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AUTHOR BEAUTY IN<br />
BEAST MODE<br />
OF ATLANTA’S BLACK-<br />
OWNED HIDDEN GEMS<br />
FASHION FILM MUSIC ART BOOKS FOOD TRAVEL EVENTS
Be Seen – Get Published!<br />
Are you a creative?<br />
Artist<br />
Blogger<br />
Fashion Designer<br />
Photographer<br />
Writer<br />
Model/Actress<br />
Become a contributor to<br />
Blacktion Magazine! Email<br />
your credentials to<br />
blacktionmag@gmail.com<br />
Subject line: Contributor.
1<br />
Editor’s Letter<br />
Blacktion Bookshelf<br />
Letters to the<br />
Editor/Contributors<br />
BEAUTY: iCandy by<br />
Mo<br />
Blacktion Runway<br />
Blacktion Playlist<br />
Atlanta’s Black-Owned<br />
Hidden Gems<br />
AUTHOR: Quintessa<br />
Turner<br />
Author Event: What’s On<br />
Your Table?<br />
Understanding Book<br />
Editors<br />
EXCLUSIVE: Briana Cole WIP<br />
Blacktion Children<br />
Blacktion Backyard<br />
Blacktion Kitchen:<br />
Chicken & Shrimp<br />
Alfredo Spaghetti<br />
MODEL: Ashley Evans
2<br />
Welcome to the first issue of Blacktion, our new<br />
supplement designed especially to showcase<br />
black creative entrepreneurs. Ever since I<br />
became a nationally-published author, I’ve<br />
received many questions about my journey,<br />
creative process, as well as requests for tips and<br />
techniques to help upcoming authors. I wish<br />
there had been someone to answer those<br />
questions for me in the beginning and, I must<br />
admit, I’m still learning as I go. But I love sharing<br />
my experiences in hopes that others are inspired<br />
and able to accomplish their goals. Not only that,<br />
as a growing brand, I love working with others<br />
who are growing as well. But not just authors.<br />
ALL creatives! If you’re passionate and actively<br />
on your hustle, I’m behind you 100%! Thus, the<br />
idea for this magazine was born. Why not create<br />
a platform for all of us like-minded individuals?<br />
Like FUBU, I wanted something “for us, by us.” So<br />
you will recognize a number of creatives in the<br />
following pages. My hope for Blacktion is to be<br />
entertaining, informative and most importantly,<br />
motivating. We are all in this together. Here’s to<br />
slaying our goals. We got this! XOXOXO<br />
Enjoy,<br />
Briana Cole, Editor<br />
To provide an online platform to support and create awareness for the next<br />
generation of black creatives, indie-artists, entrepreneurs, and businesses.<br />
FOLLOW US ON<br />
facebook.com/blacktionmag @blacktionmag @blacktionmag
Click the video to watch a book review from Robert’s Reading Room!<br />
3
4<br />
LETTERS TO<br />
We would love to hear what you have to say!<br />
LOVE US?<br />
HATE US?<br />
WE WANT TO<br />
KNOW!<br />
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO BLACKTIONMAG@GMAIL.COM<br />
Our magazine will feature letters from readers so we encourage you to<br />
send us your thoughts, comments, questions, and suggestions. We will<br />
select as many letters as we can to feature right here in Blacktion.<br />
CHINA WHITE<br />
Blacktion Kitchen<br />
ROBERT WHITE<br />
Blacktion Bookshelf<br />
JYMYAKA BRADEN<br />
Blacktion Backyard<br />
GEORGE GANT<br />
Blacktion Backyard<br />
Aspiring chef and<br />
bestselling<br />
author located in<br />
Bainbridge, GA.<br />
Avid reader, literary<br />
influencer, and book<br />
reviewer located in<br />
Atlanta, GA.<br />
Editor, writer,<br />
reviewer, designer<br />
and promoter.<br />
Award-winning<br />
cartoonist and<br />
creator of<br />
webcomics.<br />
China White<br />
Robert Reading<br />
Room & Reviews<br />
thebookMD<br />
Geogantart<br />
@china.white_<br />
@Robert_reading<br />
_room<br />
@thebookmd<br />
@geogantart
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8<br />
Everything is sweeter with a little icandy!<br />
Icandybymo_ @icandybymo_ icandybymo@gmail.com<br />
Mo’s Must-Haves<br />
Hi, my name is Monique. I am the owner of iCandyByMo, serving<br />
you with all your beauty needs. I am a self-taught make up artist<br />
based in the South Metro Atlanta area. Make up enhancement<br />
has been my passion since 2016 and counting, and I am still<br />
perfecting my craft. I love applying make up and I love the way it<br />
makes my customers feel! So if you're ever in the area and need<br />
an affordable yet bomb beat, contact me!<br />
Every girl needs a little glow in their lives. My fave highlighter palette is<br />
Anastasia Beverly Hills Sun Dipped Glow kit. You can find this product in<br />
Ulta or Sephora.<br />
Brows are essential! I keep my brows poppin' with my NYX Professional<br />
Makeup Sculpt & Highlight Brow Contour in the shade "Expresso." This<br />
product is found in most drug stores or beauty supply stores.<br />
A good lippie is sooo important and although MAC is one of my<br />
personal fave brands, there is nothing wrong with a good dollar store<br />
lippie. My go-to is L.A. COLORS Matte Liquid color. They are awesome<br />
and long lasting! Go cop these at Family Dollar!<br />
No look is complete without bomb lashes. Of course, there are<br />
thousands of great lashes but if you're looking for affordable yet stylish<br />
and comfortable, Ardell Double Up falsies are amazing! You can find<br />
them basically any and everywhere, Walmart, beauty supply stores, Ulta<br />
and the list goes on!<br />
There are so many eyeshadow palettes out it can be really<br />
overwhelming. A few of my fave go-to palettes are BH Cosmetics Zodiac<br />
palette with a variety of shimmers and mattes. Another fave is The<br />
Crayon Case's Box of Crayons palette, which is a great palette for<br />
beginners. My absolute favorite palettes at this moment are the Juvia's<br />
Place "Zulu" and "Afrique" palettes. The shades are soooo beautiful.<br />
Each of the palettes mentioned are very pigmented and the prices are<br />
affordable as well.
9<br />
Sweet Auburn Seafood<br />
171 Auburn Ave N.E.<br />
Atlanta, GA 30303<br />
(678) 974.5019<br />
Southern-style seafood mains and<br />
small plates, plus cocktails and live<br />
music.<br />
Our Fave: Shrimp and Grits<br />
BQE Restaurant & Lounge<br />
262 Edgewood Ave N.E.<br />
Atlanta, GA 30303<br />
(404) 996-6159<br />
Trendy eatery dishing up Southern<br />
comfort food & NY-themed cocktails.<br />
Our Fave: Red Velvet Chicken/ Waffle<br />
Ms. Icey’s Kitchen & Bar<br />
1371 Clairmont Rd<br />
Decatur, GA 30033<br />
(404) 963.7871<br />
Classic American Southern food &<br />
brunch with modern, industrial<br />
interiors and lively bar.<br />
Our Fave: Grandma’s Oxtail<br />
Showcase Food Gallery<br />
3183 Main St.<br />
East Point, GA 30344<br />
(404) 600-4067<br />
Eclectic dining experience with a<br />
Caribbean flare.<br />
Our Fave: Champagne Salmon<br />
Milk and Honey<br />
5495 Cascade Rd, Suite 100<br />
Atlanta, GA 30331<br />
(404) 968-9266<br />
Contemporary venue with a cheery<br />
vibe featuring all-day brunch and<br />
Southern specialties.<br />
Our fave: Seafood Burger
10<br />
AUTHOR BEAUTY IN BEAST MODE
What were some of your aspirations<br />
growing up? My greatest aspiration growing up<br />
was to be my own boss, helping families feed<br />
their families, and I can say I’m living the<br />
dream!<br />
11<br />
Did you always want to be an author?<br />
Absolutely not, lol. I became an author by<br />
accident. I was going through a rough time in<br />
my marriage and the only way to release the<br />
frustration was to write.<br />
Where do you draw your inspiration from?<br />
Reading. As I read the books from Nikki Turner,<br />
Sista Souljah, Shannon Holmes, Omar Tyree,<br />
Teri Woods, just to name a few. I felt like damn,<br />
some of my life is inside these pages. I know I<br />
can write a great story just like them. Those<br />
books had me on the edge of my seat, turning<br />
everything out. I knew then I wanted my stories<br />
to have readers just like that.<br />
What is your writing style? I love writing<br />
urban fiction, hood, nasty, fiction, lol. I love<br />
having readers wondering what’s next and<br />
also leaving a lesson inside the pages.<br />
Tell us about your latest novel? My next<br />
release coming late August, early September<br />
will be based on true facts. The novel is<br />
called Dealing with Infidelity, Broken But Not<br />
Dead. This book released so many demons<br />
and so much pain that I bottled up inside. I<br />
recommend it to everyone thinking about<br />
getting married, young and in relationships,<br />
men who are married, or anyone who has<br />
ever had to deal with adultery.<br />
What sets you apart from other authors?<br />
I put a little of me in all my books and I stay<br />
in my own lane.
12<br />
What is the most challenging aspect of the<br />
creative process? The most challenging thing<br />
about being an author is sometimes experiencing<br />
writer’s block– when all your ideas and your brain<br />
just freezes. This may cause your release to be<br />
delayed and it can take a small period of time or<br />
long period of time. It’s good to always find the<br />
right environment to write in. This helps a lot!<br />
What is your writing process? From<br />
starting a novel to publication, take us<br />
on your journey. I love to start out<br />
brainstorming. In this process, I write<br />
down all the thoughts that come to my<br />
mind concerning the book that I would<br />
like to create. I don’t worry about<br />
order or spelling or anything in this<br />
stage. Then I complete my outline.<br />
What is the most fulfilling aspect<br />
during the creative process? Bringing<br />
the characters to life. Some I fall in love<br />
with, some I can’t stand. The<br />
characters are everything! Once you<br />
become a writer, it’s crazy how your<br />
mind works.<br />
Why do Black women need a voice in today’s<br />
literature? Black women need a voice in today’s<br />
literature because there was once a time when our<br />
voices were not able to be heard. When the<br />
opportunity presents itself, we have to bring it. The<br />
black woman has experienced things you wouldn’t<br />
even imagine. We have a gift that can’t be taken.<br />
In addition to being an author, what are some<br />
of your other talents? I own a Home Care Agency<br />
called Cherishing Lives Home Care Agency,<br />
Becoming a Home Care Boss teaching individuals<br />
how to open their own home care agency using<br />
our Million Dollar Blue Print. I am a business coach,<br />
I own a few properties, and I am in the process of<br />
opening a nonprofit organization with a few people<br />
in the city for the youth. I also have a fitness<br />
company about to launch with my husband called<br />
Refocused Fitness.<br />
Author Quintessa Turner @ms_fargo www.quintessaturner.com
DO YOU HAVE A BOOK, WEBSITE, PODCAST,<br />
PUBLICATION, OR BUSINESS YOU’D LIKE TO PROMOTE?!<br />
YOUR AD<br />
HERE<br />
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HERE<br />
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HERE<br />
IF INTERESTED, PLEASE EMAIL US AT:<br />
BLACKTIONMAG@GMAIL.COM
14<br />
Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo Spaghetti<br />
by Chef China White<br />
Ingredients:<br />
- 1 lb chicken breast, thinly sliced<br />
- 1 lb shrimp, frozen<br />
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic powder,<br />
onion powder<br />
- 2 cups heavy cream OR half-in-half<br />
- 4 tablespoons butter<br />
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles<br />
- 2 cups parmesan cheese<br />
Cook Time: Approximately 20 minutes<br />
1) Season chicken on both sides with your seasonings.<br />
2) Get a skillet and put it on medium high heat. Add your 4 tbsp of butter to the<br />
skillet.<br />
3) When the butter melts, add chicken and let cook about 3 - 4 minutes on each<br />
side or whenever it’s cooked all the way through. NOTE: Don’t grill the<br />
chicken unless you want grilled chicken alfredo which will throw off the<br />
original flavor but still a delicious substitute.<br />
4) Before taking chicken out of the pan, add some water in a pot and bring to a<br />
boil. Add noodles.<br />
5) Take chicken out the pan and put it to the side to begin alfredo sauce. Using<br />
that same skillet, add one cup of cream and bring skillet to medium heat.<br />
6) Let simmer for about 3 minutes then add Parmesan cheese. Mix well and add<br />
other cup of cream. Let simmer.<br />
7) Chop chicken in squares then add to skillet.<br />
8) Cook shrimp by itself in separate skillet with butter and freshly chopped<br />
garlic (optional).<br />
9) Drain noodles and add to alfredo sauce with chicken. NOTE: If the sauce is<br />
too thick, simply add more cream and salt and pepper to taste, but not too<br />
much because we kept all the flavors for the chicken in the skillet.<br />
10) When the shrimp is done add it to the mix.<br />
11) Give everything a simple stir then add some parsley and paprika for color<br />
(optional).<br />
12) ENJOY!
15
16<br />
Dynamic Duo: Mother and Daughter<br />
Publish Children’s Book Together<br />
Jasmine and her six-year-old daughter, Raziya, began<br />
their journey publishing their children’s book when<br />
Raziya expressed her love for writing and wanting to<br />
write books like her mother. The story came to life<br />
when Raziya wanted characters related to her life and<br />
her mother wanted to tackle real life issues going on<br />
in schools today. Together, they created a seven-yearold<br />
girl, a black superhero, who saves her friends from<br />
making bad choices in school. With this plot, the book<br />
came to life as the mother and daughter duo created<br />
their first book called Raziya Saves The Day, No More<br />
Bullies. Their journey has just began but this series has<br />
hit Amazon, iBooks, Google Play, etc. Teaming up with<br />
local anti-bullying campaigns these ladies have<br />
apparel and more to come!<br />
Jasmine Ciera @raziyasavesthe Jasmineciera13@gmail.com
Sep 26, 2019 – Sep 29, 2019<br />
Filmmaker Friday<br />
Martinis & Movies<br />
Red, White, and New Film<br />
Black Tie Gala-Awards Night<br />
Music in Film<br />
Brunch with a Filmmaker<br />
A Writer’s Wine Tasting<br />
Actor’s Bootcamp<br />
Light Refreshments included<br />
Tickets- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-film-festivalatlanta-tickets-59649965653
18<br />
What were some of your aspirations growing up? Did you always want to be<br />
a model? When I was younger, I thought I wanted to be a singer. I used to love<br />
to sing but I quickly grew out of that. So, no I haven't always wanted to be a<br />
model. I did know that I always wanted to be in the spotlight. I wanted to be<br />
known for something.<br />
Who are your biggest influences? My mom is my biggest influence. If I can<br />
only be half of the mother to my future children as she was to me and my<br />
brother, my children would have some astonishing lives.<br />
“Have patience because ‘no’<br />
means that there is a better<br />
‘yes’ right behind it.”<br />
How have you developed your career? Hard work,<br />
determination, and humility. This industry is about<br />
relationships and word gets around fast. So, I treat<br />
everyone with respect. You never know who you will<br />
come across again.<br />
How do you seek out opportunities? I have always<br />
searched for my own jobs, even when I had an agent. I<br />
look on casting sites and just word of mouth.
19<br />
What is the most fulfilling aspect of your<br />
career as a model? The most challenging?<br />
Seeing the final product after a shoot. The<br />
most challenging is doing a shoot and the ad<br />
never comes out or the clients choosing not to<br />
use your photos.<br />
Tell us about a funny/interesting thing that<br />
has happened during your modeling career. I<br />
had a photographer come into my job to take<br />
photos of me. I had her hide her camera until<br />
we were in the lab where we could lock the<br />
door. The photos came out so dope!<br />
Where can we see some of your work? My<br />
Instagram @ashleysevans or go into beauty<br />
supply stores on the hair color aisle.<br />
In addition to being a model, what are some<br />
of your other talents? Acting is my other<br />
passion.<br />
Any new projects we can expect from you in<br />
the near future? I am focusing on acting now.<br />
So continue to watch TV and I’ll appear on<br />
some of your favorite TV shows and movies!<br />
What is your favorite quote or words of<br />
encouragement for those reading and<br />
aspiring to be like you? Proverbs 18:21 "Death<br />
and life are in the power of the tongue, and<br />
those that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."
20<br />
Facebook.com/ccxiidesigns<br />
@ccxiidesigns<br />
“This is me. I design,<br />
I create, I want you<br />
to wear it!”<br />
-Tiffany Tolbert<br />
CCXII Designs<br />
Founder/Designer<br />
TEN – “Power (Taking Back)”<br />
Inspiration Vibes ft. MoneyMike – “Bless My<br />
Haters”<br />
Karis – “Playa”<br />
SkinnyC ft. Ace King – “REAL Life Likes”
21<br />
So you've booked your author event! You're excited, you're nervous... and dare you admit,<br />
lost as hell. Because now you're utterly clueless about what else to bring to set up your<br />
table. You don't want it too empty, and you don't want it cluttered either. It took me a few<br />
events to get comfortable<br />
with staging my table but<br />
now I look forward to the<br />
task. The table pictured<br />
here is my usual set up.<br />
First, I pick a good color<br />
scheme that goes with my<br />
brand. As you see, my colors<br />
are typically pinks and<br />
purples with some<br />
splashes of other colors<br />
to compliment. With that<br />
color scheme in mind, I decorate. Even if an event supplies a tablecloth, I bring my own<br />
because I like to coordinate. Of course, I bring books and bookstands which can be<br />
purchased at Walmart, Target, or even Dollar Tree. On my table you'll also find my<br />
marketing materials (i.e. business cards, bookmarks, etc.) and a guest book to collect<br />
email addresses for my mailing list (usually my pen is in my color scheme as well because,<br />
why not? Lol). Aside from the essentials, I also bring a little extra decor because it makes<br />
the table more visually appealing, such as flowers in vases (fake ones so I can transport<br />
and reuse again), confetti (if allowed) and candy in dishes (color-coordinated as well). I<br />
also recommend some kind of display such as a retractable banner, or table banner/poster<br />
if that's more cost efficient for you. I purchased a collapsible wagon from Walmart for easy<br />
transporting of all my vendor items, and I am good to go!<br />
TIP: Don't make my mistake. When I first purchased my banner, I used my book cover. Well<br />
with my next few published books, that banner quickly became outdated. Plus it wasn't<br />
visually neutral enough to use at my speaking events. Since then, I've had a new one<br />
created with my picture and social media handles. It is versatile and definitely has more<br />
longevity because I don't have any book covers shown. So as my catalog grows and I<br />
continue to pursue other ventures, I can use this same banner again and again.<br />
Good luck!<br />
Briana Cole
22<br />
Work-In-Progress<br />
©2017<br />
Prologue<br />
Damn, what is taking so long?<br />
Regina shifted impatiently as the muffled instrumentals of Kenny G’s<br />
“The Wedding Song” played in the sanctuary of the church. She knew as<br />
soon as the door swung open, she would need to get back into character.<br />
Pretend the plastic smile was genuine, pretend the satin and tulle of the<br />
elaborate wedding gown didn’t itch like hell, and pretend she actually<br />
planned on spending the rest of her life with the man at the end of the aisle<br />
instead of just the next few days. But it was these times, standing alone in<br />
the lobby, she could savor that brief moment of inhibition and actually<br />
relax.<br />
Her stomach flipped and Regina closed her eyes and took a deep<br />
breath. It wasn’t nerves. Hell she had done this six times already. Different<br />
venue, different dress, different crowd, and always a different husband. She<br />
knew her marriage vows like the Pledge of Allegiance and she had feigned<br />
her happiness well enough that sometimes she questioned her own<br />
sincerity. But unbeknownst to them, she was as fictitious as an Aesop Fable.<br />
Not just the acrylic nails and extensive Brazilian weave perched under her<br />
veil. Not the contacts or the makeup contouring that sharpened her<br />
cheekbones and widened the doe-eyes that Barlow Washington absolutely<br />
adored. No, it was her. All of her. Just a month ago, Regina Hamilton didn’t<br />
even exist. And in a few more days, she wouldn’t anymore. And that is<br />
probably why she felt uneasy. It was the getting in and out of the marriages<br />
that still made her nervous. That small possibility of ‘what if?’<br />
The doors opened and the familiar chords of the song wafted into the<br />
lobby to greet her. Re-focused on the task, Regina tightened her grip on the<br />
bouquet arrangement in her hand. There was the smile, there was the<br />
blinding light as people snapped pictures, and there was her poor smiling<br />
husband Barlow, handsome and statuesque as he waited for her by the<br />
altar. And there was her cue to get back into character.
23<br />
Chapter One<br />
Kennedy Montgomery pretended to do her homework but couldn’t<br />
help but keep a questioning eye on her mother. At fourteen she definitely<br />
didn’t know everything, but judging by the cigarette that bounced between<br />
her mother’s trembling lips and the pacing that was sure to leave a hole in<br />
the dingy carpet, there was definite cause for concern.<br />
Her mother’s eyes looked sunken in, almost hollow, and the disheveled<br />
housecoat was a huge contrast to all the fancy new clothes adorning her<br />
closet. Her new boy toy Lewis had definitely been keeping her in nice<br />
threads and their refrigerator stocked so much so that Kennedy didn’t<br />
remember the last time she had had to go to the store and pull out the<br />
embarrassing EBT card. They were good. Great actually. Lewis had even<br />
spoiled her with some new clothes and shoes of her own so she was no<br />
longer the laughing stock of high school. It felt nice. For once in all of their<br />
years of struggling, living paycheck to paycheck and sometimes going<br />
without dinner altogether while her mom struggled to keep the raggedy<br />
Section 8 apartment over their head, for once they were good. So why then,<br />
was her mother looking so damn stressed that she was taking huge drags of<br />
Newport after Newport like oxygen?<br />
“Ken,” Vernita turned to her daughter finally, her red-rimmed eyes<br />
already brimming with tears. “Baby, we need to talk.”<br />
Obediently, Kennedy pushed the math homework to the side and<br />
readjusted herself in the dining room chair. “Is something wrong?” she<br />
asked, her questioning stare magnified through the oval-framed eyeglasses.<br />
Vernita exhaled and let out a shaky stream of smoke between them. She<br />
ripped her eyes away from her daughter’s. As if she couldn’t bear to look at<br />
the shy innocence, or the subsequent result of the ultimatum she was about<br />
to enforce. She kept her distance across the room and let the silent tension<br />
hang thick like the fog of cigarette smoke permeating between them.<br />
Finally, she found her voice again.<br />
“You know I love you right?” she started, shutting her eyes as the<br />
words left her lips. God, she needed her daughter to know it was all out of<br />
love.<br />
“Mommy, I love you too.”
24<br />
“But you know I love you right? And I would do anything for you? To<br />
make sure you’re taken care of. To make sure you have everything you could<br />
ever need and want?”<br />
“Of course.”<br />
Vernita sighed. “Before Lewis, we were in such a terrible place. You<br />
remember that? Do you remember how that felt?”<br />
Kennedy shuddered. She would never forget being teased for her Goodwill<br />
attire, or the hunger pains that clinched her stomach so tight she couldn’t<br />
sleep at night.<br />
Or even her mother’s shallow cries late at night when she thought<br />
Kennedy was already sleep. It hadn’t been drugs, or anything that had put<br />
them in such a broken environment. It had just been life. A series of bad<br />
luck as a single parent that Vernita could never quite dig them out of. Until<br />
Lewis.<br />
“I never want you to go through that again,” Vernita almost<br />
whispered. “Never want us to go through that again.”<br />
“Me neither Mama,” Kennedy said when her mother paused. She<br />
didn’t know if her mother was asking for a response or strength with the<br />
pause in her words.<br />
“I need you to do me a favor,” Vernita said, still not able to meet her<br />
daughter’s gaze. “A big favor. But it would change our lives forever if you did<br />
it. Can you do that for me?”<br />
“What is it?”<br />
“First, promise me you’ll do it,” Vernita reiterated a little more<br />
forceful. “I need your promise.” As customary between them, she held out<br />
her pinky in Kennedy’s direction and waited for her daughter to reciprocate.<br />
The silent bond was completely unspoken but once they locked pinkies,<br />
both knew that the gesture sealed the deal between them. All they had ever<br />
had was each other.<br />
Fear had Kennedy hesitating for a brief moment. Brief. But trust<br />
propelled her feet across the room before obediently hooking her pinky<br />
around her mother’s. “I promise,” she said, eyeing their joined fingers.<br />
“What do I have to do?”<br />
She almost didn’t hear the words as she watched her mother’s lips<br />
move.
Knew she couldn’t have heard what she thought she heard. It was as if the<br />
lingering cigarette smoke had created some kind of buffer that muffled the<br />
noise. Kennedy remained expressionless.<br />
“I need you to marry Lewis,” Vernita repeated. “This weekend.”<br />
There it was again. The punch of the demand had left her breathless<br />
and Kennedy snatched her hand back from her mother’s, instantly breaking<br />
the connection. “No,” she said, flatly.<br />
“But you promised.” Vernita said, as if that was justification enough.<br />
“Mama, I’m fourteen. Why would I marry Lewis? Your boyfriend?<br />
Your forty-seven-year-old boyfriend? Why would you ask me to do that?”<br />
Weakly, Vernita sank to her knees. “Sweetie, I’m sorry,” she said, now<br />
letting the tears spill over and run down her flushed cheeks. “He loves you,<br />
Baby. I tried to make him love me but he loves you. He wants to be with you<br />
or, he’ll leave. He will take everything he’s ever given us and we will never<br />
hear from him again. Don’t you see, we can’t lose him. I can’t lose him.”<br />
“Lose him or his money?” Kennedy didn’t realize she had spat the<br />
words out, hadn’t even seen her mother stand to her feet. But she instantly<br />
felt the slap sting her face and had pained tears sprouting from her lids.<br />
Vernita had never hit her. Never.<br />
“I’m not going to argue with you about this,” Vernita said, swallowing<br />
the defeat and struggling to gather her strength. The words were more<br />
forceful, even if she seemed to be choking them out. “You will marry Lewis<br />
this weekend. I will sign for you to be his wife and you will love that man<br />
with everything in you. Whatever he wants you to do, you will do. You will<br />
make him happy, do you hear me? And we can have our happily ever after.”<br />
“But,” Kennedy shook her head, her eyes pleading for understanding. “I<br />
don’t want to. Please don’t make me Mama.”<br />
“You don’t have a choice,” Vernita said again. “Either marry him or…<br />
you can leave.” With that last statement, she turned and padded from the<br />
room, bringing the cigarette back to her lips.<br />
Kennedy waited for her mother to return. Part of her was thinking<br />
this was some sick joke and if she stood right there, waiting, Vernita would<br />
return laughing at the crazy ass request. But long after night crept through<br />
25
26<br />
the sheets on the windows, Kennedy stood frozen and stunned. Alone. She<br />
couldn’t leave. The nine dollars and fifty-two cents she had in a Ziploc bag<br />
tucked under her pillow wouldn’t even get her to the next block. Her mother<br />
was right. She didn’t have a choice.<br />
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27<br />
Step in the backyard to relax, unwind, and be inspired.<br />
Consider the greatest<br />
challenge you’ve overcome in<br />
life and write a “love letter” to<br />
help a perfect stranger<br />
overcome that same challenge:<br />
an entrepreneur who is<br />
struggling with her first<br />
business, a man who has lost<br />
his job, or a child being bullied<br />
at school. Write a love letter<br />
about a challenge you faced,<br />
and you will touch hearts, lift<br />
spirits, and<br />
show the<br />
world that<br />
no one is<br />
alone.<br />
I tried to put you in a poem,<br />
But the lines weren’t enough to hold you.<br />
I thought these phrases were so beautiful<br />
Until they stood next to you<br />
I pulled out my pencil to illustrate my point,<br />
But it quickly dulled listing your attributes.<br />
I cleared my throat to sing a tune,<br />
The melodies melt next to you.<br />
by Jymyaka Braden<br />
Your eyes ignite a flicker<br />
That sets my soul ablaze.<br />
Maybe my feet could dance the praise?<br />
Not hardly, no rhythm beats quite like your heart.<br />
Even your silence sings my harmony.<br />
Killing me softly, quietly.<br />
And artistically.<br />
“If you don’t build your own dream, someone else will hire you to help build theirs.”<br />
- Tony Gaskins Jr.
Enterprises<br />
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