ThatKellieGirl was in the house for the international debut of SUPAFRIK at GALLERY O on H in DC. It was a beautiful evening and backdrop for this fabulous event. The brainchild of Toronto fashion designer Chinedu Ukabam of the clothing label Chinedesign, SUPAFRIK is curated around the theme of “Urban Contemporary Africana” and showcases artwork and design that re-contextualize African aesthetics and traditions within a modern framework.
ThatKellieGirl was so excited to see that Janelle Monae is the new spokes model for CoverGirl! Let’s just say, this was a GREAT marketing move for Janelle and CoverGirl. I have always thought of Janelle Monae as a Hollywood beauty. Her looks are truly breathtaking, and she does all of this with her clothes on! I love that the world gets to see a different type of black beauty…natural hair, brown skin, sexy (not hypersexualized) and self-confident. Check out some of her beautiful photos and behind the scenes video!
Seu Jorge is a true renaissance man. He is musician, singer, songwriter, actor and now fashion designer. Ever since Jorge’s role as “Knockout Ned” in City of God (one of my fav movies), ThatKellieGirl has been a fan. However, I didn’t become a fan of his music until I heard him singing in the movie The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
This weekend, ThatKellieGirl attended the media reception for the Baby Bash and Bling Expo & Show, an interactive lifestyle expo that celebrates expecting moms.
Hey Good People!
How is everything going?
I must admit, I have had a great week. And it all started out at the White House! I had the honor and privilege to volunteer at the White House Easter Egg Roll. We worked really hard and it was truly worth it.
Initially, I was assigned to the Press Team, but when my shift started, the First Family had already made their appearance, so the press was pretty much gone. So I was promptly moved to the Jump Team. And let me tell you, that is exactly what we did! 
Wherever we were needed, we jumped to it. We looked for kids separated from parents to manning activities to being a human barricade during concert performances. However, my favorite assignment was detail to Malia and Sasha Obama. The First Daughters and their guests made an afternoon appearance to see Janelle Monae perform. Glad to see the First Daughters and I have some similar musical tastes. My group had to stand between the First Daughters and the crowd. I was right there with them! It was cool to see them laughing, having fun and enjoying Janelle Monae’s performance. If anything, it made me realize that they are just like the rest of us except that their father is the leader of the Free World. :-)
Next, the Jump Team followed the First Daughters and their friends to the obstacle course for some friendly competition. Again. It was nice to see how well-adjusted they are to people gawking at them. Malia was very friendly and gracious ny waving at attendees who said “hi” to her.
We also had an opportunity to see some celebrities– from Etan Thomas, Stephen A. Smith, Dougie Fresh, Forest Whitaker and The Harlem Globetrotters. Unfortunately I couldn’t take pictures while I was volunteering. 
I met a lot of dedicated volunteers at the event. Some of them have volunteered for over 20 years! They talked about how this event means so much to attendees. People come from across the country to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll, and will remember this event for the rest of their lives. It also was interesting to find out that the Obama administration truly has opened this event to more people. At one point, the event was more exclusive for Congressional members, staff and friends. Now, the White House Easter Egg Roll hosts up to 3o,000 people starting at 7:30am and ending at 7:30PM. And there were several activities: an egg hunt, egg dying, arts and crafts, story time, cooking demonstrations, musical performances, yoga, and the egg roll. And the White House staff did a great job at hosting an amazing and memorable event. Shout out to our leader, Tess! I would encourage every parent to submit their name into the lottery to attend this event because it is truly worth it.
So from the Easter Egg Roll to Emancipation wDay weekend, there are so many great events going on just in time for a very warm weekend.
Also, be on the look out for the next ThatKellieGirl webisode! It’s guaranteed to get the body moving. Have fun and be safe out there.
Peace and Blessings, ThatKellieGirl
Good Morning Good People!
I hope you had a great weekend. I sure did. The sun was shining and I had on my Sunday Best. This Easter, my look was inspired by being newly engaged, and the dandy aesthetic. I believed I pulled it off! What do you think?
So to get the week started off right, check out this collabo from Slakah the Beatchild and Ayah “Keep Up“. Slakah the Beatchild has been working on Soul Movement 2 over the past couple of months. He released his demo “Wanna Do” as a free download last month, so I am sure we will be hearing some more great music soon. Enjoy!
Easter Sunday in Harlem by Wegee © International Center of Photography
Happy Good Friday Everyone!
So you know ThatKellieGirl is getting her Easter bonnet ready for Resurrection Sunday!
Coming from a long line of women who have donned Easter hats, I shouldn’t have been surprised when I became hooked on Easter hats last year ! It was the first time I wore an Easter hat so I wore the traditional Easter hat with the glamorous big brim. However this year, I want a more subdued, but fun look. So I checked out a couple of vintage clothing stores and ended up at “Rock it Again“. The good folks there have a wonderful selection of vintage clothing and accessories. You can find unique, one of a kind pieces to take your ensemble to the next level. And if you need some tips on how to ”rock it”, the owner Clint offers superb styling advice. The best thing about it– the prices definitely beat the department stores. So I am almost ready for Sunday, so the Honey Fiancé and I will be ready for the Easter parade!
And if you aren’t joining the Easter parade, make sure to get outside to enjoy the weekend festivities from the Cherry Blossoms to several Easter egg hunts for the kids.
Have a great weekend!
Peace and Blessings, ThatKellieGirl
Happy Friday Everyone!
If you are looking forward to catching Red Tails this weekend, I recommend buying your ticket last week! It looks like theaters will be packed with enthusiastic movie-goers. I am glad that this overlooked part of black history, American history is coming to the forefront again. How many WWII films and documentaries were made with no mention of African-American soldiers and their accomplishments? Some folks have pointed out that this isn’t the first time the history of The Tuskegee Airmen was turned into a movie. And I think that’s great. Our stories must be re-told consistently to ensure that we don’t forget our history. I also hope we continue to stay enthusiastic about black history. We have such a rich history that has never been fully told, and we shouldn’t wait until someone makes a movie to learn about it. We can read a book, an article or watch a documentary. Or here’s a novel idea, talk to members of our family! More than likely, we have uncles, aunts, or older cousins who can talk to us about our history in a real way, not just to be entertained, then forget about it. Movies are a very powerful and impactful platform, but that is just a starting point. Let’s use this as an opportunity to connect and inspire one another to accomplish even greater things in the future.
There are several “watch” parties for Red Tails this Saturday, here, here and here.
Peace and Blessings, ThatKellieGirl
Kudos to Dandies & Quaintrelles for coordinating another fabulous DC Tweed Ride. In partnership with BicycleSpace, Velocity Cycles Co-op, riders enjoyed a spirited ride on a beautiful fall day. This is by far the most stylish event of the year. Enjoy the pics and video below!
