naturallypinktreemag.com l

Naturally PinkTree Magazine A young woman’s guide to natural living

Small Business

Highlight:

Chick Therapy

From the Catwalk to the Sidewalk: Get acquainted with that girl, plus model LIRIS CROSSE

naturallypinktreemag.com l March / April 2013

Benefits of

Green Juices

for Young

Women

Make your

Apartment Eco-

Friendly Eat your Way to Clear

Skin

naturallypinktreemag.com l 2

entertainment

20 l Betty & Coretta

Movie Review

fashion & style

06 l From the Catwalk to

the Sidewalk

22 l 3 Ways to Wear a

Head Scarf

natural beauty

12 l Eat Your Way to

Clear Skin

small business highlight

18 l Chick Therapy

holistic health

16 l Green, the Color of

Life

life

11 l Balancing Friends

and Relationships

21 l The Road to Self Dis-

covery

naturalista highlight

19 l Ronelle Thomas

natural living

14 l Make Your Apart-

ment Eco-Friendly

in every issue:

3 l Editor’s Letter

CONTENTS March /April 2013

on the cover

18 l Small Business Highlight:

Chick Therapy

16 l Benefits of Green Juices for

Young Women

14 l Make Your Apartment Eco-

Friendly

06 l From the Catwalk to the Side-

walk

12 l Eat your Way to Clear Skin

18

naturallypinktreemag.com l 3

Editor’s letter

Jasmine Burroughs

Know the Power

You Have

Love yourself, have

confidence, and

strive for the best.

It’s Women’s History month.

This issue highlights strong, fierce, and bold women who dared to be dif-

ferent. We showcase graduate students, models, recent graduates, and

working professionals.

We learn the importance of knowing who we are and what we want out of

life before jumping into a relationship. Relationships can get stressful at

times, but it can be ten times harder if you have no idea who you are. We

also get to know model Liris Crosse. Crosse shows us how to be confident

in our own skin. Once we are confident with our bodies, we can become

confident in everything else we choose to do. Confidence can take you a

long way.

Our small business highlight, Chick Therapy, is an online store that

“incorporates traditional African fabric with others and create pieces that

fit the contemporary lifestyle. It is a celebration of beauty and our vision is

to fuse the vivaciousness and eccentricity of African prints into basic, ready

to wear pieces” (page 18).

We are certain you will enjoy this issue of Naturally Pink Tree magazine.

There is much to learn. Remember, the more knowledge your have, the

more power you have.

Editorial Staff

Founder/President

Jasmine Burroughs

Design & Natural Beauty Editor

Angelica Valera

Entertainment Editor

Tiffany Richards

Relationships Editor

Paola Hernandez

Fashion Writers

Demara White

Tatianna Turner

Guest Contributors

Sereda Dailey

Kristy Wiggins-Gilbraith

For more information about Naturally Pink Tree Magazine,

contact:

editors@naturallypinktreemag.com

naturallypinktreemag.com l 4

.

naturallypinktreemag.com l 5

Natural

Hair care

Holistic health servic

es

Natural skin care

Homemade p

roducts

Bags

Jewelry

Natural soap

If you would like to advertise in Naturally Pink Tree Magazine,

contact us:

editors@naturallypinktreemag.com

naturallypinktreemag.com l 6

.

From the Catwalk to the Side-walk: Get acquainted with that girl, plus model

LIRIS CROSSE

naturallypinktreemag.com l 7

By Demara White

If one were to spot Liris Crosse in

the crowd - they’d have to do a dou-ble take or perhaps utter the ques-tion to themselves; “who’s that girl?” The statuesque cat-eyed beauty has taken the industry by storm, a well-known plus-sized model - spotted on the glossy pages of Essence, XXL, The Source and Mode (to name a few). In addition she has been fea-tured in national ad’s for plus brand haven Lane Bryant and is currently appearing in the spring campaign for Ashley Stewart – I’ve recently gone past my local Ashley Stewart store and admired her large photo hanging in the window like art. Oh, but I bet you remember her face being on a range of runways, music videos, commercials or her acting appear-ances, most recognizable being “The Best Man” and “Baby Boy”. Liris is not your ordinary plus-sized model, in fact she’s possess multiple talents; model, actress, hosting personality and she adds “sportsnista” to her growing list of monikers as well. The Baltimore native sites her ear-ly stages of modeling stemming after a suggestion from a photographer – whom was taking family portraits during her father’s run for congress in the city’s 23rd District. A younger Liris then began doing all she could to learn more about modeling from playing in makeup and heels to stud-ying fashion mags to perfecting her signature walk. Ultimately Liris got

her start when going to a Model Search America convention and on her first go she landed callbacks from four agencies, but there was one thing they each asked her to do; “lose weight,” says Liris, “Despite being super athletic, [I was] involved in track, basketball, and cheerleading – they still wanted me to lose weight”. The model in training fol-lowed their recommendations, going on crazy diets to lose the weight and during her senior year in high school she returned to the convention, smaller – as requested. However, this time she only received one callback, Liris recalls being disappointed but not defeated. The then 17-year old planned to head to Bowie State University to begin her collegiate career; however, she later decided to move to New York to purse commercial modeling. After six months of working at her local mall, offering perfume/cologne samples to passing shoppers, she saved up enough to make the move; on Christmas day she made her jour-ney to the concrete jungle. Once in the city, she made a stop to the Mod-el Search America offices, and they suggested she take a visit to Wilhel-mina Models, an agency that worked with a plethora of curvy models in their 10/20 division. And that was all she wrote, Liris was signed on the spot at Wilhelmina – an incidence that doesn’t happen all too often unless of course your one of a kind. In recent years, Liris has signed with Dorothy Combs

Models, an agency leader in the plus modeling realm. Liris has since been one of the hardest working models in the plus industry, citing that no day is the same in the world of LC. Agent check-in’s, 4 A.M. call times, test shoots, clothing pulls, events, even lending her voice to modeling pan-els. In addition, she is online submit-ting for acting gigs, headeding to her computer to check in on her social networks and responding to emails – ah, does this woman ever get a mo-ment to breathe! However, the one thing she affirms stays the same in her daily routine - “I wake up every morning and thank GOD”. The feature I find most incredible about Ms. Crosse, besides what we all see on the surface - is that she remains ‘real’ in an arena that can turn her into something otherwise. “To me, I’m ME….me being me helps me continue to work and be around” states Liris. As mentioned, you can always catch her Tweeting, Instagram-ing, and on Facebook connecting with fans. The model is using social media consciously to extend both herself and the Liris “brand” while being very intentional about what she posts. “I know my brand and know that certain stuff would not be cool”. “I don’t curse, nor do I tear people down,” firmly states Liris. In actuality, Liris empowers.

Liris Crosse

Continued on Page 9

naturallypinktreemag.com l 8

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naturallypinktreemag.com l 9

Equally displaying

and promoting her philos-ophy of “Healthy Curves”, the belief that one doesn’t have to have the ‘perfect’ body but should do their part in order to be mentally, physically and spiritually healthy. Positioning that moderation is key and that one should have a healthy balance of diet and exer-cise. She’s also gearing up to hold her own modeling

seminar to educate a new generation of models on the secrets of getting into the industry. “Watch me work & you can learn” Liris says with a laugh, but unquestionably I hear the seriousness in her words. In the meantime, Liris has rationed a few tips to me – “Expect more no’s than yes’s”. “You have to see past all the fun stuff – the runways, the photo shoots; it takes a lot of hard work”. And one that you may not want to hear – “You have to spend money to make money,”

which includes spending bucks on portfolio updates, hair, makeup, prints, etc. Lastly she urges aspiring models to do their modeling home-work (aka research) and to use the inter-net to their ad-vantage. While on the subject of modeling, when chatting about her stand on the in-dustry, Liris offered some plus industry insight stating that there is currently more comradery than competition but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t subject to change. “Plus is becoming the hot ticket, based on

[the creation] of Full Fig-ured Fashion Week, Curves Rock [Weekend], with more action being created it will become more competitive” de-clares Liris. In addition, Liris expresses, “We can’t tear each other down be-cause we’re all plus and in this thing together”. Next on her roster in-cludes development on a TV show concept created by none other than Liris Crosse herself (I mean what doesn't this woman do!), which gives room for her to get back into act-ing. At press time, the

beauty couldn’t give out any details on the show - but she did confirm that she is doing this all in an innate way – (myself and other staffers at NPT, and our readers can’t wait to watch!) Certainly she will continue to serve as the face of Jimmy Jazz’s plus online shop while also lending her face to an abundance of other mod-eling endeavors. She will also be showcasing, host-ing (and modeling) abili-ties during ‘Curves Rock Weekend’ in her hometown of Baltimore. All in all she maintains her excitement about continu-ing to tap into her skills. During our conversa-tion I felt like I was talk-ing to one of my girl-friends, it included laughs, real talk, advice and other sidebars. I appreciate Lir-is’ stance in and on the modeling game, her take and use of social media but most of all, her real-ness. I for one look for-ward to seeing more from the quadruple threat but in the meantime we can all keep up with Liris via her Twitter feed @LirisC and get a glimpse into her life on her Instagram page of the same handle. Follow Liris on Face-book at Facebook.com/LirisCrosse and visit her personal site www.LirisCrosse.com.

From the Catwalk to the Sidewalk continued

“Expect

More No’s

Than

yes’s.”

naturallypinktreemag.com l 10

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH l Lena Horne

Lena Mary Calhoun

Horne (June 30,

1917 – May 9, 2010)

was an American

singer, actress, civil

rights activist and

dancer.

Photo Credit:www.listal.com

naturallypinktreemag.com l 11

By Paola Hernandez

There are two sets of people that

are very important in your life be-

sides your family: (1) your friends

and (2) your boo. You want to make

sure that both parties in your life are

not at war with each other. Having

that balance could be tricky at first

but it’s not impossible. Take a step

back, calm down and make a note of

the next points. Everything will be

okay, I promise.

Pencil Them In

You’re only one person and

there’s only 24 hours in a day! Uti-

lize the best of your time by setting

a schedule and making plans. Take

the time out and plan a girls night

out one weekend with your besties

while you plan an awesome date

night with your boo during the

week. This allows you to stay orga-

nized and not double book a night.

Even if you were to accidently dou-

ble book, someone’s feelings are

going to be hurt when you pick the

other party to spend time with in-

stead.

The Best of Both

Worlds

Bringing people together can be a

beautiful experience. Plan a get

together where you can bring your

hunnie and friends together like a

night of bowling or a party. This

allows the two groups to get to

know each other and share their

common interest – you. Having

both groups hang out together al-

lows no one to feel like you’re

choosing to spend more time than

the latter. Everyone gets their fair

share of hanging out time and every-

one will enjoy themselves. Make

sure to coordinate a good time so

that everyone’s available and set the

plan in motion. Who doesn’t like get

-togethers with people and having a

good time?

Talk the Talk and

Walk the Walk

It’s good to bring up the opposite

party in casual conversation. Make light

hearted talk by discussing what they did

or something about that person that

you want to share as an interesting fact.

You want them to feel like they’ll be

on your mind, even when you’re not

spending time with them. Talking

about the boyfriend to your friends

is beneficial if they haven’t met be-

fore that point. The way this works

out for everyone involved is that it

will create a middle ground so there

will be minimal awkward silences

between everyone.

The main thing to always remem-

ber is to keep everything the same.

In the beginning, you may want to

spend every single moment with

your new sweetheart, but do every-

thing in moderation. Your friends

have been there through thick and

thin with you and there’s no need to

alienate them because there’s some-

one new in your life.

Always remember to make time for

the important people in your life;

they care about you and do make

the effort to spend time with you so

always do the same. If life gets too

hectic with work and school, they’ll

be understandable.

LIFE SECTION: Balancing Friends and Relationships

Balancing Friends

and Relationships

naturallypinktreemag.com l 12

Eat Your Way to

Clear Skin!

Although problematic skin is associated with the

teen years, the fact is roughly more than 20% of women between their 20s and 30s will fight a battle against ac-ne. Hormones play a significant role in how our bodies function, and it’s no secret at certain ages skin can be-come oily, as is usually the case during the teenage years, as well as more dry typically seen in the late thirties and on. Hormones are only a piece of the skin puzzle, nu-trition is also a huge component as well, and can affect the appearance of skin. Our integument system, which is comprised of our skin, hair, and nails, is the largest organ of the human body. The skin in particular is very important because it readily absorbs whatever we put onto it. However, by feeding the integument, literally, with the appropriate nutrients it is possible to alter the appearance of your skin.

Six Super Beauty Nutrients There are plenty of foods that can assist in achieving a complexion that is healthy, glowing, and clear. Below are just a few easy to prepare and accessible nutrients that can take your skin to the next level.

Water Clear skin starts from the inside out, and one of the best, inexpensive and most effective ways to assist in that is by flushing out toxins by drinking plenty of wa-ter. Because the majority of your body is comprised of water, this will help your cells in doing their job by keeping unwanted toxins out.

Kale Kale contains a full range of vitamins A, B complex, C, E and K, as well as potent levels of manganese, calci-um, potassium, iron, magnesium, protein, folate and phosphorus. That’s a lot of good stuff! Add a handful of kale to a hearty stew or soup to get the benefits of clear skin.

NATURAL BEAUTY l Beauty Remedies Found on your Plate

By Kristy Wiggins-Gilbraith

Photo: Olive Coco Mag

naturallypinktreemag.com l 13

Broccoli

Also known as a super food, is chocked full of anti-oxidants like vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K, which all help to add luminosity to the skin and to re-vive damaged tissue, while omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and folate support the healing process and aid the proper function of skin cells. Eat raw in a salad or lightly steamed to get the most out of your florets.

Alfalfa Sprouts

These sprouts are packed with valuable, skin-clearing nutrients such as calcium, folic acid, magnesi-um, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodi-um and zinc among others. It also supplies a full range of vitamins A, B complex, C, E and K. Place on your sandwiches and salads for a multi-vitamin packed punch.

Nuts Nuts are an amazing source of protein, and also a tremendous source in minerals such as zinc and seleni-um, which have been linked to acne in those who are deficient. Selenium helps to actively increase the num-ber of infection-fighting white blood cells in the body and strengthens their fighting power, while vitamin E, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium and iron are all essential to skin health and function.

Avocado

This green fruit is widely known to be an amazing source of vitamin E, which boosts the skin’s vitality and luminosity. However, it also possesses good quan-tities of vitamin C, which can be used to reduce skin inflammation. Avocado oil is thought to stimulate the production of collagen in the skin, which improves its tone and texture. Eating regular portions of avocado can also improve the skin’s ability to keep itself mois-turized. Not a fan of avocado? Try mashing it up, and creating a super moisturizing facial mask.

naturallypinktreemag.com l 14

There’s nothing like adding a little flair to a new

space, or adding spice to an old one. Here are few

green ideas that can turn your place from drab to fab!

Check them out and enjoy!

Crafty containers: If you have empty glass food jars,

such as jelly jars, pickle jars, etc. don’t toss them.

These jars can be turned into decorative holders for

beans, rice, flower vase, cotton ball holder, etc. using

the following technique.

1. Wash jars with warm soapy water, and remove all

labels, and dry completely.

2. Have painters tape, acrylic paint that is dishwasher

safe, or regular latex paint will be fine if

you will not be washing the jar often.

1. Create a design either free hand, or us-

ing painter’s tape to come up with a design

that has pin stripes.

2. Let the paint dry, and fill them with

your favorite items, or use them as silver-

ware holders for parties.

3. To store food items, take the lid of the

jar and drill a hole in the center of the lid.

4. Paint the lid with a complimentary col-

or, and screw a knob into the lid.

Voila! You have an amazing decorative jar

that is sealable. These jars are fantastic to

store all of your favorite items, and will

cost you under $10 bucks!

Tin Can Planters:

Whenever spring comes around, I buy a ton of seeds

for flowers. Zenias are my favorite, they are big, beau-

tiful, and hearty, plus they bloom through October. To

get them started I use the cans that my green beans

come in by doing the following:

1. Remove the label on the can, and wash with warm-

soapy water, and allow to dry.

2. Select your favorite color paint, I use spray paint,

but you can use latex paint as well.

3. Turn your can upside down and get a screw driver

and place on the bottom of the can, and hit the

handle of the screwdriver with a hammer to create

a hole. Make 3-4 holes for drainage.

NATURAL LIVING l Green Creativity for Your Home

By Kristy Wiggins-Gilbraith

Photo: smartdecoratingideas.com

Make Your

Apartment

Eco-Friendly

naturallypinktreemag.com l 15

Green Creativity for Your Home

Drawer Dividers:

Take the flaps from the decorative boxes you made

and make drawer dividers. Once you’ve retro fitted

the flaps to the inside of your drawer, cut of the ex-

cess. You can wrap these with wrapping paper as

well for a finished look, and situate them in your

drawers to separate items such as bras and panties,

or pantyhose from socks.

Save Green by Going Green:

Being mindful of how you consume energy at home is not only good for the environment it can be great on your wallet. Unplug your chargers when you're not charging. Every house is full of little plastic power supplies to charge cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal gadgets. Keep them unplugged until you need them.

Green Creativity for Your Home continued

Create Wall Art:

Visit your local salvage store for old

windows to create wall art. Paint a

collage on the glass in a color

scheme that coordinates with your

furniture! If you want a more pol-

ished look, paint the frames a high

gloss black for a touch of sophistica-

tion. Or, get the mirror spray paint

to create a mirrored window.

Closet Boxes:

Hang on to your smaller boxes

when you’ve finished unpacking.

Cut the flaps off, and hang on to

those too for a different project.

Take the box and wrap the outside

with cool wrapping paper, some-

thing bright and vibrant, and you

can store your seasonal items such

as sweaters, in these stylish boxes

and place them on the top shelf of

your closet. This idea works very

well for shoe boxes also, and looks

great in cubby holes!

naturallypinktreemag.com l 16

You’ve heard of those detox diets and drinks that promise a new day of health, and vibrant living. How-ever, the more research you do about detoxing the less appealing it becomes. That is until now. The best way to gain energy and nutri-ents is to go directly to the source, and what easier way to do this than by juicing with green leafy vegeta-bles. The color green truly is the color of life, because there are so many nutrients in green veggies, in-cluding vitamins and trace minerals. To receive an ideal nutritional value we should all be consuming nine servings, which is more than the dai-ly recommended allowance. How

ever, drinking your vegetables make getting nine servings a lot easier.

Let’s Talk Chlorophyll Chlorophyll, the major compo-nent as to why plants are green, is powerful. It is also the major cata-lyst for turning sunlight into energy in order for plants to grow and thrive. Chlorophyll also displaces carbon dioxide with oxygen. So what does all of this have to do with you? When we take chlorophyll into our bodies all of our systems be-come oxygenated. With a higher level of oxygen circulating through our bodies, we not only release stored toxins to eventually be

excreted, but we also put ourselves in position to have a natural boost of energy. I became acutely aware of the power of green vegetables when tak-ing a nutrition class. It was there where I learned that leafy vegetables are packed full of fiber which is es-sential for colon health, as well as other nutrients that assist in reduc-ing the risks for heart disease, diabe-tes, and maybe certain cancers. To assist in learning which greens are the most beneficial, I have listed the top nine leafy greens according to WebMD.

Green, the Color

of Life

Photo: wellandawake.com

HOLISTIC HEALTH l Green Juices for Young Women

By Kristy Wiggins-Gilbraith

naturallypinktreemag.com l 17

1. Kale: It is the King Kong of all greens serving an excellent source of vitamins A C, and K. It has a good amount of calcium for a vegetable, and also supplies folate and potassium. Kale's ruffle-edged leaves may range in color from cream to purple to black depend-ing on the variety. 2. Collards: Used in Southern-style cooking, collard greens are similar in nutrition to kale. But they have a heartier and chewier texture and a stronger cabbage-like taste. A half cup has 25 calories. 3. Turnip greens: This sharp-flavored leaf is low in calories yet loaded with vitamins A, C, and K as well as calcium. 4. Swiss chard: With red stems, stalks, and veins on its leaves, Swiss chard has a beet-like taste and soft tex-ture that's perfect for sautéing, as well as juicing. Swiss chard like spinach contains oxalates, which are slightly reduced by cooking and can bind to calcium, a concern for people prone to kidney stones. Chard contains 15 calories in one-half cup and is a good source of vita-mins A and C. 5. Spinach: Popeye's favorite vegetable has 20 calo-ries per serving, plus it's packed with vitamins A and C, as well as folate. Unlike most vegetables, heat reduc-es the green's oxalate content, freeing up its dietary calcium. 6. Mustard greens: Has a similar nutrition profile to turnip leaves and collards, mustard greens have scal-loped edges and come in red and green varieties. They have a peppery taste and that can be toned down by adding an acid, such as lemon juice. 7. Broccoli: With 25 calories a serving, broccoli is rich in vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamin A, potassium, and folate. 8. Red and Green Leaf and Romaine Lettuce: A familiar sight in salad bowls, these lettuces are high in vitamin A and offer some folate. Leaf lettuces have a softer texture than romaine, a crunchy variety used in Caesar salads. Fans of Iceberg lettuce may go for ro-maine, a crispy green that's better for you. If you don't drown lettuce in a creamy dressing, one cup contains 10 calories. 9. Cabbage: Although paler in color than other leafy greens, this cruciferous vegetable is a great source of cancer-fighting compounds and vitamin C. One-half cup cooked has 15 calories.

Now that you know what the most beneficial greens are, you can create juice blends that are packed full of nutrition. A rule of thumb to remember is the darker the green, the greater the nutrition value. The most effective way to drink green is to use a blender, be-cause the fiber is retained. To create tasty green drinks add fruits such as apples, lemons, pineapple and orang-es. Below are recipes to get you started. These reci-pes are not only tasty, but they are huge energy boost-ers that can be consumed several times a day. When you pair these green juices with a well balanced and equally nutritional meal, you will be in a position to optimally fuel your body. Juicing is not a substitute for seeking medical care. Therefore you should check with your physician before changing your diet if you have any medical diagnosis that is considered chronic.

Island Green

Handful Of Spinach

Handful Of Kale

Cup Of Pineapple

2-3 Apples

Juice From Half a Lemon Green Trio

Handful Of Kale

2-3 Stalks Of Celery

2-3 Sweet Carrots

Refreshing Green

Handful Of Spinach

Handful Of Kale

Handful Of Dandelion Greens

Handful Of Parsley

Handful Of Sprouts

1-2 Cucumbers

2-3 Green Pears

Juice From A Lime

Sweet Green

Water From 1 Young Thai Coconut

Handful Of Spinach Or Kale

2-3 Green Apples

1 Bunch Of Green Grapes

2-3 Green Pears

Cup Of Pineapple

Green Juices for Young Women continued

naturallypinktreemag.com l 18

SMALL BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT l Chick Therapy

Our small business highlight, Chick Thera-

py, is an online store that “offers electric and

fun African textile accessories, “ says Bee.

Chick Therapy offers a range of eccentric

clothing, and jewelry.

Bee first became interested in fashion and

design when she was “constantly surrounded

by flamboyant and beautifully dressed people

while growing up in Nigeria.” Bee’s mother

also owned a fashion/tailoring shop , which

also sparked her interest in the fashion and

design field.

When asked about Chick Therapy, Bee re-

plied, “We incorporate traditional African

fabric with others and create pieces that fit

the contemporary lifestyle. It is a celebration

of beauty and our vision is to fuse the vivaciousness and eccentricity of

African prints into basic, ready to wear pieces.”

Upon visiting Chick Therapy’s online store, there is never a dull mo-

ment. There is so many bold colors and designs, you find yourself

wanting to purchase every design to brighten up your wardrobe—

especially with summer around the corner.

As far as future plans for Chick Therapy, the company is “making plans to diversify and metamorphose into something bigger.” “In two years, I want to have broadened my demographics and brand and I want to be an established fashion house with a full apparel line,” says Bee. For more information, please visit their blog at www.chictherapyonline.blogspot.com and the online store at thechicktherapy.com.

PRODUCTS

Handmade products

include necklaces, ear-

rings, brooches, ban-

gles, hair accessories,

prêt-à-porter ankara

skirts. We also carry

vintage apparel.

naturallypinktreemag.com l 19

Naturalista Highlight: Ronelle Thomas

Do you have any health and wellness

businesses, or blogs?

I am actually working on a blog as we speak. It is called

“R.Smooth Style” and it focuses on Healthy Living

(mind, body & soul) and everything that contributes to

that. I always follow natural hair and holistic care blogs

like Naptural85 and HeyFranHey. I‘ve always had so

much to say, about everything, ha-ha. I kept saying to

myself “Oh I wish I could have a blog”, “It would be

great to start one,” I woke up one day and realized that

I could have one, and I was the only one to blame for

not having one already. From that day on I started my

research and the rest is history.

If you have a health and wellness

website, what made you start the

website?

I have been into living a healthier life for some time

now. At college I started cooking for myself and exer-

cising more and really just wanted to take better care of

myself. Once I started strengthening myself spiritually,

my mind was opened to a whole new world. I had so

much happen to me so fast and every day seemed like a

new adventure! There was so much to tell and I really

wanted others to benefit from things that helped me.

That’s when I decided I had to get this stuff out, hah.

Are you looking to expand this web-

site in the future?

Absolutely! I am confident that it is going to be very

popular (I hope) and I really want to reach out to a vast

majority. I have a plethora of information on there so at

least one thing should stand out to each individual. I

want “R.Smooth Style” to be a household name and

really distinguish itself amongst the other blogs. I am

working with many great people on my site and hope to

open up windows for them as well. The best way to re-

ceive blessings is to give them, so I really want to make

this a great opportunity for more than myself.

Why did you make the decision to

start a healthy mind, body and living

regimen?

I really feel like healthy living encompasses more areas

than just the physical body. In fact I’d argue that a

healthy mind should be constructed before a healthy

body. I wanted to offer people assistance in cleaning up

other areas of their life. And touch on some real-life is-

sues that others won’t dare go near, lol. I think when

people feed every part of themselves there is so much

more excitement and ambition that flows through you

each day. I feel powerful, confident and reassured a

freedom like no other. Any way that I can introduce oth-

ers to that same freedom, would be an honor.

Please check out my blog R.Smooth Style which should

be launching in Mid- March @ rsmooth-

style.blogspot.com

naturallypinktreemag.com l 20

By Tiffany Richards

The Civil Rights movement was

more than just a revolutionary time for African Americans – it was a stepping stone towards racial toler-ance for all. Many fought for our rights fearless of the consequences that could tremendously hurt them. There were protests that led to vio-lence from the police, tear gas dur-ing walks and jail time for sit ins. Men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X stopped at nothing to bring equality between the races in America. They died in their strug-gle, but left a tremendous mark on society bringing about change they could only dream of.

However, behind every strong man is a strong woman. The “Betty and Coretta” story exempli-fied the support keeping the two civil rights leaders grounded during their social plight. Even after they had passed, their spouses kept their memory alive. The Lifetime network premiered their story on Saturday, February 2, 2013. Angela Bassett played Coretta Scott King and Mary J. Blige played Dr. Betty Shabazz. These remarkable entertainers

stepped into

the lives of what these courageous widows went through.

Ruby Dee nar-rated the stories of the indestructi-ble friendship between Betty and Coretta. The movie takes a dip into the roles both women

played by the side of their husbands. Oscar award winning actress Angela Bassett exuded a mixture of poise, defiance and eloquence. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Malik Yoba) could fall into the arms of his woman and become lifted by her reassurance in the power of his wil for social jus ‘

tice. When he was shot, only for a moment did she appear hurt. She shook off any sorrow and decided to continue the march in Memphis with her four kids. Bassett was able to portray Coretta quite wonderfully in how she always appeared un-moved and resilient towards her fight for social justice.

Viewers of this Lifetime movie saw a different side of the Grammy winning songstress Mary J. Blige in her role as Betty Shabazz. The pow-er and energy for what she’s pas-sionate about was also exemplified in her character. Before Malcolm’s brutal assassination at Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, she was a concerned and protective wife towards her husband. She expressed her distress about how the Nation of Islam was trying to murder Mal-colm and terrorize her family. She

shielded her five children when they all witnessed his death and con-tinued to protect them throughout her life. Blige showed a heavy shad-ow of grief and pain after losing her husband, her house and becoming a single mother with two newborn twins. But once she was able to get herself back on her feet, she contin-ued to be an advocate for the peace-ful message of El Haj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X). She was even able to get a Master’s degree in health ad-ministration and taught at Medgar Ever’s College.

Both women held the hands of justice even after their husband’s had passed. They spoke quite astute-ly at the Black Political Convention. Bassett and Blige carried a sheath of grace and the spirit of their hus-band’s words as they fought against “the three evils of racism, poverty and war.” Joined with the widow of Medgar Evers, the three of them were referred to as the “Movement Widows.” The tragedy of their hus-band’s deaths brought them togeth-er and formed a link of their incredi-ble friendship. “They may have killed our husbands, but they didn’t kill their ideas. What’s important now is for us to carry them for-ward,” Coretta told Betty during the film. When times got tough, the two were equally there for each other offering a shoulder of sup-port. The Betty and Coretta story shed light on the continued activism of the civil rights leader’s wives. We got to see how dedicated they were to fighting for equality and the struggles that followed them in their personal lives and from the ghosts of their husbands past. The vitality, talent and elegance embedded in Blige and Bassett carried through during their performance.

ENTERTAINMENT: Betty & Coretta

“When Times

Got Thought,

the Two were

equally there.”

naturallypinktreemag.com l 21

Nine to five during the day, grad school at night; the

daily grind of this young woman was once performing

program management and administration for the

NPower Technology Service Corp in Harlem while also

completing her Master’s in Public Administration at

Baruch. Josephine Lew has now settled to a part-time

Graduate Assistant position as she finishes her degree

as a full-time student. Juggling volunteer activities and

practicing yoga is her way of helping others in addition

to keeping herself fit. At 27, Lew is on the right track to

accomplishing her dreams of working in management

to develop programs in communities. This Queens

born gal was driven by personal experiences of living in

a household with one working parent in the Ravens-

wood Projects to one day be a part of the driving force

that eliminates barriers in finding living wage jobs for

the average citizen. Lew is headed

down the path of success in start-

ing her career. However like most

twenty-somethings, not every as-

pect in her life is in balance.

Many women in their twenties,

as well as men, follow the formula

they have been taught their whole

lives. Go to school. Do well in

school. Go to college. Do well in

college. Get a job. Do well in job.

Find a spouse. Do well in marriage.

It all seems to go according to plan

unless certain life issues or events

interrupt. Yet most young individu-

als suffer from what’s come to be

known as the Quarter Life Crisis, a

time period of anxiety, uncertainty,

and inner conflict towards the pas-

sage of childhood to adulthood.

This plague of uncertainty is quite

normal. Yet, it can be stressful for a

young woman to know who she is.

Regina Jennings, clinical social work therapist at the

Bilingual Psychotherapy Services in NY, says that a

woman must be aware of her goals and must seek help

in terms of the steps in discovering who she is. Young

women must recreate themselves to know who they

want to be. She says many women have that Prince

Charming fairy tale of a chivalrous man waiting to

come rescue her.

“Each young woman has to decide how to rewrite that Cinderella tale,” she adds. A group of role models and a community of support are important for her to learn from as well as avoid isolation. Clinical Social Work Therapist Ed Munoz believes that it is important to develop self-ownership. Everyone at this stage is try-ing to figure themselves out; it’s vital to figure it out for yourself without depending on others to do it for you.

Continued on page 24

LIFE SECTION: Define You: A 20’s Something Road to Self Discovery

By Tiffany Richards

A 20’s Something

Road to Self

Discovery

naturallypinktreemag.com l 22

3 Ways to Wear a

Hair Scarf

Spring is approaching and we have the per-

fect little head accessory, a hair scarf. In the

1970s, hair scarves were always a stylish way to

complete your ensemble. In the 90s, the only

time we saw hair scarves was when a girl was

having a bad hair day or doing laundry. They’ve

even been on fashion magazines’ lists of

“don’ts.” Today, hair scarves are trendier than

ever and there are so many different ways to

wear a hair scarf and look sophisticated. Here

are our three favorite ways to wear a hair scarf.

1 Turban

FASHION l 3 Ways to Wear a Hair Scarf

By Tatianna Turner

Change your scarf into a turban. It’s great for women

with dreads, braids, and long hair. It’s also a creative way

for a woman to cover up a bad hair day and still be fabu-

lous! This chic look can be put together with a printed

or solid color scarf.

2 Tie a Bow or Tie a Knot

Women love pretty things and it should come as no surprise that you can turn your scarf into a beautiful bow. This look is fun and can be worn with your hair up or down. Your bow can also be big or small and posi-tioned nicely on the front side of your head. On the oth-er hand, your scarf can be worn with a knot in the front. Scarfs with patterns or lines look good with a knotted scarf.

Photo courtesy of styleisflair.blogspot.com

naturallypinktreemag.com l 23

3. Headband

There’s always a time where you just need to keep it cute and simple; a scarf turned into a headband is just that. Girls with bangs or young women who like to wear their hair up in a bun love this look. Placing a scarf flat across the top of your head and tying in the back. This is the one style that you can wear with any color, print, or pattern on your scarf. It’s very basic, but you can spice it up or keep it sweet with your selection. You can also wear a Bohemian style type of head-band. You’ll need a long, thin scarf that you tie around your forehead and let the remaining hang in the back or side of your head. This looks good with bangs or a side swoop hair style.

Those are our top three ways to

wear a hair scarf. Shopping for

scarves can become an addiction,

so watch out Ladies! But they’re

such a voguish way to add to you

outfit of the day.

You can wear any fabric, pat-

tern, design or color, but we sug-

gest a silky, light weight scarf. If

you’ve never worn a head scarf,

give it a try! Take a chance, be

stylish, and stand out from the

rest of the crowd.

naturallypinktreemag.com l 24

ENTERTAINMENT l Discover Brand New Me Define You: A 20’s Something Road to Self Discovery continued

“If we don’t find that out when we go into a relation-ship, we begin to depend on the other,” he says. That dependence can cause the relationship to fizzle. It’s not an easy process and it will take time but once she discovers who she is and what her passions are, a perfect relationship can happen. A man who grew up around a lot of strong ladies, Munoz believes in the empowerment of women. He’s all for “honoring the inner goddess & the inner warri-or” within them. This empowerment can grow once a woman under-stands who she is and what she wants out of her life. Empowerment along with self-direction is healthy, con-curs Jennings. This road to self-discovery can enhance once a twenty-something knows what kind of career will keep her thirst for happiness quenched. Some indi-viduals knew from the time they rode their first bicycle what they wanted to do with their life. But not every-one knew it so early on. Career Counselor Sherry Natkow stresses that schools are preparing young adults for college, but are not preparing them for what lies further ahead.

“Career development is not emphasized. The problem relies in high school curriculum.” High school guidance counselors do not have enough experience in career development. She believes students should have self-assessments and teachers should have professional training to provide them with career ad-vancement. Baruch Finance grad Brisejda Gjoka remembers her guidance counselor offices being filled with students during high school. Teachers were able to help their students with the regents, but not enough with their possible career choices. “Education should be experiential so that people could understand their strengths,” says Natkow. Every other Thursday at the SIBL library in midtown Manhattan, she holds a meeting called “Job Club for Recent Grads in NYC” to help young job seekers know the right tools and steps to finding their place in their careers. She believes that students can shadow someone in a field of interest or do an internship. It’s an opportunity to discover their interests and also provide a non-typical setting for an initial path. She adds that it’s good to know what you want to learn during an internship.

“Education should be ex-

periential so that people

could understand their

strengths,”

naturallypinktreemag.com l 25

Working a part time job can open a door to knowing

what it is they want – or what they don’t want. Monica Ortiz worked at Revlon during her summers at Am-herst college. It was an experience for her to work for an organization dedicated to beauty. But while working there, she learned it was not right for her. “It was just time out of school, but there was that dis-connect (of) what I am going to do after college,” she says. Even with this struggling economy where only 54% of young adults aged 18 – 24 are employed since 2010, many are still able to find jobs. Gjoka works at the Fi-nancial Women’s Association of NY. It allows her the flexibility to leave work early on Fridays and go out on the weekends. She always knew she wanted to work in business, but was able to find where exactly through coursework and internships during college. She’s find-ing it easier to have a balance. However, she finds it difficult to maintain a relationship at this point in her life. “It’s harder when you’re seeing someone, because you have to make the time,” she says. Munoz believes in the importance for a woman to find someone with the same life alignment. Since the average age of people getting married is at 27, it’s easy to see that women want to find someone who’s aligned with the same passions, the same goals and the same priorities as them.

Even so, many wom-en tend to stick with the wrong men for the wrong reasons. Women are born investigators, says Munoz. They have a great sense of intui-tion, so they must allow themselves to investi-gate. Women paint illu-sions of what they’re going to get from a man instead of accept-ing reality. He can’t al-ways live up to her goals and wants. “To truly understand a man, you have to un-derstand a boy; a boy

lives inside every man.” Humans are the only ones that repeat mistakes, says Jennings. Women must invest in becoming fully aware with want she wants and grow her sense of self. “Don’t create a pattern, interrupt it before it becomes one. Pick the best apple in the tree, don’t choose the one that already fell on the ground.” Women have to establish their needs from the very start of a relation-ship. They must not allow themselves to be shortchanged. This behavior can even begin from child-hood if the brother is getting better treatment than the sister. If we’re going to move towards equality, it needs to start from the beginning, she says. “If you’re in a re-lationship, you should give each other the opportunity to play fair. It’s not about winning, it’s about sharing.” Ortiz believes in compromise, but has a harder time figuring out what she wants in a relationship as she fo-cuses more on her career path in art’s non-profits. She’s considering dating online because she wants to be more strategic about it in the fast-paced life of New York City. “Looking for a job is like looking for a guy; you have to know what you’re looking for.” Lew says she wants to work on improving herself and is more focused on her career, but is on the road to figuring out what she wants in someone. “A lot of people are aware of what they need to improve on, but how are they reacting to it?”

“Don’t create a pattern,

interrupt it before it

becomes one.”

naturallypinktreemag.com l 26

LOVE, LAUGH, AND LIVE LIFE NATURALLY

Naturally Pink Tree Magazine