THE NATURAL NOVEMBER e-mag a natural cultural hair, health, wealth & beauty magazine to correspond with the Natural November event Issue 1; Apr/May 2013
CONTENTS Feature interviews: Positive Image Project (children), pg 6 Andrew Muhammad (empowerment), pg 10 Leah Salmon (health/wealth), pg 22 Ernest Nelson-Homiah (health), pg 26 Richard Weekes (children), pg 27 Rosanna Lewis (health), pg 33 Special feature interview: Ansylla of My Hairitage (hair), pg 15 Famous Natural Beauties, pg 11 Horoscope, pg 29 Let Food be thy Medicine, pg 23 Some of my Favourite Quotes, pg 8 My NN Wishlist, pg 18
From the Editor I’m very happy to be able to share the 1st NN e-mag with you. May it be the 1st of many. For those of you who don’t know, I am an event organiser, researcher, radio talk show presenter, Sisterlocks™ & natural haircare consultant, website designer, fitness class & Zumba® instructor, a raw foodist who has recently created a line of foods called LibRaw, & a trustee of The African Caribbean Cultural Centres Foundation (TACCCF), which is committed to raising funds for the acquisition, maintenance & operations of prime real estate properties in the UK to be used for the advancement & promotion of African & Caribbean cultural activities & events. I’m also very proud to say that I have worn my hair natural ALL of my adult life; I got my ‘experimenting with the artificial’ phase out of the way while I was still at school, much to my Mother’s disapproval. The idea of Natural November came about a few years ago. I returned to a well known Black annual hair show in 2009 after a 10 year absence, just to see if things had changed. Not much… I felt very out of place, I was surrounded by exhibitors who were selling hair from India & Brazil, not Africa. Women were reading European magazines & getting their hair relaxed. A Fair n White skin bleaching cream stall had a prime position next to the catwalk. Very young, slim girls with long straight hair but wearing African prints strutted their stuff on the catwalk. Almost all of the products on sale were full of harmful chemicals which I had been trying to steer clear of. I felt like the odd one out & angry that I hadn’t been catered for.
The oasis in the midst was a loctitian from the US who was looking for a model. I had my Sisterlocks™ installed 4 months earlier & not yet given anyone the opportunity to style my hair, so I jumped at the chance. Her name was Ansylla from MyHairitage. We have struck up a great friendship & have been in close contact ever since. She was one of the few people who understood my anger & frustration & she encouraged to create my own event, which I am forever thankful for, so here it is for the 4th time, Natural November in May (May Natural November get Bigger & Better), taking place on Sunday 5th May, at Hammersmith Town Hall, from 11-7pm. This isn’t just about hair & beauty; it’s what’s on the inside that counts (hence the reason for the basic, photo-free front cover), what you feed your mind is much more important that how you wear your hair, in actual fact, I believe that the more culturally educated you become, the realisation will come to you to put the relaxer done, weave it alone, & return to self. It’s also about the holistic health & wealth of the community, applying to both men & children. So at least one of the four catergories should be of interest & importance to you. The e-mag has been lovingly created to correspond with the twice yearly event, featuring interviews with some of the seminar presenters, a few of the sponsors & exhibitors, with some other features thrown in that I feel a natural cultural magazine should contain. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of the 1st edition, as well as everyone who has helped to make the Natural November event such a success, it is all, & will continue to be very much appreciated. Enjoy my 1st attempt at being a magazine editor x DebRose Brown SearchWell Founder of Natural November
There will be a raffle on the day, the prizes will be donated by some of the exhibitors, & the proceeds will go to the ACLT, who will also be present on the day. Fill out a feedback form at the end of the day in order to be in with a chance to win a luxury Akoma Skincare basket. Don’t forget to bring children & elders, as they get free entry.
Go to www.naturalnovember.co.uk for more information
ALL stalls for this event are now sold. I will start to create the November 2013 event in June/July. If you like to be kept up to date & made aware of when I start to deal with potential exhibitors, please send an email to info@naturalnovember.co.uk, with Mailing list in the Subject field, thank you
Feature interview: Positiveimage co. I’m happy & honoured to be able to feature a couple of beautiful, hardworking, positive & inspiring SiSTARS in the 1st ever edition of the e-mag, because I am not only a great fan of their work, they have been supporters of all the NN events so far, & have decided to go a step further on this occasion by being official sponsors of the event Positiveimage co.“positive people, positive colour” We are a social enterprise, positiveimageproject is a child centred creative consultancy focusing on the promotion of Black culture, through Education, Publishing and Social awareness. Our names are Denise Lewis [Social Worker] and Flora Awolaja [Teacher], two professional women qualified in Social Care and Education. As a qualified Social Worker [GSCC] and Teacher, we have 20 years of varied knowledge and experience between us, of working with Children and Families in Local Authorities in and around England. During our educational development, we have been able to develop a critical perspective on good ChildCare practice, and have become independent inquirers; our ethos has always been Child-Centred and Child Focused.
Flora Awolaja & Denise Lewis of positiveimage co., at NN in May 2012
AIMS: Positiveimageproject is about the promotion and positivity of black culture, Positiveimageproject is about people and culture Positiveimageproject is about being inclusive, creative and fun . OUR DIVERSE RANGE OF CURRENT PROJECTS: Black Children in Care book’: We have designed a 100 page book titled ‘Black Children in Care: Health, Hair and Skin’ designed to address the lack of information that persists with the care of Black/Mixed Heritage children in cross cultural placements: The book as a resource is: Innovative & Child Centred, User friendly, Colourful, Fun and Informative It has positive images of Black children. The book allows us to give black children in care, Social Workers, and other social care agencies, such as Action for Children, Barnados, NSPCC, and Foster Carers and Adopters of Black and Mixed Heritage children, the information that they may need about, the care that African-Caribbean and Mixed Heritage Hair, Health and skin-care whilst they are in care. We have had such positive response from the community, the feed-back has always been, “you are educating our community in regards to our history”, the community often say our product are “inspiring”, and to be honest we agree!!
The greatest achievement so far has to be writing a 100 paged book in regards to Black children in care: Titled: Black Children in Care Health, Hair and Skin. This is an empowering book for black children in care, in regards to looking after oneself whilst you are in care with the local authority, in particularly if the black child is placed in a cross-cultural placement.
Some of the topics we raise in the book are the importance of Race, Culture, Heritage, and confidence in the black child in care, skin and hair, sickle cell among other issues. The book will be self-published by PIP this year, and printed and available for purchased by May 2013, so it’s a very exciting time for PIP. At NN in May 2013, we will be selling our very popular Socially Conscious cultural T shirts: with text and images of our heroes and sheroes on the back and front. We have images of the Black Panther Angela Davis, and the Pan Africanist Marcus Mosiah Garvey, with inspiring text on the front and back of t-shirts. We will also be taking part in the fashion show. We decided to be a part of NN from the very beginning, as we both believe it is a positive and worthwhile event for the community; it is a great way to learn about new healthy lifestyles, a great day out for your whole family, you get to support black business, network and meet other business minded people, activists, and community leaders, and of course sell inspiring t-shirts to all who attend. To those who are one the path of enlightenment, I say Please stay on the path. Grow, reflect, love, learn, and stay focused. The message that we have for the youth is to always follow your dreams, be determined, and keeping learning, achieving and reading. Our future plans include another book, this time we will be writing a book in regards to the Black elders, we have decided to do one book for the young ,and one book for the elders. We are also extending our range of t-shirts to children later on this year. Black Children in Care: Health, Hair and Skin’ Conference 2013: Produce a series of four road shows, around the country, (Bedfordshire, Brighton, Birmingham, & London). Discussing and issues from “The African Caribbean/Mixed Heritage, Child: Health, Hair & Skin book. NIA: young girl’s [11-17], African Caribbean project The NIA project’s mission is to empower young, African Caribbean girls, and create a specific programme of workshops to work positively with young, African Caribbean girls; Ancestral Education Cards: A valuable resource for the home or school environment: "The project aims to bring together diverse cultures to be better informed about Black heritage, history and the people who shaped it. This is a great Afrikan proverb, especially for our young people: “You already have the crown, all you need to do is put it on”
positiveimageproject@hotmail.com Twitter: positiveimagep Facebook: positiveimageproject
Some of my favourite quotes
Some more of my favourite quotes ‌
Feature interview: Andrew Muhammad AKA THE INVESTIGATOR He is an international motivational presenter, historian, author, & lecturer, The Investigator is one of the UK’s leading inspirational and Black history culture specialists. A busy man, he is fresh from hosting the recent Mind the Gap event, the aim of which was to bridge the generational gap, he spent a few of his recent Sunday afternoons at Cottons restaurant doing movie breakdowns, & soon he’ll be gracing us with his powerful presence at NN in May My Name is Andrew Muhammad AKA THE INVESTIGATOR …. My work can be summed up in three words…..Success, Identity and Motivation I strongly believe that my mission aim and purpose is to inspire greatness out of my people and the community that I live in. The community has shown me nothing but love and this has given me the reason to live and carry on. My greatest achievement so far has been the ability to travel around the world meeting and sharing knowledge with some of the greatest people alive. At NN, I will by the grace of god be doing a workshop about our natural beauty. We are some of the most beautiful people in the world and we will be showcasing some of that beauty. I have heard nothing but fantastic things about this movement and anything positive is my hearts mission. This Natural November event has the potential to become truly national and international. I want to help make it just that!!!! My advice to anyone out there who wants to become an investigator, is to study everyday and remain humble. A wise man knows he knows nothing but a fool feels himself to be wise. To the youth, You, Yes You are the best generation ever! You are the true NEO generation. When we talk about Britain’s Got Talent we are really talking about you! Just aim high and make your dreams come true via determined hard work! My future plans include building institutions of excellence within our communities. Love life! theinvestigator.org.uk or email investigator37@hotmail.com or Facebook – Andrew Muhammad, Twitter – investigator555 Natural Beauty: Your Hair to the Throne! by Andrew Muhammad (The Investigator) At Natural November in May, Sunday 5th May, Hammersmith Town Hall, 5-6pm The presentation will focus on the natural beauty, power and spiritual significance of our hair, culture and self knowledge. We are all unique and awesome people and once we open the doors of our greatness we will gain access to the universal infinite intelligence.
Famous Natural Beauties I have compiled this section to not only prove that there are quite a few natural beauties (Brothas & Sistas) in the public eye, who haven’t (at the time the photos were taken) fallen victim to the negative media sterotypes, but to show the versatility of our beautiful hair, & to also inspire people who are thinking about returning to natural. Enjoy, & be inspired x
Afros Most people confuse African hair with Afros, not realising that the Afro is in actual fact a hairstyle. Clockwise, from top left: Pam Grier: American actress, best known for her role as Foxy Brown in the ’70’s Blaxploitation films & more recently Jackie Brown. Janelle Monae: American singer-songwriter, musician & record producer, she was also a spokeswomen for Covergirl Cosmetics in 2012. ?uestlove: Real name Ahmir Khalib Thompson, American record producer, music journalist, frontman & drummer of US Grammy award winning band The Roots. Shingai Shoniwa: British lead vocalist & bass guitarist for UK indie rock band The Noisettes. Her first name means to ‘be strong’ in native Shona (Zimbabwe & Zambia) language.
Cornrows A beautiful way to wear our hair, especially with the recent creativity shown by the younger generation, male & female. Unfortunately, not a widely favoured look amongst the famous, yet … Clockwise from left: Queen Latifa: Real name Dana Elaine Owens, an American singer-songwriter, rapper (she won a Grammy for U.N.I.T.Y), actress, model, comedienne & Covergirl spokeswoman. Alicia Keys: American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, actress, proudly wore her hair in cornrows during the earlier stage of her career. Willow Smith: Daughter of Will Smith & Jada Pinkett, actress, singer-songwriter, dancer, fashion designer, very experimental in the way she wears her hair. D’Angelo: Real name Michael Eugene Archer, R&B singer-songwriter, record producer & multimusician, fundamental in the rise of the NeoSoul movement.
Famous Natural Beauties, cont. Locks Beautiful, organic, versatile, & very misunderstood, I do not like using the term ‘Dread’ when referring to them. Clockwise from top left: Lauryn Hill: Multi award-winning American singer songwriter, rapper, record producer, actress. Her Entire album is my soundtrack Caron Wheeler: Gammy award winning British singer songwriter, vocalist for Soul II Soul, who remembers Keep on Movin’, Back to Life, & her anthem Living in the Light? Sherry-Ann Dixon: One of my mentors, she took part in the 1st NN in 2011. Radio broadcaster, journalist, life skills speaker, make up artist, former editor of Pride magazine. Lenny Kravitz: American award winning singer songwriter, multi instrumentalist, record producer & actor.
No hair These women are letting us know that they are so beautiful, they don’t even need hair! I shaved my hair off at the age of 16, a very liberating experience, I highly recommend it! Clockwise from top left: Grace Jones: Jamaican singer-songwriter, actress, art muse & model. More famously known for an androgynous & even animalistic look, but I managed to find a very feminine photo of her. Laura Mvula: British upcoming singersongwriter, musician & Director of the Lichfield Community Gospel Choir Alek Wek: Sudanese supermodel, named Model of the Year by MTV in 1997, was the first African model to grace the cover of Elle, also in 1997. She is now a handbag designer who sells exclusively in Selfridges. Lorraine Pascale: She started out in the early ‘90’s as a model with no hair, so you could say that she was the pre Alek Wek, due to her dark skin, shaved head & trademark gap in her teeth.
Famous Natural Beauties, cont. Extensions I’m not a fan of extensions, but they can help if you’re transitioning, as long as they’re done by a professional &/or not too tight as to cause strain on the weak hairline. Clockwise from top left: Janet Kay: Queen of Lover’s Rock, made history by being the 1st British Black woman to have a reggae song at the top of the UK music charts, she now has Sisterlocks™. Jill Scott: Grammy award winning American singer-songwriter, poet, actress, proving that being bigger can most definitely be beautiful. Jada Pinkett Smith: American actress, singersongwriter, wife of Will Smith, wore a shaved head for the ending of the 1996 film Set it off. Beyonce Knowles: American singer, songwriter, dancer & actress, she wore her hair in Senegalese Twists for her role in the film The Fighting Temptations.
Headwraps A part of ancient African culture, the headwrap is a beautiful wear to adorn your head, embrace your culture & to give your hair a break from styling. Clockwise from left: Miriam Makeba: Grammy Award winning South African singer & civil rights activist, known as Mama Africa, campaigned against apartheid, helped to globalize African music. Solange Knowles: American actress, singersongwriter, model, dancer, DJ. I love the way she proudly showed the different stages of her hair journey when she shaved it all off. Maya Angelou: Real name Marguerite Ann Johnson, Grammy Award winning American author, poet, spoken word artist & civil rights activist. Erykah Badu: Real name Erica Abi Wright, Grammy Award winning American singersongwriter, record producer & actress. I could’ve placed her in all of the catergories, such has been her versatility.
Famous Natural Beauties, cont. Short hair A lot of women are obsessed with the length of their hair, maybe they lack confidence during the growing out stage, or maybe they feel less feminine, but this isn’t the case here! Clockwise from top left: Roshumba Williams: American model. I first saw her in the ‘90’s, in a Sports Illustrated photoshoot, she was in the sea, & I thought she was the most beautiful woman ever. Viola Davies: American actress, debuted her short hair at the Grammy’s, where she was nominated for Best Actress for her role in The Help. Ambreal Williams: Who remembers her from ANTM? There was absolutely nothing wrong with her hair, but Tyra decided to relax it! Chrisette Michele: Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter & actress.
Sisterlocks™ A patented technique, using a specialised tool which interlocks the hair, with a parting grid, increasing stylability options. Clockwise from left: Victor Romero Evans: Yes, there’s Brotherlocks as well! British actor, singer-songwriter. Giovonnie Samuels: American actress & voice over artist. A great role model for the younger generation. She’s had her Sisterlocks™ since she was 8 years old, inspired after seeing a photograph of the next person … Dr JoAnne Cornwell: Originator of Sisterlocks™, an Associate Professor of Africana Studies and at San Diego State University. She is also a third generation entrepreneur and beauty specialist. She has researched African descended cultures worldwide, & understands how deeply hair issues relate to cultural identity. DebRose SearchWell: Yes, I thought I throw myself into the mix! Sisterlocks™ & natural haircare consultant, 4 years into my hair journey & loving it, but may in future decide to cut them off & do something else, will keep you updated x
Special feature interview: Ansylla of My Hairitage This is the section where I give thanks & pay special homage to someone I consider as one of my mentors, & there are many. Who better to start with than the very special person who I met at the Afro Hair Show in 2009, who styled my Sisterlocks™ for the first time, who has asked me to model for her everytime she’s in the UK, & who also encouraged me to create NN. Embracing “My Hairitage” By Ansylla of My Hairitage Holistic Hair Care The natural hair industry is booming! Natural hair wearers are featured in television commercials, magazine ads, TV shows and movies. Mainstream hair product companies that for decades manufactured products for relaxed hair, now offer products for “natural hair”, “transitioning”, “curl elongation”, “curl definition”, etc., etc., etc. There is an ABUNDANCE of online information for those who have decided to stop relaxing their hair. Man! I wish I could have had all this help! In 1997, I worked with a progressive young lady who wore the most spectacular natural hair styles. I can say that she was the first to expose me to the beauty of natural hair. She shared with me that there was going to be a natural hair show at Howard University. At that time, I had been in the Washington, DC area for only a few months. Now remember, this was before Google maps, GPS and smart phones with map apps. I got so lost trying to find Howard! But I finally did – about 30 minutes before the show ended. The styles were BREATHTAKING! Who knew so much could be done with naturally textured hair? At the end of the show, the presenter – Pamela Farrell of Cornrows & Co. – made the most profound statement: “We view getting a relaxer as a rite of passage, but don’t stop to think what would happen if we don’t relax our hair”. My aha! moment. I haven’t used a straightening chemical or thermal heat process on my hair since. At the time, I was wearing a short texturized cut. Transitioning was no easy feat. First, I wore some awful wigs. Then I learned to use headwraps (a skill I still use quite often). As my hair grew out a bit, my roommate at the time would cornrow the front and I would wear a puff in the back. After some time, I cut the texturized ends off and was completely natural! My first style was coils, aka gel twists. I felt so liberated! Due to limited opportunities for natural hair education, I did a lot of research on my own to better understand techniques, products and styles. I found a natural hair stylist in the area who did flawless cornrow styles without extensions and I rocked those for a long while. I then came across the Sisterlocks™ technique and decided that’s what I wanted. In 2000, my roommate and I decided to take the Sisterlocks™ class and start each other’s locks. I started her Sisterlocks™ and it took 37 hours! Sadly, she had to relocate due to a family emergency and I didn’t get mine started. Sigh. In the meantime, I was getting calls for Sisterlocks™ and my side business was growing. Oh, did I mention that I had an accounting job at the time? Well, I lost that job in fall of 2001 and decided I was done with office politics. No more suits and no more interviews. But what will I do? Hey! Wait a minute. I already have a small natural hair business. It was time to turn my side hustle into my business. So I went to Atlanta for more training and came back to Maryland to start my business. What would I call it?
During my studies, I also began to see that there was more involved in having healthy hair than just what products were used. A healthy body is needed to have healthy hair. I decided to take a course to be a Natural Health Consultant. So my business would be called “My Hairitage Natural Hair & Wellness”. After a couple of years, I changed the name to “My Hairitage Holistic Hair Care” to better reflect my approach to hair care, which means considering the whole person. For that reason, I avoid using products containing commonly used toxic and carcinogenic ingredients. By 2003, I had a solid, steady clientele. But I was getting many, many calls from potential clients and the stylists that I would refer people to were also very busy. More holistic hair care specialists were needed and I organized classes to fill that need. It is extremely satisfying to know that you have shared information that empowers others to start their own business, enabling them to provide for themselves and their families. Truly satisfying. In 2007, I was invited to Afro Hair & Beauty Live in the UK to present 2 basic natural hair classes. I was so excited! I was an educator at that event for 4 consecutive years. Those opportunities lead to many more invitations to teach and present in the UK. In 2009, I organized the first “Stop the LYE – Natural Hair Show for Children” in the DC area. Samantha, from Nappy Party in Paris saw the photos on Facebook and wanted to organize “Stop the LYE – Paris”. Off to Paris I went in 2010! I was now also empowering people in Europe. What a feeling! Most recently, I have added online classes and webinars to reach an even broader audience. I’m glad to see the explosion of the natural hair movement. I hope that many are motivated to go From left: Me, Ansylla & Marie (Kawaii Locks) Natural from a place of self-acceptance and at the Afro Hair Show 2011 self-love. If someone had told me that someday I would be teaching natural hair care internationally, I would have thought they were crazy. It’s been an amazing journey and I look forward to many more exciting experiences. All of this simply because I EMBRACED “MY HAIRITAGE”!
A few of Ansylla’s beautiful creations www.MyHairitage.com myhairitage@yahoo.com facebook.com/myhairitage twitter.com/MyHairitage Instagram: myhairitage YouTube: MyHairitageLLC Ansylla will be in the UK as part of the panel for the premiere of ‘Pass the Comb’, along with a screening of Kickin it with the Kinks, both taking place on Monday 27th May at the Ritzy, Brixton.
My NN Wishlist (so far …) My actual wish is to don a disguise at NN & shop until I drop! The creativity knowledge base among the exhibitors is amazing & the various catergories mean that there will be something for everyone. Unfortunately, I cannot don a disguise, but here are a few things I’d definitely like to put in my shopping basket …
Tennis skirts, from House of LouLee These are so beautiful, & with the weather getting warmer, I would love to have a selection of these to choose from! I’m also an avid tennis fan, so imagine me in my vibrant tennis skirt, while eating strawberries at Wimbledon! Available in children sizes as well, fitted with adjustable waists for their growing bodies. Prices from £18 www,houseofloulee.co.uk
Empress card, from Nsaa Nefateri From the “Legacy” range. Have you ever needed a card at the last minute, but your local shops don’t have what you were looking for? Have you ever kept your old cards because they were too beautiful to part with? Or have you ever seen a card & thought ‘I’d love to receive that card from someone’. For those who know me, no, I’m not hinting, but I buy flowers for myself, why shouldn’t I buy my own EarthDay card? £2.99 www.nsaanefateri.com Rods of Ma’at, by Ma’at Foundation Therapies OVER 2000 YEARS AGO THESE UNIQUE HEALING TOOLS WERE LOST TO MANKIND. Their roots go back into the depths of time. A master energy tool for life, designed to stimulate physical healing, expand energy, awareness, enhance psychic abilities & awaken soul communication. These tools are unique, powerful & divine. The birthright for all humanity. Align, harmonize & balance the body & mind with earth, as the earth aligns with the universe. Prices from £120 www.maatfoundationtherapies.com
My NN Wishlist (so far …), cont.
Vase, by Joli Create I was first mesmerised by their creations a few years ago & bought a mug straightaway. I will definitely have to add to my collection with another mug, a couple of vases, wine glasses, bowls, in Black as well as white. But I doubt I’d use them though, I’d have them on display instead; I think these are the people who are going to turn me into my Mother – she also collects crockery & has them in her cabinet & on her mantelpiece! Price available on request www.joli-create.com
Special Edition LibRaw bamboo iPhone cover, by Synergy Designs This was lovingly (& surprisingly) made by the designer of both my NN & LibRaw logos, I don’t have possession of it just yet but can’t wait to get hold of it at NN in May. Synergy Designs specialise in beautiful cultural accessories from wood & leather, for men & women. They’ll also be showing off their creations at the 1st ever NN fashion show, & he’s offered to be a model! £21.99 www.soul-apparel.com
Still I Rise t-shirt, by positiveimage co. Promoting positive people & positive colour. I love the way these SiSTARs promote Black culture through education, publishing & social awareness. Their t-shirts are so iconic & inspiring, there is also a wonderful Maya Angelou poem on the back. Their designs transcend generations; I have seen young & old wearing their creations, & I know that this will be the t-shirt I will still wear in my very old age, & I will rock it, even with my walking stick! £20 positiveimageproject@hotmail.com
My NN Wishlist (so far …), cont. Organic Lavender & Geranium SLS free shampoo & Sunshine hair oil, from Aziza Natural Beauty
You can tell that Aziza has a real love affair with her locks; she has maintained them so beautifully, that she has generously made the same homemade natural hair & body products which she uses available to us all to enjoy. She also specialises in head massage, helping to stimulate growth. Shampoo: £7.50 for 150 ml, £10 for 200ml, sunshine hair oil: £4.50 for 50ml, £7.50 for 100ml www.azizanaturalbeauty.com
Table mosaic, by Dionne Ible of Qemamu Mosaics I’ve been a long time fan of Dionne’s work, & am estatic that she will be doing a Mosaic workshop at NN in May. You can tell that she’s put a whole lot of time & love into her creations, & that she enjoys what she does. When I become rich I will have her do some bespoke designs for my home. Price available on request www.qemamumosaics.com
Queen of Sheba necklace, by J.M Prempeh Wow, ladies, we all need at least one piece of statement jewellery, & for me, this would definitely be it. I love that various African prints have been combined with vintage buttons, you wouldn’t need to adorn yourself with any other piece of jewellery when you wear this. You cannot be afraid to stand out when wearing this. I would however keep my clothing plain, but I know the designer would have other ideas… £55 ww.afrocessories.com
My NN Wishlist (so far …), cont. Awakening the Natural Genius of Black Children, by Amos Wilson, from Muatta Books Ever heard the saying ‘If you want to hide something from a Black person, put it in a book’? Do you want your children to be familiar with that saying as well? This is one of the many books that are not yet in my ever expanding library; I have others on Black child development, but I know from some of Amos Wilson’s other books that this one will no doubt offer valuable insight. I am surrounded by many wonderful, creative, intelligent children, all with different preferred learning styles, & would like to feel even more confident & educated enough to help teach these children how to awaken the geniuses within them. £15 muattabooks@yahoo.co.uk
Dress from the 2013 range, by Cowrie Design I love the fact that Cowrie Design are a non traditional mixture of African & Western designs, you could wear this dress anywhere; work, rest or play. I also love the fact that Cowrie design the range, but invest in Nigerian tailors to bring the designs to life, this has resulted in one of the tailors being confident enough to start her own line of creations in her homeland.
£37 www.cowriedesign.com
Bath & body treats, by Ndulge Limited Hhmm, after all of this browsing & shopping amongst all of the various exhibitors, I will like nothing more than to go home, & have a relaxing bath with some luxurious products, made from natural ingredients & packaged in recyclable materials. Ndulge also do candles; I wouldn’t be surprised if after NN in May I took these treats home, ran a bath, lit some candles & fell asleep in the water – waking up resembling a prune, but I’m sure that the bodycare products will be able to deal with that! Prices from £1 to £25 www.ndulgeurself.co.uk
All of the items shown will be on sale at NN in May, taking place on Sunday 5th May at Hammersmith Town Hall. For further information, including the full list of exhibitors, please go to www.naturalnovember.co.uk x
Feature interview: Leah Salmon (The Naturally You Coach) This SiSTAR is an absolute inspiration: wife, mother (of 5!), she homeschools, is a life coach, she writes books, teaches people how to be healthy, the list goes on! She’s back to present at NN for the 2nd time with her new book Budget, Behaviour & Belief My name’s Leah Salmon The Naturally You Coach. As well as being a homeschooling mother of 5 children between 8yrs & 9mths, I help busy parents, professionals and business owners to find the time to achieve their health and life goals, using whole foods, natural remedies and life coaching. When my 3rd book Budget Behaviour & Belief hit the Amazon best sellers list at number 27 just 24 hours after being released in December 2012, reaching number 8 in March 2013 and then when I released the physical version at the Day Of The Goddess event, after giving a 10 minute talk on it, it completely sold out in 5 minutes. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to give a talk on this book. I’ll be guiding you through Budget Behaviour Belief, which is a simple guide to controlling the 3 biggest factors in your life that can stop you from becoming naturally vibrant and healthy and beating disease. During this talk, you discover how to: Banish the negative beliefs that lead you to disease Find the budget (in terms of time, money and resources) to naturally beat disease Develop behaviours that prevent you from developing even so called hereditary diseases Use an easy to follow plan to help you control the b's and beat disease I’ll also be showing you how to apply these steps to your own situation and how to get started. I’ll also be selling Budget Behavior & Belief on the day at my stall, along with a few of my other books and coaching programs. I delivered a talk at the first ever Natural November back in November 2011 and saw the overwhelming response the event had. DebRose has since delivered several fantastic events that bring together some great speakers and exhibitors, who all have a wealth of valuable information to share with the guests. It’s a top class event to be a part of and DebRose is very supportive to everyone involved in her events and the community as a whole. Reconnect with yourself at any and every given opportunity so you can create a life for yourself that allows you to become Naturally You, the best version of yourself. The YOU that you really want and deserve to be. The younger generation are our future, our community loves you more than you know, even if you think we’re old, not very cool and nag you too much, we actually really love you, all of you. You’re going to see us do more and more to keep you with us so we can protect you as the Gods and Goddesses you are. We can’t wait to see the beautiful beings you all evolve into. We’re here to help, so if you need anything, just ask. Love Aunty Leah I’ll be releasing more books, coaching programs and hosting my first live event in July called The Naturally You Day that you can find out more about at www.thenaturallyyouday.com I hope to see you all at the event and please stop by my table to say hi! leah@thenaturallyyoucoach.com or 01582 615196 or www.thenaturallyyoucoach.com or www.facebook.com/thenaturalyounetwork or www.twitter.com/naturalyoucoach Budget, Behaviour & Belief – Boost these B’s to Beat Disease, by Leah Salmon (The Naturally You Coach) At Natural November in May, Sunday 5th May, Hammersmith Town Hall, 3:30-4:30pm
Let food be thy medicine ‌ This famous quote by Imhotep is one of my mantra’s. More & more of us are becoming aware of the healing power of natural foods & herbs, may we continue to slowly but surely return to a more organic & holistic way of eating & healing ourselves
Feature interview: Ernest Nelson-Homiah This is the 3rd time that Ernest will be bringing Ma’at Foundation Therapies to NN, & I am always intrigued by the pretty crystals & healing ornaments he has on display. I have much to learn about the healing power of Holistic Energy & Metaphysical Therapy, but Ernest is a great teacher … My name is Ernest Nelson-Homiah, & I’m from the Gambia. I started Maat Foundation Therapies over 5 years ago. I have qualifications in Tummo Reiki Levels 1&2, Thought Field Therapy Levels 1-2 and basic Kinesiology. I have been practicing holistic energy, and metaphysical therapies for a number of years. I have also practised the Vippasana technique of (golden silent) meditation by SN Goinka for over 10 years. I possess a massive library of over 700 books with an eBook collection of over 3.000 titles. Now I have been applying spiritual and metaphysical energy for noble purposes for over ten years. I have been known as an Alchemist, although one of the therapies I’m trained for is Thought Field Therapy (TFT), which can transform negative emotions into positive ones. This is due to my work in the Metaphysical and the energy tools that I produce. Through my connecting with my Ancient self, I have brought back the Rods of Ma’at healing tools, as used in Ancient Kamit, many brother’s and sister’s have come to connect, and experience, the balancing and healing, that was used in Egypt, many have also experienced rapid relief from all kinds of emotional stress, anxiety, grief, anger trauma through Thought field therapy, which is a cutting edge treatment, that is a drug-free method of literally tapping into your body’s energy and clearing up blockages quickly and safely, with no side effects. Many are also experiencing an EMR radiation free home, and personal protection with orgone protection. Every human that express gratitude for healing that, I have given is a great achievement for me. At NN in May, I will be sharing the divine spirit in Ma’at, bringing earth to heaven, and heaven to earth. If more of the brothers and sisters can clear all stored negative emotions , then we will see a lot more transformation now, so please, carry a crystal with you at all times, don’t know much about crystals, come & pay me a visit. Ma’at Foundation Therapies provides you with a dependable, personal therapy formulated to help solve your problems, and to place you back in control of your thoughts and actions, thus allowing you to enjoy life to the full. At last, you can regain control of your life, greatly reducing or eliminating: Stress, anxiety, fears, phobias, panic attacks, fear of flying, anger management Stop smoking, weight loss, post traumatic stress disorder, relationship problems Speaking in public, socialising, or any other phobia holding you back Elimination of trauma, negativity and self-sabotage Replacement of anger and frustration with calmness and peace of mind www.maatfoundationtherapies.com
Feature interview: Richard Weekes I was at home yesterday watching Knights of the South Bronx (a must-see for the whole family), & I remembered the times when I used to volunteer at Richard’s chess clubs; I learnt a lot from the way in which he interacted with the children, & was amazed at how he taught them when they thought they were just playing. The film also confirmed that children who play chess do much better academically. I wish I had a club like this when I was a child, & I also wish that my parents would’ve taken me. I am Richard Weekes out of SE London and I help children and young people to understand and appreciate the game of chess by teaching them how to play in schools and my independently run junior chess clubs. How are my clubs received by the community? That would of course depend on who you speak to. Most adults you speak to who know what I do aren’t very happy as I don’t have much time to fit in and run adult chess sessions. The children I teach and their parents on the other hand will tell you a very different story. I think they like chess because the children keep coming back again and again. My greatest achievement is being with my long time partner for 31 years now and excitedly looking forward to starting our 32nd year together in September this year. My proudest moment?.... well there’s lots of those I could speak of but being around my 4 year old grandson and taking him to nursery school every morning is very high on my list. And then there’s the chess clubs I run and knowing that each session results in me having the privilege to teach and influence lots of children who are not mine and they keep coming back again and again for more inspiration and guidance. I’d like to think that as it’s my second appearance at an NN event more people will notice I’m there this time and grace me with their presence at the tables to give chess a try. The children will zone in on the tables as usual so I’ll be really cool this time and won’t let them see how excited I am about them playing and when they ask me questions about chess. Oh yes, I almost forgot; I’ll be hosting the first ever NN seminar about chess and how to persuade more Black parents to encourage their children to have a go. So yes, I’m looking forward to the event very much. I didn’t have a good time at the last NN event if you want to know. I had a fantastic time!! So because I enjoyed it so much, I’m coming back for more and this time it’s gonna be so much better. And also filling a few gaps so that the children attending will have something additional to do. This will be brilliant for them and I think their parents will be pleased to know that I’m there helping to keep their children occupied with an activity that’s educationally beneficial and stimulating too. Chess is for wimps? So sorry…that word is not in my vocabulary. What I will say about that word though if it was, is that all children love to play games. Now as chess is the most popular board game in the world and it really, really does help anyone that plays it to get a chance to have lots of opportunity to think; concentrate; make better decisions; problem solve; have confidence in planning out their next move and being in control of what their going to do next - then if wimps do all these things….. bring me 20, 30, 40 or even 50 wimpy children and let me help them change their attitudes to learning and to life and see if their parents won’t be happier with them after I’ve taught their children how to play chess.
Chess is for wimps? So sorry…that word is not in my vocabulary. What I will say about that word though if it was, is that all children love to play games. Now as chess is the most popular board game in the world and it really, really does help anyone that plays it to get a chance to have lots of opportunity to think; concentrate; make better decisions; problem solve; have confidence in planning out their next move and being in control of what their going to do next - then if wimps do all these things….. bring me 20, 30, 40 or even 50 wimpy children and let me help them change their attitudes to learning and to life and see if their parents won’t be happier with them after I’ve taught their children how to play chess. My advice is simply this; Don’t be shy, give chess a try. To do whatever I have to do to encourage more parents to encourage their children to just have a go at chess. To continue building my chess teaching empire to help develop junior chess clubs in more areas. And to also persuade more Local Authorities to erect chess tables in town centres and public spaces for the community to play chess if they wish to. I know most children are born with the ability to problem solve. So letting children have a go at chess while they’re young and encouraging them to play the game is one of the best things parents can suggest. Yes, it seems to be that more boys play chess and that’s why I think parents should also encourage their girls to play chess or at least give it a try too. By playing chess children will become more patient and develop sharper memories; all of which improves communication skills, confidence and builds self-esteem. These skills will be useful to them in real-life situations as they develop and grow. The reality is that chess will show children how to cope with defeat; develop friendships and teach them how to learn and play better together as well. I believe it’s important for children to learn chess as there are essential social and interactive skills they’ll develop when their families get together to spend time enjoying each others’ company. Richard Weekes Chess Academy currently have clubs at: Downside Fisher Youth Club Druid Street, Bermondsey, SE1 Heron Junior Chess, Herne Hill Baptist Church Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, SE24 Gambit Junior Chess, Eltham Park Baptist Church The Friendship Centre, Glenure Road, Eltham, SE9 Brambleberry Junior Chess, Glyndon Community Centre 75 Raglan Road, Plumstead, London SE18
Noakes Hall Junior Chess, St Hilda’s Church Courtrai Road, Crofton Park, SE4 For more information, go to http://chessforchildren.influencer.biz, rwchessacademy@hotmail.co.uk Richard can also be contacted on 07538035896, or Twitter: @chessfiremonkey & @chessbootcamp 12-1pm, How can Parents be Persuaded to Encourage Children to give Chess a try? by the Richard Weekes Chess Academy At Natural November in May, Sunday 5th May, Hammersmith Town Hall
NN Horoscope We normally find horoscopes in magazines, & I thought I should include them because I am an avid believer in the meanings behind the placement of the planets at the time of our birth, the different characteristics behind the planets, as well as signs, & can confirm that I have benefited greatly by learning more about myself through the power of Astrology. It is with great pleasure that I can share with you a 6 month health, work & love horoscope, courtesy of Psychological & Medical Astrologer, Israel Ajose D.Psych.Astrol. “I am skilled in the art and science of Astrology & Tarot, and many esoteric subjects of which I teach and run many courses/workshops in" ARIES (Mar 21-Apr 20) Health: over the course of the next six months, one should be sure not to overindulge in the rich foods and drink, especially with foods that are high in sugar or alcohol. Particular areas of the body that need to be taking care of are the hips and the liver. A holiday to a nice hot country will be extremely beneficial for the health of the Aries. Work: there is going to be lots of running around and feeling rushed off your feet in the area of work and career, so because of this one may start to feel very confused and not knowing where one is going in life, do make sure your work and career around this time is geared towards the benefit of others, and one is sure to reap positive benefits. Love: the area of relationships are ready to step up into greater levels of maturity, the feeling of intimacy will be very great over the coming months, do not be fearful and do not be fearful of change as change is inevitable and for the best future. If you are single there are high chances of attracting older and mature partners. TAURUS (Apr 21-May 21)
Health: this is an excellent time for the Taurus people to get involved in treating themselves, with Venus in Taurus it will be an excellent time to pamper yourselves. Spending long time in the woods and natural environments and great for long walks will be excellent over the next coming months, extra doses of vitamins E are essential for you. Work: new beginnings and promotions are available for you in the work arena, advances in your work and even pay rises are possible for you over the coming months. This is a time to go for what you want, seize the moment, right now you are feeling much more courageous and independent in the work arena, so beware of sudden changes at work. Love: the arena of relationships is full of decisions, therefore this is a excellent time and a need for communication within the relationship field, there is a need for excitement, socialising and flirtatious atmospheres, if you are single watch out for the Gemini or Aries who is looking to bring you exciting and socialising experiences. GEMINI (May 22-Jun 22) Health: for this busybody of the Zodiac, there will be high nervous energy in your day-to-day activities, make sure you find the time to meditate and reflect on your thoughts. As Gemini is a very highly mental activity sign it is advisable not to overdo it on the mental level, as Jupiter passes through your sign be careful not to expand and overload the mind. Activities and exercises like Tai Chi and Chi Gong are very beneficial at this time. Work: working hard is the motto for the Gemini over the coming months, but there will be some wonderful and graceful advantages, you will find people in the workplace and even your bosses will be much more pleasant, making your work arena a fine place to be. This is a excellent time for those who are in the artistic fields such as dancing, beauticians, headdresses, artists etc as the power of Venus is on your side. Love: love is definitely on the cards for the Gemini’s, a great time to enter relationships, if you already involved in a ongoing relationship it is a great time to be planning weddings and marriages, as Venus and Jupiter will be passing through your seventh house, the house of relationships. A great time to be feeling loved.
NN Horoscope, cont. CANCER (Jun 23-Jul 23)
Health: over the next coming months you may start to witness your bodily weight increasing, as Jupiter moves into cancer over the next months the possibilities of putting on weight are greater than ever. Drinking plenty of water is advisable for anybody, but for the Cancerians it is very needed at this time. Beware of your feet as they may swell from overweight or water retention. Work: there will be a need for you to take on extra work, may be another part-time job. Do be careful not to overwork, you will be travelling more than ever in the work arena, travelling may even be abroad. If you are unemployed seek work in the caring professions or in the travelling professions. Love: you may start to feel inhibited in the area of relationships, it may seem as though relationships are no fun. This is a very important time for you to create fun times, you must find time and take responsibility to have fun with your partner, relationships may feel as a burden over the coming months, especially relationships with children is involved. Many Cancerians are due to be getting pregnant and having babies over the next coming months, which can make the relationship also feel inhibited. LEO (Jul 24-Aug 23) Health: this is a valuable time to look at your digestive systems, be sure to eat lots of seeds, nuts and whole grain wheat, as the lower intestines are at ones focus at the moment. A long holiday away would be very advisable over the next coming months, also a very good time to look into various alternative healing methods, visits to the doctor may result as illnesses that are undetectable and could be misdiagnosed. Work: this is a time to be extremely efficient in the workplace, do not put in more work than is needed, but be sure to analyse your work, make sure your work is to perfection and very orderly as this is what will be needed in the workplace. It's about quality and not quantity. There also seems to be a connection at work with foreign countries and cultures. Love: over the coming months it will be a very emotional and intense time in the arena of relationships for the Leo, you may start to feel more clingy and possessive than ever before, so be careful and try to avoid conflicts at all costs because there will be lots of emotions involved and a lack of reasoning, which can cause much confusion and end many relationships. Intimacy plays a very big role over the coming months, so do not let the Royal pride of the Leo become too stubborn. VIRGO (Aug 24-Sep 23) Health: over the coming months the area of the bones, teeth and skin are to be paid much attention, a visit to the dentist may be on the cards, make sure during these periods that you take lots of calcium so that your bones may benefit. You may feel a little bit slow and lethargic and your self-esteem may be a little low, so make sure you make time to enjoy a good movie and playing sports. Work: working within a group is going to be essential for you this time over the coming months, lots of networking and organising amongst your work friends and acquaintances. You are going to be quite careful but hard-working over the coming months, there are great chances of you getting stuck into a routine with unwillingness to change. You may feel a lack of confidence that you're not good enough in the workplace which may drive and push you to work harder, so do not be afraid. Love: relationships will be tremendously favoured at this time the benefits and luck of the planet Jupiter will allow you to expand into areas of relationships that also joyful and extravagant. There is a great chance of also meeting a loved one abroad, or possibly travelling with your partner somewhere nice. A great time to move in with your partner if you are both living apart at the present time. Even the chances of buying a property with your partner are highly favoured. LIBRA (Sep 24-Oct 23) Health: for the Libran diets will be undergoing some deep transformative changes, a great time to change diet plans, diets that are no longer working needs to be changed with immediate effect. One needs to be careful of their sexual organs and parts of the body that deal with the fluids. They need to pay attention to the kidney and bladder area. Try not to get too emotional at this time as the emotions can also be a trigger to health issues.
NN Horoscope, cont. LIBRA (Sep 24-Oct 23)
Work: many changes will be taking place in the arena of work for Librans, a very essential time to be networking so one can be getting many ideas from friends and colleagues in ways which will help one's vocation in life. A wonderful time to make sure you mature in the area of work, and to transform and take it to another level. This can be an excellent time for anybody working in the healing, counselling and one to-one clientele work. Love: high intellectual conversations are the key to the arena of love over the coming months, you may find you and your partner are becoming much more philosophical and wanting to know the meaning of life. If you are in a relationship it will bring enjoyment and happiness over the coming months, there is great potential for success at this time. If you are looking for love either go to places that are intellectual or philosophical in nature. For you ladies watch out for the man who is larger-than-life. SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov 22)
Health: this Zodiac sign of great intensity needs to be aware over the coming months with headaches/migraines, it's in the head where all health activities may well be taking place. Also one needs to be aware of blood poisoning, so make sure you stuck up on the blood cleansers and tonics, and inability to relax can lead to nervous tension and stress over the coming months, make sure one must eat regularly and sensibly. Work: this is an excellent time for those Scorpio’s who are self-employed, as over the coming months your independence becomes much greater in the workplace, if you are not unemployed and are working under a company or governmental structure be careful not to get in any conflict with bosses or managers, as this is a perfect time to erupt chaos in the workplace. New jobs and new beginnings in the work area are also available, jobs in the caring professions and telecommunications are favourable. Love: partnerships will be receiving lots of energy and attention at this time, there will be lots of passion flowing between the two parties, but they can be quarrels and arguments galore, so be sure to be well behaved over the coming period, do not let friends or friendships get in the way of your relationships. There may also be a tendency to put the self or own needs first, which may make it very competitive in the relationship. Doing sporty activities together is very beneficial over the coming months. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec 21) Health: there will be lots of energy and positivity with the Sagittarius people in health, but because of the overindulgence nature of Sagittarius do be careful not to overdo things. The lymphatic system, feet and the stomach are the places where too much of a good thing will take place. Also be careful of your emotional state if any illnesses occur over the next coming months it can also be due to your emotional state, so try not to get emotionally stressed. So plenty of running and jumping will go down well. Work: any work in the real estate professions and foreign country affairs will be well favoured, even professions like property development is also highly influenced over the coming months. They will be some emotional involvement and satisfaction in the area of work; this is a time when the Sagittarius will seek security in the workplace more than ever before. One will win much respect from employers, and there will be work which is linked with powerful women. Love: passions will be heightened in the area of love and romance, if one is single one will be sure to be charging in like a wild centaur, love and romance may be found in the socialising areas amongst friends, colleagues and associates, and possibly even in the work arena. A nice Virgo may be on the cards to watch out for. CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 20) Health: health issues from the past may be returning and re-occurring, but do not panic because the great genetic Jupiter is on your side. Do watch out for your hip area, so try not to do too much being the hard Capricorn that you are. Health problems that are difficult to diagnose can be the case, this is an excellent time to change your diet routine and go under some deep transformation in regards to health and lifestyle.
NN Horoscope, cont. CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 20) Work: work is great over the coming months for the Capricorn, work as we know it is not something new for Capricorn’s as they relish in this field. Job promotions on the cards and job changes for something bigger and better is also available, although they may be lots of confusion go with your feeling and gut instinct as it is sure to lead you in the right place. Love: there is a need to lighten up in the area of relationship, fun and games is what is needed, as we all know all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so the area of relationship needs more fun and creativity together. This is also an excellent time for those couples who wish to have children, as it is extremely fertile for the Capricornian. Love and romance will become much more intense and you will be sure to feel it on a deeper level. AQUARIUS (Jan 22-Feb 19) Health: your need for sweetness will be heightened over the coming months, so watch out for that sweet tooth of yours, a visit to the dentist would be well advisable. But to be quite honest on a whole it will be quite pleasant for the Aquarians. Also other places to watch out for in regards to health is your tonsils and your throat, so be careful how you chew and swallow your food. Work: work should be wonderful for the Aquarians over the coming months, especially for those in the artistic fields, a good time financially and many pay rises will be coming your way. If you're already in an existing job this is a great time to out for a pay rise, as you will be more valued over the coming months. If you are self-employed it would be wise to incorporate a little bit of artistic work into what you do, as the power of Venus is surely on your side. Love: this is an excellent time for wining and dining, going to those lovely places and fancy restaurants, but be careful not to be too obsessed or controlling. As there will be strong desires for romantic involvement which may make one rush into relationships to hastily. You will find at this time you cannot bear to be alone and the need for relationship will become stronger and stronger. Enjoy what you have and let it be what's to be.
PISCES (Feb 20-Mar 20) Health: plenty of movement and walking is what is extremely beneficial for the Pisces over the coming months, heavy mental activities will also be taking place, so do make sure you're getting enough fresh air and drinking enough water. Make sure your nervous system and your lungs are in good working order, because it's stressed these other areas of the body that are sure to take the consequences. Taking up swimming or going swimming would be advisable, or a nice trip to the seaside will also do you some good. Work: work is particularly good for those who are in the transport, telecommunications, counselling and psychology areas, and also areas that are related with children. Do not be afraid of the changes for change is inevitable and it will come, you will find whatever changes happen in the work area for you will be to your advantage. You will find an extremely important powerbase in the area of work over the coming months. Love: in the area of relationship things may not seem as you think they are, so beware of illusions and grand ideals which are beyond your reach, beware of your knight in shining armour as your bubble may burst only to leave you emotionally upset and confused. There will be strong chances of ex-partners coming back into your life, so be careful of the good salesman tactics as it may not last, and before you know it, Puff, he has vanished like a puff of smoke. Beware of not being betrayed or deceived. For a more in-depth personal reading, be sure to contact Israel on either: (020) 8616 9916, (07943) 669879/ (07557) 434150, or neteru@hotmail.com
Feature interview: Rosanna Lewis I’ve heard many great things about Rosanna in regards to what she does for the community, especially the women & children issues, many of which can remain repressed for a long time, manifesting in an illness, either physical, mental or spiritual. There is a lot of stigma attached to having issues or talking about them & this needs to stop, in order for the healing to begin … Warm greetings to You All My name is Rosanna Lewis and I am a researcher, archivist, Bookshop owner, lecturer ,Doula, Event Organiser, and very passionate about issues regarding Women and Children, particularly on a Spiritual and Metaphysical worldview. I recently had to close Muatta Bookshop in Hackney,after 18 years, not because books don’t sell, but because the building is in need of extensive repair. Working with books has been exciting and liberating. The shop hosted a huge amount of books on every subject but specialized in Second-hand and reduced books, archival materials and also DVDs, CDs, magazines, posters, artefacts and lots more by African/Black people. I have been blessed to meet so many peoples from all races and walks of life and have learnt sooo much. The different works that I have done are received well in the community. The more controversial topics has been challenging but feedback has been good. Also working with other groups and peoples has been beneficial. I have a large collection of Black Dolls and also do events on Dolls. My greatest achievement is the collections of Black archives materials I have and continue to collect. At Natural November in May, I will be talking about Spirituality & Metaphysics of Pregnancy and Childbirth. We will touch on subjects such as the Placenta, the Vagina /Yoni, Rebirthing, Twins, Myths & Folklore, Names and Cravings. These are topics we do not talk about enough and I think these are the answers and solutions to so many aspects of our lives, By exploring this subject we can preserve and document our birth stories for future generations. These gatherings always generate amazing data on what we know but never explore. On Health issues Sistas, Women, TALK TALK TALK. Talk about the Breasts, Menopause, Menstruation, Sex, Rape and Sexual Abuse . We usually have the answers to why and what is happen to us but Fear, denial and outside influences dictate common sense. We then pass on that behaviour to our young peoples, hence the circle continues. Form small circles of peoples and talk and please include the young peoples, because they have things to say too. Young peoples some of You have a hard time and your voices are not heard enough due to stereotypes and prejudices. Try to be yourself and enjoy what You do. Adults can be short sighted but You are here to teach Us. I have so much ideas and plans and am very excited about them. I have quite a few projects that need to be finished I will still be selling books and educational materials. But mostly I will be archiving a lot of materials in the hope that it will be inherited by future generations. I am available for lectures on the Spirituality & Metaphysics of Pregnancy & Childbirth and Womens's Issues and Black Dolls. You can contact me on muattabooks@yahoo.co.uk or 07956 13 43 70. Peace Spirituality and Metaphysics of Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Rosanna Lewis At Natural November in May, Sunday 5th May, Hammersmith Town Hall, 1:30-2:30pm
I decided to donate a stall to the African Caribbean Leukemia Trust, because I believe in what they are doing; providing awareness & assistance to the community with their much needed donor drives. I have also decided to do a raffle, with gifts donated by some of the exhibitors, & all the proceeds will go to the ACLT. DebRose x www.aclt.org
www.ndulgeurself.co.uk
LibRaw Foods, Products & Services, www.libraw.co.uk
NATURAL NOVEMBER 5! SUNDAY 3RD NOVEMBER DETAILS COMING SOON! Yes, I will start to create the 5th NN event in June/July, so if you’re interested in being kept up-to-date, whether you’re a potential advertiser, exhibitor, seminar presenter or sponsor, please send an email to info@naturalnovember.co.uk, with Mailing list in the Subject field. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing you at NN in May, feel free to stop by & say Hi! x