This Week on Cocoa Mode

On Sunday, thousands of immigrants, mostly Mexican, gathered on the national mall to demand the Obama administration get to work on Immigration reform. Among the protesters were a group of African American college students who stood in solidarity with their brown brothers and sisters, forcing many to ask if there's a common ground between the African American and Immigrant experience that needs to be explored and cultivated?

Speaking of Mexico, the crime in the northern border towns is out of control. According to reports, the drug cartels are terrorizing folks to no end. There's no doubt that money and greed are behind the madness, but some members of the Mexican congress also believe musicians and film-makers are to blame. Lawmakers have asked the Mexican government to consider making it a criminal offense to record or perform songs that glorify violence, drugs or trafficking. Hmmm, wonder if that would fly north of the boarder. We'll talk about it,

Plus...

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler, creators of Black and Married with Children return to discuss their new movie, You Saved Me, plus we'll discuss how the founders of Black Marriage Day are trying to change the perceptions of Black love and family for the better. Tune into The State of Black Marriage on Cocoa Mode Thursday at 8:30am ET.

Quote of the Day

"Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity." - Will Smith

ISO....Two GREAT interns.

Cocoa Mode Presents.... is looking for an intern to assist in managing our growing multi-media empire. This is the perfect opportunity for college students interested in radio and new media programming, broadcast marketing and radio production.

Candidates must:

• Be reliable, organized and mature.
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Be familiar with social networking tools including Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• Interested in women's issues specifically related to health and wellness.
• Reside in the Washington DC Metro area.
• Able to receive college credit.

Duties Include:

• Assisting with regular website, blog and social media updates.
• Researching topics and booking guests for Cocoa Mode.
• Work with Shawna Renee to develop grassroots and online marketing initiatives.
• Assist with developing and implementing radio and wellness workshops.
• Producing and uploading audio and video podcasts.

Interested candidates should email a resume and cover letter to Shawna Renee at shawna@cocoaomode.com.

Quote of the Day

"The deep cry of a woman's heart is am I lovely? Every woman needs to know that she is exquisite and remarkable and chosen. This is the core to her identity, the way she bears the image of God. She, like God, asks, 'will you pursue me? Do you delight in me? Will you fight for me?" John Elderedge, Wild at heart.

Why Do Black Fathers Abandon Their Children?

Happy Wednesday Folks. Over the weekend, I came around across this series of You Tube clips from MSNBC featuring a panel of African American athletes, leaders, authors and educators discussing the consequences of fatherless homes in the African American community. Though I applaud those who were brave enough to ask the questions, solutions are what we need. How do we save our boys, men, families and communities?






Click here for Part 3

Click here for Part 4

...and we're still together!

Remember this sketch from In Living Color? It's what first came to mind after reading the story of Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher of North Carolina. They hold the World Record for the longest marriage of two living people. They've been married for 85 years! Both are over 100 years old and admit that it hasn't always been easy but for them marriage was "till death do us part" - though Mr Fisher says "I did not know it would be as long as it is now". What I especially like about these two is that they've managed to maintain a sense of independence despite being together for so long. They attend different churches and I assume they both probably have their own hobbies and interests. Could that be the key to a lasting marriage? Or, maybe it's a matter of pure dedication and loyalty or perhaps, as they say, it's God. We'll find out what really takes to make marriage last this morning when I sit down with Ronnie and Lamar Tyler from Black and Married with Kids and open of the phone lines for the elders. If you've been married 30+ years we want to hear from you. 1-866-801-8255. See you on the radio.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue...

Sorry ladies and gents...












Snowtorious B.I.G sent my wireless connection (and my cable ) running for the hills this week, and as a result I am way behind on my mission to infuse a bit of pre-Valentine's day amour into your daily routine.

Earlier this morning I happened across an interesting posting on Facebook. In response to a question about Valentine's day being too commercial a woman shared the story of her husband's refusal to do/buy anything on Valentine's Day, instead he "spoils" her on February 13th and again on the 15th, just to show that he doesn't need anyone (Hallmark) reminding him that it's time to "love his woman". Cute, and my point exactly.

So today, let's talk flowers.

Roses are red, violets are blue....

I blame this nursery rhyme and rose farmers worldwide for the multitudinous number of roses sold in flower shops, grocery stores and on street corners across the nation. Red, white, pink, yellow, they're everywhere, which is cool but how about surprising her (or him) with something different?

Why? Just because.

The best place to start is by asking your love what they like. If she/he says "roses", then go ahead buy the roses but if he/she/Shawna says something else, then off to the florist you go.

An experienced florist will work with you to choose the perfect bouquet for your sweetie. Now, I must warn you, she will try to sell you roses because they're at a premium this time of year, but don't be afraid to say no. Once you get that out of the way the florist will ask you more about the recipient, what type of flowers does she like? What's her favorite color? Is she conservative, quirky, trendy, etc? Armed with the necessary information, the florist will begin pulling, snipping and creating the perfect arrangement for your darling. If you're lucky you may even get the florist to deliver the flowers for you.

If a custom designed flower arrangement is out of your price range, I recommend you ask to see some of the already prepared bouquets and arrangements, they are often less expensive. If that's still out of your price range don't be afraid to head to the grocery store, many of the gourmet grocers offer quality flowers at reasonable prices. If you do decide to go that route, check out this link for tips on how to pick the right flowers.

O.K. ladies, let's not be selfish, men like receiving gifts too. While flowers may not be his thing, consider a plant. A cactus plant is perfect for the man who can remember every score in every football game he's watched since he was 5 but can't remember to water a plant. Money Plants and Lucky Bamboo plants are also perfect for men, and neither require a lot of effort or experience to stay alive.

If you're still stuck, ask your mom, I'm sure she can tell you exactly what to get, just remember to get something for her too!

Later lovers....