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One of our contributors @tymitchelle #Cookingwithty finally launched her own platform @blackpeppa_ and we couldn't be happier for her. When DamnnnGirl was launched we wanted to create a space where when could not only express themselves but also find their passions and create their own brands. We are super excited about this blog and we will be sharing content so stay on the lookout. 💕💕💕💕

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We are partnering with @theincyoubator @raypay_ #IDEWAH to raise funds to send to Hurricane Harvey victims see the link in our bio. 💕💕💕

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5 Women to Watch in 2017

Queens all across the nation have been making there ways through our radios, televisions and Instagram feeds for the past six months. Some of these ladies we have seen glow up in front of our eyes while others we have just started getting hip to and we love already. It only takes one moment for you to become a household name and it seems like now it is these lady's time to shine. 

Check out your new favorite girl bosses to watch for years to come. 

1. Cardi B

"Say lil bishhh you can't f**k with me if you wanted to" the start to what has now become the female summer anthem by none other than Miss Cardi B. We have seen her glow up literally happen right before our eyes. She has gone from "a hoe never gets cold" to gracing the covers of some of the most popular magazines. What we love most about her is she has not changed she has just grown. She has quickly become a household name and at only age 24 we are sure she isn't stopping any time soon. It has been amazing to see this young woman change her life and bring joy to so many through her infectious laugh, witty lyrics and down to earth attitude. We can't wait to see what life has in store for Cardi and we will be there to watch her rise to the top. 

2. Tiffany Haddish

If you have not seen Girls Trip, "oh no baby what is you doing"? Girls Trip is one of the best movies to come out this year and we are only half way in. The reason this movie was so successful was not only because of legends like Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett but it is also due to the breakout star Tiffany Haddish. She is funny, down to earth and beautiful. But don't get it twisted Tiffany has been around working on some of our favorite television shows like Real Husbands of Hollywood and the Carmichael show. However, her performance on Girls Trip has officially put her on the map to soon becoming a household name like Leslie Jones or Kevin Hart. After hearing her interview on Breakfast Club where she hilariously shared her story we know that Tiffany will be around for years to come. We can't wait to sit back and witness her well deserved glow. 

3. Issa Rae

Now we have all know Issa Rae for a while now. She was one of our favorite You Tubers to watch back in the day. She went from the Awkward Black Girl to sharing the experiences of all black millennials through her series Insecure. Now in the show's second season it seems like the world is finally ready to pay attention to Issa. She proved that she can successfully bring a predominately black cast to prime time television and win. We are currently watching Insecure and loving every moment. Also, impatiently waiting to see what's next for Queen Issa. 

4. SZA

One of the first lines of a Vogue article about SZA is "where the hell has she been", it's funny because SZA has BEEN here. Fresh off the heels of her latest, extremely successful debut album the people have finally started see the talent in SZA. CTRL is SZA's fourth project and she has also written hit songs for Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Rhianna and many more. Now it is time for SZA to shine. As the first lady of TDE, Kendrick Lamar's label, it has been a long time coming for this young artist to get the credit she deserves. We'll be listening as the come up continues for her. 

5. Zendaya

This young mogul will be the one to save our girls. She is such class act and not to mention extremely beautiful. Zendaya captured our attention when she was featured on the Disney show Shake it Up and soon after she became a household name. Zendaya is not only an actress, singer and dancer but she is a woman that won't allow anyone to break her. See her classy reactions to Giuliana Rancic when she said her dreadlocks looked like they smelled of “patchouli oil or weed” or when the magazine Modeliste tried to run a slimmed down version of her for their cover. With the launch of her new clothing line 'Daya by Zendaya' in collaboration with her stylist, we are sure the young queen won’t stop there.

 Are there some queens that have piqued your interested within the past few months that influence you? Tell us in the comments below!

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The Best Times to Post on Social

These days it can be hard to keep up with all of the different social platforms and even harder to keep up with the best times to post for them. We know the struggle of maintaining professional and personal social media so we have compiled a list of times and tools to use to keep with social media.

 1. Instagram

Based on the latest poll results the best times to post on Instagram is in the evening from 7-9:00 p.m. This is because everyone has a different audience, in a different timezone, interested in different content. We must change to keep up with the changes. In general the best times are the off-work hours and the lunch hours, evenings and between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Weekends are usually a hit or miss for both businesses and personal Instagram postings. Wednesdays and Thursdays are generally the best days for posting. If you have a business profile on Instagram it now comes with a handy insights feature that tells when your posts are most engaged, where your audience is coming from and what content you are sharing resonates with them the most.

A Few Tools for Instagram postings:

Unum

Every Post

Later Post

2. Twitter

 Twitter is one of the fastest ways for businesses and individuals to communicate with one another. There are about 328 million active users on Twitter each day and each user sends on average about 13 tweets per day. The best time to tweet and engage your followers are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. users are more likely to tweet during school, business hours and during their daily commutes. The best time for businesses to engage with potential consumers are the weekend because people are more likely exploring brands during their downtime. Businesses must be ready to actively engage with their followers businesses lose followers when their tweets come off as too promotional. 

Tools for Twitter Postings: 

Beatstrap

Crowdfire

Buffer

Hootsuite

CoTweet

 3. Facebook

Facebook has roughly 1.8 billion active users, and those people are extremely active but it is hard to get your posts in front of them with the new algorithm. In order to get organic reach it is important to know the best days and times to reach your audience. In general Thursday is the best day of the week to post on Facebook. The best times are usually the work hours anytime between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. but the best time is 1 p.m. Early mornings and late nights are the times with the lowest engagement for posts. The days Wednesday- Sunday are the best days for posting. Fun tips to know: Videos usually get the best engagement, no more than 50 characters per post, use the Facebook insight tools to your advantage.

 Tools for Facebook postings:

Hootsuite

Later Post

Every Post

Sprout Social

Co-Schedule

 4. Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the most unique platforms due to it's user-interface and ability to reach many. There are about 100 million active users on this platform. The content on this platform has a long life span but there are still recommended times to post. The most popular day to post is Saturday during the later evening hours. Sunday through Friday are generally the worst days to post. 

Tools for Pinterest

Sprout Social

Buffer

 5. Snapchat

Snapchat is the latest craze in the social media world strictly because of it's interface. It allows users to give their followers are real-time look into their lives and the best part about it is the stories only last for 24 hours. The audience is largely younger people that like to document their lives toward the later evening hours and the weekend. The best recommendation is post on the late evenings and weekends with fun content. 

Tools for Snapchat

Geofilters

SnapAds

Snaplytics

Happy Socializing!

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Check Yo Privilege: Pompous Passports

“If you don’t have a stamp in your passport, you not for me!” I’ve said things like that almost all of my life. As a first generation American born into privilege,  I’ve been on planes since before I could walk - and I started walking at 8 months. By the time I was 10 years old, I’d been to Florida and Jamaica over a dozen times. Going through T.S.A and customs was so commonplace, I was often bored with the process. As the planes jetted down the runway and increased in altitude, I’d roll my eyes at the first-time flyers who’d shut their eyes in fear or grab a bag to vomit. Amateurs.

Now at 27 years old, I’ve been to about a dozen countries (more to come cause flight deals be on it. $400 to Spain?!) and I’ve noticed that as international flight costs have become more affordable, people have become more obnoxious about it. International travel in now as “in” as brunch; everyone wants to sit at the cool table. With mimosas.

It hasn’t gone without notice.

And with increased accessibility comes a level of snobbery that has folks creating tee shirts that say things like “passports + melanin = unapologetic black”. Traveling has become a new tool for young people to “other” themselves from the regulars, and I have certainly been complicit in that.

So, I suggest you check yo’ privilege, because:

Some people just don’t want to travel. They would rather spend money on tangible items rather than experiences.

Traveling is expensive. You may scoff at a $200 passport license, $400 flight, $300 for accommodations, and $200-500 for spending money, but the average person would have to save up for a considerable amount of time to do so. Not to mention, we all don’t get copious amounts of vacation time.

Minding your business is free. So what if you don’t understand why someone would rather spend money on shoes that a flight? It’s not up to them to change their behavior to appease you. You want to travel? Do it.

Have you ever been looked down on because you don’t travel? Drop a line and let us know what happened!

Love & Truth,

Adri

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Happy Monday. May your weak be full of blessings, confidence and positivity. 💕

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Planning your next summer soirée soon? Ty is back this week sharing tips for hosting summer parties. Our favorite tip: create a signature cocktail or drink 🍹 😋 Click the link in our bio for more of Ty's tips!

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Ty's Party Tips for your Summertime Soiree'

Hey girls, it’s summertime, and we all know what this means; it’s time to party! Whether you’re hosting a rooftop BBQ, an elegant summertime dinner party, or a House of Cards watch party, I have complied a list of ‘Hostess-with-the-mostess' party hacks that will save you lots of time and money, when hosting your friends, family, or colleagues this season.

I have always loved cooking for my friends and family! The reason I started cooking was because in my family, food brought and continues to bring, all the people I love together. So, when I got a place of my own, I made it a point to entertain my loved ones and bring them together with great vibes, good drinks and even better food.

Although, hosting is a tough job, I believe that the tips below are a few ways that you can cut back on the stress and enjoy your company this summer! For more tips and party spreads like below, be sure to follow me on Instagram @Blackpeppa_! Cheers!

 - Plan your menu ahead of time - 

o   This is by far the major-est of keys for any party planning for any event/party! Remember, pen and paper are your friends, before heading to the grocery store for the big day. Take a moment to map out your theme (movie night, BBQ, bridal brunch, or candle lit dinner) then decide on your menu items based on your budget, time to prepare, and which items you already have in your house that can be used for your event. This will prevent you going to the store and over-spending, double buying, or forgetting items you need for your event. 

- Have a signature cocktail or drink station -

o   I LOVE a signature cocktail/mocktail or DIY drink station at all my parties. This is so in right now (check Pinterest)! Premixing a great cocktail is a chic and easy way to be sure you aren’t playing bar tender all night, and serves as a one stop shop for your guests to taste your alcoholic or non-alcoholic handcrafted drink. You can take it one step further by naming your cocktail, if you want to do the most. If you’ll be hosting a brunch this summer, I highly suggest having a mimosa bar!! Put out a few juices, some frozen or fresh fruit, and champagne, for your guests to get creative and stay occupied by fixing their drinks. This will be a hit! 

     - Ditch the Ice, use fruit -

o   This summer the cutest and tastiest way to cool down your cocktails or even waters at your rooftop event, is to use frozen fruit as ice. This makes for the cutest Instagram pictures and also adds to smallest yet bougie-est detail that can take your party to the next level.

§  PS. Check your freezer, I’m sure you have a bag of frozen blueberries or strawberries you were planning to use for a smoothie at some point, but never did (no shade), so use it in your signature drink or garnish at your DIY bar.

- “Stock the bar” -

o   Since you will be supplying all of the food, don’t feel bad to ask each of your guest to bring their favorite bottle of wine/champagne to your casual event. This ensures you can focus your time, energy, and most importantly, money on cooking and presenting your culinary creations, rather than supplying all of the alcohol AND food, which is tough on your wallet.  This also ensures that you have enough libations to get you all through the day/evening without a store run.

§  PS. Any of your guests with home training, should know that they shouldn’t show up to your (or anyone’s) dinner party empty handed.

- Find a sous-chef (or two) -

o   No matter how experienced you are with hosting, you always need a little help. Whether it’s recruiting your best friend to come early and help you entertain guests while you finish preparing the food, having your boyfriend man the grill after you’ve seasoned all of the items, or recruiting your Betty Crocker BFF to bake and bring cupcakes so that’s one less thing on your plate.  It is important to have someone in your corner, who will help you make your party shine!

- A little snacking goes a long way -

o   Charcuterie boards, artisan popcorn, homemade spinach dip, chips, salsa and guacamole, are my go-to snacks and starters for my events. This is great to have out for your guests to enjoy before, during, and after, your main courses are served. These snacks are also a great way to ensure you have something for you vegetarians and/or your picky eaters who might not eat your other dishes.

- Always Have Pasta -

o   PASTA IS YOUR FRIEND! My mom has literally mastered the art of feeding a large group of people with a pasta dish, and I have adopted this practice. Pasta, no matter what kind you choose to make, is a cheap and easy meal that will fill up your guests at your event. All you need is a box of short pasta, a protein of choice, a bag of spinach, some sauce… and BAM, one of your main course menu items is complete, and will go a long way.   

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Jugglin' Blogging and Life

After going through our first few months of launching Damnnn Girl and we experiencing the guilt that most bloggers feel when they start getting too busy for their blogs. When we launched we did not plan for life to get in the way, and unfortunately it did. We experienced ups and downs in our personal lives and that ultimately affected the blog. Suddenly finding time to write a blog post or even post something on social media was became too much. At times we settled for not posting at all. After much searching and redefining of goals, we realized that we are not the only ones that go through this. The main things we always see are time management. Planning your content and thinking of topics ahead of time. All of these things work but based on our experiences here are a few things we learned about juggling.

1. Content/Editorial Calendars

Plan your content at least a month ahead of time. Research the holidays and major events that will be coming up and plan to cover those topics ahead of time, that way you can already have it in your schedule.

2. Build on the content that does well.

For Damnnn Girl the content that does the best are our interviews, so if we do not have the time to create blog posts we always make sure we have an interview posted. For other blogs long form opinion posts do well, if you are ever lost on what to post create an addition to a previous post with new thoughts.

3. Remember YOUR goals

Its super easy to get caught up in what other people are doing with their ventures and compare them to your own journey. People are doing great but it's important to never forget so are you. Remember the goals, strategies and plans you have set out for yourself and continue to work towards them at whatever pace that works,

4. Energy Management 

There are certain hours of the day that we all get spurts of energy. It is important to learn when those spurts will happen and how to use them to your advantage. Blogs need at least a couple hours a day of attention and it is important to use some of the energy you may have for your blog.

5. Pick your battles

Sometimes life truly does get in the way and there may be a time that you need to break. Don't ever burn yourself out. Take sometime away to get things order so that you can plan your time for your blog better. Pick the battles you can win.

At the end of the day you are no good to your brand if you do not have the time or the energy to reach your desired goals. Shit happens and juggling is hard. Take a step back, reassess things and remember you got this! 

:)

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What's really plus-sized?

“If they’re going to showcase a plus-sized woman, she should be a REAL plus sized woman”. The tweet annoyed me as I mindlessly scrolled through my twitter feed. Among the topics that ranged from meaningful observations to comedic quips, someone made a statement about supermodel Ashley Graham, who is without argument, today’s most famous plus-sized model. From gracing the much-coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover (that was one of three that month), to appearing as a judge on America’s Next Top Model, Ashley has seemingly catapulted to fame out of nowhere. But in the midst of her body-positive Ted Talks and sultry poses on Instagram, I’ve noticed an undercurrent of larger woman feeling shut out.

 “She’s the ideal body type, how is she breaking barriers?” “She’s not even that big.”

And I’ve had enough

As someone who is has been as small as a size 10 and as large as an 18, I hover somewhere these days around a 14. I am pear shaped with a smaller waist and have been told more times than I care that I’m not really plus sized. And it’s dismissive as hell. Women in particular are bombarded with images of ideal beauties; models and celebrities with dazzling smiles and clear skin don the latest fashions that cost the same as a car. We’re implicitly told how to dress, how to wear our hair, how to do our makeup, etc. So when a model – literally a human being whose occupation is to advertise for companies and make their products look good – is different from the “norm”, it will get attention.

In fashion, anything above a size 6 is plus-sized. And guess what? That’s ok. “Plus-sized” is not a dirty term and not one that I’m ashamed of being associated with. The fashion world is one that exists within the covers of magazines, on runways in Paris, and then trickles down to sales racks at places like Marshall's and TJ Maxx. We are not of that life.

If it’s one thing we know, it’s that beauty is subjective. And for every “she’s so voluptuous”, there’s a “why is that fatty promoting obesity?” No one is universally loved and appreciated.

I understand that larger women would love to see themselves represented, and it helps to see yourself recognized as beautiful. Models like Tess Holliday are making major strides in the industry for that exact reason. Ashley Graham represents to me what Alek Wek was to dark skinned women. And that’s a start.

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The Off Duty Nurse

Meet the face behind The Off Duty Nurse

My name is Keziah Patience Agbaere. Yes! Patience is really my middle name. Those who know me personally may say my middle name is not very fitting, but I am working on it. Just wait on it lol. 

My family is half Nigerian (Igbo) and half american. I like to say I am truly an African American. I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where I also currently reside. God has blessed me two amazing parents and three older brothers that I am proud to call my family. And lets not forget my son/dog, Mason, who is currently stepping on the keyboard as I type.

 I studied nursing at Georgia Southern University, receiving my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in December 2014. I have been a RN since February 2015. Currently I am working in pediatrics on a surgical/trauma med-surg floor at the leading children's hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.  

The idea for this blog came to me during a very difficult time in my life. I almost lost hope for the year 2016. I wrecked my car after falling asleep while driving home after a night shift. Circumstances then led to me no longer having a full time RN position, so I decided to use the extra time I had to create a blog of my experiences. My boyfriend gave me the idea to name my blog The Off Duty Nurse. Off Duty seemed so fitting given my situation. It was actually perfect! 

This blog was created to document my personal experiences as a RN. I also would like to provide advice and encouraging words to new graduate nurses like myself. I found my first year as an RN to be extremely difficult, and I would like to help those who may encounter the same challenges I faced. Nursing is rewarding, but it is definitely not easy. This year I learned this the hard way. I quickly realized the importance of practicing patience, holding your tongue, and understanding that pain is only temporary. 

Below Keziah shares five quick facts about The Off Duty Nurse:

 1. The Off Duty Nurse blog was created during a very difficult time in my life. I had recently lost my job, but I was also dealing with various other financial and emotional challenges at the time. I decided to create this blog as a creative outlet for stress relief, but I also wanted to share the many challenges I faced as a new graduate nurse up until that point. It also became my goal, to showcase individual Nurses accomplishments so their hard work doesn't go unrecognized, as well as give advice to new nurses. I felt like I always looked up to experienced nurses as a new nurse, so I know how important it is to hear the experiences of others and implement them into practice.

2. Why nursing? Everyone says they become a nurse because they care about people, but nursing is much more than that. Yes, it is important to provide compassionate care, but it's very rewarding to seeing your patients recover. It's even more rewarding hearing how much the care you provided impacted their hospital stay. && Yes, the income is good, but it never seems like you can get paid enough for the hours you put in as a nurse. Which is whyburnout exist in the nursing career.

With there being so many specialties in nursing, it's important to find something you love doing in order to make working as a nurse more fulfilling on an individual basis.

3. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we are posting nursing spotlight recipients on our blog and social media outlets. Are you a nurse or nursing student? Or Do you know an exceptional nurse? Want a feature? Nominate yourself or your friends and tell us all about it. We love showcasing our young nurses and highlighting their accomplishments. Follow @theoffdutynurse and email at theoffdutynurse@gmail.com

*Nurses: Include your name, age, title, city, specialty,  length of time as a nurse, and anything you'd like to share with our viewers. Student Nurses: Name, city, school, classification interest in nursing, && any questions you may want to ask our RNs. Photos can be submitted at any time.*

4. In the future, The Off Duty Nurse will offer tips on travel nursing, diet tips, recommendations on scrub and shoes brands, as well as host a Q&A for new nurses or nurses looking to switch specialties.  If there are any other topics viewers would like to explore, we are open to very and suggestions via email at theoffdutynurse@gmail.com

5. Advice to new nurses: It's important to be competent, but your patients and families will not remember how smart you were. They will remember the nurse that went above and beyond when providing their care. They will remember that extra blanket you remembered to bring , and that one time you held their hand. Use the knowledge you will obtain over the years, but be sure to treat everyone you encounter with dignity and respect.

" "The character of a nurse is just as important as the knowledge he/she possesses." "  -- Carolyn Jarvis

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New month. New opportunities. New goals. New plans. New results. May your month be full of blessings and productivity. 💕🌺🌷💐💕

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Today for a special spotlight our Co-founder @thescarlettb sat down and interview the founder and managing editor of Damnnn Girl. Check it out to learn more about Roni and why she and Bradlei started the site! 💕💕💕

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Roni Marsh- DamnnnGirl

For a special spotlight, we interview DamnnnGirl's Co-Founder and Managing Editor. We dig into questions about how Damnnn Girl started, life and many other fun questions. Read below! 

Do you remember how we began discussing the thought of DamnnnGirl? Where were you? Where were you professionally? And how did the topic come about?

I was in Houston working my first big girl job at a creative agency -- lost and alone. I really wanted an outlet. I wanted a place to vent. I wanted a community for myself and my peers so I said if we can’t find it why not create our own?

What made you choose public relations? You’ve been an entertainment personal assistant, worked in event management and marketing, what led you to Public Relations?

I went to college thinking I was going to follow in my parents’ footsteps and go into the medical field, but boy was I wrong! I got all the way up to Cal. 2 and Chem. 2 and said “nah this ain’t for me bro” and I decided to search for something else. Like any other college student, I didn’t know what the hell I wanted to do. I knew I was good with people. I knew that I had fun planning events with all of the organizations that I was involved in and someone said you should try communications. So I did and I fell in love with it. But once again, I knew I loved communications, I just didn’t know which part of communications to focus on. So I tried a little bit of everything. Public relations was a constant in all of those positions, so I decided to make it my thing.

What makes your heart sing professionally? What do you love doing?

Helping and empowering people and creating new ways to do these things. I feel like I come across so many awesome people on a daily basis and I want to help them reach their goals. That’s what I love to do.

This website has been developed as a safe haven for professional women with dreams and hopes of conquering the world but also letting the world be our oyster. What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?

That everything takes work and everything takes time. Patience has never been one of my virtues but in starting this journey I have had to learn patience. It’s important to learn that things will never come instantly. Things take time. And sometimes it isn’t quite time for your flower to bloom yet.

How do you pick yourself up after falling, after quitting a job? After a terrible heartbreak? We’ve all been there, we’ve all been grueling on the floor from disappointment how do you bounce back?

I was listening to a Podcast “The Read” the other day and they discussed when recovering from a breakup it’s important that you mourn the relationship before moving on. I think that’s  what you have to do after every disappointment that comes in life. Give yourself time to process, to cry, or to say “F him” or “f this Job” you need to do these things. Its healthy. Then you get your shit together. Fix your crown. Remind yourself who you are and what you capable of and then you move on. And in this process remember that God’s plan is always bigger than yours and if something didn’t work out it was a lesson. Life is full of blessings and lessons and in the end everything turns out to be both.

What is family to you? How big is your family?

Family is everything. Everything. My family and I are so close and I don’t think I would be where I am without them. Especially Ronald and Alexis (my parents) those two are my everything. They will literally pick me up off of my face every single time and I am forever grateful. My family is pretty big, and when I tell you we are all close we are lol. We all have group chats to share the family tea and keep up with each other.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you want DamnnnGirl to go?

I see DamnnnGirl becoming larger than anything I can imagine, I see it becoming a true community for professional women looking to find an outlet. I want to start hosting events, conferences and selling merchandise. As for myself, I plan to quit my 9-5 and focus on DamnnnGirl and any other ventures that may come up in the future. I want to be in a better mental space, debt-free and able to live freely without having to check in with someone first. That’s where I will be in five. Living by my own rules.

Why DamnnnGirl?

When we started this we went through so many different name changes and Damnnn Girl stuck. When you walk into a room and you see another woman either looking extremely beautiful or just doing the damn thing? You either automatically say out loud or to yourself DAMNNN GIRL! That’s where that came from. All the women mentioned or are apart of the site make me say that.

Today is your birthday, what does that age mean to you? Where did you see yourself at this age in college? Are you impressed?

This age meant it is time to get my shit together. Seriously. In college, I kind of pictured that I would  be here or somewhere near here I just didn’t know how, where or when. I am not necessarily impressed with myself but I am damn sure not disappointed. There are days where I sit back and I think how truly far I came as a person both emotionally and professionally. So much has changed in such a short amount of time.

What do you love about being a woman?

Everything. It’s amazing. We have the ability to bring life into this world I am not sure it gets more powerful or amazing than that.

What’s self care to you?

Taking time for Roni. Doing mental check-ins with myself to make sure everything is alright up there. I think we often get caught in what’s going on in the world that we forget to take care of ourselves but this year I have started to take that a bit more seriously. I even meditate now. I take five or ten minutes to just unplug and unwind it does wonders for my body. But self care can be anything that involves you. If that means going shopping, getting a manicure or hanging with the girls, all of those things mean self care to me.

Gifs or Kimojis and why?

Kimojis duh lol. Kim is my bestie in my head and her emojis are so fun and risque I am quick to use one.

Number one used gif and kimoji?

No judgies. But twerking kimoji gets used quite often (lol)

Top or bottom loll?

Both? Because…. depending on the day (LOL)

What are your thoughts on gender roles?

I am old school in the sense that I still believe that some gender roles still exist while others have evolved. I think that’s okay too. Some people don’t believe in them at all, which is okay too. I do though. The way I see  the woman's role and the man's role in a relationship is definitely outdated.

What’s important to tell to your women wanting to branch out, brand themselves while still taking Corporate America by storm?

I think it’s always important to create something for yourself outside of your corporate position for a number of a reasons: another stream of income, doing something that you love or are passionate about, and remembering that jobs aren’t forever so having something else outside is amazing. Women can do amazing things and hell why not do those things while still climbing the ladder?

Quick quote to your 23-year-old self? We had just started Damnnn Girl?

“Be patient mama, it’s coming”-- I have had to tell myself this several times in my life. I want things to happen now. I don’t want to wait. I wanted DamnnnGirl to be great as soon as we thought of the idea but I realize more and more that things take time and a lot of trial and error to get right.

Fur or thigh highs? That seems borderline offensive but either or

It’s extremely offensive that you would ask me to pick between two amazing things (LOL) but I guess since I must chose definitely thigh highs because you can have more fun with them.

What’s your I’m feeling myself outfit go to?

My legs are my favorite part of my body so a mini dress that shows off these babies is always a go-to for me.

Partition or Drunk in Love?

Ha. Rolling up the partition while we’re drunk in love.

 How do you work with a person like me who has a type b bohemian personality? I’m crazy and difficult and we’re both confrontational? How do you do it?

Goodness, it’s hard but it’s worth it. I have learned so many things about myself and you because we have such strong personalities and finding the balance between the two has been and probably always will be a struggle for us but when we really get it together beautiful things happen. I do it by being patient and playing on our strengths and not focusing so much on our weaknesses.

What has it been like to work on a project and be on opposite sides of the world? Best tip for keeping it cute and staying semi conflict free?

It’s hard and it is not easy and quite honestly it is not something I would recommend anyone do. Like at all. Because time is always be a constant issue so finding ways around that is important to keep the relationship and partnership strong. I think the best tip I can give is that put your friendship first and foremost and don’t forget why we started this thing in the first place.

Biggest lesson you’ve learned through this partnership?

Never forget the end goal and do not get caught up in the arguments. Let things and always get back to the bigger picture. Sometimes we lose sight of that. Always get back to work.

   Special Thanks to Bradlei Smith, TransMaxMedia and the IncYOUbator! 

[damnnngirl-things-blog]

An Enemy of my Friend is my...Friend?

Picture it. Queens, NY. 2009. The sun is blazing like Hip-Hop and R&B and I’m doing hoodrat things with a friend. They begin venting about how much they can’t stand their – our - friend. How fake and shady they are. How dishonest. I’m taken aback because I’m the new friend in the group, so I don’t know how to approach this sudden revelation. I don’t have any issues with the friend in question but I also don’t want to act as a sounding board during venting sessions. I was young, but I learned that providing a listening ear can and often does come back to bite you in the butt-word to nearly every subplot on reality television shows featuring the wives, girlfriends, and baby mothers of vaguely recognizable celebrities. I knew that sometimes objective listening can translate to implicit support. These types of dilemmas are all-too-common.  

There is often an unspoken expectation that when mutual friends split, you as the uninvolved party must pick a side. Tempers are flaring, feelings are hurt, and one or both parties want to close ranks. You, like many, may choose to remain impartial, honoring both friendships and navigating the delicate balance of a recently-fractured friendship. And I don’t blame you. I’ve played the fence-sitting role and while it was uncomfortable, it was short-lived once the friends reconciled, neither of them knowing what the other said. I’m not a messy b-word who lives for drama, so those secrets will remain with me. But what if the issue at hand is less petty and more severe?

Picture it. Queens, NY. It’s 2012. A friend steals from another friend. The young folks these days call it “scamming”. There is no apology and no accountability. You learn of this and are told flat out that if you remain friends with the thief, your friendship with the other will end. When  I was in this situation, I was told that I was unfair for giving an ultimatum. And 5 years later, I still disagree.

I find that impartiality is useful in business and petty disagreements. But it is nothing short of cowardice in moments where a line is drawn in the sand. And I don’t say cowardice to demean, but to illustrate the basis for playing both sides. Because whether it’s said outright or within, the person chooses to remain friends with that offending individual because 1) it's not their problem and/or 2) they don’t want to lose a friend, even if that means keeping an unsavory person in their circle.

I recognize that not everyone is as...selective as I am. For me, integrity is a core pillar in my personal values and one that I’m not willing to overlook in others who lack it. So when someone displays behavior that goes completely against who I am and what I stand for, I no longer have an interest in being associated with that person.

To honor myself, I am always willing to have one less friend.

What do you think? Is it important for your friends to be moral/honest? Have you ever been asked to choose a side?

 Love and truth,

Adri

www.adrispeaks.com

[damnnngirl-things-blog]

Does Years of Experience = Value?

How many times have you applied for a job and you receive an email saying your resume was great but your years of experience was too little? Take it from someone who took five years to graduate after transferring school and taking time off to work. I get that message a lot. But each time I get that rejection it truly makes me wonder, does not “working professionally” somewhere for five years mean I do not know how to do a job? Does working somewhere for more than years mean I am the most knowledgeable person at my place of employment? Do years truly mean experience? 

Based on conversations I have had with many of my peers, I feel like they share my sentiments. I mean they tell you if you want a job when you graduate to intern, intern, intern! Then you work three or four internship and you still graduate college looking at a piece of paper you can do nothing with because you don’t have the “experience”. But for some reason you can’t get the damn experience they want you to have because no one will hire you. It is a vicious never-ending cycle. What the hell do these employers want from us? 

Even if I work the same job for 5 years but I am not learning anything new, did I really gain more experience? Or did I just gain more time at a job? Where do we draw the line? I did some research and I found that experience does not truly matter to most as much as it may seem. Based off some light research, employers are more interested in your skills and character rather than how long you have been doing something. If you work in communications like me you will learn that your experience does not matter as much as your willingness to adapt to change and hit the ground running is. Our field is constantly changing and moving with the waves of technology that something we did five years ago may be considered outdated. 

When asked what advice he would give to a graduating class of college seniors, Jeff Fluhr, CEO of Spreecast said: 

“One of the things I tell people is that experience is overrated. I still sometimes find myself falling into the trap of thinking, when I’m trying to fill a role, “Has the person done the work that the role requires?” That’s the wrong question. It should be, “Let’s find a person who has the right chemistry, the right intellect, the right curiosity, the right creativity.” If we plug that person into any role, they’re going to be successful.”

Employers these days are more concerned with intangible skills when searching for a candidate. Someone could have all of the experience required but not fit in with a company’s culture. Those things matter than years of experience. 

Don’t let those rejection emails turn you away. Don’t let those years of experience turn you off from applying to jobs and don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t do your job because you haven’t been there for 40 years. Years of experience do not equal value or success. 

[damnnngirl-things-blog]

Boxing : Beyond Butt-Kicking

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee and get an intense workout in the process "

While loading your summer body for #Summer2K17 , why not try out boxing as an option that serves a dual purpose: gets you in shape while you learn how to better defend yourself  (I know Power Rangers movie just came out, so if you totally want to Pink or Yellow Ranger it out, by all means, no judgment over here).

I had always flirted with the idea but never got a chance to actually take a class, not to mention I didn’t feel comfortable being around guys in a gym. One day, while looking at my school’s fitness center’s schedule, I noticed that they offered boxing at a time that didn’t conflict with class and was women-only. Divine providence? Who knows.

Needless to say, months later I am now at the Tier 2 level  and I must say, the workouts are NOT for the lazy! I’d categorize them as high intensity, and individual segments change from week to week, thanks to my amazing coaches. I think the average person doesn’t realize that boxing is so much more than just punches and ducking. You have to be quick on your feet, utilize your strength and your entire body when facing an opponent. Though I’ve been doing it consistently, I still have to train myself to not be lackluster with my punches and keep form.

I really love my class, not only because I get do something I’ve always wanted and stay active but also because of the support I receive. My coaches are always pushing me to challenge myself and don't expect me to hit perfectly. 

Search for any boxing gyms in your area or gyms that have boxing classes. The key is finding the best place where you can learn, be supported and reach your personal fitness goals. Even going for an hour once a week can make a difference. If you already have a fitness routine, consider adding boxing to mix it up a little.  

-Laurel Brooks