A Note From Writing Addict

Queens! I have been out of commission but you will be proud, drumroll please...I made it! I finally got my Grad degree. After the sleepless night, stress, and headaches from reading I am so done! I finallly have my MBA in healthcare management. So, now I have time to breathe, family, write, and to work on my non-profit Purple W.I.N.G.S organization. I actually have my 501 c-3, and a great crew in which to start with. Read all about my organization geared toward at-risk girls out here in Las Vegas, Nevada here www.purplewings.org.

Go Vote!

Queen Zainab1 shared the following info with us and she needs you to go out and vote. You all know how I feel about the issue of domestic violence so it is imperative that you read her post below taken from her fabulous hair blog http://aunaturale007.blogspot.com/ and go vote.

Where I Will Be....

The Fall into Books Literary Conference this Saturday.   

Fall into Books Literary Conference is committed to "Connecting Avid Readers, Book Clubs & Authors...One Literary Step at a Time"  by creating a wonderful literary experience.  It is our goal to bring you some of the best authors, engage you with insightful panel discussions and workshops, along with serving our community by supporting a great cause. We'll see you in 2010!

If you are in Kansas, Missouri I do hope that you come out so that we can meet, and you can get a signed copy of my hot book, High Stakes!

Holiday Inn at the Plaza Website 
One East 45th St
Kansas City, MO 64111

All the info is here

Stay Blessed & Happy Locing!

All Black Everything

Hey Queens, so last night I colored my hair and retwisted. Let me just say, I am over it! No not my locs chile, coloring! Ugggh! I'm talking about doing it myself. Its more than labor. It takes skill, and art to not get any color in my bathroom. I have to put a painters tarp down, towels, the works. Then it takes me about 1 hour total to get all the locs colored. Then it takes about 45 mins to rinse it all out! I can't see the back, lawd lets just say Queen bee has to take this to the salon now.

Do We Love It?

Alright Naturalistas...its time to play the, "Do We Love It" series with celebs....

Bre from America's Next Top Model...she's rocking a fab short, and natural do...

 Beyonce and some sort of curl action....

Domestic Violence Revisited

Floyd Merriweather & Josie Harris

As of late celebrity couples have been in the news not for love being in the air, but for irrational decisions, and their behavior (insert domestic violence here sans Chris Brown). Relationships are very tricky, either they bring you intense love, or intense pain. Rarely do they linger somewhere in the middle. However, a lot of couples decide to stay together for reasons unbeknown to us despite flags of upcoming impending doom. Along with the awkward silences, frequent arguments, bad attitudes, non-intimacy, disrespect, confrontations, dishonesty, and infidelity they introduce violence into the mix. Now don't get me wrong I know all relationships have ups and downs, but when you insert violence, "Houston we have a problem."  When there is mental abuse so bad where it actually breaks down a mates self-esteem, confidence, and respect, and physical abuse the couple just shouldn't be.

A Note From Writing Addict

So you wanna rock locs huh? Well are you ready for all that comes with it? Can you handle criticism, questions like, "Why do you wear your hair like slaves did back in the day?" Yes I actually got asked that repeatedly! Are you ready for people to argue with you and tell you that you may be undatable, or you will never secure a good job? Well, I have heard it all. If I did not have self-confidence nor self-esteem I wouldn't have locs right now! Especially during my baby twists stage, or the in between stage where the locs were standing all over my head, refusing to be tamed. Shoot, I have a darling hubby, and nice job, and a budding writing career. My locs hasn't had anything to do with it. Its not about the hair its the person, the locs just put the icing on the cake.

What I am saying is that we are living in a world where being superficial, will get you put on faster than being yourself. Where natural beauty is frowned upon, and commercials where to buy the premium 28" Indian Remy hair blasts all over our radio waves!  You have to walk tall, when you are rocking the locs! You have to hold your head up and smile curtly, then sweetly at the naysayer, and disbelievers!

You have to ignore the stares from people who just don't get it, or from the non-ethnic people who can't for the life of them understand how your hair "got that way."

Then dating is a whole nother' story. Honey if you don't have a mate who is supportive you have a whole nother' bag of worms to contend with. When I first started rocking the locs a guy I used to date, would continuously tell me how pretty I could be or would be if I would just take those "things" down. Hmph, I looked at him, and sent his ass packing. What are you doing if you are in this situation? Are you allowing someone to dictate how you should wear your hair?

What I am saying is you have to find the power, and strength within you to live your life natural and free. Do not allow anyone to make you feel less just because they are ignorant as hell about hair. Because at the end of the day it is your choice. But don't choose half-assed. Be bold daring and above all be the Queen that you are.

So if you are dealing with ignorance you don't stoop to their level...you just smile sweetly, take a long look at the crown of their head, look them square in the eyes and tell them this is how you choose to wear your hear, that they don't have to like, but they will respect it. Then turn on your heels and switch away!

xxoo
Stay Blessed & Happy Locing!

Around the Web...

Mary J. Blige & Jazmine Sullivan to Tour Together {Crunk & Disorderly}

Visual Aesthetics [A Belle in Brooklyn]

The High Cost of Being a Ride or Die Chick [AOL Black Voices}

TI has Reason to Worry [Kimora Cochran]

Tyler Perry's For "Colored Girls", Will you See it? [Afrobella]

50 Cent Proves Once Again He is an Idiot [YBF]

Stay Blessed & Happy Locing!

Artist Spotlight...

On my quest for original and beautiful artwork to fill my new home I stumbled upon this loc'd beauty on Facebook through mutual friends. I won't even elaborate on her exquisite locs, or that wide and beautiful smile. So read on about artist Terra Coles, she is definitely One You You Need to Know...

My name is Terra Coles. I’m originally from a small, rural, west Pennsylvania town called Republic. I moved to Atlanta, Georgia as a child and graduated from Stone Mountain High School. A couple of years after high school I joined the Army. It took 10 years for me to realize that it wasn’t for me. I spent a large part of my young adult years trying to tap into my creative life force. I was raised in a family that believes in the straight and narrow path to success. Go to college, find a good job (with benefits), and raise a family…live happily ever after. The only problem was...THAT wasn’t MY happily ever after. For the most part, early on, I realized that I didn’t fit perfectly into that mold. I needed another option. It has always been important to me to be able to express myself freely. Needless to say, the Army was not an entity that promoted self expression. After the army, I moved back to Atlanta. Over the past few years I worked for a couple of businesses. I worked the jobs that I was trained for in the military but I was unfulfilled. About three years ago, I bought a home and decided that I was going to fill my new space with photos of my family and friends as wall art. I’d received a “point and shoot” camera from a friend but I’d never really put it to the test. Once I began taking pictures, I immediately fell in love with it! Everything suddenly became a photo opportunity. The way the wind blew through the trees, the honest laughter resulting from a private joke between two people, the deliberate and unmistakable body language of a disagreement…it ALL became photo-worthy. My role in life has changed since I picked up a camera. It is my responsibility to preserve this segment of life that I’ve created. Whether it be smiles or tears, these moments have to reach future generations. Our childrens children deserve to see that WE are resilient and unified despite our past. They need to see that our generation celebrates who we are, in our most natural form.

Check out some of Terra's' work!

Breathtaking photography! If you are interested in purchasing some of her work, or contacting her for a photoshoot her information is as follows:

Terra T. Coles
TT Coles Photography
404.578.5184
www.ttcoles.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/ttcolesphoto
www.myspace.com/terra_tarice

Stay Blessed & Happy Locing!

Just the Way You Are...

This morning while driving to work my fave song came on the radio (it's a lot of women fave song right now), Bruno Mars, Just the Way You Are. This song sums up exactly how we feel here at On the Road to Queendom. Society beats us in the head with images of what they perceive to be beautiful. Especially with the skinny women in the magazines, the straight hair commercials promising more length, volume, and bounce; the breasts that are augemented every hour on the hour, etc., the list could go on and on.

We are not natural hair nazi's here at On the Road to Queendom, we just want you to know you are beautiful just the way you are! Your kinky coils, round nose, full lips, curvy body, and beautiful brown, light, deep, cocoa skin is naturally beautiful.

I remember looking down at my chest after I weaned my daughter from breast feeding; I told my husband that I wanted a breast augmentation to put them back to where they used to be. He looked at me and said, "Why? You look beautiful just the way you are. Why have unnecessary surgery which could put your life in danger and possibly take you away from me and the kids? Just buy one of those miracle thingies and be happy."

I passed his comment off, saying that he just didn't understand. But, he is right. Life happens! We get older, things sag, and curves get fuller. We just have to take care of ourselves the best way we can, the way our God wants us to take care of our temple. More importantly, we have to take care of our internal bodies, our spiritual temples. Once we become beautiful on the inside it will radiate outward.

So this morning, smile! Put a little extra pep in your step, and twist on down the street a little harder. Because I love you, we love you here at On the Road to Queendom just the way you are! This songs' for you!



Stay Blessed & Happy Locing!

Loc'd Beauty of the Month

Introducing our very 1st Loc'd Beauty of the Month....

 The free formed beauty, Kay!

 Kay's loc story...

My name is Kay and I'm a senior at a university in Alabama. 

I've been fascinated by hair for as long as I can remember; its properties, its history, its beauty etc. Surprisingly enough, however, I've never been one to do much to my own hair. My main style had always been extension braids. If I ever did anything to my natural hair, it was something that didn't require much upkeep.

I transitioned for a year and cut the last of my relaxer on July 27, 2004. I was simply tired of the extensions and weaves. I'd slowly become more and more enthralled by natural hair and decided I wanted to try if for myself. The rest is history.

I was natural for three years before I decided to dread. I just woke up one morning and knew I wanted them. No huge revelations or sudden insight. I just felt it in my heart.

I'm very simple with my hair. I don't color, do fancy rinses or many styles. I freeform, which means I separate my roots but do nothing else to them. 

I also have a blog:

http://nappyheadedblackgirl.blogspot.com/

 

 

and YouTube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/nappyheadedblackgirl

 

Congratulations Kay! You are On the Road to Queendom's Loc'd Beauty for the month of September!  You will also receive an On the Road to Queendom T-shirt soon!  Thank you for representing your crown, and carrying yourself with poise and grace!

Stay Blessed & Happy Locing!