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Win A ‘What Love Will Make You Do’ DVD

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What Love Will Make You Do

We’re giving 5 lucky readers the chance to receive a DVD copy of What Love Will Make You Do. Nominated for “best screenplay” at the American Black Film Festival, the romantic comedy stars Darrin Dewitt Henson and Judi Blair. The film is available now on DVD and Digital HD from Entertainment One, but you can enter below to win a FREE copy.

To enter:

  • Make sure you’re following on us on either Twitter or Facebook
  • Retweet/Share this post using #WLWMYD
  • Complete the form below.

Enter by Thursday, February 11, 2016 at MIDNIGHT. Winners will be announced Friday, February 12.


In The Fashion Spotlight: Dedrick Thomas Of Hideoki Bespoke

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By Patrick T. Cooper

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Dedrick Thomas is a man on a mission. With a humble presence, Thomas is carefully weaving a clothing tapestry for men who appreciate the finer things in life. Unlike the overcrowded experiences of malls and plaza shopping, Thomas’s Hideoki Bespoke showroom is strategically positioned and nestled away in a private location in Atlanta. Beyond the rich mahogany door of his haberdashery is an experience like no other. Offering a multitude of customization options, Thomas and his team are helping one man at a time arrive in style. Made to order is a lifestyle and Hideoki Bespoke is the destination.

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UPTOWN: Did you channel any iconic figures when developing the lines and appeal of your collection?
Thomas: I really think of my collection as a timeless brand with a contemporary and modern twist. It’s a mixture of many iconic figures such as Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Duke Ellington, Jay Z, Eddie Redmayne, and hints of Kayne West to name a few.

U: Where do you find inspiration for each your collections?
Thomas: I believe in giving my clients [garments and accessories] they never knew existed. So, my inspiration is a simply just a feeling. I start out with a piece of blank paper and visualize all categories of my clients and develop pieces that represent the lifestyle of their lives. In addition, since we also produce custom attire, our clients become an integral part in this experience and creation process, taking them to places they never knew existed but still a place of comfort.

U: What brand in the market place past or present in your opinion represents the success you would like to achieve for your own line?
Thomas: Kiton, Brioni, Berluti, and Tom Ford.

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U: Celebrity capital has become such an important resource in the fashion industry. What celebrity would you choose to be your brand ambassador and why?
Thomas: Steve Harvey because of his understanding of image and the importance of looking the part and where he use to be and where he is today related to fashion. I would also choose a person such as David Beckham because he understands heritage and has versatility that adapts to all [facets] of life.

U: Hideoki is quite a unique name what does it mean?
Thomas: My full name is Dedrick Hideoki Hagiwara Thomas. So, it’s part of my middle name and is Japanese. The name was given to me by my mother.  Since it was such a unique name, I decided to combine [it] with the word “bespoke” and Hideoki Bespoke was born. Bespoke is anything commissioned to an individual’s particular specifications, which is what our core brand is about … adapting to our clients unique and individual lifestyle.

U: As an African-American designer and entrepreneur, what one word of advice would you give to someone following in your footsteps?
Thomas: The equation for me is to make my clients and colleagues successful. If they are successful, then I will automatically be successful.  Lastly, be persistent, but proactive in building your foundation. That’s my recipe for growth and success. And never forget to always stay humble but stay hungry!

U: What’s next for your brand? Why should we stay tuned?
Thomas: Many exciting new initiatives are on the horizon. Our e-commerce website will now make several of our key luxury products available for immediate purchase or customization, such as footwear, leather goods, accessories, and made to order clothing.

Find designer Dedrick Thomas of HIDEOKI BESPOKE at HideokiBespoke.com. Follow the brand on social media at @HideokiBespoke.

For more than 15 years Patrick T. Cooper has consistently influenced fashion, art, and entertainment. With an innate creative ability, Cooper curates visual imagery that sets trends. Cooper mindfully manipulates color, texture, and layering to create a lifestyle and his mantra “Live in color,” which is an exercise to be and live freely. This attitude is evident in each uniquely designed piece of the Patrick T Cooper Resort Collection. For more information go to PatrickTCooper.com or follow him on social media @patricktcooper.

Donald Trump Was Actually Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize

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We’re completely scratching our heads at the news that GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump has reportedly been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Pope Francis, a woman who champions the rights of ISIS rape victims, the Afghan women’s cycling team, and a Congolese surgeon who treats victims of sexual violence.

CBS News reports: “The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee typically receives more than 200 nominations for the prestigious prize, and keeps candidates secret for 50 years. Panel members can make their own nominations during their first judging meeting on Feb. 29.”

It’s not clear who nominated Trump, but “Nobel watcher Kristian Berg Harpviken, the director of the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, told the French news agency AFP that he had received a copy of the nomination letter,” reports CBS News. It was suggested that Trump should receive the prestigious award for “his vigorous peace through strength ideology, used as a threat weapon of deterrence against radical Islam, ISIS, nuclear Iran, and Communist China.”

Yes, the man who vowed to refuse the entry of Muslims into the United States has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his promise to use violence as a means to “peace.”

Along with Pope Francis, Nadia Murad, a Yazidi who escaped from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sexual slavery; Dr. Denis Mukwege, a surgeon treating victims of sexual violence in the Congo’s civil war; economist Herman Daly; The Club of Rome think-tank; and the Afghani women’s cycling team have been nominated for the prestigious award.

[Image: Shutterstock]

Heard On The Street: Meagan Good Sets The Record On Past Lovers

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“I haven’t been with Lil Wayne, I haven’t been with Jamie Foxx, I haven’t been with Nick Cannon. It’s really disappointing! Why would someone print something in a story that I never said and are not true and state it like it’s a fact?

“Wherever they got their information from, the point is the woman actually interviewed with me – and a lot of things that she said [in the article] were not things that I said. I never said I gave up sex after an ex-boyfriend cheated on me. That had nothing to do with why I gave up sex.”

— Meagan Good set the record straight on her past lovers during a broadcast of The Breakfast Club. The actress who was promoting her and her husband DeVon Franklin‘s book, The Wait: A Powerful Practice for Finding the Love of Your Life and the Life You Love, was the subject of a New York Post article that claims she had relations with Lil Wayne, Jamie Foxx, and Nick Cannon. Listen to Good’s full interview with The Breakfast Club here.

Q&A: Douglas Parks Is Changing The Face of Healthcare

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DougParks2X3#142As the VP, HR Transformation & Strategy at EmblemHealth Companies, Douglas Parks is responsible for providing leadership on all people-related initiatives, including all aspects of human resources strategy, operations, and organizational transformation. Leading a team of 50, his responsibilities include all aspects of human capital strategy and planning, organizational development, communications and change management, leadership development, total rewards including compensation, retirement and health benefits, talent management, employee engagement and employee relations in six locations across multiple states. Under Parks’s leadership, HR is developing a business aligned people strategy, implementing a new service delivery model, and developing opportunities to enhance organizational diversity & inclusion outcomes.

UPTOWN Professional spoke with Parks about EmblemHealth, the state of the healthcare industry, and how he plans to move his organization forward.

UPTOWN Professional: In your new role with EmblemHealth, one of your focal points will be around diversity and inclusion. What goals will you set for the company in this space?
Parks: At EmblemHealth, what I am learning is that we have done a good job of what I would call D&I 1.0.  That is, when you look at the representation of the workforce, you see women, people of color and a workforce that is representative of the world-class city we serve. We have managed these elements well.  We’ve created a sound platform. What I’d like to see us do now is leverage the good work accomplished in D&I 1.0 into the next phase of our D&I transformation. D&I 2.0 would mean:  1) being recognized as a leader in Diversity & Inclusion in the markets and communities in which we serve, 2) increasing our membership with diverse market segments via employee resource groups and employee participation rates in our community events, 3) enhancing the representation and cross-cultural competence of our leaders and embedding that competence in our HR processes like promotion and project selection, and finally 4) linking our efforts to employee engagement and its impact on the bottom line – growing our membership and ensuring that membership is satisfied with the services EmblemHealth delivers.

UP: Emblem just hired Karen Ignagni as its new CEO. How do you plan to partner with her in an effort to raise the visibility of your HR programs and process, including diversity and inclusion?
Parks: Karen makes partnering with her pretty easy. From the day she started with us, she understood and has been actively involved in HR programs and processes.  Be it the importance of having an engaged workforce to examining our leadership structure to our pay practices to ensure market competitiveness.  She wants to understand where the issues and opportunities are for us to engage and enable our workforce to help shape the future of Emblem.  As an HR leader, what you hope for in business leadership is an understanding of the role HR plays in delivering business results.  In this case, partnering has been natural.  We are presented with an opportunity to articulate how an HR organization can enable and accelerate both a cultural and business transformation our leadership team is shaping.  So, raising visibility requires HR leadership to adopt a new perspective and understanding of business imperatives and then develop a point of view of the people levers that will accelerate the transformation process.  D&I is a natural output of these activities.  From that standpoint we have been and will continue to be good partners, advocates and stewards of the people agenda.

UP: What do you see on the horizon in the healthcare industry from an HR perspective?
Parks: Healthcare is at an inflection point driven in part by things like an aging population and implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  Pressures such as these are leading to business activities such as increased re-organization and consolidation.  In fact, you are seeing some of this now with mergers and acquisitions dominating the headlines in our industry. We are seeing this sort of activity span many aspects of the healthcare ecosystem from pharmacy, like the recent announcement of Walgreens acquiring Rite-Aid or those impacting the insurers —Anthem’s announced acquisition of Cigna. What does this mean for HR? I would say it is an exciting time to be in HR as these sorts of activities demand an HR presence to accomplish three goals inherent in activities such as re-organizing or consolidation: 1) enabling growth beyond historical growth rates, 2) improving efficiency and 3) reducing the upside and downside people risk associated with these actions.  HR has to have a point of view on enabling and accelerating these types of business results so I would say this is an exciting time to be in healthcare and within HR.

UP: Talk a little about your background and the path that led to EmblemHealth.
Parks:  I didn’t “grow up” in HR. My background is marked more by business consulting, development and transformation than by what is traditional HR.  What this does is it gives me a business perspective atypical of some in HR allowing me to connect and speak the language of business. I enjoy being able to show how HR activities such as employee engagement, performance management, or diversity and inclusion impact the bottom-line.

UP: What is the growth strategy for Emblem from an HR perspective?
Parks:  From an HR perspective, we support the growth strategy by being the employer destination of choice for the best and most diverse talent within the markets we serve.  To become that, we have to do a few things well: 1) have a workforce that is highly engaged and motivated to deliver to their best, 2) employ a workforce that is representative of the membership we serve; and  3) invest in our people.  In fact, that’s our vision and when our employees show up feeling this way, we can deliver against it and as a result, our membership will experience “what care feels like.”

UP:  As HR organizations seek to be strategic partners to the business, what needs to happen in order for operating management to see the value HR brings?
Parks:   HR has to make the connection to business and membership outcomes.  As a service provider this is easy because so much of the value we bring is delivered through people and so clearly correlating people actions to business or membership outcomes is key.  For example, one of the things we are looking to understand is the correlation between our new membership with diverse market segments.   With this, we can begin to leverage a strength —   like our diverse workforce — and correlate that to things like membership growth, and attracting and retaining talent.  There are all sorts of cool and interesting things we can do with the right HR data and analytics.  It creates a much more powerful conversation with a business leader when we can demonstrate value in this way.

UP:  The NAACP recently released a report that indicates that there is a lack of diversity at the top levels in healthcare.  What are your thoughts on diversity in this industry?
Parks:  I am not sure about the industry as a whole.  What I can say is that in New York you have an incredibly diverse city and Emblem has a workforce that represents the membership we service.  In fact it is through our diversity – race and ethnicity as well as languages spoken and culture – that we are able to provide members an experience that is caring and engages employees. In a city as diverse and inclusive as New York, our members and employees would accept nothing less.

‘The People Vs. OJ Simpson’ Producer Commits to Hiring People of Color

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UPTOWN_ryan_murphyBy Isoul Harris

“I personally can do better,” says producer and director Ryan Murphy, creator and executive producer of Glee, Scream Queens, American Horror Story, and  the new FX series The People Vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, which debuted last night and instantly became the top trending topic on Twitter. Murphy is speaking of his commitment to diversity in hiring. He was inspired by former publicist Naci Ryder’s stirring speech at The Hollywood Reporter’s recent Women in Entertainment Breakfast. “Nanci said, ‘People in power, you have a position and responsibility to change the industry,’ and I thought, ‘She’s right,'” says Murphy. In response, Murphy has created Half, a foundation within his 20th Century Fox TV-based production company that aims to have 50 percent of all director slots on his shows filled by women, people of color and members of the LGBT community.

Bravo, Ryan Murphy for stepping up. Let’s hope his colleagues follow suit and diversity becomes normalcy.

Read the entire story here: thehollywoodreporter.com

[Image: Twitter]

14 Days Of Valentines: The Jewelry Of Nitya Chandra

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By Patrick T. Cooper

According to legend, Valentinus performed countless acts of love from healing the sick to marrying the forbidden. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re encouraging a different type of giving — unlocking your valentine’s heart with diamonds, rubies, pearls, and don’t forget furs. In our 14 Days of Valentines series, we are playing fashion cupid. Our hints will definitely aid in making your lover fall head over heels in bliss.

Feb. 3rd: Nitya Chandra

A rose, a dozen roses, and rose gold are the perfect sweetness to give your sweetie. Valentine’s Day just got a bit hotter with these delicately handmade designs and exquisite jewels from designer Nitya Chandra. Absolutely divine is an understatement for the Deco Fan Ring. Would you be his Valentine when he comes bearing gifts like these baubles?

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Nitya Chandra Deco Fan Ring in rose gold and silver, $275

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Nitya Chandra Deco Fan Earrings, $250

All available at NityaChandra.com.

For more than 15 years Patrick T. Cooper has consistently influenced fashion, art, and entertainment. With an innate creative ability, Cooper curates visual imagery that sets trends. Cooper mindfully manipulates color, texture, and layering to create a lifestyle and his mantra “Live in color,” which is an exercise to be and live freely. This attitude is evident in each uniquely designed piece of the Patrick T Cooper Resort Collection. For more information go to PatrickTCooper.com or follow him on social media @patricktcooper.

Forget Beer: These Super Bowl Cocktails Will Score Big

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Think beyond the beer keg as you prepare for your big Super Bowl 50 viewing party. Delight your guests’ taste buds, instead, with these Pinnacle Vodka-themed cocktails. Everyone’s mouth will be watering for either a spicy and savory Pinnacle Sunday Funday or a refreshingly sour Pinnacle Penalty Flag, but as host, you’ll be happiest because these Super Bowl cocktails are also easy to prepare. Go team!

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PINNACLE SUNDAY FUNDAY

  • 1 part Pinnacle Original Vodka
  • 1 part Tomato Juice
  • Dash of hot Sauce
  • Dash of horseradish
  • Dash of Worcestershire
  • Garnish
  • Stir and show your team spirit

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PINNACLE PENALTY FLAG

  • 1 part Pinnacle Original Vodka
  • 2 parts lemonade
  • 1 part club soda
  • Mix ingredients and garnish with a lemon wheel

[Main image: Shutterstock]


14 Days Of Valentines: Kosher Klassics Shoes

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By Patrick T. Cooper

According to legend, Valentinus performed countless acts of love from healing the sick to marrying the forbidden. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re encouraging a different type of giving — unlocking your valentine’s heart with diamonds, rubies, pearls, and don’t forget furs. In our 14 Days of Valentines series, we are playing fashion cupid. Our hints will definitely aid in making your lover fall head over heels in bliss.

Feb: 4th: Kosher Klassics

Designer Jamal Rashede makes the art of sharing love easy with the Kosher Klassics unisex shoe phenomenon. The Python Plebian shoe is fire engine red and sure to ignite the heart of your significant other. This shoe is a limited edition so be the trend and place your order today. The Real Housewives of Atlanta veteran and Grammy Award-winning singer/producer Kandi Burruss is a champion of the brand and I am sure you will be a fan too. Step into the love of Kosher Klassics!

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Python Plebian, $195.00

D.C.: Daniel Black ‘The Coming’ Book Signing At NMAAHC

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UPTOWN_daniel_black_the_comingOn February 11th, National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will host a discussion of and signing for Daniel Black’s novella The Coming. The program is entitled “The Coming: A Conversation with Daniel Black” in association with NMAAHC inaugural exhibition, Slavery and Freedom, which covers the experiences of African descended peoples from the Middle Passage through the end of the American Civil War.

The Coming (2015, St. Martin’s Press), written by Daniel Black, Ph.D., chronicles the Middle Passage endured by captured Africans on their tragic voyage to enslavement in the Americas. Dr. Black will discuss his third novel with Gregory Carr, Ph.D. Professor/Chair, African American Studies, Howard University.

Registration is strongly encouraged, though walk-ins will be welcomed. Visit nmaahc.si.edu for more details.

The first 20 people to register will receive a FREE copy of the book.

Books will also be available for sale and signing courtesy of Smithsonian Enterprises.

Date: February 11, 2016, 7 PM.

Location: National Museum of the American Indian, Rasmuson Theater 4th Street and Independence Av., SW, Washington, DC.

More information: Click here

First Look: Janelle Monae Stars In Pepsi’s ‘The Joy Of Dance’

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Pepsi is paying homage to music greats past and present with its Super Bowl 50 ad “The Joy of Dance,” starring singer/actress Janelle Monae.

The commercial follows Monae as music legends like The Contours (“Do You Love Me”) and Madonna pass her the mic. She puts her own spin on the Pepsi “Joy of Cola” jingle and channels the music icons all while two-stepping between decades.

RELATED: Serena Williams Explains Why You Should #DefyLabels

Tracing My Cruzan Roots: An Intimate Travel Diary

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Fashion blogger and writer Christina Brown travels to her family’s native island of St. Croix on a mission to solve certain mysteries about her ancestry. What she learns sheds light on her colorful family and herself.

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9 P.M. Monday
June 19th, 1912: the date of my great-grandmother’s birth. Lucille Sophia Clark also known as “Grandma Lucy”—an esteemed woman of Cruzan descent and mother of my late grandfather. She migrated to Harlem in the 1930s landing a job at a millinery making fine hats, gloves and accessories. My keen eye for style, perhaps, stems from my bloodline. Today, my mother and I stand on the land of her origin in less than 24 hours. Tonight, my mother un-boxes a treasure trove of context clues she left behind upon her passing. Pictures, death certificates and even paperwork claiming ownership of a plot of land now passed down to my mother as an inheritance. She spent her childhood summers on St. Croix running around on that land and now it belongs to her. Tomorrow, she will see it for the first time in over 45 years.

4 A.M. Tuesday
I can barely sleep. Not just because I waited until the last minute to pack, but also, because I’m anxious. This isn’t just another island-hopping expedition. I am bringing my mother and my 18-month old daughter, Cadence, on a three-generation family excursion to retrace our roots.

2 P.M. Tuesday
Final boarding call to San Juan, from which is a 30-minute journey south to St. Croix. Though there are not yet direct flights stateside to St. Croix, travel is seamless between the states and the USVI trinity. As U.S. territories, St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John are “No Passport Required” zones. Wheels up. Next stop—Cruzan soil.

2:30 P.M. Tuesday
The warm tropical breeze envelops us as we deplane. Smiling representatives from USVI meet us at the gate, while samples of the island’s native Cruzan Rum are being passed out by baggage claim. I take one to the head. Smooth, indulgent and indigenous. Everything I hope this trip will be.

3:30 P.M. Tuesday
Our guide insists we stop at a local eatery in downtown Christiansted called Gary’s Bakery. She boasts they have the best pastries on the island. As we enter, my mother recalls the sweet scents of guava tarts her grandmother used to make. When she sinks her teeth into one, it all makes sense. Her vivid connection to home is undoubtedly food.

4 P.M. Tuesday
Eyes widen and “ooohs” flood the backseat as my mother and I take in the view of our home away from home—The Buccaneer on St. Croix. A five-star resort overlooking the Beauregard Bay, the property boasts uninterrupted stretches of beach, acres and acres of green plush land, and private well-placed villas overlooking all of the eye candy that we’ve only had a few minutes to experience but already love. Anticipating sunset is an understatement.

5 P.M. Tuesday
The Buccanneer fills their main courtyard with the warmest of welcome receptions. Unlimited rum punch and light bites, steel pan jubilee and a moko jumbie stilt-walking performance you’d expect to see only at carnival. My daughter admires the moko jumbies from afar, whining her little bottom to the live Soca and playfully reaching up to them as they pass by. Her countenance changes when we have our chance to take photos with them.

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A LONGTIME FAMILY HOME IN ST. CROIX

They’ve gone from being distant entertainers to life-threatening giants. The other guests’ children reach out to her before she can fix her face to cry. She’s found new playmates already. In another corner of the courtyard, Mom chats it up with resort manager and heir, Elizabeth Armstrong. Her grandparents opened the doors to the sprawling Buccaneer nearly 70 years ago. It’s doubtful my mother and Elizabeth would’ve run into each other nearly 45 years prior. Regardless, they chat about childhood memories of summers on St. Croix as if they’re shared experiences. We’ve been graciously inducted into the Buccaneer Family.

9:30 A.M. Wednesday
We’re 30 minutes behind for our morning activities today after a full and enchanting evening of dinner and cocktails at farm-to-table eatery Zion Modern Kitchen and a driving night tour of downtown Christiansted with our driver Ames. He’s our unofficial tour guide this week. Cadence greets Ames with her morning toddler gibberish and a quick hand wave, offering him her pacifier (her most prized possession). Mom greets Ames with a “Good mawnin’”, laced with hints of that singsong Cruzan voice inflection my great-Grandmother used to use. Thirty-six hours on the island and it’s all coming back to her. We hop in and head back to Christiansted for a daytime glimpse at its historic sights and breathtaking boardwalk views.

10 A.M. Wednesday
One of St. Croix’s finest park rangers and historians gives us the rundown of the Christiansted boardwalk, its significance to the slave trade, the import and export of sugar (this island’s equivalent to gold) and the many settlers that have stepped onto Cruzan shores and made their claim to ownership.

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A JOYOUS CADENCE AND A REFLECTIVE CHRISTINA

11 A.M. Wednesday
Our next stop is a tour of Fort Christiansvern currently under a tight reconstruction schedule. We get special permission to tour the Fort while St. Croix’s finest work to restore it. Walking through those stonewalls is sobering. I peer into the small rooms used for slave punishment and solitary confinement and imagine my ancestors here 200 years prior. A beautiful island marred with a cruel past.

We hop across the street to the Steeple Building — an edifice constructed as a church by the Dutch in the 1750’s, now preserved as a historic site and museum. Cadence’s feet hit the ground with force as she weaves in and out of the church benches, the same way she does at our church back in the states.

12 P.M. Wednesday
Since arriving on St. Croix, we’ve heard only good things about “chicken shack” La Reine—a local favorite that visitors can’t help but pass through for it’s authentic Cruzan fare. So we head there in hopes of sinking our teeth into Johnnycakes and savory fresh-roasted chicken.

I approach the menu with one objective: sample everything. My mother’s taste buds are triggers for her childhood memory. After a near-fatal car accident years ago, much of my mother’s childhood memory is fuzzy. Food makes it clear. So we order a sampling of the “chicken and Johnnycakes” special, a side of baked mac & cheese, stuffing (which here on St. Croix is actually a flavorful mix of sweet potato, raisins, spices and bit of tomato paste) and a few other iconic side dishes. The Johnnycakes arrive and my mother’s expression is a mix of anticipation and fear. Her teeth sink into the warm fried dough and her anxiety moves to relief and bliss. Just like she remembered them, if not better.

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LITTLE CADENCE STEPS INTO HER HISTORY.

10 A.M. Thursday
We are in Frederiksted at the the historic sugar plantation known as Estate Whim (Mom spent half of her summers in Frederiksted where her Grandfather lived). My eyes immediately wander to the Instagram-worthy colored windows. I imagine myself an extra in a pristine and vibrantly colored film, set in the 1800’s when the historic site was first established. Every detail, from the Great House to the kitchen, slave quarters to wash-room have remained relatively unscathed and untouched. Our guide reminds me of a distant older relative with her warm smile, charming West-Indian wit and rehearsed-to-perfection rundown of the Estate’s history.

11 A.M. Thursday
After our self-guided expedition, the guide points Mom and I toward the St. Croix Land-marks Society Research Library and Archives. It’s there we uncover my family’s ancestry and figure out exactly where we’re from. Stepping through the doors, I’m surprised to find the archival library is about as small as an overpriced studio in SoHo. The space is covered wall to wall in file folders, books and paper. Everyone assisting in the library is a volunteer; elder residents of St. Croix with an impeccable knowledge of the archives that have recorded every baptism, death and even plantation ownership.

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ESTATE WHIM SUGAR PLANTATION

11:30 A.M. Thursday
Within minutes, the elders, like walking encyclopedias, have located and identified Lucille Sophia Newton – my great-Grandmother: daughter of Amos and Celicia Newton. They trace our ancestry back to plantations on the North side of the island in an area called Betsy’s Jewel. I’m almost proud our province of origination ends in “jewel”. There’s something regal about it. They show us my great-Grandmother’s baptism certificate and date; that she had a brother, whom my mother recalls as “Uncle Isaac” but who is listed by birth record under another name completely. My mother mentions the name of an elder first cousin who lives in Frederiksted but whom she can’t seem to track down. One of the elders nods in reassurance “I knew huh. She wahlk wid a lihmp?” My mother smiles, almost in tears. “Yes that’s her! She had a limp. Does she still live here? Is she still alive?” The elder admits she hasn’t seen her in years. Pieces of the puzzle are coming together but there are still a few missing.

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CHRISTINA MAKES A NEW FRIEND

12:30 P.M. Thursday
After an eventful and insightful trip to Estate Whim, we head up into the rainforest for lunch at the Mt. Pellier Domino Club. Taking the scenic (and slightly bumpy) road up into the rainforest is an experience not to be missed. On the menu for us today: burgers and the most unforgettable glasses of Mama Juana I’ve ever tasted. As a seasoned traveler, I’ve had my fair share of Mama Juana. This gentle mix of rum, honey and herbs at Mt. Pellier Domino Club is otherworldly though. Slightly spiced. Warm sweet perfection.

On the menu for the infamous “pet” pigs in the outhouse at Domino Club? Beer. The pigs drink beer out of the can and you cannot leave Domino without at least one person in your party feeding them. The beer cans are $2 each. The memories are priceless. Our driver Ames insists. My mother opts out. Cadence looks at me in terror. I become the sacrificial daredevil. I take two cans of beer and the keys to the barn. It’s time to feed the pigs.

2 P.M. Thursday
After braving the pigs (if you go, feed Vic—he’s friendly), it’s back to our history expedition. My mother insists we go visit the plot of land her great-Grandmother left her as inheritance. She pays ownership taxes on it every year but she has never seen the land that bears her name.

2:30 P.M. Thursday
Through the gate, my mother peers on in wonder. Commercial businesses now sit atop the plot of land. However, the home she visited as a child, her Uncle’s home, is still there. It’s in the middle, seemingly untouched. “Why did they keep the house? Why didn’t they knock it down?” More unanswered questions.

3 P.M. Thursday
We spend our last few hours with Ames heading to a cousin’s home in Catherine’s Rest. There, my mother greets her older cousin for the first time in years and asks her the unanswered questions we have about our relatives still residing on the island. When Mom is nearly satisfied with her quizzing, we depart for the hotel. It still hasn’t set in that we leave tomorrow.

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THREE BEAUTIFUL GENERATIONS OF CRUZANS

11:30 A.M. Friday
As we depart The Buccaneer, an iguana slips by our caravan as if part of the departure committee. On the ride to the airport, Ames in-forms us of the upcoming Centennial celebration of the island’s independence from Dutch rule. The year is 2017 and major celebrations are being prepared. “We’ll be back,” insists Mom. I nod my head in agreement as Cadence tosses her pacifier on the floor of the caravan. She clearly isn’t ready to leave. Her pacifier is how she marks her territory. Though it took nearly 45 years for my mother to return to her childhood summer home, this may be the resurgence of her annual expedition. This trip solved some mysteries and uncovered others. There’s more digging to do.

[Images: Quiana Adams]

Earth, Wind & Fire Founder Maurice White Dies At 74

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Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, died in his sleep in Los Angeles on Thursday morning, his brother confirmed. The 74 year old suffered from Parkinson’s Disease.

“My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep,” Verdine White, also a member of the band, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

“While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.”

The iconic soul band is still known for hit songs like “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Shining Star,” and “After the Love Has Gone.”

White’s condition had taken a turn for the worse in the past months. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1992.

Ten years after Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a band in 2000, White was honored individually with an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

White was known by his nickname of Reese, and has also worked with The Emotions, Barbra Streisand, Cher, and Neil Diamond.

Earth, Wind & Fire paid homage to White via Twitter:

RELATED: Gone But Not Forgotten: Celebrity Deaths Of 2015

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Heard On The Street: Jazmine Sullivan On Over-Valuing White Artists

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“I guess I’m glad that people are recognizing me in some way, and kind of see there’s a little injustice in how Black soul artists are received. But, at the same time, I try not to focus so much on the negativity. I think it’s just a matter of making myself known to more people. I think it’s about spreading Jazmine Sullivan’s brand, I guess, to more people. [The people who listen to me] may not be as many people [who] listen to Adele. There are people who are listening. There are people who appreciate me. There are people who love my music.”

— Jazmine Sullivan discusses, in a recent interview, a double standard in the music industry in which Black artists are undervalued and white artists, like Adele, Sam Smith, and Justin Timberlake, are over-valued.

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[Image: Instagram]

Weekday Distraction: Rihanna, George Clooney Play Never Have I Ever

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Rihanna joined George Clooney on the Ellen DeGeneres Show for a rousing game of Never Have I Ever. During their game, Ellen DeGeneres asked Clooney and Rihanna questions involving texting “a nude selfie,” swimming “naked in Lake Como” and the definition of “hooking up.”


14 Days Of Valentines: Gina Cartwright’s Charmed Circle

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By Patrick T. Cooper

According to legend, Valentinus performed countless acts of love from healing the sick to marrying the forbidden. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re encouraging a different type of giving — unlocking your valentine’s heart with diamonds, rubies, pearls, and don’t forget furs. In our 14 Days of Valentines series, we are playing fashion cupid. Our hints will definitely aid in making your lover fall head over heels in bliss.

Feb. 5th: Charmed Circle

Gina Cartwright makes Valentine’s Day gift-giving a breeze with an assortment of fab Charmed Circle finds for your honey. Woo your lady with inspirational bangles engraved with notable quotes from legendary designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel, or send your girl globetrotting with a snow globe pendant. Either way this designer will leave her smiling … Hopefully the answer will be YES when you spin the needle on the decision maker charm.

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Inspirational Bangle, $245 each

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Snow Globe Pendants, $345

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Decision Maker Charm, $295

For more than 15 years Patrick T. Cooper has consistently influenced fashion, art, and entertainment. With an innate creative ability, Cooper curates visual imagery that sets trends. Cooper mindfully manipulates color, texture, and layering to create a lifestyle and his mantra “Live in color,” which is an exercise to be and live freely. This attitude is evident in each uniquely designed piece of the Patrick T Cooper Resort Collection. For more information go to PatrickTCooper.com or follow him on social media @patricktcooper.

Super Bey Weekend: Full ‘Formation’ Beyonce

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If you were wondering how Beyonce could play second fiddle to Coldplay‘s Chris Martin during the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show, she didn’t. Instead, Beyonce was working on a master plan, turning Super Bowl Weekend into Super Bey Weekend.

On Saturday, the Queen Bey surprised her fans by releasing her new single “Formation” and an accompanying music video via Tidal. The epic video, which was directed by Melina Matsoukas and borrows from director Abteen Bagheri and producer Chris Black short documentary That B.E.A.T., celebrates Beyonce’s roots in Louisiana and Black American life. “Amid frenetic dance numbers and Southern cotillion-style costumes, the video takes on themes such as police-involved violence, Hurricane Katrina and Creole culture,” describes CNN.

Then, Beyonce took the Super Bowl Halftime stage on Sunday and left most fans asking, “Who’s Coldplay? Who’s Chris Martin? Who’re the Denver Broncos? Who’re the North Carolina Panthers?” She rocked the show and was a definite favorite.

Soon after, Beyonce announced “The Formation World Tour,” with tickets going on sale on Feb. 15th.

14 Days Of Valentines: Sustainable & Recycled Soothi Jewelry

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By Patrick T. Cooper

According to legend, Valentinus performed countless acts of love from healing the sick to marrying the forbidden. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re encouraging a different type of giving — unlocking your valentine’s heart with diamonds, rubies, pearls, and don’t forget furs. In our 14 Days of Valentines series, we are playing fashion cupid. Our hints will definitely aid in making your lover fall head over heels in bliss.

Feb. 6th: Soothi

Recycled wood can be the perfectly conscious gift for your V-Day vixen. Give her your heart and make it a pair. Nothing says love like hearts!

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Coconut Heart Earrings, $16

For more than 15 years Patrick T. Cooper has consistently influenced fashion, art, and entertainment. With an innate creative ability, Cooper curates visual imagery that sets trends. Cooper mindfully manipulates color, texture, and layering to create a lifestyle and his mantra “Live in color,” which is an exercise to be and live freely. This attitude is evident in each uniquely designed piece of the Patrick T Cooper Resort Collection. For more information go to PatrickTCooper.com or follow him on social media @patricktcooper.

CELEB IG WKND: Beyonce, Lamar Odom, Super Bowl 50 & More

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This weekend was all about Super Bowl 50 and Beyonce‘s “Formation” takeover, but there also was a “sighting” of a very missed Lamar Odom.

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You had to be under a rock to have missed the release of Beyonce‘s “Formation.”

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Bruno Mars took the stage of the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show, along with Beyonce and Coldplay.

RELATED: Super Bey Weekend: Full ‘Formation’ Beyonce

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Lamar Odom joined estranged wife Khloe Kardashian and her sister Kim Kardashian West for a hike on “Super Soul Sunday.”

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Drake had that “Hotline Bling” for T-Mobile’s Super Bowl 50 commercial.

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Ayesha and Steph Curry were all smiles while rooting on the North Carolina Panthers.

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Tyrese and Brandy spent Super Bowl 50 Weekend together.

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Usher and his wife were also in the Bay Area for the Super Bowl.

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Lady Gaga delivered a moving rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Super Bowl 50 kicked off.

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Chrissy Teigen only need the assistance of her mom to prepare a Super Bowl snack.

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Adrienne Bailon brought the sexy to the Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area for Super Bowl 50.

Pour It Up: Delicious Yet Low-Key Bubblies

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Whether Champagne or sparkling wine, these delicious and low-key bubblies are always in season.

By Max Petite

Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé

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With Valentine’s Day around the corner, this fruity rosé pairs perfectly with chocolate and raspberries. And if you are thinking of whipping up a meal for that special someone, choose something in the family of pork tenderloin or salmon trout tartar, maybe with a fresh goat cheese to start. ($48) Nicolas-Feuillatte.com

2015 WKND Brut Sparkling

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In large thanks to the millennial generation, sparkling wine is no longer reserved for special events or monumental occasions. Now, #OnATuesday ranks alongside #newjob or #engagement and the 2015 WKND Brut Sparkling can satisfy each scenario. Billed as the “California Champagne” and a “Prosecco-style” American sparking wine, with its nice notes, exceptional price-point and fun allure, WKND could become your consistent weekday treat. ($13) ClubW.com

RELATED: 14 Days of Valentines

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