The MyBrownBaby Beautiful Mind January 2010 Contest Winner!

We’re celebrating great writing here at MyBrownBaby today with the announcement of the winner of The MyBrownBaby Beautiful Mind Writing Contest: January 2010. I’m sending a HUGE thank you to my guest judge and in-real-life homegirl, the lovely Akilah of Execumama, who read all of this month’s entries on the topic, “Something New.” I encourage you to follow/subscribe to Execumama so that you can stay up on her brilliant posts about balancing motherhood and work life, as chronicled in her book, “Execumama: A Pocket Guide for the Twenty-something Mommy on the Move.” And when you’re finished, pop on over to the Etsy shop of jeweler Michelle Verbeeck, who is donating the prize to this month’s winner—a custom-made Inspirational Leather Cuff featuring a quote of the winner’s choosing. Trust me when I tell you: This is a HOT prize; I just received a Michelle Verbeeck bracelet of my own—a mustard yellow 3-inch leather cuff with a burned bronze plate that reads, “I mean… I can fly… like a bird in the sky.” Please believe, I sleep with that bad boy on—that’s how beautiful it is! Cop one for yourself; you won’t be disappointed!



Finally, thanks to everyone who participated in this month’s contest; there’s nothing harder than to put up your writing for someone else to judge. I thank you for trusting MyBrownBaby with your words.



And now, without further ado—the winner of this month’s contest is…

Alicia Booker of A Woman’s Worth!


Alicia’s beautiful blog post is about the journey she’s taken with her husband—she describes him as “my prince, my hero, my love”—after one fateful night sixteen years ago. It was then that their “something new” began, and they’ve been on a glorious ride together ever since. Here, a snippet of Alicia’s “My Prince, My Hero, My Love”:

In late December, we visited an Orthopedic who was actually able to give us some direction in helping my husband deal with the pain that he endures daily. This direction could mean a major surgery and a year of rehab, but could have a tremendous positive impact in the years to come. Being young, black, and uninsured sixteen years ago has led us to a major fork in the road.

Each morning I watch him slowly make his way to the bathroom, as the clinks and clanks in his ankle start to warm up after resting from the night. I watch him take one step and one foot at a time down the stairs. My heart hurts thinking about the daily pain he lives with, even though he doesn’t complain or whimper. In fact he goes above and beyond not only at work, but at home, and in everything he does. Every now and then he retreats to what we call the “male box”, where he is quiet, watches sports, and doesn’t talk much. Although I know he doesn’t want to talk during these times, I do still try and check in just to assure myself that alone time is what he needs. During these times I wonder if Mr. Cherry knows how he changed my husband’s life all because an insignificant, insecure young brother in the group called a girl a “bitch”. I wonder if Mr. Cherry is alive, and if that night also changed his life. It definitely changed ours…

To read the rest of Alicia’s winning essay, click HERE.

Akilah also wanted to give props to the following writers, who’s essays she thought deserved honorable mentions:

Mama C and the Boys with her poem, “Ancestors Unfold the Stories Untold.”

Nad and Zara Take On the World with “Something New.”

Teresha of Marlie and Me with “She’s Something New.”

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Here, a list of the other wonderful entries (in no particular order, with links to blog posts where available):


MoonWritings with The Newness Never Dies
When my daughter was born in 2003, Facebook was not around to show her photos that I snapped every milli-second, nor was Twitter invented so that I could post milestones:
"Baby is breathing now"
"Baby just hiccupped"
"Baby just yawned. And my oh my, how beautiful she looks doing it."
Yes, I was (am) that mother.

Mind of Malaka with “Something New.”
Typically when I hear the phrase “Something New”, I think of interracial couples and the angst they face a-la Sanaa Lathan and that very yummy blonde guy whose name always escapes me. But as of last week, the phrase “something new” means something completely different. It means the birth of a new child. Yes, I will bring a new brown baby into the world in the new decade. Now before you all break out the celebratory confetti and congratulatory champagne, I must tell you I just had a baby 5 minutes ago; May 29th 2009 to be precise. It was a blessed event and one that I was looking forward to repeating in 4 years, not four months, which is when my new child was conceived.

Three Men and an Old Lady with “Something New.”
I love January. Something about January makes people all giddy with excitement of "newness". People are abuzz with conversations about "Ooh, this year Imma get myself together", "This is a new year, new day, new me" or "Imma win in 2010". Give me a break. I fail to see what dramatic transformation occurs from December 31 of one year to January 1 of the next. It's one day! If only we looked at each day with the enthusiasm of New Year's Day. Imagine if we committed to betting ourselves every day with the vigor and resolve we have on January 1. Can you imagine?

The Baby Plan with “Wishing For Something New.”
I secretly observe my hubby while we eat; in some extent I feel guilty for the decision I made nearly four years ago. He looks restless. I have seen him smile, when he watch our little nephew play with his father. I know what is going through his mind, but at this point I can't turn back. The big part of my heart is glad I made the decision; so I should not feel guilty as I do some days. I observe him again and the song of Natasha Bedingfield shouts out loud in my head. I want to have your baby..., but I know I should not be irrational.

Queenocracy with “Something New.”
To most of us something new signals a new purchase or a groundbreaking experience. And while that is nice (trust me, I LOVE to shop…) one of the best new things we can get is a perspective. You know, a fresh look at something or someone.
Instead of finding fault with people we are blessed to know or our circumstances, a constantly fresh perspective can keep us focused on what is going right.

I Love Being Married with "The Journey from Something Old To Something New."
Today is my wedding day! I am so filled with emotions. I am excited for the future and what our union will bring; the house, the kids, a family. I am nervous about the ceremony and whether everything will happen according to our plans. I am giddy with the thought of my new “husband”. I have been practicing my new name, writing it over and over just to see how it would look. But I’m also sad. Everyone has been telling me how happy they are for me and everyone has been congratulating me, but I can’t help but feel something else.

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I’ll be announcing a new contest in a few weeks. In the meantime, keep using your beautiful minds!