Where there's a will, there's a Woman ~ Abiola

Abiola Abrams is our very first featured female at Where there's a will, there's a Woman! ABIOLA ABRAMS is a TV personality, author and art filmmaker who shows up with her big mouth and hot pink doctor bag of advice and self worth to whip us into shape.

1. When did you discover your inner goddess? I would have to say that like all little girls I was born knowing my power. Then somewhere along the way - with life, and teasing and advertising and cultural brainwashing I forgot it. I rediscover my inner goddess daily. And I have dedicated my work to helping my sisters on the planet remember as well, and allow them to use and access my mistakes, snafus and triumphs as their own!!

2. What color excites you? Purple. Purple is deep moody, regal and sensual. It can flash loving or angry depending on the shade. I agree with Alice Walker: The Goddess gets angry if you walk past the color purple and don't notice it!!

3. Where did you grow up? I am a native New Yorker. I was born in Brooklyn, raised in Queens, went to middle school and high school on the Upper East Side and went to undergrad upstate. My family is from Guyana though, in South America. So it was New York until I walked into my parent's front gate. Then I was in Guyana USA!

4. Name 5 women who inspire you. I am inspired by Oprah Winfrey, of course, Martha Stewart, Michelle Obama, affirmation master Louise Hay, and the writer SARK.

5. If you had to recommend 1 good book, what would it be? Oh come on-- of course I must recommend Dare by Abiola Abrams, a thirty something year old empress living in Harlem!! You just wouldn't respect me if I said anything else! *giggling.*

6. Do you believe in miracles? I absolutely believe in miracles. My very existence is a miracle. My mom says I was born weeks early. I couldn't wait to get out and get started. I am the daughter of immigrants, great-great granddaughter of slaves-- from a completely different continent. I a descended from Africans in South America. Heck yeah I believe in miracles! You can find out more about Abiola at www.abiolaabrams.com or www.planetabiola.com. Leave a comment!

We Love Michelle & Barack!!! WHAT?!

THE ROAD WE'VE TRAVELED
Remember how far we've come. From Academy Award®-winning director Davis Guggenheim: "The Road We've Traveled".

This film gives an inside look at some of the tough calls President Obama made to get our country back on track. Featuring interviews from President Bill Clinton, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Elizabeth Warren, David Axelrod, Austan Goolsbee, and more. It's a film everyone should see.

The Obamas Fill The White House with Music

By J9 of J9's MusicLife

President Barack Obama has a great appreciation of music.  He has stated that "music is a great source of joy and solace in the midst of difficult days."  During a evening of poetry, music and the spoken word event held at The White House in 2009, Obama summed it up best. . .

"We're here to celebrate the power of words and music to help us appreciate beauty but also to understand pain.  To inspire us to action and to sear us on when we start to lose hope.  To lift us up out of our daily existence, even if it's just for a few moments."

Both the President and First Lady have a wide range of music tastes.  It has been said that artists like Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Earth, Wind, & Fire and even mainstream Rap artists like Lil Wayne and Nas can be found on Barack's iPod while Rihanna, Beyonce, Usher, Robin Thicke, Sara Bareilles, Herbie Hancock, and Anthony David can be found on Michelle's.  Their love for music doesn't stop on their iPods as it has also been reflected in the musical guests they have invited over the years to The White House for several events.


State Dinners

Last month, by the request of the Obamas, Janelle Monae performed during a state dinner to honor South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.  Surprisingly, The Obamas are huge Monae fans and even requested her to perform their favorite song Tightrope.

Others that performed during state dinners were Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock and Beyonce are also others that have been asked to perform for state dinner. 


Evening of Poetry, Music and Spoken Word Events

In 2009, Grammy-award winning artist Esperanza Spalding performed for the second time at The White House for "An Evening of Poetry, Music and the Spoken Word"

Also, click here to view her first White House performance earlier that year during a tribute for Stevie Wonder.

For another poetry event, Michelle invited conscious rapper Common who recited some lines amidst piano accompaniment in front of an audience of children and adults.  View his performance here.  Obama states "...a great poem is one that resonates with us and challenges us and teaches us something about ourselves."  Remember the controversy this caused when people like Sarah Palin classified him as a "gangsta rapper" and didn't think his attendance was appropriate? 



To read the rest of the post, click here.

Personal Inspiration: Byron Lars

Walking into a room where everything is beautiful and the astonishing fashion that is transpiring my mood was created by someone who started like us all. Today I want to introduce you to a very talented individual who I had the opportunity to experience first hand his beautiful work on last Friday as New York City kicked off Fashion Week. Byron Lars has been mentioned in many fashion schools and magazines; however he has fallen under many of our radars. On today I would like to allow you to learn a little more about the man who has dressed our very own first lady Michelle Obama, Disney’s first black princess Anika Noni Rose, Dakota Fanning, and many others.

Byron Lars started designing under his own label in 1991 with a small collection of sportswear focusing on what Lars refers to as "twisted American classics." Taking inspiration from such unlikely sources as his grandfather's hunting jacket, Byron crossbreeds it with a "Dior New Look" proportion to create a Dutchess of Windsor meets Field and Stream hybrid.

Juxtapositions such as above, or as in taking a men's cotton dress shirt and then distorting it to the point of resembling a Dorothy Lamour sarong, have become Byron Lars' trademark. "When edgy fashion is steeped in something familiar, it becomes far less alienating to the consuming public," says Lars.

After only his second season in business, Women's Wear Daily hailed Byron as "Rookie of the Year." His line was immediately snapped up by such prestigious retailers as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's as well as one hundred other specialty stores throughout the U.S. along with some distribution in the U.K. and France.

"I saw it a few days ago and was blown out of the water," exclaims Kal Ruttenstein, senior vice president and fashion director of Bloomingdale's referring to the premier fall collection of Lars. "He has the freshest point of view of all the young American designers."

Byron's range of designs became most apparent in his Seventh on Sixth runway presentations in which he created accessories as mere fashion show props, only to attract the attention of licensees in handbags, furs and hats. His notoriety also led to his designing a limited edition of designer Barbie dolls for Mattel.

By the contractual end of his licensees, Byron chose to direct his energy away from the designer collection and focus on a contemporary line and pricing structure. "I wanted it to be more about the clothes and less about the 'hype'," says Lars. This redirection was the beginning of "Byron Lars Beauty Mark." Initially a cotton Lycra shirting based offering, Beauty Mark took its cue from the shirts and shirt dresses of the previous collection that put the designer on the map (only this time, without the lofty price point). Since its inception, Beauty Mark has enjoyed eight years of success and is now expanding its product line to include knits, sportswear and dresses in addition to the chic and sexy shirts for which the line is highly sought after.

Michelle Obama Visits Harlem, Works Out With Kids

Posing with kids (Kathy Willens/AP)

First Lady Michelle Obama was in town yesterday to bring Let's Move, the campaign to have children lead healthier lives through better nutrition and exercise, to some New York City children. At Harlem's Police Athletic League Center, she told kids, "You are our future, that's why I spent so much time with you guys. Turn off the TV, turn off the video games, put down the potato chips and the candy." The Daily News reports, "The latter part of Obama's lecture drew a few groans, but there were mostly smiles from the kids, who ranged in age from 5 to 13."

Obama also visited Newark, where WABC 7 got a more positive quote from one child, "I'm gonna make sure [my school will] have really healthy foods and no fried foods." But at the Harlem PAL, the kids got to work out with Obama, who even did shuttle runs with them! Here's some video of the event, which also featured Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and former Manhattan DA (forever), the 91-year-old Robert Morgenthau:

The First Lady also revealed what's happening at the White House, "We've sworn off the elevator at our home. We walk up the stairs. The kids don't like it, but they do it."

Haiti Relief PSA - Michelle Obama

"I was eager to join the Red Cross to launch this call to action in the wake of this weeks devastating earthquake," said First Lady Michelle Obama. "The people of Haiti are struggling just to survive. And every one of us has the power to help."

The PSAs encourage audiences to go to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. On cell phones, viewers can text HAITI to 9-0-9-9-9 and $10 will be given automatically to the American Red Cross.

Michelle Obama's Fashion Book

Michelle Obama Fashion Book: Mrs O: The Face of Fashion Democracy
by Lynette Holloway
Blackvoices.com

The eclectic élan of first lady Michelle Obama has been written and talked about, but few have dedicated their days and nights to chronicling her every look such as Mary Tomer, founder and contributing editor of the wildly popular web site Mrs-O.org. And Tomer is dedicated, keeping up with the first lady's selection of kicks, earrings, brooches, dresses and pants. Most important, she lists the designers, many of whom were unknown before they were graced by Mrs. O-not to be confused with Jackie O.

Now, in her soon-to-be released book, 'Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy,' Tomer reveals some of Mrs. O's closely guarded fashion secrets through original photographs, sketches and illustrations. It also highlights glossy images of the first lady and President Barack Obama together on the campaign trail, at the White House and other events. It also shows photos of Sasha and Malia with starlit eyes in the foreground and the background.

"Michelle has great style and we carry great affection for her,'' Tomer, who graduated from Boston University in 2003 with a degree in mathematics.

The 235-hardcover book also features commentary from fashion experts and close-ups of her popular and most talked about outfits, including the red and black Narciso Rodriguez dress she wore on election night, and the teal, v-neck, three-quarter sleeve, sheath dress by Chicago designer Maria Pinto that she wore at the Democratic National Convention. It also features images of brooches, dress patterns, and detailed descriptions of outfits such as the stunning violet cocktail dress with French knot embroidery by designer Jason Wu.

Read the entire story go to: Michelle Obama Fashion Book at Blackvoices.com