For Naturals: Champagne, Cupcakes and Curltalk

For the naturals living in Lagos, the Kinky Apothecary is holding the 2nd edition of Champagne, Cupcakes and Curltalk on Saturday, July 31 2010 from 3 to 7PM.

I wasn't at the last event, but apparently it was a great time of sharing tips and advice on how to care for natural hair. This upcoming session promises to be just as good.

Get more details from the Kinky Apothecary blog.

Literature's Newest Star

I read I Do Not Come to You By Chance several months ago and it was the wittiest book I had read in a long while. Here's an interview with the writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani on BellaNaija.

Global Social Benefit Incubator

For those in the California area:

****************

Santa Clara University's Center for Science, Technology, and Society is inviting people to see business plan presentations by its 2010 Global Social Benefit Incubator Entrepreneurs from around the world.

When: Thursday, August 26, 2010

Where: Locatelli Center at Santa Clara University

Agenda:
7:15 - 8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Business Plan Presentations
12:00 - 1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 - 6:15 p.m. Business Plan Presentations
6:15 - 7:45 p.m. Reception

The Global Social Benefit Incubator (GSBITM) program at Santa Clara University enables proof of concept social ventures that serve the base of the pyramid to become sustainable at scale. It combines classroom instruction in finance, marketing creation, organizational development, and business planning with case studies, best practices and, most importantly, carefully matched Silicon Valley mentors. The invited entrepreneurs have demonstrated that their innovations can have a significant impact on alleviating poverty and empowering human development in the most adverse circumstances around the world.

In 2010, the STS Center launched a three-year initiative to focus on “Renewable Energy for the Underserved.” This initiative will explore several segments of the clean energy field including off-grid power and light and related value chain organizations such as technology providers. This year, we have 12 social entrepreneurs that are representing the Renewable Energy Sector in the GSBI class of 2010.

At the August 26th summary business plan presentations, you will see how the unique GSBI learning environment contribute to the innovative adaptation of technology and models of social change, in combination with validated business plans, to accelerate the potential for social entrepreneurship to benefit all of humanity.

RSVP at the event page or email gsbi2010@scu.edu.

For further information call +1.408.551.6027 or email sdale@scu.edu. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please call the Center or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY-California Relay) at least 48 hours prior to the event.

Video: What is good black hair?

Seen on NaijaBlog: A video on the Guardian website about black women (in the U.K.)'s hair choices.

Natural Hair Section on BellaNaija

BellaNaija has introduced a column on natural hair called The Cotton Crown. It's great to see. I've seen more attention paid to nappy hair over the last year, including an article in Next, a feature in (shock! horror) This Day Style, a section in the UK beauty magazine Black Hair & Beauty (this was quite vast).

I don't believe that this has translated into a wider acceptance of natural hair, although I do see more nappies around. I guess those who have been natural all along feel more comfortable wearing their hair out and those who would never dream of wearing their hair this way still feel the same way.

Betsy in Spite of Herself

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

The words of William Shakespeare as quoted in the book I just finished Betsy in Spite of Herself.

I'm so glad that I stumbled serendipitously on this series last year. How can it be that a book about a young women written just over a century ago can feel so modern? Betsy Ray has ambitions that I did not expect a lady living in the early 20th century to have (not prioritising marriage above her writing career, her disinterest in acquiring domestic skills, her strong desire to see the 'great world' and her wish to live a varied and rich life).

Now this has me turned onto exploring the works of Louisa May Alcott and Jane Austen to read more about women's lives 'back then.' Other recommendations welcome.

And the quote above? Betsy finds out in the most interesting way that it's not worth anything pretending to be anything other than who you really are.

JG on Facebook

So our president is moving with the times and now has a presence on Facebook.

Syster's Pass-it-on Grants for Women in Computing

If you are a woman in computing, who is building-up other women's technical skills and awareness, then you should take a look at the Syster's Pass-it-on grants.

This is an initiative of Systers - the online community of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology.

You can learn more about the grant and see past winners.

FATE Foundation Programme for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs

FYI for budding business women.

*************

Fate Foundation in partnership with Citi Foundation presents to you the 2nd batch of the women's programme titled The Leading Female Entrepreneur coming up on the 9th and 10th of August 2010. This program is targeted at aspiring and budding Nigerian women between the ages of 18 -45 that are posed for leadership and entrepreneurship achievement.

The programme will take place in Fate Foundations Lagos office and would run for 2
days. The programme would involve successful and prominent Nigerian entrepreneurs
facilitating, budding and equipping entrepreneurs with the skills, tools, techniques
and necessary networking methods required to maintain successful businesses in the
Nigerian business environment.

Registration for the programme is on and ends on the 4th of August 2010. Registration
fee cost N5000 only. Breakfast, lunch, materials for the program and certificates will be provided.

Interested participants are to download and fill the application form, pay the
registration fee into our Guaranty Trust Bank Account number 201/110752/3/110. The
filled application form attached with a copy of bank teller MUST be sent in hard copy
to our office 1st floor, Lagos State Water Corporation Building, Ijora Lagos or in soft
copy to mojieleso@fatefoundation.com. Please note that any application recieved after the 4th of August will not be considered.

For further inquiries please call Moji on 01-8797074 or send me a mail via
mojieleso@fatefoundation.com. Please endeavor to register promptly as we have limited seats for the programme.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Moji
Coordinator, Short Entrepreneurial Courses
Fate Foundation
+234.1.879.7074

Unleash the 80s

I LOVED the Unleash the 80s show when it used to come on Silverbird TV. Sadly, it disappeared just after I had become well and truly hooked. my fix for old school music has since been filled by Classic FM, but I just saw the link to the Unleash the 80s website via Linda Ikeji's blog. Here you can listen to old school music ALL DAY LONG!! I'm in 1980s heaven right now. LOL!!