Next month will be mark the one-year anniversary of my graduation from the Gannett Co. Inc. Talent Development Program. Time really does fly by! I went to the Talent Development page on the Gannett website, and was surprised to see my smiling face. Thank you to all the Corporate supervisors, Human Resource staff, and mentors who make this program so great. I am excited to meet the 2011 graduates and hear about their experiences this past summer.
If I told you the story myself, you wouldn’t believe me. In the beginning of July, I got the opportunity of a lifetime. Out of 80,000 other fans who entered the PopSugar.com contest to meet the beautiful Beyoncé, I was chosen (randomly by a computer) as the lucky winner. I would say “lucky” is an understatement, more like BLESSED.
I spent three fun-filled days in New York City preparing to meet Beyoncé, with cameras and microphones following my every move, as I was filming for PopSugar TV’s show “I am a HUGE FAN”. This was definitely the experience of a lifetime.
I could type forever about every single detail, and how AWESOME an experience this was, but luckily, everything was beautifully captured in these three PopSugar TV “I am a HUGE FAN” episodes. This show says it all, better than I could ever explain it, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show….
EPISODE ONE:
Watch as I find out that I am the lucky winner who gets to meet Beyoncé. But there’s another surprise in store, I am shocked to find out that I am going to learn the “Run the World (Girls)” dance from Beyoncé’s back-up dancers who were in the actual video!
EPISODE TWO:
In this episode, I am surprised to find out that not only will I be getting a makeover, I will be the model in a surprise photo shoot with “America’s Next Top Model“ judge and famous fashion photographer, Nigel Barker! I was completely star-struck and speechless the whole time, watch the episode below to see for yourself.
CLICK HERE to also read the short story about the second episode.
HERE IT IS! THE GRAND FINALE!
EPISODE THREE: MY MEETING WITH BEYONCÉ!
Meeting Beyoncé was an experience that I will NEVER EVER forget. I was so nervous, but she was so sweet, humble, and down-to-earth, that the experience was amazing. Watch and see for yourself…
CLICK HERE to read the short story on my meeting with Beyoncé.
I appreciate the love, support, and excitement everyone has shown towards me. I was so glad and touched to see others share the same enthusiasm from watching the episodes. Thank you so much to everyone at PopSugar TV for all the hard work you put in behind the scenes to make this experience unforgettable for me.
The episodes were so great, that they were shown on a few other sites:
- I was so happy to see the episodes on Beyoncé’s official website!
- I was very tickled to see that Essence (Magazine) Online wrote a short article about it!
- Nigel Barker TV posted episode two! It was a true honor working with him.
And that’s all folks! After this unforgettable experience, I know exactly what Beyoncé means when she sings, “GIRLS RUN THE WORLD!”
One year later…. July 1, 2012
I can’t believe it’s been a year already since we taped the “I am a Huge Fan” show with Beyonce. So much has happened in the course of a year!
As all of you know, Beyonce gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named “Blue Ivy” this year. Also, I recently made a permanent move to New York City and the rest is history.
As I watch these episodes a year later, I still can’t believe I was able to experience this. It definitely won’t be something I’ll forget.
Special thanks to the University of South Florida‘s Office of Orientation for asking me to be apart of their “Beyond the Polo: Student Leader Success” stories.
Here’s a sneak peek at the story:
To read the full article, please visit the USF Office of Orientation “Beyond the Polo” site and click on my face at the bottom of the screen.
I’m so very proud to be a graduate of this great University. GO BULLS!
Thank you for everyone who voted in the SOUTH FLORIDA AWARDS. I actually had no idea I won. Both my boyfriend Mark and I won “Influential Male of the Year” and “Influential Female of the Year”, respectively. What an honor!
This will be my second appearance in Essence Magazine. My tweet (via my Twitter account) made it in ESSENCE MAGAZINE! In case you’re wondering, I believe this in in the October or November issue of Essence Mag, where actress Kerry Washington is featured on the cover.
Just wanted to quickly share my brick that has been laid outside the Marshall Student Center at my alma mater, the University of South Florida. The last time I was visiting Florida, I got the opportunity to see it placed in the ground. It’s in a great spot, right next to the stage outside at the Amphitheater. Thanks to my father, Michael Jerome Fowlkes, for purchasing this for me as a graduation gift. If you want to leave your mark at USF too, CLICK HERE to purchase your own.
I remember exactly how it happened. It was the day after Valentine’s Day, and I was sitting in the library writing a five-page research paper. I was thinking about how I was supposed to remain motivated and positive in life, and then it hit me. How can I find a way to share my lessons with others, and learn about mistakes other people have made as well? I looked down at my laptop and there it was–plain as day–my Twitter account. Needless to say, that’s how I started @LifeLessonLearn.
Everyone makes mistakes in life, what’s important is that you learn from each lesson. The purpose of my second Twitter account is for me to share the beauty in learning from each trial and tribulation we face in life. Trust me, I personally know that making mistakes isn’t easy. Luckily, you come out of each situation a stronger, more dedicated individual, and you are more than willing to share with others what you learned,and how they can avoid your same mistake.
Here are just a few of the tweets on the timeline of @LifeLessonLearn:
#LifeLesson- Don’t let anyone ever make u feel like u don’t deserve what u want & Don’t ever let someone tell u, u can’t do something. (via lilyellowduck_e)
RT @chantay2525: tears and sheer determination, reaps lifelong and lasting benefits. #lifelessons
RT @genner: I don’t always look before I leap, but I have learned to always glance back before I sit down #lifelessons
RT @DaProphetJRuby: #LifeLesson: There is no shortcut to life. To the end of our days, life is a lesson imperfectly learned
So go ahead, share your life lessons learned. What did you learn today? What did a disappoinment, death, mistake, or heartbreak teach you? Share it with the world via Twitter. By simply tweeting, you could be helping someone else get through a challenge in their life.
Here’s the bottom-line: What good is a life lesson learned if you don’t share it with someone else? Follow @LifeLessonLearn NOW.
If you haven’t heard by now, my full name and quote is on page 30 of this month’s issue of ESSENCE magazine. Please pick up an April edition when you get the chance. In celebration of their 40th anniversary, ESSENCE Magazine asked readers to share what ESSENCE has meant to them, so I did. Click here to read my full story. They only used a snippet of my story, but I am so blessed to have my name and thoughts published in the magazine of my dreams.
To my friends and family: Thank you for the constant support and encouragement! I’M ON MY WAY TO BIG THINGS!
Do whatever you can to contribute to the recovery of Haiti during this difficult time. Everyone can do their part by either contributing monetary donations or clothing donations. If you don’t have much to give, just take the time out of your day to say a quick prayer for those who are in danger, deceased, or mourning the loss of a loved one. We’ve all seen the news and heard the radio announcements, but rather than discussing what needs to be done, we should be proactive and make a difference. Haiti needs us. The time is now. God Bless, Haiti.
Useful links:
“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world”
Photography courtesy of Ben Twingley, btwingley@pnj.com
It is with great pleasure that I can finally announce that I am featured in the February 2010 issue of Bella Magazine. I am featured on the cover, as well as the inside fashion spread.
Special thanks to the Pensacola News Journal and the Bella Magazine staff for giving me this opportunity. None of this would be possible without Ms. Cindy Hall (Bella Editor), Ms. Tracee Neese (Bella Designer), Ms. Wendy Campbell (Bella Contributing Writer), and Mr. Ben Twingley (Photographer).
If you live in the Pensacola, FL area, please pick up a free copy. For more information on Bella Magazine, visit www.bellamagazine.com
To read the full fashion article for February titled “Red for Romance” click here. There is even a small section featuring myself. Enjoy!
I had an epiphany the other day. If someone wanted to follow me, not just on Twitter, but wanted to literally “follow” my every move in real life, I make it quite easy for them to do so through my tweets that I post everyday.
Take a minute to stop and think about all the personal information that we thoughtlessly share through our tweets. Through Foursquare, Twitpics, and other Twitter features, we give specific details about our current location to complete strangers in 140 characters or less.
With that said, I must say, be extremely careful what you tweet.
Social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter allow us to sometimes share TOO MUCH information with the world. Because of Twitter’s instantaneous tweet system, and second-by-second tweet feed, this makes it the ideal place for stalkers and weirdos to gather information about a person without even having to look hard for it. Once again, be extremely careful what you share through your tweets.
I have to be fair and practice what I preach. I’m guilty of sharing too much information as well. Some of my tweets that provided too much information have included, but are not limited too:
- “It’s official, I hate ProCopy on Fowler Ave.” (Bad idea to inform my followers of my EXACT location)
- “It’s such a beautiful day outside, and I will be studying in the library for the next 10 hours.” (Extremely bad idea to let my followers know the exact amount of time I will be at a certain location.)
Please keep tweets like these in mind before tweeting something too specific. Twitter features such as Foursquare and ÜberTwitter allow individuals to update their exact location from their mobile device. Long gone are the days where we only had an idea of the area where someone is, with modern technology nowadays, we know exactly where they are via Google maps and other high-tech atlases.
With most people having over 300 followers, there is little to no chance that you know each of your followers personally. To avoid a stalker situation, either place a lock on your Twitter profile that requires you to approve each follower, or be very vague and general in your tweets.
Twitpics allow followers to see exactly what we look like at any given time. For example, post a twitpic of yourself or friends at a party, a restaurant, or a concert, and any follower, or better yet any stalker, will be able to determine what you look like amongst the crowd. Scary, right? Right.
The moral of this story is simple. Although Twitter is the perfect venue to network and share our innermost thoughts and feelings, be careful. Be mindful of the 400+ followers that may be following and watching your tweets closer than you think. You can still be specific yet general in your tweets. Don’t give more information than needed.
Be mindful of the Dangers of the Twitterverse: Watch what you tweet!
Post-Graduation , Public Relations Professionals
Enhancing My Education: 2009 PRSSA National Conference Recap
On November 6, myself and hundreds of other public relations students from all over the nation traveled to San Diego, CA for the 2009 PRSSA National Conference. For five days, we attended workshops, seminars, and socials that consisted of lots of networking with students and professionals. However, I quickly learned that most of the networking took place outside of the conference environment.
By attending social gatherings called Tweet-ups, students had the opportunity to speak with professionals in a social setting such as a pizzeria, bar, or night club. Attending the Tweetup hosted by Pitchengine.com and Sarah Evans at Bar Basic allowed me to socialize in a more relaxed environment.
Social media seemed to be the main focus of the conference. Piece of advice: TWEET EVERYTHING! Believe it or not, a lot of the student-to-professional interaction was conducted via Twitter. Utilizing social media to your advantage to network and enhance your education is a must of each student hoping to pursue a career in public relations in the near future.
I would be wrong if I didn’t give a shout-out to the brilliant PR students that I met a conference: (Click on their names to follow them on Twitter)
- Jasmine Brooks, University of Miami PRSSA President
- Kion Sanders, PRSSA National Vice President of Chapter Development
- Christa Keizer, California State Fullerton PRSSA Vice President
Although I wish I would have received a ROI, such as more information and tips from the workshops, or more one-on-one interaction with professionals, the experience was good overall. This year’s conference was very different than the 2008 PRSSA Conference held in Detroit, MI. This was a bittersweet experience due to the fact that this will be my last opportunity to attend a PRSSA conference as an undergraduate student. See you in Washington, DC in October 2010 for the PRSA conference!
Stay tuned, more notes and information from National Conference will be up on my site soon.
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