REFLECTION & REASON

It was an absolute honour for me to connect with Kamila McDonald-Alcock , learn about her personal history, her academic journey, and how she successfully manages her goals and career, all while staying grounded and family-oriented. In an age of reality TV, underserving idols, staged publicity scenes, contrived personas, and 15 minutes of fame for empty spirits and bad role models...it is rare that you discover someone who is worthy of emulating, celebrating, or acknowledging with a genuine level of respect. Kamila is a woman in the public eye who represents the heart and soul of womanhood: intelligence, humility, health and beauty, talent and grace, and still manages to put family first. Known to many for her participation in the Miss Jamaica World pageant in 2009, last August Kamila married Jamaican recording artist Siccature "Jah Cure" Alcock . And while those two descriptors alone may be reason enough to pay attention to the work of Kamila, it is actually only the be...

So pleasant, yet so vulgar. So charming, yet so facety. So local, yet so international. Dufton Taylor Jr. (aka Tony Matterhorn) is a real character ...and a real talent. When you hear people talk about " it " factor, he's definitely got it.    I woke up this morning to routinely check my phone, which includes a quick scan of Twitter to see what's up in news, entertainment, the city, abroad, and just a synopsis of what's going on. Only to find a series of posts by Matterhorn , in true uninhibited fashion.  I understand that's the nature of Twitter: to speak your mind, to show your real self to friends, fans, and followers near and far. But there is something ridiculously authentic about Tony Matterhorn's Tweets that always make me think, this guy is something special. And he's FUNNY. Extremely.  It's a creative energy. A talent. An awareness, and most importantly a genuine connection with his culture and fans that he s...

He got me! I saw the title, and of course assumed that much like his first book "Do You," that "Super Rich" would be an outlined guide to career, business, and self-empowement. I thought there would be lists, and details, and specific steps that would lead readers one step closer to millions. But Russell Simmons is smarter than that. Smart enough to give his book an appealing title...but also rich enough to know that he's one of the best people to speak about what being "rich" really means . Released in January of 2011, "Super Rich" is Russell's account of how he achieves personal satisfaction--despite his financial success, and how he feels that "inner" wealth and progress is much more liberating than any monetary figure. Easy for the rich guy to say . In fact, he says that a few times in the book, knowing that any reader would also share the same sentiments. It's easy for the guy with millions to tell you that it's no...

Tupac Amaru Shakur died 16 years ago today, September 13, 1996. We all know the story: he was shot in Las Vegas on September 7, after the Mike Tyson fight at the MGM Grand...and the mystery of his murder has yet to be solved. It's a story of a hip hop legend . A timeless story of an intelligent rebel ...constantly fighting to be heard, to raise social awareness, and staying true to self, true to his black nationalist upbringing, and true to his fans. We loved Tupac because he was an original . In an era of 101 rappers talking loud and saying nothing...Tupac remains a classic artist. His passion, his energy, his lyrics, and his off-stage persona were always consistent. He was doing things his way, and he wanted everyone to know exactly who he was, and what he believed in. I was a fan. Musically, I was a fan of the hits...admittedly, I never got too deep into the B-Side tracks and underground creations. I was definitely a fan of his acting. I watched the movie Juice (no word of a lie...

Sister Souljah. Omar Tyree. Iyanla Vanzant. John Singleton. Eckhart Tolle. Terry McMillan. These are the handful of writers who have influenced me through their words over the years. Influenced me in my decisions and ideologies, my passions, and my goals. After reading " How to Get Out of Your Own Way" I can now add Tyrese Gibson to this list. It didn't take me long to read this book. In fact, in less than a day, I was engrossed in his words from start to finish, and closed that book with a literary satisfaction I haven't experienced in a while. The satisfaction of reading GOOD writing. The satisfaction of LEARNING something new and knowing that the application of the lessons would make a significant contribution to my personal and professional life. The satisfaction of turning pages mechanically and eagerly, and taking in each and every sentence...straight to my soul. This is the joy of reading that every writer enjoys! The essence of publishing that is refreshing!...

Michelle Obama is fabulous. Simply fabulous. It's the morning after her September 4th speech at the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I can't help but still feel inspired. It doesn't happen often. But when inspiration hits me, I have to pay attention to it. When there's a message sent to me...I have to listen. The message I got from Michelle Obama last night was a message of strength, a message of passion, and a message of social responsibility. What Michelle Obama represents, in my opinion, is a woman of character...a woman of intellect, and a woman of great humility. It's so powerful that one woman can simultaneously represent all of these great traits...yet it's so motivating, because you know from her story and her history, that it is not impossible to at least attempt to follow in her footsteps. She is just one woman. One of many throughout history who have led others, who have inspired others, and who have st...