WMM~The Women of NABOB

The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters recently held their annual Communications Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. I received the pleasure of attending the event and I had a wonderful time! Each year NABOB honors a number of individuals in the television, film and music industry. NABOB recognized five honorees at this year's event. The legendary Eartha Kitt received NABOB's Lifetime Achievement Award, the phenomenal singer Nancy Wilson was the recipient of the Pioneer in Music Award and the hilarious Kim Coles was the emcee for the evening. Although this is a women focused blog, I can't forget about NABOB's male honorees. The sexy Idris Elba from the hit HBO series, The Wire, received the Entertainer of the Year in Film and Television Award, sensational R&B singer Neyo was NABOB's Entertainer of the Year in Music and actor Louis Gossett, Jr received NABOB's Pioneer in Entertainment Award. There was also an amazing performance by Kool and the Gang.

I was honored to be in the company of such legendary stars, but since WMM focuses on Women Making Moves, Eartha Kitt, Nancy Wilson and Kim Coles are the highlight of this post. LOL. Due to some events that took place Eartha and Nancy weren't able to attend, but the association still honored them as though they were in the room with us. The 81 year old Ms. Kitt has a history in the film, theater, cabaret, music and television industries that began while she was a teenager growing up in Harlem. She has appeared in so many shows, that you will have to visit her website for a list of her work. I'm sure she is most remembered by younger audiences for her role in Jungle Fever as she seduced Eddie Murphy.

Nancy Wilson, whose singing style consists of jazz, blues, pop and show tunes, begin her singing career at 15. According to her bio, Nancy knew she wanted to be a singer at the early age of four. Now that's a person who had her life planned out! Nancy was tempted to not pursue her singing career and she enrolled in a teacher training program at Central State University. She couldn't get rid of the itch and eventually moved to NYC to pursue her singing career. This legendary singer just doesn't focus on making good music, she also works to raise awareness about AIDS in the black community as the honorary spokesperson for the National Minority AIDS Council.

Last but not least is the hilarious actor and comedian Kim Coles. She served as the the emcee for the evening's event. She was absolutely hilarious. I wasn't aware that Kim was a co-host of "In the Loop with iVillage." If you receive the opportunity, check out her show. Kim was very down to earth and keep the crowd laughing as she presented the honorees with their awards. Overall the awards dinner was a blast. This was my first year attending, but I hope to attend this event every year!

Women, start making your Moves today!

WMM~Simone and music from the Motherland

I had the wonderful opportunity to see Simone, the daughter of legendary singer Nina Simone, in concert at the Canal Room. Initially I wasn't going to attend, but my husband convinced me to throw on a party dress and enjoy a night out with him. I'm glad I decided to attend! Simone has an upcoming album set to be released on May 13. This event was not only a showcase for her new album, but it also celebrated the 70th birthday of her mother. Her management firm, Big Machine Media, put together a great show.

The atmosphere at the Canal Room was lovely. In honor of Nina Simone's b-day, family portraits of her and Simone decorated the walls. Simone's fans represented a diverse crowd. Young, old, Black, White, Asian, purple, red, you name it, were in the building to see Simone perform. Before Simone's performance, her opening act Omega graced us with music from the motherland. Omega, a native of Uganda, music reminded me of the African chants from "The Color Purple." The first song she performed was "Sweet from the Soul" in her native tongue. She then performed a long song dedicated to her husband in Swahili. I think this was my favorite song! Her music is calming to the soul. I foresee her having a great impact on the music industry. Her album will be released on May 27.

It was finally time for Simone to perform! She was accompanied by a 7 piece jazz band that was phenomenal. The music of out of this world. I felt like I was home in Louisiana in the birthplace of Jazz, New Orleans. It took a while for the band to set-up, but now I know it was definitely worth it. The theme of Simone's performance was a celebration for the one before me, a dedication to her mother. Overall it was a wonderful night. You can't beat a Simone concert and a night out with the love of your life. Follow the lead of Simone and Omega...

Women, start making your Moves today!

WMM~Downtown Women's Club

I recently attended a Downtown Women's Club event hosted by its NY chapter. I am a huge fan of DWC! According to its website, DWC's mission is to to empower women through access to information and opportunities for collaboration. DWC is one of the ultimate networking organizations for women. Dress designer Kathlin Argiro hosted the "Cocktails, Conversations and Cocktail Dresses"event at her showroom on W. 37th Street.

DWC promotes networking among women and I was able to make a number of contacts with women for personal and professional reasons. DWC NYC Co-Directors Elizabeth Mateo and Sabina Ptacin organized the cocktail hour that provided a casual atmosphere for networking opportunities. DWC's CEO, Diane Danielson, attended to share secrets from her latest book, The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking. I was lucky enough to win a free copy. The book was a quick read that provided 34 tips for effective online networking. If you are hesitate about online networking, I encourage you to purchase the book, check it out from the library or find a friend who has a copy and borrow it.

I can testify to the power of online networking. I am a member of the professional networking site LinkedIn. I've connected with ton of people I probably would have never met if it weren't for the site. Online networking is not a fad and women should jump on the train before it leaves the station. Don't be afraid, check-out DWC or LinkedIn and start networking online today.

Women, start making your Moves today!