Black Women Committed to THRIVING

In the last two weeks i have been asked more than five times by different people “what is the purpose of these posts?” or “what is the whole idea behind them?” or some variation of these questions.

My nutshell answer is :to celebrate young Black women.

The long of it is this: I often feel the whole world comments about a lack of strong Black female role models. I want to disagree with this, and state that the lack only exists in the awareness. We do not celebrate one another enough or more accurately we have a fixed measure of when we should celebrate a Black woman who is doing more than survive.

We (read mainstream media) wait until someone can no longer be denied. When her star is the “brightest” one, only then do we deem her fit to be celebrated. I believe if we get into the business of celebrating one another at every juncture we will create an awareness of the ocean of Black female role model that exist.

On the daily more women than the mind can hold are going out there and doing all they possibly can, sometimes even the extraordinary, to live the lives they dream of. This is something that cannot be denied because, it has not reached the predetermined measure of what success looks like. Because, some days is just being able to get out of bed and go about your day, hanging from the belief that it will all get better and you will ultimately reach your goal.

This celebration of young women doing what they can with what they have is not only to serve as encouragement for  them to keep going BUT, to serve Black girls and other young Black women who feel stuck. I believe it is more relatable to read or experience a woman who is within your mists living their best life, or working hard at it, than it is to draw sustainable inspiration from the female celebrities who grace the covers of magazines every month, and double features during Women’s Month. We need to start spreading the message widely to every woman doing her best each day, you are enough! Magazine and television features should not be the standard that  we hold ourselves to. We can aspire to be celebrated on a grand scale, because then our message(s) reaches a wider audience but, we should never view it as a measure of our worth or purpose.

We need to celebrate one another as women. In word and in deed. When life is good and when it throws curve balls and plot twists. We, as Black women, are our best allies.

I am determined to celebrate at least 100 women and hopefully create an avalanche of this kind of appreciation for one another.

Stay tuned for more amazing women. Nominate a woman you feel should be profiled. Heck nominate yourself, and let us chat and celebrate all that you are doing, all you aspire to be and the plot twists which have lead you to where you are today.

Remember, you are enough, at every juncture in your life- you are ENOUGH!

Sesethu Gqomo: Development, Wealth & Prosperity

At only 27 Miss Sesethu Gqomo is wearing more professional hats than most people in their thirties. This boisterous, hardworking,Port Elizabeth born and bred young woman does not shy away from a challenge. When asked why so many career outlets she simply responds “I’ve always known that I can’t simply do one thing and I’m capable of more. I also knew very early in my career that I can’t work full time 9-5 due to my energy and creativity, it would get stifled”.

And what a lot she does,. Gqomo is a Communications Lecturer at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) , owner of SG Communications, EarthyPreneur  and also partnered with numerous other businesses. She believes in continuously being involved in things and people who inspire growth and a sense of accomplishment, “development, wealth and prosperity” these are the themes of her life. “Anything that speaks to these three themes, I want to be affiliated with” she says. Not only that, Gqomo sees herself as a builder, her mission being leaving people and situations better than when she found them “leaving a legacy is not a momentous concept but more of an everyday thing. Everyday make a conscious decision to leave things better than you found them”. And she not only says this, she lives it.

She has been newly appointed as the InkuluFreeHeid’s National Co-ordinator. InkuluFreeHeid  is a non-partisan organization which seeks to deepen the sense of democracy, enhance social cohesion and uplift the socio-economic state of our country (visit the website to see how you can get involved ). Her involvement in this orgainsation speaks to her need to development and uplift what is around her.  She lives it through her work at NMMU, shaping young minds, developing people whenever and wherever she can. Then her businesses speak to her ability to dream and build in pursuit of wealth creation, paying it forward and prosperity. And her ventures are aligned with her life missions, when she first came across Earthy she loved it for the positive images it shows of women of colour and their natural hair. She jumped on this natural hair haven business and hasn’t looked back as it has opened up doors to other opportunities with her fellow EarthyQueens. Gqomo’ ultimate goal with this journey is “to celebrate women and their natural hair and promote the positive image of natural hair being beautiful.”

Gqomo feels black women are not being celebrated enough. She believes “there are so many good stories that black women have achieved and are doing but the media is not writing about them. We need to share and celebrate more of these stories, achievements and accolades of women in their respective fields. When women collaborate with each other, great things can be achieved”. This cannot be denied. Our media is littered with celebrity culture that, the stories which mean something, which inspire and uplift people are usually in the back burner. We are not seeing enough of our peers being given a platform to tell their stories, especially black women and in a time black girls need to see young hardworking black women. “I want to tell young girls, especially young black girls that you have to fight a little harder for whatever it is that you want. Society will dictate to you how you should behave and what you are capable and not capable of. Forget that! If there’s a passion or desire burning on the inside of you, go for it and get it done. As Beyonce says “let your success be the revenge” or something” she adds on.

She wants so much for herself and those she meets that it can sometimes be overwhelming. Or things do not go as imagined or planned. Gqomo says when life throws a curve ball her sanctuary is prayer. “Prayer works! One of my past lecturers who[ is] also my mentor, bought me a book by Joel Osteen called “I declare” This book has brought me through the darkest times in my life. To use the power of “I AM” and speaking life into your situation even when you don’t seem to see a way out or don’t even believe it at that particular point in time”. Her life’s mantra is “keep at it” and says “the more you do, the more you are capable of doing. Attaining new skills and getting out of your comfort zone is what helps you build capacity and enable you to be approached and head hunted for great opportunities”

This “mean baker” (her words not mine) may be terrified of heights but, it is so evident that that is only limited to high buildings because, when it comes to living her life by design and following all the dreams in her heart; she is flying higher than most.

Sesethu Gqomo we celebrate you for being steadfast about your dreams. For being the kind of woman who wants no one left behind. We celebrate you for being dedicated to leaving this world in better state than how you found it. We wish you all the very best in all you do. Keep inspiring those around you through living your life the best way you can.

 

 

All images taken from Sesethu’s Facebook profile.

Follow her for her latest updates on her profile Sesethu Gqomo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lerato “Biskit” Maepa-this year I bravely walked away to answer my true life’s call..

We are told from the moment we begin to question our reason for being, that we are here for a purpose. We all have a calling higher than ourselves, and most of us have forgotten what that is or are too afraid to let everything go and follow the yearnings of our hearts.

But, for the lucky ones the need to be and do what your heart desires becomes stronger than the fear of the unknown and so you leap in the direction of your dreams and pray all will work out. No one knows this more than Lerato “Biskit” Maepa,  a 29 year old who left the Marketing field to follow her calling into the Dj space.

Even though being a Dj in South Africa is challenging “the industry is congested with dj’s, and because there are so many of us, a lot of club owners, promoters or events co coordinators take us for granted and generally don’t pay what we deserved to be paid. This in addition to being a female in the male dominated industry, adds more pressure people tend to underestimate you and tend to take advantage” she says, but there is nothing else she would rather be doing, “what people don’t realize is that a good dj, has the power to make you forget your problems, make you dance and just let go of day to day challenges” she adds.

This goal-driven Sound Engineering graduate understands well the challenges female djs face in the industry so she urges aspiring female djs to “stay true to your sound and your playing style…Every dj, has a unique playing sound and it works for them. And when playing always remember to just have fun..”  Anything worth having requires hard work and determination. You cannot feel like you have made it; that is the quickest way to become mediocre. Maepa adds that “ always push yourself to learn about what’s new in terms of technology and music, and never always play for the crowd and have fun”. It is important to know that you don’t want to dabble and see how it goes but, you want to be consumed by it because that is one way to secure your place in this congested industry. And when you are consumed and it is your passion you will do all you need to, to learn and grow in your craft.

Maepa did not wake up one day and just decide she would be a dj, she tried it and she knew she would never look back “by how it made me feel every time I put my headphones on, and cue my music. It’s a sense of me connecting my heart beat to whoever is listening and there is no greater feeling than  that for me” she recounts. Nine years later and the feeling is still there and will be leading her to her big break, playing at iBiza. She does not know when that moment will come but, she is confident and working hard towards it. This displays the hard worker she is and her “can-do” attitude. Maepa teaches us that it doesn’t matter how long something takes, what matters is your belief in your dreams and your willingness to keep going. So, we have no doubt that Dj Biskit will be iBiza sooner than we all think.

But until then you can catch her at Industry, 305 Fox Street, Maboneng. A space you can go to, to unwind and take in the well thought out décor which pays tribute to “cutting edge queer cultural references”.

 

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Lerato “Biskit” Maepa, (the name Biskit came about because she used to buy biscuits from the vending machine at her previous work, and it solidly stuck) we celebrate your guts in following your dream. In not being deterred by the uncertainty of the industry, and in working hard to reach your milestones. We hope young females who aspire to be djs will draw inspiration from you and will work just as hard and realise nothing will be handed on a silver platter.

We are so glad that your fear of your belly button being touched did not extent into any other areas of your life. Listen to this lady play and you will truly be transported and forget all your troubles, if only for a while.

We celebrate you and wish you all the very best! And when you go to iBiza pack us in your luggage.

Follow Biskit on her social media to find out where to catch her next, you wont regret it!

 

 

 

 

 

Simphiwe Dlamini: Spreading Love and Hope, Being the Light

 

 

It is not often that you find a young person, man or woman, dedicating their time and resources to help others less fortunate than themselves. From our early twenties, sometimes all the way into mid-thirties we rarely become part of initiatives that will take up too much of our time. We want to help, we want to be involved but, life is tricky we have this, that and the other to take care of and so on it goes.

 

But, are we stretching ourselves enough? Is it even a stretch when we understand that the person we could be helping is maxed out? Millions of our people, human beings like you and me have no other option, their situations are dire and cannot wait for you or me to be unpreoccupied. No one demonstrates the need to act NOW, from wherever you are, with whatever you have like Mrs Simphiwe Dlamini. She is  28 years old, married , mother and has a full time job as a Skills Development Project Manager , yet she still makes the time to run four projects(Bright Beginnings; The Black Tie Project; Cradle to Rise & Keep a Girl in School)  to help spread love and hope to the young people within the Gauteng region and has been doing this since she was 18 years old; from her own pocket and friends and family who have been keen to donate.

My first thought was why, have I not read about all she does? Surely, the labor of love she is involved in is important. She is spreading hope, “I aim to bring about change and hope in these children’s lives and to show them that their current circumstances are not a determining factor of where they CAN end up in life” she says.  And then it hit me, we live in a society that needs you to have impacted more than a million lives on paper before it shows recognition, and not even as a ‘pat on the back’ but with funding and extending a hand. Each individual can do more, and should find it in their hearts to do more and engage in the most scared action of being human, showing love.

Bright Beginnings

Shoe Drive

Elethu Themba Public School, Simphiwe handing out new school shoes

When I asked why she does all the heart work she does she quotes  Albert Pine “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal”, she also adds “it makes me happy to change and touch a life; it’s what fuels my passion. It is so fulfilling to impact a life and make a difference in someone else’s world”. How great would it be to live in a world where we all understood this? To give of ourselves selflessly  to our fellow human beings; walking and living the kind of love we want to experience ourselves, “I think people need to open up their hearts and minds to see what is out there, if people could take a moment to get out of their comfort zone they will want to be involved in these projects, telling people is different, people need to SEE” says Dlamini.

The truth is you can only know how truly important the work is when you participate, when you extend yourself to something bigger than you. It is only when a person sees a child’s face light up when he gets a new pair of shoes, after walking long distance to school with no shoes; it is when a person feels the flutter of their own heart when they assist a girl keep her dignity intact by supplying her with sanitary towels. I know, so many people are suffering in the world and it is not that we don’t want to help, we can sometimes feel like we are just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean is made up of single droplets  and in the words of Mother Teresa “If you can’t feed a hundred people,  then feed just one”. Never underestimate the domino effect your helping hand can bring about. Start small, start where you are and with what you have.

I hope you are as inspired as I am by this young woman and feel energized to be part of the change; one person at a time. Get involved with some or all of her projects by donating clothes, food, time, sanitary towels etc Mrs Dlamini usually posts on her Facebook page when she needs donations for a certain project, so please follow her to find out more. Also should you need her to pick up any donations, do note she is terrified of dogs, doesn’t matter how small so help her out should you have fury friends. Yes, even super heroines have that one thing they inexplicable fear, what can you do?

She urges young people to remember this, “Hebrews 11v1 “Faith is substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” that they should never stop working on their dreams and that their mouths should speak life [in]to everything that looks dead in their lives. To never lose themselves and most importantly their dignity, to work like slaves so they can live like queens [and kings]”.

Mrs Simphiwe Dlamini, we celebrate you for your ability to step out of yourself to serve others. For being the person who lives out the change they want to see in the world. We hope you continue to spread hope and inspire others to do what they can to spread the love to those who are basically not having the best time on this earth. Thank you inspirational woman, may all those lives you change pay it forward.

Cradle to Rise,African Youth Choir hard at work

• Bright Beginnings: an initiative to collect school shoes for underprivileged school children in the Gauteng region. These children often walk long distances to school and do this without any footwear, this initiative aims to keep them motivated to go to school and to give them hope.
• The Black Tie Project: the Black Tie Project is an initiative that aims to help less fortunate Matric girls and boys get the attire of their dreams in order for them to experience a night of elegance on the night of their Matric Dance. This initiative hopes to inspire and encourage them about the possibilities that despite their circumstance they too can achieve their dreams.
• Cradle to rise: I have recently adopted a young group of boys and girls who have formed a choir, they are called the African Youth Choir. My role in this initiative to mentor, guide and grow these young individuals and also keep them off the streets.
• Keep a girl in School: there are 2.1 million young girls, between the ages of 12 and 18 years that are living below the poverty line in South Africa, who have to resort to using old clothes, rags, newspapers, leaves, bark and grass because they cannot afford sanitary towels. This initiative aims to collect as many pads as possible to keep these young girls in school.

 

all images were taken from Dlamini’s Facebook page