My Sweet Friend Denise

February 28, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

Celebrating Friendship and the amazing people in my life.

It is the last day of Black History Month- February 28 and we are getting ready to start the third month of 2021. 2020 was one wild year and 2021 has had its moments already. I am ending this months post on a thankful note.

Denise! I am so thankful for our friendship I am also thankful for this new season and chapter in your life. I will miss having you here with me in Shanghai, but so much greatness is waiting for you. Thank you for being an incredible friend. I met you through my sister, but living abroad together we were able to form our own friendship and sisterhood.

No description available. — remember this Denise? it was our first picture together!

We have been through good and bad together, happy and sad, but we have had a lot of amazing moments together. I will never forget doing SPARTAN race together and I totatlly felt like this is #ONEANDDONE but we did it and then we ate all the yummy room service we could call for!

From museums, to new restaurants, to Tacolicious, Suzhou, eating weird fake fruit that your husband told us not to eat, Xiamen, me never making it to Kunshan, holidays abroad, bookstores, hotel stays, NYE, birthdays, staring out of hotel windows and ordering room service because we don’t want to walk downstairs, and so much more – I am grataeful for our friendship.

#blackgirlmagictogether #KarlaAndDenise #AdventuresofKAndD #expats #AmericansAbroad #newexperiences #friendship #sisterhood #confidants #SPARTAN #staycations #educators #werechangingtheworld #WeAreOurAncestorsWildestDreams #WeAreBlackHistory

I am reminded often of how temporary and transient the expat life is. It is always changing. I don’t let that keep me from making strong and meaningful friendships with the people that I meet here. Video chats and fun online experiences will keep us connected until traveling is normal is safe again!

Thank You Denise for being wonderful. I look forward to all that you will do and accomplish in your life.

-KMG

‘#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

People deserve to have their FLOWERS while they are still here. NJOY yours friend.

You are so deserving.

Maya Angelou – Phenomenal Woman

February 27, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Maya Angelou- Phenomenal Woman

WOW…. this is a poem that I feel like 90% of black girls memorized – OR memorized some portion of it! I remember memorizing it for a Black History Month program when I was younger. It’s beautiful and powerful and definitely a part of black history! Enjoy.

Phenomenal Woman

BY MAYA ANGELOU

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

But let’s hear the poet and writer herself recite the poem ….

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #MayaAngelou #Beautiful #BlackGirlMagic #writer #AfricanAmericanLegacy #poet #blackexcellence #author #PhenomenalWoman #culture #confidence #TheGraceOfMyStyle #Inspiring #Motivational #Maya #Angelou #Poem #TheJoyInMyFeet

I am a PHENOMENAL WOMAN! I love the words in this poem.

I end this post like all the others. Thanks for following my blog and feel free to share it with others!

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Lantern Festival

February 26, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Lantern Festival

yes! Its another holiday in China!

I saw this image on Google today so wanted to share

I know we are at the last few days of Black History Month, though we can celebrate moments in Black culture and history all year long – the expat in me wants to share about the Chinese holiday we are having today.

A few of my friends have told me that we always have a holiday here and sometimes it feels that way.

The Chinese Lantern Festival marks the end of Chinese New Year. During this festival children carry paper lanterns at night and solve riddles that are on the lanterns. Lanterns are simple to extremely detailed and ornate with complex-beautiful designs. Lanterns are almost always red and symbolize good fortune. People hang lanterns around their homes, in their neighborhoods, and places of business.

Tangyuan or Yuanxiao is something that is typically eaten during lantern festival. I am not a fan of it at all. Tangyuan or Yuanxiao are similar in shape and taste, but they do not have they exact same filling. It is: is a glutinous rice ball typically filled with sweet red bean paste, sesame paste, or peanut butter.

Tangyuan

Yuanxiao

Lantern Festival can be celebrated by lion dance, people walking on stilts, riddle games, and dragon dances.

Everything About The Lantern Festival In China - Asia Exchange

China's Lantern Festival 2021: Traditions, Activities, Places To Go

You can read more about the lantern festival online. It’s a great time to spend with family an friends and look forward to a great new year.

#LanternFestival #EndOfChineseNewYear #lanterns #riddles #prosperity #goodluck #China #goodfortune #festivities #familyandfriends #red #liondance #ChineseNewYear#dragondance #tangyuan #yuanxiao #ChineseCulture #celebrate

Heres to learning about another Chinese holiday. I will continue to share about Black History/Current Moments in Black Culture and about my life as an expat!

Kids in my class really enjoyed the video below!

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Strange Fruit

February 25, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

Strange Fruit

Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees

Pastoral scene of the gallant South
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop

Strange Fruit

Recorded: April 20, 1939

Released: 1939

Genre: Blues, Jazz

Songwriter: Abel Meeropol

Andra Day Lost 39 Pounds to Play Billie Holiday - Variety

Strange Fruit – written by Abel Meeropol, (American songwriter and poet born to Russian/Jewish immigrant parents – and born on the same day as me). but recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939 speaks to the lynching of Black Americans – the words in this song compare victims to the fruit of trees.

Billie Holiday Quick Facts:

+Birth name- Eleanora Fagan Gough

+ The first African American woman to work with an all-white band.

+ Won four Grammy Awards posthumously for Best Historical Album

+Inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame in 1973

+Lady Sings the blues is a movie about her life

+Did not have children

+Nicknamed Lady Day

+ Changed her name to Billie Holiday as an appreciate to film star Billie Dove

+Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011

#StrangeFruit #blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #BillieHoliday #southerntrees #AbelMeeropool #burningflesh #jazzartist #EleanoraFaganGough #newyork #blackexcellence #poplartrees #BillieDove #GrammyHallOfFame #LadyDay #LadySingsTheBlues

I listened to this song this week and it was gut wrenching painful and exhaustingly emotional to listen to, but it was the next track on the playlist I was listening to and I didn’t feel as though I could skip to the next track.

As I heard the words ring through my ears I could visualize what I was listening to. I could actually see it and feel it. It hurt – and it hurt most of all people I feel like this strange fruit is still present in many ways today. Being a Black American in 2021 is hard, so I can’t barely imagine what it was like to be one decades ago. This poem – This song – is a bit of the past brought to life.

I am sharing the song. Play it when you are ready if you have never heard it before. Close your eyes and feel the emotional behind Meeropool’s words and Holiday’s voice.

Of course you are welcome to share this post. If this was new to you I am glad you stopped by my blog and experienced something new.

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Regina King

February 24, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

Regina King! I don’t know where to begin. She is #blackgirlmagic PERSONIFIED for me! She has acted in films, had starring roles, supporting roles, directed episodes of tv shows (like Scandal and This Is Us – specific episodes), and had her film directorial debut with the film ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI – 2020 and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director. She was the second black woman to be nominated for this.

Regina King wins Oscar for 'If Beale Street Could Talk'

I remember Regina King as a child actress on the show 227! It was amazing being able to see someone who looks like me on tv. She was great in role as Brenda Jenkins and from there her career has reached bigger and better heights.

She is amazing. I was left in awe when I realized she was the voice of both characters Riley and Huey Freeman on the show The Boondocks.

It is hard for me to choose one film or one show where she stands out to me the most. She is excellent at what she does. I look forward to watching something if she is going to be in it and I would love to meet her in person and have afternoon tea with her one day. She seems very down to earth and someone who has wisdom and stories to share with you!

I hate to say out of the 17 movies on this list I have not seen them all! I am only 2 short and I wonder if one of my friends can guess which 2. I will also make it a point to watch them this weekend. Check out the list below according to Oprah Magazine – 17 of Regina King’s best movies! This article was posted on February 4 of this year.

https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/g26398928/regina-king-movies-list/

Feel free to check out this list of her awards and nominations! It is stellar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Regina_King

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #ReginaKing #Beautiful #BlackGirlMagic #actress #AfricanAmericanActress #legacy n#blackexcellence #director #AcademyAwardWinner #GoldenGlobeAwardWinner #PrimetimeEmmyAwardWinner #TimeMagazineOneOfThe100MostInfluentialPersonInTheWorld #227 #OneNightInMiami

I hope that you enjoyed this brief introduction to Regina King- because of course there is so much more that can be said about her!

Black History Month is almost over, but don’t let that stop us from sharing about the history, legacy, achievements past and current from Black Americans! Have a great day. Happy learning, growing, and developing.

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

FAMU- Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University

February 23, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

Let’s learn about another great HBCU … and tomorrow I will introduce you to another great individual in Black History!

FAMU = Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

website: https://www.famu.edu

Coronavirus Advisory: FAMU Suspends All University-Related Travel to China - Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University

+Founded on October 3, 1887

+Began classes with 15 students and 2 instructors

+Located in Tallahassee, Florida

+The only HBCU in the eleven member State University System of Florida

+Originally named State Normal College for Colored Students

+1953 the school became Florida Agricultural and Mechanical Univeristy

+ During the 100^th Anniveriay Celebration FAMU was selected by the Time Magazine-Princeton Review as the 1997-1998 College of the Year

+December 14, 2004 the school made history when they appointed Dr. Castell Vaughn Bryant as interim president- alumna and the first woman to lead the university since it was establishsed

+Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

+ International Education Department

+Highest ranked public HBCU in the US according to News and World’s Report list of national public universities

+100 Band- From only 16 instruments the Marching 100 has grown to over 420 members (HBCU’s are well known for their marching bands! When I was in my first year at CAU my dorm was right by the football field and I could hear the band practicing early in the morning. http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=marching100

Fun Facts:

Anika Noni Rose, Common, Will Packer, Althea Gibson, Pam Oliver, Will Packer, and Andrew Gillum all graduated from FAMU!

#FAMU #blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #educationmatters #hbcu #history #blackcollegesanduniversities #FloridaAgriculturalAndMechanicalUniveristy #Florida #Tallahassee #StateNormalCollegeForColoredStudents #HBCUExcellence #TheMarching100

I hope that you have enjoyed learning about another fantastic HBCU. I have friends who graduated from FAMU and they absolutely loved their school. I was able to visit the campus and its lovely – but it the middle of summer – whew! You will sweat in the shade!

Check out their website (https://www.famu.edu )for more information about the school.

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Black Bread Co.

February 22, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

I love sharing CURRNET MOMENTS in Black History. This one is definitely historic.

I read an article about the first black owned sliced bread company and wanted to share this information with you. How exciting is this? I think its super exciting. Let’s “meet” the Founders of the

FIRST BLACK-OWNED SLICED BREAD COMPANY?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “This is the best thing since sliced bread?” – Well this is really one of the best things I have read recently. Charles Alexnader, Mark Edmond, and Jamel Lewis started the first black owned sliced bread company. The recent years have been difficult. There has been a lot of social unrest in America and numerous black men have died at the hands of police brutality.

Mark Edmond was in the store buying groceries around the time of George Floyd’s (If you are not sure who he is feel free to search on Google to learn more) death and he wanted to support a black owned business. He was looking for sliced bread from a black owned company and couldn’t find it. He connected with two of his friends, they got right to work, and BLACK BREAD CO. was born.

You can check them out online as they currently have honey wheat and premium white breads and they plan on adding more breads soon. If I was in USA I know I would be ordering! I hope you can support them, if nothing else you can share this post to get information about their company to more people.

https://blackbreadco.com/ – They are currently donating bread to individuals who have lost electricity and power in Texas by partnering with Houston Food Bank! What a great way to give back and support those in need.

For more information about BLACK BREAD CO. You can visit:

BlackBreadCo.com or follow them on Instagram @TheBlackBreadCo

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #entrepreneurs #GeorgeFloyd #BlackBreadCo #BlackBreadCompany #blackbusiness #makinghistory #leavingalegacy #history #blackmen #changingthenarrative #FlossmoorIllinois #blackentrepreneurs

I smiled as I learned about this business. There are so many things that we can learn about and share this month from history, but the things that are happening now are equally important. I hope that we can all support these brothers and what they are doing.

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

The Vet Life …. and more!

February 19, 2021 kmarietakeshanghai1 Comment

Happy Black History Month

Here is a current moment in black history!

The Vet Life

Have you seen the show “THE VET LIFE” ? Anyone who knows me – knows that I love watching tv. I enjoy reading books, and learning, and all that jazz but I enjoy tv too! I want to introduce you to this show.

The Vet Life- This show follows three doctors:

Dr. Diarra Blue

Dr. Aubrey Ross

Dr. Michael Lavinge

These three doctors all recently moved to Houston, Texas. They built their strong bond while at Tuskegee University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. They have opened a full-service veterinarian hospital and animal shelter together. How cool is that? So cool!

This show captures their personal and professional lives.

There are currently six seasons of this show and you should be able to find this show on The Animal Planet.

#blackhistory #TheVetLife #blackdoctors #blackvets #animals #pets #DrDiarraBlue #DrAubreyRoss #DrMichaelLavinge #blackexcellence #animalplanet #veteranarians

I was so excited to learn about this show. It is so great to see #blackexcellence this way. Families can see many options of careers for their kids on tv and I just love for kids to see the plethora of options that are available to them. Check out this show and let me know your thoughts!

It’s a 2n1 – THE VET LIFE & TUSKEGEE UNIVERISTY

Tuskegee University

Since the doctors of The Vet Life build their bond at Tuskegee I wanted to share with you about this HBCU!

First … Tuskegee is having a Virtual Open House on FEB 20 @10:00 AM CST!

www.tuskegee.edu/openhouse

They are also having a 2021 Black History Month Lecture Series – it ends on February 26. The school’s website says that all the events are virtual and accessible through zoom! Check out their homepage and click “Click Here for more information” if you are interested.

https://www.tuskegee.edu/

Something very cool to note about Tuskgee Univeristy is that it was the first black college to be designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark in April of 1966 and it is the only black college to be designated a National Historic Site in October of 1974.

The school was founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881 and it is a superb university for higher learning. The campus has a monument which honors the founder and you can find his home on the campus. There is also The George Washington Carver Museum on the campus which is named for and after Gorge Washington Carver who worked on the campus. You will also find The Tuskegee Airmen’s Plaza (The Tuskegee Airmen- another great moment in black history) – which honors and celebrates the work of America’s first black pilots who were trained at Tuskegee University. There is so much history on this campus. It is rich in culture, history, legacy, and education!

For more information about this university check out this website:

https://www.tuskegee.edu/

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #educationmatters #hbcu #history #blackcollegesanduniversities #tuskegeeuniversity #tuskegeealabama #alabama #history #culture #strength #BookerTWashington #education #blackexcellence #GeorgeWashingtonCarver #blackpilots #tuskegeeairmen

If you like movies and want to learn more about The Tuskegee Airmen – you can watch the movie RED TAILS. This movie came out in 2012 and it documents what these black pilots had to deal with as they were called to duty during WW2. The tails of their planes were painted red for identification purposes – this is where the name Red Tails came from.

Here is a short article you can check out: https://www.historyonthenet.com/living-tuskegee-airmen

I really hope you enjoyed this 2n1 post about THE VET LIFE & TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY! I am looking forward to the rest of this months #BHM posts!

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Lift Every Voice and Sing

February 17, 2021February 15, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

Lift Every Voice And Sing AKA – The Black National Anthem

Quick Facts

+ Lift Every Voice And Sing is also known as The Black National Anthem

+Written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson (an author, educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, first African American professor hired at New York University, Professor of creative literature and writing at Fisk University, and civil rights activist).

+Set to music by James’ brother John Rosamond Johnson

+First performed by 500 school children at the segregated Stanton School where James W. Johnson was the principal on February 12, 1900

The Lyrics:

Lift Every Voice and Sing

Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
‘Til earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on ’til victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
‘Til now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.

Here is an article I enjoyed about the song:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-black-national-anthem-lifting-every-voice-sing-180975519/

AND

WOW: This website is full of great information about this song: https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/09/us/lift-every-voice-and-sing-trnd/

There are so many renditions of this song- I would like to share a few that I love!

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #LiftEveryVoiceAndSing #JamesWeldonJohnson #history #JohnRosamondJohnson #iconicsong #poetry #lifechangingmusic #TheBlackNationalAnthem #communitycollege #associatedegrees #education #blackexcellence #blackculture #FiskUniversityProfessor #blackpride #legacy #inspirational

Some things I expect people to know about, then I remind myself that we are still learning on this journey called life! I hope that you enjoyed this post about the song, LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING!

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

February 16, 2021February 15, 2021 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

Happy Black History Month

Alvin Ailey: American Dance Theater

Alvin Ailey was an African American choreographer and activist. He founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York in 1958. He got a lot of his inspiration from the Black church services that he attended. He was really inspired after seeing the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo performance and decided that he wanted to pursue dance. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988 and died the following year in New York of AIDS.

His most famous dance is Revelations!!

Image result for alvin ailey revelations

Please check out this website to learn more about Alvin Ailey. I don’t want to to just take all of their pictures from their site! They are so beautiful!

https://www.alvinailey.org/about/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater

You can learn more about the company, see photos, their leadership, and the dancers from this site.

I hope that you have enjoyed this moment in Black History!

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #alvinaileyamericandancetheater #AlvinAiley #dance #revelations #moderndance #americandance #newyork #blackexcellence

I am really enjoying sharing all these moments in Black History. There is so much to share about so many things. Feel free to share these posts with your friends, family members, colleagues or on your own social media platforms. I hope I can keep it up and share more facts throughout the year.

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*