June 29, 2012 in FASHION, Media
Mali Romeo is at it again! She has recently released her Stars and Stripes collection. You can find the new looks on her WEBSITE HERE and her Facebook Page: CLICK HERE . We enjoy the maxi skirts and patterns Mali chose to utilize for this collection. It is fun and certainly worth the buy. Get yours now!
June 25, 2012 in Share an Experience
One of our motto’s here at the Experience Blog is to “LIVE FREE, DIE HARD.” We certainly abided by this concept today. When we found a way to conquer the skies through the gift of flight, it was not too long after the sport of skydiving was born.
A couple of friends and I decided to surprise the birthday boy by going on a skydiving adventure. When we arrived in New Jersey at the Free Fall Adventures venue, excitement was thick in the air. The wait time and the cost of the package was all so worth it. The anticipation builds as you watch an introductory video, sign waivers, wait patiently, take a crash course in positioning in the skies, and mount the plane 15,000 feet in the air.
The feeling of release is the best way to describe the after shock of skydiving. We each were so happy to have done it and what better way to end the adventure than with a bottle of champagne?! We would recommend everyone do something a little daring and worthwhile. Skydiving is for the champions!
June 23, 2012 in FASHION
We like different, especially when it is tasteful. This crew has come up with a brand that we would like to share with our readers:
What is your brand about?
We miss the 90′s. Like real bad. We’re sick of the hype-beasts and we wanna see something different. We want to see girls looking like they stepped straight outta TLC’s “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” video. Girls that make baggy clothes sexy. Guys wearing something other than the standard on trend tees. Bring a lil of that Fresh Prince multicolour vibe back. Basically we wanna time travel back to 1991, or make everyone dress like they just stepped off the set of Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing.” Not to much to ask, huh? Unfortunately time travel hasn’t been invented yet. So we had a thought, “why not set up a clothing line selling 90′s inspired pieces and the best 90′s vintage pieces we can find?” We stalked the vintage shops out of the UK and picked our favourite pieces, and came up with a killer brand logo & image to represent our ethos:
“EDUCATE THE MIND, ELEVATE THE GRIND.”
What does it all mean?
It means, the more you educate yourself about the world and your surroundings, the higher chance you have of moving up in the world and being sucessful. Not just sucessful in terms of money,but being the best version of YOU you can possible be. People these days DON’T know much about the world we live in. Most don’t even know much about what’s going on out of their own town, let alone half way across the world! We’re not just preaching about world issues and politics, (though it’s cool if you care about that!) We’re talking CULTURE. Learning about other cultures & embracing our differences will influence and inspire you. You can’t educate the majority with the mind of the minority!!! We’re a street wear brand with a difference, a positive message, and we believe that we can educate & elevate through fashion.”
Facebook: www.facebook.com/educateelevateltd
twitter: @educateelevate
June 23, 2012 in Media
Higher education is of vast importance to some. We need to work harder as a community to turn that some into most, then eventually “all.” There are certain obstacles that we face in trying to promote higher education and make it’s pursuance appealing. A major factor in deciding whether or not to obtain a higher degree is funding. Funding can come in various forms; students are provided with financial aid based upon need, scholarships, parent’s money, and grants. But what happens when a student enrolls in school and cannot afford to finish because of the high cost of education? What happens when a student cannot continue a semester because they cannot afford to pay $1000 for an unpaid tuition bill? Mea Boykins has figured out a way to alleviate this burden and the Experience Blog is enthused to share this approach with our readers.
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[/media-credit]The Student Emergency Assistance Organization, Inc (S.E.A.) was established by Mea Boykins, a Spelman alumna C’11. S.E.A. was created to assist juniors and seniors at Spelman College who have exhausted all of their financial resources, including grants, loans, scholarships, work income, and family contribution, thus placing them at risk for expulsion. S.E.A. aims to raise the funds that are necessary to keep these students in school so that their academic goals can be achieved. The requirements to be a recipient of S.E.A. include a minimum GPA of 3.0 and community service involving women’s empowerment and uplifting the youth. Thus far, S.E.A. has awarded three scholarships in the amount of $2,500 to Stephany Tomlinson, C’12, Sascha Betts C’12, and to an alumna, Ashley Cousins, C’11. S.E.A. is consistently seeking corporate and individual donors.
We like this idea of a student emergency fund. We believe this should be a model for many colleges and universities across the U.S. Why not make students work harder for the money they are in need of? Why not have some funds set aside to help those in need?
Donate:
If interested in donating to the Student Emergency Assistance Scholarship Fund you may mail in a check or money order to the following address:
Spelman College
Institutional Advancement
350 Spelman Lane, SW Box 1303
Atlanta, Ga 30314
You may also donate securely on the Spelman web page by clicking the following link:
[S.E.A.] Student Emergency Assistance Scholarship Fund
Under the heading “Giving to Spelman” select the make a gift option. Please designate the S.E.A. Scholarship on the memo line of your payment. Please specify S.E.A. Scholarship in “Other” tab. Any donation $5 or more will receive an official tax-recipt, and gift acknowledgement from Spelman College. Thanks for taking time to invest in education and changing other’s lives!
Soul Artist Lauren Housley released her anticipated EP album One Step Closer on June 11th, 2012. Born and bred in Manchester, this artist’s vocals are a thrill to listen to. The Experience Blog was able to interview this up and coming talented young woman. FOLLOW THE EXPERIENCE below:
1. Where were you born and raised?
Rotherham, UK (near Sheffield, South Yorkshire)…. Yorkshire lass born and bred
2. What era of music would best describe your sound?
60s/70s…Motown, Stax, Soul
3. You are set to release your EP “One Step Closer” on June 11th. What is the significance of the title of the EP?
‘One Step Closer’ is the title of one of the tracks on the EP and it seemed fitting for my first release…. It represents taking the next step to being the type of artist I hope to be and the long career/journey ahead of me.
4. How long have you been working on this EP? How long have you been performing?
The concept for the EP came just under a year ago and we started writing pretty much immediately. The songs were selected around December last year and we were in the studio by the last week of January 2012. We recorded it all over 3 days at Cottonmouth Studio and it was mixed and mastered by mid-February. I have always performed, whether it be performing gymnastics, aerobics or being in a school play but singing came later for me. I always wanted to sing but I held it so far up on a pedestal that my confidence held me back from pursuing it. When I was 18 and realized I had a voice that I NEEDED to use and develop and that I would never forgive myself if I didn’t do this….I started singing at Jazz jams and open mics and never looked back!
5. What three words would best describe your personality?
Friendly, loving and sincere.
6. Following your tweets, it is clear you like to tweet about dishes you have experienced. What are your favorite dishes and where do you find yourself getting food on most days?
Ha…I’m a little embarrassed you picked up on my obsession with food! I love Indian food! My favourite dish is chicken tikka keema balti! mmm
Living in such a multi-cultural place as Manchester means I have a great access to different styles of food…there is a great Caribbean stall, Kool Runnings, which I often find myself at. I love cooking too, so I often experiment with new recipes and styles of food.
7. What and/or who inspires you?
I get inspired by life experiences, emotions, weird situations, family, friends, empathy, listening to music I love; Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Joni Mitchell, D’Angelo and Janelle Monae (to name a few). I love singers and musicians who lose themselves in a performance and let lose a wail or two 
8. I saw your remix to All I Need is You on YouTube. I really enjoyed it too. What prompted you to record that remix track?
Thank you. I have to say I can’t take credit for that. A very good friend of mine and my drummer/filmography/and multi-talented person, Steve Pycroft, asked if he could remix it…. I’ll let him know how much you enjoyed it.
9. Which day has been your hardest day to get through in all your years on this Earth? What happened that day?
I’m going to share a disaster story from a gig…..
I had been booked to perform at a fan’s wedding and my car broke down on the motorway (highway) on the way to the gig (in the fast lane during rush hour). I had to tell the bride and groom we might not make it. The feeling of responsibility was hanging over my head and I decided to do everything in my power to be there. After getting badly sun burnt whilst waiting for the breakdown service to arrive, then told my car was dead, I had 20 minutes to head home in a taxi (which I had no cash to pay for) to collect my driving license then go hire a van before the place closed. I made it by 2 minutes then had to go get cash to pay the taxi driver and set off to the gig. I got stuck in 2 hours of traffic but made it to the venue 3 hours late…not bad considering! The bride and groom were overwhelmed by the effort made and the night was a success. It’s situations like this that show what kind of person you are and I felt like a fighter!
10. Do you have any siblings? Is your family supportive of your artistry?
I have an older sister who was a huge inspiration to me when growing up. She also loved to sing and would sing whenever she wanted (as would my Dad)! They didn’t care who was listening and I always wanted to be like that. My family have been a huge driving force in my career and they are my biggest supporters. They come to as many performances as possible and one thing I am so grateful for is that they are brutally honest when it comes to what I do. Their opinions are so important for my development as an artist, songwriter and performer and I am very grateful for their honest support.
WEBSITE: CLICK HERE WEB
FACEBOOK: CLICK HERE FB
TWITTER: @laurenhousley
ITUNES: CLICK HERE iTUNES
William Michael Griffin Jr. also known as Rakim, is a living legend in the Hip Hop game. His collaboration album with Eric B, Paid in Full, released in July of 1987 has been deemed by many as the greatest Hip Hop album of all time. Rakim’s lyrics and flow complement one another to create timeless masterpieces that we can stil appreciate in an era where some think Hip Hop is Dead.
We were blessed with the opportunity to see Rakim perform at Joe’s Pub in NYC for a Reebok Classic Event. The association of the Reebok brand with the Hip Hop genre dates back to the 80′s when this genre surfaced and became popular. The event was well put together and we enjoyed all the classic songs Rakim performed. Who better to showcase Reebok classics than the Classic himself?
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