In case you missed it..

After much prayer and conversation with my family, I am excited to announce my candidacy for Fulton County Commissioner - District 6.

secure.anedot.com/committee-to-elect-sojourner/sgsa

My father, Dr. Manning Marable, was a longtime professor of public affairs, history, and African American Studies at Columbia University. He founded and directed the Institute for Research in African American Studies, and won the Pulitzer Prize for History for his biography on Malcolm X.

From an early age, my father instilled in me the attitude of prevailing and having a high moral compass. He taught me to serve others, be charitable, honest, and kind. I'm not new to public service. I come from a legacy of service and community.

Now I need your help. Our journey starts today. Join #TeamSojourner with a founding donation of $20.19, $50, $101, $250, $500 or whatever you can give to help us kick off the campaign. https://bit.ly/2I7lBm8

My goal is to bring a fresh perspective and be a beacon of change for the people of Fulton. I have served this community for 15 years, and I am excited for the road ahead.

Click here to join the team today so that we can get to work: https://bit.ly/2I7lBm8

With Love,

Sojourner

The Illusionists - Live from Broadway at Atlanta's Fox Theatre Sept. 27 - Oct. 2

The biggest selling magical show is coming to Atlanta. THE ILLUSIONISTS - LIVE FROM BROADWAY™ is produced by Simon Painter, Tim Lawson and MagicSpace Entertainment. Conceived by Simon Painter, the show’s creative team also includes executive producer Tim Lawson, director Neil Dorward and creative director Jim Millan. 

Full of hilarious magic tricks, death-defying stunts and acts of breathtaking wonder, THE ILLUSIONISTS - LIVE FROM BROADWAY™ has shattered box office records worldwide and thrilled audiences of all ages with a mind-blowing spectacular showcasing the jaw-dropping talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth. 

Join me on September 27th for opening night at the fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The show runs from September 27th through October 2nd. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.BroadwayInAtlanta.com.

Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign

This week (March 4 - 8, 2013) is National School Breakfast Week. To bring awareness to this very important week and issue, mom bloggers are raising awareness about child hunger right here in the United States. It's not just a developing world issue, it's a domestic issue, too.

No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day. 

 

The No Kid Hungry campaign connects kids in need to effective nutrition programs like school breakfast and summer meals and teaches low-income families to cook healthy, affordable meals through Cooking Matters.  This work is accomplished through the No Kid Hungry network, made up of private citizens, public officials, nonprofits, business leaders and others providing innovative hunger solutions in their communities. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

#BlkBFing: Making HERstory! Black History Month blog carnival!

I hope you'll check out my blog post published as part of the "BlkBfing: Making HERstory" blog carnival from MomsRising, ROSE and US Breastfeeding Committee. In honor of Black History Month, these posts celebrate and support African American women breastfeeding.

Read 32 amazing blog posts from women from across the country sharing their invaluable experiences, resources and knowledge on breastfeeding in the African American community.

Support this campaign by reading the stories, leaving positive comments and sharing on social media!

Please visit: http://bit.ly/BLKbfing

Save Lives Donate to the Shanti Uganda Society #GlobalTeamof200

The Shanti Uganda Society improves infant and maternal health, provides safe women-centered care and supports the well-being of birthing mothers and women living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda.

In 2012 Shanti Uganda has assisted in bringing 113 new lives into the world safely and peacefully, tested over 400 mothers and partners for HIV and other STIs, provided 1000 antenatal care appointments and run a weekly infant immunization and family planning program. Now they need to expand their services to meet the increasing needs of the community.

Visit here to find out more information: http://shantiuganda.org/opportunities-to-give

Join Me on "Real Talk with Da Famous Boyzz" today!

Join Us! I will be LIVE on "Real Talk with Da Famous Boyzz" today at 6PM EST. If you're on Social Media, you don't want to miss today's show!

Mom Blogger for Obama 2012

A Kentuckian revved up his engine to race on the freeway, then peered over at me and flashed “the bird.” I looked towards my husband and started laughing in shock, because I hadn’t gotten the finger in awhile. Not even in Atlanta traffic.

We both couldn’t figure out why he wanted to race, let alone why I got the middle finger from a stranger. Process of elimination went into effect. Maybe our kids in the back seat frowned at him and that got his blood boiling. Or maybe he was upset that our car was faster than his.

Then the "Ah Ha" moment hit us. That’s it! It was the Obama window decal. He was ticked off that we were Obama supporters. We let his anger roll off our backs and went on our way, taking the higher road of nonviolence and overlooking ignorance.

The upcoming elections caused me to reflect on this incident. My stand is this: I’ll take the bird for Obama. I’ll stand up in red neck central with a bullhorn and scream out his name. I’ll cast my vote again and again for Obama. People are too busy being ignorant and bashing Obama instead of supporting him. I can imagine that people think being against Obama is what’s popular, not realizing that he’s for the “little man,” who is the blue collar worker that struggles to put food on the table. Get off the movement to bash Obama, and jump on the train to support him.

Published in Elephant Journal.

2011 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Atlantic Station - Atlanta, GA

Where: 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer's - Atlantic Station - Atlanta, GA Directions When: Saturday, October 8, 2011 Length: 5K (3.1 miles) Contact: Call or Email the Metro Atlanta regional office of the Alzheimer's Association, Shannon.Primm@alz.org. Georgia Chapter at (404) 728-606  6 or

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s™ is the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Since 1989, this all age, all-ability walk has mobilized millions to join the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, raising more than $347 million for the cause. Events are held annually in the fall in nearly 600 communities nationwide. For more information contact the Metro Atlanta regional office of the Alzheimer's Association, Georgia Chapter at shannon.primm@alz.org and (404) 728-1181.

Event Location:

Atlantic Station Need directions? Click here for a map

Event Schedule:

Registration/Check-In 10/8/2011 7:30 am - 9:00 am Opening Ceremony 10/8/2011 9:00 am - 9:30 am Walk 10/8/2011 9:30 am - 10:30 am Closing Ceremony 10/8/2011 10:30 am - 11:00 am

Fees:

Standard: No Fees Although there is no registration fee for this event, we encourage all of our walkers to make a personal donation and raise money for the cause. Raise $200 or more and receive a 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer's™ T-shirt! Take the first step toward reaching your fundraising goal by making a personal donation today. Source

Atlanta's Premiere Fashion Swap Party! - Today!

SWAPNISTA DAY PARTY 

Hosted by Pretty Girls Rock Dresses & Fashion Envy LLC

 

Atlanta's Premiere Fashion Swap Party, Since 2008

When: Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 2:00pm 

Where: Emerging Art Scene at Castleberry Point

321 Nelson Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 

Contact: 678.860.4253   info@fashiontoenvy.com    

Twitter: @swapnista @pgrdresses Hashtag: #swapnistadayparty

For more details and to Save the Date click HERE.

2011 Honor Awards Judge for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to judge the 2011 Honor Awards for Program Excellence, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's highest national program award.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America inspire young people to reach for their "full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens."

Serving as a judge, I have a greater appreciation for their work and a better understanding of the breadth and scope of their programs.

 

 

  

 

 

              

Pretty Girls Rock Dresses Star of the Day!

Featured as Pretty Girls Rock Dresses Star of the Day! Super excited about this honor and very humbled to be recognized.

If you haven't been to the PGRDress website, then please click on this link.
 

Lactation Rooms in the Workplace

I interviewed 17 working moms in higher education to examine if they are able to achieve a balance between their professional objectives and family life. Several questions were asked including establishing lactation rooms in the workplace. 

(Q) Does your institution have policies that assist working mothers with taking time off or provide on-site nurseries, lactation rooms, etc.?

(A) Three mothers praised their institutions for having lactation rooms on campus. One mother replied: “There is only one designated lactation room (that I know of) on campus.  It’s in our new law building.  I was lucky to have supervisors who supported my pumping milk, which I did successfully with my two children, from when I returned to work at 3 to12 months with each child.“
 
(A) Another mother stated: “I was lucky to have my own office and understanding co-workers so that I could "pump", but there is absolutely nothing helpful on campus for others who don't have a private office. A colleague down the hall had to sit in a locked storage closet on boxes. Even my own office is open to a busy hallway, so people would knock on the door even with curtains drawn, recycling staff would unlock the door and find me attached to a pump when I was pumping before a late meeting. Just not a good scene for lactation!”
 
(F) The 1992 Family Medical and Medical Leave Act allows mothers with newborns to take 12 weeks of paid leave. Some employers also will allow mothers to have flexible work schedules. Finding ways to accommodate mothers (i.e., lactation rooms) permits them not to feel so alienated in the workplace. ‘Nora,’ an associate director at a Northeastern university told me, “I was able to work part-time from home during my last month of maternity leave.  When I came back to work full-time, I was able to telecommute two days a week.  I’m transitioning to telecommuting one day a week now.  Being able to telecommute is wonderful, because I’m still nursing and it gives me a chance to pump and nurse while I’m at home, so that I can maintain my milk supply.”

My colleague and I returned from maternity leave about the same time, and I was finding it difficult to pump in the ladies’ room.  In an effort to make it easier for other new moms, we approached the vice president of our institution and requested the establishment of a lactation room. The university responded positively by creating a comfortable private room. A working mother’s support group was also started on campus—a coalition of expectant, new and seasoned moms that promotes the balancing of professional careers and raising happy, healthy children. Each month moms are invited to join a brown-bag lunch, and are encouraged to talk about challenges of work and motherhood. This outlet has been extremely beneficial for all moms who have participated.
 

Excerpt from "Working Moms: Finding a Balance Between Work and Motherhood."  SACRAO Journal, volume 23, pp. 5-10.

Thankful Thursday

To Wean, or Not to Wean: That is the Question

Our youngest son, Joshua, is no longer attached to the boob.  It's been a month and I think I'm having withdrawals.  I miss the closeness, providing nutritional food, but not the teeth.  Ouch!  I went back and forth with the question of whether to wean or not to wean.  My girlfriends kept telling me that he would decide, but I couldn't figure that out.  How would our 14-month-old son know how to decide if he wants to stop nursing?

Being a stay-at-work mom, Joshua and I established a routine that worked with both of our schedules.  I nursed him in the morning, pumped at work, nursed him in the evenings, and during nighttime feedings.  Fortunately, my colleague and I met with college administrators and established a comfortable and mom-friendly lactation room on campus.  My milk supply adjusted to our schedules and we were "bosom buddies" for 14 months.  Just recently, he gradually stopped nursing in the evenings and during the night.

Reflecting back on my nursing experience, I had several funny and awkward moments. The moment that stands out the most was when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guards at LaGuardia Airport inspected my breast milk packages with their wands.  I wrote an article about it titled, "Breast Milk in the Sky."

For over a year, my body provided nutritional food for our son.  The process had its ups and downs.  I'm thankful for the experience, because maternal immunity normally disappears after 6-8 months.  Breastfeeding isn't for everyone.  Sometimes a woman's milk supply doesn't “come in,” her immune system might be compromised, life style choices, medications, etc.  If you've nursed and have funny and/or memorable stories that you wish to share, please leave me a comment.  For anyone interested in nursing your child and need helpful tips, please feel free to leave a comment as well.  Let's share this experience together.


Family Photos: Allen Cooley Photography

The Grimmett Family - Photo Shoot