ONE TO WATCH: Annie Ngasi Ilonzeh

Watch Out World, Here Comes Charlies Newest Angel, Annie N. Ilonzeh!

Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly and Rachael Taylor on the set of the television series “Charlie’s Angels” on March 16, 2011 in Miami Beach, Florida. Former General Hospital star Annie Ilonzeh was also the first actress to be cast for the new Charlie's Angels TV series.





The actress is from Grapevine, TX. also appeared on Melrose Place and other television shows, scored one of the three main roles in the ABC project, from Sony Pictures TV and Drew Barrymore's Flower Films.

The new series, is a remake of the 70s original and is a modern take on the now infamous story of Charlie's Angels, set around three private detectives - Kate, Abby and Marisa - who meet when they are all employed by the same mystery man. I say, this just may be must watch TV. Stay tuned! Congratulations to Annie Ilonzeh for scoring a big win!

Photos: Getty Images/ABC TV

ONE TO WATCH: FILM DIRECTOR WANURI KAHIU

"I'm the best version of myself"
~ Wanuri Kahiu

 Wanuri Kahiu is a Kenyan film director. Kahiu was born in Nairobi, Kenya. After graduating from the University of Warwick in 2001 with a BSc degree in Management Science, she enrolled for a Master's Degree at the 'Masters of Fine Arts' programme in directing at the School of Film and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles.


She has received several awards and nominations for the films for which she directed, including the awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Picture at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2009. Her movie From a Whisper received a total of twelve nominations and earned five awards at the 5th African Movie Academy Awards in 2009.



Follow her blog and movie page for the latest in new projects concerning this very talented woman.

ONE LOOK: ROBERTA NARCISO FOR PRADA

All eyes on her...Roberta Narciso

You can also check out this newcomer here.

To review the rest of the collection, click here.

Photo: Monica Feudi

Dawn Okoro: Capturing Life's Fantasies

"Animadversion"

"Oil and Acrylic on Canvas"

Rarely do women artists come along who capture our fantasies or gain our attention in the way the Dawn Okoro has. It doesn't matter if it's the bold strokes on a canvas or pen and ink to paper, Dawn is quickly becoming a force and a legend in her own right with her extensive collection of sculptures, paintings and photography.

Dawn has shown several collections of her work at several of the worlds most prestigious galleries in which her work has been extensively dissected, debated and discussed in the press, yet she remains one of the art worlds rising stars. Okoro injects her own personal history and the daily lives of women into each piece that she creates, thus giving the viewer a miniature peek at our lives and lifestyles.

Artist, Dawn Okoro

My blog is dedicated to "The Afro and All of it's Magnificent Glory" and Dawn has a wealth of beautiful prints that I could feature here on a daily basis.  When we think of our beauty we should bask in the delight of self-love which is a personal affirmation of self-worth that we all must embrace, caress and protect, not the definitions that others have of us, and Dawn Okoro's paintings validates our inherit beauty in our own imagery.

People often tell us to pursue the things we love doing and to do them so well no one can take their eyes off us and we'll be rewarded accordingly and Dawn Okoro is doing just that, creating paintings that are so beautiful patrons can't take their eyes off of them. To learn more about this artist click on the link.
To purchase her work, click on the link.

One To Watch: Fatima Siad

My daughters like to hide their magazines from me before I read them and I do the same thing to them when it comes to my favorite magazines. I tossed the Cosmopolitan aside because I know longer read it since every article is rehashed from earlier editions. I found the July issue of Marie Claire and flipped through it and was happy to see Fatima Siad in a six-page fashion editorial and she looks fantastic.

Ever since I saw Fatima on ATM I started calling her "Baby Iman" because she resembles the iconic and uber fabulous Iman to me. I can see her career finally taking off because she certainly has "the look" of the fabulous models of the past and the alluring beauty to boot.

"I love this photo and the coat."

On a personal note, I would have loved to see her on the cover, but we all know that "Models" don't grace the covers of fashion magazines anymore because they've been replaced by what ever entertainer is the most popular at the time and this time it's Taylor Swift.

"She is certainly rocking this coat."

All of the photos of the shoot were taken by James Macari.

"Here I am wearing my favorite team jersey."

Now on to the 2010 FIFA World Cup...All I can say is that I wish I was there. I love soccer and this is a sport where everything stops in most of the countries that I've lived in. There is nothing that compares globally to this game and this is a game that brings so many people together regardless of background. After four years of  waiting, the World Cup is finally in South Africa. When I see this happening on the continent, it tells the world that Africa is showing the world it's potential as a world player and this makes me proud.

Sometimes I get so excited about a game, especially when some of my favorite teams are playing that I have to turn to another channel in order not to fall out. Soccer is not as popular as say the NFL because American men look at soccer as being strictly for the kids and for women/girl teams, but this is a serious sport that has yet to catch on here. I've got my thoughts about who will probably win, but I'll wait until the time comes to see who will be in the finals. If you want to see "Eye-Candy" then check out the men who play soccer on a global level.

Koku Gonza: Reaching For The Sky

I'm sure when Koku Gonza sings, people listen. When she plays her guitar, I'm sure people are in awe of her talented ability. Her songs are well written and are a cut above the corny music that's out here disguised as music today. Her understated lyrics come across with a sense of believability that any one can connect with. Success comes only to those whose hearts, souls and minds are in sync with each other and in due time the world will know who she is. Once you hear her music, you won't want to talk. You'll just want to listen.

Influenced by two musicians in her life. Her father a Tanzanian guitarist and songwriter, exposed her to Tanzanian music and her mother a flute/sax/keyboard player from the U.S. exposed her to Jazz, Classical and Gospel music. Her father was a known song writer in Tanzania. So, naturally she is inclined to the creativity of combining various styles. At young age Koku learned how to play and piano, and like most singers sung in the Gospel and Classical children's choir.

While attending college, Koku Gonza studied music production and song writing at Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington before deciding with true faith to pursue a career in the music industry. Her love for the guitar has resulted in mandatory accompaniment with most of her songs, but she works with different instruments to create her unique sound. Koku currently resides in Chicago, IL.

To learn more about Koko click here. To hear more of her beautiful music click here.
(Photos: The Artist)

I Am Legend: Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid

The supermodel-muse-icon-legend-entrepreneur-CEO-philanthropist-activist-actress-wife-mother-Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid-one-name, IMAN. Somali by birth...kissed by the sun. Iman is an African woman who has worked tirelessly as a part of the solution in dispelling the negative myths of Africa.  The CFDA will honor the Somali-born beauty as its Fashion Icon this year during it's annual awards ceremony. This year the CFDA Fashion Awards, will take place on June 7 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

Her elegant, sculptural beauty—the elegantly long neck which was made to be adorned with  beautifully made necklaces, the regal features, those cheekbones revealed to the world the beauty of the African woman when she hit the international scene in the late seventies and eighties. At a time when the magazine pages were dominated by WASP, all-American girls, she was an sight to behold and a mere clothes hanger she was not.

Even though she received her share of criticism from some people, she still continued to persevere and succeed in spite of it all. Before Naomi's strut was patented Iman's, Mounia's and whole lot of the other Super Models from her era were just as fabulous and wonderful to look at on the runways of the world. These women exuded elegance and grace, something that is hardly seen today!

You can check off all of her accomplishments and still come up short, but here goes: founding and steering one of the most successful cosmetics companies targeted to women of color; campaigning and fundraising for African causes; a multi-decade film; author of beauty books; fashion designer; internationally recognized beauty icon.(Photo: Patrick McMullan and my own personal archives(thousand of magazines)

Looking Splendid in Oscar de la Renta

A Few Photos of Iman When She Set The Runways Of Paris On Fire!

I Salute You For Giving The World Your Beauty, Intelligence, Style and Grace Over The Years.

Congratulations On Your CFDA Icon Award!

Spotted: The Iconic Lauryn Hill

Thanks to Tiffany over at Ebony Intuition for the wonderful photo of the beautiful Lauren Hill. She's an Afrolista of the year for that matter! I miss Lauryn's music and her style and it's great to see her out and about for a worthy cause. Check out the link to Tiffany's site to read the rest of the story. There's nothing drab about Lauryn so don't even try to compare her! She looks great!!!!

Afrolista of the Week: Paula Lima

Singer/Actress Paula Lima on the May cover of Raça magazine. 

Paula is now busy preparing for her upcoming role in the São Paulo production of the Broadway hit, CATS, in which she will play the role of the cat, Grizabella. If any one has ever seen the musical who could ever forget the hit song "Memory" in the long running musical and as a singer I'm sure she'll be just as good as all the other actresses who have played the part. Congratulations to her on playing the title role.

(Photos: Rafael Cusato)



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