“i usedta live in the world then i moved to HARLEM & my universe is now six blocks when i walked in the pacific i imagined waters ancient from accra/tunis cleansin me/ feedin me now my ankles are coated in grey filth from the puddle neath the hydrant my oceans were life what waters i have here sit stagnant circlin ol men’s bodies shit & broken lil whiskey bottles left to make me bleed…” That is the essence, in my opinion,  of for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf, the renowned play by Ntozake Shange, first published in 1975 and now about...

I am powerful and confident and tend to reflect my “flavor” through my willingness to be bold and to always express myself freely; whether it be verbal, personal presentation or creative expression.  I am natural and spiritual and can embrace the beauty of everything that is raw and rare.  I am constantly evolving and see my life as a journey to become the true essence of freedom and the epitome of ME.  My heart and soul lies within The Evolution of SHE. I could give you a list of what I have done, my accomplishments and where I’ve been, but the Evolution of SHE is about where...

Or will it?  Today, I checked my and the hubby’s voter registration, since I found out it was the last day to register in Georgia before the upcoming elections on November 2.  (By the way, if you live in Georgia, you can find your polling station, change your address, and check your status at the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page).  Sigh of relief: everything looked fine. My co-worker passed by my desk and asked me what I was doing.  A puzzled look crossed her face when I pointed out . “Um, there are elections coming up?  What for?” I wanted to blurt out, “Everything!”...

This is part 2 of my Sacred Sexuality Series. I have so much to say, just talking off my dome. No prepared notes or anything and there are so many connections to be made. My name is Makeda Voletta and I study the body. I am an Exercise/Sports Scientist, Sports Nutritionist which are both geared towards increasing high level performance. I am also a trained and professional dancer (currently performing and studying dances of the African Diaspora – specially Congo derived), freelance journalist, freelance Fine Art Model and a Sacred Sexual Educator. I have been involved in Sexuality Education...

This is part 1 of my Sacred Sexuality Series. I have so much to say, just talking off my dome. No prepared notes or anything and there are so many connections to be made. My name is Makeda Voletta and I study the body. I am an Exercise/Sports Scientist, Sports Nutritionist which are both geared towards increasing high level performance. I am also a trained and professional dancer (currently performing and studying dances of the African Diaspora – specially Congo derived), freelance journalist, freelance Fine Art Model and a Sacred Sexual Educator. I have been involved in Sexuality Education...

words from Azmera HarvestGirl… “Azmera is Amharic and come from the country Ethiopia. It means harvest and this is part of my Harvest!!” “I love to be inspired by all things life and I love to take that and continue the process by inspiring others.” “I was inspired to sew about 3 years ago and have been a supporter of etsy for about 2 years. I was encouraged by loved ones feb 08 to start my own etsy… and here we are.” “I put alot of love and energy into my creations and hope that you love it as much as I do. Everything I created and sell I...

On a beautiful hot summer day, Habesha, Inc. hosted Organic Fest 8 in Atlanta. It is a benefit event for Habesha’s Black To Our Roots program which assists youth in recognizing and reclaiming their African identity through research and study of African history and culture. Its was an engaging event that included live entertainment, guest speakers and an African marketplace. There was the Kuumba children’s corner, the healers demonstration booth and a very informative lecture and tour on Habesha’s organic gardening activities in the midst of urban Atlanta’s West End. Black...

My football fans might have heard about this one already. Inés Sainz, an undeniably gorgeous TV Azteca sports reporter from Mexico, went to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez of the NY Jets last Saturday. So she’s standing in their locker room, surrounded by fifty-odd dangling bits, and tweets about feeling embarrassed. Depending on who you read, some catcalling, deliberate pigskin overthrowing (during practice) and/or flashing may have allegedly gone down. Someone seized on the story, called it harassment, and Sainz has been riding the Jets’ subsequent apology and publicity train...

The recent heated debate over immigration in the United States has left me worried:  Arizona was one gavel-bang away from being the only state in the US where cops could stop and detain you for lack of “papers.” Granted, there is nothing new about the desire to reform the country’s immigration laws and policies, just as there is nothing new about its current unfairness.  Right or wrong (cynical or on-point), I’ve long held the idea that the individuals that mainstream America want coming to this country have light (read: fair) skin.  I grew up in Florida where the wet foot-dry...

The Sol ex-PEER-ience sol (sōl) n. 1) Roman Mythology the sun god 2) the sun personified experience  (ek spirˈē əns) n. 1) the act of living through an event  2) anything observed or lived through 3) a) training and personal participation b) knowledge, skill, etc. resulting from this -from Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus Hello and welcome to the Sol Expeerience.  This is an exploration into my world where art forms collide and take you on a physical journey through spiritual spaces and intergalactic travels through mental stimulation. Sorry if I go too deep.  This is just...