Hey friends! This issue is 100% dedicated to women that have something they want to share. An idea, call to action, business, podcast, etc. All in their own words! That means this time around you won’t be hearing from me. Instead, I am sharing the work of some amazing Black women in the Spotlight On_____ segment of the newsletter. We also have a guest artist sharing their work in the Where The Art Resides segment.
If you’d like to be featured in the newsletter hit reply to this email! And don’t forget to show these phenomenal women some love in the comments!
Charline Alexandre-Joseph on Workplace Belonging & Equity
Hi. My name is Charline. Professionally I serve as the Director of Workforce Development for MENTOR. MENTOR was created to expand opportunities for young people by building a youth mentoring field and movement, MENTOR serves as the expert and go-to resource on quality mentoring. In my personal life, I’m honored to be a wife, mother, and daughter to my family members—even on the hard days. As a woman of color who leads corporate strategy work and also takes lots of directions from my toddler about how many bedtime stories need to be read so they can fall asleep, I understand the need for social supports that help me feel validated, understood, and not alone. The personal aspect of my life fuses with the professional part of my life on the Some Assembly Required platform, and I’m honored to know Naome Jeanty and get to know you too.
As the child of a single parent who got a lot of societal messages that were hurtful and as an adult learning to heal from a trauma history, I never imagined that my life would feel so full and optimistic. A major part of my life feeling beautiful comes from my social connections; the social connections I have to fuel my professional aspirations. I’m grateful to meet people from all walks of life who are interested in the power of social capital and mentoring to improve their professional journey. The work I do at MENTOR is intentionally structured to advance connections and long-term career potential for historically marginalized youth populations. The Workforce Development Initiative focuses on helping workplaces understand that mentoring provides the sense of belonging that young people need to realize their long-term career potential. Workplaces have a critical opportunity to be relationship-centered and help youth leverage their strengths & abilities. Mentor is a nonprofit organization and you can find many of our resources for free on our website- www.mentoring.org
Specifically, I want you to visit MENTOR’s workplace equity pledge – there you can find free resources and tactical actions to join the mentoring movement and help anyone looking for work build stronger social connections. Please consider supporting others to find someone who makes them feel understood and maybe help them turn a dream into a career path. And if you’re interested in learning more about relationship-centered workplaces and how to bring MENTOR facilitators and trainings to your organization, please visit our website and reach out to me. Best wishes and thanks for listening.
2 POC Podcast
2 POC podcast is hosted by Nabila Valentin and Nanehe McClintock. 2POC was born out of a desire to unapologetically share and answer questions about the BIPOC experience. Weekly episodes feature conversations surrounding past and present experiences of what is to be a person of color in the US and the most pressing issues. All the while giving friendly advice with perspective and comedic banter. Tune in every Tuesday everywhere you listen to podcasts.
You can find the 2 POC podcast Here! Check out a snippet of the show below.
Danielle Monique Anaïs Jordan
My name is Danielle Monique Anaïs Jordan and I am a black-woman artist (she/her) and a Tacoma native. I have been drawing since I can remember and also love to paint, sing, dance, read, and am obsessed with horticulture. I share my small hilltop apartment with my 15-year-old mini poodle, tons of canvases, and almost 100 plants.
I am a young cancer survivor. Was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in July 2019. My cancer journey was the biggest motivator that I have ever had to paint. The realization that I was not using my precious and possible, quite short, life to do one of the things I loved the most gave me an intense drive to create. I want to share images of unique, colorful, strong, black women. I want to use my art and business to bring joy, first and foremost to my community, then to POC then to the world. Everyone needs it, but I know from experience that joy, too often, is a luxury, that we restrict to the affluent.
I hope that my pieces bring joy, and encourage self-love. That was the sole purpose of my first collection. I would like black people to ask when they see these pieces, how am I loving myself, how am I empowering myself, how am I enjoying myself, where do I see beauty in me? Because of the pre-conceived notions that are apparently woven into the cloth of our society, that have led to tremendous loss and life-threatening culture of fear, I would also love for non-black people, to ponder the same in regards to black people, to confront their personal biases (we ALL have them) and then consider their relationship to and with other people of color and then to themselves. I am really excited to share my progress through my work. Anyone who is interested in art, conversation, or any of the many services I offer can reach me at the addresses below:
My website: www.art-estique.com
My email: danielle@art-estique.com
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/art_estique/
Palestinian poet Asmaa Azaizeh
You don't need lenses for this wearable art.
Help bring Pritty: The Animation to life.
Rowda Olad is bringing her work home.
When is Simone Biles not making history?!?!?!
GIFspiration
