Black History Month Piece

Here's my newest published piece on GirlsLifeMag.com. It's on Black History Month and I'm quite happy that a lot of girls liked it! =)

GL celebrates the ah-mazing accomplishments of African-American women

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February isn’t just about Pun Punxsutawney Phil predicting the change of season or sending your crush chocolates. Though we’re getting ready to bid February a fond farewell, we’re also taking one more chance to recognize the achievements and advances of African-Americans throughout history.

Since 1976, February (in the United States and Canada) has been deemed Black History Month. Though there have been great achievements made by men that are celebrated throughout this month, African-American women in particular have been powerful assets to the advancements of the world that we live in today.

I’m sure we all know about the pioneering efforts of Harriet Tubman, the renegade slave who freed others through her service conducting the Underground Railroad, but do you know of others like Lyda D. Newman, who at the turn of the century invented the soft synthetic brush that we use on our hair today; or Theora Stephens, who invented the pressing comb and curling iron? If it weren’t for these two ladies, along with the revolutionizing hair careproducts of Madam C. J. Walker, hair maintenance today would be a major drag!

But African-American women’s efforts weren’t only superficial. In times of war, they aided as much as they could. Take for instance famed spy Mary Elizabeth Bowser, who under the guise of an illiterate servant aided the Union in winningthe war against the Confederacy. Almost a decade later, famous actress and singer Josephine Baker aided in the French Resistance of World War II, and was the first American to receive the Croix de guerre honor by the French Military. Before Amelia Earhart was setting ground-breaking records for women of her time, Bessie Coleman took it one step further by being the first Black woman to obtain a pilot’s license and an international pilot’s license in 1921, after many schools in the United States rejected her based on her skin color and her gender.

On the intellectual front, there are women such as Phillis Wheatley, the first African-American poet to have poetry published as well as first African-American woman to be published in the 1700s. Wheatley opened doors for future writers like Maya Angelou, who is greatly revered as one of the greatest writers and poets of her time, as well as Toni Morrison (pictured above), who was the first black woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for writing in 1993.

Today—and every day—we honor the accomplishments of these women, and all women. After all, where would we be without them?

TALK BACK: What woman is most inspiring to you, girlies?

BY AFIYA AUGUSTINE ON 2/23/2011 12:00:00 PM

click here to read it on the website

Two Stories

Hello World!

I just want to let my readers out there know that I am thankful that you read my blog. You don't have to, but you do. And I appreciate you for it. It's really hard to get people to read your work and even harder to put it out there to begin with. I'd like to encourage you guys to pass the word along to others you think might be interested in reading my work so they'll have something to keep them busy a few minutes at work. 

The following are two articles that are mine and have recently been published by GirlsLife.com. I also give advice to the girls on this website, so you can search my name and probably find more pieces. 

Any how, take a look and enjoy!

National Blood Donor Month is upon us!

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The American Red Cross Association has deemed January National Blood Donor Month. Every minute of every day, there is someone out there who needs blood.

 

Unfortunately, currently three out of every 100 people donate, and of those donors, only half are regulars every year. With those statistics, it’s pertinent to raise awareness and encourage some brave souls out there to get up, get over the fear of the needle (ouch!) and donate some of that sweet life saving red stuff.

 

According to the American Red Cross, it’s a fact that if a person donates blood every 56 days from the age of 17 to the age of 76, that person would have donated 48 gallons of blood and can potentially save more than 1,000 lives.

 

In addition, only seven percent of people in the U.S. have type 0-negative. Those with O-negative are universal donors and can give blood to anyone, and that’s highly important seeing as O-negative is used in emergencies before a blood type for the patient is found.

 

In an attempt to engage potential donors during National Blood Donor Month, The American Red Cross joined forces with the new season of ABC’s The Bachelor to spread awareness. This season of The Bachelor will feature an episode with the cast filming a public service announcement on the issue.

 

In addition, this season’s Bachelor along with past Bachelorettes and Bachelors will be visiting select blood drives in certain cities across the country to encourage people to come out and will be thanking donors on site for their generosity.

 

Giving blood can save lives and blood can only come from a donor like you. Get out there, raise awareness if you’re too young to give blood or take a group of friends to help save someone’s life with the gift of blood.

 

In most states you must be 17 to give blood. To find out where you can go to join the select group and donate, please visit www.redcrossblood.org/ or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). 

see article here

Snag that dream job: Politician

 

 

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As the only member of her family to graduate from college, Phylesia Steele worked her education to her advantage and started a career beyond her years. 

 

Looking up to influences like Speaker, Christine Quinn, and former Congress Woman, Dr. Una Clarke, this 23-year-old college grad is following in their footsteps. She works with the New York City Council as one of its legislative financial analysts.

 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the New York City Council, it is the law-making body that presides over the city of New York, responsible for making decisions on land usage, monitoring the performance of agencies throughout the city AND has the job of approving the city’s budget.

 

What role does Steele play in all of this? She has her hands in a little bit of everything!

 

Doin’ it all

The list of responsibilities to the city that Steele has is astounding, ranging from monitoring and evaluating spending patterns to interacting with the mayor’s budget office and community-based organizations. And that’s just the short version.

 

To many of you, this may sound like a tough list of responsibilities for one person, but when you’ve got the passion and perseverance that Steele has, you find a way to get it all done.

 

Findin’ her way

Steele found that she wanted to work in politics after her sophomore year at Brooklyn College when she was unsure of what major to choose. She got the chance to work with the late Terence D. Tolbert, who not only was an aide to the city, but also to President Barack Obama during his presidential campaign.

 

“He was a passionate, innovative thinker,” says Steele. This experience stuck with Steele and she was fortunate enough to stumble into another position with a political official, and continued to work hard.

 

By the time Steele had finally enrolled in political science courses at Brooklyn College, she had been working throughout multiple offices of NYC Chancellor Joel Klein, at the intergovernmental Offices of Affairs.

She was able to not only get a feel for what it meant to work in politics, but was able to make connections. When she graduated in 2009, Steele worked for one city council member and now, she works with all of them!

 

Makin’ change

Through it all, Steele faced some adversities. Always conscious of her age and her Jamaican background, she felt different, but “was fortunate enough to have an adopted family of female mentors that always pushed me to go further and not let anything stop me,” she says.

 

And now she is going strong in her newfound position, particularly taking an interest in education policy. She enjoys “being able to sit with all the key players involved in issues that ultimately affect 1.1 million New York City school children.”

 

Steele hopes one day to positively impact the lives of many more through her own legislation. 

see article here

 

untitled hint fiction piece

"I think I am still in love," she thought despite the fact she was alone on a bed, with an impending headache.

HELLO READERS!! 

Just wanted to say HI and I'm still here. 

Currently I am editing some pieces 

and reading. I've stopped reading Life of Pi 

and was about to read A Heartbreaking Work 

of Staggering Genius, when I finally obtained 

a copy of Bite Me. Now after finishing that book, 

I am reading Gods Behaving Badly and I'm 

enjoying it. I'm trying to be a better reader in hopes

of being a better writer. I hope it helps. I will be posting

newer excerpts soon, so tell me if it's working or not. lol. 

Have A Good Holiday Season Everyone!