Shine Beauty Culture’s month long celebration of National Poetry Month ends with a poem by 17 year old, High School Junior, Briana Jackson.  Briana’s poem was inspired by the charity work she does with her mother,         Lanitra K. Jackson, founder of Beauty-in-a-Purse (BIAP) a platform that globally promotes uplifting support by sharing resources to raise awareness for women impacted by homelessness, domestic violence, and incarceration.

The charity uplifts the spirits of women with the Power of the Purse.  Purses filled with toiletries, beauty products and inspirational literature not only provide physical beauty but it helps to give self-esteem, confidence, and an unparalleled sense of normalcy to women in their transition to greatness.

Celebrate the conclusion of Poetry Month, with this outstanding poem about the perseverance of women!

Stand In The Valley©

By Briana Jackson

Every woman possesses an aura of beauty

An atmosphere of enlightenment

A feeling of grace

Every woman has a longing for love

A yearn for affection

To fill that empty space

Every woman comes to terms with obstacles

Crossroads of confusion

Paths of defeat

But not every woman possess strength

Not every woman can get knocked down

And stand back to her feet.

GET INVOLVED!

Upcoming BIAP Summer and Fall National Events

www.beautyinapurse.org

PHONE 443-610-823

EMAIL s2e.ante.up.beauty.in.a.purse@gmail.com

By PT

Get Involved!

GO! to National April Poetry Month Events

SUPPORT! Poets

GET! The 2011 National Poetry Month Poster, designed by STEPHEN DOYLE

Doyle’s trademark of graphically embodying words to convey deeper, intelligent and provocative body of works are artistic treasures.

Winner of the National Design Award for Communication for 2010.

Doyle lives in Greenwich Village, NYC.

Happy 40th Born Day Earth Day!

By PT

If you use “go green” to sound progressively cool…GET INVOLVED!

Earth Day 2011: A Billion Acts of Green encourages people everywhere to take the time to do an act of environmental service and advocacy that will contribute to improving the quality of life for all living things on earth.

Hip Hop Caucus 350 for Earth Day - The Hip Hop Caucus’ “One Planet. One Voice.” campaign is celebrating Earth Day by honoring 350 African-American pacemakers who, through their professions, passions and service, are making the planet a better place to live.  African Americans Enriching Life On Our Planet.

Planet Green – Green tips for every day!

Earth Day Television

Treehugger.com

1970 Earth Day

Earth Day is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth’s natural environment.  Established in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson.  Today EARTH DAY is globally coordinated by Earth Day Network now in more than 171 countries.                            Real Critical Mass!

Go…Green!

SBC continues Poetry Month with The Dance, a sophisticated yet simplistic work. Cornelius Eady, an accomplished Poet and Author, Lamont Poetry Prize winner from the Academy of American Poets, Co-Founder of Cave Canem Organization and Workshops, musical theater co-collaborator, Playwright, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and nominee, among other distinguished awards.  A teacher for over twenty years and currently a Professor at Notre Dame University.

THE DANCE

By Cornelius Eady

When the world ends,
I will be in a red dress.

When the world ends,
I will be in a smoky bar
…..on Friday night.

When the world ends,
I will be a thought-cloud.

When the world ends,
I will be steam in a tea kettle.

When the world ends,
I will be a sunbeam through
…..a lead window,

And I will shake like the
…..semis on the interstate,

And I will shake like the tree
…..kissed by lightning,

And I will move; the earth will move
…..too,

And I will move; the cities will move
…..too,

And I will move, with the remains of
…..my last paycheck in my pocket.

It will be Friday night
And I will be in a red dress,

My feet relieved of duty,

My body in free-fall,

Loose as a ballerina
…..in zero gravity,

Equal at last with feathers
…..and dust,

As the world faints and tumbles 
…..down the stairs,

The jukebox is overtaken at last,

And the cicadas, under the eaves,
…..warm up their legs.

www.cavecanempoets.org

Twitter: @Cavecanempoets

http://www.facebook.com/cavecanempoets

Shine celebrates National Poetry Month with the syntax dreams of IF.

By e.e. cummings

If freckles were lovely, and day was night,

And measles were nice and a lie warn’t a lie,

Life would be delight,–

But things couldn’t go right

For in such a sad plight

I wouldn’t be I.

If earth was heaven and now was hence,

And past was present, and false was true,

There might be some sense

But I’d be in suspense

For on such a pretense

You wouldn’t be you.

If fear was plucky, and globes were square,

And dirt was cleanly and tears were glee

Things would seem fair,–

Yet they’d all despair,

For if here was there

We wouldn’t be we.

By PT

SBC had lunch a couple  weeks ago with today’s Monday’s Maven, Shondra Brown-Hawkes, Owner/Experience Producer of LiveWire99 LLC and Mo ni Ife re Floral & Event Design

SBC . Where are you from? What city do you live in now? Normally, this is an easy question but not for me. I grew up in Germany, Georgia, South Carolina, Kansas and Virginia. The longest places I lived in order would be Germany, South Carolina and Virginia.  I live in the DMV now.  Wow, this is so complicated.

SBC . What do you do? LiveWire 99 Entertainment is a Virginia certified Small, Woman and Minority (SWaM) owned, privately held LLC, specializing in event design; decorating and floral design I have over 10 years experience planning events.  LiveWire 99 Entertainment is also a certified government contracting firm.  LiveWire 99 Entertainment is a Full Service Event Planning & Event Design Company.  This encompasses decorating and décor. Mo ni Ife re Floral & Event Design is the Floral Design & Decorating subdivision of LiveWire 99 Entertainment.  In short, I transform spaces for your special occasion!

SBC . Is this your passion? What is your passion? Yes, this is definitely my passion!  Transforming spaces by Edifying Senses and Enhancing Reality!

SBC . How did you start? Years ago, I started by volunteering for the entertainment committee and then later becoming Entertainment Committee Chair for my university ~ South Carolina State University.

SBC . What is your life like? It is pretty hectic. I never know what the day will bring or what requests may come in from day-to-day.  I love that.  I am blessed to have great support in my personal life for my passion so everything balances out.

Shondra's beautiful work

SBC . What is beauty to you? Outside of a killer smile and the gift of being able to make other people smile, beauty to me is the ability to give selflessly without recognition.

SBC . Who are your clients? My clients range from the neighbor next door to the elite high-profile individual.  In short, my clients {could be] anyone reading this!

SBC . What project(s) are you working on? I’m currently working on some Fashion projects, Western Weddings and South Asian Weddings.

SBC . In honor of National Poetry Month can you share a line or two of your favorite. I believe that song writers are all poets and India Arie inspires me.

Beautiful Flower .

This is a song for every girl who

Feels like she is not special …

‘Cause you’re beautiful like a flower

More valuable than a diamond

You are powerful like a fire

You can heal the world with your mind

SBC . Why do you shine brightly? I shine, because those around me shine. For that I am blessed.

Contact Shonra Brown-Hawkes to book your event now.

www.livewire99.com • www.moniifere.com

EMAIL • events@livewire99.com • PHONE • 202.596.1913

TWITTER • @livewire99

FACEBOOK • LiveWire99 Entertainment and Mo ni lfe re Floral and Event Design

By PT

April is National Poetry Month and Shine Beauty Culture will feature some of the most raw, romantic, rhythmic and thought provoking;  sonnets, stanzas and limericks to celebrate poetic prose.

A special birthday “shout out” to one of

the most prolific poets of our time.

Happy Birthday Phenomenal Woman

Maya Angelou!

Born April 4, 1928

Photo.Dwight Carter

An Excerpt from Alone by Maya Angelou

There are some millionaires

With money they can’t use

Their wives run round like banshees

Their children sing the blues

They’ve got expensive doctors

To cure their hearts of stone.

But nobody

No, nobody

Can make it out here alone.