BET Honors Celebrity Gifting Suite

This past weekend I was invited to attend the BET Honors Celebrity Gifting Suite.    As a VIP attendee I was given swag bag full …

Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

This past Thursday, I spent the evening reading Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport to a group of 3 to 5 year olds.   I star…

Leave your Bookprint!

Bookprint (n): The List of books that leave an indelible impact on our lives shaping who we are and who we become. Scholastic, t…

Have you met the Hip Hop Doc?

Rani G. Whitfield, M.D. is the Hip Hop Doc!   His mission is simple: to educate youth and raise awareness of health related issue…

First Book Rocks 2011!

First Book has been a little busy… That may be the understatement of the year!   First Book has been very busy spreading the me…

In Memory of Ben

I believe that angels come to us in many forms.   Ben Breedlove was an angel. Ben Breedlove is a Texas teen who passed away on Ch…

My New Year’s Resolution

“Resolution” is defined as: a resolve or determination; to make a firm resolution to do something; the act of resolving or determ…

Gearing Up for 2012!

Have you ever started making a to-do list, and every time you cross off one item, you realize that there are 3 more that you forg…

Give the Gift of Literacy!

Trying to figure out what to give this holiday season?   Give the gift of literacy.   Here are a few special literacy initiatives…

Queen’s Holiday Brunch

The best thing about the Holiday Season is the celebrations!   It is always great to reconnect with friends and family and to mak…

Extreme Couponing Meets Extreme Giving!

Money is tight.   We all have had to buckle down and tighten our belts.   As a result, a lot of charities are not receiving the…

United Armed Forces Foundation’s Children’s Holiday Party!

This past Saturday I was a special guest at the United Armed Forces Foundation’s Children’s Holiday Party!   I was invited by Daw…

Father-Daughter Dance

I had the honor of being a surprise guest at a Father-Daughter Dance! The purpose of the dance was to provide fathers and their…

How to Help a Child Who is Struggling with Reading

I recently attended an educational forum in which parents discussed the most effective ways of helping a child who is struggling …

“The Last Heart Attack”

After I was done stuffing my face, the last thing that I expected to watch was a special on Heart Attacks.   But that is just w…

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!

I can’t remember a single Thanksgiving that I did not watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.   Whether I was cooking or just c…

Build Your Platform…Build Your Resume

Everyone knows that a platform should be a cause that is near and dear to heart.   Such that you would be willing to work for fre…

Giving Thanks

I can remember my parents saying to me, “Stop being ungrateful!” It was a command and an admonishment that always left me irate a…

Workout Playlist

I can’t live without my iPod! Wherever I go, it goes.    As I prepared for Nationals I developed a playlist that I entitled “Ra…