There are so many ways to shop for beauty, and for convenience and variety QVC has the game on lock. What makes them so special? Online, QVC.com features a great variety of products complete with customer reviews, FAQ’s and a complete ingredient list. And on TV, QVC features and demonstrates the products, and the creators of the products are on hand to discuss and explain everything a beauty lover could need. All the info you need is at your fingertips! If you’re in the market for new hair care, skin care, bath and body products or makeup, tune in tonight at 11 pm ET. QVC’s 25-hour All Access Beauty event kicks off tonight – Friday, May 10!

Afrobella for QVC!

All Access Beauty means just that — unparalleled access to the biggest names and brands in the industry. We’re talking breakthrough products and beauty tips straight from the faces behind the brands. Expect to see special appearances by Kate Somerville, Mally Roncal, Ken Paves, Chaz Dean and more, and special values on brands like Clarisonic, philosophy and Perricone MD. On QVC.com, I’m amongst a small group of top bloggers who QVC tapped to choose our favorite products. Check out the All Access Beauty Bloggers, and click here to check out my personal favorite picks!

What products did I choose? Click here to visit my personal QVC e-boutique page! It was hard to choose just 12 items, but these are the top 12 you-deserve-these-because-they-are-amazing-tried-tested-and-true beauty products that I hope you will love too. I included my favorites by WEN, Clarisonic, Mally Beauty, Bobbi Brown, bliss, Tarte and philosophy. Click to visit, shop, and enjoy – and tune into QVC tonight to see some of the people behind those brands share what makes their products so awesome!

Thanks for choosing me, QVC!

The post Get Into My QVC All-Access Beauty Favorites! appeared first on Afrobella.

From the moment I saw the trailer for The Great Gatsby, I was dazzled. I said to my husband, “I HAVE to see this.” I couldn’t possibly have guessed that when the time came to have the special screening in Chicago, I’d be asked to be a special co-host for a screening and afterparty at the Showplace Icon, my favorite movie theater in the city. Thanks to Warner Brothers, Allied Media and JET Magazine for choosing me for this wonderful opportunity. Summer of Gatsby Chicago was a complete success!

Here I am with my friend Mitzi Miller, EIC of JET Magazine. Mitzi is amazing. So honored to work with her on this fabulous event!

An intimate crowd of Chicago’s social media and online influencers came out for the screening, and then after the movie came the after party, co-hosted by me and JET Magazine, with beauty stations by Fashion Fair on hand for extra glamour.

That’s Fashion Fair Trainer Timothy James – all night he was offering the ladies in attendance the chance to bump up their lip color to something more Gatsby-apropos from the vibrant selection of Fashion Fair lipsticks.  Guests each got an awesome gift box with a vintage photo of Pearl Bailey rocking Fashion Fair, containing a full size lipstick! I got Femme Fatale, which can best be described as chocolate cherry.

Thanks to blogger friends like The Sassy Peach, Chuck Olu Alabi, Gabifresh, Miss Lori, Rachel O, Traci Daniel, Jettasetting and everyone else for coming out and showing love!

Hey there Miss Lori!

Thanks to everyone who came out and made it a fabulous night! Thanks again to Warner Brothers, Allied Media and JET Magazine. The Great Gatsby opens in theaters nationwide tomorrow! Stay tuned for my review!

The post My Summer Of Gatsby Chicago Event! appeared first on Afrobella.

When I read it in college, I fell in love with the lavish lifestyle F. Scott Fitzgerald so vividly illustrated in his literary classic, The Great Gatsby. The book is set in the ostentatious 1920’s and inspired by real people and places Fitzgerald hobnobbed with – even today, the mansion that inspired Jay Gatsby’s, is impressive from above. The characters exist in an extravagant, fabulous bubble that you can’t help but want to be in, even though you can tell it’s about to burst.

It’s all about opulent homes, status vehicles, ornate dresses and perfectly cut suits, and over-the-top, competitive entertainment. The plot speaks to our times despite the period setting, and the deeper messages Fitzgerald conveyed are timeless. I think it’s perfect fit to have the visionary Baz Luhrmann bring The Great Gatsby’s over the top world to three dimensional life, and to set it all to a soundtrack starring Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Lana Del Ray.

The film looks AMAZING.

I’ve been excited about the cinematic adaptation of The Great Gatsby for a while now, and tomorrow (Tuesday, May 7), I’m co-hosting an advanced screening of the film and a few lucky Chicago readers can come to the event! Alongside my friends at JET Magazine, we will welcome The Great Gatsby to Chicago before it opens nationwide on May 10.

And 20 of you can come too!

The first twenty people to comment on this post, including their name and using a valid e mail address, will have their names added to the guest list for tomorrow evening’s movie screening at 6 pm at the Kerasotes Showplace Icon in the South Loop.

Entries will be closed at midnight tonight. This will fill up fast, so hurry up and click below to comment!

For even MORE Gatsby, follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thegreatgatsbymovie, and on Twitter: @GatsbyMovie @LeoDiCaprio @TobeyMaguire. For tomorrow night, follow the hashtags #TheGreatGatsby #SummerofGatsbyCHI to see all about the glamorous local screening event!

Thank you to Allied Media and Warner Brothers for this opportunity!

**edited at 8:39 am – the comments are officially closed. Thanks for entering!

The post Chicago! Tomorrow! Come With Me To See The Great Gatsby appeared first on Afrobella.

There are so many places I’ve wanted to go and haven’t made it to yet. As I get older I keep dreaming, and keep working at making my dreams come true. And I’m so happy to share one of them with you! I’m going to London this month!! HOORAY!!!

I’m so excited to go to UK for the first time, there are so many things that I have been dreaming of seeing around London! I want to see all the touristy stuff and the landmarks — Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Camden Market, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park…I’m so ready! I will be staying in a central part of London and I look forward to just exploring and being a tourist across the pond for the first time ever, seeing my old friends and family from Trinidad, and meeting my UK bellas! I know through the years quite a few of you read my blog and have been supporters of Afrobella, and I so appreciate you and can’t wait to meet you!

I’m incredibly excited to attend the Afro Hair and Beauty Show in London and I’ll be there representing the Strength of Nature House of Brands, which includes African Pride, Beautiful Textures, Elasta QP and the brand-new re-launch of Mega Growth hair products.

So what will I be doing in the UK, and where can we meet?

- On May 25th I’ll be making an appearance at Curlvolution at the Crown Plaza Docklands

- May 26th & 27th I’ll be at the Afro Hair and Beauty Show, at the Strength of Nature booth doing meet and greets!

- May 27th after the show, join me for the #BritBeauty Mixer at the Amber Bar In the Milk Lounge – from 6:30 to 10, I will be hosting a cocktail mixer showcasing the best of the Strength of Nature brands, taking photos and making new UK friends along with popular UK blogger Pelumi of Care For Your Hair!  RSVP to http://BritBeauty.Eventbrite.com to ensure your complementary admission.

So excited!

For my first visit to London where would you recommend that I eat, shop and visit? What are the must-see destinations for a first time visitor? Are there any other UK cities that I should try to make a day trip to? So many questions!

Click here to follow the Strength of Nature brands on twitter!

@LovinMyTextures

@ElastaQP

@MyAfricanPride

@MegaGrowth

Can’t wait to see you at the end of the month, my UK Bellas!

The post Afrobella’s Coming to London! appeared first on Afrobella.

This post has nothing to do with Lil Kim. And everything to do with coming face to face with your TV faves. I’m a big fan of The Daily Show, so when my friends at Dove told me the April Truth Day they wanted me to come to NYC for was being hosted by Samantha Bee, I HAD to go.

Do you watch The Daily Show, bellas? If you do, you already know Samantha Bee as their intrepid correspondent who bravely interviews politicians and newsmakers, tackling tough subjects with assumed, deliberate and brilliant insensitivity and ignorance. And when she isn’t reporting on stories about current affairs, she’s doing stuff like striding around Times Square, interviewing folks in a faux-shower for Dove.

I had to ask her about that, and more. And it’s so cool to come face to face with someone you watch often on TV, only to discover that behind the comedic veneer is a sweet, friendly, down to earth, nice person.

Samantha Bee is Canadian, and I was curious as to whether being an outsider to politics here lent to her perspective on the issues that separate our countries, like health care or gun control – stuff like that. “I think so, to some degree. It can be disconcerting being an inside-outsider. There are tons of cultural similarities, but we’re also totally different. It’s interesting how it informs society.”

Samantha gained a reputation on TDS as being the “always pregnant lady,” as Olivia Munn referred to her.I had to ask her about being a mom and it turns out her Wikipedia entry could use some editing for clarification. Samantha Bee and her husband (and fellow TDS correspondent) Jason Jones might have joked once about having kid #4, but it certainly isn’t happening, ever.

“Jason had a real vasectomy on The Daily Show! So Wikipedia is wrong, they should add that. How do you fix a Wikipedia entry?” As someone who had a Wiki page for all of half an hour, I have no idea.

We chatted about our mutual love of Dove. My history with Dove love goes back a ways, but not as far as Sam Bee’s. “My grandmother used Dove, t was her brand. So I’ve used it since I was a child, before I could even remember. Forever. And I use it on my kids, too.”

Since Samantha had asked so many women about their shower habits on Dove’s behalf (see video above,) we discussed our own shower routines. It turns out, I over shower – using both a bar and a liquid soap cleanser. I also luxuriate, listening to my Shower Songs playlist while I get clean. Samantha is the mother of three little kids. She has zero time to herself. “I do hair first. Hair, out of the way. I feel like then I do these parts (rubs torso) and then these parts (goes lower). Then I have to get out ASAP because a child is banging on the door. Or even worse, it’s too quiet. When it’s too quiet, something’s wrong.”

I had to ask her how she does it all. I don’t even have kids and I feel myself struggling with work/life balance issues. How do you figure out a work/life balance when you’ve got a husband, three kids, and a high profile job on one of television’s most popular programs?

“The secret is, don’t try to do anything very well. Give everything like, 75%,” she says in her usual comedic deadpan. Then she gets real. “I don’t know. Work/life balance? I just do the best that I can. Sometimes I just throw everything to the wind.” Samantha Bee pulls out her cell phone and shows me a photo of her living room floor, absolutely covered in toys. “This is my reality. That’s a good snapshot of what it’s like at our house.” And that made me feel better. We’re all trying our best, right?

Thanks to Dove for the opportunity, and thanks to Samantha Bee for being lovely. You can follow @Dove and @IAmSamBee on Twitter. And visit Dove’s Facebook page for more on the whole April Truth Day concept.

Disclosure: My trip to NYC was sponsored by Dove, but these posts weren’t – just in case you were wondering!

The post Rumble With The Bee – Interview With The Daily Show’s Samantha Bee appeared first on Afrobella.

Dove is one of my favorite beauty brands for many reasons. They’re a legacy brand known for consistently great quality skincare, and advertising I can totally get behind. Their whole brand aesthetic is about healthy beauty on your own terms, which is what I’m about! So when Dove invited me to NYC, to experience and report on their April Truth Day awareness campaign, I was excited to participate. Off I went, to NYC. Come with me, inside my Dove Truth Day adventure!

Dove Truth Day took place the day after April Fool’s Day, and the event was all about revealing the truth about skincare. Your favorite brands of bar soaps and body washes are nowhere NEAR as gentle or good for your skin as you think. Using a miniature doll made out of a corn protein that’s similar to what’s in human skin, they demonstrated this time and time again. Some body washes have high levels of moisturizers, sure. But they also use harsh cleansers that aren’t good for your skin. It was an eye opener to see which brands failed Dove’s test.

As part of Dove’s ongoing campaign to reveal the truth about some of your other favorite skincare brands, they’ve enlisted The Daily Show’s Samantha Bee as their official truth teller. I’m a HUGE Daily Show fan, and I got to meet her and do a quick interview! More to come on that next!

It was a gorgeous and glamorous event, and every last detail was Dove-embellished from the place settings to the cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

I dipped in and dipped out of New York so quickly last week, I didn’t get to see everyone I love. But the Dove event was incredibly fun, and it was great to see so many of my blogger besties! My whole Glam family including Nola, Bianca, Michelle and Valis came out to show love, and so did Kristin of Fashion Style Beauty, Jeannine of Beauty Sweet Spot, Dina of Eye 4 Style, Alia of Second City Style, Danielle the Style and Beauty Doctor, Jessica of The Glamazons Blog, Christine of Love Brown Sugar, Christene of This That Beauty – old friends, new friends, so fun to see everyone! Moments like that are why I love NYC!

Thank you Dove for bringing me out for such a fun event, I was delighted to be there!

OH! And what am I wearing? My spring floral jacket is by UK based brand Simply Be – LOVE their stuff, they recently sent me some fabulous items you’ll be seeing me wear on the blog! With it I’m rocking a camisole I got with a top via Queen Grace Collection, my fave Lucky Jeans, and a fabulous necklace by Lexi Jewelry. And I believe I bought the earrings on Fab.com!

The post Inside Dove’s April Truth Day. Discover The Real Deal With Cleansers appeared first on Afrobella.

I’ve spoken about my influences here on the blog before, and I’ve mentioned it in my TEDx talk too — one of my biggest early writing influences was Sassy Magazine. My classmate’s cousin would send down her well thumbed, slightly tattered copies in care packages alongside mixtapes featuring artists I’d never heard of at the time, like Bjork and Radiohead. Picture me as a young, Trinidadian teenager, discovering songs like Human Behavior and Creep at the same time as I was reading the words of Jane Pratt and her contributors.

From left, @Corynnes, Jane, and me!

I just saw Jane Pratt speak at SXSW, and she was so right about one point she made — her magazine did have GREAT pass along rates. Her magazine, Sassy, taught me that I could write the same way I talked, and that people would love me for my voice if I did. Sassy gave me the courage to speak my own truth, quietly and clearly (shoutout to the Desiderata). Sassy showed me I could keep it 100% on paper and in real life – I didn’t have to put on an artificial voice to find a place in the writing world. Sassy gave me journalistic goals to aspire to. Sassy and Jane magazine made me start to read magazines with a different eye. I started thinking that I could grow up to be just like Mitzi Miller, or Christina Kelly or Jauretsi Saizarbitoria. I started reading other magazines with the same eye, too. Why couldn’t I grow up to be Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, if my writing and my critical eye was sharp enough?

Audacious thinking for a girl growing up in Trinidad. I didn’t know anyone who was doing this kind of thing in my real life, but the seed was planted. I realized that a future in writing was remote but still, somehow, a possibility. And when I started writing poems under a pen name for the Sunday Guardian’s teen section — and getting letters in response — that cemented it. I’d found my life’s path.

My dreams centered around print for a long time, but I came to realize that it wasn’t that easy – not unless you lived in NYC and had the right internship/connections/name. My attempts to reach out to writers at publications in my era didn’t go far. I met Debbie Stoller of Bust years ago, but the connection never gelled and I second guessed my potential of writing for them (eventually they’d write an article on natural hair and include my name in it, which was awesome). I never made a connection at Essence or Ebony until I was well into my blogging career. Blogs changed the game for me. Suddenly being an incredible writer and content creator was all you needed to make a name and an impact. The walls that seemed insurmountably high, weren’t as insurmountable as I thought. I built my own platform. And that platform has led to all kinds of amazing things that I never could have dreamed of before.

Take for example, this Tuesday when I got to see my teenage idol, Jane Pratt, speak at SXSW and share the lessons she learned from creating Sassy, creating Jane, and BEING Jane. Now she’s building an online empire with xoJane.com (which yours truly contributes to, but not often enough). Jane just launched a new beauty site, xoVain.com, which takes her signature approach to beauty. You won’t find writers referring to their hair as “tresses” or “locks” or any other flowery synonym. xoVain will be keeping beauty and style 100%, and I’m honestly excited about it.

What were the best nuggets of life advice from Jane Pratt’s SXSW speech? Here were the messages that lingered with me.

– “If someone asks you to water down your vision then you risk losing your passion for what you’re doing.”

– “Someone else’s loss isn’t your gain & someone else’s gain isn’t your loss. But a victory for women is a victory for all of us.”

– “Ignore anyone — even the little voice inside you — that says you’re under qualified to do something. Never outgrow your blind ambition”

– “People’s default setting is to not like you.” And how does Jane deal with that? By responding, by sharing her personal issues and problems, and letting people know they aren’t alone in being screwed up and adrift and unhappy and flawed.

After hearing Jane Pratt speak — which would have delighted teenage Patrice to bits anyway — I got to meet Jane Pratt. We sat on the terrace at the Intercontinental Hotel, basking in the beautiful Austin sunshine and chatting about our first SXSW experience, writing, xoJane, xoVain, and more. And at the end of our encounter, I got to tell my teenage writing and editing idol how much her work has meant to me, that Sassy also changed my life, and that I learned my path and discovered my writing voice because of her. What did Jane say to all of that? “I taught you well.”

She sure did.

It’s one thing to have an encounter and think of it in a certain light, and it’s another thing to have that feeling completely confirmed.

I mean…wow. My heart is so full.

I went into SXSW expecting amazing adventures, but I didn’t expect to close the whole thing out on such a special, full circle moment in my life. I wish I could write a letter to my angst-ridden, self-loathing 16 year old self and tell her about it!

My first SXSW was amazing. Totally going back next year. Who knows what adventures will await me then?

The post Life Lessons From Jane Pratt appeared first on Afrobella.

I just got back from Austin last night, and my voice is doing this Lindsay Lohan/Harvey Feirstein thing that is simply not the business. I’m still basking in the afterglow of my first ever SXSW. I got to Austin on March 9, and stayed till yesterday – and I’m sad I am not there for the musical portion of the conference, because there were SO MANY events this week that I wanted to go to! Alas. I’ll do better in 2014.

What was my first SXSW like? In one word, awesome.

Our Naturally Social panel ROCKED! From left to right me, Kristin Braswell of Carol’s Daughter, Myleik of Curlbox, Jamala Johns of LeCoil, and Chescaleigh our moderator who made this happen!

Random hotel party with Sian Morson, Luvvie, me, Scott Hanselman, Janine, Lynne d Johnson, Chescaleigh, Baratunde, Jbrotherlove!

The experience was hectic and crazy and super fun and mindblowing all at the same time. There were several moments where I had to just look around and soak up the people in my presence and be thankful for the opportunities that have led me to know them. I know some amazing people! I went to fabulous events, including Target’s Fast Company lounge (where they announced their new partnership), Luvvie’s awesome party for the Red Pump Project, Chescaleigh’s Naturally Curly meetup, and Kathryn Finney’s gorgeous event for Digital Undivided, amongst others. I found myself hanging out with some truly impressive and inspiring folks, and I feel enriched by the experiences I had. Let me tell you the things I learned at my first SXSW.

– It can be surprisingly cold in Texas. Be prepared.

When I was frantically packing the night before, everyone I talked to about what to bring told me that I should look forward to sunshine and 80 degree days. I packed accordingly, but also brought key layering pieces just in case. Well just in case turned out to be the case – Austin was SO COLD! I needed my coat AND my gloves on one night. Luckily the sunshine came out on my last day, and I got the chance to soak it up before heading home to chilly Chicago.

– Just say HI, because the people you look up to can be shy too. And more approachable than you might expect.

Afrobella and The Oatmeal

Lynne D. Johnson, me, Adria Richards and Mary Pryor – I admire these women so much!

There are social media and online superstars everywhere at SXSW. You might find yourself waiting in line for tacos alongside the likes of Pete Cashmore or Guy Kawasaki or Scott Hanselman or Baratunde Thurston or Anil Dash. If you recognize them, don’t be afraid to say hello and let them know you’re a fan of their work. I spent time around some people who have created truly inspiring content and who enjoy incredible careers, including Scott, Baratunde, Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal above), Nicholas White of The Daily Dot, Constance White, Kendra Bracken Ferguson, Dustee Jenkins, and Jane Pratt (more on that amazing encounter later).  And everyone I encountered at SXSW was astonishingly approachable and friendly and cool. Which brings me to another thing I learned.

– SXSW is not NYFW.

I went into SXSW expecting it to be similar to other events I’ve been to, like Fashion Week meets Blogworld’s New Media Expo, or something. And it’s totally not like that. SXSW has its own flavor, its own fashion sensibilities. Techies and geeks don’t dress up fancy. Nobody’s wearing heels or tight dresses or trying hard to look cool. It’s all very laid back – think cute teeshirts, blazers, jeans and comfortable shoes because you’ll be doing lots of walking. You can see a real visual difference in the style as SXSW interactive moves into SXSW music – that’s when you start seeing rockstar fashion emerge at the exhibit hall.

-- Online friendships are real. And they are awesome

Me Luvvie Chescaleigh!

I’m so blessed. I’ve made such an incredible group of friends throughout this blogging career. Events like SXSW truly underscore the awesome power of online friendship to me. Every night I came together with guys and girls who I knew only from their Twitter avatars or Facebook pages, and found myself pleasantly surprised by how awesome it is to get to know each other beyond the screen. I roomed with @Luvvie, @Chescaleigh and @SHanselman and every night we laughed ourselves silly. Staying with my homies made this experience EXTRA awesome.

Luvvie and me making a Kathryn Finney sandwich! With our new friend Tori

I got to meet friends I only knew as avatars, and people who have been online associates and friends who have supported my blog for years – people like Craig Brimm, Lynne D. Johnson, and SO MANY MORE. I found myself repeatedly surrounded by awesome people who inspired me to be greater.

– I have so much to learn. So much to execute.

I went to SXSW already bursting with ideas and plans of projects I need to work on. Next for me, I need to focus on writing my book and balancing my life better. Then I came to SXSW and found myself SO inspired. Now I have many more ideas of projects I can execute. I see that the possibilities are limitless. I’m SO excited to move forward on some of the ideas I came up with! Shoutout to @SianMorson and @LisaNicoleBell and Mary Pryor for inspiring me to think bigger and work harder.

– Austin is SUCH a cool city

the tacos from Taco More are to DIE for

I’d heard this for a long time – Austin isn’t like the rest of Texas. It sure isn’t. Austin is proud to be weird and proud to be progressive. The Whole Foods HQ is a sight to see. There are amazing restaurants around downtown – on this visit I had incredible culinary experiences at La Condesa, the Cedar Door Grill, and Japanese restaurant Uchi (which earned me a Bon Appetit badge on Foursquare. The reputation is legendary). From the fabulous food to the fun times, including outdoor parties at the Upper Decks, and all the adventures to be had in downtown Austin – I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Next visit I plan to visit Wahoo Tacos on the recommendation of my friend Johnica Reed, and go thrifting where my friend Jamala Johns of Le Coil went shopping.

I also got to see outside of downtown, when I drove outside of the city with my dear friend and wayback college homie DJ Busca. He took me out to residential neighborhoods (Austin’s houses are cute, cute, CUTE), and we had an incredible, authentic Mexican lunch at Taco More. And then we discovered some amazing graffiti across the train tracks (there is dope graffiti in unexpected places all over Austin) and had drinks at the Yellow Jacket Social Club, which is a cool restaurant/bar with outdoor seating and a punk rock kind of clientele. I loved it. All of it. I can’t wait to go back to Austin!

– Men are just as proud of their beards as women are of our natural hair.

Austin in general and SXSW in particular, is a MECCA for men with beards and remarkable facial hair choices. Some beards are big and bushy. Some are full and fabulous looking. Others could use a little assistance. A fellow blogger clued us into the fact that he used ORS Olive Oil hair moisturizer to keep his beard looking right. Beards with a little touch of product to keep them from looking dry and dusty FTW.

I already can’t wait to go back for 2014!

BONUS! 5 Tips For Surviving SXSW

– Bring comfortable shoes, you’ll be walking more than you expect. And no, I don’t mean the cute flats. Comfortable shoes for walking. Sneakers. Boots. Socks with padding.

– Expect any kind of weather. For this SXSW we encountered rain, surprisingly cold temperatures, and then bright, hot sunshine. So consider bringing cute and comfortable rain flats instead of suede shoes, packing a mini foldable umbrella in your messenger bag, and bringing a few warm sweaters or cardigans for layering.

– Make sure you have cash on you. You never know when you’ll need a pedicab or want to buy a random food truck taco.

– Be smart. Get at least one good night’s sleep. People go CRAZY during SXSW, acting like it’s Carnival and Spring Break rolled into one. And then you can’t wake up for your panels the next day. Do yourself a favor and get a good night of sleep so you’re ready for whatever you need to go to the next morning.

– ALWAYS have business cards. And talk to everyone. You have no idea who you’re standing next to.

For more, check out Luvvie’s recap!

The post 7 Things I Learned At My First SXSW appeared first on Afrobella.

Of all of the conferences that bloggers go to and talk about, SXSW is the one with the biggest reputation for FUN. A mashup of interactivity, technology, music and film in the heat of Austin, TX – fueled by free alcoholic beverages, random performances and pop-ups and tacos? I’ve wanted to go for YEARS. And finally, this is my year to make it happen! I’m going to SXSW this weekend! YEEHAW!

I get there on Saturday and I’ll be speaking in a totally awesome and very special panel that’s part of the Blacks in Tech schedule of events, alongside @myleik, @chescaleigh, @lecoil and @Carols_Daughter. Our panel was put together by Chescaleigh and it’s called Naturally Social: Growing Your Hair, Growing Your Audience, and Growing Your Brand. It’s on Sunday afternoon and it will be AWESOME.

SO excited!!

I’m a SXSW newbie, so I’m definitely looking for events and parties and local businesses I need to check out. I’ll be attending the Red Pump Project and Blacks in Technology event on Sunday night, so please come out and show love! And the homie Chescaleigh is having an event that’s open to all of her followers and fans, so I’ll be there too – click here for her event details!

What other events and panels should I be attending? I’m in Austin until Tuesday March 12. Let me know if there’s something fun I need to know about! SXSW, here I come!!

The post Afrobella at SXSW 2013. My First SXSW! appeared first on Afrobella.

My travels seem to never end, and I wind up going to some truly amazing places and participating in incredible events! Today I’m on my way to Philadelphia, one of my favorite cities for good food and culture! I’ll be on campus at University of Pennsylvania, participating in a prestigious academic symposium that I am honored to be part of.

Professor Anthea Butler’s symposium on The Politics of Black Women’s Hair is sure to be an incredible event. Melissa Harris-Perry will kick it all off with her words of wisdom, and the panel I’m part of begins tomorrow afternoon from 3:30 pm until 5 pm. If you’re in Philly and want to attend, click here for the information you need to register. Admission is free to the public. If you can’t make it in person, this revolution will be televised livestreamed so you can click here to watch it all live.
See you soon, Philly!

The post Philly, University of Pennsylvania, and The Politics of Black Hair Symposium appeared first on Afrobella.