willing to step outside the box to make you happy. So quit your job and however we have to do it, we will figure it out and you will open your store." We opened the store later that year, but it did not work out. We had to close the store. A few months later, we sat down together put our skills down on a piece of paper, and together we came up with the idea of opening McKay's Music because I have experience running a business since going back to my childhood working with both of my parents. Today, McKay's Music is now a successful private music lesson company offering inÂhome music lessons, summer camp and workshops throughout South Florida. As of February 1, 2017, we will be launching our nonÂprofit, McKay's Music Movement, to offer the same services to students throughout South Florida attending schools that do not have a music program and cannot afford private music lessons. If we could give advice to anyone about marriage, it would be to keep God in the center of your marriage, take the time and learn to pray together and for each other. Attend marriage workshops and seminars, even when things are going well. This way, you get the tools you need to have when things start to go bad. Finally, support each other, even when you don't get the vision. The other person has supported them because it's hard when the world rejects your ideas but its hurts more when it come from someone you consider half of you. Lastly KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF YOUR MARRIAGE & FINANCES, if you can't afford it, don't borrow it and never down talk each other to no one, including family members, because long after y'all have makeup sex, they will still be holding grudges.