Tuesday Tweets: Spread Light, Spread Literacy #SLSL2013

As promised, I will provide more information about the philanthropy project I'm participating in on behalf of Capital Cause, a young philanthropist organization based in Washington, D.C. If I recall correctly, I first learned of the organization at the end of 2010. I saw an email in a Yahoo! group from one of their board members as they were recruiting leadership for 2011-2012. I applied but did not get the membership director position. I was asked to be a volunteer and decided to support the organization. I've been a volunteer member ever since!

This spring, I signed up for one of their giving cirlces projects and was matched up with three other young philanthropists. A giving cirlces project is an intensive, 60-day fundraising initiative. Small groups of young philanthropists crowdsource their skills to crowdfund a project.

My team is made up of our group leader and only guy, Anthony, Krishana, and Shantae. Our Capital Cause advisor is Jalisa. Special shoutout to Darla, our Capital Cause liasion! Our challenge is to raise $2,000 for a public charter school in D.C. The funds will benefit 144 students and the school's online literacy tools as well as new laptops. For more information and to make a $25 to sponsor a letter on our keyboard, visit our fundraising page - www.spreadlightcc.eventbrite.com. Don't be shy, tell a friend, tweet and like our Facebook page. I've always been a bookworm, so this particular initiative is certainly worth my time (and hopefully yours).

Like previously mentioned, my role is to manage our social media presence which includes or Facebook page and tweets via our hashtag (#SLSL2013). I try to post relevant images, quotes and fundraising updates to our Facebook page. This week, I am ramping up our efforts to ensure we reach our goal. One of the ways I keep track of our hashtag is using Tagboard. You can do hashtag searches through Twitter but I learned of www.tagboard.com last week and I am huge fan. I like the interface and you can easily browse through uploaded photos as well - all in one convenient place.

Check out all of our tweets on my team's Tagboard page - http://tagboard.com/slsl2013. You will see tweets from all of us as well as photo uploads from our recent game night. If you want to join us, feel free to tweet about your favorite book, word or letter with the hashtag, #SLSL2013. While you're at it, make a donation.

I will keep you posted on us. Go Team Spread Light, Spread Literacy!

- IJ

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Sunday Roundup, Heads Up: Motherly Advice

Happy Mother's Day to you and yours!

Don't you just love that everyone and their mother (pun intended) is posting pictures on Facebook and tweeting about their loved one. It's cute to see the warm fuzzies all over the Internet but you may want to watch the Mother's Day PSA from Twitter, in case you missed the memo.

Happy Mother's Day from my kindergarten self.

Festivities and appreciation aside, this week will be major! Before I get a head of myself, I have to give a shoutout to my giving circles project, courtesy of Capital Cause, Team Spread Light, Spread Literacy. Later in the week, I will share more information and feedback out the sixty day fundraising project I've been involved with since early March. My team has already raised over, $1,000 in about a two weeks. See for yourself and donate while you are at it. I came up with the team name and am responsible for managing our social media presence, including our Facebook page and tweets. Follow our hashtag, #SLSL2013 and support us! 

For my internship, I've initiated the social media strategy which culminated in a Twitter chat this past Tuesday. I have participated in many Twitter chats but never conducted one until last week. I had a guest panelist and promoted the event over the course of a few days, which included direct tweets to influential people and education based organizations. The Twitter chat was thirty minutes but easily could have lasted an hour. We had a handful of followers tweeting along with out hashtag and gained several new followers. Thanks to the data collection and analysis via SproutSocial, I can say that it was a good first chat and look forward to more. I used Storify to aggregate the chat discussion and to highlight the different followers. I think Storify is really useful in keeping Twitter chats organized and cataloged for future reference.

Last week was busy but I had good developments. I am hoping for the same positive outcomes for the final decision on my Startup Institute application. I first mentioned I was applying in March and now I'm in the last rounds. There was a Google Hangout with one of the founders, Aaron O' Hearn, on Friday. I like Google Hangouts a lot and find them really convenient to host meetings or just to "hangout" online. Aaron's insight and feedback was just what I needed to understand the program a bit more while meeting my potential colleagues. I'm nervous but ready no matter what the decision. 

My photoshop class ends this week as well. Sad face. I had no idea how complex Photoshop is but am thankful that I can at least navigate my way. I don't have Photoshop on my laptop or desktop but Adobe Creative Cloud is apparently the way to go for professionals. My instructor recommended Sumopaint, which has been fun to use. My design skills and knowledge will only get better and better. 

Before I end this post, I have to offer some of my mother's advice to the world. 

1. Family is the most important thing.
2. When you wash the dishes, clean the entire sink and the stovetop.
3. Take care of your health. <--- This is really important, as my mom is a nurse and attests to a good diet, exercise and sleep. 

Cheers to motherly advice - past, present, future.

- IJ

Want more of Lucky IJ? Check me out on Pinterest and Twitter.  

Thursday Thoughts: New York State of Mind

Two weeks ago, I was in New York City to attend NYTech Day. The weather was mild but thankfully the sunshine was aplenty, making my walk from Columbus Circle to the Hudson River bearable. My trip was brief, nevertheless it was a good experience being in a space trolling with startups and entrepreneurs. Though I would have liked to have seen more diversity within the startups and attendees, there were hundreds upon hundreds of startups showcased which was a thrill for me. 

Prior to my trip in April, the last time I was in NYC was for my first blogging conference, BlogHer. I wrote about that experience and continue to think about that random inclination to buy a ticket for Pathfinder day. I was lucky that I had a group of friendly, supportive women. I still keep in touch with Anne of Peach Prenni too.

I guess, New York City is just one of the places. It's almost like a slightly addictive drug, but one that your doctor feels comfortable prescribing. It's truly a city that never sleeps, where every living soul has a dream, passion, hope, wish. I try to travel to NYC a few times a year just to get a jolt, or rather an injection of zest from the "concrete jungle" as Alicia Keys croon.

I will venture back to the Empire State for Brand Camp University. By happenstance, or luck, I saw a tweet about it and thought I need to step up my branding game. That, and I think camps are fun. I will be staying overnight catching up with friends and capturing as many photos as possible. This time, I will be ready.

In keeping with a the New York State of Mind theme, Jody of New York Notebook, will be my first guest blogger for next week's Thursday's Thoughts. She has a fun blog and a bunch of suggestions for enjoying the city on a budget.  Who knows, maybe we can move our Twitter conversations to IRL (in real life) conversations. Thanks Jody!

Jody's banner for her blog, New York Notebook.
Source: newyorknotebook.net

I love the banner that she uses for blog. NYC here I come... again.


- IJ


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Friday Faves List

It's been awhile since I penned a list of my favorite things. This list is a bit overdue but better late than never. No pomp and circumstance, let's get to it.

So.. the last few days and weeks have utterly crazy. Aside from the $100 parking ticket I got when I traveled to New York recently, it's all been very positive. I have met amazing women entrepreneurs and leaders from all walks of life. Their stories have been enriching and motivating. Here is snippet of recent adventures in no particular order.

• The week I returned from the Midwest was jam packed but one event sticks out so clearly to me. Thanks to Kezia of Capital Cause, I was able to attend a private event for African-American women at a well-known executive building... that happens to the opposite of black... and has a lot of security... it's in the District of Columbia... you get the idea. I honestly cannot remember the last time I was in a room with beautiful, educated, fashionable black women. It was like a room full of Olivia Popes! I got to hear really unique stories about women who support the President and First Lady in very stressful, demanding and high-profile positions. All ages were represented and it was a glorious sight to see older women get emotional about their professional careers and the struggles they faced as women of color. I have their calls for progress and passion to pay it forward etched in my brain. Shout out to Jilliene and Larcus! They were brave and sat in the front row with me. Pleasure to meet such driven young women. 

Jilliene, Larcus and yours truly. 

 

 

 

• The panel event I dreamed up is coming along slowly but surely. I've confirmed four panelists and a date, May 22nd at my alma mater, George Mason University. At first it was an idea in my head and now it's an event that is less than three weeks away!
• I've been interested in public relations for awhile now and my internship has helped me learn a thing or two. I finally wrote my first press release and it was approved with flying colors. Yes!
• Earlier this week, I met up with Amaka who is working on a crowdfunding startup to support women entrepreneurs. We are working together and it's been going well thus far. Her energy is so big and electric. Go Amaka! 
• I blogged about my writeup for the Blogatech summit on Monday and since then, it was retweeted a couple of times by some of my faves, Ananda Leeke and @digundiv! Even better news... I am of one of three featured bloggers for BeBlogalicious. Look out for my post later this month.

I could go on. No really, I could. There's so much more. And I have the pictures to prove it! I'm doing a better job of taking my camera and not only uploading photos but editing and creating videos too. The possibilities for content creation and development are endless at this point.

This list is just a snippet of some of my favorite experiences in the last few weeks. I feel lucky that I can share these moments. Happy Friday!

- IJ



Want more of Lucky IJ? Check me out on Pinterest and Twitter.  

Make it Happen Monday: Work It. Write It.

It's happening....

The rhythm of writing. The ideas flowing smoothly, succinctly. I remember this feeling right around Thanskgiving. I was bubbling with joy. And then I had a slight bump and eventually took a break in preparation for a new blog design that never happened. (Note: Don't work with lame designers). I also had a death in my extended family at the end of 2012 which certainly did not produce a level of creativity and happiness that I strive for in my writing style.

In the past week alone, writing, content creation and development, and pure brainstorming have taken over my life - and I LOVE it. I am not sure how it all happened but I know a Gchat conversation with Cristina Roman (@cmroman) surely had my juices flowing. We had first connected when I emailed her after reading a post she wrote for Levo League. She was thorough in her response to my inquiry and even offered to link back to my blog, which at the time was just itty bitty thing. Fast forward to a few days ago, I pitched an idea about a career-related post for her blog and readers. She enthusiastically gave her approval and now I'm off to the races to write my first guest post for another blogger Thanks Cristina!

Wait, there's more.

I recently wrote a review of BeBlogalicious Blogatech summit because it was that good of a networking/mini-conference. That blog post, which I tweeted to @beblogalicious, led to a guest spot on their website's blog! Check it out here.

Thanks Stacey for the opportunity. I had fun writing it.

So yes, this Monday has been a good one. A lot of writing, drafting, editing and connecting. Onward!

- IJ

Tuesday Tweets: Blogatech Recap

I had the utmost pleasure of spending a full day at the BeBlogalicious summit, Blogatech, at the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center (@MicrosoftIPC) in D.C. last week. I finally had the chance to meet face-to-face with women I follow on Twitter including the founder of BeBlogalicious, Stacy Ferguson (@justicefergie), Christine Celise (@christinecelise) of DiversiTech and Ananda Leeke (@anandaleeke) of Digital Sisterhood. These beautiful, intelligent women had great energy and were so supportive! Aside from the attendees, there were great speakers espousing tips and other gems about social media, blogging, consumer research, building an online platform and much more. Here are some tweets to give you a snapshot of the lessons and insights from the 2013 Blogatech summit

#Blogatech agenda

Uhhhh... @profallirich just asked us to trade cell phones with our neighbor. Hard to part with our tech. #BlogaTECH

— Blogalicious (@beblogalicious) April 18, 2013

• I think everyone freaked out when we this exercise was announced. It was interesting to see the reactions of relinquishing your phone, which turned out to be more personal than would guess.

When starting a biz begin by taking inventory of ur friends' skillset to access necessary rsvs to help you launch.@blerdology#Blogatech

— DiversiTech (@IamDtech) April 18, 2013

• Solid advice if you are thinking of launching your own product or venture. Reach out to your personal networks first and go from there. Maximize without spending money!

@geturbizmobile Thank you! I really enjoyed #BlogaTech. I always get inspired and meet great people @beblogalicious events!

— Julie Diaz-Asper (@JulieDiazAsper) April 19, 2013

• Julie's presentation was really funny. Her first point was, "Don't be boring" when using social media. Enough said.

So much useful knowledge. I look forward to more Blogalicious events and engaging conversations and continued support from the women I met. Cheers!

- IJ

P.S. Super excited that I got to meet the women behind Blerdology, kat calvin and Amanda Spann! #blerd

Twitter & Tragedy: How Social Media Spreads News

Twitter and tragedy in the same sentence? It seems a bit peculiar but there I was, glued to my timeline as reports, some true and false, flooded my feed. Twitterverse was a flurry of news of varying sorts and credibility. Aside from trying to decipher what actually happened, as it was happening nonetheless, I was surprised at the swiftness of first person accounts and new stories.

As a race steeped in history and tradition, the Boston Marathon attracts over 10,000 runners from the across the world. Naturally this type of sporting event would be featured in the news as runners race for personal, professional and charitable reasons. Outside of the news anchors on hand at the finish line, there were countless spectators with their own devices capturing their teams and loved ones as they push through that last mile.

Unspeakable events took place in the heart of Beantown yesterday and there literally were digital cameras, phones and other gadgets to capture everything in real-time. It was almost as if another race was taking place. News outlets wanted their pictures, videos, interviews and whatever other inside scoops and angles featured first. A bit of a mad dash to say the least.

 I was not at a television but the speed in which tweets, with hashtags like #prayforboston, dominated the Twitterverse was amazing. The content was raw, real and utterly fascinating. It was riveting to virtually witness chaos while also being a part of a community of support. Soon, #prayforboston and #bostonmarathon were trending (and would remain so for many hours afterward).

Some of the heroic stories of spectators and first-responders are amazing. Thankfully, we have social media to be another window to the good that was shown amidst an evil attack. The fact that some runners continued to run to hospitals to donate blood is truly beautiful. It's more powerful than the evil attack itself.

Some memorable and heartbreaking tweets from yesterday...

This....is heart breaking. He was going to propose at the finish line. #prayforboston #BostonMarathon twitter.com/YourGentIeman/…
— Gentleman's Handbook (@YourGentIeman) April 16, 2013

We must all remember that the good, the brave, and the honorable will always outnumber the evil in this world. #PrayforBoston #BeBrave
— Mahatma Gandhi (@MahatmaGhandi) April 16, 2013

"Look for the helpers. You'll always find people who are helping." -- Fred Rogers, on what to do when scary things are on the news #boston
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 15, 2013

This particular tweet was retweeted over 8,000 times! Speaks volumes.

Tragic events are just that - tragic. The beauty, even in tragedy, is that all walks of life can unite and help one another, online and offline. We are one. We are Boston.

If you would like to help those who were hurt or to offer tips to law enforcement, please click here.

Sunday Roundup, Heads Up: Spring Cleaning

I am quite impressed without the amount of work I've done on this fine Sunday. I was up before eight this morning and charged ahead with some spring cleaning that I started yesterday. Aside from exercising and joining a Google Hangout for morning meeting,  I decluttered my closet, sorted clothes to donate to a women's support group and attempted to clear out my inbox. Spring cleaning isn't just offline anymore. My inbox is getting fatter by the minute and it's time for a serious trim.

I like to do a lot of follow ups and check ins with people via email but with all the contacts I've made recently, it's difficult to keep track of everyone and everything. Though I have an Contactually account, I do not use it as often as I should, nor to the best of its ability.

Change is gonna come. 

I actually get enough reminders from Contactually (@Contactually) to utilize their application to better manage my contacts and emails. Since it is synced with my email account, the process is quite seamless. Basically, if you are the type that likes to keep in contact with folks you met at a networking or a former colleagues, then consider using (and maximizing) Contactually. It's also a good tool for small business owners. It's a free service, though you can upgrade. I really like the bucket feature, which allows you to categorize your contacts. If you use Contactually, let me what you think of it!

So, what's the heads up this week? Well, it's hard to imagine that April is already halfsies but I am looking forward to my Photoshop class. It's about time I took a design class! There's a Blogalicious Tech Summit in D.C., that I should probably sign up for less I forget. I have a list of writing assignments that I am ready to dive into including working with Blacks Gone Geek. More on that in a few weeks.

But before I get ahead of myself, I must share that three weeks ago to the day, I was in the Midwest in the midst of a snowstorm; and now I'm basking in the spring sunshine and marveling at nature's beautiful blossoms. Even though the next few weeks will be hectic, it's nice to reflect on the little things; if only for a moment. Check out my lazy, cherry-blossom-free Sunday photos while I was in Kansas City a short time ago. Time flies!

A snowy Sunday in KC

w/ luck,


Ijeoma

Thursday Thoughts

My attempt at thinking of a fun, alliterative theme for a Thursday post resulted in a rather bland, "Thursday Thoughts". Go figure.

Though the outcome was less-than-desired, I will work with what I have because perfectionism is pointless. Besides, I need to get back to writing. So many adventures, so little posting. Earlier today, I read a quote on another blog that resonated quite well: "Creativity takes courage". I have to agree with Mr. (Henry) Matisse but I would argue that sharing your creativity takes even more courage.

Sharing ultimately leads to a sense of vulnerability, a fear, a decision to be open without knowing the outcome of your openness. Denial is real and to be expected. What I found to be amazing by sharing your interests, dreams, passions with others is connecting with like-minded people. Think Seth Godin and the "find your tribe" motif. The more I share, the more I receive in support, feedback and hope. Hope that I'm not crazy for wanting to push myself and other women. In fact, based on the recent comments and words of encouragement from friends, I think I need to push harder and further.

Thursday Thoughts may just be my musings of the day, of the moment. Regardless if one decides to share, one sentiment rings true. You. Must. Create. 

Source: entermyattic.blogspot.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Everywhere a Tweet Tweet

I must admit - I like Twitter. I was a holdout for quite a few years but to be fair, when Twitter launched I was more concerned with graduation and being gainfully employed than worrying about a little cornflower blue bird.

Since I joined Twitter almost seven months ago, I've amassed over 1,800 tweets and 300 followers. I also follow almost 700 people or companies. I am a proponent for maximizing social media to benefit your personal, professional or company brand. Last week, I was spending time on my Pinterest account and found this thorough and colorful infographic about tweeting. 

Infographics are very unique in that you can graphically and creatively present a lot of information. This particular infographic focses on Twitter and how you can leverage it accordingly.

Happy Tweeting and don't forget to connect with me @Lucky_IJ. 

Source: entrepreneur.com via Entrepreneur on Pinterest

Make IT Happen Monday: Public Relations Opp

I am happy to say, I spent my birthday weekend eating, sleeping and shopping. I did complete my previous goal of successfully going to bed three days in a row, before midnight. Best sleep ever!

My respite and birthday awesomeness came to an end last Tuesday morning. I boarded a direct flight to DCA at 6 a.m. and went straight to my internship and then a three-hour analytics class. Bru-tal! I only nodded off a little bit and decided against leaving class during intermission, which was a good decision. The second half of class was devoted to questions, mostly an open forum and I really learned a lot from that type of structure. I cannot wait to apply my knowledge to the digital strategy I'm building for my social media and web marketing internship.

As much as I am enjoying my internship in D.C., I actually have another one that keeps me busy. For the past few months, I was on the fervent and diligent hunt for an internship with a PR agency or firm. I did not have a particular focus though I do love startups and fashion. I applied, and applied and even tried to use my LinkedIn connections but no luck; that is until I started actively using Twitter. I stumbled upon a PR chat discussion, #prcafe, hosted and founded by @IdealPublicity. I've participated in a couple of different chats and everyone is supportive and insightful. There are really good questions and tips about being a publicist, working with clients, event planning, securing placements, etc. Everything and anything. Thanks to this chat, my interest and knowledge in PR has grown exponentially.

When I saw this tweet in late January, I went straight to my Gmail to begin composing a compelling, snazzy pitch. The subject of my email: "Remote Intern Ready to Dive into PR". Lol, it worked!

We are currently looking for 7 remote interns. Please email your resume to contact@goodgirlpr.com. #pr #prpro #publicrelations
— GoodGirlPR (@GoodGirlPR) January 31, 2013

About six weeks later (the agony), I got a positive response. As of early March, I've been virtually interning with GoodGirlPR and I love it! The research is not glamorous but certainly a good learning opportunity. Plus, getting tips from a boss lady like Nickie, company founder and owner, has been really great.

Sometimes opportunities come out of nowhere and can take time, but when everything aligns, it's a really good feeling. I literally dove at the chance (hence my email subject line) and it's paying off. Happy face.

And that's the latest edition of Make It Happen Monday.

luckily yours,

IJ

--
P.S. Still working on a blog design, meh.

Want more of Lucky IJ? Check me out on Pinterest and Twitter. 

Celebrate Good Times

It's My Birthday!

Source: www.teamskelley.com

That is all.

Want more of Lucky IJ? Check me out on Pinterest and Twitter. 

Make it Happen Monday: Consecutiveness Times Two

The goal for the week is have at least three consecutive blog posts and get to bed before midnight at least three nights this week. Remember, that time when I set a blog posting goal. It seems so long ago! Now that I have more of an idea of what I want to write and communicate, the ideas are coming. The actually posting... well, still working on that part, lol.

In order to truly accomplish this goal writing it down will help make it happen. Last week was really busy with a lot of positive developments. Ideally, I would have posted my thoughts and shared my experiences but time escaped me. I am going to do a better job at posting, just like the good 'ol days.

Here is how this week's posts will transpire (more or less)...

Tuesday: A collection of some of my favorite tweets over the past week or so. Look out for Tuesday Tweets!

Wednesday: I follow a couple of fashion blogs and I am impressed with the time and detail these bloggers put into their style and their blog posts. I love fashion but I could never maintain a personal fashion blog. The best I can do is have a weekly post of an article of clothing or an accessory that I admire. Look out for Wednesday Wear!

Thursday: Not sure yet about Thursday.

Friday: My favorite day to post! As I've mentioned so many times before, I like lists. I'm not sure what Friday's faves list will be just yet but I promise it will be good.

I was feeling a little under the weather, both literally and figuratively. I wish I had enough energy to write this post earlier, but better late than never. Midnight is approaching! Time to sleep.

Happy Monday!

Make IT Happen Monday: Application Time

A few months ago, I a met young woman interested in entrepreneurship and startups at a pitch competition at Georgetown University. In a serendipitous way, we met via Twitter while tweeting at this event. Score for hashtags.

What is great about our encounter is that she ended up being the first women of color running her own startup that I've met. I was impressed with her idea - layway plans for plane tickets. Since we've met she has been making it happen, including winning a hackathon in Atlanta at the end of 2012. Ama is the founder of Airfordable and is charging ahead. I'm really excited for her. Yay Ama!

Thanks to Ama, I learned one of her friends got accepted to a startup program in Boston. I was on Twitter and reading different tweets and came across their conversation. I was immediately intrigued about this intensive incubator-esque opportunity in a very techie city like Boston, Massachusetts. The program is now called StartupInstitute and has an additional site in New York City.

Every few months,  StartupInstitute reviews applications from college graduates and young professionals from all over the world. Their mission is to equip candidates with skills such as business development and product design to immediately impact a startup. I love the concept of the program and I have officially decided to apply. Lol, I haven't even told my family or friends so if I happen to get selected, then I will need to conjure up an epic story to weasel my way to Beantown.

I don't have a tech background but I won't let that deter me. My passion, imagination and work ethic are major bonus points. I really want to build the ideas I see in my head. Besides, if I want to meet like-minded folks, I have to go where they are, right? I know there are numerous startups and top-notch schools to surround myself. Moreover, if I want to see more diversity, I must choose to be part of the solution.

If I get accepted, that would be an amazing way to celebrate my upcoming birthday. It doesn't hurt to try, better yet, it doesn't hurt to try to make IT happen.

Happy Monday!

Friday Faves

Happy International Women's Day. Though in my last post, I mentioned that I would highlight a few of my favorite posts I think I'll save the vanity for another day. To celebrate International Women's Day (March 8th), here are a few of my favorite online resources for young women like yours truly.

1. The Everygirl - I discovered this site after Forbes.com listed it in not one, but two of their lists for 2012. It's a casual and carefree with topics ranging from jobs/internships, fashion and wellness. My favorite part of the site are the features. It's great to read about women who have really taken their professional lives into their own hands.

2. Learnvest - This financial-savvy site is targeted to women to ensure that women take control and understand their finances. Their motto, "where life gets richer" is clever and I'm finally going to sign up this year. There is a lot of great information as well as personal stories about women how have saved, invested and eliminated debt.

3. Levo League - I am a big fan of Caroline and Amanda for developing a professional site for young women. There is a ton of career advice, including office hours from women across a variety of industries. I really like the look-and-feel of the new design for 2013. The site continues to grow which is exciting to see.

These are just a few of my favorites sites that target young women. Though I would like to see more diversity, I think these resources have helped me (and so many others) in different areas of my life. Kudos to their founders! 

I will leave you with a particularly appropriate quote from the one and only, Madeline Albright -

"There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."

Belatedness

I thought today marked my six month blogging anniversary. Well, I was wrong, which is kind of funny because yesterday was a snow day. Some areas of the Washington metropolitan region got zilch while others got as much as a foot of snow. The mid-Atlantic is peculiar, fickle perhaps, in terms of climate.

The bright star was out shining so the white stuff melted away rather quickly. Speaking of quickly, six months sure has escaped me. The best of times, the worst of times. In honor of my six months, aka my blog's half birthday, tomorrow's faves list will be a collection of my favorite posts. That idea just came to me, so I need to spend tonight re-reading my posts. Fun times.

Oh, and for a little inspiration I will leave you with this poster that hangs in my friend's office. Look closely... at the bottom. The Swahili words translate to read "I am an entrepreneur".

 Here's to another six months! Let's hope I'm not a day late next time.

Make IT Happen Monday: Levo League Style

The first edition of Make IT Happen Mondays is coming a little late but better late than ever. Let's dive right in.

I attended a Local Levo event about two, maybe three weeks ago, on the campus of GWU. With February being such a quick, four weeks I am still adjusting to the beginnings of the month of March. At said event, there was a panel of women discussing their careers, business ventures, blogging, etc. It was very well attended and I felt really good afterwards; I even chatted with a few of the speakers, organizers and attendees for almost an hour.

As I walked back to the Metro station, I thought about the energy in the room. It was a comfortable, safe space for young women to ask questions about real-world situations. Crazy bosses. Entrepreneurship. Personal branding. Femininity in business. Networking. There were a lot of thought-provoking questions that created a healthy dialogue.

I wanted to create or perhaps re-create a similar scenario. The only place that came to mind was my alma mater, George Mason University, which has a very diverse student population. By the time I got home, I had panelists in mind, a theme, a location. The following day, I bounced the idea with a college friend. She gave me the feedback and support that I needed - thanks Amy!

Fast forward two weeks. I've been in contact with my alumni office to host a panel of female graduates to discuss life after college for female undergraduate students. There are many issues including the pay gap and family planning that are important for women to really consider prior to graduating. I am hoping that this panel is an opportunity for students to consider these issues and their circumstances in our post-recession world. I am waiting to hear back regarding some of the details and logistics for the event, which will tentatively take place in April. Fingers crossed!

And that's how I am making "IT" happen.

If you have a story to share, let me know so I can feature you in a future Make it Happen Monday post. 

--


Oh and Happy Women's History Month. Fun Important fact to share - On this day in 1917, Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first female member of the U.S. House of Representatives. #progress. HuffPostWomen will be tweeting facts in honor of Women's History Month, so check them out for more information.

Refreshed

First and foremost, kudos to The Onion for apologizing.

Secondly, I am excited about getting back to writing. It is long overdue. The new blog design is not happening - at least not yet. I am not actively searching for another designer. In fact, I am taking steps to learn how to code. I got some inspiration and motivation from sites like Skillcrush and groups like Rails Girls (via meetup.com). For now, getting back to a regular, blogging schedule will have to do.

At the moment, I have bookend ideas for the week. Way back when, I started sharing lists of my favorite things that I find online. To help me keep track of everything and to offer great websites and information for everyone, "Friday Favorites" will be a regular feature. I already have a list for this week. Stay tuned!

I love a good theme; so, for Mondays I thought how best to begin the week on a positive and productive note. Therefore, Mondays will be "Make it Happen/Made it Happen Monday". This particular idea actually grew out of conversation from a Local Levo (#LocalLevo) in DC. A young woman in my small group needed some advice about asking for a raise. I was happy to help because I have been in that situtation. It can certainly feel like a gray area but with confidence, evidence and professionalism anyone, especially women, can ask for what they deserve. Thanks Alex for wanting to get assistance in taking an important step in your career.

The last three weeks have truly taught me to value yourself and listen to your intution. There is no point in putting yourself in a space that is not supportive, creative and dynamic. I expect and will work towards creating that space with this blog.

With that said, this blog will continue to be under construction but in a good way :)

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Rotten Onion

I cannot believe I am writing this post but blame The Onion. It's 1:00 in the morning (East coast time) and I should be sleeping.

Yes, I did stay up to watch the Oscars, just like so many others. And yes, I followed along on Twitter with the hashtags #oscars and #oscars2013.

As soon as Ben and company won for Argo (spoiler!), I shut down my laptop and headed for bed. After brushing my teeth, I decided to take turn my laptop back on one more time. I was curious to see if there was any more action on Twitter.

Lo and behold! I saw a ludicrous tweet about Quvenzhane Wallis, the nine year old girl who was nominated for an Oscar. She didn't win but apparently The Onion (@theonion) called her the "c-word".

YES, THAT C-WORD!!!

I wish I was telling a fib but am not, sadly. I don't want to repeat the actual quote because it was "vile" as one person mentioned on Twitter.

And now, everything and everyone is hitting the fan! A campaign to #unfollowtheonion has begun.

It took The Onion almost an hour to delete the ill-advised tweet. Seriously, almost sixty minutes and countless retweets later, someone removed the post. Fail.

Leave little, beautiful children alone. More importantly, why does The Onion feel the need to use the c-word when referring to a nine-year old girl??? Why?

This is only the beginning. It's going to be a long week for The Onion.

Do everyone a favor - apologize.

Now Writing

Hello world,

I meant to post at least once or twice last week but clearly neither post made it. It's a new week though and I have a little unveiling to do - finally. I will be hard at work tomorrow and Wednesday. If I cross my list and check it twice, I will reveal my new look on Valentine's Day.

Oh, how sweet that will be... if everything goes according to plan. Let the countdown begin. Hugs.