Call for Papers for

Postamble Journal:

Counter-Cultures in

Contemporary Africa

(South Africa/ Africa-wide)

Deadline: 15 August 2012

UCT’s Centre for African Studies and its interdisciplinary postgraduate, peer-reviewed journal, postamble, invite you to submit papers, photographic essays and book reviews that address the formations and expressions of counter- cultures in Africa.

We understand ‘counter-cultures’ as zones of emergent response, constituting a range of practices, representations and performances, produced by varying narratives and realities. We see counter-cultures as movements that may begin in the fringes of normative society and politics, but that gather momentum and begin to rival the status quo in visible and powerful ways. We think of counter-cultures as the catalysts for social, political and cultural action and change.

postamble welcomes graduate submissions that raise questions about counter-cultures in contemporary Africa­. We are interested, but not limited to, submissions that engage with the following fields of enquiry:

• Visual and literary cultures and new medias that seek to challenge traditional or inherited forms, themes, approaches and expectations to art, culture and/ or society

• Revolutionary movements: violent and non-violent responses to state power

• The philosophy of change and the idea of the ‘zeitgeist’

• Everyday practices that undermine, subvert and/or challenge existing power structures and discourses

• Patterns of social response that act as catalysts for change

• Visible and invisible forms of protest

• Shifting forms and modes of social habitation, especially in urban areas

• The use (or misuse) of the public archive

• Post-colonial queer culture, rights and spaces

• Changes within religious models, practices and approaches to worship

• Civil and grass-roots movements

• Musical forms and representations

• Advances in alternative sciences and technologies

postamble publishes original graduate research of a high standard. Long papers should be between 5000 and 8000 words, short submissions between1500 and 3000 words; photographic essays –min 5, and maximum 10 photographs and 1000-1200 words. Emailed submission should be addressed to ‘The Managing Editor’, and sent to postamble@gmail.com or cas-postamble@uct.ac.za. Please ensure all submissions contain a short abstract (200 words), biography (50 words), with relevant contact details.

Link: detailed submission/ formatting guidelines

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: cas-postamble@uct.ac.za

Website: http://postamble.org/

Call For Submissions :

CaribbeanTales 2012 Toronto Incubator Program

By Holly Bynoe Friday, July 6th, 2012  

This is a call for applications for the 2012 CaribbeanTales Market Incubator Program, that will take place in Toronto between Sept 4th and 9th 2012. Fifteen producers will be selected on a competitive basis to attend. The Incubator Program was created to help producers raise financing, connect with appropriate buyers, and make their products market-ready. Participants are provided with invaluable networking opportunities with industry colleagues from across the Caribbean region, Canada and around the world. The Program mentors filmmakers and enables  the space to pitch projects to industry professionals and navigate the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Incubator is a 5-day program that includes the following:

• Attendance at 3-day CTWD Market Incubator,
• Attendance at Networking Event/Launch Party
• Attendance at CTWD Pitching event, including one-on-one meetings with buyers attending TIFF
• Informal networking opportunities for filmmakers
• Mentoring Opportunities, led by international consultants
• TIFF Industry pass that including participation in selected TIFF events

ELLIGIBILITY : The Incubator is open to producers and filmmakers of Caribbean-themed content,  and producers of content that is of relevance to Caribbean and Diaspora audiences, who wish to acquire the tools and techniques necessary to present and promote their projects in the framework of an international market.

The aim is to:

• raise the overall quality of Caribbean-themed film projects, in order to facilitate distribution in regional and international markets
• build a Caribbean film brand, that promotes film alongside other creative industries (like music) as a distinctive and commercially viable product.
• empower regional filmmakers to grow the indigenous industry, thus fulfilling the need of regional societies to explore new ways of expressing cultural identity and create employment in this sector

TO APPLY: To Participate in the 2012 CTWD Toronto Incubator please submit your film project proposal to Malinda Francis, Incubator Co-ordinatoe at CaribbeanTales@gmail.com. This can be a project in development or completed. Your package should include the following: Name  of project; writer/director/producer/production company; length of film,  format, country of production, logline, synopsis,  filmmaker Bio,  Target audience, financing plan; and, (if available) trailer.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS July 15th 2012. Selected participants will be informed in writing by July 21st 2012.

COSTS: Participants are responsible for their own travel costs and accommodation costs, and for the Registration fee.

Hotel Rates at the Intercontinental in Downtown Toronto : $50 Shared room; $100 Single Room.

• Early-Bird Registration  (by August 1) : $400 USD
• Registration fee: $500 USD by August 20th
• Late Registration fee: $700 USD by September 1

 

CT INCUBATOR ALUMNI: Ava-Gail Gardener (Jamaica),  Alison Saunders (Barbados), Anthony Hall (Trinidad & Tobago), Aubry Padmore (US/Barbados), Camille Selvon Abrahams (T&T), Chris Browne (Jamaica), Dalton Narine (US/T&T), Darren Anthony (Canada/J'ca), Davina Lee (St. Lucia), Dawn Wilkinson (Canada/Barbados), Ian Harnarine (Canada/US/T&T), Larc Cabral Trotman (Barbados/Canada), Lana Lovell (Canada), Lisa Harewood (Barbados), Louis Taylor (Canada),Mariel Brown (T&T), Mandisa Pantin (T&T), Mahmood Patel (Barbados), Malinda Francis (Canada/Barbados),Mary Wells (Jamaica/US), Michele Soleil-Serieux (St Lucia), Michael Mills (Canada), Nicholas Anthony Attin (T&T), Nicole Brooks (Canada/T&T), Rene Holder (T&T), Rommel Hall (Barbados), Rubadiri Victor (T&T), Natalie Thompson (Jamaica), Rodney Smith (US/Barbados), Sean Micheal Field (US/Barbados), Sharon Lewis (Canada/J'ca), Sheldon Felix (T&T), Vashti Anderson (US/T&T),Yvette Maynard (Barbados).

Holly Bynoe

Holly Bynoe is a Vincentian visual artist and writer based in the Caribbean, and a recent graduate of Bard College International Center of Photography where she earned her M.F.A. in Advanced Photographic Studies. Her work has been shown regionally and internationally, and has been featured in numerous publications.

Frida Kahlo, a Life of

Passion and Pain

05 May 2011 / by Yucatan Holidays

Frida Kahlo may very well be the most well known Mexican artist of all time, although her work was not widely recognized until decades after her death on July 13, 1954. Her compelling life and inspiring creativity gave way to fascinating paintings which blatantly exhibit her opinions, thoughts, fears and pain.

Frida, as she is lovingly referred to by Mexicans, was born on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, then a small town on the outskirts of Mexico City. She would later claim that she was born in 1910, the year the Mexican Revolution began so that people would directly associate her with it. At age 6 Frida contracted polio which permanently affected her right leg and foot. It has been speculated that she also suffered from spina bifida.

In 1922 Frida was enrolled in the prestigious Preparatoria, one of Mexico’s top schools with a student body of about 2000. She was one out of only 35 girls. Frida hoped to become a doctor. Preparatoria was where she met her first boyfriend, Alejandro Gomez, the leader of a student political group that supported socialist-nationalist ideas. It is also where she learned of Diego Rivera, a world famous Mexican muralist, while he was painting a mural in the school’s auditorium. Frida would secretly watch him for hours. He would later become her husband, and the tumultuous love of her life.

On September 17, 1925, while still attending Preparatoria, Frida and her boyfriend Alejandro were in a terrible bus accident. Frida suffered a broken spinal column, collarbone and pelvis, broken ribs, eleven fractures in her right leg, a crushed and

dislocated right foot and a dislocated shoulder. An iron handrail also pierced her  abdomen and uterus, which later prevented her from carrying a pregnancy to term. Frida underwent approximately 35 surgeries and eventually regained her ability to walk but suffered greatly on and off for the rest of her life from severe chronic pain. She was often bedridden for months at a time. Frida recovered from the accident in a full body cast and much of her time painting from her bed or a wheelchair.

In 1928 she was personally introduced to Diego Rivera, and in 1929 they were married. They made quite a pair. Rivera was 42 years old, 6′ 1″ and 300 pounds and Frida was 22 years old, 5’3″ and just 98 pounds. They divorced in 1939, and then remarried in 1940. Frida and Rivera were fervent supporters of each other’s art but their relationship was plagued with infidelity (on both of their parts) including an affair between Rivera and Frida’s younger sister Cristina. Frida said,” I suffered two grave accidents in my life, one in which a streetcar knocked me down. The other accident is Diego.”

Frida died exactly a week after her 47^th birthday. A few days before her death she wrote in her diary, “I hope the exit is joyful, and I hope never to return. Frida” In his autobiography, Diego Rivera would write that the day Frida died was the most tragic day of his life, adding that, too late, he had realized that the most wonderful part of his life had been his love for her.

About a third of Frida’s 143 works are self-portraits, many of which portray the pain and loss in her life, including her miscarriages and abortions. She was brutally honest in her life (except for the birthday white lie) and in her paintings. There is so much more to Frida than can be explained in this short article; her political activism, her love for children, animals and dirty jokes, her journal entries, among other things. On your next vacation to Mexico, bring along one of the many books written about Frida and learn more about this fascinating Mexican woman.

__________________

About the Author

Kristin Busse is an American expat who has been living in Cancun, Mexico since 2001. A wife, mother, singer, salsa dancer and now writer, she has worked in many different industries but is currently enjoying exploring the Yucatan Peninsula and sharing her expertise and experience with readers around the world. Follow Kristin on Twitter.

__________________________

20-MINUTE DOCUMENTARY ON FRIDA KAHLO

Black Lit Mags to Watch

June 26, 2012 by Stacia L. Brown

Late last year, Troy Johnson, founder of AALBC.com, wrote a blog post that posed the question: “What happened to the best African-American literary magazines?” While his exploration of lit mags past and present did unearth a fall-off of publications that thrived in the ’90s and early ’00s, it appears a resurgence is on its way. New writers and publishers are creating their own opportunities to see the works of themselves and their peers in print and online. Black lit mags are again on the rise, but as Johnson’s article proved, they need strong, invested readerships to keep themselves afloat.

Here are a few new, little known, or underexposed black literary magazines we think you should check out:

Blackberry: a magazine

Founded by writer Alisha Sommers, Blackberry is brand new online lit mag out of Chicago that provides opportunities for new and established women writers of color. Its goal is to increase and strengthen the presence of black women’s voices in mainstream and independent literary markets. Sommers raised the funds for its first issue via a successful Kickstarter campaign. And the publication is currently accepting submissions for its next issue on the theme of “Belief.” Submissions are due by August 1.

Union Station

Union Station is a venture that sprang from the arts organization louderARTS. The brainchild of writer Syreeta McFadden, poet Lynne Procope, and others, Union Station is a multicultural publication with an interest in diverse voices in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Its sixth issue has just been released.

Linden Avenue Literary Journal

Founder Athena Dixon calls her Linden Avenue Literary Journal ”a place for simple stories to be told in stunning ways.” Every work represented in her publication’s first issue certainly fits that bill.  Linden Avenue curates breathtaking, brief material that speaks to a wide spectrum of social and emotional conditions.

Specter Magazine

Specter Magazine is 10 issues deep; its latest a hip-hop-themed extravaganza which featured work from the likes of Michael Gonzales and Casandra “Defy” Rivera. The issue that preceded it was tailored to women. Each of its themed issues has been impressive in its diversity of tones and voices. Led by founder and editor-in-chief mensah demary, Specter Magazine is definitely a publication on the rise.

Are you up on the latest black lit mags? Are there any you would add to the list? 

 

Dove Thinks

Poet/Activist Toni Blackman

Should Be Famous

July 6, 2012 by Stacia L. Brown

Last month, Dove’s Real Woman Role Model/”Women Who Should Be Famous” campaign featured poet and lyricist Toni Blackman. The initiative, fronted by singer/actress Mandy Moore, spotlights dynamic women whose lives and careers are focused on boosting young girls’ self-image and esteem. In the video, Blackman discusses her childhood struggles with body image, parental addiction, and self-confidence. The video also spotlights Blackman’s popular workshop “Rhyme Like a Girl,” which trains and encourages young women to use their voices as poets, writers, and lyricists. Of her work with young women, Blackman has this to say: ”We don’t want people to think that we think we’re all that. And I say: think you’re all that. ‘Rock the mic’ refers to the idea of being bold, being audacious, and using your smarts and not diminishing your intelligence, your brilliance, your light.”

Toni Blackman is the first U.S. Hip-Hop Cultural Envoy for the U.S. Department of State, and her work in that role has led her to Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Swaziland, and other nations to lecture on hip-hop music and culture:

Moore and Dove assert that, for all Blackman’s difference-making work in the lives of young girls and for the ground she’s broken for women in hip-hop and spoken word, she deserves to be more well-known than she is. We agree.

About Happily Natural Day

‎”Natural hair has its place in the discussion of identity for people of African descent. As does love for ones inherent African features such as skin tone, body type and bone structure. But these ideals are only details in a much bigger picture that in panoramic view is more inclusive of living an authentic and sustainable lifestyle. During Happily Natural Day, one is immersed in the myriad of ways that people of African and indigenous descent experience authentic and sustainable lifestyles in a modern contemporary context. Through Happily Natural Day one becomes more aware of lifestyles that compliment a disengagement from the plastic inorganic life continuum that is forced upon us as people of color living in societies that circumscribed our cultures as savage and uncivilized. Through Happily Natural Day and events like it we seek reclamation of our sacred whether it be through food, adornment, commerce, education or performance art.”

Duron Chavis – Founder of Happily Natural Day Feb 29th, 2012

 

 

Happily Natural Day Atlanta - August 17, 2012

Happily Natural Day Richmond - August 25, 2012

 

 

 

Happily Natural is a grassroots festival dedicated to holistic health and social change. The purpose of Happily Natural is to educate and inspire. By using music, lectures and workshops as tools for learning and upliftment, the festival reaches a wide audience because of it’s socially conscious approach. The festival brings together artists, musicians, vendors, activists and scholars whose focus is on social change and holistic health & wellness from all across the country.

Social Movement versus Trend Follow

Founded at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond Virginia in 2003, the festival has grown from a one day festival founded in Richmond Virginia to a three day celebration held in Richmond Virginia and Atlanta Georgia. Through community partnerships and the support of socially responsible individuals and organizations, Happily Natural has become one of the most anticipated annual grassroot events in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

In 2008 Happily Natural Day partnered with FTP Movement to annual celebrate Black August; a tradition established during the 1970’s in the California prison system by men and women of the Black/New Afrikan Liberation Movement as a means of acknowledging and studying the legacy of Afrikan resistance in the Americas and honoring fallen freedom fighters like George and Jonathan Jackson, Khatari Gaulden, James McClain, Williams Christmas and Fred Hampton.

Happily Natural focuses on social change and holistic health & wellness. Since inception it has placed a specific focus on natural haircare, cultural heritage, and naturopathic medicine. Workshops are held annually on modalities for holistic healing, natural haircare & naturopathic medicine. Lectures on history, culture and heritage as it relates to Africans in America & throughout the Diapora are presented by scholars of wide & diverse backgrounds and specialties.

 

Its Bigger Than Your Afro

Happily Natural initially focused on natural hair, which resulted in being called a natural hair “show”. However; it has a deeper significance and does not simply show patrons the latest in natural hair styles. Happily Natural tackles the tough discussion of “nappy” hair in the African community. Issues of self-esteem, identity, inferiority complexes, health and socio-psychological wellness are dealt with through informative sessions and presentations throughout the program.

Happily Natural also places a high emphasis on social change. Hosted annually through the collective efforts of a wide array of institutions, businesses and dedicated individuals; Happily Natural is a vehicle through which grassroots organizations, cultural activists and community advocates can network and interact in a festive atmosphere while promoting upliftment of the African community. During the festival, patrons are given the opportunity to talk with scholars, vendors & musicians who promote social change and holistic health & wellness. Community oriented poets, visual artists, and socially responsible business owners work together to make to inspire, illustrate and network to create cooperative socio-economic realities throughout the Diaspora. In the community Happily Natural Day stays active throughout the year with events and initatives addressing issues of culture, health and wellness and social change throughout the Richmond Region.

 

The Historical Imperative

During the Black Arts Movement Elombe Brath and Kwame Brathwaite and the African Jazz Art Society & Studio cultivated the slogan “Black is Beautiful” via their “Naturally” shows in the early 60′s up through the late 70′s. Inspired by the “Miss Natural Standard of Beauty” contests hosted by pan-african Carlos Cooks on Garvey Day in Harlem; the Naturally shows incorporated musicans such as Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln into their productions and launched the “Grandassa Models” promoting the natural beauty of women of African descent throughout the Northeast. AJASS is considered to have pioneered the “natural look” and considerable credit is due to them for it is on the shoulders of such giants that Happily Natural Day stands proudly.

Over 50 years ago, psychologist Kenneth Clark’s work with black children became pertinent evidence in the landmark case Brown vs. Board of Education. The now infamous doll test found that black children were identifying with white dolls more so than black dolls showing that segregation of public schools were detrimental to black children. The black children identifying with white dolls was attributed to an inferiority complex that was reasoned to be a by-product of segregation. The findings of that study helped to desegregate the schools, an event we are celebrate throughout the United States. In the 1980’s the same test was done with the same results, showing that the inferiority complex of black children runs deeper than school segregation. The test has been repeated in many different places since repeatedly yielding the same results.

The black community has dealt with the myth of good hair vs. bad hair since slavery. Though the hair texture of people of African descent is prone to be curly, the majority of black women often seek a remedy for their “bad hair”. The “good hair” by definition is straight, long and flowing and easy to get a comb through. “Bad hair” as defined by popular culture is just the opposite, unmanageable, extremely curly, and “nappy”. By definition the hair that our Creator blessed us with at birth should be appreciated and looked upon as beautiful, however in the black community for a large majority of women & men, unlike other ethnic groups that take pride in their natural hair, many in the black community look at their natural, “nappy hair” as a burden of disgrace and socially unacceptable.

Why the Natural Hair Focus?

As natural hair styles are resurgent in popularity it is important that we dig beneath the surface, and tap into the minds of the masses and wake up the collective mental potential of our African brethren & sisters, for this purpose a significant portion of Happily Natural Day is dedicated to presentations by renowned scholars in the fields of black consciousness, health, & spirit. Also, spoken word poets, musicians, and visual artists from all over the globe are provided a forum to present socially conscious presentations for our patrons to vibe to, be inspired by and meditate on.

Happily Natural Day as a vehicle was created to uplift the cultural and ethnic pride of Africans worldwide and do away with the idea that the natural characteristics of African culture and ethnicity are socially unacceptable. There is a legacy that the black community confronts daily due to its unique history in America, the fact that for decades anything having to do with black people was considered the object of ridicule and looked upon in disdain by mainstream European culture. This phenomenon gave birth to an intense inferiority complex in the Black community and can be identified around the world as a characteristic response to white supremacy, a response in which many begin to negate themselves in an attempt to assimilate into European culture. Though it would be an over generalization to say that all black women straighten their hair to look like white women; many do so because they simply are not knowledgeable of the easy, cost effective ways in which to take care of their natural hair, it must be noted that for the majority of print & cinematic media especially lifestyle magazines, network television, and the fashion industry the model for beauty is consistently a white woman. These areas of media are referenced everyday by the general public for what is considered socially acceptable in terms of beauty.

The Bigger Picture

How much do the ideals of white supremacy affect us today? How does the acceptance of European standards of beauty as universal reverberate through the African Diaspora? In South Africa, there are large numbers of our black brothers & sisters who are so discomforted by their dark skin that they go to extremes to bleach their skins causing illness in the quest to get light, “fair” skin. In adherence to the social mores, status quo, and in conformity to an ideal of beauty characterized by European culture & Western society, African’s in America and throughout the world attempt to lighten their skin tone, straighten their hair texture, and through plastic surgery, thin both nose & lips at serious risk to physical health, not to mention the psychological ramifications of not being able to accept the inherent beauty of one’s ethnicity.

Natural hair has its place in the discussion of identity for people of African descent. As does love for ones inherent African features such as skin tone, body type and bone structure. But these ideals are only details in a much bigger picture that in a panoramic view is more inclusive of living an authentic and sustainable lifestyle. During Happily Natural Day, one is immersed in the myriad of ways that people of African and indigenous descent experience authentic and sustainable lifestyles in a modern contemporary context. Through Happily Natural Day one becomes more aware of lifestyles that compliment a disengagement from the plastic inorganic life continuum that is forced upon us as people of color living in societies that circumscribed our cultures as savage and uncivilized. Through Happily Natural Day and events like it we seek reclamation of our sacred whether it be through food, adornment, commerce, education or performance art.

The Social Change Imperative

The evolution of Happily Natural from its inception to now; reflects the growth and maturity of an holistic understanding of freedom and liberation. Holistic wellness, cultural identity and self-esteem are the core from which radiate essentially what it means for all humans to experience freedom. Its only natural. Recognizing the interconnectedness of humanity; Happily Natural places a heavy imperative on social change – it is not sufficient for individuals to content themselves in their own wellness and liberation solely as individuals. As a result the festival has engaged in numerous campaigns and initiatives designed to build community from Richmond Noir Market; our work in raising awareness of political prisoners via Black August, to our current push for urban agriculture in low income communities; our efforts regarding social change are of paramount importance and what sets Happily Natural Day apart from its peers. The work we do is more than about how to style hair – our effort is to restyle how we live our lives for the betterment of humanity.

AFRO-BRAZILIAN HAIRSTYLES 

Jean-Baptiste Debret (1768 – 1848), “Esclaves nègres, de différentes nations (Black slave women of different [African] nations),” 1834-1839

The dress of both enslaved and freed Afro-Brazilians was linked to their African past while also incorporating European and Brazilian elements. However, African dress elements are not indicators of freedom or slavery, as there were many free Africans in Brazil. African women’s clothing of [the nineteenth century] follows that of other women, who are all shown wearing outfits made up of bodices and skirts. Slaves’ clothes were often cast-offs from women of the house. Turbans were commonly seen in slave and freed populations throughout the Caribbean and Americas, suggesting African origins. However, European and Muslim influences must also be considered. The artist Jean-Baptiste Debret recorded African slave women in Brazil as having plaited and adorned hair, similar to African styles.

Andrew Cyrille

and Haitian Fascination.

Photo by Stefania Zamparelli

Andrew Cyrille and Haitian Fascination.

GO HERE TO LISTEN TO MUSIC

Song: "Marinet"

Artist: Andrew Cyrille and Haitian Fascination

Album: Route de Freres

Genre: World

 

June 1, 2012

In the world of jazz — be it free, mainstream or other more personal styles — 72-year-old Andrew Cyrille is known for drawing vivid sonic pictures and making incendiary rhythms with his drum set. Still, not many know of Cyrille's Haitian-American origins. And, though the culture of Haiti has spawned a compelling musical relationship with both American jazz and the music on islands closer to it (see Cuba, Guadeloupe and Martinique), this connection is equally obscure to many north of Congo Square. But vodou, central to the Haitian worldview, influences both cultures, musically and otherwise. With his Haitian Fascination project, Cyrille goes back to one of his original loves, if not obvious influences.

In "Marinèt," from Route de Freres, Cyrille and master percussionist Frisner Augustin collaborate on a breezy but intense Haitian folk tune, focused on Alix Pascal's gentle twoubadou guitar and Augustin's exacting but joyous chant and maman drumming. As Hamiet Bluiett's baritone blows the clarion call of the Carnival vaksin, Cyrille and Augustin exhort each other with their voices and the percolating rhythms of their drums. The song is about a lwa, a vodou spirit — in this case a mischievous woman who acts strongly in the lives of adherents but must be appeased. All of the musicians here, Haitian and otherwise, seem to understand this instinctively, and their play is appropriately inspired.

 

MELISSA "VANILLA" ROBERTS

Melissa Roberts was the name given to her by her parents when she was born on the 4th April but Vanilla was the name given to her by her boyfriend a few years into their relationship.

This stunning 27 year old lady is an individual of passion and extreme drive. Her personality has a wide spread venom that touches people where ever she goes.

She was never a singer, well maybe in her bathroom....... but because she worked at a studio she was encouraged to record a tune by her fellow artiste, but she took up the challenge when she was approached by Mr. Simon who is now her manager.

In 2005 she recorded her first song \'Koc it Up\' on the Kross Kolor Label. The song was featured on the annual compilation album \'Wine Till Yuh Drop volume 2\'. Later that year Vanilla recorded her second song \'Boy\' and that propelled her into the realms of the elite performers in Guyana, in that same year she teamed up with soca sensation Lilman to record the single \'Wine it Up\'. For mash 2007 Vanilla recorded the song Queen of the band which eventually won the Road March competition beating the reigning Soca Monarch "Malo" and thirty others. This was a significant achievement since this was her first year in that competition. In 2008 she lost the crown by one point. In 2009, she places second at the Carib Soca Monarch Competition with the song \'Rude\' and she regain her title as Queen of the road. In 2010, Vanilla captured two title, Queen of the Road and GT&T Peoples Choice Award at the Soca Monarch where she also placed second.

Vanilla is an artiste with tremendous potential, whom with the right guidance can achieve greatness.

As a well rounded individual Vanilla won the GABBF Miss Body Fitness Novice in 2006, Miss Body Fitness Intermediate 2007 and in 2009 she also placed second the at GABBF Miss Body Fitness Seniors competition. Vanilla recently receiver her Certified Fitness Trainer certificate from the International Sports and Science Association (ISSA). 

She is a video editor and director and a manager at the company she works with. She loves dancing and hanging out with her friends. 

Her favorite quotes \'it\'s better to have love and lost, than to never love at all\'.

via krosskolor.com

Valhalla Press Literary Fiction and

Creative Nonfiction Contest

• First prize: $500, Ereader of your choice and inclusion in Ragnarok, the Valhalla Press 2013 Anthology

• Second prize: Ereader of your choice and inclusion in Ragnarok, the Valhalla Press 2013 Anthology

• Honorable Mention: Inclusion in Ragnarok, the Valhalla Press 2013 Anthology

The Valhalla Press Prize honors the best in literary fiction and creative nonfiction.

• Limit your work to 5000 words.

• Deadline August 30, 2012. Winners will be announced by September 30, 2012

• Entry fee is $15 per submission payable via PayPal only.

• Manuscripts should be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word document or RTF format.

• Do not put your name on the manuscript document. (This will be entered separately on our website.) A cover letter is not required.

• Work previously published in print or electronically will not be considered. All work must be original with the writer owning the copyright. International submissions are welcome.

• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but we ask that you notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. We regret that there can be no refunds or substitutions for withdrawn work.

• Valhalla Press acquires first-time International electronic rights from contest winners. All other rights remain with the author.

You may contact us with any questions via email at frank@valhallapress.com.

Valhalla Press, LLC
1115 12th St., NW
Suite 205
Washington, DC 20005
202-341-1158

Click on the Buy Now button to pay your entry fee. Upon completion of the transaction, you will be redirected to the entry form where you may enter your information, and upload your story.