It’s time for the 2nd DC Scavenger Hunt! March 23, 2009

It’s that time again!  Soulfully Speaking Productions will be sponsoring its second DC Scavenger Hunt!  Scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 12:00 pm, it promises to be even more fun and exciting than the last one!  If you didn’t make it to the first one, see what you missed:  1st DC Scavenger Hunt.

Whether you grew up in this area or are new to the DC Metropolitan area, this is a great opportunity for you to get to know the city a little better.  Each team of two adults (kids can also participate) will be given a set of clues to find throughout the city.  The teams will set out to find the most clues in the least amount of time.  This is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!  All of the teams from the first hunt had a lot of fun and learned a lot all at the same time.

In keeping with my ongoing personal project, the brown girl study, a donation from a portion of the proceeds of the first hunt was made to the Center for Minority Studies – a non-profit organization that helps to address one of several of the major issues affecting our brown girls and women – HIV and Aids.  A portion of the proceeds of this hunt will be donated to another organization whose existence also serves a prevelant and relevant issue for us, domestic violence.  The Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County aims not only to provide safe, emergency shelter for battered women and their children, but also to provide these families with comprehensive services.  Please take the time to visit the site and consider donating some of the much needed items listed on the Family Crisis Center’s “Wish List“.

Soulfully Speaking…Photography! March 21, 2009

It’s official.    I have ‘expanded’ Soulfully Speaking Productions to include Soulfully Speaking Photography!

For those that know me, they know that one of the things they can probably count on, is the fact that wherever we go, whatever we do, I’ll have a camera on me.  Shelves of scrapbooks and thousands of photos later, here I am, choosing really and actively to pursue my love for photography (and continuing to pursue an overall love for creativity).  Yay!

Not all of you have had the opportunity to sit in front of my bookshelves and be taken in by my volumes (literally) of scrapbooks chronicling my life and those around me.  But, you will now be able to view some of my photos on my photography website.

I do not and will not  rely solely on my love for photography to serve as the foundation for Soulfully Speaking Photography.  While I believe that creativity exists within, I also recognize the need for that creativity to be supported and reinforced by knowledge and learning.  Over the years I have taken many classes in photography, and continue to do so now.  There is always something new to learn!

So, why now?  Well, when a good friend asked me to do her wedding back in December, I was intially hesitant to accept.  Soon after, I was watching Maya Angelou in an interview where she said that she NEVER turns down an opportunity.  Even if she is initially unsure about it, she says yes and then…runs to the library to figure out the rest!   Words to live by.  So, I did the wedding and reception and it was/has been a great learning experience.  Kisha and Maurice were great to work with and ultimately were the final nudge that moved me to here.

Kisha & Maurice

And now….I am officially open for business!  Whether you are looking for a photographer to capture the celebration of a new engagement,  the beauty of a mother and unborn child, the adoration of new parents and their little one,  the entrepreneurial spirit that is exhibited in your product line or any number of special moments and events, consider me.  I enjoy capturing true emotion and real expressions.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions.  Check out my website for more information and a selection of images at www.soulfullyspeakingphotography.com .

I look forward to working with you soon!

The fight against domestic violence March 9, 2009

With an ever-increasing presence in the news, domestic violence continues to plague our families and our communities. Whether a popular couple in the media’s eye or the couple that lives across the street, domestic violence knows no demographic or social boundaries.

In light of this, the organization receiving a donation from the proceeds of the next scavenger hunt will be the Family Crisis Center for Prince George’s County.

I wanted to re-share and re-post a poem I wrote some years ago and the inspiration behind it.
————-
*June 2005

Ladies,

As usual, I hope this message finds you doing very well!

I wanted to share something with you all. I, along with another lady, witnessed an act of domestic violence this past weekend. It’s one of those things that prior to it happening, you always feel like you know exactly what you should do at that exact moment. I was caught completely off guard by the incident and all of that pre-rationale was gone. At any rate, we never know what is going on in another woman’s life, in another woman’s home. I just want to say that, although we’ve all heard it many times, NO man is worth the abuse of our minds, our bodies or our spirits. And unless the Bible or Webster’s dictionary has redefined love, it certainly does not equate with a man putting his hands on a woman. I will refrain from going into a complete speech about it all, but just want us to all know that we deserve more and should never settle for a male (he is not a man) who would display his ‘love’ in any kind of harmful way. So, with all that said, I wrote something called ‘Behind Closed Doors.’ I hope you read it when you get a chance. (*Stepping down off my soapbox now….*)

Take care and be safe.

Behind Closed Doors

unsuspecting eyes bore witness
to the unfolding at their doors
misunderstandings and miscommunications
appeared to be the reasons for their argument
hell-bent on his position
her opposition meant nothing
and his belief that he was right
self-justified each slight of hand
upon her face
his coiled hands
repeatedly found a place in her side
and with each connection
the perception of the
hidden eyes implied
that this could not be
the First time
unsure whether to open up
their lines
to make an emergency call
his arm around her neck
causing her to fall
further horrified the hidden stares
she got up
unaware
that her son had just appeared
on the top stair
not understanding
that this vision
of her degradation
had now been
planted
and with continued fertilization
could grow to produce
another hand
that fell upon
another woman’s face
but that man-child’s eyes
held No surprise
giving rise to the fear that
what was happening here
was no where near
the blows that landed behind closed
doors
sending her child away
she stayed
perhaps in an attempt to
diffuse the situation
but he refused any further contemplation
leaving her with a bruised rib and swollen eye
but she gave chase
and raced after him
leaving the secret onlookers
with a dimming view of her damaged
spirit
and just because
they could no longer hear it
didn’t mean it wasn’t still
going on
and just because
they could no longer see it
didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen
Again
but when she came back in alone
an offer of help was declined
saying she was just fine
she climbed the stairs
prepared to continue her night
and for her
the fight that had taken place
at the doors of her neighbors
was brushed aside
like the blush she used to hide
the bruise on her face
leaving the only trace to be found
in her eyes
that she kept as protected
as the hidden stares
that watched her
and maybe just like them
she just didn’t know what to do
so instead
she just went back inside
closed her door
and did
Nothing.

-cdt, 6/7/05