Year in Review

Hey Brownstone readers!

2010 has been a great year for the Brownstone team. We'd like to thank everyone who has supported us and helped spread the word about what we are doing. Starting a blog and maintaining it is NOT easy, especially when you have a full-time job! So, we'd also like to thank the countless number of guest bloggers and jr correspondents who have lent their voices to Brownstone over the past year as well. I hope that you've enjoyed our content as much as we have. Here are the top 5 posts of 2010:

Top Blog Posts of 2010

• The In's and Out's of African American Skincare
• Roadmap to Beauty
• Brownstone Women's Spotlight: A Profile of Kristin Jones
• Home, Sweet Dorm Room
• New Year, New Uniform

As we celebrate our successes, it's also important to remember the lessons we've learned along the way too. Creating Brownstone has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding things I've done in my life. I've learned that going after your dreams takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Although, the process has taken longer than I expected, I know that we will eventually achieve our goals. Like my teammate Kyle said in her November post, "Dream but Don't Sleep," if the dream is worth dreaming, it’s not a matter of IF, it’s a matter of WHEN. So in the new year, I want to encourage you to go after your dreams, no matter how big or small they may be. If you want to try out for the dance team at your school, go for it! If you want to finally get an A in chemistry, do it! If you want to get a job this summer, apply! Don't let your fears or haters hold you back! Yes the journey will be hard, but the outcome will be amazing. Here are some words of wisdom that I have learned on my journey:

• Don't be afraid to go it alone....not everybody is going to believe in your vision.
• Be your biggest cheerleader...if you don't believe in yourself who will?
• Be patient...nothing happens over night.
• Anything worth having is worth fighting for...so be prepared to go to bat for your dreams!
• Surround yourself with positive people...who will uplift you and keep it real.
• Persistence is key...when one door closes knock on another, the right door will eventually open.

Let's make 2011 a year of action! Our team is very excited about the new year and we plan to keep working to ensure that Brownstone continues to represent the voices and interests of African American teens. We have new writers joining our team and we'll be introducing some exciting new features. As always, please continue to spread the word about Brownstone to your friends or relatives who are between the ages of 14-18. We wish you the best of luck in 2011! Happy New Year!

-- Tymika Morrison
Brownstone Team