Inspiration & Motivation Archives

VOTE. Because Voting is One of Your Superpowers!

October 8, 2018 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 3 Comments

Needless to say, quite a bit has been happening lately on the political scene here in the United States.

We want to know:

Are You As Ready To Vote As We Are?

You’re either pleased with the latest goings-on, or you aren’t.

Good or bad, please don’t be indifferent.

November 6 is quickly approaching. As a savvy, on-the-ball Black woman, failing to vote in this pivotal mid-term election is out of the question. We can’t say this strongly enough:

Make Sure You’re Registered

Registration deadlines are looming in many states. Even if you voted in the last election, please take the all-important step of making sure you’re still registered.

(I take my vote and ensuring I’m registered so seriously, I made an in-person trip to our local Voter Registration Office to make 100% sure! #IDontPlay)

Here’s a list of states’ Voting Registration Deadlines. Some deadlines are as early as October 9. If you can’t make an in-person trip to your Registrar’s office, you can check your status online by visiting Vote.org.

You can also visit the site to obtain an absentee ballot – but you have to do it by/before your state’s deadline.

Registration Information State-By-State

Tap on a state’s name for more detailed information about registering to vote.

Alabama: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 22.
Alaska: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 7.
Arizona: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 9.
Arkansas: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 9. Online registration is not available.
California: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 22. Residents who miss the deadline can still register at an election office and vote with a provisional ballot. The vote will be counted when the registration is verified.
Colorado: The deadline to register by mail or onlineis Oct. 29. Residents can register in person by Election Day.
Connecticut: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 30. Residents can still register to vote through Election Day at a local election office.
Delaware: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 13.
District of Columbia: The deadline to register in person is Election Day. The deadline to register by mail or onlineis Oct. 16.
Florida: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9.
Georgia: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9.

Hawaii: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9. Residents who miss the deadline can still register to vote and cast a ballot during early voting or on Election Day.
Idaho: Residents can register in person up to Election Day. The deadline to register by mail or onlineis Oct. 12.
Illinois: The deadline to register in person is Oct. 9. The deadline to register onlineis Oct. 21. After that, residents can register and vote at a local election office during a “grace period.”
Indiana: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9.
Iowa: The deadline to register onlineis Oct. 27, and by mail is Oct. 22. Residents can register and vote in person on Election Day.
Kansas: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 16.
Kentucky: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 9.
Louisiana: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 9. Residents can register onlineuntil Oct. 16.
Maine: The deadline to register by mail is Oct. 16. Residents can register to vote in person until Election Day. Maine does not have online registration.
Maryland: The deadline to register in person is Oct. 16 or during early voting with a state-issued ID. The deadline to register by mail or onlineis Oct. 16.
Massachusetts: The deadline to register in person or onlineis Oct. 17. The deadline to register by mail is Oct. 16.
Michigan: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 9. Online voter registration is not available.
Minnesota: The deadline to register onlineor by mail is Oct. 16. Residents can register in person until Election Day.
Mississippi: The deadline to register in person is Oct. 8. If registering by mail, the deadline is Oct. 9. There is no online voting registration.
Missouri: The deadline to register by mail, in person or onlineis Oct. 10.
Montana: The deadline to register in person is Oct. 7. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 10. After that, late registration is available through Election Day at county election offices. Online registration is not available.
Nebraska: The deadline to register by mail or onlineis Oct. 19. Residents can register in person up to Oct. 26.
Nevada: The deadline to register by mail is Oct. 9, and Oct. 16 in person. Residents can register onlineby Oct. 18.
New Hampshire: The deadline to register in person is on Election Day. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 27. Residents cannot register online.
New Jersey: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 16. There is no online registration.
New Mexico: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9.
New York: The deadline to register in person or onlineis Oct. 12. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 17.
North Carolina: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 12. (Extended to Oct. 15 for 28 countiesthat were affected by Hurricane Florence.) From Oct. 17 to Nov. 3, residents can register and vote simultaneously at “one-stop” early voting sites. Residents cannot register online.
North Dakota: Voters are not required to register before Election Day but must bring acceptable proof of ID and residency to the polls.
Ohio: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9.
Oklahoma: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 12. Online registration is not available.
Oregon: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 16. Many of the state’s residents are automatically registered when they renew their driver’s licenses.
Pennsylvania: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 9.

Rhode Island: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 7.
South Carolina: The deadline to register in person, by mail or online is Oct. 17. (The deadline was extended 10 days from Oct. 7 because of Hurricane Florence.)
South Dakota: The deadline to register in person is Oct. 22. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 22. Online registration is not available.
Tennessee: The deadline to register in person, by mail or onlineis Oct. 9.
Texas: The deadline to register in person or by mail is Oct. 9.
Utah: The deadline to register by mail is Oct. 9. The deadline to register in person is Oct. 30.
Vermont: Voters can register onlineor in person through Election Day.
Virginia: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 15.
Washington: The deadline to register onlineor by mail is Oct. 8. Residents can register in person by Oct. 29.
West Virginia: The deadline to register in person, onlineor by mail is Oct. 16.
Wisconsin: The deadline to register onlineor by mail is Oct. 17. Residents can register in person up until Election Day.
Wyoming: The deadline to register in person is on Election Day. To register by mail, the form must be received by Oct. 22. Online registration is not available.

Source: New York Times

And There You Have It

Black woman, we already know You are Beautiful. You are Powerful. You are EVERYTHING. Exercising your right to vote is but one of many of your SuperPowers.

See you at the polls on November 6th!

Attributions:

Photo 1 by Derek Torsani on Unsplash

Photo 2 by Prince Akachi on Unsplash

Photo 3 by Nathaniel Tetteh on Unsplash

A True Renaissance Woman – Tobi-Velicia Johnson

May 26, 2018 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Contrary to popular belief, Black women are NOT a monolith. We pursue interests as diverse as our skin tones and hair textures!

In this podcast episode, podcast Co-host Adrienne London Leach chats with Tobi-Velicia Johnson. A Chicago native, Tobi is a Francophile who speaks fluent French, loves and practices ballet, and takes classes on Judaism.

A True Renaissance Woman

Tobi says,

“I’m a 52-year-old Francophile who loves Paris, ballet, and fashion! I take ballet classes for fun and exercise; I enjoy attending ballet performances, Shakespeare plays and the opera.

I travel to Paris as much as I can–my next trip to Paris is coming up in September, so currently I am actively refreshing my French-speaking skills.”

To us, Tobi personifies the diversity of accomplished Black women. We’re every woman – it’s all in us.

And as we love to say to Black women here in The Swirl World, “You are beautiful, You are powerful, You are EVERYTHING!”

Visual Inspiration

Tobi is an inspiration. She shared some of her photos with us documenting her travels, interest in Judaism, and love for ballet. Enjoy!

If you cannot see the podcast players, click here or here.

Want to be a guest on The Swirl World Podcast, or know someone who should?

Send an email to Podcast@TheSwirlWorld.com.

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You can also listen to the show on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, PlayerFM , iHeart Radio – and now on SPOTIFY!!

When It Comes To Love, Where Will You End Up?

August 2, 2017 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Ah, true love.

For some, finding it may seem elusive.

If that’s your story, don’t despair.

You can stack the deck in your favor!

Where Will You End Up?

Right where you need to be!

The Swirl World Team is committed to Black women. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts. We intend to do everything we can to see Black women live their best life!

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, high-resolution photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com. Selfies are ok – just make sure to send them full size.

Are You Suffering from “Compassion Syndrome?”

March 23, 2017 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 1 Comment

Have you been around on Facebook or the inter-webs for the past couple of weeks?

If so, then you’ve probably seen a few “what would you do” posts. For example, the posts about men saying they want to take a woman out on a first date. (Only if they take her out, doing so will “hurt them financially” for the remainder of the month).

Um, how sway?

Can you say, “struggle love?”

Our Facebook page has been popping with lively discussions on the pros and cons of struggle love.

I must say, the majority opinion of those weighing in has been mostly con. However, we’ve also seen comments from a few readers who are pro about dating men who are “struggling.”

And here’s the thing: a Black woman is known more than any other ethnic group for her loyalty and ability to “stand by her man.”

Unfortunately, it’s often to her own detriment.

This sense of loyalty is often to a Black woman’s detriment because she suffers from what our Adrienne London-Leach refers to as:

Compassion Syndrome

Here’s Adrienne to explain.

Ready to join the Date With Purpose Membership Community? Click here.

I Love Me Some Me! So, How Do You Like Me Now?

January 15, 2017 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

You know what happens when you like who you are and you’re comfortable in your own skin?

Relationships with other people become so much easier to manage.

You see, when you love you, your thinking is clearer and you possess the confidence to make decisions in your own best interest.

Saddled with a toxic friend, or recognize you’re in a relationship no longer serving you?

When you love you, walking away makes sense, and making excuses does not.

Being able to “keep it moving” becomes less of a chore and more of an imperative for your mental health and overall sense of well-being.

When you love you, you realize the word “No” is a complete sentence – no explanations required.

When you love you, excitement concerning the person you are fills your being.

Armed with knowledge of the higher, better person you’re evolving into fills you with a sense of anticipation.

All bets are off, because you’re expecting good days ahead.

Gone are the crippling doubts and paralyzing anxieties.

No, you’re not perfect, and you’re ok with that.

You love you, and you like the person you see in the mirror.

Ultimately, isn’t that all that matters?

“Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.” ~Robert Holden

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The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing inspiration in 2016. 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 posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, high-resolution photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Copyright ©2017 Michelle Matthews Calloway, The Swirl World LLC , ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, Swirl Nation™, All rights reserved. Photo property of The Swirl World™.