beFree Couture

Aint she phli!

delve-in:

FTIM, rolled outta bed…wrapped myself up. I’ve done it since I was little…clearly I need a sewing machine…and maybe a little less spare time. Does anyone else make pretend dresses outta their sheets & towels? 

freshboldandsodef:

AMINA NORMAN-HAWKINS is a writer, performing artist, and hip-hop activist who has spent the past 15 years involved in the advancement of Chicago’s hip-hop culture and community. A writer since childhood, Amina grew up in her father’s homeland of Nigeria where she and her family moved shortly after her 7th birthday and didn’t return to Chicago for good, until after high school. Within 6 months of being back in the U.S., hip-hop came knocking, when Amina joined her first rap group. By ’92 Amina was not only an emcee, but had began performing her poetry, and had soon become a regular at legendary open mic sets like Spices, and Another Level at Literary Explosion (Lit Ex). She would later be featured at The Bop Shop, Jazz Oasis, Hot House (former location on Milwaukee Ave), Wabi Sabi, and even performing a hip-hop & poetry show for inmates at the Statesville Correctional Facility. While rocking mics across the city, Amina decided she wanted to learn more about the music business, and set out on a quest to do just that. She spent the next several years working as a street promotions rep, advertising accounts rep, event planning, and in promotions for a prominent Chicago radio station. It was also during this time that Chicago’s hip-hop scene was coming of age, and Amina realized that more needed to be done to bring this underground culture together and help unify this vastly diverse scene, so she began to organize. She started Chicago Urban Mines (Music Industry Networking & Entertainment Socials), which later became a monthly networking & showcase party featuring some of the city’s top, and upcoming dj’s, emcees, poets and singers. By this time Amina had also teamed up with producer, and Spalaney’s (Elements Of Nature) member, Coolout Chris to form Urbanized Music, a songwriting and production collaborative. It didn’t take long for Urbanized Music to gain solid footing on Chicago’s music scene. In ’01 Urban Mines organized a year long campaign to salute Chi hip-hop called the ‘Chicago One Love Campaign’. Two years later Amina founded the Chicago Hip-Hop Initiative, a not-for-profit community development organization, and in ’03 C.H.I drafted, and presented a resolution, which passed the Chicago City Council, proclaiming the month of July as the official observance for Chicago Hip-Hop Heritage Month. Today, Amina’s music reflects the intricacies of life. Weaving through love and pain, reality and illusion, with a subtle hint of seduction and mystery. Whether in song, lyric, rap, spoken or written word, Amina makes her point. Her poetry is direct and unpretentious. Her songs are well-crafted, eclectic gems. And when she flips into emcee mode, her lyrical prowess has even the most hardcore fan pumping his fist in the air as metaphors and punch lines fire in rapid succession. In 2006, she joined Kuumba Lynx, a non-profit arts-in-education organization, as a resident teaching artist, promoting positive and creative self expression through writing, emceeing, and performance poetry. In 2008 she played an integral role in the creation of the P.A.U.S.E. Initiative, a privately funded program that helps put music back into public schools, and uses music as a tool to encourage children pause, and think before acting, or making decisions. Amina is one of the nationally recognized voices of grassroots hip-hop activism, community empowerment, and women at the forefront of their destiny. Amina is far from being ‘just another female emcee’; she’s the newest force to be reckoned with. She is soul, rhythm and politics, compassion and intrigue, representing the core of all of us. http://www.chihiphop.org/

chocolate covered banana chips

Aplsd (Appleseed)

:: nods to the homie over at SoManySeasons, check her out :) ::

pearl jam!

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beFree Couture had the privilege of being a part of Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH)’s fundraiser this past weekend! It was a blast meeting everyone who came out! Thanks for your support, 10% of the proceeds from “pearl jam!” (pictured above) and other purchases went to ICAH’s efforts promoting a positive approach to adolescent sexual health and parenting.  Check them out here.

Neolithic

Rainbow in the sky