MyBrownBaby Fresh: What We’re Doing, Watching and Supporting This Week

I'm working with about five hours worth of sleep this morning after an evening full of raucous, giggly sleepover party madness with a stable of a dozen little girls who all descended on our home to celebrate Lila's 9^th birthday. There was a taco bar. And a rainbow cake. And sugar. Lots and lots of sugar. Which probably explains why by about 1:45 a.m., I morphed from sweet Ms. Denene to Lila's Don't Make Me Come Back Down Those Stairs Mother. Uh huh. I love every one of those little girls, but Lawd, not in the middle of the night when mama's trying to write and rest up and they're putting on some shenanigans that would make the guys from The Hangover look like a bunch of nuns on a Sunday afternoon. Let's just say that if I went down to the basement right now, this minute, I would not be surprised to find a monkey, a crying infant, and a couple of missing teeth. Right. Anyhoo, before I go down to whip up a birthday breakfast for my Lila and her buddies, there are a few things I want to tell you about

COME SEE ME

At the 27^th Annual Celebration of Black Writing at Art Sanctuary, at Temple University in Philly. The celebration features up to 100 professional and aspiring writers, editors, publishers, scholars, spoken-word artists, playwrights and filmmakers. This year, Nick and I will be on two panels on Saturday; at the first, we're talking about how to have fun with writing and, later, we're telling folk about how writing helps our relationship as a couple. Nick and I will join incredible writers like Tananarive Due, Carleen Brice, and MyBrownBaby's own Bassey Ikpi; this year, Art Sanctuary honors one of my favorite authors ever, J. California Cooper. Click here for details on the Art Sanctuary events.

 

AND CELEBRATE DADS

This Saturday with the New York City-based Real Dads Network. My friend E.Payne over at Makes Me Wanna Holler is supporting the program, which was created to strengthen the institution of Black fatherhood by promoting positive aspects of dads of color and to empower them to be Real Dads present, providers, protectors and peacemakers. That's what I'm talkin' ˜bout! The Real Dads Network engages in and sponsors a variety of activities “ skill-building workshops, informational seminars, male mentoring, networking, Father Daughter Dances, Father awards banquets, community and school-based partnerships and advocacy, all of it designed to educate and encourage men to embrace their roles as dads, husbands and leaders in the context of family and community life. This week, The Real Dads Network celebrates its 4^th Annual In Celebration of Fathers Week to honor dads who are doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing. The celebration culminates with a father/kid picnic tomorrow (Saturday, June 4) at Roy Wilkins Park, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be games, food, drinks and, best of all, it's free. Check out The Real Dads Network on Facebook for more details.

GET YOUR VOTING FINGERS READY…

My Twitter and blog buddy MamaC and the Boys has been nominated for a Circle of Moms award for best adoption blog. If you haven't read MamaC, you need to; she's raising and loving on two of the juiciest, most beautiful little brown boys you ever did see, and she's writing about her journey as a single mom raising two babies one transracially adopted. Which is a fancy way of saying she loves on her children through words. You must visit her at her blog, but do me this solid, huns, and hop over to Circle of Moms and press the button for my girl. She totally deserves it. All you have to do is scroll down to MamaC and the Boys, click the little vote button and its done no registering, no hoops, just a vote in favor of someone who does it well.

AND DON'T FORGET

To vote MyBrownBaby.com the Best Parenting and Family Blog in the BlackWeblog Awards. Why? Because MyBrownBaby.com has a stable of writers who really do give voice to the beautiful struggle that is raising brown babies in America some of the strongest, most vibrant writing on the innanets. And because I'm saying pretty please with a great big ol' smile. And because I'm hitting my Dougie. Yes. Yes I am. Remember: You have to vote in all categories to submit a vote for MyBrownBaby.com (we're on page three), and you can only vote once, so every one of your votes counts. *cue Dougie music* and VOTE FOR MYBROWNBABY.COM HERE.

AND THEN CHECK OUT MARY J. BLIGE

Lending her voice to the upcoming book-to-flick movie, The Help. Mary wrote a song, The Living Proof, for the soundtrack after seeing the film and falling in love with the strength and courage of the maids who, in the story, come forward to share their experiences working for white families in a battle-scarred, racially segregated town in Mississippi. Blige adds that the song is a musical tribute, too, to her aunt, a former maid. Check out Mary's take on The Help in the video below and have a FAB weekend!