Brownstone Women's Spotlight: A Profile of Lisa Hampton

The stars will always shine, the birds will always sing

As long as there is thirst, there's always the real thing

Coca-cola is always the one

Whenever there is fun, there's always Coca-Cola…

She’s got the Coke smile, the Coke realness, and the Coke spirit. Even better, she’s got a Coke job! Everyone, I’d like you to meet Mrs. Lisa Michelle Hampton, Account Manager for the world’s largest producer and distributor, Coca-Cola. As we can imagine, Coke’s mission is to “refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, create value and make a difference.” In my opinion, Coke couldn’t have chosen a better woman of color to represent and embody its purpose. See for yourself!

Kyle Holland (KH): Lisa, the Brownstone team and I first want to thank you for allowing us to feature you this month. We really feel that our readers could learn a lot from your experiences and goals…so thank you!

Lisa Hampton (LH): (huge smile)

KH: Let’s start with Coke, since it’s currently such a major part of your life. What is your position and explain to us a bit what you do?

LH: Well, I’m an Account Manager, which at Coke, means that I manage the pricing, delivery and brand marketing of our Coke products all over. From malls, movie theaters and restaurants, to mom and pop auto shops and even prisons. I also manage accounts at college campuses, which I’m really excited about.

KH: Sounds fun... did you have any idea you’d be an Account Manager for such a great company?

LH: No clue! I fell into the industry directly after college. I started off with Pepsi with an amazing deal and here I am now. I’ve been in the industry for almost 4 years now…wow how time flies!

KH: So with all your responsibilities at work, who helps you hold it all together?

LH: My husband, Brandon. I honestly couldn’t do it alone. He’s my support. He sees the happy me, the sad me…and everything else in between, lol. He’s the one who puts me back together every day.

KH: Besides Brandon, who else keeps you motivated?

LH: Jesus, definitely! I grew up in the church and in a strong faith based family and I know that it’s because of Him that I’m where I am today.

KH: What church did you attend?

LH: Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood.

KH: Did you ever feel like you were living a double life, growing up as a “church girl” and also a part of the “in crowd” at school?

LH: Not at all. I had a lot of friends in school. I was student body secretary and Homecoming queen, but I was also on the usher board. My church family has always been great. They actually call me an honorary usher because I’m a mommy now…they gave me the title when I got pregnant and couldn’t stand in the aisle at church anymore…lol.

KH: That’s hilarious! And how is being a mom so far?

LH: You know, everyone says your world changes when you have a child. And they’re not wrong. My world did go from all about me, to all about my son. But for me, that’s not a negative thing. It baffles me everyday how much I love my son. It’s crazy how much love a person could have for their child. He’s 2 ½ now and I’ve enjoyed every bit of him.

KH: Do you think motherhood is something you learned, or have you been teaching yourself along the way?

LH: For me, it started when I was a child. It started from my mom and how she’d handle me and my brother and sister in all kinds of situations. My mother is no longer with me, but I use her when I’m teaching my kid. She was and still is my biggest role model. She was my best friend. I, still to this day, admire her and look to her strength. I watched how she would wake up, tend to a husband, 3 kids, work a full day, and come home and do it all over again…every day. I hope I can be ½ the mother she was to me, to my children.

KH: How did your mom pass?

LH: From lung cancer. This August will be the 6^th year since God took her home. I still can’t believe it. That by far has been and still is the biggest adjustment I’ve had to make. Learning to live life without my mom has been a struggle to say the least.

KH: How do you deal with it?

LH: Friends, family and ultimately Jesus. I feel God has intentionally placed people in my life, like you, who continuously offer words of encouragement and unconditional love. That alone helps me get through the day.

KH: Lol…one thing I loved about your mom was how funny she was, even when she didn’t realize it.

LH: LOL! Me too…yea, my college experience was the best and worst time of my life. On one hand, I left my parents, my family and all that I knew, to embark on a journey. Yet, on the other hand, it gave me a chance to learn more about myself and life in general. Plus, I grew even closer to you and Kristin. We had so many good times. I used to love staying up until 2 and 3 in the morning with you guys just laughing feeling free. I got to take all kinds of classes…classes that I didn’t think existed. I went to an opera for the very first time at the San Francisco Opera House for my Music 132 class, and I studied the history and culture behind prostitution in my Sociology of Prostitution course. But my life completely changed when I lost my mom. My best friend was gone. I don’t even have the words to express how devastating that time period was for me. But I knew she would want me to return to school and finish strong…so I did. And looking back I’m so proud of myself for accomplishing all that I did, especially given the circumstances.

KH: I agree, your college experience was definitely filled with ups and downs. If you hadn’t gone to college, what would you have liked to become?

LH: An actress!

KH: What woman of color influenced you the most when it came to pursuing this dream?

LH: Halle Berry. Mainly because she’s half black and half white, just like me. So, seeing someone of mixed race made me feel like it was possible. She always seemed positive and respectful and that’s what I wanted the world to know about me.

KH: Was it hard growing up mixed?

LH: In some instances, yes. Overall, it wasn’t something that kept me from living life, but it definitely helped shape who I am. I would go to Wichita, Kansas to visit family and be the darkest one in the whole city, having to answer questions like, “why are you so dark?” Then, I would come back to LA and be called a “light bright.” So, it definitely taught me a lot about balance and appreciating and loving both sides of my family.

KH: What advice can you offer our Brownstone readers?

LH: …This advice to myself as well. Never stop dreaming. Never give up because you never know what God has in store. No matter what life throws you, always hold on to your dreams.

KH: That’s awesome. Thank you showing our Brownstone readers who you are. I have personally seen you blossom into your best self, despite it ALL. Your faith in God and zest for life is something I know our readers can apply to their own lives. Please continue to “refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, create value and make a difference,” cuz we all need you!

LH: Will do!

--Kyle Holland
Brownstone Team

Extracurricular Activities: Education Beyond the Classroom

My Extracurricular Activities at Crenshaw High School

Elite Choir: 4 years
Girl’s Steppe Team: 4 years
Food From The Hood: 4 years
Academic Decathlon: 1 year

These four groups added much excitement to my high school experience. I still remember my routine: steppe practice was held at lunch time, choir from 3-4pm after school, Food From the Hood (a community service organization) was 4:30-6pm, and Academic Decathlon was on the weekends. I loved the fact I was so involved in my high school. Everyday I would learn more valuable things than I could learn in a classroom. I was allowed to express my talents and learn both academic and professional skills. Back then, I did not know how much these experiences would help me. Many things I learned from these extracurricular activities that I still use today. I don’t how I would have survived high school if it weren’t for extracurricular activities.

Being involved in student groups teaches you facts about a terribly important subject: yourself. The groups that I was a part of exposed me to all types of personality traits that I had; I learned which ones were good and which ones needed changing. Food From the Hood taught me how to look people in the eye when I spoke to them. This lesson was very uncomfortable for me to learn at first. It also showed me how reserved I was while the steppe team showed me that I was a team player. Some other things just came more naturally. I was extremely loyal to the girl’s steppe team and attended every practice. I was very cooperative and hardworking in that space.

Extracurriculars have this amazing ability to teach you things that you will never learn in a high school classroom. Food From the Hood played a major part in enhancing my public speaking skills. We used to do presentations at elementary schools, interviews and panels. Those experiences made me more and more comfortable with speaking in front of groups of people. If it wasn’t for that, I would probably be as intensely shy as I was in my preteen years. Choir transformed me into a confident singer, doing a solo now is a lot easier than it was when I was in ninth grade. Academic Decathlon prepared me for a typical college reading load; I didn’t believe it would until my first semester at UC Berkeley. Every decathlete receives a large reading guide upon joining. In order to do well on the decathlon, you had to study the reading guide diligently. I learned different reading strategies that helped me to read faster and remember what I read. These strategies came in handy when I had large reading assignments in college.

The activities and groups that you get involved in really pay off when you are applying for college. Colleges like applicants who were members of groups and teams; they consider you “well rounded” or a person that’s more than just book smart. Schools like to see dedication; being in one group for all 4 years is more credible to them than being in five groups for one year. By my senior year, I got leadership positions in both Phi Gamma Shaw and Food From the Hood. I made sure I took good account of all the challenges that came with those roles in my personal statement.

Extracurricular activities should make you want to do well in school, just like how mine activities did for me. At my high school, you could not be a member of a group or activity if your GPA was too low. I refused to let that happen! If you see an extracurricular that you’re interested in, visit one of the meetings, audition or try out; let your ambition drive you and nothing else. Extracurricular activities are one of the greatest ways to learn.

-- Amanda Scurlock

Brownstone Intern

Tips to Enjoy Valentine's Day this Year

With Valentine's Day swiftly approaching, it's important to start making plans. Whether you're like me and still waiting on Prince Charming to ask you to be his Valentine, in a relationship, or single you'll be able to benefit from these three tips.

1. GET AN AMAZING OUTFIT
In my opinion, the best part about Valentine's Day is being able to wear a pink and/or a red outfit. A few years ago I purchased an expensive pair of hot pink, suede boots specifically for the holiday but I don't recommend that anyone do the same. You should opt to wear something that is fairly inexpensive or versatile enough to be worn again. Needless to say, those boots have been in my closet collecting dust for the longest time. Forever 21 has tons of amazing items to choose from. Target is another place to purchase fashionable V-Day clothing. These tights, for example, are available there for $7 and would go well with a skirt of your choice. Solid colors are great for layering so pick a color scheme (pink/red, red/white, etc.) and chances are you'll be able to wear this clothing regularly.

2. EXCHANGE GIFTS WITH FRIENDS
You don't have to have a boyfriend to have an excellent Valentine's Day. In fact, your female friends probably know you best anyway so why not exchange gifts with other single friends? These gifts can be both thoughtful and inexpensive. This compact and tweezer set is sold at Forever 21 for less than $5. TopShop is also an excellent site to find affordable trinkets for your friends. Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without cool cards and candy so revert back to those days in elementary school when you passed out cards and candy to everyone. It'll be tons of fun. If you have a large group of friends I'd suggest participating is a "Secret Cupid" gift exchange in which you don't find out who your Valentine is until the actual day.

3. PLAN A PARTY
An after-school social gathering would be a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day. Make cupcakes or other heart-shaped snacks because they'd be an excellent addition to the party. If you're considering the Secret Cupid gift exchange with your friends, the party would be the perfect time to swap gifts. Also, If you're searching for awesome decorations look no further than your local dollar stores because they usually have affordable party favors that are sure to help with the event's theme.

Finally, if you've planned your outfit but won't be spending Valentine's Day with friends because you're in a relationship, your plans should be a bit different. You may need gift-giving tips as well because your guy is more than likely not interested in tweezers or socks. As I previously mentioned, I'm still waiting on Prince Charming to appear so I'm not sure that I'm the best person to give tips in this department, so if you have a boyfriend and are clueless about what to get him, feel free to check out this previous Brownstone post for advice. Whatever you choose to do this Valentine's Day, be sure to have fun and share your plans with the Brownstone Blog via twitter.

Thanks for reading,
Alexandria B.

Skincare from the Inside and Out

When I was a senior in high school, I noticed that my skin was particularly dry and in a bad condition. The breakouts on my face occurred more often and my face peeling from the weather became a big problem. I began to use different cleansing products in hopes of fixing my problem, some days my breakouts were under control and others they were lowering my self-esteem. At this time, I eventually accepted the breakouts as something that would one day pass. When I went to college my problem became a priority that needed to be faced once and for all. I began to look on the Internet for helpful tips to treat and prevent breakouts. After learning some factors that can cause breakouts, I figured mine were caused by the wrong cleansing and moisturizing practices, lack of proper sleep, poor nutrition, touching my face with dirty hands and stress. Yes stress!! I was a busy body when I was in high school; I thought I could take on the world. I was involved in everything I could get my hands on. Everyone around me encouraged participation, but I didn’t realize at the moment that I was doing TOO MUCH and it was wearing down my health.

There are many factors that can affect the condition of your skin, starting with what you eat. There is a quote that I’ve been told about your skin, “You have to take care of your skin from the inside out.” Makes sense, but I thought lotion would do the trick. But guess what? It’s not that easy! Your skin needs antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids to build and nourish your skin. You can get omega 3 fatty acids in salmon, vitamin A in fortified cereals, vitamin C in oranges and Vitamin E in various nuts.

Instead of helping my skin out I was stripping the natural oils that it created by washing my face with various cleansers and facial scrubs. Harsh cleansers cause your skin to overproduce oil to compensate the oil it lost, causing even more breakouts. Therefore it's important to find a mild soap or cleanser that works best for you. Some people can use the same soap for their body and face, while others can’t. I use a facial soap I bought from Skin Essence a local day spa in Inglewood, the soap works wonders.


Exfoliation is another big thing to remember. They say there is dead skin that is waiting to be removed to allow the new vibrant skin to shine through. I think exfoliating once a week is a reasonable amount for young girls. That is not to say you have to scrub, scrub, scrub. A bath sponge, loofah or shower mitten will do the job. Make sure to gently scrub your body in circular motions.


To ensure that your skin stays protected and sealed away from the free radicals in the air, moisturizing is very important. I try to use jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil, raw shea butter and occasionally lotion. Lately, I use the jojoba oil the most, and during the colder winter days I melt the shea butter and mix in the olive oil.

Tip that will save your skin:

• A great tip for soft feet is to apply shea butter to clean feet before bed and wear socks. When you wake up the next morning your feet will be so soft.


• If you wear make up, remember to clean your brushes often to get rid of the bacteria that may grow.


• Don’t forget to change your pillowcase often. There is build up on you pillowcase too! Wash away those germs.


• Drink a lot of water to flush out toxins and proper hydration. You’re going to need that extra moisture especially in the winter months.
  
• Sun block is needed in the rain or shine. Protect your skin from UV/UB rays

REMEMBER: Not ALL skin types are the same. Find out what works best for you and stay ahead of the game with your skincare.

Below are a list of helpful products I mentioned in my post:

• Hydroquinone Soap $6.59
• Shea Butter $5
• Loofah Bath Brush $4.37
• Bathery Body Sponge $3.79
• Bathery Luxury Mixed Sponge Tube $5.14
• Desert Essence Jojoba Oil $7
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil $5.99
  
  

-- Carla Banks
Brownstone Intern

Makeover Your Manicure

I love manicures & pedicures. It’s one of the quickest ways to turn my mood around. The only bad thing about getting your nails done is the amount of time the nail polish lasts. Within a few days of school, chores and after-school activities, your nails are probably chipped, dull and ready to be re-polished. With the time it takes to meticulously apply polish and waiting for it to dry, no one really has the time to repeat this process every few days. When I was in high school, the only way to keep polish on for more than a week was to have acrylic nails; but I haven’t had acrylic nails since my high school prom! There’s nothing wrong with having acrylics but I like my natural nails and luckily I’ve found a few new products that make polish on my natural nails last like acrylic! Yay!


So what are these magical products I speak of? The first is Shellac by CND. It’s a UV based nail polish. It goes on just like regular polish, and requires a base coat, top coat and UV nail dryer. I just had my first Shellac manicure on Wednesday. Since then (5 days later), I have not had one chip on my nails and they are still just as shiny as they were when I got them done. It’s amazing! Typically they last 2-3 weeks. Another perk is by using the UV dryer, it only takes 2 minutes for your nails to dry – Literally 2 minutes! The UV dryer is required because it helps adhere the polish to the top & base coats, making it last longer than regular polish. Have you ever walked out of the nail shop without being super careful not to touch anything or hit your nails? Well, you won’t have to do that with Shellac. Shellac is also easy to remove. Simply soak your nails in acetone for about 10 minutes and your natural nails will be back to normal.

Another alternative for natural nails is Minx. I tried Minx nails over the summer while I was in New York. Unlike Shellac, Minx is not a polish at all. It’s actually like a sticker that adheres to your nails. The manicurist will shape the adhesive to your nails and then you will sit under a hot dryer so that the Minx can “melt” on to your nail. It looks great and comes in lots of funky designs and patterns. It will last about a week, but after that week is over it will start to peel on the tips. It’s easy to remove, just peel it off like peeling off a sticker and there is no damage to your natural nails. And just like Shellac, the best part – zero dry time!

A Shellac or Minx manicure will cost you more than a regular manicure, but there are more benefits to these procedures just a plain polish. You can go on either of their websites http://www.cnd.com/Consumer.aspx or http://www.minxnails.com/dnn/ to find a shop that’s right for you. You can also buy Shellac products on Amazon or eBay, but I don’t know that I would want to buy the required UV dryer for my house. Since it’s a little more, I’ll probably splurge every now & then. Save it for a special occasion like prom or homecoming. I also hear that OPI also has a UV gel product called Axxiom. I haven’t tried it, so I’ll leave that up to our readers to review :)

In other nail news, I did however find a new polish for the home manicurist. Serena Williams and OPI have recently teamed up and created a fun new polish line. Serena has come out with the Glam Slam collection. Simply Smashing/Black Shatter is the first duo in the collection. First you polish Simply Smashing on your nails, and after it dries, apply a top coat of Black Shatter. The Black Shatter will “crack” on your nails creating a unique design. I have yet to try this, but it looks fun and I look forward to seeing how my nails turn out with it. Serena & OPI plan to have more colors coming out soon… I can’t wait!

-- Martine Rouzan
Brownstone Team

Interracial Dating: Still Taboo?

My grandmother was a white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. We went everywhere together. Looking back, I'm sure it looked strange for people to see a little brown girl holding hands with an elderly white woman. The waiters and waitresses at the Olive Garden we frequented probably wondered if I was really her biological granddaughter. But I didn't notice. I didn't notice that our skin was a different color or that our eyes were different colors or that our hair differed in texture. All I knew was that she was my Grandma Betty and she was my favorite person in the entire world.

I grew up in a house where race didn't matter. I have a black mother, a half white/half black father who everyone assumes is white, and a white grandmother. In high school I had friends of all ethnicities and a white boyfriend. I always loved seeing interracial couples. To me they were reminders of how far our country had progressed. Fifty years ago a black man and white woman could never walk around in public holding hands, and now not only can they date but it happens fairly often. It wasn't until I got to college that I started seeing interracial relationships in a slightly different light.

Up until college I had primarily non black friends. This changed my freshmen year at USC when I decided to live on the African American themed floor. I was surprised at how negatively my new girl friends would talk about interracial dating, especially when it came to a black guy dating a girl of a different race. They informed me that they had known black guys in high school who claimed that they would not date black girls. The guys gave all types of reasons for their discrimination, saying they were less attracted to black girls than girls of other races and that girls of other races were easier to get along with. This was shocking to me! I had never heard anyone say that they wouldn't date a specific race ESPECIALLY their own. Then I started to see it. At parties many of the black guys would approach girls of different races before they would approach the black girls. On campus there were certain groups of black guys that I would only see with girls of other races and never with black girls. I became more and more bothered by the thought of interracial dating.

As I mentioned before, when I was in high school interracial dating never bothered me. It happened, I was even a participant, but I always felt like the motives behind each interracial pairing came from a good place. There would be black guys who would date a black girl, move on to a Hispanic girl, then move on to a white girl and it was no big deal. I never experienced feelings of betrayal and never questioned the reasons why that black boy asked that Asian girl to the dance instead of a black girl. Is interracial dating common in high school now? Is it something that happens often? Is it talked about? Does seeing a black boy with a girl of a different race somehow make you feel less attractive or less desired?

It’s been seven years since I first started having these conversations with my college friends and my feelings on the topic still flip flop. A fair amount of people would probably say that there's nothing wrong with not wanting to date outside your race. Many of us were raised with the “Cosby Show” ideal, hoping to one day become a successful black woman with a successful black husband and five well behaved black kids. That is indeed a great picture, but who's to say that you can't have just as strong of a relationship with a white boy? Or that you won't have plenty in common with a Hispanic boy? The black family is a beautiful thing and something to be admired, but by placing limits on who you will interact with and who you allow yourself to like, you might miss out on new, exciting, and potentially life changing experiences.

On the other hand, I DEFINITELY think it's wrong to say that you won't date within your race. To me, that is an example of self loathing at it's ugliest. It's so fitting that I'm writing this article on Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday. A man who spent his life fighting for equality would probably be appalled to see such discrimination within his own race. In some ways we've come so far since the "I Have a Dream" speech, but in other ways we have so far to go.

Personally, I believe in love. I believe that you can't help who fall in love with and you shouldn't help who you fall in love with. I think a black girl can fall in love with a white boy, a black boy can fall in love with an Asian girl, and a white girl can fall in love with a Hispanic boy. My grandmother, the white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, was disowned by her family and chased off the family property with a shotgun because she married a black man. But it was worth it to her because she was in love. She didn't let her family's perception of black people or society's assumptions about black people keep her away from my grandfather. In the dating game, don't let any prejudices or stereotypes keep you from doing what you want to do. Remember that no one person or one race is the same, and if you keep yourself from having a relationship with a person of a certain race because of your own biases and stereotypes you will only be limiting yourself.

-- Karissa Allen

Guest Blogger

Less is More...

It's hard to bring in a new style that’s original and sets you apart from your peers. Instead lets set ourselves apart from everyone else, in a good way, by using less time in creating perfection. This year is a new year, so why not be more confident with your style as well as take some time back from your morning routine by taking less time to get ready.

I am all about time management and doing my daily routine as quickly as possible so I can save more time in the morning to do other things that I usually forget because I am focusing so much of my time on getting the right look such as, cleaning my room or even eating breakfast at times. I figured out if I take away less time away from trying to perfect my outfit, then I would have time in the morning to myself. I noticed that when I put too much effort into my outfit, it never turns out the way I want it and all that time was wasted on trying to perfect an outfit that I know longer want to wear anymore. So, I usually just change that outfit and get dressed in the nic-of time and it works out. Less is definitely more this year! The less time and effort you use in an outfit and trying to look perfect the more your outfit looks effortless and usually turns out better than you thought it would.

The key to looking effortless but still cute this new year is to most importantly take less time into getting together and not trying to get everything perfect. So what if you’re not matching and mixing different prints together, it usually works out cute and chic anyways. This year I’m not all about matching and getting things right, I like that I would mix purple and green together with gray and black. Even though these colors may not even usually look good together. So mix different patterns together. The key to pulling off not matching is to keep one neutral color such as black or gray, or even creme or a tanish brown color. The key to pulling off mixed prints is to keep it the same color. For instance you can mix florals with stripes just as long as there is one key color that they have in common which is usually black. So go out and take on this new year by saving some time as well. Take risks and remember less is more in 2011.

-- Jamiah Lashay (Berkeley High School, Age 16)

Jr Correspondent

Eat Healthy, Eat Smart!

The first time I realized my eating habits were hurting me was my performance during track practice in high school. I would eat lunch then an hour later go to practice. I wasn’t able to train properly because my body felt sluggish and out of breath. I used to eat salads for lunch, you may think, “ Whats wrong with salads?” Well, the salads I ate were packed with chicken, croutons, cheese, and a thick ranch dressing. You can see why I couldn’t perform at my full potential. The food was heavily processed and loaded with fat. At that point I didn’t drastically change my eating habits, but ate a smaller amount of the salad. I eventually incorporated fruits to snack on during passing period and began to pack my lunch.

One of the benefits of eating nutritious foods are your body is able to work more efficiently and function better. Your chances of getting illnesses like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure in the future can be lowered by altering your eating habits.

After my first semester in college, I gained about 15 pounds. At this point, I took a P.E. class the next semester and was introduced to food journaling. At that point, I felt it was very useful and that I would use this tool in the future. A food journal basically includes what you ate for the day. You can start your own food journal by writing down what you eat at the end of each day. If you want to be more precise, you can estimate the servings, were you actually hungry and your mood. Including these options can tell you if you’re actually eating because of hunger, celebration or because the food is there. It is an evaluation on yourself and only you can express why you ate two bags of chips. One thing I’ve learned from making food journals is I am more mindful of what I am putting in my body. Sometimes you don’t realize all the food you have consumed. Here are some tips that can help you stay in control of your dietary health.

My Food Journal

Day 1

• Breakfast: fruit smoothie (pineapples, mangoes, strawberries, orange juice)
  
• Snack: unsalted cashews


• Lunch: tuna sandwich (whole wheat bread, tuna, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce)


• Snack: carrots, celery, and an apple


• Dinner: baked tilapia and salad
  

Day 2

• Breakfast: Post Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds, toast and banana


• Snack: crackers and grapes


• Lunch: chicken breast sandwich
  
• Snack: fruit smoothie (strawberry, banana, strawberry, yogurt, water)


• Dinner: tofu stir-fry with brown rice (tofu, green beans, brussel sprouts, green peppers, red peppers, broccoli and carrot)

Day 3

• Breakfast: Quakers whole oats/oatmeal


• Snack: chocolate chip cookie and soymilk


• Lunch: “taco wrap” (whole wheat lavash bread, soy meat filling: onions, red peppers, spinach, curry seasoning, avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes)
  
• Snack: N/A


• Dinner: spaghetti (whole wheat pasta noodles, spinach, tomato pasta sauce)
  

Tips
- Drink plenty of water
- Limit the amount of sodas, sugary juices, and chips
- Incorporate fruits, vegetables and water daily
- Limit the amount of fast food
- Have snacks on hand so that you wont be vulnerable of eating fast food
- Plan ahead, stay in control
- Reward yourself with an occasional desert.

Staying Active
The way I stay active and in shape is through playing rugby for my school. Before I joined the team I worked out at the gym, took fitness classes and swam. Some other ways to workout is running at a park, going to the beach and walking on the sand. Taking dance classes, riding bikes and rollerblading are also good ways to workout. Every thought about walking around the perimeter of your school with a buddy three times? That’s a way to get some extra walking in. Whatever way you decide to get your physical activity make sure it’s something you enjoy so that you can reap the benefits.


-- Carla Banks
Brownstone Intern

Meet our new intern Carla!

Hello Brownstone Family! I am honored to have the opportunity to tell my story, give my advice and be connected with this community! My name is Carla Banks and I am a junior at UC Berkeley with an American Studies major. I am originally from South Los Angeles and attended Washington Prep High School. I am very athletic, health conscious, goal oriented and funny. Some of my goals in life include but are not limited to becoming a certified personal trainer, a beautician, a founder of a nonprofit and ultimately a congresswomen.

I am very passionate about fitness and health. I am BIG on working out and getting my friends involved! Lately, I have spent time training my friends at the local gym. My background is in track & field in which I played throughout my high school years. At Cal, I am a member of the Women’s Rugby team, my position is outside center or inside center. This is my second year playing rugby for Cal.

As I writer, I hope readers can take my experiences and learn from them.
That young girls will be able to be a positive influence on other girls around them and have the tools to take on any challenge that they face. - Carla

New Things Coming to Brownstone

If you love the Brownstone Blog, then you'll love what's coming next! It was always my dream to create a magazine that empowered young girls of color. However, it took it a little more work than I expected. Well get ready because later in 2011 we'll be bringing you the Brownstone Magazine. So, stay tuned...more details to come!

-- Tymika Morrison
-- Video by Alexandria Bland
Brownstone Team

Brownstone Tips: Applying for Scholarships

If you ask me, a college education should be free of charge. I've learned that money can be the reason why many students opt not to finish college and join the workforce as an alternative. I, for example, left Texas Southern University after one year due to the expensive out-of-state fees there. I have been working full-time ever since.

Leaving TSU is one of my biggest regrets. Many people in my situation would have chosen to put school on hold indefinitely to work. Others would have participated in both activities simultaneously. Luckily, I chose the latter because I will finally be graduating this spring. Working while attending college has been extremely difficult for me and with the job market in its current state, I'm sure it is as difficult for others. It is my goal to get others to learn from my mistakes. With this as the case, I'd like to share an important message with you. There's a way for you to earn money for college that does not involve any type of employment. This method is simply applying for scholarships.

There are so many scholarships available to students that many of us never hear about. The secret is to search for scholarships and not be lazy. I encourage you to apply early as possible because deadlines vary. Start by visiting sites like Fastweb that enable you to get information about scholarships that are directly related to you. If you're close to high school graduation or already in college, you should consider looking into scholarships available at your school.
If you're considering going to a Historically Black College or University, you may find scholarship opportunities available to you from the NAACP. Greek letter organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. also have scholarships available to qualified students. Join as many mailing lists as you can so that you can stay in-the-know about what's available to you. Stay involved in your community as well as school activities so that if a scholarship requires community involvement, you'll feel even more qualified.

Use the links provided and apply for scholarships as soon as you can. I waited until just before my senior year in undergraduate school to start applying for them, but this was after numerous student loans. I was awarded two scholarships in 2010 and I can't help but wonder what I could have accomplished if I had attempted sooner. I hope that you'll take my advice and not hesitate to apply for scholarships. Since a college education isn't free of charge, it's important that we take the initiative and offset the costs. You'll be surprised when you see what a good G.P.A. and a strong essay can get you.

-- Alexandria Bland

Brownstone Intern

Meet our new intern, Alexandria Bland! Alexandria is a current senior at California State University, Dominguez Hills and majors in Communications. Her career goal has always been to become a broadcast journalist yet and she enjoys blogging as a hobby. With this as the case, she started her own blog, WhatAlexWrites. She is happy to have found the Brownstone Blog and looks forward to contributing to it for she sees it as an outlet to influence other young women.

Alexandria strives to stay as busy as possible in order to reach her professional goals and this is evident throughout her involvement in numerous activities. She is currently an intern for both, the Brownstone Blog and Fox News Los Angeles. She also mentors for the Los Angeles Public Library's Adult Literacy Program. All of these activities are in addition to her full-time employment at a Social Services agency. Alexandria's personal motto comes in the form of a Will Smith quote, "I want to do good. I want the world to be better because I was here." Welcome to the team Alexandria!

WHO'S THAT GIRL?

In Her Own Words: A Profile of Alexandra Scott

Nickname: Alex

Age: 16

High School: Berkeley High School

Favorite afterschool activities: Volunteering with Kindergartners

Favorite color(s): Purple

Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate

Bookworm or social butterfly: Bookworm

Clean freak or packrat? Packrat

American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance: American Idol

Twilight or Harry Potter: Twilight

If I could delete one subject from school it would be _____.

I would delete Spanish because I’d rather learn the language from living in the country, not just in a classroom!

Biggest pet peeve: I hate it when people don’t answer their phones!

If I could only eat one thing for a week it would be Mashed potatoes.

I would love to visit Thailand.

Favorite singer(s): It’s a tie between Katy Perry and Adele!

Songs that annoy you on the radio: Bottoms Up by Trey Songz

Favorite place to shop: Forever 21 and Express

Describe your sense of style: Kind of a mix between preppy and trendy.

Guys: skinny jeans or baggy jeans? Baggy skinny jeans

What makes you unique? My sense of humor is really… unique.

What do you want to be when you get older?
I want to work and/or own my own publishing house.

What are your plans after high school?
Go to college somewhere in New England and then go get my MBA.

If I were president, I would put the funding back in schools!

Something new you would like to learn:
I really want to learn another language other than Spanish and English, maybe French. I’m not too sure yet.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be & why?
She’s a Genius by Jet because it’s super motivating!

One goal I would like to achieve in 2011 is ______.
To not procrastinate as much as I did in 2010

What African American women inspire you?
Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, and Ntozake Shange – their writing is amazing.

What does Brownstone mean to you?
Brownstone is a community where I can go to for tips and advice that I can’t get anywhere else.

Editor's Choice: I Love My Hair T-Shirt

It's very rare that we see cartoon characters that look like us and portray us in a positive light. In fact, I haven't seen a black cartoon show for kids since Disney's The Proud Family. So, I was very excited to see Sesame Street's "I Love My Hair Video" last Fall. For me it was great to see a children's program bring such an important issue for Black women to mainstream television. Many Black women struggle with their hair and it is crucial that we teach young women like yourself to embrace their hair at an early age. Plus, I think that it teaches other cultures to respect other differences. I especially love that little Black girls can see a cartoon character that looks like them and loves her hair.

As we've discussed numerous times on the blog, hair is a huge part of our identity. Chris Rock explored the topic in his documentary Good Hair and India Arie has made it clear that she is not her hair. We know that we should embrace our hair...no matter if it's natural or pressed, curly or straight, growing out of our head or sown on! But it isn't always easy to be confident about your choice when you have people telling you that one way is more right than the other...

That's why I was excited to see that there is an "I Love My Hair" T-shirt available online for $25. I soooo want one for myself to show that I too am proud of my hair! I get my hair pressed every 2 weeks. I don't wear my hair natural (wish I could...not knocking anybody who does) and I'm okay with that. You don't have to announce it to the world, but I think it's cool that you can rock a shirt to show your appreciation for a unique part of yourself. The shirt is super cute!





-- Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team

His Yes, Your No

"I said yes to your number and yes to you dating me
Yes we can be together but you gotta wait for me
The first time I said no
It's like I never said yes (like I never said yes)
I said yes we can be together, yes you can stay with me
but when I say no not tonight you actin so ungratefully
The first time I said no it's like I never said yes"

Has this ever happened to you? You're dating a guy...you give him your number, you let him call you and take you out, but when you say NO to having sex with him he starts to trip. Did you give into his shameless plea or did you stand firm with your no?

Some guys have a lot of nerve! They think that just because they text back and forth with you or take you out on a date that they're ENTITLED to sleep with you. Really? Two months of simpy messages and a happy meal dinner should never lead to getting the goodies! They're crazy to think that a couple of yeses will lead to the big yes...and like Beyonce said "You must not know about me!"

Check out what happens in the song when her dude tries to pressure her into having sex.

"You was at my house
I was sitting on my couch
You was really buggin so I told you to get out
I had been misjudging you
You had a lot of nerve
You to damn old to be so immature I hope you learn
You said I move to slow
I showed you to the door
You said you'd call me later
I said don't call no more
It is cool if you can't wait for me
Im glad you let me know
Cause you showed me your true face baby the first time i said no"

Don't feel afraid to walk a guy to the door of your life if he is pressuring you to do something that you don't want to do. Just because you've said yes to some things doesn't mean that you should feel obligated to say yes to everything. You should never have to lower your standards to keep a guy. Of course the guy is going to say things to make you doubt yourself like:

• "If you loved/cared about me...
• I think you're special
• If you don't, there are plenty of girls who will
• We like each other a lot, right?
  

Stay strong ladies! This is all apart of his game. Guys will say anything to make you feel bad. But, don't let him guilt you into having sex. You are special and beautiful, but not for his reasons. The right guy will respect your morals and wait for you. The right guy will never pressure you to anything you don't want to do. "Hangin' out" with someone is never grounds for having sex. Oh and just because two people like each other a lot is not a good reason to sleep with each other either. You should be able to date someone without any strings being attached.

When a guy shows his true colors, don't hesitate to chuck up the deuces. If Chris Brown and his boys can, then so can you...lol. Besides, don't you want a guy who likes you for you and not just your body? So, if you're in a situation where a guy starts to huff and puff because he isn't getting his way, let your values support your no and keep it rollin' to the next one. The right guy won't be threatened by your no and appreciate your yeses ;)



-- Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team