Written by Danica Hobbs-Reed
I recently had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful woman of God who offers Christian financial classes to women. She empowers all women in regards to monetary issues. She shared her story at a workshop I attended.
This lovely woman informed us that she recently moved to the Youngstown area from Nashville, Tennessee. She stated that where she lived in Nashville, it was much different from our area. The region she moved away from, the average price of homes was about $200,000 and up. She acknowledged that everyone she knew had swimming pools and very modest cars. However, when she relocated to Youngstown, Ohio where the median price for a home is much lower, not only was it a culture shock to her but she stated she had a true awakening after she saw the beautiful, diverse women of this community. She continued to inform us that in all her travels she had never seen women, much like ours. She declared that everywhere she looked she saw very well groomed women from top to bottom. She noticed that women in this area were always fabulous looking from their hair to fingernails. She then in turn coined an endearing term for what she noticed in our town. She called it “Youngstown Fabulous”.
I believe there has never been a more charming phrase than “Youngstown Fabulous” to describe our charismatic women of this area. I myself being a native here all my life, understand exactly what she means. Although our population over the last 40 years or so has dwindled down, our aspiration of greatness is still holding strong. We may only have a population of about 70,000 but our ambitions here are as big as if we lived in Atlanta, Georgia. Our goals are as big as if we stayed in New York City. Our never ending struggle for achieving the American dream still is as vast as if we lived in Los Angeles, California!
Now mind you, here lies the problem. I did inform you at the beginning of this article, that I met this very intelligent woman in her financial workshop! BINGO!!!! Are you following me now? Do you see where I’m heading with this?
You see in all of our “Youngstown Fabulousness”, we have forgotten one small detail. If we are placing everything that we deem as valuable just on our bodies alone we have truly missed the mark. If our lifestyle as far as things and stuff are concerned is our only substance, than we will easily fall short economically, spiritually and otherwise.
What else do some people have to show besides Fendi, Gucci, and Coach? Do we have 401K’s or 403B’s or stock options, mutual funds or even savings and checking accounts? Are we clearing up credit card debt, tax liens and or car notes? I am sure that we are, or that we will very soon!
I believe this year women in this region especially will become more fiscally responsible than ever before. I am encouraging women to take control of their finances. I am praying for women to start businesses and write books, and own their own homes. I am hopeful that every woman in this city credit score will read 700+ very soon.
In essence I believe an outsider has seen the wonderful potential in us and she truly desires for us to see it in ourselves. Her amazing insight to the true beauty of the women in this area is to the betterment of us all. After we take her advice then and only then can we truly wear the title of “Youngstown Fabulous”. And wear it well we will!!!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
IN GOD I TRUST
Written by Danica Hobbs-Reed
Have you ever tried reading the newspaper or watching the news lately? Well don’t! Please do not even bother reading about the deviant abilities of our human nature. Likewise, do not bother yourself by watching ill-willed individuals try to destroy all that is sacred.
In times as crazy and confusing like these, I am thankful for what has been instilled in me since I was a child. What is now a bad word here in America…… Christianity, at this very moment in time, is my strength!! It’s all that is tangible to me right now. It is the only thing that I can grasp onto and I know it will not fail.
I was born and raised in the Baptist faith. Although now, I consider myself more non-denominational, my Baptist roots are still there.
We who are in the Baptist faith call ourselves Baptist because we believe in John the Baptist teachings of Jesus Christ. We believe in John the Baptist ideas in the confession of Christ, repenting from sin, and submerging of the body for baptism. Baptist beleives these principles are the closest precepts to the truth regarding Christianity. The word Christian is derived from Christ aka Jesus Christ (for those of us who have not been to Church in awhile)! Christianity means we are followers of Jesus who God sent to save us from our sins.
Since the economy tanked, jobs have been destroyed, trust in our financial system has been almost completely done away with, my Christian beliefs are the only thing still left in my life that is hard, concrete basis of truth for me. Believe me I know that you can no longer say that you are a Christian here in our country without some type of negative backlash, or disapproving whispers, or even the dreaded sighs and occasional eye rolling. However, after everything we have witnessed over the last several years, in my opinion, basically we are living on borrowed time. There is no time like now to say that I truly thank God for Jesus. Moreover, if there was ever a time we needed Jesus' saving grace, it is no time like the present. So in God I will trust….always!!
Have you ever tried reading the newspaper or watching the news lately? Well don’t! Please do not even bother reading about the deviant abilities of our human nature. Likewise, do not bother yourself by watching ill-willed individuals try to destroy all that is sacred.
In times as crazy and confusing like these, I am thankful for what has been instilled in me since I was a child. What is now a bad word here in America…… Christianity, at this very moment in time, is my strength!! It’s all that is tangible to me right now. It is the only thing that I can grasp onto and I know it will not fail.
I was born and raised in the Baptist faith. Although now, I consider myself more non-denominational, my Baptist roots are still there.
We who are in the Baptist faith call ourselves Baptist because we believe in John the Baptist teachings of Jesus Christ. We believe in John the Baptist ideas in the confession of Christ, repenting from sin, and submerging of the body for baptism. Baptist beleives these principles are the closest precepts to the truth regarding Christianity. The word Christian is derived from Christ aka Jesus Christ (for those of us who have not been to Church in awhile)! Christianity means we are followers of Jesus who God sent to save us from our sins.
Since the economy tanked, jobs have been destroyed, trust in our financial system has been almost completely done away with, my Christian beliefs are the only thing still left in my life that is hard, concrete basis of truth for me. Believe me I know that you can no longer say that you are a Christian here in our country without some type of negative backlash, or disapproving whispers, or even the dreaded sighs and occasional eye rolling. However, after everything we have witnessed over the last several years, in my opinion, basically we are living on borrowed time. There is no time like now to say that I truly thank God for Jesus. Moreover, if there was ever a time we needed Jesus' saving grace, it is no time like the present. So in God I will trust….always!!
RELAX ON THE RELAXERS!
Written by Danica Hobbs-Reed
Ladies! Relax! I mean stop relaxing…………your hair, that is.
My husband and I were settling down after a hard days work when I suddenly had an epiphany!
While randomly surfing the channels he stopped at a movie called “X”. For those of you not familiar with “X”, it was an autobiographical account of the life of Malcolm X, a non-traditional civil rights activist. The part of the movie playing at that time was concerning Malcolm X receiving a relaxer in his hair from a friend. Back then the term was called “conking” your hair. This time period at most, was no earlier than 1950 something! Anyway, Malcolm X informed his friend who was “conking” Malcolm’s hair to “get it (it-meaning his hair) really straight”.
The procedure of relaxing ethnic hair to this day has not changed at all . It is still truly a disaster. The practice of straightening hair is called relaxing; however, there is nothing relaxing about the whole entire process. First your hair is oiled with some type of highly lubricated base product comparable to Crisco, Valvoline, or something to that effect. Shortly thereafter, the relaxer itself is added. Supposedly not to your scalp, but that point is always argumentative because your scalp starts to burn immediately. This excruciating pain so often endured by women of ethnic backgrounds is only comparable to one thing I believe. That would be having a baby with no medications rendered to you at all! After sitting for awhile and receiving second and third degree burns on your scalp, it is now time to wash one of the most dangerous chemicals ever known to man out of your head. As you start your high speed run from the chair to a sink, a million thoughts race through your head. One most common thought to me during this awful process is................. WHY!
Why would we put ourselves through such a horrible process? Could it be just for the sake of beauty? More often, I believe we do it for the sake of acceptance. Our culture has long dangled between opinions of what is acceptable hair in the eyes of the public. Culture has dictated to us that there is a line between “good hair” and “bad hair”. Seemingly “good hair” is straightened, processed hair. While “bad hair” is portrayed as “kinky” or “nappy” hair.
My problem with this procedure is that we have put people on the moon in the last 50 years. We have built the most gorgeous structures known to man. We have developed inconceivable technology for our world today. Yet we cannot find a more efficient way to process ethnic hair! To me this is completely unacceptable.
So therefore ladies, I am running on the platform of “Relax on the Relaxers!” I am taking a stand. I have put the very last relaxer in my hair. I will yell this slogan from every rooftop. I will proclaim this slogan from city to city and state to state……. (well at least here in Youngstown, OH and we will see how the rest goes!-Smile.)
Things did not turn out so well with Malcolm X relaxer procedure either. This scene of Malcolm X concluded with his head starting to burn from the relaxer. However, the police department shut off the water to his house due to his criminal activity. Therefore his last resort when it came to rinsing out his relaxer was to stick his head in the only water source available to him at that time……. the commode.
To me, that sums up the whole entire process of relaxing our hair. The whole method can nowadays be flushed down the toilet!!
Ladies! Relax! I mean stop relaxing…………your hair, that is.
My husband and I were settling down after a hard days work when I suddenly had an epiphany!
While randomly surfing the channels he stopped at a movie called “X”. For those of you not familiar with “X”, it was an autobiographical account of the life of Malcolm X, a non-traditional civil rights activist. The part of the movie playing at that time was concerning Malcolm X receiving a relaxer in his hair from a friend. Back then the term was called “conking” your hair. This time period at most, was no earlier than 1950 something! Anyway, Malcolm X informed his friend who was “conking” Malcolm’s hair to “get it (it-meaning his hair) really straight”.
The procedure of relaxing ethnic hair to this day has not changed at all . It is still truly a disaster. The practice of straightening hair is called relaxing; however, there is nothing relaxing about the whole entire process. First your hair is oiled with some type of highly lubricated base product comparable to Crisco, Valvoline, or something to that effect. Shortly thereafter, the relaxer itself is added. Supposedly not to your scalp, but that point is always argumentative because your scalp starts to burn immediately. This excruciating pain so often endured by women of ethnic backgrounds is only comparable to one thing I believe. That would be having a baby with no medications rendered to you at all! After sitting for awhile and receiving second and third degree burns on your scalp, it is now time to wash one of the most dangerous chemicals ever known to man out of your head. As you start your high speed run from the chair to a sink, a million thoughts race through your head. One most common thought to me during this awful process is................. WHY!
Why would we put ourselves through such a horrible process? Could it be just for the sake of beauty? More often, I believe we do it for the sake of acceptance. Our culture has long dangled between opinions of what is acceptable hair in the eyes of the public. Culture has dictated to us that there is a line between “good hair” and “bad hair”. Seemingly “good hair” is straightened, processed hair. While “bad hair” is portrayed as “kinky” or “nappy” hair.
My problem with this procedure is that we have put people on the moon in the last 50 years. We have built the most gorgeous structures known to man. We have developed inconceivable technology for our world today. Yet we cannot find a more efficient way to process ethnic hair! To me this is completely unacceptable.
So therefore ladies, I am running on the platform of “Relax on the Relaxers!” I am taking a stand. I have put the very last relaxer in my hair. I will yell this slogan from every rooftop. I will proclaim this slogan from city to city and state to state……. (well at least here in Youngstown, OH and we will see how the rest goes!-Smile.)
Things did not turn out so well with Malcolm X relaxer procedure either. This scene of Malcolm X concluded with his head starting to burn from the relaxer. However, the police department shut off the water to his house due to his criminal activity. Therefore his last resort when it came to rinsing out his relaxer was to stick his head in the only water source available to him at that time……. the commode.
To me, that sums up the whole entire process of relaxing our hair. The whole method can nowadays be flushed down the toilet!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
A HEALING FOR MY SOUL
WRITTEN BY Danica Hobbs-Reed
I am from a small town in Northeast, Ohio. I was mainly reared by a family of strong-willed African-American women…..my mother, grandmother, and aunt. I was brought up with God fearing principles and basic, decent moral values. I was shaped with undying love and strict discipline.
Out of the many things I inherited from the women in my family, two things were left out; self-esteem and self-confidence. Socially, my childhood was a disaster. I am a darker-skinned female, so for the most part, well…I’m going to stop right there (because if you were a dark –skinned women growing up especially in America, you know how the rest of the story goes)! Years of torment from other children cut hard and deep in my soul. Being told "you are too skinny", "too dark", and "too ugly" cut like a knife. Being told “you are not smart enough", “you are not good enough”, “you are not worthy enough” dampened my spirit and soul.
This experience in my childhood affected me so much. It stuck with me throughout my adult years up until very recently.
On January 20 2009, I was honored and blessed to see the most miraculous and amazing thing I probably will ever see in my lifetime. There was an intelligent, beautiful, strong, poised African-American female (dark-skinned woman mind you), whom entered into the world’s spotlight as our First Lady. Michelle Obama for the next four years, at least, will be a symbol to all women. Essentially, my hope is that when a young girl of any complexion, but especially dark skinned little girls, see Mrs. Obama, they will feel as though they are no more less than anyone else. My wish is that when a young girl looks at Mrs. Obama’s dark skin they receive strength from every being of her. I am anticipating that when little girls look at her complexion they will see a Harvard Law degree and know that she was good enough and so in turn, they are good enough to accomplish the same. I am anticipating that when little girls look at her complexion and see amazing beauty, my prayer is that they will no longer be ashamed to look in the mirror. My hope is that after seeing Mrs. Obama, young women no matter how emotionally scarred they are from their past, can take pride in knowing to not let other people define them. My prayer is that these young women will know they are beautiful and smart and can accomplish any and everything.
For all intents and purposes, my experience watching Michelle Obama on January 20, 2009 was almost like my redemption. I myself, after watching her felt as though it was the best therapy I could ever have received……..for free! It was truly a healing for my soul!
I am from a small town in Northeast, Ohio. I was mainly reared by a family of strong-willed African-American women…..my mother, grandmother, and aunt. I was brought up with God fearing principles and basic, decent moral values. I was shaped with undying love and strict discipline.
Out of the many things I inherited from the women in my family, two things were left out; self-esteem and self-confidence. Socially, my childhood was a disaster. I am a darker-skinned female, so for the most part, well…I’m going to stop right there (because if you were a dark –skinned women growing up especially in America, you know how the rest of the story goes)! Years of torment from other children cut hard and deep in my soul. Being told "you are too skinny", "too dark", and "too ugly" cut like a knife. Being told “you are not smart enough", “you are not good enough”, “you are not worthy enough” dampened my spirit and soul.
This experience in my childhood affected me so much. It stuck with me throughout my adult years up until very recently.
On January 20 2009, I was honored and blessed to see the most miraculous and amazing thing I probably will ever see in my lifetime. There was an intelligent, beautiful, strong, poised African-American female (dark-skinned woman mind you), whom entered into the world’s spotlight as our First Lady. Michelle Obama for the next four years, at least, will be a symbol to all women. Essentially, my hope is that when a young girl of any complexion, but especially dark skinned little girls, see Mrs. Obama, they will feel as though they are no more less than anyone else. My wish is that when a young girl looks at Mrs. Obama’s dark skin they receive strength from every being of her. I am anticipating that when little girls look at her complexion they will see a Harvard Law degree and know that she was good enough and so in turn, they are good enough to accomplish the same. I am anticipating that when little girls look at her complexion and see amazing beauty, my prayer is that they will no longer be ashamed to look in the mirror. My hope is that after seeing Mrs. Obama, young women no matter how emotionally scarred they are from their past, can take pride in knowing to not let other people define them. My prayer is that these young women will know they are beautiful and smart and can accomplish any and everything.
For all intents and purposes, my experience watching Michelle Obama on January 20, 2009 was almost like my redemption. I myself, after watching her felt as though it was the best therapy I could ever have received……..for free! It was truly a healing for my soul!
TEENAGERS: You Can't Live With Them and You Can't Lock Them In The Basement!!
Written by Danica Hobbs-Reed
Okay! Go Ahead! Ask my mother. Unequivocally the answer will be Yes. I was a very good teenager, in regards to attitude that is. I did not make my mother’s life a living hell as a teenager. I sat in my room mostly, while listening to my Jodeci, Boyz II Men and Heavy D cd’s. When I would break up a with a boyfriend, so what if I ran everyone crazy with her Peobo Bryson records over and over again until my brother begged on his life for me to stop. “Can You Stop The Rain” is a wonderful break-up song!
By no means am I stating I was a perfect teenager. Situations like trying to sneak out and do things that my mother did not know about have occurred occasionally! For Instance, I told her that a boyfriend of mine lived across town, when in actuality, he lived right around the corner! When she would send me on errands to the grocery store, I would stop by his house. When I returned home she would inquire what took me so long, I would reply, “The store was soooo crowded.” Sometimes I would also tell my mother that I would be at the local library studying with my friend Nikki. When in reality we were really on the Youngstown State University college campus trying to peek at the star quarterback Ray Isaac! Did I skip my last week of high school entirely because I knew I was graduating anyway? Of course!
I am stating all of this to point out that my two teenagers are driving me crazy. Their horrific attitude’s alone is just grueling. So, therefore, I can not even fathom placing the “sneaking around” aspect of being a teenager into the whole scenario. This generation of teenagers are so distorted when it comes to their outlook and approach to life. Their attitude and demeanor shows a shallowness of major disproportion. The "millennial generation" need for extreme “entitlement” (thinking that the world owes them something) is truly complex . It is a very difficult generation and culture to govern at times.
My generation was deemed “Generation X”. The media derived our name from the letter X because they felt we were a lost generation. We were thought to have no identity. It was stated that we were trying to "find ourselves". Personally, I was never lost and I do not believe that this is the case for our “millennial generation” either. I believe this generation knows exactly who they are and what they want out of life. The problem is that they are not truly aware of any other person in this life at times, except themselves. The lesson they need to learn is that the same people you step on going up, are the same people you will encounter when coming down. Their view on life must be bigger than themselves in order for them to truly succeed.
One of my grandmother’s most infamous sayings were, “You can catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.” Translation: You will get better results if you try to kill people with kindness than with coldness. Our generation of teenagers, on the other hand, have taken the stance that indifference is the way to success.
Why have they taken this position on life? We, as a society have instilled in our children that high accomplishment is everything and attitude is least on the moral code of standards. We have raised high achievers but low ethical mind-set individuals. You see, our society dictated to our children that you have to get A’s, but we never addressed the attitude behind the grades. It is the same principle as to why now all children receive trophy’s and awards for attending sporting activities, but their attitude’s disregard good sportsmanship. We have taught our children to win, but never taught them how to loose.
How as a society can we correct this problem of attitude with our teenagers? Well I haven’t the slightest idea! If you have some feel free to contact me!! I thought locking them in the basement until the end of puberty was a good start, but I heard it is against the law here in northeast Ohio. (Laugh!)
Grandma would also state at times, “A hard head makes a soft behind!” Translation: You may have to make every mistake in the book before you learn your lesson in life! In lieu of grandma’s advice, maybe just prayer and faith for this generation of teenagers on behalf of their view on life is the best advice for them altogether. I guess we will just have to wait and see how it all turns out!
Okay! Go Ahead! Ask my mother. Unequivocally the answer will be Yes. I was a very good teenager, in regards to attitude that is. I did not make my mother’s life a living hell as a teenager. I sat in my room mostly, while listening to my Jodeci, Boyz II Men and Heavy D cd’s. When I would break up a with a boyfriend, so what if I ran everyone crazy with her Peobo Bryson records over and over again until my brother begged on his life for me to stop. “Can You Stop The Rain” is a wonderful break-up song!
By no means am I stating I was a perfect teenager. Situations like trying to sneak out and do things that my mother did not know about have occurred occasionally! For Instance, I told her that a boyfriend of mine lived across town, when in actuality, he lived right around the corner! When she would send me on errands to the grocery store, I would stop by his house. When I returned home she would inquire what took me so long, I would reply, “The store was soooo crowded.” Sometimes I would also tell my mother that I would be at the local library studying with my friend Nikki. When in reality we were really on the Youngstown State University college campus trying to peek at the star quarterback Ray Isaac! Did I skip my last week of high school entirely because I knew I was graduating anyway? Of course!
I am stating all of this to point out that my two teenagers are driving me crazy. Their horrific attitude’s alone is just grueling. So, therefore, I can not even fathom placing the “sneaking around” aspect of being a teenager into the whole scenario. This generation of teenagers are so distorted when it comes to their outlook and approach to life. Their attitude and demeanor shows a shallowness of major disproportion. The "millennial generation" need for extreme “entitlement” (thinking that the world owes them something) is truly complex . It is a very difficult generation and culture to govern at times.
My generation was deemed “Generation X”. The media derived our name from the letter X because they felt we were a lost generation. We were thought to have no identity. It was stated that we were trying to "find ourselves". Personally, I was never lost and I do not believe that this is the case for our “millennial generation” either. I believe this generation knows exactly who they are and what they want out of life. The problem is that they are not truly aware of any other person in this life at times, except themselves. The lesson they need to learn is that the same people you step on going up, are the same people you will encounter when coming down. Their view on life must be bigger than themselves in order for them to truly succeed.
One of my grandmother’s most infamous sayings were, “You can catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.” Translation: You will get better results if you try to kill people with kindness than with coldness. Our generation of teenagers, on the other hand, have taken the stance that indifference is the way to success.
Why have they taken this position on life? We, as a society have instilled in our children that high accomplishment is everything and attitude is least on the moral code of standards. We have raised high achievers but low ethical mind-set individuals. You see, our society dictated to our children that you have to get A’s, but we never addressed the attitude behind the grades. It is the same principle as to why now all children receive trophy’s and awards for attending sporting activities, but their attitude’s disregard good sportsmanship. We have taught our children to win, but never taught them how to loose.
How as a society can we correct this problem of attitude with our teenagers? Well I haven’t the slightest idea! If you have some feel free to contact me!! I thought locking them in the basement until the end of puberty was a good start, but I heard it is against the law here in northeast Ohio. (Laugh!)
Grandma would also state at times, “A hard head makes a soft behind!” Translation: You may have to make every mistake in the book before you learn your lesson in life! In lieu of grandma’s advice, maybe just prayer and faith for this generation of teenagers on behalf of their view on life is the best advice for them altogether. I guess we will just have to wait and see how it all turns out!
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