Lessons Learned from RVA’s The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond & the Shots Fired by the Public

Let’s start with this: No group of people can represent you unless you let them. That’s real!

When I initially introduced my perspective on this project last month, it was with due diligence that I asked you all to give it a chance. Because often times, most of us are always pre-judged and stereotyped one way or another, before we’ve ever had a chance to convey our message. I felt empathy for the women of The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond, because despite being from a certain kind of area and having children outside of marriage, they described their intentions as being purely positive. With a heavy heart, I heard and saw all of the feedback on social media, which suggested that some of you still felt “some type of way”. Apparently, these ladies sold a positive quality program that would not only “Put Richmond” on the map, but also tell the story of Real single parent mothers in the city… however fell short of accomplishing this goal their first go-around on public access television.

Waiting patiently for some reaction from the cast and crew… there was dead air. I grew lethargic waiting for the show and its creator to speak up, after she blatantly posted that her television program CD recording skipped. Even now as I write this, there still has not been any comments or response from the cast, which may even indicate that they themselves may have jumped shipped and abandoned the ratchet titanic before publicly sinking and being chalked up as the negative aspect of RVA. (*Note: Since editing, the Producer left a comment here) I really wanted great things to happen with this project, and I hoped that they would have proved most people wrong… However, what is not meant for us, is not meant for us.

I recently sat on air with Kiara Lee and Zenobia Bey this past weekend, for the new Kiara Lee Show (airing this July). We discussed black women images on television. I refused to throw these people under the bus, but it’s apparent that positive intentions and actually hitting their target were foreign concepts as of last night. These black women do not represent me or any of the black women I associate with, but they do have a testimony. However, having an actual plan on how to convey that testimony, that is another story. In today’s media, we don’t need one more reason to defend our race or culture, because of shows like this. (Below are screenshots of comments, criticisms, and opinions that either made me laugh [because I'm human] or concerned me about how we are being viewed in the public eye, Either way these people are entitled to their opinions and it’s  not a personal shot against any particular person or group)

The Trailer That Surfaced After Our Interview:

After the initial interview, I was a little taken aback because I thought this was meant to be a preview of what we can expect. I was concerned because of this.

Let’s be clear:

Age, Weight, Race, or Income does not matter at all… so all criticism regarding that is irrelevant.

People are just not willing to allow certain entities to represent them, and that’s cool. The biggest lesson from this for all of RVA and the world:

A Closed Mouth Won’t Get Fed: Be the Example You Want To See

I’m not a single parent, but many of my friends and family are. I know how they feel about these ladies representing them as Richmond “Baby Mamas”, however they don’t allow them to speak for their personal lives and circumstances. They post pictures, they are out there in the community, they network, they’re handling business and connecting with individuals that can see firsthand what a single mother in Richmond is capable of looking like and behaving. If these women can have a platform, any woman can. Don’t just scream your distaste, create the example you want to see. From here on out, there should be as least three new shows coming soon that counteract the TRBMOR show. Get to work!

Who Are You?

How do you not spend the first episode giving us a back story about the main characters of the show? Every reality show I’ve ever watched, introduces you to the cast in episode 1. I don’t understand, why this show just assumed everyone knew all the characters and we’ll just all fall in love at first sight. That is all.

Sometimes Your Dreams get Bigger than You

I’m under the belief that the producers of the show really didn’t factor in how extremely big this idea could get until it was too late. I don’t think they had a clue at the gem they had, and dropped the ball on making a real difference in Richmond. When we end up on MediaTakeout.com, I’m like… WTF! RVA should start bangin’ with all types of creativity at this point. Momentum people!

You Should Want To Do Better…. Like Right Now!

After this program, it was clear that we should be more ambitious than ever to change whatever the current circumstances are in a hood near you. I personally felt that despite what they were trying to do, we should look at this as a blueprint on what needs to be rectified for women and families in situations such as these.

No Pass… Go: Stop Comparing Yourself to Other People

There are people who don’t like the Honey Boo Boo show. There were thousands of people who petitioned against Love and Hip Hop and Basketball Wives. I will not give a pass to a certain project because there are other shows that exist. If you aren’t going to bring something of quality and motivation to my demographic, than you are just taking up space online. Show us something we can learn from, regardless of who is doing what. You may get money down the run, but what is the price of gold, if you lost your integrity and sold your soul?

More Money Can’t Go Into Your Outfit than the Quality of Your Work

The Camera, the Camera, the Camera!!! This was all I heard last night. The camera quality was poor and the footage was not up to television standards. However they had photo shoots, after photo shoots and these ladies, in their own way… dressed up and showed out with outfits, hair, and shoes. If more time was spent on the content of the show, and not the marketing photographs, the public would have probably been able to focus on the message of this reality series.

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong

I think I was more embarrassed by the diversity of the hate and the comments about being ashamed to be from RVA. Considering I’m not a native myself, I felt that these women had an opportunity to really put a light in a dark places and make it shine for all those closest to them. Without trepidations, I say they dropped the ball. Forget the T-shirts, and the club parties, and the constant footage of you holding your hips. They could have really erased some local stereotypes about black women, and due to poor execution failed. It’s not over though, a great thing to do would be to respond to the public and your supporters… because although misguided at times, many of them are looking to you to set the example, otherwise… why have a platform at all. Keep on trucking and don’t stop, never give up.

Stereotypes and Assumptions Will Always Be There, Now What?

You may not be ghetto, hood, ratchet, or trifling’, but because of your address, how you wear your hair and how you communicate, people will always find a way to throw you into a box. Your job isn’t to lash out and go off on anyone who disagrees with you. Your purpose is to be the best person you can be and do what makes you happy. Educating yourself and learning about the world outside of your project community can do wonders for your life. Because of this program and many like this, black women are being viewed in ways that make me uncomfortable. It’s a crying shame the way we’re treated, and if many more women would use their platforms to solidify an image of excellence and positivity, then you wouldn’t catch young people sighing in disgrace, wishing they weren’t black and from a certain city.

Poor and/or Rich, Be Yourself

It doesn’t matter what your tax bracket is, if you are rough around the edges… you can still conquer. Don’t allow yourself to be limited because of who you are and where you’re from. Make your dreams come true despite the obstacles that come your way.

When You Put Yourself on Front Street, You Are Not Exempt From Public Embarrassment (Get Thick Skin)

The biggest hilarity of the evening, was after NB12 covered the story  and opened the door up for many more people in the community to learn about the ladies of TRBMOR, Everyone’s favorite News anchor Curt Autry threw a slice of shade of his own. I love the news! Although, the “Baby Momma” in question wasn’t the one coming off the bus (also known as “Rich B***h), he pointed out the contradiction and made us all laugh.

Everyone Has to Start Somewhere

Aside from the footage and the first premiere of the show, realize that these women have to start somewhere. If you have $1.00 and a dream, don’t let your bank account keep you from your purpose. Start now, but watch for progress and growth in your journey because we all need that to reach our fullest potential. Nevertheless, do your research and educate yourself on the best way to make that dream flourish, don’t ever step into your purpose half-ass.

Overall, I’m not impressed, I’m devastated, and quite frankly… disappointed. You get points for effort, which is more than we can say about many. This is not a reflection of all black women, all single parent mothers, nor everyone that happens to live in the hood or low income community. However, who are we to take someone’s dreams away. Let them live. They got us good. No experience and they attracted more attention than many of us could have ever imagined. You can hate all you want, but if you tuned in… You gave them ratings. So if you don’t agree with them, just don’t tune in… or create something of your own.

It is my hope that these events are making us reevaluate how we carry ourselves in public, online, and throughout social media. I also would like people to provide some constructive feedback on how they can improve and truly make a difference. If you don’t like what you saw, create something that you would like to see. Anyone can do it obviously, so let’s all get to work. Nevertheless, if you have a project or brand you want to put out to the public, ensure that your messages aren’t being thwarted by miniscule details that a little research and knowledge could avoid. We all start somewhere, the difference is.. how many of us haven’t even started at all.

For more of the Baddest Creative Motivation, follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva

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GaptoothDiva Featured Style: Theresa Powell from Brooklyn, New York

Every Week GaptoothDiva.com wants to feature beautiful, stylish, and marvelous people with awesome personalities. It’s our pleasure to highlight our supporters and just how incredibly unique they are. Check out the following individual and connect with them online. We’re building a community of like-minded people who want to celebrate distinctiveness and diversity. We are the Baddest Creative Motivation!

Today’s awesome style and personality belong to:

Theresa Powell

Theresa Powell has been modeling since the beginning of the year. Modeling has always been her dream, and now she is in a great time in her life to go after her dreams. Since she has been modeling, things have really taken off for her. She has walked in both New York Fashion Week and Brooklyn Fashion week. In March she was on the front cover of “Very Full Figured” Magazine which according to her, was an awesome experience and has been recently signed to True Model Management.

“I like to consider myself a “Glamazon” a beautiful, thick, tall, voluptuous woman who is confident and is proud to show the world that big is definitely sexy. I like to categorize my personal style as “Bold n Rethickulous”. Because my style is what you will see a slimmer girl would wear and what most curvy women will be hesitant to wear.”

Theresa admits to having an obsession with shoes, like every other woman in the world. She says, “I love shoes, shoes, shoes, the taller the heel the better. While standing 5’9, already once I put on my heels, I don’t ask for the attention I naturally demand it.” Theresa’s wardrobe consist of Body Suits, fitted Jean, skirts, dresses, business attire and other clothing that maintains my personal style. She says she still keeps it classy and tasteful. Theresa says, “I look forward to the future, because with my determination and persistence, I’m determine to take my Career as a Full Figured model to a higher level. I would like to thank The Most High, first and foremost, for giving me the drive and the confidence to chase my dreams.”

We absolutely love your confidence and ambition dollface, Keep it up. Very inspiring!

Check out Theresa in action:

Support Theresa via her Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Theresa-Powell/154408228046211

To be featured Submit your information to GaptoothDiva@hotmail.com. Men & Women encouraged to apply. Submit your pics, a brief bio describing your style, and your online profile links and we will share your info with our community. All ages and demographics accepted, Style is unique and we love it!

Follow me on Twitter/Instagrma @GaptoothDiva

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Artistic Motivation: RVA’s Julian Greene Does Marvelous Things w/ A Canvass & Our Heritage

To say I love his paintings is a severe understatement. The man creates pieces that exaggerate and reflect how I view our culture and the people in it. I love it. It takes me to a place that instantly reminds me of growing up in Queens, New York, a time that spoke volumes to me without rhyme or reason. The energy put into his work captivated my attention, and I knew that this interview was long overdue. I’ve known Julian Greene through various social engagements, but for so long I wanted to pick his brain and learn how an artist of his caliber is inspired and motivated. Blessings came down when he agreed to discuss his journey, and today… I give you the talented and prolific Julian Greene from Petersburg Virginia.  

I asked Julian when did he initially get into art, painting, etc. and how did it affect his life since then? He replied, “As the only child, I have always had the ability to utilize my imagination and create a world that would provide my own personal escapism. In doing this, I would create figures on paper and would develop my interpretation of life through the eyes of an observant child.” 

So, who or what influences Julian the most when it comes to his work? Julian explained, “My main influences now are everyday life and circumstances. I am able to draw from my moods, observations and interactions when creating various pieces. For instance, being a barber/artist allows me the opportunity to interact with many people on a personal level. Getting feedback and perspective through conversation often times spark visuals that influence many of my artistic compositions.” 

“There are quite a few artists whose work I admire. I’ll sum it up to say that I respect any artist that is capable of staying true to themselves and their audience. Any artist that can create and maintain a level of integrity in their work without compromise is worth celebrating.” 

As an artist, people provide a lot of criticism and critique. What are some of the negative and positive feedback Julian has received in his experience? And how did he handle it? Julian explains dealing with negative criticism first, “ I honestly haven’t openly received any negative critiques in reference to my art. If there are any negative energies concerning my art, it hasn’t been brought to my immediate attention.” 

However, he is aware of the positivity related to his work, “People normally embrace my art and encourage me to do more. I recently have been asked on several occasions to begin looking at ways to introduce art to the youth of my hometown Petersburg, VA. There has been a desire to fill the need to bring artistic creative expression to the area because the youth typically aren’t exposed to such undertakings that they can relate to.”

Having Julian provide his expertise and knowledge to our younger generation regarding art, would be an awesome endeavor. I definitely look forward to seeing how that progresses and possibly taking part with my children as well. As talented as he is, it would certainly be a necessity in our community to have him educate and mold young minds to tap into their creativity.  

I asked Julian, Is there one impactful message for all of his pieces or does each art piece represent various messages independently? What is and/or are those messages?

Julian answers, “One main consistency that I use when drawing human figures is the focus on the mouth area. I believe that African American heritage offers such a strong story that must be told. So in essence, whether one of my pieces depicts a barber scene or a scene that focuses on adolescence, etc. they each have a profound message to share with the audience. In reality, any time you listen to a conversation of people of color, there is a strong sense of emotion whether joyful or full of sorrow. In essence, I believe that as an artist it is my obligation to capture that through my images.” I love it! In a recent conversation with Julian at a previous showcase of Artisan Café, we discussed the consistent depiction of the full lips, an aspect that I particularly love about his work. 

So what is Julian’s favorite part about being an artist? “My favorite part of being an artist is the fact of knowing that I’ve been given a gift to communicate with my soul. Creativity stems from the soul. No matter how complex or simplistic the message, when an artist can bear his spirit in his work, the feeling is priceless. People often times look at the price of an artist’s work and determine its worth. However, that artist is considering all the elements of their personal devotion to conveying a message. That’s what determines the true salt of an artist and the value of the piece. That’s when you can see how committed an artist is to his craft and his audience.” 

What are some of the obstacles he had to endure? How did he overcome or how is he overcoming them? Julian explains, “The majority of the obstacles that I have endured were self-imposed. As an artist, you are oftentimes your own worst critic. I am learning to go with the flow. Meaning, there is no need to force anything. When you back up and allow things to flow, the work usually presents itself. All you have to do is put in a tangible form. This method has proven itself to allow me to step back and see some of my more favorite pieces come into fruition. The flow of the work can instantly be seen. Believe it or not, a simple approach that I have learned to take is to just get up from the drawing table and come back with fresh eyes. This allows me to consider the best options to complete a piece rather than forcing a project and end up compromising the finished product.  

Has there been any regrets when it comes to Julian’s career? Julian responded, “I have absolutely no regrets in my art career. Everything is a learning experience. There’s no such thing as failure. I used to wonder if I had started my career sooner would I be further along….. If I had done this, would that have happened…until I remembered that artists draw inspiration from life itself. Since life unfolds on its own in its own way, I wouldn’t change one thing.” 

Where would he say he get most of his inspiration and why? Julian says, “Most of my inspiration stems from personal experiences as well as the social climate. Art normally imitates life and the same vice versa. The majority of my art represents the urban, black experience. Our culture has so many offerings that we take for granted. Case and point, our shades of ethnicity are a wonder in itself. How can a people with such much to offer not be imitated and feared. If only we as a people knew the impact on society that we have. From style, education, to historic significance… ours is a culture that must be documented and remembered in every possible way for generations to come. It just so happens that my duty is to capture these attributes through artistic expression. I just hope that my work will be remembered as offerings that were done while paying homage to my heritage.” 

If Julian could give advice to any up and coming artist, what would it be and why? Julian teaches us, “The best advice I can give is to never stop learning your craft. Always seek ways to make your current project better than the previous one. This will keep your mind fresh as well as your devotion to your craft. Never be afraid of rejection. It’s a part of life and it will happen.  

Also, try to find your niche. This approach will help you focus on an area that would be a good fit for your creativity. It is also important to know your market. When you are able to establish a target group, your chances for success are higher. You can never be all things to all groups, so locating a set that you best identify with is crucial. Also, while maintaining an identity in a set market, don’t be afraid of experimentation in technique. Most artists who take chances are the ones that have the best outcomes.  

Lastly, I would suggest networking with individuals who can shed fresh input into your work. Never be afraid of constructive criticism. Constructive criticism gives a new perspective of how the audience may view your work. It could prove to be highly beneficial to the success of your efforts.” Speak that thing! That was wonderful advice, some of it I’m going to use for myself as well.  

I’m a huge fan of Artist Julian Greene and I think that you should be too, Tell me how inspired you are by this artist and what you think about his work. 

Julian’s website is currently under construction, but you can still follow and support him at his Facebook Fan Page: Bearded Ancestor-the Art of Jay Greene

Contact him today for a customized piece for your collection at juliangreene623@gmail.com

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DashA’veri features Artisan Café and GaptoothDiva Loves It All: Vintage, Thrifted, and Colorfully Blessed

A cloud of anxiety was over me for about a month, for the first time I was going to be presenting my online thrift boutique DashA’veri Vintage and Thrifted Redesigns in front of all who attended the critical acclaimed Artisan Café event. Being held in City Hall’s Observation Deck, this event was expected to be huge and enjoyable, my only concern was I was putting my babies (both literally and figuratively) on stage for all to see… I speak with total transparency when I say, I was so nervous. Lol. However, the day proved that faith plus work are just like pressure busting pipes, I was beyond bursting with praise.

Saturday morning was drowning in rainy weather, I was looking out the window every thirty minutes, I was definitely about to panic thinking this was the overall day’s forecast. I can remember of all times I have ever been to Artisan Café, I could not remember a day of rain and monsoon. I just knew God wasn’t going to let me go down like that, so I digressed. Hubs was telling me that the weather predicted it would stop eventually and that it’s unproductive to trip about the weather, just “plan your pretty picnic”. Something that he stole from Andre 3000, was definitely not calming me down, but I was soothed by the idea that he tried. After getting haircuts, we finished up packing up our merchandise and displays and opted to get dressed after we finished setting up to save time and energy. Plus no one wanted to get dressed and walk through any potential bad weather before the event started. 

By the time we arrived at City Hall the sun was shining bright, the rain had ceased, and the heat was slightly cooking us as we removed out things from the car. Several other vendors were packing up their things and ready to also set up shop on RVA’s City Observation deck. I was anxious and focused, immediately prepared to put the table together as soon as I arrived. I didn’t want to waste a second, in the case I needed to make further adjustments or I came across a bump in the road. I had no idea how much room I was really going to be able to utilize and I had absolutely no room in my living room to do a pre-set up ritual to plan things out. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to see in my head and just started executing that idea immediately. . A special thanks to Ashley of Styledentity (www.etsy.com/shop/Styledentity) for giving me a thumbs up on my table display. As one of the many respected vendors at Artisan Café, I appreciated her feedback so much, she is so awesome and talented.

My husband, oldest son, and sister were my “ride or die” team during what I have been affectionately calling my Super Bowl. I wanted to not only represent the brand positively, I also wanted to sell what I have been passionately working on for months. I was thrilled to have an opportunity to finally meet Daphne Maxwell Reid (
http://www.daphnemaxwellreid.com/index.html
) of Daphne Maxwell Reid’s “FRESH PRINTSTM“, a collection of limited edition prints, photos, cards and more. Most will know her as “Aunt Viv” of the Fresh Prince Bel Air.

The kids were there for the motivational reinforcement. No matter what happened or didn’t happen for us Saturday, I wanted a constant reminder of why I do what I do and how my actions impact them. Often times I see people get so wrapped up in the hustle and grind of being an entrepreneur/making money that they forget the little things (and people) that make their hard work so significant. My children are that inspiration for me. These little boys give me that inspiration that I crave to be the best at what I do, no matter what it is. I appreciated the hard work that was put in by my entire family, but especially my five year old son, A’veri. A’veri the pint size salesman that he is was not only able to sell the very first piece of the day (a pair of vintage earrings), he was also able to earn some unsolicited tips from clients who were impressed with his customer service skills. I was very proud at the way he socialized with our customers, retrieved bags and receipts, and as well as handing out my business cards to everyone to promote our table. In an effort to teach him responsibility, he ended up teaching me to enjoy the experience like he was apparently doing. I followed suit and just laughed and enjoyed the whole event from beginning to end.

RVA’s stylish and beautiful, entertaining, and all culture and art lovers flooded in at a consistent pace throughout the evening. We started to pick up on orders and it was non-stop from there. I was able to chat with several of my colleagues and peers, as well as make some new friends and meet some fresh faces. People from outside of Richmond were greeting me at the table, in their friendliest tones they expressed their enjoyment and pleasure shopping at our table. Ladies were complimenting the selection and the creativity. I was excited and very blessed to see the positive response from the public. I praised God right then and there, no matter what because it was He that gave me the energy and the gift to do everything. I was blessed to have my family there with me, supporting me and working right beside me. Between my beautiful sister providing her awesome customer service and ringing up orders, and my Super dope husband helping ladies with their selection, taking orders, and playing security, my job was twice as easy that I had expected. I was able to catch up with some awesome personalities and suggest certain items to people myself, thinking the whole time I pray that I can see them wearing this via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or whatever… That’s all I need.

My clothes are quirky, nostalgic, and different when it comes to fashion. I don’t aim to select pieces that always make sense to everyone and their personal style. It takes a certain kind of woman and creative spirit to find use for any of the pieces that I’ve selected for my boutique and eventually their wardrobe, so to see so many women makes purchases was a blessing. I felt that all of those women could see the awesome style potential just like I did. Some women even requested that I do some hunting and specialty fashion shopping for them, some claiming to want to be more adventurous with their style and wardrobe. I was so down for that and gave them more information on how to make that happen.

Overall, I knew that this was going to be an experience to remember, because of my love and support for this event. However, I never imagined that this event would really provide me with a new passion for what I do and the people that I would like to connect to, on top of a very huge return on investment. This was a great opportunity for me to bring my boutique to the forefront and to allow the public to see exactly what I love. Adriane and Melody have done it again, proving that they can provide their vendors with as much information as possible, and it’s up to you to put in the effort to make it a success for you. I didn’t get an opportunity to chat it up with many of the other vendors but I did get a chance to chat with a few friendly faces, such as…

Lisa Johann of Furthermoredesigns.com (
http://furthermoredesigns.tumblr.com/
)

Julian Greene (
https://www.facebook.com/julian.greene.94
)

Melanie Modgyrl (
http://modgyrlcosmetics.com/
)

Melanie of IRockNatural (
http://irocknatural.com/shop/
)

Nickey McMullen (
https://www.facebook.com/NickeyMcMullenSoulJazz
) 

We worked DashA’veri up until a quarter after 10pm, even having to go back into a tote to pull out a piece that we were packing up. With sore ankles and a huge smile, we gathered our things and headed home to finally have dinner and go to bed. I was excited and exhausted, I received a new appreciation to the amount of work vendors put into each event and promoting their business. It’s no easy task, so to all of those that do it with a smile, a good attitude, and no shade to the organizers and your fellow vendors… A Huge Round of Applause! You deserve it. My 10 month old son, Dash clocked out early, which officially made A’veri employee of the month with DashA’veri Vintage and Thrift and it even earned him his favorite dinner.  I spent a good amount of time dancing with A’veri and trying to work out the adrenaline that came from having two lines at one time. I felt God was really working with us, because that was something I never even fathomed before we arrived.

As we drove away, I remembered how grateful I was, thinking about the experience of selling my pieces to people from the DMV area. It was special to me and marked a milestone in my career. I thank Artisan Café for the opportunity and I can’t wait to see what develops from here… Praise God!

Please support them and contact Artisan Café via web www.artisancafeva.com, follow them on Twitter
https://twitter.com/artisancafeva
, like them on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ARTisan-Cafe-Richmond-VA/141958772567227

Follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva

More Pictures on our Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/gaptoothdivaonline

DashA’veri Vintage and Thrift Opening Reopening Wednesday at 12pm EST

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The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond: Ratchet for What? A RVA Reality Show Trying To Be Positive

From comments posted on social media to conversations had at the salon and barber shop, Richmond Virginia has been buzzing about a reality project called, “The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond”. It was made evident that a lot of people wasn’t going to like the idea of several women banning together to share their testimony on single parenting, while representing RVA without a few folks making some noise. I must admit, initially I was concerned about whether this was going to be a mockery of African American women bashing their child’s father and acting a fool. With the travesty of Shawty Lo almost getting his own show with all the baby mothers he has, I wasn’t prepared to support anything that was going to make us look bad.

However, I watched people commenting on the project, making false judgments about what they were going to see and cyber bullying these women, when the show hadn’t even dropped yet. Expected to air June 10th at 9pm, the cast of ladies have been spotted taking photos and doing interviews all under the watchful eye of the public. It’s true that ratchet (some use to describe ghetto/hood behavior) does sell. Nevertheless, the ladies urge that their project is nothing ratchet, it’s their life. So why so much controversy around their reality show? Well apparently, people are up in arms about the fact that Pumpkin, the creator of this project decided to call it the Real Baby Mamas of Richmond. The term Baby Mama has long been used to describe the mother of a child to whom you are not married nor in a relationship with. You had a baby with her and now you must either co-parent or continue to provide her with child support. During our interview, the ladies stressed that they did not aim to celebrate the fact that they are Baby Mothers, but bring to light that this is a situation that affects many women, and they just want to share how they survive day to day.

Mostly quiet and reserved, some not as social as others, the cast gave me their nicknames on the show which I guessed was meant to reflect their personality. My impression of the women during our sit down conversation and taped interview, was that although they seemed defensive to the idea of being labeled and ridiculed online, that they honestly just want to change their situation. You can’t fault someone for wanting to make a way out of no way. Let’s be real, who would be banging down a lot of your doors begging to give you a reality show based on your struggle if that’s what would get you out of the struggle in the first place? I’ll wait. So this woman decided “I’ll do it myself, and I’ll bring a few understanding women with me for the ride”. That’s inspiring in itself. She made her own reality show, now it’s just making sure that her project has a message. Because without a distinct message that will resonate with audience to be more positive and to seek a better life, it can and will get thrown in that bucket of “ratchet-ness” and stay there.

From haters and naysayers to supporters, many people feel some way or another about this representing Richmond. Many have commented that Richmond women don’t look like the ones depicted in the project, bringing to light that people can be judgmental about your physical appearance without even knowing your purpose. During the interview another good point was brought to light, if you felt that you were a better representation of what single parent mothers look like in Richmond Virginia, then why didn’t you attend the audition? Pumpkin stated that she had many inquiries of women interested in being a part of the show, even now many women have expressed a desire to join the cast, yet only so many people actually showed up. We all know individuals who wait until something becomes successful or until it’s a guarantee hit, before they decide to participate. I think it would be a crying shame not to share your testimony as a single parent, if it could inspire some other young woman doing it all by herself… and you technically can do it yourself like the cast of RBMOR are doing. *hint*

Most of the judgment comes from people who aren’t in their situation. Having multiple children with different fathers, shouldn’t automatically categorize you as a hood chick with no future. However, let the internet thugs tell it, they snatched the pic, post it on their page and go to town, laughing and ridiculing these women about their story before the show even aired. I had a few people I know personally try to justify their judgmental comments, and my questions was politely, “Do you know them?” Everyone has a story, and yes we have our full of reality show drama, but just maybe it’s not meant to hurt or hinder… just maybe it’s about to make a difference in how we see each other. Who can say only a certain type of woman can get a reality show, why can’t some of our most struggling brothers and sisters share their journey as well, regardless of their fashion style, personal appearance, and the title of the project? The definition of coming up is trying to progress from where you are to something better. That’s a struggle for everyone, not just the people in your circle. They deserve the same opportunities as the rest of us, a chance to try to come up and make a change for their children, regardless of their address or family tree.

I’ve had conversations with several people about this project, expressing that as long as it’s not what a friend of mine affectionately calls “Coonery Bafoonery”, I can’t be mad at them. I wouldn’t want any black woman to get on a platform that thousands or millions can view and make a mockery of a lifestyle that many other black women struggle with. Please just make sense, just be real, and understand the influence you could potentially have on your supporters. I just stress that in the end, the message should be a positive one. The ladies mentioned that viewers tune in everyday to watch Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta and New York, Basketball Wives, & 16 and Pregnant, all reality series that have been described as ratchet as well by most of the general public. Yet and still, people tune in weekly to watch the madness and be entertained. So why aren’t they supportive of these women sharing their journey as single parents in a city that has been notoriously described as being unsupportive? Weird, huh.

Well time will only show and either prove you all wrong or not, however The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond is coming on the air, and honestly a few of you have already decided to tune in. Don’t front! Whether you are spectating to watch them fail or to truly support them, realize that every second counts as you give them the ratings they need to be successful and to change their situation for themselves and their families. Which I believe is basically what this is all about, they want to make a difference in their circumstances. They strongly stated that their intention is to do nothing more than be constructive, and that’s exactly what we need to see.  With everything going on in the world, we can’t seriously accept anything else.

I can’t wait to see what unfolds and I truly pray that this project does inspire many mothers (single or not), because everyone’s testimony can bring light to someone.

Watch my full interview here:

Check out their Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheRealBabymamasOfRichmond

Their Official Website: www.therealbabymamasofrichmond.com/

Sound Off!! What’s Your Opinion About The New Reality Show “Real Baby Mamas Of Richmond” & Will You Be Tuning In?

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Featured Artist (Video): Urica Rose, Urban Punk Singer/Guitarist on Being Yourself & Fusing ATL & NY Style

Giving Rock a serious twist, singer/song writer Urica Rose has been described as “this generations answer to the reinvention of Rock”. Loving her alternative look I decided to reach out and pick her brain on her personal style as well as her career in music.  Born in Texas, but raised in NYC from a very young age, Urica learned the ways of New York City & its eclectic vibe. At age 16, she honed into her inner talents and realized she had an extraordinary harmonious gift. Urica is inspired by legends, Janis Joplin, Joan Jett and Aretha Franklin and describes her own vocals as a passionate, blues filled rawness, seasoned with an ample dose of “Rock”. Evolving more as an artist, Urica quickly expanded her musical aptness by assimilating the skills of the guitar. ATL audiences were the first to be mesmerized by her distinct sound. Urica Rose discovered her niche… Rock & Blues. Urica Rose will catapult this phenomena into “The New Generation of Rock”.

When asked how does she describe her style, Urica answered, “I never put much thought into it, it pretty much happened when an extreme thought came to mind. Due to everyone thinking I looked as though I did R&B or something subtle.  I said now the statement will be clear.” It is clear that she is no basic R&B chick at all, which is why I love her style.

Since she is a transplant out of Texas, now living in New York, Urica says that because she left Texas at such a young age, she can’t even admit to being aware of fashion and style at the time. Do you remember the days, when that didn’t register to you? Lol, I sure do.

Now Urica also spent some time in Atlanta as well for a short time, so when asked about the obvious differences in style between Atlanta and New York, she answered “I lived in both Atlanta and NY in my more fashion conscious years so it would be easier to compare these two. I always admired how the girls in Atlanta wore their hair and experimented with colors etc. Then I always loved how New York girls dressed and put their style together. So I fused the two.” 

“I’m more of a boutique, custom design type of girl meaning my stylist and I at times sit down and draft up ideas and this may result in an outfit.”

So what is Urica’s awesome beauty routine, she states “I don’t have much of a beauty routine.  I focus on getting a lot of rest and drinking plenty of water.”

So what are the beauty and style items that she can NOT leave home without? Urica admits, “Lipstick and Eye liner!!!!” Girl, don’t I know it. LOL

So because Urica is so unique and stylish, I wanted to know what advice would she give to young aspiring artist and beautiful young women just like herself, she confidently proclaims “Be yourself, people will like you when it feels more authentic” Love it! Simple truth to live by.

Her new single “Ain’t No” is topping all of the CD Baby rock charts one by one! In just under a week, Urica has achieved #1 spots on the Alt Rock, Pop Punk, Metal, Punk, and Rock charts! This means that this week “Ain’t No” is one of the top selling singles above all of their releases!  Watch “Ain’t No” music video below:

Urica Rose said:  “The song is about a girl that’s at the end of her rope with everything and everyone she taking a stand against it all. It’s a very empowering song built with a lot of raging emotions. She sat back for a while and let things happen until she couldn’t take it anymore and then she explodes and tells the guy she is in a relationship with “Ain’t no way you gonna treat me like whatever.” At some point we all go through that relationship were you will do anything for a person no matter how they treat you. At some point we all have to say enough is enough and stand up for our self.”

Make sure to check her out and support her: 

MetalHaze Bio:
http://metalhazeent.com/uricarose

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Urica-Rose

Soundcloud:

For more of the Baddest Creative Motivation, follow @GaptoothDiva

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We Are Not Our Hair, So Why Make Natural Hair So Complicated and So Expensive?

After an hour dance class, my hair is dripping wet with sweat. After about twenty minutes of running my mouth with my friends in the lobby, I notice that my hair starts to dry. A lady walks up to me and says, “Oh wow! What do you put in your hair to get it to do that curl pattern?” As straight forward as I am and as tired as I can be of this question I answered bluntly, “Sweat!” She laughed, not immediately catching my sarcasm, and asked again, “No seriously, how do you get your hair to curl this way, I mean you’re obviously black… so how do you get “good” hair?” So offended by her assumption and ignorance I just walked away leaving her with my friend to go put on my shoes and leave. I overheard her say to my friend, “She doesn’t have to lie to me, and I just know there is NO dark skin girls who have a curl pattern like that who don’t put something in their hair.” Normally this kind of debate would anger me. However, I’m starting to see that there is a serious disconnect among black women when it comes to natural hair and I’m confused.

I thought natural hair what was naturally coming out of your scalp. Pardon me for thinking that it didn’t matter what products you put in your hair, but your natural hair was whatever state your hair was in without any enhancements, curling puddings or soufflé’s, or any treatments, etc. With all the natural hair modifications that some women purchase to get that perfect curl pattern, is it really considered natural? I long for the days in the 70’s, 80’s, and even the early 90’s when nappy was awesome. It wasn’t about some shining curl pattern, black women were proud to wear afro’s that may or may not have frizz. Nowadays, some of these natural sisters throwing shade on other naturals for being too kinky and too nappy and not enough body and shine. GTFOH!

I know currently the natural hair community is a money making business, profiting off some women who want to feel included in the club and seeking knowledge about it. I get it. However, for me going natural wasn’t only about accepting myself for who I am, but also for convenience. If I have to shell out $10 for curling products, $10 for ant-frizz, $10 for curl refreshers, $10 for twisting gels or oils, and more money on other crap, then I might as well go and get that $5 box of relaxer because the natural hair community is stressing me the hell out.

I literally don’t have the best curl pattern in my hair and with a lot of manipulation my hair gets frizzy and nappy just like other people. However, I have never had to shell out a lot of money to achieve the best wash & go for my hair. I don’t see myself getting that involved in the community because I choose not to spend a whole lot of money, to be something that is already natural to me. Many of my friends feel the exact same way. Like how could the industry mess yet another awesome thing up as black women accepting themselves for who they are? Going natural is hard enough, then to have your fellow sisters judging you and telling you the best style for your God-given head, the way to achieve the perfect curl according to the majority. Why would black women approach me and say they can’t go natural because their hair will not come out like mine? Who is feeding them this garbage? I think a bunch of insecure naturals are gathering trash tips and making other insecure naturals feel bad about their naturals. Some black women are delivering a message of self-hate in a community that is supposed to be just the opposite.

My hair is an accessory, my beauty is from within. Therefore whether I’m natural on Monday, weaved –up on Tuesday, and flat-ironed on the weekend, it doesn’t take away from who I am and what I believe. God made me just the way He intended me to be, no amount of products and enhancements will change who I really am. Don’t allow people to make the simple things that we enjoy so damn complicated. You can always tell the insecure from the confident, because the confident could give a damn if they were like everyone else or not, they walk to the sounds of their own music and live without looking back… naturally. 

For more of the Baddest Creative Motivation, follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva

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GaptoothDiva Featured Style: Amanda Lewis from Richmond, Virginia (@suchatymeasthiz)

Every Week GaptoothDiva.com wants to feature beautiful, stylish, and marvelous people with awesome personalities. It’s our pleasure to highlight our supporters and just how incredibly unique they are. Check out the following individual and connect with them online. We’re building a community of like-minded people who want to celebrate distinctiveness and diversity. We are the Baddest Creative Motivation!

Today’s awesome style and personality belong to:

Amanda Lewis (@SuchATymeAsThiz)

Amanda Lewis, a native of Richmond, VA grew up with a love and natural knack for the arts. She participated in everything from dance, art, theater, and cheer leading, to sports and choir. Though talented, she was very shy in school. While attending Virginia State University to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and certificate in Fine Art, she began to break out of her shell. Just a few years later, she moved to Virginia Beach to pursue her Master’s degree. While there, she began to take a serious interest in modeling and decided to pursue it.

“I would describe my style as artistic, elegant, and tomboy. I am not so much a girly girl (as I like to run with the boys) but I do have that natural elegance about me. I’m not afraid to put a pair of boots or sneakers with some really classy accessories. Since I live for art as well, I always put my individual flare on things, which is usually a touch of lavender!”

After a few test shoots, the young aspiring model was able to sign with three local agencies. Since then, Amanda had ripped the catwalks of the infamous New York Fashion Week, done jewelry shows for Laura Luxe, been in a commercial, music video, and a host of other projects. Amanda feels as if she has only gotten her feet wet though and hopes to make it to the top. She has traveled to Germany, Italy, Austria, France, and Honduras, and will be hitting the streets of Africa Spring 2013. In the years to come, she plans on being a Doctor, a Licensed Professional Counselor, Artist, Entrepreneur, model, and only God know what else!

When asked about the obstacles she had to overcome, Amanda responds…

“I’ve mostly had to overcome rejection time and time again to get to where I am today. When you are different and deplore fitting in, people don’t always accept you. Rejection is hard and something I will never get used to but I can admit that it makes me stronger each time.”

Amanda unique features is what set her apart from all of the girls who participated in the first DashA’veri photo shoot. Her humble spirit and graceful demeanor spoke volumes about the kind of young woman she was and what she aspires to be. I asked her what advice would she give to young girls and/or what advice she would give to her younger self, Amanda answered, “I would say, you will face many obstacles in life but with the help of God you can overcome them all. It’s okay to be afraid sometimes but never let fear control you. Write out your dreams, pray, make a plan, and execute! You are not inferior to anyone and you are amazing just the way you are.”

That’s the kind of advice we could all use in our lives. Please make sure you follow and support this young lady, because her spirit is so beautiful just like her presence.

Follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aartisan

Twitter @SuchATymeAsThiz

To be featured Submit your information to GaptoothDiva@hotmail.com.

Men & Women encouraged to apply. Submit your pics, a brief bio describing your style, and your online profile links and we will share your info with our community. All ages and demographics accepted, Style is unique and we love it!

Follow me on Twitter/Instagram @GaptoothDiva

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Runway Couture Fashion Forward Shop and Sip Fashion, Style, Networking and Fun

  Christian Crawford of Runway Couture (www.shoprunwaycouture.com/), a classy and elegant entrepreneur in Richmond, decided to throw a shopping and networking event at Brickstone Grill last Saturday. Perfect and just in time for Mother’s Day, fashion and style lovers all over Virginia made their way to Midlothian Turnpikes former “Razzles” location. Newly renovated and redesigned, this location turned out to be perfect for shopping and networking with some of Virginia’s hardest working professionals in beauty, fashion, and style. Taking Ms. Sydney Harris (@Sydneyellese) of Young Ladies of Beauty with me, we were ready and prepared to meet all of the beauty and fashion entrepreneurs under one roof in support of Runway Couture. Immediately captivated by all the options available for all types of women, we knew that Christian did a wonderful thing bringing all of these amazing people together. While winning prizes and raffles, patrons were able to shop and get discounts at the bar.   From cupcakes infused with alcohol to healthy and energizing water, to eclectic and stylish vintage designs to handmade and crafted dresses, this event catered to a diverse crowd of women, who deserved the ultimate shopping and beauty experience. Unique and original jewelry designs, styles that were not overdone and tacky, retailers provided specialty for a new and prospective clientele that was impressive. Among some of the vendors, I had a chance to chat it up with Jacole Thomas of J-Elay.com, stylish dresses and accessories for curvaceous women. Make sure to check her out. Also, I talked to the beautiful Melani L. Jones, owner of IRock Natural (www.Irocknatural.com), who had an awesome collection of t-shirts and accessories that real natural enthusiast can enjoy. I appreciate the styling and effort she put into her pieces and I can’t wait to see more.   One of my absolute favorites, another vintage and thrifting aficionado, Andrea Nicole of La Dainta (www.Ladainta.com) who I got to officially meet for the first time, should also be supported. I love her style and her spirit, a very nice young lady. Among some of the pretty faces in the building was also Virginia Natural Hair Blogger, Jonna of Naturally Glam (www.Naturally-glam.com) Just when you thought that, all the fun was somewhat over, I mean how much shopping and beauty can you tolerate, Runway Couture’s Christian Crawford takes the event up a notch, and all in attendance line dancing. I was tickled, because never before have I seen that down home feeling at a shopping/networking event, and I must say I really like it. A girl like me likes to wobble-wobble everyone once in while, but so often I feel like “I must keep it professional”, however in a beautiful self-made gown this fashion maven made everyone feel relaxed and at-home by suggesting we all let loose. That was truly fun and it made us all look forward to her next event.           Overall, the event was awesome and I can’t wait to see what’s next. I appreciate the invitation, and from my understanding she has something up her sleeve for next month, so be sure to follow her and be on the lookout. For more of the baddest creative motivation, reviews, and commentary follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva  

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New Radio Show, New TV Show, New Perspective… It’s All Positive.

A few people reached out to me in the last couples of months, seeing things that I wasn’t sure were being exuded through my behavior. I have something. That something, not quite sure what to identify as of yet, is an aura that makes people want to move, do, and be. I’m aware of it, but most of the time I admittedly dwindled it down, because I fear people getting upset and uncomfortable. I carry myself a certain kind of way. It’s not something I consciously do, it just happens. A regal attitude that comes from training my mind, “I am beautiful and I do deserve the best, therefore I am”, a mantra I developed over the years of transforming from just plain I’esha to I’esha GaptoothDiva. I own it, and now I want people just like me, who once felt inferior to own their as well. I want to be a service to my community and motivate women, young and old, to never listen to the background noise of people calling you out your name and saying what you should do or be, but that internal voice of God. That feeling inside that you were loved before you knew what love was, that your destiny is bigger than you can ever imagine and if you just reach for it, you will eventually touch circumstances that will blow your mind. I have that now, and it’s my life’s dream to make other people feel that exact way. The grace of God and love of oneself and others is so unimaginable; I yearn to reach so many before it’s all said and done.

A few months ago, talking about this very passion led to me developing another internet radio show with a friend of mine, Daitron Winston (RVALien). However, he informed me about some adversity that I never realized existed. I prayed on it and I kept it moving, I knew this was a journey with purpose and God was going to make it with us. Despite a few hiccups and some “internet thugging”, I still maintain that I wish the best for all people. I truly believe that everyone has a voice, what you use it for is your business, but my overall mission is anointed.

I’m excited to introduce R3 Radio: Real Ratchet & Raw, because our show touches on those very perspectives. You have the truth, a real way of looking at life, culture, and our circumstances. You also have the raw way of dealing with it, no love, and no heart, just black & white. In addition, because it sells and is so prevalent in our community, people are floating toward the ratchet because it’s easier and more popular right now. I pride myself on never selling out, so I wanted a show that celebrated that perspective of keeping things wholesome but entertaining.Down the line, I want my kids to be proud of my behavior and the things I discussed, so I don’t call women “b*tches”, I don’t disrespect people because its funny, I truly keep it love and awesomeness, because that’s what I want the world to return back to me. Daitron feels the same way. So tonight at 9pm thanks to Soul Cypher Productions, we deliver that to you every week. I’m so excited!

With the radio show, the clothing, modeling, and writing, what else, could I add to my plate? Well, someone saw something in me and felt other people should see it as well. I praise God for the moves He is making because motivation came from an unlikely source. Someone that I have always admired and thought was very hard working, Joe’I Chancellor will be executive producing my very own show on Comcast 95 / Verizon 36 this Fall, October 2^nd 2013. The GaptoothDiva Show will highlight issues that either I believe we shy away from or we downright don’t understand. Again, this venture will be on the positive tip, but with lots of entertainment and fun. Women need to see exactly what we are doing to each other, how we break our own gender down but expect respect from men. It’s a contagion of disrespect to each other and ourselves, and I’m on a mission to change that by any means necessary. I hope you all tune in for that as well, because it’s going to be an experience.

I had the pleasure of going on the Joe’i Chancellor Special Edition show with her this past Friday. She is funny and I enjoyed myself so much. It made me see that although a lot of detail goes into it, it really is an easy thing to do, I’m excited to jump right in and get to work. Because Joe’i and I discuss issues with women regularly, I know that I’m not alone in feeling that there is genuine disconnect. If no one tries to fight this issue and bring solutions to the table, then we will never overcome any obstacles and will forever be doomed to warring with one another rather embracing each other. I don’t want my children to grow up in a world where women hate each other. I don’t want to live in one either. Therefore, with these new projects, I plan to shed light on these issues and more, bringing positivism back to your media and in your hearts.

TUNE IN Tonight

Soul Cypher Radio for R3Radio: Real Ratchet & Raw at 9pm

We will also be Ustreaming LIVE, so watch out for that as well. Follow me on Twitter for more Info @GaptoothDiva

We Start Taping for The GaptoothDiva Show next month, so be on the lookout for more details on that as well. We are rolling here… God got the wheel… let’s ride.

For more of the Baddest Creative Motivation, follow and support me @GaptoothDiva

Check out footage from The Special Edition Episode of the Joe’i Chancellor Show:

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GaptoothDiva Featured Style: Nikki Billie Jean (@NikkiBillieJean) from Pennsylvania State University

Every Week GaptoothDiva.com wants to feature beautiful, stylish, and marvelous people with awesome personalities. It’s our pleasure to highlight our supporters and just how incredibly unique they are. Check out the following individual and connect with them online. We’re building a community of like-minded people who want to celebrate distinctiveness and diversity. We are the Baddest Creative Motivation!

Today’s awesome style and personality belong to:

Nikki Billie Jean 

(@NikkiBillieJean)

This is Nicolette but she also goes by Nikki or Nikki Billie Jean. She got the name Nikki Billie Jean from my first name “Nicolette” and from the well-known song “Billie Jean” by the King of Pop Michael Jackson.

“I decided to call myself Nikki Billie Jean because music is my first love. My dad was a DJ and I always grew up in a house surrounded by music. I also played the piano for 10 years and I also want to become a DJ.”

Music has also had big influence on her life and Michael Jackson is a huge inspiration to music.

Nikki says, “Michael Jackson is also a huge inspiration in general. He was a musical genius, broke world records and gave back to the community. He inspires me to go above and beyond.”

Nikki explains, “I love fashion. I love every aspect of it; from the clothes to photography and from runway to magazines/media. The 80s and 90s era inspires my style; everything from my childhood, to the music, to the bright colors and fashion.”

She always wears vibrant and colorful clothing. Many clothes during the 80s and 90s era had structure and shapes. Many clothes during this time were also very bright and colorful.

Her outgoing personality also reflects this “bright and colorful” sense of style.

“I would also consider myself a fashionista because I embody fashion in and out. I love to dress up especially in vintage clothes. I love to wear clothes people do not usually see in a popular store or mall. I go by this popular quote by Yves Saint Laurent: “Fashions Fade, Style Is Eternal””

I absolutely adore her personality and her style. It all truly shines through magnificently. Anyone in love with vintage pieces is definitely someone I want on my team. Great looks Nikki, so excited to see how your dreams flourish in the future. Awesomeness!

Please check her out and support her…

Website: 
http://stylesbynikkibilliejean.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @NikkiBillieJean

Facebook: 
http://www.facebook.com/nikki.b.nik

Instagram: @NikkiBillieJean

To be featured contact me here, and follow me on twitter for more of the baddest creative motivation @GaptoothDiva

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A Video To Be Inspired By… T-Rock & Priceless “The City”

It’s so refreshing when you see an artist with a message; it’s even more refreshing when that message is in conjunction with exactly how you feel. Lately, I have been having this hunger for the word and for change. I noticed that everything related to life, struggles and blessings are mentioned in the bible one way or another. All my life I felt as if I was being pulled into two different directions, as if I was in a game of tug and war with me being the rope. As strong as I am, as I feel God has made me, it’s apparent that my gifts and talents far exceed whatever expectations I have or understand, and my enemy know that. It’s a fight, as I mentioned before in It’s a War Happening Right Now! Using Faith As My Armor: A Letter from The Battle Field.

So thankfully, I see inspirational videos come my way, or by way of my husband, and I’m excited. I really want you to check out this video and support this couple. T-Rock and Priceless have been rapping for over 11 years. They also have been married to each other for 6 years. They currently reside in Richmond, Virginia with their 4-year-old daughter and 9 month old twin boys.  T-Rock and Priceless are passionate about Jesus and greatly desire to see our present world have a life altering, authentic encounter with the only true and living God.  They believe our generation is no longer satisfied with church as usual.  There is a desperation and hunger for the presence of God and real change.  These two have decided that they can no longer sit idly by as the enemy destroys families and attempts to completely mar any trace of the image of God in our society.  T-Rock and Priceless are relentless about Biblical truth and seek to relay the Gospel in a relevant way through rap.  However, it doesn’t stop there.  They want to present Jesus in a tangible way as they serve their community and local church.  Through their dynamic testimonies, T-Rock and Priceless want others to see how God has transformed their lives for His Glory.  Moreover, in doing so, they hope to respond to the cry of the people and bring glory to God.

Through their lives, they both have endured struggles, trials, and tribulations, and their lives currently are great examples of how merciful God is and how awesome God has been. Avoiding circumstances that could have ultimately made them statistics, they both relied on prayer and service to see them through, and through their work they are aiming to inspire others to do the same.

Check out “The City” by T-Rock and Priceless….

Also, support their work and connect with them by checking out their links here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-Rock…


https://twitter.com/trocknpriceless


https://twitter.com/Priceless_RVA


http://noisetrade.com/trocknpriceless


http://www.reverbnation.com/trockandp…

Email them for more information:  trockandpriceless@gmail.com

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Organization Plus Size Beautis (@PSBINC) First Women’s Empowerment Symposium, Size Does Matter

Plus Size Beautis (@PSBinc) is a organization here in Virginia dedicated to uplifting and empowering women of all sizes, mostly curvaceous, to love themselves and take care of their God-given temples. This organization, based out of Richmond holds several recruiting sessions throughout the year, participates in community events, and mentors to younger girls ages 8 and up with their subsidiary YLOB (Young Ladies of Beauty).  The idea is to uplift the spirits of women, tackle sensitive issues in the plus size community, and mentor members young and old. It’s an opportunity for those full figured, plus size and curvy girls to bond with a sisterhood of like-minded individuals and make a difference in the world around them.

This past weekend, Plus Size Beautis had their first ever Women’s Empowerment Symposium at the Holiday Inn in RVA. The event was well attended by groups of individuals, all seeking the same thing… to be empowered and inspired. Plus Size Beautis did just that, by featuring Motivational Speakers, Inspirational leaders and Coaches like Kita Martin, Cecily Hickman of SassC Creations, and Coach Metra of Love Life Enterprises, LLC. These women took the stage to discuss their experiences while providing a message that everyone could relate to and become encouraged. Plus Size Beautis brought women of diverse backgrounds to speak on subjects relating to self-love, faith, and being true to oneself. Several people in the room admitted to being emotional, captivated, for they understood the dynamic, and could resonate with the speakers and their testimony.

I missed the opportunity to catch the testimony of Ms. Kita Martin, Empowering Women on Purpose. She is a Host, Motivational Speaker, Poet and Writer in the 757 area. Her message related to “B the Best “You” can B!” a mantra eloquently placed on the back of her business card. Make sure you get in touch with her for empowerment and motivation, via email at ewop4god@gmail.com

I caught the message from Cecily Hickman, of SassC Creations . Knowing Cecily to be a kind hearted and gentle spirited entrepreneur, I was intrigued by her testimony at the event. Talking to Plus Size Beauti members and their supporters, Cecily touch on issues regarding her self-esteem and the feelings she had growing up. Like me, Cecily had to busy herself with her passions and creativity to eventually find value in herself, thus discovering a new sense of self-esteem. Cecily encouraged event participants to write strong positive affirmations everyday. She listed individuals who have failed in one aspect of their lives, but went on to succeed beyond what they, themselves may have expected. It was motivating to hear some of my own favorites listed, among them Oprah… solidifying the belief that if you keep going, your dreams can and will come true. I appreciate Cecily sharing those aspects of her life. Her presentation was very inspiring. Please be sure to check out her beauty and styling work, as she specializes in versatility in today’s women with SassC Creations at (804) 822-1236.

During our intermission, prizes and raffles drawing were being conducted. Vendors such as Melanie Wade of Modgyrl Cosmetics were in the building. Modgyrl Melanie was displaying and promoting Plus Size Beautis newest partnership with Modgyrl, their exclusive lippies and glosses. Exodus by Design by Brenda Powell was in the building. Her vendor table was being manned by former WEA Member and Hinton Consulting CEO, Tamera Hinton-Bulger. Plus Size Beautis were also selling their branded t-shirts to supporters and their families as well. Among the other vendors were also Hands On Massage Therapies and Palms of Passion. It was great to see all the PSB members rocking their official PSB white polo shirts, looking fabulous and cohesive for the day’s event.

Last, but definitely not least was acclaimed motivational speaker and life coach, Coach Metra of Love Life Enterprises (sharmetrapittman.com/). Metra shared detailed aspects of her life that I think may have hit home with many people. Her honesty and energized spirit was charismatic and engaging, which made her testimony even more motivating and easy to relate to. What hit home with me the most was the experience of having her daughter tell her that she couldn’t wait to get older, so that she could attend nightclubs like her mother. That is something that I think many women don’t realize being prevalent in their child’s mind. That is not the memories I want my child to have of me, and neither did Coach Metra as she admits during her presentation that that incident was one of the catalyst in transforming her life. As she discusses being a better woman, mother, and wife, it’s the down to earth feeling that I get from her that makes me know; this woman isn’t speaking anything but the truth to me. Her speech “Size Does Matter” isn’t dripping with corny phrases set to entice the curvaceous community at all. Her message speaks to the soul that faith, heart, dreams and communication are the most important aspects to living a fruitful and blessed life. The issues discussed were magnetic in their own way; nevertheless, this was an awesome way to wrap up an extra special event orchestrated by the women of Plus Size Beautis.

“The size of your faith, the size of your heart, the size, of your communication, the size of your dreams. Be Loved, Be blessed, Be You!”  – Coach Metra

Ladies, if you are looking to join an organization that supports the plus size community here in Richmond or the 757 area, contact Plus Size Beautis today (http://www.plussizebeautis.org/). Even if you aren’t in Virginia at all, and believe that you can head your own chapter wherever you are, feel free to give them a call. Also, check out volunteer opportunities with YLOB (Young Ladies of Beauty) as well at youngladiesofbeauty.com, because mentoring young women to be amazing grown women, should be a priority for all of us.

I’m excited to see what comes down the pipeline for this group next. I hope their work is blessed and they continue to inspire throughout their journey. It was an awesome event, so the next one is promised to be greater.

Be sure to check out and support…

Plus Size Beautis: http://www.plussizebeautis.org/

Want to see more pictures from the event? “Like” our Fan Page on Facebook, and check them out at www.facebook.com/gaptoothdivaonline

For more events and baddest creative motivation, follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva

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How to See through the Internet Celebrity & Local Fame Myths and Move with Purpose

It’s that all too familiar conversation, you see someone online and their following is steadily growing, their popularity is picking up, and people begin to want to have that conversation, “Are They Going Somewhere?” The truth is, we live in a generation of people that assume that if it’s not on their timeline, on their IG account, and Twitter trending topics, that it’s not news and it’s not real. Unfortunately, because of people like this I strongly feel like the world is going to sh**! There are far too many myths, half truths, and straight lies floating around about what an internet celebrity is, what social media fame means, and who is the sure enough most popular, lucrative, & greatest in Entertainment, Networking, Media, Writing, etc. In Reality, most of the lifestyles that people actually have, are actually sensationalized and made to appear more glamorous, important, and productive, than they really are. This is a scheme to intimidate the weak, peek the interest of the ill informed and lazy and to manipulate the insecure and ambitious who just want to make it.

Let’s Be Clear…

If Our Followers Were Our Weekly Paychecks, Some of You Still Wouldn’t Be Rich –

We don’t have fans. We have supporters, lurkers, and potential clients. No one on Twitter, especially in your local scene can attest to being internet famous with followers in the range of less than 6 or 7 digits. Most of the people on our list are people trying to push their stuff on us, not paying attention to what you’re doing. In addition, some people stoop so low as to buy followers, create other twitter accounts and follow themselves, so truthfully basing your entire career on how many people you follow and who follow you in return, is almost as stupid as when hood dudes fight over government funded project territory that they don’t own. If the internet crashed today, would you still be relevant?

Subliminal Messages Are For the Weak –

A boss pulls you into the office and tells you that you’re lacking, you’re slipping, and you’re fired. A boss calls a meeting with the competition to discuss issues. A boss never shows that he/she is affected by the moves of those that object to him/her. The problem with social media is that, you can always tell who is a boss. You look crazy if at noon, you’re discussing how you’re making so many moves, you are hustling, “grinding”, and building your empire, but then you are easily affected by post, comments, and humorous photos that speak things people can’t say in real life by the end of the day. When has the telephone become extinct? Passive aggressive one-liners aren’t the norm for the people that I look up to and are inspired by. People that say that they are busy working, are really busy working. They don’t have time to scroll through and see what other people are doing and indirectly commenting about it. You got questions or comments about someone use this: @TheirName, otherwise that comes off as weak and submissive, and what BOSS wants that? You can’t say you don’t have time to do that, because you’re using that time to be indirect, just saying. Your team should hip you to that, I mean they are your friends, right?

You Can’t Bully People into Supporting You –

As I mentioned before, you have supporters, lurkers, and potential clients all following you and seeing your behavior. You cannot assume that just because you have certain people under your list of followers, that they are required to click your links, share your info, and Retweet your bodies of work. It doesn’t work that way. I remember doing a spoof video that was about beefing with people online. The video had a message, but it had strong language as well. I knew a few of my friends and supporters watched it and enjoyed it, but some of them couldn’t share or Retweet because of the curse words. Did I take offense to that, no I didn’t. It’s understandable, because we are all building a brand and we need to be careful how we are perceived to those we are trying to work with in the future. If you post something, some of us may click on it and some of us may not, that’s life. If you really want us specifically to see it or it pertains to us in some way, of course feel free to tag and attach us to the message. However, what you won’t do it just plaster stuff on people’s personal Facebook page, get in your feelings when I don’t Retweet your post, and try to gangster somebody into supporting you. If that’s what you came for, you can kindly leave; nobody has time for that! How do I look having your adult saturated material next to a picture of my kids? Like a fool, so get that and wrap that up nicely in a bow, we don’t do stuff like that around here. Send a newsletter, an email or just wait for me to click the link, stop acting like a spam troll, thirsty for people to see what you are up to.

Click here to see the video about twitter beefing and facebook fights between black girls. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=nML6RVUK5K8)

Everything That Glitters Ain’t Gold –

Internet Celebrities, Locally Famous, and everyone in between… Many people are all trying to make their dreams come true. What some of us do it with respect and humility; they call that weak, wack, etc. Some of us do it with aggression, ratchetness, drama, etc. and they call that “go hard” and grinding. Smh. The truth is, many of you aren’t seeing a clear picture of the real lives. We all have struggles and tribulations, but overall its how we overcome them that set people apart.

Some of the people that are trying to make it, have some of these issues going on, that you may have no idea about:

Unpaid bills and potential evictions

Receiving government assistance

Warrants and cases against them

Owe money to other “local” celebrities

Have false and fake limbs and prosthesis

Are sexual deviants

Fund their businesses with food stamps and unemployment checks

Live at home with their parents over the age of 25

Loss of relatives and/or jobs

Neglecting their children and/or spouse is cheating

Own broke down jalopies and/or have no transportation

Copies ideas from actual famous people and make it their own

Are insecure, suicidal, and self-destructive

And much more…

Therefore, if you look at someone’s followers, their Klout score, and all the things that they are doing… you may not see the above-mentioned things. Of course, you wouldn’t see that, it would mess up the painted picture of success. You have to discern for yourself, based on attitude and humility, those that are truly blessed and successful.

“The Loudest one in the room, is the Weakest one in the room” – F.L

It Only Matters If You Feel Threatened –

Can you honestly say that what people do doesn’t matter to you? Truthfully. Well, if you are actively trying to find information, having entire discussions around someone and their work, it’s safe to say that it does indeed matter to you. The biggest myth of all is that someone can literally have a monopoly over anything anymore. New personalities, businesses, and ventures popping up all over the place, there is no way to “takeover” anything. When you’re doing great work, somebody can sell his or her work right next to you and it wouldn’t matter… You’re still doing great work. I recently had a conversation with someone who didn’t want to throw a certain type of event, because somebody else was doing one two months later. That is most absurd thing, I’ve ever heard. You can’t get money, live your dream, and be amazing in your purpose, because someone else is also doing that as well? Stop allowing people to intimidate you from seeking your fullest potential. If they are bothered that you want to do XYZ, it’s because they feel threatened. They feel as if you have embarked on their territory and there is some evidence of fear and uncertainty. Otherwise, why would it matter? It’s enough clientele and blessings for all of us, when we stop acting like crabs and hermits, we will start to feel that. You cannot expect everyone to like you or appreciate what you bring to the table, therefore there will always be that person who will fill the void for those people you can’t reach. It’s not realistic to assume you can take over a market, a community, and a generation if your message isn’t pertaining to every single person within that realm. Stay in your lane and do what you have been called to do, don’t worry about other people. Don’t feel threatened by anyone else, because as I proved earlier… most of them dealing with their own stuff anyway. As we all know, “hurt people will hurt people”, so don’t allow anyone else’s insecurities and lack of talent dwindle your shine. They are only discussing you and seeking to destroy you because YOU MATTER.

I close this in saying, if you truly have a purpose in mind, a goal you are trying to reach, and work that needs to be done… do it! Stop allowing people to pull you down with them, distract you with their nonsense, and pull you into their ratchetness and drama. No one who is seriously busy has time for that. The folks doing the most shouting about how you can’t do what they do, how you will never be on their level, they are the best, blah, blah, blah… are the folks most concerned that we don’t know it and haven’t seen that yet. People who are talented and secure in their position in life, don’t need that confirmation and reassurance. What’s for you is yours, God will see to it that you have it regardless of what those regular people say and do. It’s just a matter in you having faith in yourself and Him, that you will eventually see that flourish right before your eyes. Debunk the myths that people can take from you what you have set up to win, if it ain’t anointed, it’s not going anywhere… believe that. It’s about time to lift these smoke screens. I want to see more winners and less whiners.

Love and awesomeness,

I’esha GaptoothDiva

You Don’t Know My Story…

For more of the Baddest Creative Motivation, follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva

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Lyric Ave.: The Freestyle Showcase Presents “Don’t Judge a Book” April 13th Show was Spring Time Hilarity in RVA

It’s so exciting to officially blog for the Lyric Ave. Freestyle showcase’s monthly show. The shows are done monthly for a season, highlighting local and national talent with live music, poetry, and skits. From thought provoking prose and performances to amusing parodies, this show is more enjoyable than most programs on television. I wrote about the January 2013 installment of Lyric Ave., and just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, it absolutely did. This go around it was funnier and I think that would be an understatement.

The excitement started immediately on the street outside of the Hippodrome Theater in Jackson Ward. As we headed inside ready to enjoy the show, a homeless man stopped us to ask for change. Immediately I was suspicious. I’m not a “homeless man” fashion expert, nor do I qualify the needy by how dirty they are, but this homeless man had a lace-front beard on! That thing was so smooth and luxurious, either someone donated a hot comb and some Luster’s Pink Lotion or this dude was an imposter. Nevertheless, Hubs gave him some change and we ran inside, laughing because we knew we were in for a surprise.

The show maintained the excitement through out. I especially liked how enthusiastic the other audience seemed to be, making the ambiance very jovial for everyone. It’s was like a thirst in the air for more laughs, something that I believe we could all use nowadays. Lyric Ave. definitely accomplished that. Carla Jackson, one of the featured artists performed on her guitar, and had me ready to turn up. When you start like that… it’s only getting better from there. I was cracking up laughing off host Micah “Bam – Bamm” White with his “Take that back and do whatever you want with that” jokes. Such a talented individual did an amazing job as usual.

Chari Brown definitely surprised me with her two performances that evening. I saw her in the February showcase and thought she was an amazing actress. However, the evening proved that she is also a great songstress as well. I didn’t know that, so I was pleasantly surprised when she sang one of my favorite Beyonce tracks “Flaws and All” with such conviction. Her performance with J-Gott was exceptional as well. Between his eloquent lyrics and her sweet voice, I felt that was a very soulful duet.

Speaking of beautiful duets, Jarrard Anthony and @Ameramen made beautiful music on stage, speaking volumes to the Hubs and I. Artists like these make events like this perfect to bring your significant other to, sets the stage for fun and a little expressive romance. Jarrard Anthony is definitely a talented songwriter/musician here in Richmond, Virginia and the host of Saturday Soul Social (www.saturdaysoulsocial.com ). Check it out for more information.

Randolph A. Fitz, another featured aspect of the show has seriously gave me whiplash for “umpteenth” time. In person, this man will have you in stitches with his random silliness. He was even outside the Hippodrome when we ran into the homeless person, which turned out to be Iman Shabazz (Creative Director, cast member and actor for Lyric Ave.) Randolph said, “Ya’ll give that man something, Ya’ll got it!” while we were too busy trying to get into the theater and figure out if this dude was authentic or a hoax. Laughing at him, I’m immediately switched into a different emotion with his performance on stage. With “What If” and “I Know I’ve Been Changed”, I got excited and all in my feelings. Great artist have that ability to make you feel all sorts of things through their art, He just happens to be one of those individuals.

With the hilarious skits like “In the Streets” and “Yo People’s Court” making us laugh so hard, we had ugly faces on. “Yo People’s Court” had me doing my super ghetto laugh, that I reserve for family and close friends only. You know that one that could get you kicked out of the movie theater? It was that funny, for real. We just knew that we had our fill for the evening. Lyric Ave. saved a real gem for last. First, the funny Cory Marshall did his thing, setting us up with very funny jokes and audience engagement. The Featured comic of the evening, DMV’s Comic of the Year, Larry Lancaster killed it with his routine. He joked about old people trying to look like young thugs, but looking extremely childish, something I see so often it’s scary. The guy was so funny, I later realized that I was the only girl in my section claiming to be a “big girl” when a couple of sisters around me was definitely pledging Beta Phi Thick as well. Nevertheless, it was all good fun and I enjoyed every minute of it. Larry was seriously funny and talented, ending another amazing showcase with smiling faces.

Some of the Cast Members of the Lyric Ave Freestyle Showcase

Overall, the cast of Lyric Ave. kills it each and every time with entertainment and performances that caters to a mature and eclectic audience of people who can appreciate a certain caliber of music, soul, and truth. I never expect less, but I’m learning to always expect more and more from this dynamic group of people.

I’m so excited to see what happens at their 10^th anniversary edition on May 11^th, 2013. They have two shows on that night (and every night they feature) at 6:00pm and 9:00pm, so be sure to get your tickets. Check them out at www.thelyricaveshow.com for more information. Tickets are on Sale NOW. You will not be disappointed. Next month, I may be giving out another pair of tickets to a lucky GaptoothDiva.com supporter, so be sure to tune in for details.

For more of the baddest creative motivation, reviews, events, and more follow me on Twitter @GaptoothDiva

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GaptoothDiva Featured Style: Kisha Spain (@LadieRealizm) from DMV

Every Week GaptoothDiva.com wants to feature beautiful, stylish, and marvelous people with awesome personalities. It’s our pleasure to highlight our supporters and just how incredibly unique they are. Check out the following individual and connect with them online. We’re building a community of like-minded people who want to celebrate distinctiveness and diversity. We are the Baddest Creative Motivation!

Today’s awesome style and personality belong to:

Kisha Spain (@LadieRealizm)

Every time I see her, her cute face is smiling bright and her attitude is always positive. I love her spirit and I think you will, too.  - I’esha GaptoothDiva

Identifying herself as a free spirit native of the DMV, Kisha loves the privilege of serving as the mother of a prince, princess, and wife of a Deacon.

Kisha is an eclectic, creative being who is thoroughly passionate and fascinated with visual and performing arts. She has a bold energy, which is not concerned with the opinions of other and is thrilled with the challenge of living outside “the box”.

“Often inspired by my alter ego whose unique style and signature is not complete without contrast and can not be categorized.”

Kisha describes herself as: F.R.E.E. (Frequent.Radiant.Everlasting.Energy)

Get to Know her… you won’t be disappointed

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To be featured Submit your information to GaptoothDiva@hotmail.com. Men & Women encouraged to apply. Submit your pics, a brief bio describing your style, and your online profile links and we will share your info with our community. All ages and demographics accepted, Style is unique and we love it!

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