This Memorial Weekend (May 25^th & May 26^th) on Atlanta’s Historic Martin Luther King Drive also known as “West End,” will host an event that will be FREE to the public to address the many issues that concerns the residents of the Atlanta Community. The purpose of the event is to assemble various cultures and age groups in order to bring awareness to the issues regarding health awareness, literacy and non-violence as well as provide alternatives and resources to the community.

History of West End

• Settled in 1835, the original name of the West End was White Hall (after the White Hall Inn); it was renamed in 1867 after London’s theatre district.
• White Hall Inn, a two-story building located on the corner of Lee Street and Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, was so named because it was painted white when most buildings of the time were unpainted.
• White Hall Inn was also the stagecoach shop, tavern, post office and home of the 503rd Militia district, as well as the election precinct.
• West End officially became a part of Atlanta on January 1, 1894.
• The West End District was the first locally designated historic district in the City of Atlanta.
• The layout of the original West End was a main street and adjacent grid pattern streets; three right turns and you were back where you started.

Source: http://www.atlantawestend.com/history

You can expect some of Atlanta’s well known to be in attendance. Georgia State Representative Able Mable, former Atlanta Falcons’ player and his wife Thomas and Joanna Scott, TLC’s Sisterhood cast member Pastor Brian and Dominique Scott, Big Rich Atlanta’s Khadijah Rowe, recording artist RL & Cori Sims amongst others are expected to attend the event. The Resurgence Commission which is a collaboration of business owners and community advocates will also be present.

The event will be sponsored by Streetz 94.5 FM, Metro PCS and G.M.E.  Sports Lounge. Promoter and Community Director Lucki and TLC’s cast member of Sisterhood took some time out to speak with us about the event.  Here’s what they had to say;

Lucki: Atlanta’s West End is a Historical area and in the past it has been a place where business owners and the people in the community have grown and have done well, but over the years there has been a decline in the area and rise in crime rate. There is a direct link between poverty and crime! We want to strengthen the community by bringing awareness by providing individuals with knowledge by educating them. As larger corporations are moving to Atlanta the rents in the area are now increasing pushing out the smaller merchant.

Dominque Scott AKA Pastor D: In the past decades people have made it a color issue, but it is an issue of lack of education!  I want people to be empowered by knowledge and be given a HAND UP instead of a HAND OUT! I want to get the message out and by being part of this event I am doing something for my generation. I am proud to be a part of the Renaissance Festival and I’m looking forward to being a part of it every year!

This event is expected to be the first of many event s to come not just for the fun of it, but for the focus of bringing diverse groups of people together and addresses real issues that everyday people face in the community. In order to strengthen our communities people must be willing to unite and work together in order to effect change. We are looking forward to covering the event on May 25^th!

Visit for more Information http://www.atlsuperfest.com

The 3^rd annual event took place today in Decatur, GA and it was more than I expected. Spark Plug; the Publisher of PYNTK (People You Need To Know) http://www.sparkplugpeople.com/tag/pyntk/ Magazine created the magazine and the event as a way to Empower, Motivate and Inspire women. His passion for wanting to help women has been successful!

The women were not only amazing, but truly phenomenal. No woman could have left the event without learning something that they can apply to their own lives whether it’s in business or their personal lives.

Entrepreneur, branding expert and author of “Brand Me” Melissa Dawn Johnson conducted an excellent presentation. She is also the owner and President of a marketing company called, www.velvetsuite.com Melissa Johnson spoke on the topic on, ‘How to win like a champion!’ She spoke about Mind, Body & Business and highlighted some key points.

Keeping all aspects of these areas are keys to success. We need to nourish our minds and our bodies by exercising, meditating and having a positive attitude. Two key statements that Melissa Johnson said was, “Image is everything,” and to “Know Your Worth!”

Another wonderful speaker was Chloe Taylor Brown. This lovely former model, current coach and President of www.chloetalyorbrow.com shared valuable information on knowing yourself; and by knowing who you are, you will draw people to you. She also spoke on holding your decisions by communicating your desires to yourself and then to others.  In other words, tell yourself what you want by believing it. If you don’t believe in yourself or your product then no one will. Create a dynamic team and communicate effectively! Take Action-Produce-Expand and always deliver what you promise.

There were several other speakers like Dr. Lowe, Dr Nedra Dodds, Editor & Chief of My Beauti Network as well as Bridgette Freeman, Tarra Johnson (Madam Money) and other dynamic speakers. Each speaker gave you another bit of additional advice for not only business, but for personal development on losing fear and joining like minded people to achieve success.

The fashion show was extraordinary! The designs of the www.lisanicolecollection.com are truly for the working professional woman. The line features classic styles with sophistication and reads Quality.  Some of the pieces are limited editions so you won’t have to worry about wearing a garment that is common. Your clothes for Lisa Nicole’s Collection says; Glam, Couture, Quality and Class!

The overall experience of the event was by far one of the most inspiring events I have ever attended. In business you are always evolving and it is where you learn from the past mistakes and will discover what works and what doesn’t. You build on your strengths and don’t be afraid to ask for help in areas where you may be weak. You should remember that in building your business you want to create a need, niche and create value and most of all; Never Give Up!

For more information on the event visit:

Website: http://www.sparkplugpeople.com/tag/pyntk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PYNTK

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PYNTK

We all remember the artist who wrote Usher’s top ten single, “Think Of You,” not to mention his written works for artist like Silk, Brownstone, Jade and even Madonna!  This soulful artist is most know for his hits like “U Know What’s Up” with Lisa, ‘Left Eye’ Lopes, “Where I Wanna Be,” and Stevie Wonders cover of “Knocks Me Off My Feet.” I am proud to say that I had the pleasure to speak with Mr. Jones himself regarding his new project. -Marsha S. Ropchand

NYAH: Now from reading your Bio, I see that you’ve had a successful career not just as singer, but as songwriter/ producer and you began singing at the early age of 8 years old. You wrote your first song at the age of 12 and in 1996 you were signed by Laface records and the Untouchables Entertainment.  I am glad you’re back and the first question is why have you been gone for so long?

DJ: I was basically just living life and spending time with my family.

NYAH: Okay, do you have any children?

DJ: Yes, I have 5 lovely daughters.

NYAH: What do you love most about “Fatherhood?”

DJ: Just being able to spend that time with them!

NYAH: Where does your inspiration come from?

DJ: My Mom and Pop for sure, Micheal Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Isy Brothers, Teddy Pendergrass, Patrice Russian; I can name a lot more!!

NYAH: Looking at R&B today and comparing it to the past how would you compare it?

DJ: R&B is just that, R&B! In music there’s an evolution and it’s just an expression of the artist who is putting it out. I think music today has lost love!

NYAH: Yes, exactly! Today’s music artists sing songs of sex, but no real intimacy on loving a person.

DJ: Yes, I want to bring that back!

NYAH: Your new album titled “LYRICS” which is on your own label called Candyman Records is set to be released when?

DJ: The album release date is set for June 18^th.

NYAH: What are you looking to accomplish from this album and what can fans expect?

DJ: My music will express where I am now and what I used to do; it’s a great marriage. My album has different stories on love and relationships, both the good and the bad.

NYAH: Do you have any upcoming tour dates or appearances scheduled and if so when?

DJ: Yes, but I won’t release it yet. I will be doing a Promo tour so fans can visit my page for upcoming dates!

NYAH: Any special projects or collaborations we can look forward to?

DJ: I have no collaborations on this album, but I would love to work with today’s artist like Chris Brown, Trey Songz, and the older artist like Soulchild, Joe, and Ryan Leslie!

NYAH: Any final thoughts that you would like to share us?

DJ: I appreciate the fans and thank you for your support and purchase the album on June 18^th!

People can truly appreciate an artist who has evolved musically and personally. The music sounds like it will reflect those developments of the Heart and Soul of Donell Jones. I am personally looking forward to hearing the melodic tunes of LOVE in music again!

List of Albums

My Heart (1996)

Where I Wanna Be (1999)

Life Goes On (2002)

Journey Of A Gemini (2006)

The Lost Files (2009)

Lyrics (2010)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donelljones96

Instagram: www.instagram.com/DonellJones96

Twitter: https://twitter.com/donelljones96

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYR2N6MZig

Nowadays many people are earning just enough money to keep them afloat, with no extra money to do the things they enjoy. Shelter, food and bills always seem to precedent the extra desirable things we want in life. But thanks to the internet, there are several ways in which you can earn a living for some extra cash!

Sell on e-bay – Instead of trashing those gently used clothing that you’d rather give to the good will, why not put them on e-bay and generate some cash?  By placing your items on e-bay you are able to get several buyers interested in your items that will bid on it.  Be sure to average what you think your item is worth and what someone else is willing to pay for it.  By listing it for about three days you kind of create urgency and may quickly get a buyer. Check to see what similar items are going for compared to yours and adjust your price according if it does sell. You can always re list it. The good thing about e-bay is that your money comes through a third party, pay pal. They will confirm once the buyer has received the item they will release the funds to you. Setting up both accounts are simple. (There is a small fee for both pay pal and e-bay)   www.ebay.com

Sell on Amazon – Businesses and individual sellers can sell their pre-owned books, cd’s etc. on amazon and earn extra cash.  Amazon will even pay the shipping cost! Individual sellers pay a monthly fee of $39.99. You can set up your account and list your used book for sale and start earning extra dollars now! www.Amazon.com

Become a Blogger- If you enjoy writing you can blog on the side and write for other publications such as e-how, e-zine articles, travel blogs and magazine publications. With your own blog you earn commissions from the ads on your blog like www.linkshare.com and small businesses that will pay you a commission on referrals for sending them customers through your site. To create your blog you can visit http://googleblog.blogspot.com/ or visit www.wordpress.com to create your own website. Templates are free!  To register a domain name for a fee, you can check out www.godaddy.com

Sell Your Photos- With so many websites businesses and individuals are will to pay for photos of good and unique images for their websites. For more info on how to sell your photos click here http://www.sitepoint.com/15-places-to-sell-your-photos/

Tutor Online – If you are good in Math, Science and Accounting/Finance then this just be for you. Students are always seeking help and are will to pay a fee to help them to pass their classes. You can charge by the hour. Remember, some college students are struggling so you don’t want to over charge. Some people are willing to pay $10 an hour. So you’ve got 8-10 students per week that you charge a minimum of 2 hours for your service which is $20 per student so that’s $160-$180 per week. Not bad right?

You must know that none of these things will make you become wealthy overnight, but it will earn you the extra cash that youv’e been looking for and is an excellent side hustle as appose to a second job!

Image Credit: gobankingrates.com

How many of you are living to please others? And to meet the expectations of what others think you should be? You attended law school because it’s what your parents wanted, but you always had a love for interior design. Or how those working in the corporate world making six figure incomes only to realize that you desire to start your own business?

Many of you may feel this way and it is not unusual or uncommon. A lot of times people do things in life to satisfy others and forget about their own happiness. Life is full of opportunities and is waiting for your creative ideas to share with the world.  We were all born to live an abundant life and to be happy. But happiness starts within! You must be true to yourself and your desires.

No one is saying you should quit your job today without having a plan for what you want to achieve in your life, but you should definitely consider looking at the things in life that makes YOU happy! Of course you don’t want to let your parents down or spouses, etc, but you cannot expect to reach your full potential if you do not pursue your hearts’ desire of what you really want in life.

You can start out by keeping a journal of your hearts’ desires. Create an image of what you want and begin to develop a strategy. You don’t have to share your desires with anyone, especially if they are not supportive of you. Remember, you are the one who is seeking to express yourself freely without the crucial judging of others.

No more pretending to enjoy working at a job where you no longer feel full filled or you are confined without the expression of SELF! You can slowly start committing yourself to YOU by doing what you enjoy and what brings you joy and happiness. You can start by either going back to school, taking an art class, joining professional networks like Linked In for career transitions or simply start creating your business plan for your small business!

Develop a strategy for change by writing it all down along with the steps of how you going to start living the life that you want for yourself. You should never feel like you are locked in to your present situation by giving up and being concerned of what others think is best for you. It is your life and you have the right to choose your happiness for yourself. Be AUNTHENTIC to yourself and your desires; others will have no choice but to appreciate and accept the new and happier YOU!

Image Credit: allposters.com

In this new post-Obama era, there are a lot of barriers that have been broken, a lot of challenges that have been met, and a lot of progress that has been made. However, while it is easy to get wooed to sleep in the level of perceived progress, the truth is, we still have a long way to go. As the common saying goes, the numbers don’t lie, so let’s examine the numbers.

According to the latest numbers published by the United States census bureau, there are approximately 308,745,538 people in the U.S. Of those 308.7 million people, 72.4% are White, 16.4% are Latino, and 12.6% are Black. However out of the over 2.2 million people incarcerated in the U.S., Blacks account for nearly 40%, while Latinos account for nearly 20%. This means that minorities make up over 60% of the U.S. prison population, yet only make up 29% of the U.S. population! On paper these are just figures, but the impact of these numbers cannot be quantified. We are talking about 1.3 million people. 1.3 million Sons, Fathers, Husbands, and increasingly, Wives and Daughters. 1.3 millions leaders absent from the heads of their homes. 1.3 million disenfranchised voters. Additionally, according to the latest statistics, only 13% of blacks go on to pursue higher education, while it has been estimated that over 63% of jobs in the next 20 years will require post-secondary education of some sort.

Using these indicators above, let’s examine our progress.

Within the disproportionate prison numbers cited above, it is clear that there are still some inequalities that exist inside the U.S. justice system. Those inequalities are direct derivatives of institutional racism. Institutional racism is any system of inequality based on race. To illustrate the point, if every minority in America were criminals, there still should be at least an equal amount (or more) of non-minorities in prison, just based on population numbers alone. That indicates something more insidious at work. However while institutional racism is part of the culprit, we must also take some responsibility for our actions. After all, we are not automatons. This leads us to the next indicator of our progress: Education. Malcolm X famously remarked that education is the passport to our future. If this statement has any truth to it, it appears that unless we mobilize some type of initiatives to place education back at the forefront of our lives, our future looks dismal. If only 13% of blacks pursue higher education, and the future job market will require 63% of its employees have post-secondary education, where will the common man work? What will the “uneducated” do to care for their families? More importantly, how will we gain the necessary tools to combat the institutional racism that exists on every level of society that force us to be disenfranchised? Without education, we cannot do anything to improve our position in society. Without education, we will continue to be chewed up in disproportionate numbers by the criminal justice system. Without education, we will continue to be deluded by perceived progress.

In conclusion, we have, indeed, come a long way, evidenced by the fact that The Obamas now reside at 1600 Pennsylvania. Yet, as a collective, evidenced by the statistics, we still have a long way to go. What are you ready to contribute to the process?

Shaun Sinclair is conributor to NYAH and the Author of “Forbidden”

Citizen Bank offers great advice for college students on savings!

(An Exceprt from Citizen Bank)

1. Where does your money go? It is important to know where you are spending your      money. This will allow you to develop better spending habits.
2. Make a budget.      Estimate your monthly income and expenses. Check out the budget planner in our MoneyHelp section.
3. Live like a college student. The reality is that you’re a college student. So live      like one—don’t spend money you don’t have yet. Though it may feel      difficult, living like a student now will place you in a better financial      situation when you graduate.
4. Don’t abuse credit.      Be responsible with credit cards. Only charge what you can truly afford to      pay off each month and make sure it fits into your budget. If you are      easily tempted to overuse, leave the credit card at home and take only the      cash you can afford to spend.
5. Nothing’s impossible.      While it may seem impossible to save, try anyway, even if it’s only $10 a      week. Place the money in a savings account that’s not attached to your ATM      card so it is not as easily accessible.
6. Keep it safe.      Be sure to keep receipts, student loan documents and other financial      statements. You never know when you will need to refer to these documents.
7. But do you need it?      One of the most important money saving tips is not to buy on impulse. Wait      a few days and see if you still need the item.
8. Keep score.      Make sure you pay your bills on time, every time. While this may seem      obvious, paying on time is a big factor in having a good credit score.
9. Be a cheapskate.      Many colleges offer lots of free or cheap activities on campus which will      provide the opportunity to socialize without a lot of expense.
10. Milk your student status. Lots of places will give you a discount simply for      being a student. Look for places that offer savings when you show your      student I.D.
11. Extra cash.      As long as you are able to manage your studies, a part-time job is a great      way to earn a little extra spending money.
12. Use the used.      Look online or check with your college bookstore for used textbooks for      classes, which can save you some money. Selling back your used books at      the end of the semester could score you some extra cash. Check online or      with your campus bookstore for buy-back details.

Source: Citizen Bank http://www.citizensbank.com/student-loans/money-savings-tips.aspx

Image Credit: boston.com

Beautiful pink, soft powder blue and lovely green!

What colors will you add to your closet? How tall are your wedges? Will you add that metallic handbag to one of your must haves? We enjoy fashion along with its evolutionary trends as well as retro styles, but no matter how you look at it, our fashion sense is always making a statement of our personal style!

Variations of green looks great in every shade and is definately a color to add to your wardrobe.

You can add to your wardrobe a blazer of color in addition to your classic white blazer.

Marc Jacobs makes stripes  look not only sophisticatedm but chic!

Don’t be afraid of stepping out of colors you feel safe in such as black or dark blue, but take a dare and embrace colors and patterns that works well with your unique body type.

Image Credit:

polyvure.com

Msfabulous.com

Charleston SC is not only a wonderful place to visit, but it is full of character with its preserved architecture and history. They have great restaurants and historical homes which gives it an extra curb appeal. Charleston is still one of the remaining places that has cobblestone streets and is known for its seafood market. With the Atlantic Ocean at its reach, they supply the oysters for the area.

The Old Slave Mart Museum is full of history with regard to the slave trade. Built in 1859; “it is one of the first and oldest locales where African slave s were bought and sold in the area even after slavery was abolished in 1808.” The Museum is located at downtown Historical Charleston at 6 Chalmers street open Monday thru Saturday from 9-5pm. www.nps.org

The Charleston Museum is another historical landmark in downtown, Charleston. It features not only its lovely architectural structure of combined French and European design, but it provides the restored look of a time period “during the 19^th century when Rice was South Carolina’s main economic source.” The Museum is located at 360 meeting street near the Charleston visitor center and features several exhibits including the “Joseph Manigault House” and the “Huguenot House.” Each exhibit tells a story of its own and it is a tourist attraction that you can truly appreciate.

With historical homes in the area as well as numerous shops and restaurants along with its small town  curb appeal, your trip to the shore line is a must see!  Not far from the shopping district of downtown awaits the beautiful palm tree shore line.  You can rest assure that your trip to Charleston, South Carolina is likely become one of your most memorable trips ever!

Image credits:

Charleston museum.org

Charlestonhomesfsbo.com

Sources:

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/osm.htm

http://www.charlestonmuseum.org/about

What are you doing to make your dreams come alive? Are you a dreamer or a visionary? Are an optimist or a pessimist?  Are you sitting around waiting for someone to make your dreams a reality or are you a go getter and a self starter? If you are a visionary, optimist, a go getter and a self-starter then you’re ready for change, if not then you need to change the way you think in order to improve your life which begins from the inside out. You must be willing to go through the journey fin order to reach your destination.

You may or may not believe this, but we all have the ability to be anything that we want to be, make the money we want to make and live the life we were destined to have. The first step is, believing it! When you believe in the things that you want for your life it becomes real because you see the vision as if it already exist!

Many of you have heard of the laws of attraction right? For those who haven’t heard of the laws of attraction or how it works you must understand that the law of attraction is always working in positive or in negative vibrations which can be low or high. Lower vibrations can be viewed as negative thinking or lower frequencies whereas high vibrations can be viewed as positive thinking or higher frequencies.  Your thoughts have strong influences and what you focus on becomes reality. So if you keep negative thoughts in your mind you will produce negative outcomes and if you keep positive thoughts, positive outcomes will be the result. You are basically a magnet that attracts the thoughts you put out into the universe.

You should know that you must set clear intentions of your desires by using positive affirmations and visualization techniques. A great way to achieve this is by creating a vision board. Your board will have images of the things that you desire along with positive affirmations. Journalize the things you wish to accomplish and create a plan of action. Remember, you hold the key to the success and failures of your life because we were all given the opportunity of free will. We all have the right to choose what we want for ourselves unlike animals which rely on instinct.

When you create your action plan it will entail specific ideas and strategies of how you will go about your task for achieving your goals. List your goals by categories for example; career goals, physical goals, spiritual goals, etc. Set a deadline for when you would like to achieve your goal along with your strategy. Give yourself time to achieve a certain goal which may take you a bit longer to accomplish for example; “I want to earn my master degree in two years!” For someone with no former college, realistically would need to set a more realistic achievable goal. It’s ok to take baby steps as you work toward your goals!

You should surround your-self with positive people and read inspirational books on self-empowerment or watch you tube videos of successful people who share their stories of success. You should avoid negative people who are not aligned with your goals for they will only damper your spirit and drain you. Remember, the more you focus on what you don’t want the more you will attract it. You are the magnet, remember that! If you think that this concept is a fallacy then you are waisting your time by reading this article, but if you believe it then try it if you haven’t already, it truly works. The creator of the universe has put us all here to live a meaningful and abundant life; it’s up to you what you choose to do with it!

To give you some motivation  to start change in your life listen to John  Assaraf:

ENTER THE VISION BOARD CONTEST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $50. GIFT CERTIFICATE A FREE BOOK ON LAWS OF ATTRACTION AND A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED IN OUR PUBLICATION. YOU MUST LIKE US ON FACEBOOK TO QUALIFY AND SUBMIT YOUR VISION BOARD IMAGE AND A WRITTEN ACTION PLAN FOR YOUR GOALS. DEADLINE IS MAY31st!!!

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