Scholarship Fundraiser Gala, Accomplishing Big Things in Business, Chicago Fashion Week, Broadway Escapades and more!

Hey guys!

It's been a busy last few months and I have so much to share! Let's get into it.

BEING A SPONSOR AT A BLACK NURSING SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER

 

My aunt, Dr. Thomas, is a member of the Lambda Pi Alpha black nursing sorority 💜💜. I was honored to attend, alongside my parents and other family, their 90th anniversary scholarship fundraiser gala to commemorate all of the community service that they've done as a black women led organization, trying to uplift other women of color within healthcare! My aunt gave a brief speech reviewing their 5-figure scholarship amounts that would be bridging the gap between young low income minority women and a career in nursing. I was also very happy to get the chance to be a program book sponsor to support a great cause and promote my firm, The Calynn Communications & Creative corporation.

BUSINESS ACCOLADES - Indie Wrap, Yahoo! Finance, Canvas Rebel, BOLD Journey, Project DeConstruction

 

 

Speaking of my business, ya girl has been HUSTLING! I've been blessed to win 2 Person of the Year Awards in January (Media Member of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year) and made history as the youngest person to win 2 of those awards at once. That was such an honor! Due to this, I got a few great press interviews that allowed me to tell my story and discuss the behind-the-scenes aspects of what it takes to run a business like mine and the sacrifices while working a FT day job and being a FT student who's trying to wrap up a doctorate degree. 

In celebration of this, my nonprofit initiative - The Fresh Faces Project, launched our Small Business Booster giveaway to support other entrepreneurs from marginalized communities with a prize pack of $1500+ value for each selected winner 👀🙆🙌! This landed us a featured in Yahoo! Finance. I am looking forward to reviewing all of the submissions and selecting a few great organizations to make a difference with. Apply here by May 31st if you're interested ! 

I also got the awesome chance to be interviewed TWICE on my bestie's Project Deconstruction podcast! Check out her Facebook and Youtube pages for spiritually enlightened content that is community focused and everyone-friendly.

CHICAGO FASHION WEEK 

  

If you've followed me for a while, you know that I LOVE FASHION! And, as a Chicago native, I've naturally been supporting Chicago Fashion Week (produced by FashionBar Chicago) for the last several years, nearly a decade. And, EVERY show I attend is a hit. This year was no different. My mom and I got the opportunity to attend their Eco Friendly show that was focused on sustainable garments that looked great while helping preserve the environment. It was a fabulous time and a pleasure to cover the show on my social media, Youtube, blog and one of my publications What's Good Weekly! Thank you to Tony Long, CEO, for keeping me in mind 💥💪💖. 

BROADWAY ESCAPADES: Boop! The Musical, Shrek the Musical, Pretty Woman: The Musical

  

I've always loved live entertainment as someone who's pretty artsy fartsy. Over the last several months, I've delved into the world of Broadway musicals. And, I couldn't be happier that I discovered an amazing activity that I will continue to uphold thanks to inspiration from my bestie @Nikhaulebereading. It started with going to see Boop! The Musical, which was a fantastic rendition of Betty Boop's backstory led by a charming black woman. Then, it was Shrek the Musical, the stage adaptation to my favorite children's movie of all time (yes I have the quadrilogy on DVD lol). Then, it was Pretty Woman, the stage adaptation of the acclaimed Oscar winning film that showcases the journey of a sex worker who falls in love with a rich man and their evolution as characters and a couple. All of these shows are highly recommended by me 👏👏!

CONCERTS: Nicki Minaj, Lauryn Hill & The Fugees, Pentatonix, OTEP + Red Devil Vortex

  

I've had the musical experience over the last several months and look forward to a plethora of more concerts throughout 2024! Since we last spoke, I've seen some awesome shows. First, was the legendary Lauryn Hill and The Fugees which was a soulful performance that spoke to my spirit (even though they were over 2 hours behind). Then, was Pentatonix, a choral group that literally sent chills up my spine with their beautiful harmonies. Next was OTEP and Red Devil Vortex which was my first purely heavy metal concert and I must say it was a unique experience (sorry I didn't snap a picture - the venue was too dark for selfies). Most recently, was Nicki Minaj on Chicago's Gaga City tour stop. Seeing the Queen of Rap as a longtime fan was amazing to say the least and I truly couldn't have asked for a better performance from her (other than her being 2+ hours late). She also brought out Jeremih, G Herbo and Monica 💃💃!

CIRQUE SHOWS: Cirque Flip Fabrique Blizzard, Cirque Shen Yun

 

As a child, I really enjoyed the Cirque Shang Hai shows at Navy Pier. In an attempt to revisit my childhood wonders, I saw a couple of cirque shows with my mom and was entertained by the visuals, dancing, rhythmic gymnastics and tumbling! I would recommend checking out a show if you're someone who likes performances with a lot of color, movement and symbolism (there isn't much talking/speech). 

HELL's GATE Haunted House

 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have always been a huge fan of horror and thriller books, movies and TV shows. Til this day, I still go to the movies and watch scary films just for kicks on a monthly basis. So, it was definitely a blast to visit my first real deal haunted house alongside my baby sister, Cami, at the award-winning Hell's Gate! Thanks to my bestie, @BlackCatMikaela, who hooked us up with free passes, we were able to get spooked during this unique experience. It's certainly different when you're immersed with the ghouls and goblins vs. watching it on the silver screen 👻.

PAINT N' SIP at Pinot's Palette Chicago - Logan Square

Throughout my immense stress and depression over these last few months due to a law suit that I'm in the process of filing against the complete scam of a dealership (United Auto Exchange) who stole 14k+ from me, I've been very intentional to look for calming outlets at any point I can get. One of my outlets is through drawing and painting as someone who was an arts major in the past and has always had a love for being creative. Mikaela, who also is an artist, and I went to check out Pinot's Palette, a popular paint n' sip chain, at their Chicago location. It was a really fun time! The price was about $40 a person (not including drinks or tips) with materials included and there's an onsite bar with cheap but tasty cocktails 🍹🖌! I'll definitely be back.

A TMNT BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR MY 5 YR OLD NEPHEW (I'm getting old)

Lastly, I feel so old that my big boy nephew turned 5 in April 😭! My mom and I went to go visit my sister @Hey.Candyss and her family to celebrate. I can't believe that I've been an official "TiTi" for over 5 years and that both of my boys are growing up. The baby is now running around and talking and will be 2 in September. Where did the time go guys? Please make it stop 😩! Regardless, we all had a blast at the birthday party which had a huge turnout of friends and family. And, of course we all came dressed in theme for the occasion. We're big time ninja turtles fans since the 90's and when we rep, WE REP!

Anywho, that's all for now guys! Thanks for tuning in :) Catch you on the flip side 💗

Love,

Cay 💋