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:

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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.

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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!!

The BookJam @ Silverbird - June 26

Thank God I’m Natural!

This is not a review of the book of the same name. I will do that in a later post.

I just watched the much talked about documentary ‘Good Hair’ written and produced by comedian Chris Rock. I know this came out ages ago, but it was good to see it at last after all the interest it had generated – especially among natural-haired women.

"Thank God I’m natural" was all I could think at several points during the movie. In his quest to find out what the term ‘good hair’ means, Chris Rock explores the significance of hair to African-American women, how they are wearing their hair, and what, if anything, makes hair ‘good’ or ‘bad.’

Although he does not advocate wearing one’s hair in any particular way, it was noteworthy to me how the benefits of being natural glimmered through occasionally but strikingly.

For a start, he speaks with a white scientist who explains the effects of sodium hydroxide (a main ingredient of relaxers) on a can of Pepsi. After soaking in the sodium hydroxide for several hours, the body of the can has totally corroded away. When Rock mentions that Black women who relax put this compound in their hair, the scientist asks incredulously, ‘Why would they do that?’

In another scene, we see Rock speaking to a woman who is getting her hair done about the effects of relaxer on her hair. Her complaint about how relaxers burn the scalp and break the hair off is redundant, because we can clearly see that most of her hairline is gone.

That was painful to watch, because I remember those days of retouches so vividly; particularly the accompanying scabs that I’d be gingerly peeling off my scalp for the next week or so.

The documentary goes on to explore weaves as a styling option and Rock visits Chennai in India to see where the hair that constitutes the ubiquitous ‘Indian hair’ weave comes from.

I knew that much of this hair comes from unsuspecting donors, but I had no idea just how ignorant they were about where their hair would eventually end up. Some long locks are given in a religious ceremony either as a sacrifice for a closely held desire or as a thanksgiving for answered prayers. The hair, unbeknown to the donors, is sold to hair factories where it is cleaned and packaged for sale in the West as human hair weaves. In some other cases, we are told by a hair ‘expert’ (aka hair thief), that some locks are snipped off the owners’ heads while they are sleeping in a public place or at the cinema engrossed in the latest Bollywood offering. Imagine waking up to realize that your hair is gone and imagine also the curses the women would rain on whoever stole their hair! I cannot imagine sewing hair with such bad vibes into my hair.

After spending anything from $1,000 on their human hair, many women are unlikely to engage in any activity that would ruin the hair. Understandably so. But I cannot imagine returning to the days of being scared to work out (and sweat out my style), swim, get caught in the rain, enjoy the wind sweeping through my hair or in short most fun physical activities.

In one poignant scene, a group of high school students talk about how “afros are cute and all”, but how they would not take seriously anyone in a professional setting who wore their hair that way. It was sad, because it’s apparent that European ideals are looked upon as the standard of what is professional and stylish. However, what the young women did not consider was that just as with non-natural hair, there are varieties of styling options and yes, some styles do attract more attention than others. What was especially sad was that even the lone student with the afro seemed to agree that her hair was not presentable for a work setting.

I read some reviews of this documentary with the opinion that Chris Rock had the perfect opportunity to make a case for natural hair. Perhaps yes, he did, but I don’t believe that was what this film was about. It was one man’s exploration of African American women and their hair. Also, there is the tendency for the makers’ personal preferences to influence the slant of the film.

I was miffed at how Chris Rock suggested that a man might prefer a woman with natural hair, only because she’d be easier on his pocket. However, I appreciated the attempt to discover what the styling trend was among black women (note: the scene where he tries to sell nappy hair at some hair supply stores. You'd either find the reaction of the store managers hilarious or offensive.) At the same time, he failed to push further to question why straight, silky hair is the gold standard in hair styling. Nonetheless, I thought there was volume spoken in what was left unsaid.

In the end, actress Tracie Thoms eloquently summed-up most people’s attitude to natural hair: It is incredible that my decision to wear my hair the way it comes out of my head would be considered revolutionary.

And I totally concur! Women who have made the decision to remain natural really should not be looking to any source – this documentary included – for validation of their hair care choice. Like Tracie Thoms stated, you have to wear your natural hair with conviction, because there is so much pressure on you to relax.

Ultimately though, what it boils down to is that you need to make the decisions that work best for you – whether that’s to remain natural, wear a head-full of weaves or relax your hair.

Finale: Farafine Trust Creative Writing Workshop

The Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop ends with a literary evening on May 29th at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos. Time is 3pm.

The event will be featuring readings by Chika Unigwe, author of The Phoenix; South African writer Niq Mhlongo, author of Dog Eat Dog; Ghanian author and playwright, Ama Ata Aidoo; Caine Prize winner, Bard Fellow and director of the Chinua Achebe Centre for African Writers and Artists, Binyavanga Wainaina and a host of others.

Admission to the event is free.

Ben Enwonwu Foundation: Young Artist of the Year

The Ben Enwonwu Foundation (BEF) cordially invites you to an art competition for children, the Ben Enwonwu Foundation Young Artist of the Year (BEFYART) 2010.

The competition is scheduled as follows:

Date: June 10, 2010

Venue: National Museum, Onikan, Lagos

Time: 11:00am

There will be side attractions including music, cultural performances and comedy.

For more information, visit the BEF website target="_blank", www.benenwonwufoundation.org, or call +234(1)7379753 - 5 or +234-8033129276.

Funding Resource for NGOs from Women Thrive Worldwide

A wonderful new funding resource for women-centered groups and organisations:

Women Thrive Worldwide is proud to announce the release of its Fundraising Guide for Women’s Community-Based Organizations. 

We frequently notice that local organizations have difficulty navigating the often complex world of international assistance and fundraising. This guide was written to help bridge that gap.

Outlining the basic concepts of professional fundraising, the guide seeks to assist our community partners through a collaborative process to increase access to effective resources. From practical advice based on years of experience in professional fundraising in the United States to detailed instructions on how to write grant proposals, budgets and reports, the principles and methods we introduce are applicable globally and can be tailored to local environments.

To download the free guide see http://bit.ly/bHSAxG.

Launch of the Young Feminist Wire / AWID YFA

AWID's Young Feminist Activism program has launched the Young Feminist Wire, an online platform for young women working on gender equality everywhere around the world.

The Wire is a hub of information by, about, and for young feminists: tools and resources, opportunities and calls for participation, news and updates, in addition to collaborative activities. It also features blog posts, interviews, directories, and a registration form that allows you to plug in to a network of young activists and older allies.

Book Event: The BookJam @ Silverbird

The BookJam @ Silverbird is a monthly event that consists of book readings, discussions, musical performances, poetry recitals, book signings and a raffle draw. At each edition of the BookJam you have the chance to meet and discuss with some of our finest writers—and you might win a prize too, if you buy their books.

The BookJam is hosted by A. Igoni Barrett and the Silverbird Lifestyle store.

The 4th edition of the BookJam will hold between 3 to 5 pm on Saturday 22 May 2010 at the Silverbird Lifestyle store, Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The guest writers are:

SADE ADENIRAN is a graduate of the University of Plymouth and also spent time as an exchange student at the University of Massachusetts. She has written various pieces for theatre and her work has been performed at the Lyric, the Bush and the Riverside Studios. She won the “Best First Book Prize” (Africa Region) in the 2008 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for her debut novel Imagine This. She lives and works in London, and is working on her second novel.

CHUMA NWOKOLO is a lawyer and writer. He was writer-in-residence of the Ashmolean Museum and chair of Leys Newspapers, Oxford. He is the publisher of African Writing magazine. He has written short stories, novels and poetry. His story, Diary of a Dead African, was chosen by La Internazionale as one of the 3 best stories worldwide in 2003. He lives in the UK.

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE is the author of Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, and The Thing Around Your Neck. Purple Hibiscus won the 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Overall Winner, Best Book) and Half of a Yellow Sun won the 2007 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. Her latest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, was shortlisted for the 2009 John Llewellyn-Rhys Memorial Prize. She lives between Nigeria and the US.

BINYAVANGA WAINAINA is the founding editor of the literary magazine Kwani?. He won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2002 for his story Discovering Home. He is currently a Director at The Chinua Achebe Center for African Writers and Artists, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian, Granta and National Geographic.

Raffle prize sponsor: DAVID WEJ (DW) CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Refreshment provided by: COKE

Admission to the BookJam is free. Members of the audience who purchase books during the event stand a chance to win a special prize in the BookJam raffle draw. Any questions about the BookJam should be emailed to auggustmedia@gmail.com

Program for Technology-Enabled Business Women

A new six-month programme, FEMTECH, is being launched to provide business support services to women who wish to establish and grow their own technology-enabled businesses. The programme is being funded by the Embassy of Finland, South Africa and is being executed in collaboration with the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

This programme is aimed at those who are:
- Existing woman business owners with demonstrated entrepreneurial skills and who are preferably running technology-enabled businesses and wish to grow the business substantially, or who
- Want to introduce an innovative product or service (at least at the concept stage) into an existing business, or who
- Plan to spin out a business from a corporate environment.

Training will take place between July and October and will consist of group-centered learning as well as individual mentoring and coaching.

Twenty applicants will be chosen for the programme. Shortlisted applicants should expect to be interviewed and will be required to present their concepts at the end of June 2010. The Selection Panel’s decision is final and no further communication or correspondence will be entered into.

Deadline for submission: 31 May 2010

Contact Jill Sawers on jlsawers@gmail.com
or +27 082 214-5915 or Tina James on +27 82 460-7915 for more information.

Book Reading: Sade Adeniran

Following a very successful book reading on Saturday for author Adaobi Nwaubani, publishing house Cassava Republic is organising another one with details below:

Sade Adeniran will be reading at the House of Makeda on Sunday, May 23 at 4:00pm.

When: Sunday, May 23, 2010
Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Where: House of Makeda, 7 Manuwa St, off Keffi St, off Awolowo Road, SW Ikoyi