MyBrownBaby MOM OF THE WEEK: ANGELOU EZEILO

Okay, let me just put this on out there: When it comes to Angelou Ezeilo, I’ve no power to be impartial. I told you why I absolutely adore my sister-in-law in a “Happy Birthday” post I wrote about her back in December, and this excerpt sums up why bet not nobody say nothin’ bad ‘bout my Angie:

…slowly, steadily, surely, she became the sister I never had—my giggle partner, my retail therapy enabler, the co-president of my “We Love Black Movies Unconditionally—Even the Bad Ones” club, my “girl you ain’t gonna believe this!” confidante, my shoulder to cry on… no questions asked. She wears my shoes; I borrow her purses… she gives me advice on running my own company and coaxes me to get out more—I whip up coconut cakes and 11-cheese macaroni & cheese for her holiday parties and hook up her music collection with Chrisette Michelle and vintage Teena Marie. Our children are the best of friends, as are our husbands… And somehow, we never tire of one another.

Biased as I am, this isn’t why Angelou is the MyBrownBaby Mom of the Week. I picked her in honor of Earth Day 2009, coming up next week. Girlfriend single-handedly made green the new black in our neck of the woods: She’s got us recycling everything in sight, taking two-minute showers to preserve water, unplugging electrical sockets and turning off lights, and downright scared to go grocery shopping without those reusable bags. So dedicated is she to the green movement that she started her own non-profit environmental education program for kids, Greening Youth, which encourages and teaches children how to be stewards of our Earth. Her free—yup, FREE—six-week, hands-on program takes environmental education directly into classrooms throughout Georgia; she’s got those kids playing with worms, planting trees, learning how to pack environmentally friendly lunches, and generally how to harass us parents into respecting and loving what the Lord has made. This Saturday, she’s putting on her very first Earth Day Fun Festival here in Georgia, with five schools participating (if you live in Georgia, come on out—find information about it HERE) in what is sure to be a spectacular, fun-filled event.

Simply put: My sister-in-law/bestie is the w.o.m.a.n. And below are more reasons why she's MyBrownBaby's Mom of the Week!



My name is… Angelou Ezeilo.

I live in… Snellville, GA.

My brown babies are... Miles, age 10, and Cole, age 7.

I make a living… As the Founder and Executive Director of Greening Youth Foundation.

The last time my kids cracked me up… was during spring break at Red Top Mountain State Park. They were both doing a goofy dance on a big rock—where everyone could see them.

The last book I read with my kids was… “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt,” by Deborah Hopkins.

My favorite place to take them is… to the park. We ride bikes, walk the trails, skip rocks in the lake, and toss around the football while we enjoy nature.

My proudest mom moment was… when both my sons said they want to own their own businesses when they grow up.

My most embarrassing mommy moment was the time when… Miles had to take his sneakers off at a party and his socks where not only dirty but had a big hole in them! You should have seen how fast I got that sneaker back on his stinky feet!

The thing I most want my children to know is… there are no limits in life.

The one family tradition I hope my kids continue when they grow up is… getting together with all of their family members and close friends, not just for special occasions, but just because. We’ll gather everybody at our house for dessert and drinks just because it’s Tuesday!

If I could invent one thing to make being a mom easier, it would be… mommy clones!

The best invention for kids ever is… the trampoline. Ours is a total kid magnet. There isn’t a child who comes into our yard and doesn’t snatch off his/her shoes and bounce around on that thing for hours at a time.

The kid snack I’m most likely to get busted eating is… Jellybeans. Love them!

The most important life lesson I want my kids to learn is… to always think outside of the box and passionately follow their dreams—the money will always follow.

The one thing no one knows about me is… my name was going to be Miriam. Mom? Dad? Really?

The thing I lost as a mom that I wish I could get back is… the ability to be spontaneous.

My “I’d Rather Be…” bumper sticker would say… “I’d rather be in Madagascar!”