Black Girls Archives - Page 2 of 5

#292| Just Because

October 19, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

We’re sharing this today, just because anime artist and comic book creator Sharean Morishita is so splendidly talented, and because this artwork makes us smile.

And what better way to start the week than with a smile?

Join in the Fray: What will you do today “just because?”

The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing 365 days of inspiration in 2015. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Copyright ©2015 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, Swirl Nation™, All rights reserved. Artwork © Sharean Morishita.

Young, Gifted and Black: Meet Shelby Birch

October 12, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Here in The Swirl World, our overarching mission is to provide the tools, inspiration and conversations to help Black women live their best life.

Today, I’m pleased as Punch to introduce you to a woman who is living her life to the fullest – and exemplifies being Young, Gifted and Black.

Meet Shelby Birch

“I have an obligation to tell my story for those who couldn’t do it themselves. I write for them.” -Shelby Birch.

Years ago, Shelby was depressed and complemented suicide.

Instead, she turned to writing and poetry and that has helped heal her. Now a Spoken Word Artist/Poet, Shelby wants to show the world that poetry can mend the broken.

Honors and Accolades

At 13, Shelby won 1st place in her middle school talent show. Since then, she has competed in local, national and international poetry slams as a youth poet and adult.

Shelby is now a 2x Diverse Word Slam Champion and Fringe Poetry Smackdown 2015 Slam Champion.

In March 2015, Shelby’s collegiate slam team competed in the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI 2015) and ranked 5th in the U.S. and Canada – and this was their first time attending!

In August 2015, Shelby opened as a featured poet for internationally touring poet, author and public speaker Michael “Just Mike the Poet” Reid on his Love and Poetry Tour in New York City. Shelby has featured in Detroit and Grand Rapids Michigan, New York City and across Florida.

Ready To Share Her Story

Through 8+ years of experience, Shelby has acquired the skill-sets to teach, mentor, and impact a diverse group of people. Looking for a dynamic speaker for your next event? Visit ShelbyBirch.com for booking details.

Shelby is also working on her first newsletter, so if you want more behind the scene information for Shelby’s upcoming poetry book, events, shirt releases, and projects send an email to ShelbyBirch12@gmail.com. Be sure to place “Sign Me Up” in the subject line!

Watch Shelby Perform Her Poetry

– Women are the Backbone of the World (awesome poem)

– Used (viewer discretion: this poem contains strong language)

– Earth (viewer discretion: this poem contains strong language)

To visit Shelby’s website, click here. Connect with Shelby on Twitter @ShelbyBirch12.

On Instagram, visit @ShelbyBirch.

#285| Unapologetically Black

October 12, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 6 Comments

Nina Simone &

Nikki Giovanni &

Maya Angelou &

Angela Davis &

Zora Neale Hurston &

Me.

They paved the way in history for black women by being authors, poets, civil rights activists, songwriters, television personalities, professors, singers, writers, anthropologists, and actresses.

They all had one thing in common . . . being unapologetically Black and unapologetically women. Their legacy carries on through you.

~Shelby Birch

Do you like Shelby’s shirt? To snag your own, click here.

Note: The Swirl World receives no affiliate income from this post. We’re just happy to support Shelby – and we love her shirt!

Join in the Fray: In what aspect of your life are you unapologetic?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#276| Live Your Dreams

October 3, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Live your dreams!

Join in the Fray: What are you doing this weekend to live your dreams?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#273| Be Happy!

September 30, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 6 Comments

“I’d far rather be happy than right any day.”

Douglas Adams

Join in the Fray: Are you happy – or right?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#269| Be Good

September 26, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 5 Comments

It’s better to be good than lucky!

~Unknown

Join in the Fray: Do you agree or disagree with today’s quote?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#256| Don’t Get Carried Away

September 13, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 9 Comments

It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way that you carry it.

What kind of load are you carrying around today?

I believe we each carry something, in one form or another.

Yet, even the heaviest loads are bearable – if we carry them correctly.

So don’t get carried away by the burdens of your life.

The Serenity Prayer is helpful, especially if we practice it and apply it.

(The refrain of “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen also comes to mind, but I’ll spare you!)

Join in the Fray: What burden do you need to let go?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#242| Family Is Everything

August 30, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 11 Comments

Whether by blood or by affinity, family is everything.

We trust you will have the opportunity to spend quality time with your family this weekend.

And for those family members living in other places, thank goodness for Skype, Face Time, Google Hangouts – and good ole telephones!

Join in the Fray: Which family member or friend will you spend time with (or contact) this weekend?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#239| We May Become Friends

August 27, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”

~Maya Angelou

Here on the blog we talk a lot about the benefits of travel. For me, this quote by Maya Angelou goes a long way toward highlighting the multiple benefits of travel.

Today’s photo features Michelle and her daughter Bella while in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

Michelle has agreed to share with Swirl Nation more of her life and her travels via photos and blog posts.

Stay tuned!

Join in the Fray: What new friends (or acquaintances) have you made as a result of traveling?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#227| Magic Things

August 15, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

Can you discern the sense of wonder and rapture little Iyona (pronounced eye-yon-ah) is experiencing in this photo?

W. B. Yeats says, “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

Though I’m planning to catch up on work this weekend, my goal is to deliberately be on the lookout for magic things: the teasing expression on a friend’s face, the inquisitive tilt of the head of my neighbor’s cute little dog or the chatter of the birds taking advantage of my Mother’s feeder.

I don’t want my senses dulled by busyness or distractions.

I want to see.

I don’t want to miss the magic things.

How about you?

Join in the Fray: What are some “magic things” you don’t want to miss?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

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#292| Just Because

Like this:

Young, Gifted and Black: Meet Shelby Birch

Meet Shelby Birch

Honors and Accolades

Ready To Share Her Story

Watch Shelby Perform Her Poetry

Like this:

#285| Unapologetically Black

Do you like Shelby’s shirt? To snag your own, click here.

Note: The Swirl World receives no affiliate income from this post. We’re just happy to support Shelby – and we love her shirt!

Like this:

#276| Live Your Dreams

Like this:

#273| Be Happy!

Like this:

#269| Be Good

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#256| Don’t Get Carried Away

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#242| Family Is Everything

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#239| We May Become Friends

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#227| Magic Things

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Meet Shelby Birch

Honors and Accolades

Ready To Share Her Story

Watch Shelby Perform Her Poetry

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Do you like Shelby’s shirt? To snag your own, click here.

Note: The Swirl World receives no affiliate income from this post. We’re just happy to support Shelby – and we love her shirt!

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