From the Hearts of Black Moms: A Conversation on Race Featured in Atlanta Parent

https://www.atlantaparent.com/julyissue

"The choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both." - Barack Obama

I’m the proud mother of two remarkable Black children. My oldest son, Roland turned 13 in June. My youngest son, Joshua is 10, and both boys are friendly, kindhearted, athletic, and smart.

For as long as I can remember, I have been an advocate for social justice. As a young adult in Boulder, Colorado, I advocated to dismantle a nearby nuclear facility, marched in the 2017 Women’s March, and most recently joined thousands of supporters for “Black Lives Matter” both here in Atlanta.

As a community, we all have a responsibility to build a strong and accepting society in which no child has to grid himself or herself  against prejudice, hatred, and mistreatment. The nation is crying for change and I continuously reflect on how to become more of an agent of healing as we prepare for the days ahead.

Steps to continue growing:

• Engage in conversations around race.
• Support local and online Black businesses.
• Learn about other cultures and work towards being advocates and allies for historically minoritized groups.

I think the best thing we can do for each other and ourselves, is to come together as a community. Listening with open hearts and minds and being willing to engage in self-reflective work - even when it's difficult or uncomfortable.

I stay prayerful for my sons and other Black boys and men. We are seeking justice, safety, and peace.

Read Atlanta Parent's July 2020 issue here: https://www.atlantaparent.com/julyissue.

Check Out Adventure Aprons!

I'm so thrilled to wear locally-owned Clyde & Christopher’s Adventure Aprons! These meticulously handcrafted, socially responsible carry-alls are loaded with pockets to hold every essential from cell phones to lip balm.

 

I chose the Lucy carry-all which is a perfect accessory for baseball games, long walks on the Atlanta Beltline, kid playground playdates, while leaving my hands totally free. So many folks have asked me about my super cute carry-all!



This sassy black and white floral pattern brings a smile to everyone. The candy apple red vinyl and microsuede fringe trim draws out the inner wild child. With pockets aplenty for every gal’s favorite shade of red lipstick, the “Lucy” is perfect for date night as well as girls night out.

 

Clyde & Christopher’s Adventure Aprons are made from local manufacturing and high quality handmade details.  What I love about this local company is that they work with a trio of refugee women through a Clarkston, GA non-profit, to turn a profit while offering a helping hand to other women in the community.

 

Click here to view amazing aprons for any adventure!

Hillary Happy Hour - Atlanta, GA #Hillary2016

Register for the Pink Power Conference for Women in Atlanta!

The Pink Power MasterMind Conference (PPMC) is owned by Founder Kim N. Carswell of Persona Affairs, LLC. a branding firm for professionals and small to mid-size businesses.

PPMC is a 1-Day business and career conference for women at Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. Focusing on economic growth through professional development in the areas of leadership, mentorship and entrepreneurship. 

#Selfie at the mic as the Emcee of the Pink Power MasterMind Conference for Women in Atlanta!

Thrilled to share the same stage (again) with my friend Lauren! Back together again and it feels so good!

Jahari and Lauren did a wonderful job speaking on the career panel at today's #PPMC15. When interviewing talk about how you add value to the company.

For more information and to register, please visit here. 

2015 Fourth of July Celebrations Around Atlanta

Things to do on the Fourth of July around Atlanta.

Alpharetta

Enjoy Independence Day with family and friends at Wills Park in Alpharetta. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on the lawn behind Alpharetta Community Center, located at 175 Roswell Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009. For more information, call (678) 297-6143 or email recreation@alpharetta.ga.us.  

Atlanta

The Legendary Fourth of July at Lenox Square, located at 3393 Peachtree Road. N.E., Atlanta rings in its 56th year with a bevy of blasts. Gump Fiction, a Charlotte-based quintet, will play the greatest hits of the 1990s starting at 6:00 p.m. Party on the Moon, a massive show band specializing in high-energy danceable tunes, will perform at 7:45 p.m. Look up for the fireworks around 9:40 p.m. For more information, call (404) 233-6767 or visit simon.com/mall/lenox-square.

Atlanta

Centennial Olympic Park’s 4th of July Celebration will offer fun and entertainment for the entire family, including free music and Atlanta’s number one fireworks display. Come relax on the Great Lawn and celebrate Independence Day with Centennial Olympic Park. Gates open at 6:00 p.m.  For additional information, visit: http://www.centennialpark.com/index.php/plan-your-visit/event-calendar/springsummer-events/4th-of-july.

Chattahoochee Hills

Come celebrate the Fourth of July at Hutcheson Ferry Park, located in Chattahoochee Hills. Enjoy the parade in Serenbe at 10:00 a.m., then come celebrate in Hutcheson Ferry Park from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a picnic from one of the two food vendors or bring your own food and drinks!  At 6:30 p.m. enjoy the concert by Tara Winds! Click here for the flyer.

East Point

Attend the largest Independence Day Celebration in South Fulton County, "Salute to the Red, White and Blue," located in Downtown East Point. The celebration is held across from the East Point MARTA station and East Point City Hall. The carnival and event begins at 3:00 p.m. and the fireworks start around 9:30 p.m.
 

Roswell

There are two great ways to celebrate 4th of July in Roswell this year! Barrington Hall’s Inaugural “BBQ & Bluegrass” from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., located at 535 Barrington Drive, Roswell. Barbecue, beverages and desserts will be available for purchase from the Mill Kitchen Restaurant and Bar. Live music will be provided by the Smokerise Bluegrass Band.

Roswell’s Annual July 4th “Extravaganza” beginning at 5:30 p.m., with fireworks at dark
Sweet Apple Elementary School12025 Etris Road, Roswell. The City of Roswell will once again host a huge community celebration of our nation’s Independence Day. Enjoy giant inflatables, carnival games, food trucks, face painting, and other fun, family-friendly activities. Admission is free.

Sandy Springs

Start Independence Day in Dunwoody by attending the metro area’s largest July 4th Parade, complete with floats, marching bands, and after-the-parade family fun activities. The parade begins at 9:00 a.m. at Mount Vernon Road and Jett Ferry Road, proceeding west on Mt. Vernon to Dunwoody Village, with spectator points all along the route. On Sunday, the festivities continue in Sandy Springs, located at the Concourse Corporate Center Lawn (5 Concourse Parkway – next to the King & Queen buildings). Bring a picnic and a Frisbee, enjoy music from the band, Shiloh and as the sun goes down, enjoy a spectacular firework show. Music begins at 7:30 p.m. with the fireworks beginning at
9:45 p.m.

Lexus + Sojourner = Love on Valentine's Day! #HolidayPrep

Lexus spoiled me this Valentine's Day with a Lexus ES 300H for the week! I opened my front door and the car was in my driveway. I couldn't resist and immediately took the vehicle for a spin. My hands glided over the smooth woodgrain steering wheel. I turned up my satellite radio sound system and used my Lexus’ Display Audio infotainment system to navigate my way around town; which were both amazing and easy to use. 

On Valentine's day I drove my family to breakfast and later to an early dinner. Weaving through Atlanta, I noticed all of the wonderful features the car has to offer. The Lexus ES 300H includes heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic pre-collision braking, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, smartphone app integration and a navigation system with Lexus' Remote Touch controller, which is used like a computer mouse and selects items on the navigation screen.

On Sunday morning, I took my boys to The Children's Museum of Atlanta to check out the new "Super Kids Save the World" exhibit. Their legs in the back of the Lexus weren't cramped and they were glad to have wiggle room. My youngest yelled, "Mom, I want this car!" 

Later that day, I took my Mother-in-Law to see Alvin Ailey at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. I felt great picking her up in my shiny new ride. She loved the car so much that now she's thinking about buying one of her own. 

I give the Lexus ES 300H a 10 out of 10 for all of the reasons listed above and many, more more! 

Atlanta Community Huddle on Concussion a Huge Success #ATLHuddle

#ATLHuddle was difficult to ignore on your Twitter feed today. The National Council on Youth Sports Safety (NCYSS), Inc. hosted The Atlanta Community Huddle on Concussion, located at the Loudermilk Center, on January 10, 2015. Coaches, parents, students, athletic trainers, medical officials and others attended this free event. 

The Atlanta Community Huddle featured a town hall meeting emceed by Ryan Cameron, NCYSS Co-Chairs Dr. David Satcher and Dr. Eliot Sorel and PASS Student Ambassador Kylee Bliss, and national experts on injury-related topics.  Atlanta is the first of 11 stops to U.S. communities to teach, share, and learn about the policies and practices adopted in addressing sports-related concussions among youth athletes. 

The NCYSS was established in 2013 in partnership with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine (SHLI/MSM) and the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University. 

NCYSS launched Protecting Athletes and Sports Safety (PASS), a program that sparked a national conversation on youth sports safety; promotes primary prevention, public health orientation and early intervention; encourages and facilitates research; and educates and influences local, state, and federal policy.

• The NCYSS mission is to raise awareness of and apply an integrative approach to create a culture of prevention and reduce the number of injuries that occur among youth engaged in organized sports.

• The NCYSS vision is to become a leading national and global resource on the significance of healthy lifestyles and physical activity and the prevention, awareness, and treatment of sports-related injuries suffered by pre-collegiate athletes.

Fusionetics offered complimentary orthopedic screenings and participants interacted in sports safety clinics on concussion, hydration, overuse, and AEDs sponsored by Safe Kids Worldwide.

Atlanta Huddle Sessions included: 

• Concussion 101
• Navigating The Technology
• The Impact of Concussion Legislation:  How is it Protecting Your Kids?
• The Culture of Injury Prevention and Care Around Coaching

The program concluded with the Player's Perspective Panel moderated by ESPN's Cari Champion featuring former Atlanta Falcon Charles "Chuck" Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Michael Johnson, and U.S. Bronze Medalist and bobsledder Aja Evans. 

The Atlanta Community Huddle on Concussion will be the first of 11 stops to U.S. communities to teach, share, and learn about the policies and practices adopted in that community in addressing sports-related concussions among youth athletes.
Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2015/01/10/3522614/atlanta-forum-to-focus-on-concussions.html#storylink=cp

For a full speaker roster and more information, please visit: www.youthsportssafety.org. 

Guest Post from Kate Carter

Hi Married With Two Boys readers!

My name is Kate. I’m a teacher, journalist, and, just like Sojourner, a mother of two boys. My husband is Jason Carter, candidate for Governor here in Georgia. This Monday, with my boys by my side, I cast my ballot for Jason on the first day of early voting. 

                                    

As a mom, it’s important to me that my boys get a good education. And as a teacher, I’m concerned about the size of our classes, teacher retention, and the ability of my students to attend and afford college once they graduate.

This year I’ve traveled throughout the state talking with parents and teachers and they share the same concerns with me. You better believe that I’ve shared these concerns with Jason over my six years of teaching and I know he’s heard them over and over again while on the campaign trail.

The chance to make my voice heard in an election never gets old, and voting for Jason for Governor was particularly gratifying. He is courageous, incredibly smart and respected on both sides of the aisle down at the state Capitol where he serves as a State Senator.

Jason has a vision of Georgia at its very best—not competing for last in education and unemployment.

I hope you’ll make some time to read about Jason’s vision for a better future for our state. And I hope you’ll visit the polls before they close on Election Day to make your voice heard. It’s a great opportunity to teach your kids about democracy and the power of the vote.

Thanks to Sojourner for letting me guest post today! I’d love to hear your thoughts — keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Kate

Fulton County Early Voting Hours & Locations

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS  Monday, October 13 - Friday, October 31 - Weekdays 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturdays October 18 & 25 - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sundays October 19 & 26 - Noon - 5 p.m. Johns Creek Environmental Campus - 8100 Holcomb Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA 30022 Chastain Park Gymnasium - 140 West Wieuca Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30342 Ocee Library - 5090 Abbott Bridge Road, Johns Creek, GA 30005                           North Fulton Service Center - Room 232, 7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 South Fulton Service Center- 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, Room 108, College Park, GA 30349 Adamsville Recreation Center - 3201 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., SW., Atlanta, GA 30311 Fulton County Government Center -130 Peachtree Street, Suite 2186, Atlanta, GA 30303 EXPANDED EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS Monday, October 20 - Friday, October 31 - Weekdays 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday, October 25 - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, October 26 - Noon - 5 p.m. College Park Historical Building - 3675 Auditorium Way, College Park, GA 30337 Northeast/Spruill Oaks Library - 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022 Roswell Library - 115 Norcross St, Roswell, GA 30075 The Milton Center - 86 School Drive, Alpharetta, GA 30004 Sandy Springs Library - 395 Mount Vernon Hwy NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Northside Library - 3295 Northside Parkway NW, Atlanta, GA 30327 Washington Park Library - 1116 Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr., Atlanta, GA 30314 Welcome All Recreation Center - 4255 Will Lee Road, College Park, Georgia 30349 East Point Library - 2757 Main Street, East Point, GA 30344 Fairburn Library - 60 Valley View Drive, Fairburn, GA 30213 Southwest Arts Center - 915 New Hope Road, Atlanta, GA 30331 Georgia Hills Neighborhood Facility - 250 Georgia Avenue, SE, Atlanta, GA 30312   For more information regarding Fulton County Registration and Elections, call 404-612-7020 or visit www.fultonelections.com.

NEW Stage Play "Only Just A Minute" Coming to Atlanta August 20th! #OnlyJustAMinuteATL

Don't miss the new uplifting stage play Only Just a Minute! This wonderful production juxtaposes the lives of Morehouse's sixth president, Benjamin E. Mays, and his protege, Martin Luther King Jr. '48 at the crossroads of American history, as it examines the important events that helped shaped America and the promise of things to come.  Willie Carpenter of Lifetime TV’s Devious Maids performs the title role of Benjamin E. Mays in this must see play.

Only Just a Minute opens in Atlanta on August 20, 2014 for a four day run at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College located at 900 West End Avenue, Atlanta, GA.

Performances run through August 23 , 8 p.m. nightly and a Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. The production then moves to the Southwest Arts Center at 915 New Hope Road in Atlanta, where it runs from August 27 through September 7, with performances Wednesday through Sunday at 8 p.m. and a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

The play is produced by Morehouse graduate Bob Dockery, ’66, who graduated the year before Mays retired as Morehouse president. Beautifully written by Aaron Henne including text and characters by Levy Lee Simon and directed by Atlanta’s own Tom Jones.

Tickets are available for purchase online at www.onlyjustaminute.com, or by phone at 626-8MYSEAT (626-869-7328). Student, Group and Senior rates are available.

Search using the Hashtag #OnlyJustAMinuteATL

Vote to Re-Elect John Eaves Fulton County Chairman in the May 20th Primary Election #Eaves4Fulton

 

Vote to Re-Elect John Eaves for Fulton County Chairman.  John stood up for Grady Hospital when no one else would, and because of his leadership the hospital remains a pillar of the community and chief caregiver for working class people across metro Atlanta.

This Tuesday, Join me in voting for Chairman John Eaves.
 - Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery

John is committed to creating jobs and growing the economy. That's why he crated an economic development department and fount for opportunities for small businesses and minority contractors.

As a professor, education is a lifelong passion for John. He has expanded mentoring and cultural programs that keep youth out of trouble and prepare them to success in the global economy.

John launched the SMART Justice Advisory Council, conveing local and state law enforencement and community leaders to reduce recidivism and help motivate inmates reclaim their lives.

John has fought for transparency and fairness at Fulton County  being elected. When the recession hit, he cut government spending in a fair and equitable manner, without jeopardizing public safety or basic services.

www.electjohneaves.com

Your Vote Matters!