Creating Gifts from The Heart -- Dsenyo

Hi Love,

Perfect for the holidays and special celebrations are the well known Dsenyo greeting cards. Today I discovered that these cards are handcrafted by the Umoja Group for members of the Dzaleka Refugee Camp. These cards are not only an income generating project but also a symbol of empowerment for women in Africa. As we know the Dzaleka Refugee Camp was created as a safe haven for women and men fleeing genocide, violence and wars in Africa.

Founded by Marissa Perry Saints these cards are created with 100% recycled paper and colorful African fabrics. Each card comes blank inside perfect for thank yous, birthdays and get wells. In addition to creating greeting cards, Dsenyo also makes a variety of chic fashion accessories. Check out their beautiful work below sold on dsenyo.com.

Zimba Snare wire Leaf Earrings 

http://www.dsenyo.com/products/snare-wire-leaf-earrings

Handmade Greeting Cards

http://www.dsenyo.com/products/handmade-greeting-cards

As a business geared toward handcrafting jewelry and cards, this company is also helping to rebuild the lives of African genocide and war victims. By purchasing items from their website you can help them in their effort toward betterment for an entire nation of people. 

-- Love Rae

Inga Dyer - The Woman Behind Revolt TV & Media

Hi Love,

To my surprise, I discovered a woman working at Revolt TV & Media. Revolt as many may know is one of the creations of Sean Combs, an African American mogul who enjoys working with individuals who are as passionate as him. Throughout history, he has worked with top artists and mangers however his most successful media venture to date besides his own career is Revolt TV. For Combs to place one of his prized possessions in the hands of one woman she had to be powerful.

Inga Dyer is the Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs at Revolt TV & Media. Her job entails overseeing contracts for new business opportunities as well as ad sell agreements. At the age of 43, she has achieved her current status by gaining work experience at a variety of black owned media enterprises such as Magic Johnson Enterprises and BET. She graduated from Howard University and also attended Howard University School of Law. Not only does she have a law degree but she has also achieved becoming a business leader by founding her own law firm which she opened in November 2009.

She's working with the best! Learn about Mr. Combs philosophies in the video below:

It is inspiring to know that more women are joining the entertainment sphere. Besides being on camera there are currently many women in executive positions. All you have to do is apply yourself. 

-- Love Rae

Harmony Zhu - 9 year old Piano & Chess Prodigy

Hi Love,

I saw this adorable girl on The Ellen Show and I wanted to share it with you.

At the age of 9, Harmony Zhu had already played the piano at Carnegie Hall

After visiting The Ellen Show she moved to New York and attend Julliard -- being one of the youngest members of the school.

Not only does she compose her own music but she has become recognized as one of the best young chess players around the world.

Please also check out this original video of her at the Ellen Show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VdwmRxOK1Y

-- Love Rae

The Future of American Money

Hi Love,

This week the U.S Treasury announced that in 2020 a woman will be the face of the new ten dollar bill -- and America gets to choose which one. For a majority vote the top picks are: Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sally Ride, and Oprah Winfrey.


Facts to note:

No living person can appear on the bill.

The 2020 anniversary of the ten dollar bill will also honor the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote.

The first woman to grace American currency was Pocahontas on a $20 note in 1865.

Sally Ride

Oprah Winfrey

Harriet Tubman 

-- Love Rae

Megan Smith -- The Chief Technology Officer of America

Hi Love,

As you know, Twitter is looking to replace their current CEO Dick Costolo with a woman so I decided to look into America's top choices. Costolo has served as Twitter's CEO for 5 years but now that his position is open, it would be great to have a woman in leadership.

Meet Megan Smith -- the Chief Technology Officer of the United States. She was previous the Vice President of Google for nine years so of course she could handle Twitter with her eyes closed. Her current job entails on advising the president on patent reform, privacy issues and net neutrality.

Cool Facts:

Besides being a pretty lady, Smith has 2 children and she graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Although she is definitely a leader in technology, Smith is also very respected for creating TechHire -- a company geared toward bringing more women and minorities into the tech world. By reaching out to colleges and other training institutions, Smith is aiming to build a more diverse workforce.

For more information be sure to check out Megan Smith's TechHire initiative.

-- Love Rae

The Solution to Pads and Tampons

Hi Love,

Holy Sponge! A woman has the found the ultimate solution for making your menstrual cycle bearable. Janeen Singer an Ohio born businesswoman has created Holy Sponge to help women embrace their monthly cycle and to stop using harmful/ uncomfortable tampons and pads. This amazing business idea began from Singer's trip to New Mexico when she experienced her " moon cycle" which made her interested in using sea sponges. After having an enjoyable "moon cycle" Singer invested in creating starter kits for her friends. In no time Holy Sponge a natural and easy to use product that fits every woman's shape was born.

Facts to know:

All of the sponges are environmentally friendly.

Every sponge is a sea sponge which can be properly cleaned with tea tree oil.

Singer's sponge business operates out of her home in California -- mainly teaching workshops in the Bay Area.

Her friends were her first clients.



Thinking about starting a business? Take a lesson from Janeen Singer.


-- Love Rae

The Spawn of Perfection: Zoe Kravitz

Hi Love,

Movie star Zoe Kravitz is absolutely beautiful and undeniably talented. With her new movie " Dope" taking over movie theaters world wide, this 26 year old is becoming one of the most prominent actresses of her generation. After starring in films like Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men: First Class, Divergent, Dope and The Road Within, Kravitz has now become the star of Alexis Bittar's Brooklyn based jewelry line. With an admirable sense of self, Kravitz seems to dominate each industry (digital, print, television, fashion, music) one by one. Ideally should could just live with the wealth that her parents Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz have garnered but Zoe has found a way to create her own path and build a net worth of almost 4 million.

Zoe Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz (right) and Zoe Kravitz (left)

Zoe Kravitz wearing Alexis Bittar's Fall 2015 Line

https://instagram.com/p/3wKVHnhVPd/?taken-by=alexisbittar

Zoe talks Family and Career:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4dVr9EfhOM

Her exclusive interview for Dope (Now in theaters!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfb262mBYF0

-- Love Rae

Billionaire Isabel dos Santos of Angola

Hi Love,

Among the richest women in the world is Isabel dos Santos -- daughter of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola. She is Africa's first female billionaire at age 42 with a net worth of 3.7 billion. Although her father has accumulated some of her wealth, dos Santos has shares in Portuguese cable television companies and an Angolan bank. Although she is regarded as a "princess" dos Santos is known for having a rather disciplined childhood which included her studies of electrical engineering and business management at Kings College London. At 24 she started " Miami Beach" her own restaurant in Luanda; although it wasn't a success it did however give her a hands on experience in learning how to correctly operate a business and how to successfully invest. Although she has a variety of business ventures on her resume, she is best known for owning 28.8% of the stock at Zon, a Portuguese media conglomerate. As of recently, dos Santos is looking to acquire 65% of Efacec Power Solutions, a Portuguese engineering company. At this rate dos Santos is sure to become a legend in the telecommunications sector as well as a notable business leader opening doors for women all over the world.

To learn more about Isabel dos Santos be sure to check out her interviews by clicking on the links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pStBHcecxzg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJzX5pDaea0

-- Love Rae

Top Beauty Vloggers #OnMyRaedar

Hi Love,

I am a Youtube fanatic! I just thought it would be great to share some of the best young beauty vloggers I discovered in my daily observations:

Sunkiss Alba
Over 556,000 Subscribers
https://instagram.com/sunkissalba/
https://www.youtube.com/user/SunKissAlba

Your new favorite videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXKDxgOuXFk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh4MifBy14I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFequIJJAcA


ItsMyRayeRaye
Over 700,000 Subscribers
https://www.youtube.com/user/ItsMyRayeRaye

You're new favorite Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWazVYpLbUk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vye55MKHJ-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vYog5GI5S0


Michelle Phan
Over 7.7 Millions Subscribers
28 year old Millionaire!
https://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan
https://instagram.com/michellephan/

Your new favorite videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0ZZUUSevvo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0WCCyBWGVM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw4hJ0Kl3XU

Alexandra Airene 

Over 56,000 Subscribers

https://www.youtube.com/user/LearningToBeFearless

Your new favorite videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdXCMcOZlBU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVXHiNhrF9s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg7wmZEq4uk

For more information on these beauties be sure to subscribe to their Youtube channels to stay updated.

--Love Rae

Take A Note From CyreneQ!

Hi Love,

Do you know how to make $10,000.00 per day? Learn from graphic designer Cyrene Quiamco -- the Snapchat graphic design queen. Quiamco stumbled upon graphic design jobs on Crowdspring.com while looking for a way to pay for college. Without a design portfolio or a bachelors degree, she was able to earn a living, pay for college and build a client base. Now she works for companies such as Disney and Burger King.

Within less than a year (since she started her snapchat in August 2014) she has gained almost 15,000 views per snap. Now she spends most of her time working 8 hours at verizon and then the remainder of her time building The11thSecond.com a community for other Snapchat graphic artists. Check out her work below:

CyreneQ

Want to know how to start building a social media community that garners thousands of followers? Be sure to follow CyreneQ on instagram and Snapchat to learn how to unleash your inner creative genius.

https://instagram.com/cyreneq/

https://instagram.com/The11thSecond/

http://www.the11thsecond.com/2014/02/cyrenes-snapchat-gallery.html

-- Love Rae

Boss Life: The Creation of Camille Rose Naturals

Hi Love,

Let me introduce you to Janell Stephens, the founder and CEO of Camille Rose Naturals. Founded in 2010, Camille Rose Naturals a respected vegan brand that creates hand-made hair, skin and body care products for modern natural hair sophisticates who's health, beauty and wellness is of the utmost importance. 

Now available at Target & Whole Foods Stores nationwide, Camille Rose Naturals is among the top wellness products on the market. Inspired by Stephen's maternal grandmother, the name Camille Rose was created paying homage to the one inspiration who taught her how to be a woman that has extreme poise and unlimited strength. In honor of her grandmother, Stephens created Camille Rose Naturals to embody the unspoken beauty and dynamism that every woman yearns to have. 

Janell Stephens, Founder Camille Rose Naturals

To learn more about the brand, please visit www.camillerosenaturals.com. You can also follow this lovely lady at the Instagram below:

https://instagram.com/janell_stephens/

-- Love Rae

Reinventing Beauty in 2015!

Hi Love,

I've come across a lot lately but as of recently there has only been a few stories that have stopped me in my tracks. The idea of beauty is so conceptual and misconstrued that I figured I should just share my definition. In my words, "Beauty is not constant, it is forever evolving; Beauty is confidence mixed with eclecticism and of course charm". Each year beauty is reinvented and transformed just like style. So today, I just want to reveal a few beautiful people that are #OnMyRaedar. Talk about reinventing beauty, check out these ladies below that spend everyday recreating the definition.


Tess Holiday - 29 Years Old Plus Sized Fashion Model and Beauty Guru
https://instagram.com/tessholliday/

Harnaam Kaur - 24 year old Teaching Assistant conquering the world with her beautiful facial features.
https://instagram.com/harnaamkaur/

Chantelle Winnie - 20 year old Fashion phenom making waves with her beautiful skin. 
https://instagram.com/winnieharlow/

As an avid reader of Huffington Post Women, I  recently discovered this article that inspired me to write this post. Check it out:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jade-beall/5-ways-to-be-a-body-love-activist-and-not-let-the-trolls-get-you-down_b_7570622.html?utm_hp_ref=women&ir=Women


-- Love Rae

Young Female Artists #OnMyRaedar

Hi Love,

Found a group of amazing female designers that I thought you should take note of.

Ariana Farquharson - Creator of Curativ.co an amazing online database that focuses on cultural diversity. This platform allows you to find curated content in art, technology and film among other notable areas.

Leigh Guldig- a true artist known for her ability to be extremely detailed. Her style consists of creating skull like figures with veins and blood to ultimately create an even larger work of art. I could post a few pictures below but I just rather you check out her site: http://www.leighguldig.com/

Tran Nguyen- an artist that masters creating figures in a dreamlike element. Using only pencil and acrylic, Nguyen is a definitely a natural artist. Her site amazes me every time I venture over, just thought you could check it out too: http://www.mynameistran.com/ 

I'm sure there are more female artists on the rise and I can't wait to discover them.  For our #OnMyRaedar column, I wanted to put the spotlight on some of my faves.

--Love Rae

Champion Digital Content Creator Levo's Caroline Ghosn!

Hi Love,

Just wanted to introduce you to Caroline Ghosn! After graduating during the economic recession in 2008 and having been the first woman in her family to graduate from college, Ghosn started Levo (an empowering women's site dedicated to giving advice and job opportunities) in 2012. Now she's 28 years old and has millions of dollars in venture capital. After starting her career at a business consultant firm, Ghosn found her niche in the digital sector. Over the past few years, she has been recognized as one of the top female entrepreneurs to keep your eye on so be sure to do your research to learn how Ghosn and Levo are changing the workforce for women.

Interested in learning more about her, check out the link below:

http://www.teenvogue.com/my-life/2014-09/dream-jobs-caroline-ghosn

--Love Rae

Ebony Magazine's New Empowering July 2015 Issue!

Hi Love,

Mrs. Tina Knowles Lawson defies age and is the epitome of class. Ebony Magazine has officially created one of the best magazine covers of all time.

Besides being a powerful magazine for the multicultural woman, this magazine is seeking to bring out the best within African American culture. This July, Ebony is doing a cover story on the lovely Tina Knowles and it is impossible to deny how this woman's elegance and beauty. In their Sexy Forever issue, Tina will reveal her new family dynamic with her amazing husband, Richard Lawson. Set for a better life in a new direction, Tina is like the god mother to the every African American woman. Besides being the mother to Beyonce and Solange Knowles, Ms.Tina is a true glamour queen. From owning one of the best hair salons in Houston to being a celebrity designer, Ms. Tina is one woman that is absolutely #OnMyRaedar. To get to know Mrs. Tina Knowles Lawson more closely remember to get July's issue of Ebony Magazine and of course check out the link below.

Tina Knowles personal story - testimony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nDi4mbYQ9c


-- Love Rae

Glamour Magazine - "Buying Power: 64% of High-Earning Influential Millennials Are Women"

Hi Love,

Wanted to share this amazing post I discovered this morning on Glamour Magazine:

http://www.glamour.com/inspired/blogs/the-conversation/2015/06/millennials-spending-habits

"As the [group] of young adults with the means to act on the shopping attitudes and preferences of the general millennial population, affluent millennials have the largest amount of influence today," Future Cast president Jeff Fromm told WWD. Of the high-earning sectors of millennials, 64 percent were female, a majority stake that's never been seen before. The study suggests that the switch-up is due to a higher amount of women graduating college than men and the fact that in 2012, female's hourly earnings had crept up to be 92 percent that of male counterparts (considered a victory even though it's not at the completely equal level).

Broad City Takes Over New York and My Heart!

Hi Love,

Here's your inspiration for the day

So I watched Comedy Central's #BroadCity for the the first time on Hulu and it was hilarious!


Starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer as two twenty-something-year-olds in a fictionalized version of New York. This particular series started as a web series and now is being compared to HBO's Girls. Not only did this hit series establish them as comedians and online stars but they have also developed skills as executive producers.

#OnMyRaedar:

• Jacobson is a graduated of Maryland Institute College of Art while Glazer attended New York University
• In 2009 they started a scripted web series and continued to create more content which has led to their current success including their television deals.
• In order to support their web series they waitresses and worked at a bakery. 
• It took them two years to develop their series and in 2011 they flew to L.A to pitch their series. Their success shortly followed. 
• Abbi Jacobson has an estimated net worth of 1 million and she's only 31.

So I also just discovered that there will be a female led "21 Jump Street" written by Lizzie and Wendy Molyneux the female creators of Bob's Burgers. Check out the link below:

http://www.themarysue.com/broad-city-bobs-burgers-writers-21-jump-street/


- Love Rae

Being A Woman 101

Hi Love,
Let's start with the basics. 

1. Female CEOs hold 14.2% of the leadership positions at the companies at the S&P 500.
2. Of those 500 companies there are only 24 female CEOs. (Obviously these facts don't consider all female entrepreneurs nor do they explain the patriarchal system that this nation is founded upon).
3. Women make roughly 78% of what men make in their annual full-time pay and majority of the time women do not negotiate their salary. 
4. Being a boss and being a leader are two different things.

So if you're reading this please understand that it is time for a change because would be nice to see more female leaders. This site is geared toward putting the spotlight on amazing artists, writers, directors, entertainers, designers and CEOs etc. that are breaking the glass ceiling for female leaders. A little inspiration can go a long way so keep your eyes peeled because being a woman isn't easy and neither is being a leader but you can do it.

I'm not a feminist but I'm something close to it. This site is geared towards educating and empowering women by informing them that they can and will succeed. Hope you enjoy!


-- Love Rae