Elline Surianello

Elline Surianello and Alyson Campbell celebrate

An Evening of Reinvention.

(Picture courtesy of Belkis Carrasco)

I was excited to receive an invite to attend an after-hours event at Saks from Alyson Campbell, partner and publicist with AMP3 PR. The event was in celebration of Elline Surianello, Founder and CEO of LeMetric Hair Center, Inc. An Evening of Reinvention, as it was billed, was a joint event with BettyConfidential.com, an emerging online magazine catering to women.

Women were encouraged to bring their best girlfriends for a night of empowerment. Elline's story of dealing with hairloss at a young age, was sure to motivate attendees to live their best live's ever. Elline was among several women panelist who shared their life stories with hopes of providing inspiration to the mass of women. The energy in the room proved that a good time was being had by all. The complimentary wine, hors d'oeuvres and makeovers helped as well!

Elline's story was extremely inspirational. Her company, The LeMetric Hair Center, has empowered women around the world. She begin dealing with hair loss at the age of nine and after experiencing disappoints with several products, Elline created a product line. Her goal was to help the over 50 million women who suffer from hair loss due to stress, illness and other factors. Women have a unique relationship with hair. We love it and we hate it, but when we look great, it gives us that extra boost of confidence needed to move mountains and follow our own paths.

Some of the wise words I took away from Elline were:

-"Be comfortable with yourself."
-"Don't be afraid of imperfections, but if you don't like it, fix it!"
-"Learn from your experiences and in the process, learn to love yourself."
-"And like Nike, Just Do It."

I enjoyed the evening filled with cocktails, confessions and caring girlfriends. I left knowing that adversity can lead to new opportunities. Nothing is impossible. Take a look at Elline Surianello's success and begin charting your own path.

Women, start making your Moves today!

Ada Lovelace Day

Today is Ada Lovelace Day and I'm honoring this pioneer by highlighting women excelling in the field of technology. I committed to honoring Ada Lovelace because the representation of women in technology could certainly be higher. Women Making Moves has discussed the role of women in technology previously here and here.

I've been exposed to a number of female techies on Twitter. Through my Twitter connections, a new outlet has opened itself up for women to display their knowledge in the field. There is no lack of women interested in technology and these results prove it.

I've wondered why my interest was never sparked in this field. I concluded that I was never exposed to the field. While in my freshman year of college, I was required to take a computer science course, which I detested. But with the proper mentoring, I could have learned to love that course and pursue technology as a career.

Today there are numerous organizations encouraging women and girls to participate in technology. Girls in Tech, Webgrrls and She's Geeky are all committed to mentoring women and encouraging them to take an interest in technology.

One of the women I admire in the tech field is Dr. Dhyana Ziegler. She currently serves as Vice President for Instructional Technology and Academic Affairs at Florida A&M University. Dr. Ziegler also supervises the Division of Instructional Technology. She's a firm believer in exposing children to science and technology and was recognized by the National Science Foundation. Additionally, Dr. Ziegler is the host and co-producer of “The Delta SEE Connection,”a one-hour radio program highlighting the contributions of African-Americans who work in math, science, technology and engineering. Dr. Ziegler peers recognize her commitment to the field and named her as one of the "Top 50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology" three years in a row. She is an outstanding woman! Starting today, I encourage women and girls to commit themselves to being more active in technology. Let's prepare the next generation of women techies.

Women, start making your Moves today!

Sandra Jackson

Domestic violence has recently been a hot topic since the media out-pour surrounding the Rhianna and Chris Brown incident. While this was an unfortunate incident, it's the perfect opportunity to highlight domestic abuse. I discussed this topic with the high-school group I mentor and I was amazed that several of the young women threw their support behind Chris Brown. But this isn't abnormal. Oprah has dedicated two shows to this subject and one featured a teenager who said Rhianna may have provoked the violence.

In the midst of the current focus on domestic abuse, a chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosted a community forum. The New York Alumnae Chapter hosted a Violence Against Women panel discussion in Harlem. Several panelist, including Sandra Jackson a Senior Director with the Urban Resources Institute, gave a first-hand account of abuse involving women. Sandra oversees an emergency facility that houses women leaving violent situations. Her organization is the first place women and their children along with men come to escape abuse.

Sandra provided some disturbing statics. She reported that women represent 95% of all reported victims. Sandra went on to mention that young women between the ages of 16-24 experienced the highest rate of relationship violence. Sandra continued to stress the point that under no circumstances does a person have the right to hit another person. This message sounds simple, but it went a long with with the youth who were in attendance. In the video below, Sandra reveals additional statics about domestic violence. It takes courage for victims to leave their abusers. But it's also imperative to point out the danger Sandra puts herself in by working with these victims. I applaud Sandra for her commitment. Domestic violence is an issue that often gets ignored, but this program, if only for one day, brought it to the light.

Women, start making your Moves today!

Janice Tunnell

Illusions Cosmetics, doesn't this name just sound luxurious. That's the concept Janice Tunnell had in mind when she and sister, Denise Tunnell, launched the company. An accomplished make-up artist, Janice, has worked in the entertainment industry for a majority of her creative career. Television along with print, video and film have all showcased the work of Janice. Her work can be found in such movies as The Notebook and National Treasure.

Janice is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. She studied Business Management and Accounting at North Carolina State University and had a career as a Tax Accountant for over 10 years. Although, Janice enjoyed her line of work, her passion for make-up could not be denied. She trained and became licensed at the Von Lee School of Aesthetics. Through this experience, Janice was convinced she could become a successful business owner. Janice prides herself on being a woman making moves because she's taking steps to successfully achieve her goals.

Living your dreams is certain to be a goal of many, but Janice realizes she's living her dream now and she owes much of her success to her parents who encourage her unconditionally. They've been her biggest cheerleaders throughout her career. She credits her family and friends for helping her stay motivated. Through their support and her hard-work, she's achieved many of her goals. A strong spiritual foundation and the power of prayer has gotten Janice even farther than she's imagined.

As a professional make-up artist working with a number of high-profile clients, Janice's day-to-day activities are hectic. Her morning begins by answering emails and voice-mails relating to Illusions Cosmetics. Conference calls, order filling, creative and marketing sessions as well as budget and finance meetings are all a part of Janice's day. She's working extremely hard and in five years, Janice expects to fully enjoy the fruits of her labor. Of course, she'll still be a hardworking woman on the move, but an Illusions Cosmetics Boutique will have launched by then. Janice advises women who want to become successful to study their craft, find out what they were placed on this earth to do and work diligently to achieve it. She goes on to say that money should not be a primary factor, but finding a profession that brings joy is the ultimate goal. Janice's determination is uplifting. She's an amazing woman because she realizes her gift and believes in making herself happy.

Visit Illusions Cosmetics on the web at the company's main website. Receive beauty tips from the Illusions blog and listen to the online radio show. While visiting the sites, don't forget to review and purchase items you may enjoy. I've sampled several products from the lip gloss line and they've left my lips with a beautiful shine and extremely moisturized. The Lustre Lip Glosses in Khadijah and Sparkle are colors that can move you from day to night. Illusions has a number of testimonials. And if the products are good enough for Oscar nominated Taraji P. Henson, comedian Necy Nash and Zeola Gaye, sister of the famed Marvin Gaye, they're good enough for me! But don't take my word for it, let the products speak for themselves.

Women, start making your Moves today!

The Red Pump Project

National Women/Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is today and I'm dedicating this blog post to The Red Pump Project. HIV/AIDS is near and dear to my heart. The number of women, especially African-Americans, affected by the disease has grown drastically in the last several years. It's necessary to bring this issue to the forefront and continue discussing it until it's talked about in every household.

Today, over 100 bloggers are dedicating posts to the issue of HIV/AIDS. One of my Twitter connections, @thefabgiver, initiated this project along with a friend. Visit her website for a list of other bloggers participating in the project. While we're highlighting this disease today, The Red Pump Project hopes to continue its presence as a resource for information on how HIV/AIDS affect women. Together we can end this disease by educating one another.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2006 over 1 million people were living with HIV/AIDS and almost 300,000 of them were women. For women between the ages of 25-44, HIV is the 5th leading cause of death. Most of these women, 80% to be exact, contract HIV through high-risk heterosexual contact. These statics are three years old, which means more women have been diagnosed with the disease since the CDC's last reporting. The CDC lists several things women can do to take control of this disease. The first includes getting tested regularly. I'll also add that women should be prepared and carry contraceptives with them at all times. I recently read a feature in Essence Magazine and several men mentioned it's a turn-off when women carry condoms. If a man says this, it should be an automatic red flag.

It's simple, educate yourself, educate others and together we can stop this disease in its tracks. Let's work together now before the numbers continue to rise.

Women, start making your Moves today!

Zena Nelson

I was amazed when I heard the work being done by Zena Nelson and the South Bronx Food Cooperative (SBxFC). A previous Women Making Moves post, focused on the North Star Fund and the work the organization does to provide funding for grassroots organizations. At a recent North Star informational event, Zena was on-hand to discuss what the co-op is doing for the Bronx community.

SBxFC provides organic food products to residents of the Bronx. The organization is an alternative to the unhealthy food choices mostly available in the area. Giving residents food options that are healthy and affordable is the main focus of the co-op. Members and non-members are able to shop for organic and conventionally grown products. SBxFC also offers nutrition workshops and healthy cooking classes.

The concept of SBxFC was the brainchild of Zena Nelson. What started as a project for her MBA class at Baruch College, turned into a sustainable business that helps those who need it most. Zena entered a business contest sponsored by Baruch. After much preparation, she won first place and was awarded $20,000 to continue her goal of providing quality food choices for her community. The statics that Zena rattled off were shocking. There aren't many choices for organic and healthy food in the Bronx, but the borough ships thousands of produce and organic food to states all along the East Coast. These shipments go directly through Hunts Points. She also pointed out that the Bronx has the highest rate of asthma throughout NYC. One of the primary reasons relates directly to the hundreds of trucks shipping food to other locales except the Bronx.

The co-op is a start-up organization and while its small at the moment, members and staff are doing their best to get the word out. SBxFC has been featured in the Daily News and the New York Times. This co-op is one of the most affordable in the city. There are discounts for students, senior citizens and those receiving public assistance. This is a timely program considering the health disparities in the Black community. CNN's Soledad O'Brien highlighted the statics during her Black in America special. The work of Zena and her team is outstanding. She could have easily taken her business and marketing skills and used them to benefit herself. Instead Zena decided to positively impact the community in which she was born, raised and still resides. What an amazing woman!

Women, start making your Moves today!

Wanda Imasuen

On Sunday I attended a wonderful informational event hosted by the North Star Fund, which supports grassroots groups in NYC. North Star distributes grants to organizations who are working towards equality, economic justice and peace for all. The information session was held to introduce people to the work of the North Star Fund. For 30 years, North Star has distributed almost 30 million dollars to needy organizations.

Several programs that have benefited from North Star grants were on-hand to share their experiences with those in attendance. Wanda Imasuen, lead organizer for FUREE, gave a passionate speech about her work with the organization. Families United for Racial and Economic Equality is based in Brooklyn and helps low-income families create a world where everyone has the economic means to choose and live their destinies. So often the working class is ignored due to their economic status. Wanda along with the other 14 members of the FUREE staff are constantly rallying the Brooklyn community to stand up for their rights. Since 2000 the organization has helped families stand up for themselves and show the power of organizing within the community.

It was encouraging to be in the presence of everyday people determined to make their communities better. I encourage you to visit the North Star Fund's website and get involved. I also encourage donating time through volunteering, but monetary donations are just as helpful. Wanda Imasuen is fully committed to serving her community and I applaud her for the decision to do so.

Women, start making your Moves today!