Queen Latifah and Nicci Gilbert teamed up and produced a new centric show titled, “From the Bottom Up.” The docu-series followed five women, Christine Beatty, Kimberly Smedley, Stacii Jae Johnson, Chrystale Wilson and Sara Stokes, who made it to the top, but now find themselves at the bottom due to this thing we call “LIFE.”

I don’t watch a lot of reality shows, but I am a fan of Queen Latifah and I support her and her production company Flavor Unit Entertainment.

Queen Latifah teamed up with Nicci Gilbert to produce the new Centric show. I didn’t watch every episode, but I was able to catch the last episode and the reunion. I’m here to talk about the reunion episode.

These ladies were brought together to support one another. Encourage one another. Uplift one another. A POSITIVE BLACK WOMEN’S reality show. How many times do we see that on television? I would rather see BLACK WOMEN uplifting one another than tearing one another down.

I would have to say, all the ladies on the show have had to deal with their own issues, fall backs and come backs. I enjoyed each one of them. No, I do not have a favorite nor do I have one that I like the least.

I do have to say, the favorite part of the reunion episode I enjoyed was when Christine Beatty walked off the stage because shade was being thrown and she wanted no part of that. I applaud her as a woman and as a black woman for not wanting to be seen in the negative as media would have us. She stood for positiveness. I don’t think she cared about ratings. Her self-worth, self-pride and self-respect was far more important than ratings and that’s a GOOD thing.

I would love for this docu-series to come back for a second season. I think the women on this show have a lot to offer and the viewers want to see where it goes.

NO NEGATIVE DRAMA…NO JUDGEMENT…NO SHADE

Let’s talk about life insurance — it’s never a “fun” conversation to have. But when you sit down with an expert who has your best interests in mind, you may find that life insurance is something you not only need, but truly want, as well — to protect your family, dependents, business and legacy.

Why?

1. You never know.

Dying suddenly — in an accident, by unexpected illness or even of natural causes — can happen at any time. Life insurance helps your loved ones pay the mortgage, bills, even college costs, after you’re gone. It also provides tax-free cash to pay estate and death duties. Nothing can replace you in their hearts, but planning ahead with life insurance can make things easier for those you leave behind.

2. Funerals are expensive.

In some cases, upwards of $7,000 to $10,000 — and we’re not talking about extravagant funeral services. This is the average cost of a burial ceremony that will be faced by your loved ones.  At an already difficult and emotional time, your life insurance can cover these expenses without financial hardship or further stress.

3. Protect those you love.

In your life, you work hard to make sure those you love — spouse, partner, children, family members — are taken care of. It’s just as important to consider providing financial support for the future living costs of surviving dependents. After all, they will have to go on without you. Make sure they’re protected, too.

4. Death shouldn’t mean debt.

Life Insurance can help your dependents cover any financial responsibilities that are left after your death. Debt can be a tremendous burden, on top of the already emotional toll your absence creates in their lives.

5. Anything can happen.

If you develop a serious illness, you may not be able to get life insurance to the extent you need it — or at all. If you have a terminal illness, life insurance can provide you with financial support. Life insurance can also be used in case of emergencies by requesting a withdrawal or loan.

6. Take care of business.

Life Insurance isn’t just for individuals. It can protect a business from financial loss, liabilities or instability in the case of the death of a business owner/partner. Whether providing necessary short-term cash or keeping operations going until things settle, life insurance can be invaluable in maintaining the business you’ve worked so hard to build.

7. Supplement your retirement.

You can use life insurance to make sure your retirement savings lasts as long as you do. An annuity is like a do-it-yourself pension plan — you put an amount of money into a life insurance product and in return you get a guaranteed stream of income month after month, for as long as you live.

8. It makes financial sense.

Life insurance is considered a financial asset, which can help increase your credit and help you to get a loan or health insurance. Many policies have cash value, which even in case of bankruptcy cannot be touched by creditors.

9. Give to charity.

Life Insurance can enable you to leaving a lasting gift to a favorite cause or charity that is much larger than you would otherwise set aside for donation.

10. Peace of mind, plain and simple.

No amount of money can ever replace a person. But more than anything, life insurance can help provide protection for the uncertainties in life.

IGNORANCE is no longer an excuse or acceptable. If you find yourself without insurance or know of someone who does not have insurance here are some recommendations:

UNITED INSURANCE, Elizabeth Ann Thomas, Senior Agent, 510-223-3834, 415-279-8770

UNITED INSURANCE, Kasiaa Thomas, Agent, 510-223-3834, 510-612-1338

TRANSAMERICA, Leland Rubin, 925-286-6292

Ask, and it will be given to you (Matthew 7:7).

Some of you may know I have a non-profit organization called “Love the Skin You’re In.” We are embarking on our first 5 day/4 night Nature/Science/Environment Camp at Nature Bridge at Yosemite National Park in July. The cost is $465 per student. I spoke to 3 of the parents, who informed me that it is just not in their budget to send their child on this trip. I asked myself what can I do to help. Well, I’m reaching out to my blogging family, facebook family and twitter family.

I know most of you are asking the question, What do they do at a Nature/Science/Environment Camp? I can show you their itinerary, but it is very detailed day by day. I will give you some of the objectives: Teambuilding and Getting to Know their Team, Establishing and Honing in on the Ability to Notice and Observe Natural Features, Exploring Water as a Life Force that Connects Everything, Develop a Natural and Deeper Way of Viewing the Sceintific Process, Design a Scientific Experiment to Monitor Change Throughout the Day, Work Together as a Team to Achieve a Challenge, Understand the Geological Processes that Formed Yosemite Valley, Create and Plan for Ways in Which Students can Make an Impact at Home.

WOW, what a lot to observe, right? Just think, they will learn about things we as parents don’t even know. A degree in these fields may allow our children to become more self-sufficient. The difference from making $50k – $60k  a year compared to $90k-$120k a year is worth exploring. It is our responsibility as Community Leaders, Community Activist and Parents to engage our children in these types of CAMPS. Plus, Yosemite National Park is a beautiful place to visit (I hear).

Our parents need your help. Every parent wishes they could give their child extras in life, but sometimes life doesn’t allow for that. My plea is that you help our youth EXPERIENCE a CAMPING TRIP of a LIFETIME. Some of us as adults would have benefited from a trip such as this if it was introduced to us when we were youth. Our college choices would have been different. Our career choices would have been different.

Our organization has set up a Go Fund Me account: GoFund.Me/PN9oc0. If you are the type of person who don’t like giving online, you can send your donations to: Love the Skin You’re In, P.O. Box 1873, Vallejo, CA 94590.

PLEASE PASS THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS (FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER AND ETC.)…..INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN IS PRICELESS.

Today is the first day of BLACK HISTORY MONTH. We all should be proud of our African Heritage. We can combine our African Heritage and our American Heritage and also be proud of our African American Heritage.

Proud: Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone whom one is closely associated; having or showing a high or excessively high opinion of oneself or one’s importance.

Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. She emerged as a prominent counterculture activist and radical in the 1960s as a leader of the Communist Party USA, and had close relations with the Black Panther Party through her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.

In October of 1966, in Oakland California, Huey Newton and B0bby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The Panthers practiced militant self-defense of minority communities against the U.S. government, and fought to establish revolutionary socialism through mass organizing and community based programs. Read more at http://www.aaregistry.org.

“I’M BLACK AND I’M PROUD”, If we are to be a proud people, we have to not just say it, we also have to display it. It’s time out for us not supporting one another. It’s time out for us posting negative images of black people on social media. It’s time out for other cultures telling us we don’t support one another. It’s time for us to prove them wrong. We are a strong people. Our dollars counts as well as theirs. If we keep our dollars in our communities than more of our children can go to college and get through college. More of our children can be entrepreneurs, homeowners and business owners.

I have attached several links that I hope you will use as resources:

http://www.famousscientists.org

http://www.black-inventor.com

http://www.one.org

http://www.konequessweetreatsandthings.com

http://www.blackwallstreet.org

http://www.officialblackwallstreet.com

SAY IT LOUD, “I’M BLACK AND I’M PROUD”