ISSUE 8 MAY 2012
F E AT U R E S
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H E A LT H May is Stroke Awareness Month
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BUSINESS Meet the Authors of Nine Rubies
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P R I VA C Y Protect your online photos and videos
FA M I LY Passing the baton
Patient, prayerful perseverance.
COLUMNISTS
5 EDITOR’S LETTER 19 SHINE ON SISTA! 24 LIPSTICK CHRONICLES
ISSUE 8 MAY 2012
Editor-in-Chief Natasha Clark Copy Editor Jean Wroblewski Art Director Leonardo Pilares Director of Photography Denise Smith Columnists Crystal Senter Brown Brenda’s Child Erin Corriveau Dawn Leaks Katelyn Gendron Contributing Writers Tony Gaskins, Jr. Lamara Hunter
Š2012 Lioness Magazine is the first online magazine geared toward female entrepreneurs. We deliver sharp and compelling information on a variety of topics that are relevant to female entrepreneurs and professionals. Our mission is to elevate, educate and support female professionals. We celebrate the unique challenges and achievements of women in business. We believe women are multi-dimensional creations who flourish, personally and professionally, when they take time to nurture their spirits.
editor’s
letter Natasha Clark
Passing the Baton is a Tradition I am never going to be like my mother! Isn’t that what we all said in a snarky tone as teenagers when we weren’t within an earshot of her? But years have a way of maturing our attitudes and outlooks, and we often find ourselves reflecting the very same woman’s attributes we thought we were shielding. People often ask me how I find time to do all of the things I am interested in. Easy – my mother, Joan. Even though I didn’t realize I was getting a lesson at the time, my mother was teaching me not how to be all things to all people, but to make time for the things that are important to me. My mother has always had remarkable hustle. She was a mid-wife and later a nurse by profession. However, she was also my hairdresser, housekeeper, cook, pastor, travel agent and everything else in between. She was a hardcore advocate for social etiquette. According to Joan’s Laws, always: • Eat with your knife and fork. • Have a splash of your favorite fragrance. • Own a nice piece of jewelry. • Step out of your home looking tidy. • Say please and thank you. • Be the first to say Good Morning and Good Night. • Pray daily. • Keep your voice low when in public. • Make sure your home is neat because you never know who may stop by. And this is a short list! As mothers we are designed to unconsciously Pass the Baton. We are our children’s first role models; and all of our behaviors and actions, both good and bad, are up for interpretation by our children – the next generation of our family. What has your mother passed to you? This month Alysia Cutting Cosby tells us what her mother, Carol, has passed on to her and encourages all of our readers who are mothers to gear up to prepare the next generation. Want to share your Pass the Baton story? Send it to us at lionessmagazine@gmail.com. Unleash the Lioness Within,
Natasha LIONESS MAY 2012
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PASSING THE BATON–
Patient, prayerful perseverance By Alysia Cutting Cosby
other’s Day 2012 has come and gone, however the impact of motherhood remains forever: felt long after candy is consumed, flowers wither, balloons deflate and sentimental cards are neatly tucked away in keepsake boxes. To have a mother that is a powerful motivating force in one's personal life is a blessing, but to also have a mother as a professional role model is a wonderful bonus. I can say this about my mother, Carol Moore Cutting, President and CEO of Cutting Edge Broadcasting Incorporated, founder of New England’s ONLY full-time “smooth jazz” radio station, WEIB 106.3 Smooth FM. Known as “the hat lady” for her stylish hats, my mother passed me a proverbial “baton”, that includes many lessons that I have carried into both my personal and professional life. Surface comparisons may be quickly recognizable: she graduated from historic Tuskegee Institute in 1969 with a degree in Secondary Education, I graduated from Tuskegee University with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1996 then taught in the Springfield school system for over 10 years. She has supported her husband’s career while balancing professional goals and raising a family, just like I do. As a former sponsor of Hal Jackson’s Talented Teens Pageant, she has a heart for fostering a love of education and talent in our youth, like me. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, as am I. But the deeper thread above all surface similarities are the principles she models, of “patient, prayerful perseverance”. Principles that have grounded me in my own faith walk and ministry. Many repeat the refrain, “patience is a virtue”, but my mother taught me that when you believe in a vision, you must be patient for the long haul, and in HER case, even if it takes 30 years to manifest! She had to exercise serious patience over the course of DECADES just to put her “vision” of an independent radio station on the air, a station that would fill a musical void in the Western New
CAROL MOORE CUTTING
full bounty of his extensive resources to challenge her every step of the way with lengthy and costly legal battles. Picture it: a sharecropper's daughter of humble background and means, raised in segregated rural Alabama, moved to Massachusetts with a simple dream to serve the community and reflect its diversity via the public airwaves. Contrast this to a heavily financed broadcasting giant looking for another corporate acquisition to add to his roster; willing to tie up the process, hoping my mother would be financially overwhelmed into submission and surrender. In an almost a modern day “David versus Goliath” standoff, and after eight years of litigation, my mom was victorious over her “Goliath” and got her construction permit approved. After seven more years of delays to lease antenna space and find the right tower, WEIB 106.3 Smooth FM was FINALLY on air!
England region and beyond. Truly, it was no easy task to broadcast on air, It required patience and fortitude to deal with the multiple challenges that appeared, but for each obstacle presented before her, she stepped patiently closer to her dreams: day by day, month by month, even year by year until those dreams became a firm reality. While some listeners may remember when WEIB 106.3 Smooth FM first went on air 11 years ago, the VERY first song aired, “God’s Got My Back”, or the handful of songs on repeat, only a few know patience required to get there. As a youth, I remember taking trips to Washington, D.C., where little did I know then, my mother was busy testifying before the Federal Communications Committee pleading a case to be granted a construction permit. The arduous process of applying for an FCC license and construction permit was seriously complicated because an existing broadcaster, who also wanted the frequency, used the
As a young person, there is absolutely no way I could look at all of that and NOT learn that patience IS a virtue; I have carried that with me even as I’ve patiently navigated my own personal and professional goals, knowing that ultimately dreams can become realities. Because I married and began raising a family while in college, I often took children to my Math and Engineering classes, and even graduated (8) months pregnant with our third child; I know what it means to sacrifice personal time. Even after we moved back to Western Massachusetts, as a mother of four, I spent subsequent years sacrificing my own desires of a career in media and as a writer to do what was in the best interest of the family. In being patient then, I am now beginning to walk in the career that I envisioned for myself now. In reflecting on her times of patient sacrifice to get WEIB FM on the air, my mother has said she has no regrets, and that she “grew during the process.” She states, “my challenges helped me to grow emotionally, spiritually and professionally. It’s been the biggest education of my life”. I completely agree and cosign her sentiments, as I have born the fruit of patience working in my own life. I wholeheartedly agree with poet, Samuel
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“ I continue a legacy of “ patient, prayerful perseverance”
patient, prayerful perseverance
Johnson, that “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance”. I have learned that when things are hard and situations difficult, perseverance indeed makes one stronger. According to my mom, “It was a part of my history of being able to hang in there”. Considering the journey of her life, I take her at her word, knowing that she had faith and conviction that God would sustain her through all of these obstacles. The same “patient, prayerful perseverance” keeps me focused as I travel through my life and ministry.
Ever since I’VE known her, my mom has been involved in the community, and now coupled with WEIB FM, we have even MORE opportunity to give back to the community as a media sponsor for a variety of worthy causes. She is a member of many a local Chamber of Commerce, has served on many committees and boards like Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, WGBY, UMASS Amherst Fine Arts Center, American Heart Association, and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, where she is its Northeastern Regional Representative.
She modeled prayerful perseverance throughout tremendous struggles to be one of the first women, and the first African-American woman in Massachusetts to apply for and receive an FCC license to operate a radio station. Because of perseverance, WEIB FM continues to be the only independently owned and locally operated commercial FM radio station in the area while others are governed by out of state conglomerates. At a time of format flipping, WEIB FM remains the only full-time commercial FM “smooth jazz” station on the East coast from New England to Florida!
But she has also been recognized for this community service and her entrepreneurial spirit with many “Woman of the Year”, “Businesswoman of the Year”, “Woman of Distinction”, and other community service awards. Last year, Western Mass Women Magazine named me one of the “Top 25 Women to Watch in 2011-2012” as “Top Woman in Radio”, and this June I will be proud recipient of a WBOA “Top Women in Business in the Pioneer Valley” award. I continue a legacy of “patient, prayerful perseverance” as new opportunities open up for me as well, so I may be a role model for MY two daughters, two sons, and others I come in contact with.
According to Booker T. Washington, founder of our beloved alma mater, Tuskegee University: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” He also said, “Every person who has grown to any degree of usefulness, every person who has grown to distinction, almost without exception, has been a person who has risen by overcoming obstacles, by removing difficulties, by resolving that when he has met discouragement, he would not give up.” My own personal convictions are to persevere and live life as a positive learning experience, as an opportunity to inspire others and BE inspired as well; all while maintaining a vested interest in building my family and the greater “family” of the community.
ALYSIA CUTTING COSBY
My mom got her pioneering spirit honestly...HER mother sacrificed safety to further her education. After finishing a teaching job, three days a week, she drove 140 mi on dark Alabama roads to take classes...I imagine as a Black woman traveling alone in the deep south, she echoed my mantra, “you do what you have to do...NO EXCUSES!” As we reflect on Mother’s Day, I challenge us ALL to “receive the baton” from our experienced elders, as my mother learned from HER mother and I learned from mine. So whether a mother by BIRTH or a mother in DEED, I implore you to “pass the baton” to younger generations...your wisdom is invaluable and we need you!
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[ NIKKI BURNETT ] Heading the trend in health with the American Heart Association & American Stroke Association
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he Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently dropped stroke from the No. 3 leading cause of death in the U.S. to No. 4. This is the first decline in 50 years. And although death rates are down, people living with stroke have increased. Furthermore, studies have shown that of the 795,000 Americans having a new or recurrent stroke each year, 55,000 are more women than men. Since May is Stroke Awareness Month, I decided to focus on American Heart Association & American Stroke Association’s collaborative initiative, The Power To End Stroke (PTES) campaign. Power To End Stroke is an education and awareness campaign that embraces and celebrates the culture, energy, creativity and lifestyles of Americans. It unites people to help make an impact on the high incidence of stroke within their communities. Through this national initiative, the many are able to learn and be aware of the health disparity of Stroke and the high rate in the African American population. Women are leading in all areas of business and are heading many organizations. Many with kids in tow, most with years of experience and degrees, but regardless of the 'who', 'what', 'when', 'where', 'why' and 'how'; the bottom line is it is a stressful lifestyle that we lead and we should be mindful that we need to take time out for ourselves. It is vital to the very lives we lead and it’s very beneficial, not just for us, but for our families as well. Stress can lead to many health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Although some stroke risk factors are hereditary and include history of prior stroke or heart attack, age, family history, gender or race; other risk factors can be eliminated or controlled. These factors include high blood pressure, smoking, high blood cholesterol, poor diet and physical inactivity. The American Heart Association has long been connected with comprehensive programs to combat
heart disease among a diverse set of populations and added a division dedicated to stroke awareness. Their mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Two such existing initiatives are the Go Red for Women campaign and Power to End Stroke. These are year-round and comprehensive initiatives with increased visibility in February and May which are Heart Month and Stroke Month, respectively. Nikki Burnett, New England Regional Vice President of Health Equity for the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, is one such woman that is leading the way to healthy communities by making education & awareness initiatives readily available. She contributes the success to having a strong team of individuals such as Mary Ann Burns (Director of Communications), Traci Heath (Corporate Events Director) and Carrie McMahon (Executive Director) as well as many others that are dedicated to the cause. She noted, “I am blessed to be able to be part of a team that works on our mission through community education, advocacy, research and fundraising. There is so much work to done, but it is my personal goal to bring our communities into action to become active advocates of their own health. I want to help to equip them with the knowledge of their risks, what they can do about it and how to work with their medical providers.” Nikki works to bridge the understanding between medical providers and to the community they are serving. “It is absolutely correct that a physician should prescribe a healthy diet and exercise to all patients. However, access of fresh fruits and vegetables and safe/green space for exercise is not available to all. There must be equal and appropriate access for all communities to ensure everyone has a fair and equitable stake in their own health.” She has been successful in spearheading many initiatives in the community to include the Faith-Based Health Alliance which encourages
parishioners, church members and staffs to take on the issues that contribute to poor health and help educate each other. I asked her, what makes for a successful career? She noted, “Passion. I truly love what I do and it is my passion that keeps me going.” What success means for her is, “ I can keep going when I get weary… we all fall under pressures of double booked calendars and tight deadlines, no matter what type of work we do. But I truly get excited about my work.” What’s important is that she is able to take time out to spend with her 11-year old daughter, Brionne, and also contribute to the various ministries in her church, Progressive Community Baptist Church. “I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to bring education and resources to the communities with the most disparate risk of heart disease and stroke,” Nikki shared. Nikki is no stranger to the effects of heart disease and stroke. “Three years ago my brother suffered a stroke at the age of 40. I found myself thrust into the role of advocate and caregiver,” she recalled. “One of our strongest weapons against our number one and number three killers is education and the power to advocate for ourselves.” She has been with the AHA/ASA for eight years and is still going strong. She motivates and encourages individuals to want to live healthier lifestyles by meeting them where they and guiding change. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Nikki received her A.S. in Arts and Science from Holyoke Community College and went on to complete her B.S. in Biology at American International College in Springfield, Mass. Previous to coming to the AHA, Nikki worked in the Cardiopulmonary
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nikki burnett
Division at Baystate Medical Center for 11 years. For five of those 11 years she was a volunteer for the AHA and helped raise over $50,000 for several Heart Walks and Heart Galas. During her time at BMC she worked in many different capacities, ranging from EKG, non-invasive cardiology and cardiac rehab. For her last 3 years of employ at BMC, she was the Education Coordinator of Cardiopulmonary Services and Assistant to the Chief of Cardiology. “My diverse experience in cardiology has been an invaluable tool in education our communities and explaining things so they don’t seem so daunting,” she said. Nikki has been heading the New England regional area by providing them with up-to-minute information; hosting workshops and creating programs that cater to the needs of the community and just being an all around great business leader.
She encourages our community to be their own advocates to state legislature and, to petition them to help put appropriate policies in place to make sure that monies continue to flow to the areas of need in regards to our health. “This month has so many awareness and fundraising activities going on throughout our region and our country. As we are all doing our part in our personal lifestyle modifications and bringing awareness within our networks, we want to make sure that our legislatures are doing their part. It is crucial that we have appropriate policies that align with our work so that our communities and environment are conducive and compliment our heart health,” she said. Nationally as well as locally, there are many events planned. The Pioneer Valley Heart Walk will take place on May 19 in Forest Park in Springfield, Mass.
Nikki is truly at the heart of the matter and is out there everyday looking for ways to improve the health in our communities. She has many years of success and truly loves what she does. She contributes this success to having a passion, living a healthy lifestyle and having a strong family support system. Most importantly, she is thankful for her daughter who gives her the motivation to educate and effect change in the world. “My family plays a very important role in my overall success. I couldn’t do what I do without them. My daughter is my hero. She is such a strong, intelligent and compassionate little girl,” Nikki beamed with pride. “I live and breathe for her. My parents are great. They play a large part in caring for my daughter when I cannot be there. My family is very proud of the work I do and that means so much to me. I love them so much and am grateful to have a job that I love that allows me to provide for them.”
The fact of the matter is heart disease and strokes are major health risks for all people. But African Americans are at particularly high risk.
• Blacks have almost twice the risk of first-ever strokes compared to whites. • Blacks have higher death rates for stroke compared to whites. • The prevalence of high blood pressure in African Americans in the United States is the highest in the world. • Among non-Hispanic blacks age 20 and older, 62.9 percent of men and 77.2 percent of women are overweight or obese. • In 2001, 27.7 percent of black or African-Americans only, used any tobacco product. Heavy cigarette smoking approximately doubles a person's risk for stroke when compared to light smokers. • Black women have higher prevalence rates of high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity and diabetes than white women.
Consider this:
For more information on the t Power to End Stroke movement or for more info on upcoming events where you can be apart, you may contact your local AHA Affiliate Office by visiting their website at: www.heart.org or http://powertoendstroke.org.
Unlike a stroke, when a TIA occurs, the blood clot resolves itself and there's no permanent injury. When a stroke occurs and part of your brain dies from lack of blood flow, the part of the body it controls is affected. Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and vision, and cause other problems.
Mara Hunter, 32, is a multi-talented individual with the gift to create expressive pieces. This single mother of three is a native of Springfield, MA via Jacksonville, FL. She’s a Freelance Writer, Staff Music Journalist for Total Eclipse Magazine, Contributing Writer for Lioness Magazine, as well as a poet and dancer. Visit www.MaraHunter.blogspot.com.
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Entreprenuer aims to uplift through glamour Lime Light Fashion launches crowd funding campaign
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eattle-based costume and accessories designer, Angelique Ashton of Lime Light Fashion is turning to the Internet to raise start-up capital to open a gown and costume warehouse superstore that brings the experience of walking the runway to shoppers in need of a pick-me-up.
“it will help to attract other retailers to Seattle's SoDo district where we plan to locate the store, it will provide a one-stop-shop for stage performance and pageant needs as well as a fun and exciting venue for fashion industry events, and it allow us to do good in the world.” About IndieGoGo.com. IndieGoGo is a collaborative way to fund ideas. Founded on the principles of opportunity, transparency, choice, and action, IndieGoGo launched in 2008 to provide any idea (creative, cause or entrepreneurial) the tools and process to raise money, offer perks and keep 100% ownership. IndieGoGo is in over 120 countries with over 5,000 projects. It has been featured in top-tier media including BBC, AP, Reuters, Filmmaker Magazine and Techcrunch, and conferences like the Sundance Film Festival. IndieGoGo is headquartered in Berkeley, CA.
Ashton is seeking to raise $17,000 in the next 30 days through crowd funding site IndieGoGo.com. It’s a creative approach that integrates social media and brings together potential future customers from the interconnected pageant, performing arts, and fashion communities to fund the store's launch. View the funding campaign at http://www.IndieGoGo.com/LimeLightFashion . “Our main mission is to promote self-esteem in women and teens,” says Ashton. “In our store customers could put on something sparkly and walk the runway, and be encouraged to feel accepted, confident and gorgeous in their own skin.” Ms. Ashton plans to leverage experience gained working on the production side of Art and Fashion shows as well as several years of business management to successfully operate Lime Light Fashion
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ANGELIQUE ASHTON
House, planned to open in Seattle in January of 2013 if the funding campaign is successful. “I believe this is an idea for our time,” says Ashton
About Lime Light Fashion. Lime Light Fashion is currently an online boutique specializing in pageant and stage jewelry and accessories and the home of Angelique Ashton Designs original creations. Learn more at http://www.LimeLightFashion.com.
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Photo courtesy of Getty Images
New to motherhood? There's an app for that. (Family Features) All moms need more time to handle their busy schedules - that's a universal truth - but it could be argued that no one feels that cataclysmic time shift more than a first-time mother. Suddenly, there is little room for showering and sleeping, let alone for making grocery lists, keeping up with workout routines, planning weekly meals, or managing a household budget. The good news is that help is just a download away. Smart moms use smart phones According to "Dr. Mom Study 3," conducted by BabyCenter, smartphone ownership is higher among moms than the general population and moms spend an average of 6.1 hours a day with their smartphones. Having the right apps ready to assist is just one way to save time, money and sanity while moms focus on their new role. New moms should consider the following apps as they gear up to bring an infant home or focus on those first few months with their little one. All of the apps are free, user-friendly and ready to make motherhood easier:
• Similac StrongMoms Baby Journal app - Gone are the days of juggling notebooks to jot down feedings and diaper changes or booting up the laptop to enter sleeping schedules. This app allows moms who breastfeed, formula-feed and pump to easily track feedings, diapering, growth and sleeping patterns - and create graphs to help monitor them - anywhere, anytime. Moms can even email reports to family, friends or the pediatrician. Read more about the features of this app at http://similac.com/app. • Grocery iQ - No more racking your brain to jot down a grocery list. With Grocery iQ, simply scan the barcodes of products in the kitchen that need to be replenished and they're automatically added to the list. You can also search for millions of items independently. Once complete, the list can be synchronized with other devices, so when mom is home with baby, dad can feel confident he's picking up the right stuff. To read more, visit www.groceryiq.com. • Calorie Counter by My Net Diary - New moms should ease into any kind of physical
activity, but many are eager to reinvest in their physique. Calorie Counter avoids fad dieting and helps tailor a diet to mom's personal preferences, giving her a better chance for longterm success. With an expansive food database, automatic recent history, recipes, custom foods, an emphasis on key nutrients and a community to help with morale; this is an allin-one diet app. Check out this app at www.mynetdiary.com. • AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner - Dinner still needs to get on the table, even when the fridge is low on food and mom's brain is even lower on sleep. With the AllRecipes Dinner Spinner app, simply plug in the ingredients available on hand and a variety of recipes will appear to take the guesswork out of mealtime. Visit www.allrecipes.com to check it out. Stocking up on these apps before baby arrives, or downloading them once baby comes home, can alleviate some of mom's stress as she adjusts to the wonderful chaos that her infant will bring and what better time to start than the very beginning?
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Women In Business
Name: Adrienne Connolly City, State: Springfield, MA Title and/or specialty: Co-Founder/ Creative Director Company/Organization Name: StinkyCakes.com History: Stinky Cakes was founded in 2009. After having our second son we wanted and needed diapers. Some of our family and friends chose to give us flowers, fruit baskets and other baby items. Our sons are seventeen months apart, and we had so many things unused from the first pregnancy that some of these gifts were not practical for us and the flowers and fruit just withered away. Being entrepreneurial we saw an opportunity to creatively make diaper giving fun. We went from that silly idea to shipping our baby gifts nationally. What you do: I create the majority of our diaper arrangements. I work hand in hand with my husband to create some of the craziest "cakes". We've done things from a three foot tall Dr. Suess theme cake to a Japanese theme cake complete with Diaper Sushi. The dynamic of a family: Working with family comes with its pros and cons. The difficult thing is "turning it off". One time we were on
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a family trip and around hour two of the trip I looked at Myke and said,"Let's leave Stinky Cakes back in Springfield for the next few days". (That lasted for about 45 minutes). The best part about it is I get to work with my husband on something we came up with together. It's still heartwarming to read an email, Facebook or twitter post from a satisfied customer and think back to the "if we build it they will come" days when we first started our business. Making your mark: Family is the most important thing me. Maintaining a healthy family/business life balance was always my number one goal. I feel empowered because, even though difficult, while running the business I've been able to be a wife, mother and business woman. My direction: Stinky Cakes is a cool and a very fun family-oriented business to be involved in and I want to see it grow and be as successful as we've imagined. That success can be in the form of franchising or selling it to a larger company that can take it to another level. My number one passion is helping foster children and seeing them live happy lives, in happy homes. In preparation of future endeavors I'm currently taking classes at Elms College to acquire my Bachelors Degree in social work. I have plans on using my entrepreneurial skills to better the lives of children in foster care.
Precious Jewels
Talking to the authors of Nine Rubies By Crystal Senter Brown
and what books influenced their lives.
n most homes, the kitchen table is the hub. Everything happens there: meals, homework assignments, bill paying, etc. But for authors Mahru Ghashghaei and Susan Snyder, the kitchen table became a launching pad for something that would ultimately change their lives as well as the lives of readers around the world: they wrote the novel Nine Rubies together.
Crystal: What inspired you to write Nine Rubies?
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When Sue and Mahru began the process of writing Nine Rubies in 1990, Sue was an American Jewish educator and Mahru was an Iranian Muslim nurse and counselor. What started as a conversation soon became the outline for a book as Mahru began to share her story and Sue began to write it down. As the story began to unfold, Mahru talked about how her Iranian Azari grandfather was able to escape the Russian Revolution in 1917 and built a comfortable life for his wife and children in Northern Iran. After the early death of his first wife, Mahru’s grandfather married a much younger woman, which caused him to become estranged from his children. In today’s society, we hear so much about divorce, but we often don’t think about how the death of a spouse can change the family dynamic both immediately and for generations to come. Nine Rubies also focuses heavily on Mahru’s mother, whose communist husband placed her in perjury, threatening the security she desperately wanted for her daughters. On his deathbed, Mahru’s grandfather predicted his granddaughters (including Mahru,) would give their mother “nine rubies” (hence the title of the book.) As I read, I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Mahru’s grandfather’s first wife had not died? Would Mahru’s mother’s life have been any easier? Nine Rubies flows like a conversation, as it explains the rich history of Mahru’s family. I enjoyed learning about Mahru’s family (especially her mother), and the book sparked an interest within me to learn more about my own history. I had the pleasure of interviewing the authors recently to find out what inspired them to write Nine Rubies, their individual writing processes,
Sue: We started visiting with one another many years ago. We were professional women, Mahru a nurse and counselor, Susan an educator and author. Although our lives were busy, our sons were friends so we found ourselves visiting often. As Mahru shared the stories of her childhood and early adulthood, they were uniquely engaging and powerful. Susan started writing them down; Mahru had an explosion of stories to tell. Only years later did we realize that this collection of stories could be inspiring and useful to others, and shed light on women’s issues; provide a more nuanced view of Iranian life and culture; and invite others to open their hearts and minds to others. Crystal: What is your writing process? Sue: Our process was that Mahru talked, and Susan listened, asking questions to clarify. Each story unlocked another memory, and we just kept writing. Susan tried to listen from a very open place, but sometimes imposed her own perspectives, so we often had to revisit an idea several times to be sure the text matched Mahru’s intent. We found many common experiences, passions and life questions. After we had collected stories for years, we went back and put them in order. We revised time and again, adding detail and poetry, balancing and interweaving hardships with triumphs, intensity with peaceful release. Finally, we worked with an editor, and had several readers provide constructive criticism. The hardest thing was to stop, because there is much more to tell. Crystal: Do you remember what first sparked your interest in writing? Mahru: I always wrote, it was always my release. I have books of poems and stories. I love writing.
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precious jewels Susan: I came to love words and print sometime during college, and started documenting my extraordinary teaching experiences through professional writing as well as musical composition. As an author for McGraw-Hill, I wrote textbooks filled with magic, and then started a small educational publishing company to document the integrated arts initiatives that were powerful school change agents. As an adult, I found a passion for photography, and then discovered how poetry could become a rich tool for exploring visual and auditory metaphors. The memoir/oral history genre of Nine Rubies is new. Crystal: What book are you reading right now?
Crystal: Is there a book that influenced your life? Mahru: Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo; Savushun, by Simin Daneshvar Susan: So many books. Teaching as a Performing Art, by Seymour Sarason is a favorite; The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams. Crystal: Are you working on another book? If so, what is it about? Sue: We are ready to start the sequel to Nine Rubies. It is already written in Mahru’s mind, and we just need time to get it written down.
Mahru: The Shah, by Dr. Milani.
Crystal: What writing advice would you give other writers?
Susan: The Flat World and Education, by Linda Darling-Hammond. The Element, by Ken Robinson.
Sue: There is no guarantee that your writing is going to become what you want it to be, or that
it will become known by anyone but yourself. The reason for writing is to make you a richer and deeper person. And if you write with someone else, it is a way of making a friendship grow and deepen. Just start. Be faithful to making time for writing, and then get lost in it. Write whatever comes to mind every day – write it, write it, write it without any personal censor – the funny things and the things that make you cry. The words follow the heart, and if emotion is there, the words are not an exact mirror, but can help us explore the meaning of the emotion. There will be time for revision, pruning, and elaboration. Writing and words are just the tools to share ideas, and we all do the best we can. Nine Rubies by Mahru Ghashghaei and Susan Snyder is available at bookstores nationwide as well as on Nook and Kindle. Learn more about the book by visiting www.ninerubiesthebook.com.
Shine On Sista! Crystal Senter Brown has appeared in Essence Magazine, Vibe Magazine and Redbook Magazine and has released three music cd’s and three books, most recently “The Rhythm in Blue” (www.therhythminblue.com.) But the role she is most proud of is being Adonte’s mother and Corey’s wife. Learn more about Crystal at www.crystalsenterbrown.com.
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Women In Business
Name: Rosa Santaniello
the pizza shop, all catering efforts are done by Rosa and helped by her son Gennaro.
City, State: Agawam, MA Title and/or specialty: Co-Owner Company/Organization Name: Capri Pizzeria & Catering
History: Capri first opened their doors in 1966 on Jackson Street in Holyoke. In 1973, Capri moved to the place we all know now, 18 Cabot Street. In 1988, Fiore and Rosa bought the building next to Capri and opened up Capri Restaurant. In 2000, Fiore gave Capri Pizzeria a major facelift. He had closed down the restaurant, renovated the pizzeria, which tripled its seating space, offered catering, and gave it the look you see today. Today, Rosa is in charge of all catering efforts and acts as Head Chef. She brings traditional italian cooking mixed with her personal recipes to create unique dishes. What you do: Rosa is in charge of all aspects of Catering for Capri Pizza. Between shopping for food to use, to preparing and delivering the food. Although she does still work in
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The dynamic of a family: Capri is and always has been family owned. Currently, Capri is run and owned by Fiore Santaniello (husband). They also have two of the three sons working alongside with them, Salvatore and Gennaro. While Rosa is in charge of all catering efforts, Fiore runs the business with the assisting managers Salvatore and Gennaro. This isn’t a 9 to 5 job, so they are all together 24/7. They live and work together and have gotten to know eachother very well. Making your mark: All recipes in catering are her own or passed down from family. Rosa enjoys taking chances with food and creating dishes that suits the party she caters for. She is always learning and trying out new foods with her family to determine if it something that the public will like. She is not shy when it comes to trying new techniques. My direction: In the next few years, we hope to really push the catering business of Capri Pizza. We hope to bring our unique, tasty dishes to corporate events, as well as family events and gatherings.
Five things to consider before sharing photos and videos online (ARA) - More people are sharing photos and videos online with friends and family, as well as those they've never met. Consider this: One hour of video is uploaded to YouTube every second. Pinterest, which lets people collect and share digital images, has grown to about 12 million users since launching in 2010. The growth of these and other websites makes it easier for videos and images to be shared and reshared online - or at least end up in places beyond where they were originally posted. "With the advances in smartphones, digital cameras and social websites, more people are becoming interested in photography and videography, and they're able to share their work broadly and quickly with others," says Bill Robbins, an awardwinning advertising photographer, commercial
film director and current program chair of professional photography at Brooks Institute, a leading provider of higher education for film, graphic design, and photography. "But no matter if you're a professional, amateur or simply enjoy taking and sharing pictures or videos, it's important to consider how and when to protect your work. It's something that we teach our aspiring professionals and something that others may benefit from learning." Take well-known "mommy blogger" Danielle Smith for example: Smith, her family and her blog, ExtraordinaryMommy.com, made international headlines when a family photo - one used for their Christmas card - was taken from one of her sites and used in an advertisement in the Czech Republic.
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five things to consider...
Whether you are an aspiring professional photographer, videographer or just someone who wants to share your unique content with others while still getting credit for it, here are five things Robbins suggests you consider before sharing your work online: * Know what you're getting into. Read the Terms and Conditions on photo- and video-sharing sites like Flickr, SmugMug, Picasa and Photobucket to make sure you fully understand and agree to the terms. Notice if the site has a designated copyright agent, displays a take-down procedure and has a clear copyright policy. * Obtain a Creative Commons license and share your original content on sites that honor those licenses, like Flickr, Pinterest and YouTube.
Creative Commons licenses - www.creativecommons.org - help creators retain copyright while allowing others to copy, distribute, and make certain uses of their work. Every Creative Commons license also ensures licensors get the credit for their work they deserve. * Keywording is key. "Keywording a photo is almost as important as the photo itself to drive people to your image online," says Robbins. "Think of keywording as drilling for oil. You start with the obvious word and then keep drilling down until there is nowhere else to drill." For example, if your image features a sumo wrestler, start by tagging your photos with words you think people will use to search for your particular image, like "sumo," then use words that are more con-
ceptual to the image, like "big," "strong," "powerful" and "wide body." * Consider your audience before you share. Are they trustworthy? Will they give credit where credit is due? Use programs that allow you to have control over your audience, and that let you select your own privacy settings to ensure you have full control over how and with whom your content is shared. * Make it your own. Consider developing your own website or blog to post your original content so that it's always tied back to your personal brand. Include a copyright disclaimer on your site. Then spread links back to your site through your social channels.
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To be a couple, do you have to put yourself on a shelf? By Kristina Chapell
W
hen most of us enter into relationships we are so enthralled with spending time with this person, sometimes we forget to take time for ourselves. I mean, you’re in love right? You spend as much time with this person as you possibly can; going to dinner, spending quiet evenings at home, maybe even planning out your weekends in advance. Heaven forbid you tell them you need some time to yourself! Even if a relationship isn’t so new we still can find ourselves getting caught up in our day to day lives and the needs of our relationship we forget all about our needs. And this ladies, is where it can start to become dreadfully redundant. When we don’t take time for ourselves, “me time” as I call it, we find our relationship in
a state of flux, something that can either lead to a disaster or at least one of you being very unhappy. As a new relationship blossoms we are so happy and care-free; it feels good to be with this person and it almost seems as if the two of you are inseparable. But, and I mean BUT, you have to remember to take time for yourself and allow them to have their “me time” too. Even if you’ve been together for years it’s important to remember the things that you want to do. For some reason a lot of people get together and forget they had a life before meeting the man/woman of their dreams. You shouldn’t get angry at each other or feel left out when he wants to go out with the guys or if you have a girl’s night. Just because you enjoy doing things together as a couple doesn’t mean all the things you used to do should be thrown to the way side.
It’s all about life balance. If the two of you don’t have “me time”, the fresh, new feeling that started out can now become a feeling of anger and contempt. Besides, if you spend too much time together what could you possibly have left to talk about? Mix it up a little, and don’t just think about work as your “me time,” it isn’t. Make plans with friends, go shopping for a day, read a new book, take a drive; don’t stop doing things you once loved to. No matter what, “me time” is necessary in any relationship in order to keep your sanity. Never let a relationship get to the place where it seems you spend so much together that you both seem to always be irritated, meaning more arguments over little things. Remember, taking some time for yourself is well deserved and beneficial for both of you!
The Lipstick Chronicles KRISTINA CHAPELL is a single gal in her thirties making her way in the world. Passionate, savvy, and stylish; Kristina is a social relationship builder. You can often find her on Facebook and Twitter keeping up with the latest news and always supporting causes she is passionate about such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Link to Libraries, and The Businews Channel.
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Prospero Foundation supports social entrepreneurship in Ghana The Prospero Foundation, founded by Ulrik DeBo of DeBondo Capital, is proud to announce that funds have been donated to GYWSE (Ghana Young Women Social Entrepreneurs). GYWSE is a social enterprise with a mission dedicated to advancing a culture of social entrepreneurship whereby women lead innovative grassroots change, sustained by their own community and activities. Despite the emphasis on the importance of social ventures across Ghana, women in this sector widely share challenges of capacity building, lack of strategy, good management, self-confidence,
role models, funding, lower education and more. The program connects, trains, and supports 20 young women as social entrepreneurs in Ghana. They are charged with developing sustainable, high impact and scalable social innovations via a 12-month period of incubation & intensive training. Prospero chose this project because of its longterm goals: to advance a culture of social entrepreneurship whereby women lead innovative grassroots change, sustained by their own community and activities. In the future, six social ventures will be launched in Ghana, annually. Learn more at www.gywse.org.
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My dilemma turns into my success By Liz Roller
L
ike many mothers trying to work from home, I could feel the walls closing in around me as I juggled freelance work and caring for young children. That claustrophobic feeling forced me to seek a solution - one I never dreamed would become a booming business. That solution was hidden beds.
My tiny guest bedroom/office used to heave with work paraphernalia and toys – my children would inevitably play wherever I worked. Grandparents also wanted to visit often and sometimes it was a nightmare to locate the bed! I decided I needed a solution. And fast. That’s when I stumbled across Wallbeds. Beds hidden in the wall were something I associated with Seinfeld; Manhattan apartment contraptions, notorious for trapping people in them. As I shopped around, I realized they pro-
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vided the one thing furniture gobbles up - more floor space. It solved my home office/guest bedroom dilemma and after installing a second Wallbed in my son’s room so he could set up Lego on the floor, I was hooked.
they were getting special service, having the store open just for them. It was a risky retail model-turning away foot traffic ̶ but it worked. In the first year I sold a record number of Wallbeds.
Being a marketer, I felt they needed to be brought into the twenty-first century in terms of style but I knew if I struggled with space, so were others.
As word spread, so did the need for more stores. Since opening in 2004, Wallbeds “n” More has grown every year, with 12 showrooms across California and Arizona. Now we’re offering franchise opportunities nationwide and I’m encouraging women to join in on our success.
With encouragement from my Father, I opened the first Wallbeds ‘n’ More store in Dublin, selling unique, custom-designed Murphy Wallbeds. Space was no longer an issue, but time was my other concern. My husband, as a fire fighter, was gone three days a week; I had the kids full time those days yet couldn’t afford to hire somebody to work in the store. It proved to be a wonderful problem to solve customers would have to make an appointment so I could manage my time. Everybody won: my children saw me and customers felt like
These days, I never panic when grandparents come to stay and I’m really thankful my children’s needs fostered a great business idea.