Island Dreamin’
'We don't do di strip tease here!'
Stalagmites
Monkey Business
New African Fashion by Helen Jennings
Once upon a time it wasn’t cool to be an African kid growing up in Brixton.
Stereotypes of poverty, ‘strange’ food and foreign accents failed to supply street cred’… What’s it they say about having the last laugh?
Monday night saw the launch of ‘New African Fashion‘, the beautifully crafted coffee table book celebrating all things nubian, fashion, beauty and design.
Great to catch up with old and new faces; Shingai Shoniwa (Noisettes), Nigerian AfroBeat Star – 2Face Ndibia, fashion father and son duo – Joe and Charlie Casely-Hayford to name a few…
Daley “Spent”
I’m on a musical high today.
Daley. That’s all I’m going to say.
Add to that, Remember where you heard about him first.
That’s it.
Nuff said.
14th “Hide Yourself”
Nothing beats when you think you’re silently miming along to your iPod in a public place only to learn when the track accidentally pauses you were actually singing louder than you thought. Sadly random stares and sniggers confirm Chrissa, no you really can’t sing.
So to ease your drums, allow me to introduce you to 14th. Led by front woman extraordinaire Tracey Duodu and producer Tom Barber. They’re a sonic force to be reckoned with – think 2 step through to velvety R’n'B. Enjoy…
F*%k Famine
“You’re not throwing that bit of chicken away are you?”
It might be the little piggy in me, but I’ve always hated wasting food. To know that in 2011 30,000 children have died from hunger in just 3-months is absolutely appalling and too sad to think about.
I remember having a conversation with a friend years ago on whether God exists or not. His argument included that if God existed there would be no hunger in the world. Hunger in 2011 is completely man made. There is NO reason for any of the 6,852,472,823 human inhabitants of this world to starve. Political instability, poverty and changing weather climates and the fundamental reasons, but if we really wanted to it needn’t be the way.
I despair at corporations such as Pret A Manger and M&S who throw out perfectly good food at the end of the day because ‘health & safety’ regulations prevent them from selling post best before end - give it to the homeless at least!
Truth be told there’s a new F word in town. Fuck Famine.
The BIG Conversation
Other than copulation and food consumption there’s very little else I can think of that beats the joys of good old conversation. Yeah baby, I’m talking; chin wag, natter, pillow talk, tète-à-tète, colloquy, confabulation – the whole shebang!
What’s the saying, ‘a problem aired is a problem shared’? All too often we talk, but then do we listen with equal measure? I know I’m guilty of it, what we hear is not often what is being said – reading between the lines either adds to the problem or solves it.
Ladies, how many times have you asked your girlfriends for their interpretation of his actions? Or guys why is it that you don’t get that she’ll never understand where you’re coming from if you don’t tell her?!
It seems so obvious doesn’t it???
Well, I’m hoping to get a few things off my chest and learn some too, I’m delighted to have been invited to sit on the panel for the inaugural BIG Conversation, courtesy of Ivy Munro.
Hosted by none other than Reuben Christian, I’ll be joining the likes of funny woman extraordinaire Angie Le Mar, the big boss man and Lord Alan Sugar’s former Apprentice winner Tim Campbell and ITV newsreader Charlene White. Flying in from the states is ‘the real life Hitch‘ Paul Carrick Brunson. We’ll be talking today’s relationships, love, sex, dating, marriage and gender roles. There’s going to be laughter, the truth – you may not want to hear and plenty of Aha! Moments (Oprah we got you 
It’s all going to kick off on Saturday 17 September at the Clapham Grande, with an after party at the BFI Southbank Centre to follow. Are you ready for the BIG Conversation? For more info and tickets click here.
Written Off
So a very good friend of mine once said, “Friends come into your life for a reason, season or lifetime!” I quote this often as I’ve been blessed and have acquired many friends of the lifetime variety. An eclectic range who bring ridiculous amounts of banter, humour, love and life lessons. But in the past two years no one has perhaps taught and inspired me more than Ellie Jeffrey.
Ellie and I have been friends for 10 years; we were on the same Broadcast Journalism course at Leeds University. I think we bonded over a shared sense of ironic humour, fitness and being les enfants des divorce.
Chinese buffet all-you-can-eat back in Leeds (circa 2004)
Ellie grew up up north and I in London. We graduated; she moved to the big smoke and started grafting hard for her career in journalism. I started writing for a women’s magazine and working as a broadcast assistant on BBC Radio London. We’d have endless catch ups where we’d question our career paths and if it was worth all the sweat, tears, arsehole bosses and feelings of slow progression. My course went about a tangent, but Ellie persisted and not before long was working as a reporter for Sky News.
… Fast forward a year or two; Ellie received some news, which at 27 you quite frankly don’t expect to hear. After discovering a lump she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
What?
No.
The biggest shock – ever, but not more so for Ellie.
I don’t want to attempt to tell Ellie’s story on her behalf, because I can’t. Back in May this year, just after Ellie had returned to work and she was recovering towards normal. She was told the cancer had in fact returned and spread. Not only had it spread to her pelvis but she was given the prognosis that she had just ‘more than three months’.
I struggle to type that. When confronted with the reality of our mortality it gives life a whole new perspective. I’ve always thought that if we were told our ‘expiry dates’ at birth, many of us would lead very different lives.
Ellie has started to document this journey with her blog Written Off; not only is it beautifully written but through Ellie’s experience, I think we can all share and learn a heightened sense of humanity, not taking things or people for granted. As she said to me the other day (to this effect), “Chrissa, when something’s not working in your life take control.”
We all have the option to live our best possible lives, but all to often excuses and self pity get in the way. I’ve always admired and loved Ellie, but never more so than now, her strength, optimism, positivity and zest for getting on with it is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Through her experience I’ve gained so much strength, learned so much about seizing the opportunity and being fearless as I do so. What’s to lose? Tell the guy that you love him, go travelling, get over the grudge… Anything really is possible.
She came over for lunch the other day, with a fresh new hair cut and I had to say, “Ellie to be honest if you were to tell somebody walking down the street what you’re going through, they wouldn’t believe you.” Girlfriend is looking fllllyyyyyyyyy!
To read Ellie’s story in her own words (you must) visit Written Off
Images of Black Women 2011
Wow, it’s that time of year again!
This weekend (8-10 April) sees the 7Th IBW Film Festival at the much loved Tricycle Theatre. Be prepared for two fantastic days of independent and classic films. Including, I Will Follow, For Coloured Girls and Chico & Rita - a beautiful animation about Afro-Cuban jazz. Ever wondered what it takes to put together an animation movie? Well come and find out at the Filmmaker’s Forum. The festival will also include live performances.
For tickets and further info, please visit http://www.imagesofblackwomen.com/
*IBW is an annual festival that celebrates the broad and diverse talent of black women in film – both on and off screen.
While the festival celebrates black women, everyone is invited!
A change is gonna come…
For how long will we speak of the trials and tribulations of the black woman’s hair. I’m tired. And bored. And I think I’ve just about rocked every other style, so I’m ready to head to the next frontier. That’s right baby, Mama’s coming home and heading in with a ‘fro.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
- “I am not my hair!” -India Arie
Watch. This. Space…
