E Mccier S Tasteful Thoughts Featuring Fly Ty S Fruit Smoothies And Juices

luckily I was able to cross paths with a great person who also happens to be a great chef, Miss Erica McCier. I was in the process of publishing my ninth book when we had a conversation and I suggested that she print and publish her personal recipes in a cook book, and she said she would think on it. A few days later, she called me and said she was interested and she wanted me to be a part of it. Being that I make smoothies and fruit juices at home, I felt I could contribute to her book in a positive way so I decided to join her. I love educating my community anyway that I can and the foods we choose to eat are very important to maintaining good overall health. I hope we were able to help you choose a healthier lifestyle through the recipes that we came up with in this publication..

I come from a place where if you're not from around there you might not understand it. I see police on almost every block, stopping and frisking, harassing hardworking citizens etc... And in the midst of all this there is still a high rate of drugs and violent crime. To see the raw realities of life in certain poverty stricken or low wage communities is depressing to say the least. I decided to paint a vivid picture through rhyme of what I see and experience on an everyday basis. Millions of people in and out the ghetto can relate to these stories even if they don't reside there because they know someone who is going through some sort of trouble. The truth is ugly, it hurts, it breaks you down, but it's real and it wakes you up to the Facts of Life Living in the Ghetto.....

Imagine dealing with problem after problem after problem after problem in your life! For most of us, we don't have to imagine, it's a reality! From pain, to sickness to heartache, to the loss of a loved one, loss of a job, Etc, if you're human, more than

Pain is terrible! Pain is awful! Pain is misery! But pain is also a lesson! Pain is also a teacher! Pain can be a blessing! Sometimes pain may make you get up and change something in your life to bring back something better! We don't realize a lot of times how pain can benefit us. Trust me I know, No one wants to deal with pain of any kind, whether physical, mental or spiritual. The thing is we need to learn how to grow to a level of patience that will allow nothing to bother us in a negative way in our lives until whatever problem we are dealing with subsides, and it will, whether now or later. It takes time though, believe me I'm going through it right now and it's not easy! Over time though I have learned that many people are dealing with tremendous physical pain in their lives, and they have no choice but to try to get through it and live their lives to the best of their ability.

The Name ILLUMI-KNOTTY is an actual play on the word Illuminati. We tweaked it to fit our Natural hair movement. We were tired of our women having to cover their knotty thick roots to please society, and our men having to cut off their Locs or knotty afro's just to conform to society's standards or to stand a better chance of landing that job we were offered. The word Illuminate means to supply or brighten with light, and that's exactly what we do, Bring light to a world full of darkness, and the Knotty stands for our hair that is often labeled as ugly or unkempt. This is a compilation of Poems, Short Stories, Spoken Word Pieces, Paragraphs, etc of our collective thoughts all gathered together in one book. We are speaking on various subjects from Natural Hair to Politics to just everyday things that we all may go through from time to time. Hopefully it will bring you as much joy and insight as it has brought me after reading it.

I began writing poetry at the age of seventeen. A couple of my childhood friends and I would sit and write raps to music and make cassette tapes to pass the time I began to notice that I really liked to write and express myself on paper and it became a hobby of mine. That was twenty years ago and I think I love writing more now than previously. One of my associates published a book recently and was gracious enough to let me share my thoughts and upon seeing my years of writing come to fruition, it motivated me to embark on my own publications. I tried to write this in such a way that whatever emotions you are feeling at the time, you would be able to open this book and free your mind and get lost in my world for a few hours. In closing, I would just like to say whatever your passion or dreams are go for it! With enough hard work and dedication you can make it happen.

As a black male, I am constantly asked why I care about how black women choose to wear their hair. I've gotten into debates and heated arguments over the years on the subject, from whether black women should where their natural hair to embrace what God has given them and be an example to young black girls looking for an identity in this world, to whether their hair shouldn't matter when it comes to defining who black women are. I personally believe every part of you defines who you are as a person, from how you wear your hair, how you speak and how you present yourself in general. I have been Loc'd for the past sixteen years, and while I can't speak for everyone, I can surely say it's one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

This book is not intended to be used to try to down, belittle or point a finger at single mothers or parents of any gender for that matter. It is simply an unbiased look at one of the major problems that we face in the Black community, single parent households. All too often we seem to think that as long as we are compensated X amount of dollars every two weeks through child support, that we can replace a fatherly figure in the home. I often sit back and wonder when and how this phenomenon started. I know it doesn't only occur in the black community but it seems to be more destructive for blacks than any other race.I really hope that we will be able to come together as a people and find some solutions to this problem so that our children don't repeat the cycle.