Coutura's Five Personal Highlights of 2010

As I'm creating my vision board for 2011, I started to think about all the great moments I've experienced in the past year. (Btw, you already heard about one of my BIG New Year's Resolutions to go natural...excited!)

Confession: I'm always moving so fast that sometimes I forget to slow down, breathe and marvel in all the amazing blessings that have come my way in the last twelve months.

So...with that said, here are five highlights and the lessons they taught me in 2010. Take a look and tell me yours in the comment section.


1 - Becoming a director of a website

When I started this blog, it was soo a way to express myself and my obsessive love for all things Fashion. Little did I know, it would pave a career path. Since leaving The Magazine, I have been blessed with so many opportunities in the digital space, primarily due to this blog, which makes me overwhelmingly proud we took the risk to get it started.


2 - MET Gala

After attending the MET Gala this year, one of the writers I look up to (who has an amaze blog, Black Bridal Bliss) said it was on her bucket list. It was that comment that made me slow down from all the impending deadlines and assignments to say, wow something amazing just happened.

I partied with people that I have always admired from Karl Lagerfeld to Oprah Winfrey to Sarah Jessica Parker to Anna Wintour. The night was so magical I still can't even believe it happened. The lesson here: live in the moment!

3 - The Glamazons Blog

Omg, I love this blog! This year, we saw record numbers in traffic (woot!) and next year is opening up so many opportunities including a site makeover we're so excited about it!

From waxing poetic on our career dramas, to dishing about parties we attend (Glamour Women of the Year Awards, Why Did I Get Married Too? Premiere above) to interviewing our favorite stars (Kandi, Chrisette Michele, Ameriie, Fergie, Letoya Luckett, June Ambrose, Sessilee Lopez!) to going on trips (ESSENCE Music Festival, Ford in Atlanta) Glamazons is truly a labor of love.

This year also saw us recognized by other media outlets and fashion brands like Rachel Roy, iVillage and WEEN. I'm excited to see where 2011 will take us!

 

4 - Penn Station Outreach

The beginning of this recap should, in no way, make you think life in New York City is easy. For every moment of excitement where Ferocia and I are literally living our dreams, there's some struggle to bring us back to reality: almost being evicted, lead/bed bugs/mice taking over our apartment (true story!), getting laid off, writing for sites and not getting paid, those moments where you strongly consider going to Jersey/Texas to a warm home with food and a regular day job.

But none of those rough times compare to that experienced by homeless people here in the city, especially in the Winter. The Penn Station Outreach helped drive that point home for me. Just a few trips offering warm food and beverages, and coats/gloves to people in Penn Station, and to see how touched they were by kindness from a random stranger, made me grateful for the apartment and life I do have. I definitely want to do more, and give more, in 2011.

5 -  The Word 'No'

Another reality check that quells all talk of life in NYC being easy? The word 'No.'

It was at the Black Girls Rock! Awards when Raven-Symone matter-of-factly said, "If someone tells me No, I just say: you're not the person I should be talking to." A light bulb went off on my head then. To accomplish something great, you often have to stand on a ledge and do things people have never done, or never thought possible.  

Ferocia and I have already been blessed with opportunities that most people don't expect this early in the game. And every time we've had doubts or second thoughts about pursuing a goal, the thought comes in our heads: "Well, the worst they could say is 'No' ... and even then, we can find another way."

And the funny thing is, most times, they DO say Yes. One of the most important qualities to have when trying to succeed is resilience. That was one of the lessons I learned in 2010 and now, in 2011, 'No' is no longer a dream crusher, or a roadblock, for me.


What are your highlights, and lessons from 2010? And what's on your vision board? Tell me in the comments.


Kisses,


Coutura

A Day in the Life: Black Girls Rock! Awards

It's a good time to be a woman (wait...isn't it always though? hehe).

I barely came down from my high following The Ween Awards this summer, where I interviewed sheroes, Soledad O'Brien, Nia Long and Valeisha Butterfield (if you don't know her, google her) on the pink carpet, when I received an invite to Black Girls Rock! Awards. While they were slightly different, I left both shows feeling inspired, lifted and proud.

Black Girls Rock!, held at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, particularly blew me away. The night started with me dressing up in a garment from my fave new emerging, supertalented designer, Sammy B. Designs (below, more on her later). With her suggestion, I belted her glamazing blazer as a dress (don't you love it, glams?).

 The arms of the blazer were covered in rosettes and it gave shoulders. Truly, a beautiful garment!

In that blazer and with my hair done (thanks to Sharon Alexander of Done-Up Salon), I was so ready to hit the pink carpet. There, Jill Scott, Ciara, Keri Hilson, Keyshia Cole, Free, VV Brown, Ledisi and more showed up looking like a rockstar. Check out my favorite looks below:

 

Raven-Symone showed off her slim physique in a neon fitted dress.

One of my favorites, Malinda Williams, gave a funky dark cut and pop of leopard print on the pink carpet.

Jill Scott blew me away with a short cut, leopard pumps, fur, lace and shades. Werk!

Black Girls Rock! founder, DJ Beverly Bond, was pretty in black with a fitted dress and long, luscious hair.

So excited to see VV Brown get some shine! She kept all eyes on her with her winged sleeves and standout poses.

Ledisi's voice is nothing short of incredible! Her winged-sleeve cape and slim pants made for a sophisticated look.

 

Ciara gave fur, leather and plenty of cross chains - truly a rockstar moment!

The energy in the room was just as fabulous! Everyone was excited for the fifth show and first-ever taping of the Black Girls Rock! Awards. You could feel how momentous the occasion was for the organization, founded by DJ Beverly Bond, BET and black girls in general!

Everyone was sweet, from Ciara who I ran into in the bathroom to Jill Scott who looked fab and, ahem, slimmer on the pink carpet. When the show finally started, the feeling of sisterhood only intensified.

The stage at Black Girls Rock! taping

Without giving away too much, here are my highlights:

-Nia Long was an amazing, hilarious host with a fab wardrobe thanks to superstylist June Ambrose. Her best moment of the night? When she was speaking about "unsung heroes," she made a mistake and said "unhung." Then to clean it up, she goes: "I don't know nothing about unhung." Neither do we, Nia. Hilarious!

-Ledisi blew everybody away as part of a foursome with Jill Scott, Kelly Price and Marsha Ambrosius performing "Four Girls" from the For Colored Girls soundtrack. Incredible! Ledisi's verse at the end was soul-stirring and unforgettable. Lucky us: since they were taping, we got to hear it twice!

-The Videos: Real women like AIDS activist, Hydeia Broadbent, were recognized with inspiring video clips throughout the night, and celebrities like Tracee Ellis Ross and Anika Noni Rose taped charming, funny and sometimes emotional videos telling the world why they rock! 

-Keke Palmer and Raven-Symone both won awards (Who's Got Next and Young, Gifted & Black respectively) but the most touching moment is when Raven presented Keke with her honor. Raven told everyone she had to come back to the stage after her win to share the love with her girlfriend! It was a cute, sisterly moment.

-Lynn Whitfield presented Ruby Dee the Living Legend award with a heartfelt speech about meeting Ruby Dee as a theater student at Howard, giving her best imitation of Dee's famous stutter and cadence. Even Ruby Dee herself had to laugh.

These were only some of the moments that made Black Girls Rock! a night I'll always remember. The other performances (Jill Scott, VV Brown, Shontelle, Keyshia Cole, Keri Hilson, Monica and more) and honorees' speeches (Iyanla Vanzant, whose speech received a standing ovation, Major General Marcelite J. Harris, Missy Elliot and more) were just as phenomenal!

 

My fave, Jill Scott shutting the stage down with a performance of 'Golden.'

Two women I look up to, Iyanla Vanzant and Ruby Dee sharing smiles and laughs on the red carpet.

My only suggestion? I think the guys should get more involved next year...if only to tell us how much we rock! Don't you agree?

Anyway, trust me, you don't want to miss the show when it airs on BET on November 7th, 2010. Come back and tell me what your "highlights" are.


Kisses,

Coutura