I know, I know. I haven’t been around much. I have written things here and there, but for the most part I have been quiet here on the blog. It isn’t that I don’t care about Caribbean American Heritage Month – it is our month to show off. It is just that I have spent last few months being… well a Caribbean American Mom. June came and I figured the best way to celebrate is to continue being the best Caribbean mom that I can be.
Photo by A. Marsh.
Learning. I GRADUATED LAST MONTH! I still have trouble believing it. I graduated from the same school that my dad graduated from forty three years ago. For the last three years, I have worked hard to achieve a lifelong goal, and I did it! My husband, kids, family, and friends have been amazing support. I have to thank them for helping me keep it together, and God for giving me the strength to homeschool and be a mom through the whole experience. I am grateful.
Related:
What Being a First Year Law Student Taught Me about Being a Better Mom (Part I)
What Being a First Year Law Student Taught Me about Being a Better Mom (Part II)
Photo by Eva Wilson.
Celebrating everything. My oldest graduated from high school last month as well, and I wanted to celebrate every single thing with him before he goes away to college. We took a trip to Hawaii with family to celebrate both of our graduations and got some amazing photos to commemorate the occasion.
Related:
The Ultimate Family Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii (with packing list!)
Destination Graduation: 5 Fabulous Places to Celebrate Homeschool Graduation
Photo courtesy of BlogHer.
Traveling.
This last year of law school was the year that I traveled the most. Last year this time I was in Los Angeles showing my video and accepting a Voices of the Year Award, that started a wave of travel – Jamaica twice for my third Social Media and the Sand Conference, and second time accompanying my son to Beaches Teens, Montserrat to speak at the Alliouagana Festival of the Word, Vieques to recover from exams with family, and celebrating graduations in Oahu, Hawaii. When June 1st rolled around, when I would ordinarily be ramping up my advertising for the Anancy Festival, I was headed back to Los Angeles for a girl’s weekend with my Li’l Bit.
Related:
BlogHer Voices of the Year: I’m a 2016 Honoree!
[PHOTOS] Voices of the Year Community Keynote at BlogHer 2016
Caribbean Moms Talk Parenting Styles at Beaches Negril Resort and Spa
I DID That! Paddle Boarding and Sailing in Negril, Jamaica
Give and Take: Reading Road Trip in Negril, Jamaica
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat November 10-13
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat: Day One
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat: Day Two
5 Things You Must Do When You Visit Vieques with Your Family
The Ultimate Family Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii (with packing list!)
[PHOTOS] The 2016 Anancy Festival in Washington DC Hosted by SocaMom.com
Photo by Eva Wilson.
Being on the beach. I spent more time at the beach and applied more sunscreen and mosquito repellant this year, than at any other time since I was a kid and traveling on my parents’ dime. This is not a complaint. The beach is pretty much my favorite place to be… always.
Related:
I DID That! Paddle Boarding and Sailing in Negril, Jamaica
Give and Take: Reading Road Trip in Negril, Jamaica
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat November 10-13
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat: Day One
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat: Day Two
5 Things You Must Do When You Visit Vieques with Your Family
The Ultimate Family Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii (with packing list!)
Photo by H. Osun.
Working hard. I went to law school because of this blog. Because of you. I wanted to be a champion for immigrants. I finished all of my required courses early, and spent the remaining semesters taking classes that would help me serve my community – on and offline. Even though we were homeschooling our three children, I was able to win two CALI awards, meaning I earned the highest grade in the class for two of my classes. My final semester I took Immigration Law, Refugee Law, and Social Media and the Law, and wrote some of the most amazing scholarly papers I have ever written. I got clarity on what I want to do, and how I want to do it. The decision to go to law school is one of the best decisions I have ever made, besides becoming a mom, a wife, and a mom again.
Related:
What Being a First Year Law Student Taught Me about Being a Better Mom (Part I)
What Being a First Year Law Student Taught Me about Being a Better Mom (Part II)
Photo by N. Golden of Discover Montserrat.
Liming… hard. I can’t say that it was all work and no play. I enjoyed interacting with my friends online, and IRL (in real life). I hung out with friends, family, and readers locally who kept me motivated and encouraged, and Caribbean mom bloggers who just… got me. We laughed, we talked, we connected.
Related:
BlogHer Voices of the Year: I’m a 2016 Honoree!
[PHOTOS] Voices of the Year Community Keynote at BlogHer 2016
Caribbean Moms Talk Parenting Styles at Beaches Negril Resort and Spa
I DID That! Paddle Boarding and Sailing in Negril, Jamaica
Give and Take: Reading Road Trip in Negril, Jamaica
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat November 10-13
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat: Day One
Alliouagana Festival of the Word in Montserrat: Day Two
5 Things You Must Do When You Visit Vieques with Your Family
The Ultimate Family Guide to Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii (with packing list!)
[PHOTOS] The 2016 Anancy Festival in Washington DC Hosted by SocaMom.com
Discussing politics. Caribbean people LOVE discussing politics. Love it. I was invited to Villanova to do a Black History Month Interview about being Caribbean in America. It was one of my favorite on camera interviews ever, and the discussion seemed to resonate with immigrants from many different regions, given the current climate. I posted one of the executive orders in its entirety, and tweeted about its possible ramifications. I can’t think of a more advantageous time to be a law student in a school like Howard.
Related:
Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements
Black History Month Interview about Caribbean Culture in America
Election 2016: Trading Fear for Hope
Looking back. I looked back at all that I did over the last six years, and felt amazing. I think about where I was when I started this blog and where I am now, and I can’t believe the growth. The impetus to start this blog was a gift from God. If I had not started this blog back in 2011, I may not have been an award winning blogger, author, speaker, children’s event coordinator, or a graduate of Howard University School of Law. The fruits of this blog have been unreal.
Some of Our Top Posts:
Happy New Year: Top 16 Moments of 2016
[PHOTOS] The 2016 Anancy Festival in Washington DC Hosted by SocaMom.com
Happy New Year: 14 Things I Learned in 2014
[VIDEO] Cicely Tyson Shares a Story About Her Caribbean Mom
[PHOTOS] Voices of the Year Community Keynote at BlogHer 2016
10 Ways to Keep Your Kids Connected to Caribbean Culture
7 Ways You Can Support Your Entrepreneurial Friend Without Spending a Dime
10 Caribbean American Things President Barack Obama Must Do Before Leaving Washington, D.C.
Is Your Caribbean Culture Killing You?
Back to School Shopping Made Easier with Procter & Gamble and Bed Bath & Beyond
Black History Month Interview about Caribbean Culture in America
10 Ways to Tell if Your Non-Caribbean Man is Actually Caribbean on the Inside
Looking forward. I know it sounds cliché, but the best is yet to come. I have some amazing projects in the works that I can’t wait to share with you – the bar exam next year, and more working, creating, traveling, laughing, and loving all chronicled here on Socamom.com. I will spend Caribbean American Heritage Month planning, creating, and being the best Caribbean Mom I can be – a fitting tribute to the community I love.
Related:
How to Host the Ultimate Family Vision Board Party: A Step by Step Guide
Happy Caribbean American Heritage Month!
For information on Caribbean American Heritage Month activities around the country, please follow me on Facebook. I’ll be sharing them as they come in.
