A year ago today I started this blog to express something that had been brewing inside of me for a long time- my love for positive black women, fashion, career development, and girl talk. All of these things embody who I am personally as a twenty-something, young professional. At the time I started FBG, I was really into reading other people blogs and decided that why not start my own. So I did. I am so grateful to myself and others who have supported the idea of being a Fabulous Brown Girl! This blog has turned into a brand that I want to follows me where ever I go.
Here's a little back story. When I moved to Atlanta from DC in august of 2009, it was a whole new life for me. I needed something that I could say I was in control of, something I was passionate about, and I needed something to jump start my career goals. Fabulous Brown Girl has done all of that and more for me.
So if you want to start your own blog, company, go back to school, or change careers I say go for it!!! Better yet.... GO HARD FOR IT!! Your dreams are your own and nobody can tell you that you can not do something you are passionate about. There are positive examples of this everywhere you turn. And as my mother always told me ... nobody on this earth is better than you.
"If there is at least one person on this earth that has accomplished what you want than it can be done and it is NOT impossible"
One day I know my dreams will turn into reality and as I will have this blog to thank as the catalyst.
As I transition onto bigger things, I will continue to blog and I will continue to connect with other Fabulous Brown Girl bloggers like myself. I want to do a lot of new things with this blog that I will continue pursue this along with whatever else I am passionate about.
Thank you for your continued support and don't forget to follow @FabBrownGirl on Twitter.
After picking our jaw up from the floor, we definitely want to give a loud SHOUT OUT to Brandy for this beautiful and artistic photo shoot she did for 160 magazine. It is obvious that Brandy is revamping her image and trying to make a strong and sexy comeback.
Brandy, who normally has a girl next door vibe thats nothing-too-fancy, is now coming out full blast with sexy styling and uber glamorous looks. It looks like RayJ and the rest or the Norwoods are not playing games about this Family Business taking off.
We remember jamming to "I Wanna Be Down" and rocking those braids down our back trying our best to be just like Brandy during the 90s! She was our first FBG that we looked up to and now, in her early 30s, Brandy wants us to know she is still here.
We don't know if we are looking at Brandy or her alter-ego "Bran Nu" , but whom ever it is we love this Fabulous Brown Girl!! We are glad to see Brandy reinventing herself and coming back more FABULOUS than ever!!
Ms. Height was born in Richmond, VA in 1912. After being denied entrance into Barnard College in 1929, she attended NYU and earned a master's degree in educational psychology in 1932.
While in her 20s, Ms. Height became a social worker and civil rights activist. She joined the National Council of Negro Women and found her passion in the cause for equality for all, especially for women and African Americans. During the 1960s, the height of the civil rights movement, she started Wednesday Mississippi, that brought black and white women together to encourage discussion and understand of the racial plight and convince other women to do the same.
Ms. Height has so many other accomplishes under her belt such as leading the sorority of Delta Sigma Theta by serving as their 10th national president, as well as being an avid attendee of the National Black Family Reunion in Washington, DC.
She passed away in Howard University Hospital at the age of 98.
Fabulous Brown Girl is thankful to Dorothy Height for doing what we all aspire to do. She was always graceful but always aggressive about what she believed was right. May her soul rest in peace.
Let's be honest. There is something about black women coming together in beautiful and harmonious pretenses that is so inspiring and humbling. Last week, Essence Magazine, a publication and brand that I totally respect hosted the Black Women Hollywood Luncheon in LA that honored several women in the entertainment industry who have contributed to the positive imagery of black women over all.
Now you know, here at Fabulous Brown Girl, that is are overall mission and passion and whenever we see this idea being carried out and positive role models acknowledge for their inspiration we can't help but to capture it in a post.
The Luncheon Honorees were:
Gabby Sidibe (Best Breakthrough Performance)
Zoe Saldana (Star to Watch Award)
Queen Latifah (Power Award)
Mary J Blige (Songtress of the Year)
Cicely Tyson (Legend Award)
Here are a few pictures of some Fabulous Brown Girls who attended the function! They are by far too lovely for words, but we did what we could. Check it out!
An all time FAVORITE, the beautiful, Nia Long
The Queen, MJB.. she never half steps and I love it!!
Tennis Great, Serena Williams, Common, and Vivica A. Fox
Hometown chick, LaToya Luckett, looks popped in the coral dress!
Tichina Arnold looking ravishing in her early spring white cocktail dress
Uber talented singer/songwriter Keri Hilson
Taraji P. Henson and Vivica A. Fox
Keke Palmer, little sister in my head :)
Tatiana Ali
Jada Pinkett Smith
Tia and Tamera Mowry
Precious break out star and Honoree, Gabby Sidibe
Avatar actress and Honoree, Zoe Saldana
If you want to check out over a 100 photos of the ESSENCE event CLICK HERE
During the month of February, Fabulous Brown Girl tweeted inspirational quotes from famous women of color everyday to celebrate Black History Month.
As you know, the main mission of this blog is to shower one another with positive displays of black women and uplift and inspire young professionals to be the FABULOUS women that we all are destined to be!
Check out some of our favorite quotes that we found and shared on our Twitter...
"No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow & be perceived as fully blossomed as you are intended." - Alice Walker
"If there is a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it." -Toni Morrison
"The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within -- strength, courage, dignity. " - Ruby Dee
"Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. " - Sojourner Truth
"Where there is woman there is magic." - Ntozake Shange
"Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others. " -Rosa Parks
"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. " - Lena Horne
"Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough." - Mary McLeod Bethune
I hope you discovered a quote that you can use to inspire you and motivate you to be the most beautiful woman you can be!
Last night the 41st NAACP Image Awards took place to celebrate and reward the accomplishments of people who the organization believes have successfully advanced people of color.
We love anything that celebrates us as a people, puts us in a positive light, and of course gives us a reason to dress up and look FABULOUS as well assupport one another.
If you tuned in last night, what was your favorite moment during the awards? We thought they were overall wonderful minus director Lee Daniels acceptance speech... lol.. but what can you do?
Another site said that the awards was definitely a night for the ladies because they were the ones cleaning up and bringing home all the awards. That is what we like to hear!! Let's continue with that trend and BEING FABULOUS!!
Take a look at some of the snapshots of the FABULOUS BROWN GIRLS who attended the awards!
The wonderful and uber talented cast of PRECIOUS!
Always classy Anika Noni Rose who was the Co-host of the Image Awards
Fabulous Brown Girls: Taraji P. Henson, Gabby S., and Raven Simone
Keisha Knight Pulliam showing off her gorgeous gown after winning Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Paula Patton who looks great preggo by the way! She stays glowing!
Some of our favs Keri Hilson and Co-Host Hill Harper took a picture together !
Beautiful FBGs Tichina Arnold and Journee Smollett
Maybe he did like it... he just didn't see the need to "put a ring on it" because there are 1.8 million more of us where it came from...
This is an old topic, but a not so old post. For some reason or another due to my holiday festivities I forgot to post it when I originally wrote it...But moving on, I heard about this news package from Nightline and after I stopped cringing and rolling my eyes, I thought about this as an interesting topic for single Fabulous Brown Girls that has been around since I was little Now that I am kind of at that burgeoning stage, the more it is dwelt on, the more disheartening it becomes.
Fact (according to Nightline): There are 1.8 million more black women than men.. So after you take out all the "wack" dudes (and I mean that in the nicest way... ), the amount of eligible black men is cut in half!Great way to keep us optimistic...
Black women seem to have it all--Looks, Education, Money, etc. etc. We have nice updated houses, nice luxury cars, take trips to exotic places, and love the LORD! We can control our professional and financial aspirations to a certain degree, but the one thing we can not conjure to a perfect equation is finding love with a black man.
Do you notice that when we see BLACK LOVE we celebrate it like our favorite sports team just won a championship.. Why do we as women do that? Is it because we don't see it enough in our everyday lives and lives of our families, is it that rare, or is it because it is barely thought of assuccessful. Just the other day there was controversy over the newest Essence cover that is graced with New Orleans Saint and Heisman Trophy Award winning, Reggie Bush. The controversy is mainly because it is Essence's black relationship issue and the last time we checked Bush has yet to publicly date a black woman (but can keep an Armenian on DECK!), so why is Bush being celebrated on the cover story of a magazine targeted for Black women, when he doesn't want US!?
Personally, I just think it is for the purpose of eye candy to push the magazine (we all know how the industry is going) off of the shelves more so than an accurate and genuine black relationship expert.
Unfortunately, I don't think this so-called epidemic of Successful Single Black Women (or SSBW) is going anywhere. I am not fond of mainstream media pointing out this epidemic so we can continue to be reminded of it when we turn on the news. That's why we watch TV so we wont have to be reminded of our own problems!!
I don't think I have a long list when it comes to having standards, but I do have standards and I will not compromise on what I deem worthy for myself. PERIOD.
I don't think Black women date outside of their race out of spite because they are angry with black men for doing it to them. I think they date outside of their race because they have opened their minds to seeing whats out there. If black women happen to find love with a man outside of her race its because the man is truly doing what she feels is worthy of what she deserves.
ESSENCE (one of my favorite magazines) has an online article on THE BLACK MALE SHORTAGE or TBMS.. Check it out!
Fabulous Brown Girls, What do you think of the SSBW and TBMS????.... Leave a comment
I just want to share something that has been on my mind with all of you Fabulous Brown Girls. It is something you hear so many times, that you sometimes become numb to it . The adage
NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!
Yes, I know it is said all the time, but I just feel like I should reiterate it because it is the plain and simple TRUTH!
I have seen many of my friends and family reach goals that were merely ideas years ago! A lot of us now have our degrees, are obtaining masters and PhD's, are in medical schools, law schools, working for various Fortune 500 companies, launching our own businesses, and buying homes and real estate! All because we had a VISION for our lives and set goals to reach them!
I am a HUGE proponent of writing down your goals and making them HIGHLY visual. An example of this is through a vision board, which is simply a poster that has visual images and phrases of the goals you wish to obtain. Because I am a PowerPoint connoisseur I made a PowerPoint slide show as my vision board instead of a poster board when I came up with the idea of FABULOUS BROWN GIRL, and when I recently looked back over it not too long ago, I can honestly say, and i mean HONESTLY, that all of the goals surrounding my blog FBGhave been met or are currently underway!!
I had an idea that came to my mind, which then turned into a goal, as well as a passion. I took the time to craft out specific details about this goal and made a visually appealing map of sorts to look at and remind myself of where I want to be and how I want to get there! I definitely intend on doing the same thing for the other passions and future goals that I have in my life!
Don't let anyone deter you or tell you when and how your goal needs to happen because everyone is different and what they may not have the ability to do, you may very well be able to succeed at the highest level.
So Fabulous Brown Girls, whatever your passion is, what ever you see your self in a certain amount of time doing.. write it down and visualize the process it will take to get there and don't neglect to ask for help or a mentor (which I strongly believe all of us should have at least one at this stage) Don't let go of your dream and I promise you will be FABULOUS!
My apologies for my recent lack of postings, but I am taking time out for the holidays to catch up on some rest and spend with my family and friends! With less than a week away from not only a new year, but a new decade let's wrap it up with much thanks and evaluation. Also, be excited because there will be major changes coming to Fabulous Brown Girl in 2010! So keep checking us out!!
2010 WILL and MUST BE GREAT! There will be tons of new features, tips, self development, encouragement and empowerment , and most of all PROGRESS! So please, please stay TUNED in to the FAB!
Oh! and sidenote: Go see AVATAR in 3D if you haven't already done so, it has been one of the highlights of my holiday so far! James Cameron is a bonafideGENIUS
Hope everyone is having a great holiday! As 2009 draws to an end have you thought about how your words have affected people throughout the year.
One of my favorite quotes says:
"Words kill or words give life--They are either poison or fruit, which one do you choose?"
FABULOUS BROWNGIRLS as we enter into 2010 (not only a NEW year, but also a NEW DECADE) lets make sure we use our words in these kinds of ways.
PRAISE -- This word literally means to commend. Try commending someone everyday. Thank them for what they are doing, have done, or are going to do.
ENCOURAGE--AsBROWN girls, we need to encourage each other daily by giving words of support. You never know what someone may or may not be going through so your encouraging words may be just what they need.
COMPASSION--Be the one to speak confidence to someone who may be going through a difficult time
By doing these three things you are speaking LIFE into someone else!
Over time I have realized that negative energy is like a cancer.. if you are around someone who is always negative you begin to thing and behave that way as well. Instead of using your words to kill or as poison, always use them to give life to others as fruit.
You know the old saying However you want people to treat you, you need to treat people that way. Well, it is an old saying because it is the TRUTH!
So FBG's how did your words impact or affect someone else this year? Were they poisonous or were they fruit to others?
Shirley Ann Jackson, was named the highest paid college president earning $1.6 million according to the survey done by the Chronicle of Higher Education. She is the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy N.Y. Jackson is among 23 other college presidents who earn over a million dollars.
Jackson is the first woman, and not to mention African American to serve as President of the institution of higher learning.
Not only is Washington, DC native, Jackson, the first African American president of her college she was also the first African American woman to recieve her PhD in Physics from the prestigious MIT.
Jackson is definitely "walking" Black History and Fabulous BROWN Girl congratulates her for breaking boundaries and being true to herself and her passions. She is a perfect example for young African American women who see those same boundaries Jackson did! You can break boundaries and you can shatter records! You can do anything that your heart desires!
That is what FABULOUS BROWN GIRL is all about! Telling yourself you can accomplish anythng that you want to in life and actually believing and seeing it come to reality.
When you do what you love the money will come! Jackson is a perfect example that the rewards for being a FABULOUS BROWN GIRL and following your passions are 7 figure sweet!
Over the weekend, DC was littered with black elite and celebrities that came to celebrate and attend the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference. The conference is a four day long event held every year in September. The conference is host to tons of events, forums, galas, and awards ceremonies for black politicians, business leaders, and the movers and shakers in the black community.
One of the organizations that held an awards ceremony over the weekend was WEEN (Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network). They are a network of women in the entertainment industry that are commited to the positive portrayal of women of all races and backgrounds in the media, entertainment, and society as a whole.
The women of WEEN understand the importance of improving the quality of life for women and young ladies all over the world. They are using there fame and their industry impact as a platform to lend a voice to causes such as
Healthcare
Financial Literacy
Personal and Professional Development
Corporate Social Responsibility
Media Impact
Grassroots Programs
Some of the people that were honored at the awards were actors Vivica Fox, Hill Harper, Malinda Williams, Chief Diversity Officer of McDonalds, Pat Harris, Executive Vice President of Urban Marketing Universal Motown, Shanti Das, and AIDS Activist, Maria Davis.
Check out some photos of the honorees on the "purple" carpet!!
Honoree, Malinda Williams
Honoree, Vivica A. Fox
Honoree, Hill Harper
Valeisha Butterfield, WEEN Chairwoman
If you are interested in becoming a member or how to break into the industry with a job or an internship click here for WEEN job postings .
Being a fabulous brown girl and believing in women empowerment seeing the video that had a visibly strung out Maia Campbell being made a mockery of was truly one of the saddest things I have seen in a while. A lot of people think that just because you are pretty, talented, and have notoriety or fame that you are living a picture perfect life. Well, this is an example of how that is so far from the truth.
Maia Campbell, most famous for playing Tiffany Warren on In the House from 1995-1999, seems to have turned to a life of drugs and maybe even prostitution. It is rumored that she hasn't been able to recover to her normal self since her mother's passing.
Fab Brown Girl readers if you know anyone who is in a situation where they may be depressed or losing it reach out and help them instead of treating them like outcasts. Even if it is just being nice and pleasant and sharing positivity with them. You never know whoever they may turn to for "love and acceptance" who can and will ruin their lives even more.
I will be praying for Maia that she still has people in her life fighting for her well being.
If you haven't seen the video.. Check it out.. It is quite disturbing...
Fabulous Brown Girl (FBG) is a blog that strives to cultivate an online sisterhood to inform, uplift, and empower women of color, primarily African Americans, to become better indivduals in their personal and professional lives while inspiring other women to do the same.
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I am a young, urban professional woman of color who loves everything fabulous, but wants it to be deeper than just that. I have a passion for women empowerment, especially women of color because we have so much to conquer and I want us to do it in the most fabulous way possible!!
Unless otherwise noted,Fabulous Brown Girldoes not claim to own the visual content on this site. If there are any photos you do not want to appear on this site please send an email to fabbrowngirl@gmail.com and they will be removed accordingly.
Also if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact us at fabbrowngirl@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!
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