MyBrownBaby Giveaway: Win a Ticket To Blogalicious 2010 in South Beach!

EDITOR'S NOTE: This contest is now closed. Congratulations to Rose's Daughter AND Jewelry Rockstar, each who won full conference passes to Blogalicious 2010, courtesy of the ladies of Mama Law, who, because of the tremendous response, graciously granted TWO passes to MyBrownBaby. They were chosen by my personal Random.org—Mari and Lila, who, when asked to choose one number each between the numbers 1 and 27,  chose the numbers 5 and 15. 

MyBrownBaby’s got the hook up!

The lovely ladies of Mama Law, the fab group behind Blogalicious Weekend 2010, are headed to the beaches of Miami next weekend for their second annual celebration of people of color in social media, and they’ve graciously given MyBrownBaby a full conference pass to give away to one lucky reader.

Yup—you read that right: One lucky reader will get an all-access pass (retail value: $265) to hang out and network with some of the savviest, influential, talented women bloggers on the web, plus educate marketers on the importance of our demographic in the marketplace. They’ve got a killer line-up of symposiums and keynotes, including panels and talks from James Andrews, aka @keyinfluencer, National Urban League president Marc Morial, my bloggy buddies Christie Crowder of The Chatterbox and Lorraine Robertson of AskWifey, Awesomely Luuvie, (who is all kinds of awesome!) Carrie Ferguson-Weir of Tiki Tiki Blog (one of my absolute must-reads), and Melanie Edwards of Modern Mami. And—AND!—Kindred the Family Soul is performing!

What?!

Be clear: Ain’t no party like a Blogalicious party ‘cause a Blogalicious party don’t… stop!

Want in on this action?

THE RULES: 

1) To enter our Blogalicious Pass giveaway, you must leave a comment on this post telling why you love reading blogs of color. A one-liner will work just fine.

2) Tweet “I’m trying to win the @mybrownbaby hook-up for a free pass to @beblogalicious in South Beach!” (leave a separate comment for each tweet).

3) Winner cannot be a current ticket holder. The pass is non-transferable.

4) Contest ends at 3:00 pm EST on October 1. One winner will be picked at random and notified via email.  

5) Winner must claim pass AND register no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 2, 2010.  If winner does not register before deadline, the pass will go to the next winner.  REGISTER HERE.

6) Winner is responsible for all expenses related to travel and hotel accommodations. Although the Ritz is sold out, there are still plenty of affordable hotels to choose from, all in walking distance to the Ritz and to the beach!  (*Note these hotels are not affiliated with Blogalicious Weekend.)

For the record: Whoever wins this pass is going to be mad fancy!

Well, what are you waiting for? You gotta be in it to win it. Let’s go!

MyBrownBaby Mom: Malaak Compton-Rock

Update:

Congratulations to Ms. Understood, Joyce the Writer, and Malaka G., who will each receive an autographed copy of Malaak's book. Thanks everyone for participating!


If service to others is a gauge of a human's heart, then Malaak Compton-Rock's is as tall as Mt. Kilimanjaro and as wide as the Caspian sea. For sure, Malaak, wife of comedian/actor/film producer Chris Rock, is a do-gooder—a dedicated mom who's living quite a fulfilled life serving and giving to others. She's headed up no less than five organizations dedicated to helping everyone from women moving from welfare to work, to orphaned children and people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, to at-risk kids from Brooklyn recruited to participate in a two-week mission to serve others and experience the world (the latter, her Journey for Change: Empowering Youth Through Global Service, was featured on CNN's Black in America 2). More recently, she's dedicated her attention to The Angel Rock Project, an online e-village that promotes volunteerism, social responsibility and sustainable change, and authored the new book, If It Takes a Village, Build One: How I Found Meaning Through a Life of Service and 100+ Ways You Can Too. The book, part memoir, part guidebook, details Malaak's own experience with service and gives the ABCs on things like how to research charities, how to find the right volunteer opportunities, how to get kids involved in a life of service, and even how to start a nonprofit. It's an amazing legacy that Malaak is leaving for her daughters—one that, no doubt, will make them equally strong, powerful, courageous women. Just like their mom. Here, Malaak shares stories about her greatest love—her brown babies—and her dedication to raising smart, fun children who share her passion of service. AND (!) she's giving away THREE AUTOGRAPHED COPIES of her book, exclusively here on MyBrownBaby (read on for details). Without further ado, MyBrownBaby Mom Malaak Compton-Rock:

My name is... Malaak Compton-Rock.

I live in... New Jersey, 20 minutes outside of New York City.

My brown babies are... Lola Simone, age 7, and Zahra Savannah, age 5. We also have Ntombi, who is 2 years old and from South Africa. She visits our family often and is our pride and joy.

I make a living... giving speeches, writing, and doing occasional TV work. I also run a nonprofit program for teens, but defer my salary.

The last time my kids cracked me up is... everyday, but they really cracked me up at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards this week because they were so nervous meeting Justin Beiber and the other celebrities. The five-year-old said, "I can’t move, I can’t walk, my neck is too hot!” That really made me laugh. Now we can’t stop asking her if her neck is hot.

The last book I read with my kids was... Frindle with Lola and Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy for Zahra. She is loving this book right now.

My favorite place to take them is... Houston’s restaurant followed by Barnes & Noble’s children’s book section. This is a Saturday ritual and staple for us. We also love to go to the park. Van Zandt park in Paramus, New Jersey, is a favorite because it has jungle gyms for all ages, a small zoo, a train, merry-go-round, and pony rides. We love it and can stay all day. I also love to take them to our local nail salon for mani/pedi’s, followed by a trip to Acorns, a local children’s bookstore.

My proudest mom moment was... seeing Zahra so proud of doing her math work for me during a parent visit at school. The smile on her face, the happiness in her eyes, and the confidence in her soul were almost too much to take. Lola recently accompanied me on a mission to Ghana, where we met rescued and current child slaves in Kete Krachi, who are enslaved in the fishing industry on Lake Volta. I was so proud of the way she interacted with the Ghanaian children and how involved she was in our work to learn more about child slavery. And she basically understood that all children are the same and set about playing and chatting with them as she would any child.

The thing I most want my children to know is... “to whom much is given, much is required.”

The one family tradition I hope my kids continue when they grow up is... putting on music and dancing at night as a family before going up to bed, and making every holiday, even the little ones, special and memorable.

If I could invent one thing to make mom life easier, it would be... something that would keep my car clean and snackproof. I cannot stand a messy car as it makes my mind go to mush. I often make a rule that the kids can’t eat in the car because they are too messy and don’t clean up after themselves, only to break it the very next day carpooling from school to an activity. Oh, what I would do for an “instant-car-cleaner-upper thingy.”

The best invention for kids ever is... the sippy cup hands down for toddlers, and the rolling backpack for big kids, since we are always on planes. I also really liked the scented bags for diapers when they were younger. I think the portable potty for my car and the large seat covers that stick are both a must-have.

The kid snack I am most likely to get busted eating are... fishies, their cereal, and drinking from a juice box.

The most important life lesson I want my kids to learn is... to “treat others as you would like to be treated,” and that it is important to always remember, “if I get there before you do, I am obligated to bore a hole and pull you through.”

The one thing no one knows about me is that... I am a mean cook. I can throw down in the kitchen.

The thing I lost as a mom that I wish I could get back is... sleeping in on the weekends and then waking up and reading the paper from front to back; getting a massage without wondering what the kids are doing, and then not feeling guilty for leaving them to get a massage instead of relaxing; being able to read more than two pages in a book at a time; sleeping in a bed without feet in my face and back; and not falling asleep in the movies because of lack of sleep.



THE CONTEST:

Three lucky MyBrownBaby readers will win a copy of Malaak Compton-Rock's new book, If It Takes a Village, Build One, autographed by Malaak! The book, a testament to Malaak's dedication to the service of others, is an incredible guide to how we all can help those less fortunate than us—in big ways and small ways too—and find fulfillment in it. The book can be purchased on Amazon for $24, but Malaak Compton-Rock's autograph is priceless.

Here’s how you enter: Visit Malaak's The Angel Rock Project website (CLICK HERE) OR check out a video of Malaak on Oprah, giving tips on how to get kids involved in service CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO and then come back here to MyBrownBaby and leave a comment about something you learned about Malaak's foundation or her kid-friendly service suggestions. You must leave your comment by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 to qualify to win.

Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the following tasks:

1. If you haven’t already, sign up for MyBrownBaby’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, May 5, 2010. To be eligible, you must verify your email subscription when Feedburner sends you a verification email. Your entry will be invalid if you do not verify. If you would prefer to get MyBrownBaby updates via an MBB RSS feed, please leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so, and include an email address, as RSS subscribers are anonymous.

2. Buy one or more of copies of If It Takes a Village, Build One on Amazon HERE, and email a copy of your confirmation order to mybrownbabycontests@gmail.com. For every purchase of her book between April 6th - July 6th, 2010, Malaak will donate $1 to The Global Fund. CLICK HERE to learn more.

3. Become a MyBrownBaby Google Follower.

4. Tweet about this giveaway: "I'm rocking The Angel Rock project for a chance to win @mybrownbaby and @arproject." (You can tweet this message up to five times—once per day. Please leave a separate comment for each tweet. While appreciated, extra tweets beyond the alloted five will not be counted.)

5. Follow @mybrownbaby or @ARProject on Twitter.

6. Fave MyBrownBaby on Technorati. After you do this, come back to MyBrownBaby to leave a comment with your Technorati user name so that I can verify it.

See? That means each of you can receive up to 11 entries. Two winners will be chosen via Random.org, and contacted via email. This contest is available to U.S. mailing addresses only. PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH TASK YOU COMPLETE. This is the only way that your extra entries can be counted on Random.org.

Well… what are you waiting for? Go ahead—Angel Rock is waiting!

You Saved Me—A MyBrownBaby Giveaway

I was all of 23 and looked like I wasn’t even yet of legal drinking age and I was a black woman, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that when I’d show up to mayoral press conferences with my reporter’s notepad and my mini tape recorder and my questions, my fellow journalists—mostly male, mostly white, mostly a decade or two older—would make quick work of rendering me irrelevant. In their eyes, it seemed, I was a lightweight—an affirmative action baby taking up valuable real estate in both the New York City political press corps and in the pages of the Daily News, then the sixth-largest newspaper in the country. Clearly, I was not worthy of working such a prestigious beat. Or at least that’s the way they treated me—certainly the way it was taken.

It never seemed to occur to them that I was young and fresh and hardworking and good at my job. That I’d earned my keep. And while on most days I just shrugged it off and threw it down with my reporting and writing skills, there were those days when the ignorance and the sexism and the racism and the ridiculousness of it all would get the best of me.

Enter Nick—then a competitor and friend. I’ll never forget how he saved me and my sanity on one particular day when I let some side comments and blatant disrespect from a colleague bring me to tears. “You,” he said simply in a clandestine phone call to my desk where I sat, slumped and defeated, “are better than him. He’s lazy and dumb and you? You can write circles around him. Don’t let his jealousy and bitterness steal your joy. I believe in you.”

I believe in you.

I can’t tell you what those four words meant to me—how they lifted both of my shoulders and steeled my back and dried up the water in my eyes and raised the corners of my lips. It’s not that I needed validation—particularly from a man. But it was a much-needed reminder that I really was a helluva writer and reporter and deserved to be where I was at that stage in my career, and it felt good to walk into the den of lions confident that someone had my back. And when I made up my mind I was untouchable when it came to my writing skills? It was over for them.

I owe that to my man.

He saved me.

It is this that I think about as I help Essence bloggers Lamar and Ronnie Tyler, the creators of BlackandMarriedWithKids.com, celebrate the release of their latest film, You Saved Me, the follow up to their best-selling debut, Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage. You Saved Me features candid looks at the hardships, trials, and ultimate success stories of real couples, who give an unprecedented look not only at black marriages, but what it takes to make them work.

You Saved Me is on DVD beginning March 29, but you know your girl has the hook-up, right? Lamar and Ronnie gave MyBrownBaby two DVD’s to give away to two lucky MyBrownBaby readers. All you have to do is leave a comment saying what you love about your significant other (whether he/she is a spouse or simply someone extra special). Want to earn extra chances to win? Tweet: “@MyBrownBaby is celebrating love with a You Saved Me giveaway! http://shar.es/mg9Dt” up to three times for a total of four chances to win.

The contest ends Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be announced Friday, April 2, 2010.

Don’t want to wait around for your copy? Well, you can purchase the DVD at a discount up until the official release date, March 29, 2010, by clicking HERE.

And if you can’t bear to wait for the DVD, you can check out movie premiers in more than 25 cities this weekend. Click HERE for movie listings.

Enjoy!

Princess Tiana Is Official—Plus: The Princess and the Frog DVD Giveaway!

The Princess and the Frog DVD Giveaway is now over—thank you to everyone who entered! And without further ado, the winners are:

Adjoa
Chocolate Covered Day Dreams
Verbenabeth

Please email your addresses to me at denenemillner at gmail dot com, and I'll pop them in the mail directly. Congrats!

The Princess and the Frog's Princess Tiana made history this weekend when she was officially crowned the ninth member of the Disney Princess Royal Court. The magical ceremony, which took place in the Grand Ballroom at the historic New York Palace in Manhattan, means that Tiana, Disney's first black princess, will forever be celebrated and recognized as a Disney Princess across all divisions of the Walt Disney Company, right alongside Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, and Snow White.

How about that?!



I've written HERE and HERE about the importance of Princess Tiana and her movie, The Princess and the Frog, to little black girls everywhere. But this—this takes the character to a whole 'nother level. For the first time ever, I'm actually excited about taking my girls to Disney, particularly knowing that my girls will be able to shake the hand of a princess who looks like them. Mari and Lila? Let's just say they're applying the pressure, and we'll be seeing Tiana up close and personal really soon if they have anything to do with it.

In the meantime, while they're waiting for the in-person meet-and-greet, Mari and Lila are going to settle down in front of the TV this evening to watch the three-time Academy Award-nominated The Princess and the Frog on Disney Blu-Ray. It's being released today and I'm going straight to the store this morning to get our copy so my girls can relive the magic of Tiana meeting her frog prince, kissing his froggy lips, and going on an exciting adventure through the mystical, magical bayous of Louisiana. They can't wait (I suspect that getting them to do their homework and eat their dinner will be quite easy tonight!), and I can't either.



Want to relive the magic with your babies? I'm giving away THREE The Princess and the Frog DVDs on MyBrownBaby this week—each one to be chosen randomly by my little princesses, Mari and Lila, over the weekend. All you have to do is leave a comment naming your favorite Disney movie or character. It's that simple!

If you want an extra entry, tweet it out, with a link to this post. (Be sure to leave a link to your tweet in the comments). You can tweet up to three times for three extra entries.

The winners will be announced on Monday, March 22, 2010. Please be sure to link to your blog in the comments or email me your contact info at denenemillner at gmail dot com so that if you win, I have a way to let you know.

Good luck!

Get Your Spin On: XBox 360 DJ Hero Giveaway

Editor's note: CONGRATULATIONS, BLAQBUTTERFLY—you're the winner of the DJ Hero Bundle Giveaway, courtesy of MyBrownBaby and Sprite! Thanks to everyone who participated; the contest is now closed.

So I was in the Best Buy the other day, ticking off a few presents on my Christmas list and sweating the new purple iPod nano with video capabilities when I heard a devastating mix of Marvin Gaye's "Heard It Through the Grapevine" over the hot beat from The Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc." Every bone in my body wanted to rail against it; who would dare mess with the integrity of Marvin's "Grapevine?" But it sounded so darn gooood with all the mixing and scratching. And I couldn't help but to move it just a little.

Okay, a lot.

After a quick investigation through the aisles, I stumbled across a Best Buy guy working it out on the DJ Hero 1s and 2s, the new Activision game that's all the rage for Christmas this year. Think Guitar Hero, but way cooler, especially if you appreciate the poetry dee-jays create when they're working the wheels of steel. For sure, I gave it a whirl, but sadly, Spinderella I am not. I think with a little practice, though, I could be kinda dope with it—or at least look good trying.

And so can you if you win this super duper giveaway! The company that makes one of my favorite crisp, non-caffeinated soft drinks is teaming up with MyBrownBaby to give away one copy of Xbox DJ Hero Bundle, including the game and turntable. That's right: Get your Eric B./Jam-Master Jay/Kid Capri/Funkmaster Flex on, courtesy of MyBrownBaby and Sprite!

How do you win? Really simple:

Mandatory:
1. FOLLOW OR SUBSCRIBE via email to MyBrownBaby, and leave a comment saying you are.
2. In comments, shout out your favorite club song ever—the one that makes you kick off your shoes and dance like a lunatic every time.

Optional:
3. TWEET "I'm trying to get on the DJ Hero wheels of steel courtesy of @mybrownbaby and Sprite! http://shar.es/aDdFJ" (you can tweet up to four times for four separate extra entries.)

This contest ends December 31, 2009 at 11:59 p.m., and is open to MyBrownBaby subscribers/followers in the continental U.S. and Canada. The winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on January 2, 2010. You must leave your contact information to collect your prize. A 360i representative will conduct prize fulfillment. (Note: MyBrownBaby received neither compensation nor goods for this giveaway—I just thought it'd be fun to let one of my readers get their deejay on.)

Also, MyBrownBaby readers can go to My Coke Rewards® to enter to win instantly a brand new Xbox 360 Entertainment System (2 winners per day) and Activision’s™ DJ Hero (2 winners per hour). Just type in the code found on specially-marked multipacks of Sprite®/Sprite Zero™ up to 2 times each day until 12/31/09 at 11:59 p ET for a chance to win instantly. Remember: You must have a My Coke Rewards® account and be at least 13-years-old to win. Membership is free and no purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. For official rules including odds, alternate method of entry and prize descriptions, click HERE.

Good luck!

A MyBrownBaby Weekend: We're Going To See Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Plus: A Princess Tiana Goody Giveaway!

We've got our tickets—four primo seats at our local movie theater, where Nick, Mari, Lila, and I will sit and watch history unfold as Disney's first African American princess struts across the big screen and right into our hearts. Can you stand it?!

Of course, it's so very important that we as mothers get out and support Disney's The Princess and the Frog on its opening weekend—if only to send the message that when big companies dare to create characters, images, and stories that not only appeal to but uplift us, we'll support it. I can't think of anything more worthy of support than a movie featuring a beautiful African American princess—a princess that allows our girls to imagine and dream in color. As my dear friend and fellow author Derrick Barnes (he wrote the fabulous Ruby and the Booker Boys series) pointed out in a comment on my Princess Tiana Rocks Slumber Party post:

The success of this movie will open up a ton of doors for African American animation, stories and characters—all thanks to the enormous push and support by parents, such as yourself.

Now, I know a bunch of women who are making a big party out of this big opening weekend; my girl Vanessa over at Food Lovers Like Me is going to chronicle on MyBrownBaby next week the fancy princess girl celebration she, her daughter, and 20 of their girlfriends are attending this weekend. But it doesn't have to be that involved: You can make just as powerful a statement simply by buying two tickets and having a quiet afternoon at the movies.

So please, I encourage you to grab your daughters, your nieces, your mamas, your neighbors (if you don't have any of these, go borrow somebody's), buy your tickets and get everybody down to your local theater to support Disney's The Princess and the Frog. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets in advance.

Now I know you don't need incentive to go check out the lovely Princess Tiana, but what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't give you some anyway? Dig it:

Post on your blog a picture of you taking your sweetie(s) to the film (if you don't have a blog, email me at denenemillner at gmail dot com), and you'll be entered to win the following items from The Disney Store:

A beautiful Princess Tiana comforter (twin size)

A Princess Tiana Snow Globe

A Princess Tiana Christmas Ornament

A Princess Tiana Toddler Doll

That's almost $200 in Princess Tiana merchandise for a The Princess and the Frog lover in your life. And just in time for the holidays! For extra entries:

TWEET "@MyBrownBaby has the hook-up on great The Princess and the Frog gear, and I want it! http://bit.ly/5sObTL"

FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to MyBrownBaby

This contest ends on Tuesday, December 15th at 11:59 p.m.; a winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 16th. It is open to U.S. residents only; MyBrownBaby will fulfill the comforter; the ornament, toddler doll, and snow globe will be fulfilled by Disney.

The MyBrown Baby Happy For the Holidays HAND-CRAFTED JEWELRY GIVEAWAY!

You see, I’m a bare-face kinda girl and whatnot. I don’t wake up in the morning and shower and put on my clothes and slather make-up on my face just because. In fact, it’s just by small miracle that I even have on clean clothes when I’m stalking the aisles at the local Kroger, trying to make it back to the house before the bus comes and my girls tumble down the street and up our front steps and into the house to demand snacks/homework help/chauffeuring/hair prep/insert-demanding-lil’-children tasks here.

But no matter how tired/rushed/dressed down I am, I always have on a piece of jewelry. Isn’t that nutty? Call me crazy, but nothing picks up a tired face, a ponytail and a t-shirt and jeans like a cute pair of earrings. I’ll put them on before I do my wedding ring (sorry, but true). And when I go out, oh, you bet your bottom dollar I’ve got on a sah-weet necklace (like the one in the opening picture, made by my girl Tameka of the Etsy shop, Pretty in Peace) or a funky ring to turn up the glam factor.

Now, I’m no stranger to high-end jewelry stores like Tiffany, but lately, I’ve totally been glomming into earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets on Etsy, the marketplace for unique, handmade artisan crafts. The pieces I’ve seen there are head and shoulders more interesting than the silver and gold hoops I’ve been rocking since forever—and much more affordable, too. Today, the MyBrownBaby Happy for the Holidays Giveaway features three of my favorite jewelry makers. And today, the giveaway is LIVE (see the end of this post for details). Witness:



JEWELRY ROCKSTAR
And a rock star she is, in every way. I’ve long enjoyed her blog, Jewelry RockStar, particularly her love of pop culture and astrology. I’m also consistently amazed at all she does: In addition to making beautiful jewelry, she’s the managing partner at an advertising design agency AND a home-schooling mom. So who knows how she found the time to make these incredible earrings. But I’m glad she did! Jewelry RockStar is super creative with it, too: She’ll hand-cut a piece of plastic into interesting shapes and then hand color it in psychedelic colors and swirls and dots and transform it all into a pair of shoulder-sweeping earrings, or sculpt lemon-sized earrings out of polymer and then sketch a funky design on them—a creative process that yields one-of-a-kind conversation starters you’ll be proud to rock. Simply brilliant! And exclusive to MyBrownBaby readers, RockStar is giving away a $30 gift certificate to her site, JewelryRockStar.com,
PLUS this fly poster designed by her husband, creator of one of my fav go-to-blogs, KissMyBlackAds, and co-proprietor of the couple’s Esty store, UrbanBazaar.

TO WIN IT, BE THE 32nd COMMENTER!
(Be sure to read THE COMMENT RULES at the end of this post to qualify.)
UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS Neatha at A Twinkle In Time—you're the 32nd commenter!







STRINGZ ATTACHED
Ruby Buah, is a Ghanaian designer who fell in love with jewelry making after taking a class. Now, it’s her passion. Ruby combines the aesthetic of three continents she’s traveled extensively—Africa, North America, and Europe—in each of her pieces to give them timeless, serene, global sensibilities. For sure, she makes jewelry you’d be proud to add to your collection. Earlier this year, she graciously treated my girls and a few of their friends to a jewelry-making party (READ ABOUT IT HERE); the girls were fascinated by Ms. Ruby and her incredible designs. You can purchase her jewelry in upscale stores throughout Atlanta and at her online store, Stringz Attached. Exclusive to MyBrownBaby readers, Ruby is giving away a $40 gift certificate to Stringz Attached.

TO WIN IT, BE THE 44TH COMMENTER.
(Be sure to read THE COMMENT RULES at the end of this post to qualify.)
UPDATE: Congratulations Jennae of Green Your Decor—you're the 44th Commenter!



PRETTY IN PEACE
I stan hard for Tameka of the lovely blog Tea & Honey Bread—an incredible writer with a big, beautiful voice. And my adoration only grew when I discovered her Etsy site, Pretty in Peace. Not only are her pieces stunning, she’s put some consciousness into them: Her eye-popping, handmade rings, necklaces, and earrings are made with imported precious metals selected from vendors who support fair trade artisans, and she never uses animal products or by-products in her designs. Think the “anti-bling.” In other words, her pieces make some serious statements, not just when they grace your body. Exclusive to MyBrownBaby readers, Tameka is giving away a $30 gift certificate to Pretty in Peace.

TO WIN IT, BE THE 56rd COMMENTER!
(Be sure to read THE COMMENT RULES at the end of this post to qualify)
UPDATE: Congratulations Madreoso of Bohdi Bear—you're the 56th commenter!

THE RULES

1. You MUST subscribe to MyBrownBaby via email or RSS feed or be/become a MyBrownBaby follower to participate.
2. You MUST visit each of the artists' online stores and leave THREE SEPARATE COMMENTS telling me which piece(s) you love most.
3. You can leave UP TO FOUR comments in a row to get to the prize of your choice, but each comment MUST be a complete sentence. You can leave up to four more comments after someone else leaves ONE comment between your next set of comments.

BONUS: If you become a follower of Tea & Honey Bread or follow @Jewelry RockStar on Twitter, you can post up to SIX comments in a row.
BONUS: If you Tweet about this post or put a link on your FaceBook page, you can leave up to EIGHT comments in a row. Post this: "I'm In It To Win It at the @mybrownbaby Hand-Crafted Jewelry Giveaway http://shar.es/aEGf4"

The MyBrown Baby Happy For the Holidays CHILDREN'S BOOK GIVEAWAY!

My daughter Mari was just a little peanut in my belly when I gave her her first gift— copies of Ezra Jack Keats’ “The Snowy Day,” Faith Ringold’s “Tar Beach,” and “More More More Said the Baby,” by Vera B. Williams. They were—and still are!—beautiful books with incredible stories—about the simplicity of a little brown boy and his dog enjoying a cold, winter day; about a little brown girl’s love of New York City and a party with the neighbors on the rooftop of her apartment building and; about a multiracial cast of toddlers getting smoochie hugs and kisses from their adult loved ones. It was important to me as a mom-to-be to surround my daughter with books—works that would spark her imagination and encourage her to dream. Just as important to me was that those books feature characters that look like her so that she could see herself in those stories and know that brown babies’ lives are worthy of documentation—their culture worthy of celebration.

Mari is 10 now, and she’s a wicked little book lover—she rips through one chapter book per day—and I know this is so because she’s been taught since the womb to revere the written word and the authors who share them. For years, we gave books as birthday presents to all her friends—I think we’ve single-handedly purchased and given at least a dozen copies of Debbie Allen’s “Dancing in the Wings,” and “A Snowy Day,” and “Tar Beach”—and we’ve amassed a serious collection of children’s books that we treasure.

Indeed, the gift of reading is transformative, and to kick off the first annual MyBrownBaby Happy for the Holidays Giveaway Week, some of my author and illustrator friends graciously donated AUTOGRAPHED copies of their books for the incredible collection of children’s books in the picture above. Included in this 18-book, $200+ gift package are:



Olu’s Dream, by Shane Evans. My girls and I are HUGE fans of Evans’ work; he’s the artist whose illustrated more than 25 books, including the gorgeous girl pie faces in our personal favorites: Home Made Love, by bell hooks, Jean Marzallo’s Shanna series, and; My Brother, Charlie, an upcoming picture book I wrote with Holly Robinson Peete. But these days, Shane is all about Olu’s Dream, a new series he wrote and illustrated, about a little boy who dreams B-I-G! Olu and his Oluizms are absolutely addictive. In addition to Olu’s dream, Shane autographed No More! Stories and Songs of Slave Resistance, a picture book he illustrated for author Doreen Rappaport.
VISIT OLU AND SHANE EVANS HERE.



March On!, The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World, illustrated by London Ladd. London is an astounding artist who made his book debut with the impressive Christine King Farris-penned March On! the definitive tribute to her brother, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the march and speech that changed our nation. A video rendition of the book, featuring London’s illustrations and performed by Lynn Whitfield, recently won a prestigious 2009 Andrew Carnegie Medal. His next project, Oprah: The Little Speaker, will be in stores March 2010. In addition to March On!, London autographed a poster portrait of President Barack Obama.
VISIT LONDON LADD HERE.


The Ruby and the Booker Boys series, by Derrick Barnes. I. Super. Heart. Derrick. Barnes. Period. With seven books to his credit, he marched right into my heart when he introduced the super spunky, super smart, super fly cutie pie lil’ Ruby to the world. The series is absolutely adorable (see my review HERE), but even more, Derrick is just a good brother. We’re FaceBook friends, and on his page, he’s always singing the praises of his college sweetheart/beautiful wife and their three breathtakingly gorgeous sons (see Derrick’s MBB Father of the Month profile HERE), which just makes me love him more. Who wouldn’t love a man strong enough to father three boys, but tender enough to breathe life into the perfectly delicious Ruby? In addition to Ruby and the Booker Boys: Brand-new School, Brave New Ruby, Trivia Queen, 3rd Grade Supreme, and Ruby Flips for Attention, Derrick autographed two of his earlier works, Stop, Drop, and Chill, and The Low-Down, Bad-Day Blues.
VISIT DERRICK BARNES HERE





Catwalk, by Deborah Gregory. The cheetalicious author of the bestselling Disney franchise The Cheetah Girls has a new amazing series—Catwalk, about a foursome of friends who work together to rip the runway with their own fashion line, the House of Pashmina. Wake up and smell the catnip! The second in the Catwalk series, Strike a Pose, hit bookshelves in September, and further proof that Deborah is on her grind, Catwalk has been optioned by Teen Nick network for a TV series, with Deborah attached as the executive producer and co-writer of the pilot episode. Work, Deborah! In addition to Catwalk, Deborah autographed a Cheetah Girls poster and donated a Cheetah Girls t-shirt and a picture of The Cheetah Girls, autographed by the four stars of the best-selling TV movie series.
VISIT DEBORAH GREGORY HERE.



Boycott Blues, Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale, Jackie’s Bat, We Are One, and Abraham Lincoln: Letters from a Slave Girl, written and/or illustrated by Andrea and Jerry Pinkney. This celebrated husband-and-wife team is downright iconic, and their books were quickly added to Mari’s burgeoning collection when she was a baby. Even when books featuring black characters were at a premium, it was the Pinkneys—she writes, he illustrates—who dedicated their careers to bringing great stories about African Americans to the bookshelves. Biographies, fairy tales, sweet stories about friendship, tall tales about little boys and whales, real-to-life stories about Civil Rights icons—you name it, the Pinkneys have done it, and with a style and grace I absolutely admire (see my review of Boycott Blues HERE and Andrea’s MBB Mom of the Week profile HERE). They are, in a word, incredible. In addition to autographing the five books mentioned above, the Pinkneys donated Harlem Summer, by Walter Dean Myers; Sassy: Little Sister Is Not My Name, by Sharon Draper; Crow Call, by Lois Lowry, and The Sound of Kwanzaa, by Dimitrea Tokunbo.
VISIT ANDREA PINKNEY HERE and BRIAN PINKNEY HERE.

WHEW! Is this the hook-up or what?! That’s 18 books featuring characters and stories your child will flip for, with AUTOGRAPHS OF THE AUTHORS AND/OR ILLUSTRATORS! This is a $218 value, but the autographs of each of these rock stars is absolutely priceless, and would make an incredible holiday gift for the special children in your life. You absolutely cannot and will not find this gift anywhere but right here at the MyBrownBaby Happy for the Holidays giveaway. Want it? Here’s your shot:

MANDATORY

• Visit at least three of the authors’ websites (though I encourage you to visit all of them!) and leave one comment telling me what you learned about each of them.

• Be/Become a MyBrownBaby follower.


FOR EXTRA ENTRIES

• TWEET “I just entered the @MyBrownBaby Happy for the Holidays giveaway for over $200 in autographed children’s books http://shar.es/aEHNe"

• BLOG about this giveaway

• BUY one of the books featured in the giveaway, and email a copy of your confirmation order to mybrownbabycontests@gmail.com (2 entries!)

• BECOME a MyBrownBaby email subscriber (you MUST verify your email subscription to qualify) OR get the MyBrownBaby RSS feed HERE (leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so, and include an email address so that I can contact you if you win).

• ADD my button to your blog

THIS CONTEST ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009. THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10th, 2009. It is open to residents in the continental U.S. and Canada.

On The MyBrownBaby Bookshelf: "Testing the Ice." Plus, a New MBB Contest!

Congratulations to the following MyBrownBaby readers—winners of "Testing the Ice," the beautiful new book by Sharon Robinson and illustrator Kadir Nelson.

FROM RANDOM.ORG
Here are your random numbers:
1
3
10
14
17
Timestamp: 2009-10-16 13:09:57 UTC

Congratulations Terri Potter! You win the grand prize pack, which includes a copy of the book and a Kidorable hat, glove and scarf set.

Each of the following MyBrownBaby readers win one copy of the book:

Miss Lori of MissLoriTV
Alice Anne
Ashlee
Future Mama of BabyMakin(g) Machine

Please email me your contact information so that Scholastic can send you your prizes.

THE REVIEW

He was the first African American to integrate Major League Baseball and so Jackie Robinson’s eyes and ears saw and heard unspeakable truths about the hatred some whites had for people who looked like him. For sure, he had to be exceptionally brave to walk out onto the fields of America’s baseball stadiums, where nasty words and physical violence against black and brown players was as American as hot dogs and apple pie. But when the Brooklyn Dodgers won their first World Series against the New York Yankees, buoyed by Robinson’s home run steal, the Dodgers, and especially the Robinsons, celebrated like nobody’s business. “That,” Robinson’s daughter writers in “Testing the Ice,” (Scholastic Books) her new picture book about winters with her father, “was a sweet victory.”

Indeed, so is “Testing the Ice,” for its sweet, revelatory look into the personal life of the sports icon. Graced by the stunningly rich and bountiful illustrations of the artistic genius Kadir Nelson—honest to goodness, Nelson, of “Dancing in the Wings,” and “Henry’s Freedom Box,” fame really outdid himself with his colorful, 3-D-like images—Robinson recounts life as a child in her family’s grand Connecticut home, where her dad regaled her and the neighborhood children with stories about his baseball fame. The book is full of surprising facts about Robinson that a child may not necessarily know—his involvement in the Civil Rights movement, for instance, and his work as an author. But what’s sweetest is the life Robinson led when no one was watching—as a gentle, attentive Dad who enjoyed watching his kids fish, row, and witness “frog eggs hatch into tadpoles.”

But as accomplished and athletic and strong Jackie Robinson was, he had one weakness: He couldn’t swim and was scared to death of water—especially the grand lake that stretched across his property. When his children talk him into taking them ice skating, Robinson shows a different kind of bravery—one that his daughter Sharon will never forget.

Words can’t express how touching and beautiful this book is. I adore it for its poignant messages—bravery and fear aren’t mutually exclusive, black fathers can become heroes in their children’s eyes in the simplest of ways—and especially for Nelson’s sweeping renderings, all chocolate and rich and bold. For sure, this will be a favorite in our house, where, even though my girls devour chapter books like a fat kid does cake, picture books still rule.

To enhance your child’s reading experience:
• Have your child look up the word “hero,” discuss it’s meaning, then draw a picture of her hero.
• Discuss the concept of “bravery” and “fear” with your child, then let him list all the ways he thinks he’s brave and the things he fears most, then discuss with him how he can be more brave and, of course, overcome his fears.
• Let them read more about Jackie Robinson on his official website HERE.

THE CONTEST:

MyBrownBaby will be giving away “Testing the Ice” to FIVE LUCKY READERS; one will win a prize pack that includes a copy of “Testing the Ice,” as well as one Kidorable hat, glove, and scarf set, (an estimated $48 value) as seen above. Four other winners will receive a copy of this incredible book (a $17 value).

Here’s how you enter: Check out this video of Sharon Robinson and Kadir Nelson talking about their experience writing “Testing the Ice,” and leave a comment about something you learned about their process by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 15, 2009.



Want to enter more than once? Boost your chances of winning by completing one or more of the following:

:: If you haven’t already, sign up for MyBrownBaby’s email updates by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 15, 2009. To be eligible, you must verify your email subscription when Feedburner sends you a verification email. Your entry will be invalid if you do not verify. If you would prefer to get MyBrownBaby updates via an MBB RSS feed, please leave a comment letting me know you’ve done so, and include an email address, as RSS subscribers are anonymous.

:: Become a MyBrownBaby follower.

:: Blog or Tweet about this giveaway, and post a link to your work here.

:: Purchase a copy of “Testing the Ice,” (it’s been added to the MyBrownBaby Bookshelf in the righthand sidebar) and then send a copy of your “confirmation” email to mybrownbabycontests at gmail dot com.

:: Fave MyBrownBaby on Technorati. After you do this, come back to MyBrownBaby to leave a comment with your Technorati user name so that I can verify it.

See? That means each of you can receive up to 6 entries. A winner will be chosen via Random.org, and announced here at MyBrownBaby on October 16, 2009. This contest is available to U.S. mailing addresses only; all prizes will be sent to winners by the book’s sponsor.

Good luck—and happy weekend!

What Would You Do For A Ticket To BlogHer ’09?

Would you do it Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards style, and bathe in green goo? Maybe deliver dinner for four every night for a month to the front doorstep of Christie “The ChatterBox” Crowder (My Life - A Work in Progress)? A haiku, perhaps, for Lorraine of Ask Wifey?

Well, those are just a few of the things I might consider if I were trying to hitch a ride to BlogHer '09 with The BlogRollers. Lucky for me, I already have a seat in the brand new Chevrolet they'll be rolling in to the July conference. But Christie and Lorraine, the brains behind The BlogRollers, think it would be a blast to invite one more blogger on our big road trip, and today, they're over on The BlogRollers site dusting off a seat in the Chevy, waving around free Saturday registration to the sold-out conference, and dangling keys to a free hotel room to one lucky blogger in their The Fourth Wheel Contest.

The Fourth Wheel will join The BlogRollers and me, Denene Millner of MyBrownBaby, on our special quest to take the business (and pleasure) of blogging and social networking to the streets in unique and entertaining ways. Our goal is to raise awareness of the power of female bloggers and our impact on the economy, as well as promote the brands that support us.

Want to roll? Head over to The BlogRollers for details on how to win--not now, but right now!

See you over there,

MyBrownBaby Cause: A Mother's Love Giveaway

To celebrate Mother’s Day and say “thank you” for being one of their mom ambassadors, The March of Dimes sent me a beautiful necklace from Red Envelope—one with a pendant rendered from a single, unending loop of sterling silver. The Red Envelope description says it’s meant to be a unique interpretation of mother and child caught in an eternal embrace.

I wanted to brag on the gift—show it off and wear it well and tell you that it reminded me of the “push gifts” my husband gave me when I birthed his two daughters almost 10 and 7 years ago respectively (I reminisced about my beautiful sterling silver necklaces last week when my blog friend Future Mama wrote a post on her terrific site, Baby Makin(g) Machine, about the push gift she’s angling for when she becomes a mom).

But when I clicked over to the Red Envelope page to see details about my gift, I saw a simple message telling me that 10% of the proceeds for every sale of the Mother’s Love Necklace will go to the March of Dimes, an incredible organization that has worked tirelessly to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature, birth, and infant mortality through research, education, advocacy, and community service. And suddenly, my keeping the gift for myself didn’t seem as important as letting my readers know about the importance of doing what we can to help The March of Dimes continue its important mission of helping mothers and babies in need.

Particularly moving was the symbolism of the pendant—“the mother and child caught in an eternal embrace.” It made me think of my fellow March of Dimes Mom Ambassador Heather Spohr of The Spohrs Are Multiplying, who recently lost her beautiful one-year-old daughter, Maddie. She’s been blogging about life without her child, and, true to what the words “eternal embrace” laid on my heart, I found a post Heather wrote last week about how much she misses hugging her child:

My arms tingle, and I remember that I’ve had this sensation before. When I was on bed rest, my legs would ache and tingle. I mentioned it to my Obstetrician, and she said, “those are your legs muscles atrophying. It is an unfortunate side-effect of bed rest.” My arm muscles are tingling because I am not picking up Maddie. I am not lifting her up, holding her weight, feeling her cheek against my chest.

I want my baby. Oh Maddie! I need you!

No mother should have to ponder life without the embrace of her child—to have to face Mother’s Day without her baby there to touch her cheek and climb into her arms and say, simply, “I love you, Mommy.”

But there are many more Heather Spohrs.

The March of Dimes is doing its best to help stem this tide. It is my sincere hope that MyBrownBaby’s readers will help, too, by supporting The March of Dimes. You can do this by donating directly to the organization, or by purchasing a Mother’s Love Necklace for yourself or for a Mother’s Day present for someone you love. ProFlowers, the corporate owner of Red Envelope, is also donating $10 of every order of Mother’s Day flowers to the March of Dimes, in support of programs in communities throughout the United States.



To inspire you to give, I’m giving away my Mother’s Love Necklace to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you love most about your child’s embrace AND click over to the March of Dimes website and tell me something you learned about the organization. Your offering MUST include both comments to qualify.

Please leave your comments by 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, May 5th, 2009. I will choose a winner via Random.org and announce the winner Wednesday, May 6th, 2009.

Good luck.

SAVE A BABY'S LIFE: BUY A BOX OF PAMPERS (PLUS: GET $50 WORTH OF PAMPERS ON MYBROWNBABY)

My daughters think their pediatrician, Dr. Roberts, rocks. It's the nurses, with their finger prickers and their blood-sucking tubes and their needles full of mysterious liquids, that they don't care for. Indeed, news of a trip to see Dr. Roberts inevitably is met with a fist pump and a "yes!" and then quickly followed up with, "do we have to get shots?" Last year's visit was a mess; Mari cried the moment the first of the three needles she needed last year hit her thigh; Lila took off running down the hallway and hid under the desk in the nurses station, only to be dragged off by her mother kicking and screaming and crying to her doom—four needles were waiting for her back in Exam Room 3.

Not exactly our idea of a good time.

But I thank God every day for my children's health, and for our ability to afford our overpriced insurance (even if it works more like a discount healthcare coupon rather than the kind of health insurance we used to get working for The Man), and for the resources we have at our disposal to make sure that my babies get the best chance at leading healthy lives. They don't realize how blessed they are.

And that so many little lives exactly like theirs are lost because their mothers can't afford or don't have access to something as simple as the few ounces of liquid and a needle that could help them see many more days.

That's why MyBrownBaby is teaming with Pampers to help promote its "One Pack=One Vaccine Campaign,” a global initiative with UNICEF to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), a preventable disease that claims the lives of approximately 128,000 infants and 30,000 mothers in less industrialized nations each year—approximately one death every four minutes.

Tetanus can be contracted during childbirth in developing countries, where women often must give birth at home in unsanitary conditions without access to adequate health care. The disease rages through newborns within days of their exposure to the tetanus bacteria and almost always leads to a swift and painful death.

And this fatal disease can be eliminated with a simple vaccine.

But YOU can help save a baby's life: By simply purchasing something you'd buy anyway—diapers and wipes—you can help wipe out tetanus. From now through May 1, 2009, buy the specially-marked "One Pack=One Vaccine Campaign” packages of Pampers or wipes, and Pampers will donate money to UNICEF to help provide one tetanus vaccine to a pregnant woman or a woman of child-bearing age in the less industrialized world. These specially marked packages of diapers and wipes cost the same as traditional products and are available wherever Pampers products are sold. For more information, click HERE

In addition to Pampers, parents can also redeem this special campaign baby body suit using "Gifts to Grow" points though Pampers.com; each baby body suit triggers a life-saving vaccine. To purchase one, click HERE.



Pamper's 2008 North America campaign provided funding to UNICEF for over 50 million tetanus vaccines to help protect moms and their newborn babies against tetanus. This year, Pampers aims to raise funds for another 30 million vaccines; it hopes to provide more than 200 million life-saving tetanus vaccines over the next three years.

Of course, MyBrownBaby has a little incentive for its faithful followers; add your name to the roster of moms supporting Pampers' efforts (it's easy enough—just click on the widget below and add your name) AND leave a comment below, and your name will be placed in a random drawing for $50 IN PAMPERS COUPONS and the special baby body suit. Earn extra entries by becoming a MyBrownBaby follower, an email subscriber, faving MyBrownBaby on technorati, or rating MyBrownBaby on Top Sista Sites.

Please be sure to leave your email addy so that I can contact you if you win. A winner will be chosen randomly on March 31.

Oprah + "Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man" = VERY Happy Author. Plus: Win A Copy Of The Book!

My God, this is practically the first time in three days that I’ve taken a breath—felt my heart beat at a normal, human pace.

This is B-I-G, considering the B-I-G thing that set my heart aflutter on Friday.

Oprah. Was. Reading. My. Words.

On. Her. Show.

Had. The. Pages. Tabbed. With. Sticky. Notes.

And. Said. She. Loved. The. Book.

The book with thoughts I collected from comedian Steve Harvey, and turned into “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man,” the best selling tome that’s been at the top of the New York Times Hardcover Advice Best Seller’s List for the past four weeks.

Steve, for whom I wrote "Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man," did an incredible job, breaking down for Oprah, Gail, and all those who were watching what women need to do to take back our power, make our relationships stronger, and get the guys we deserve. And she even invited him back for a chat with an all-female audience, so he’d have more time to break it down so it’ll forever be broke.

I’m so proud of Steve.

And so humbled by the attention and love “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man” has gotten, everywhere from The Today Show and The Wall St. Journal to Essence.com and super addictive blogs like Renaissance Black Woman.

Yup, this book, which I've written about HERE a few times on MyBrownBaby, is quite the bees knees.

But don’t just take Oprah’s word for it—you really ought to try it out for yourself. And who am I to deny MyBrownBaby readers a chance to do just that? I’ve got three—THREE!—copies of “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man,” for three lucky MyBrownBaby readers—autographed by moi! Here’s how you can win:

1. If you didn’t get a chance to see Steve on “Oprah” on Friday, check out the recap on Oprah’s website HERE, and then come back and leave a comment on MyBrownBaby about which of Steve’s revelations was most surprising to you.

2. Follow MyBrownBaby, or subscribe via email or RSS feed. Be sure to leave a comment telling me you did so.

3. Fav MyBrownBaby on Technorati or rate MyBrownBaby on Top Sista sites, then leave a comment saying you did so.

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog or website, and link back to MyBrownBaby.

5. Put MyBrownBaby’s button on your blog or website

There you are: Five chances of winning an autographed, bestselling book! This contest closes on Wednesday, March 11. It is available to United States addresses only. Winners, drawn via Random.org, will be announced on Thursday, March 12. I will email all winners for their addresses; winners will have three days to respond, but if I don’t hear from you, the next lucky entrant will get your book, so answer a sistah’s email with the info to guarantee your winnings.

And speaking of winnings: There are some lucky folks who won some great prizes in the last three MyBrownBaby giveaways. And the winners are:

Blacktating win’s the lovely set of frames from the Kisha’s Kids giveaway.

And Gina over at Queen Rabbit's Realm wins the $50 Home Depot "Dream" Card giveaway, in honor of the soon-to-be Center For Civil and Human Rights.

Scottsgal, Mindy and Divaqueenie each win Coraline: A Visual Companion, by Stephen Jones, and Liane66 wins the novel, "Coraline," by Neil Gaiman. Each of you also gets a super-cutie 3-D cardboard replica of Coraline’s house and front yard—fun for the kiddies. Send me your addys so I can ship these puppies on to you.

Congrats to all the winners!