Per #TheBuildUP with TBI: “{Women and #TheBuildUP: Interview with Tosh Patterson, Chief Healthinista at Be Well, Eat Well, Live Well”
I truly love March (National Women’s History Month), because it reminds me of all of the amazing women that I know and that TBI has worked with over the years. Amazing clients, partners, mentors, ‘mentees’, entertainers, etc.! This month, I’ll introduce you to some of them…..Right now, I have the pleasure of working with the legendary Ms. Tanya Blount as a partner and presenter of the upcoming Butterfly Beautiful Girls Conference March 8-9 in Bowie, MD, presented by Tanya and her I Am Beautiful Corporation. A few days ago, I caught up with the Sister Act 2 star for my Sophisticated Sunday column at OnStage-DC and she had such a great testimony and message, I thought I’d share it with you, in honor of this very special month!
Enjoy!
-TBI Natasha
OnStage: What are you up to these days?
Wow, *laughs* I just opened office space for my entertainment company, Code Red Corporation. We’re located in the Downtown Cultural Arts Center in Baltimore. The I Am Beautiful Corporation is also preparing for the Butterfly Beautiful Girls Conference, taking place in Bowie March 8-9. We have three cities where we will take a two-day conference, featuring a variety of [professionals] who will bring their experience to encourage self esteem in girls ages eight to 18.
OnStage: What made you want to create the “I Am Beautiful” Self Esteem Movement?
There’s research done (by the Dove Company and others) that only 11 percent of women say they are beautiful, and that’s not even considering girls. Specifically in the Prince George’s County area, I’ve found that girls 15 to 17 are struggling with teen pregnancies, and oftentimes, you find girls and young women wanting to have babies so that they have someone to love them. So it was put on my heart to start something to get women and girls to know that they are beautiful.
I chose to do it in Prince George’s County first, specifically in Bowie, because I grew up there and I want to empower girls in my own backyard first.
The conference will be in Baltimore at the Downtown Cultural Arts Center May 17-18 and in Switzerland in December, where I Am Beautiful plans to take 20-30 girls.
OnStage: Tell me about your music now, how it’s evolved and where you’re headed?
My voice has changed a lot, so now it’s very classic – a cross between Whitney Houston and Julie Andrews. I’m striving to make really good songs, love songs with meaningful lyrics that inspire people.
OnStage: When is your next project going to be released?
I am releasing the “Butterfly Beautiful” single on March 5, (editor’s note: click previous link to download this song. It’s awesome!) to go along with the conference. So when people purchase the song it will benefit the I Am Beautiful God Esteem/Self Esteem Movement, and we also support service organization that provide direct support to young women and girls. I’m in the studio now writing and working with my husband. Before 2013 is over the album will be out.
OnStage: Talk a little about the business and music partnership between you and your husband Michael Trotter, Jr. It seems like a beautiful collaboration.
He’s a singer, songwriter author. He’s multitalented. We’re just like water. We just flow. He’s an incredible writer, we write our stage plays together. It’s just really cool to be able to love somebody and work together, be inspired by them and not get tired of them.
We published our book, Glide Devotional in January, while my book Glid-ing: From Joy to Happiness published in October 2012. Glid-ing deals with life and talks about how people want to put a lot of energy into their lives, but when God’s got you, you’re good. We use both books for our inspirational workshops and when we travel to speak to different groups.
(Both are available on Amazon and Kindle.)
OnStage: Everyone knows you from your role in Sister Act 2. How did the movie help your career?
This year will be 20 years since we did the movie. I spoke with [another cast member not too long ago] and we talked about how we can’t get away from it. Sister Act 2 has allowed me to go to Switzerland every year, and go to other countries that I would’ve never been to, where I reenact the scenes. And it’s allowed me to transcend generations. It’s just a classic. The movie is never going to go anywhere. It’s helped my career in ways that I couldn’t even imagine. When we were making Sister Act 2, it didn’t seem like it was a classic for us. We were just a bunch of kids having fun.
Read the full story, here.
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DJ Heat Places at Red Bull Thre3Style DJ Battle, Interviews Fat Trel, Receives National Publicity, Supports Childhood Obesity Prevention
(February 5, 2013) – The DMV’s Pioneer Female Disc Jockey, DJ Heat of WPGC 95.5 FM issizzling in 2013. On January 25, Heat placed third and was a crowd favorite in the Red Bull DC Thre3Style DJ Battle. As the only female DJ in the battle facing four of the best in the city, this was a remarkable accomplishment for Heat whose mix spanned generations and genres to really put DC DJs on the map.
Interviews
YouHeardThatNew.com spoke with Heat about the competition, and she was also recently featured in Complex Magazine, the Washington Informer and on DMVixen.com.Please read and share the stories.
Last weekend, Rising Rap Sensation Fat Trel returned to DC for a number of events and appearances. Heat had an opportunity to interview him about his career. Click here to watch and share.
Community
As you may know, Heat’s passion for community does not stop with music. During Inauguration Weekend, Heat participated in the Get Kids Movin’! Fitness and Fashion Show with Sports Zone at Beltway Plaza Mall. This is a series of programs geared toward preventing childhood obesity, spearheaded by 9-year-old Rapper Chi Chi Monet. Take a look at the recap video from January 19 and be sure to pay close attention to spot DJ Heat rocking with the music!
Connect
Thank you for supporting DJ Heat. Keep in mind that she is available for bookings for both in-club and special events. Contact us if you’re interested in securing one of the best DJs in the region!
Links:
DJ Heat YouHeardThatNew.com Interview
http://tinyurl.com/anlth52
Complex Magazine Covers Red Bull Thre3Style Battle
http://www.complex.com/city-guide/2013/01/recap-the-red-bull-thre3style-competition-swept-through-dc-last-night
DJ Heat Washington Informer Interview
http://washingtoninformer.com/index.php/lifestyle/item/12916-an-interview-with-dcs-own-dj-heat
DJ Heat DMVixen.com Interview
http://www.dmvixen.com/interviews/interviews-re-introduce-dj-heat/
DJ Heat Interviews Fat Trel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xemXwkIBs4A&feature=youtu.be
Get Kids Movin’! Recap Video, DJ’d by DJ Heat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7pB8YQ7HN0
Think Brown INK 