my gyrl wrote a piece that was supposed to be posted for the Independence Day. but i’m glad i waited. it works so much better now. so i’m gonna turn over today’s post to her.

After Further Reflection…
by Danielle Jones

I have always had to fight..fight for space in my mother's womb..fight to be seen as one, not two..fight to come out at fifteen..fight to express my talents creatively..fight fear..fight love..fight to just be..me..
Now I live confidently...

Hard Candy Calendar has produced beyond our wildest dreams. Our models have been featured on stage, in films and on the runway. The pathway that HC models have tread is truly making an endellible mark on our community. What began as merely an artistic expression with a charitable intent has created a space where dominant women are presented beautifully and authentically.

And after further reflection, I am celebrating seven years of healing now.. I actually finished my final treatments in June 2003. I guess last year was about celebrating the lessons of the process..this year..this year is just a celebration. I made a movie , "Genderblind", that features gyrls like me. One of our original and most influential models, Milon is now seasoned and has recently completed a highly successful runway show where she created an avenue to showcase LGBT community during Black Pride at a historic location, the DuSable Museum of African American History. Our own Brandee Young has been recently signed as a full-figured model. It is magnificent to see Jen's strange fruit, Hard Candy, take root and give seed to so much more than its original intent. It's all about growth... this is the Rise of the Stud. The Future is now.

Upon celebrating the seventh year of surviving the battle for my life, I feel healed..
We've made stars and had stripes..It is a revolution..gyrls like me are seen as we truly are..shining honestly..living free..

What's next... iono... enjoying the liberation..embracing the infinite possibilitites ...

Danielle Jones is currently starring in the movie Genderblind which is set to have it’s Atlanta GA premier September 4th, 2010

this past Sunday, Hard Candy Calendar had it’s first meet & greet for the models for the upcoming 2011 calendar. in our conversations, we got the basics: name. age. zodiac sign. but then the question was asked: “what’s your story?” we learned of students, actresses, models (of course), corrections officers and artists. then these beautiful womyn shared themselves and their stories of their connection with the Hard Candy cause: breast cancer. they spoke of family members, lovers and even first hand experience of surviving the disease. the entire meet was then transformed into a meeting of spirits. i became even more inspired, even more encouraged and even more motivated to work on this project. i must confess with my personal stresses, my motivation got a little muddy. over the years in talking about the project, i’ve presented numerous reasons for putting the calendar together. each year i added a new reason. but this year got a little dark. rumours and hate, money concerns, death and illness sent me 2 a bad place and i couldn’t create. my artistic vision became invisible. it was still there, i just couldn’t see it anymore. i was paralyzed by negativity. the project moved forward (thanx 2 Brandee) even as i stalled and held back. then the Universe stepped in (as always) and sent an amazing group of womyn 2 help me with my latest journey. i couldn’t believe how blessed i was to have these beautiful souls come together for this project.

in the past i never bothered to ask the models why they wanted 2 b a part of the calendar until this year. well, actually that was my faithful assistant’s idea (thanx Brandee, again). it’s not that i never cared b4, i just didn’t think so many would share my passion. actually, i just didn’t think. and because i didn’t think, we lost our reason for doing it last year. lost that focus. what was our motivation? was it just something to do? i didn’t realize the malaise that i had fallen into until i met these 2011 Future Studs (and femmes;)

my motivation has returned in full force. now i’m overflowing, almost overwhelmed with motivation and determination. i want so badly 2 serve these womyn well and present them in a way that truly represents their real beauty, grace and strength. they are fun, thoughtful, intelligent and creative bunch and i look forward to bringing our energies together to create another year of celebrating the stud.

Hard Candy is here for all the womyn who have been touched by breast cancer. we always have been and always will be. i can’t wait 2 start shooting these womyn. i am motivated 2 create this calendar by the battle with breast cancer. what’s your motivation 4 doin what u do?

Born Bernice Ruth Reed in Ohio, Alaina Reed began her career in early 70s theater, appearing in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions such as Chicago, Hair, and Eubie. In 1976 she landed the role of Sesame Street’s Olivia. From then until 1988 Reed presented children with one of the earliest depictions of positive black womanhood, demonstrated the warmth of adult sibling relationships with her brother Gordon, and straight up taught us letters and how to count. In 1985 Reed joined the original cast of 227 as Rose Lee, one of my favorite black sitcom characters ever. Rose was sassy but sensitive, responsible but mischievous, and always good for showcasing Reed’s excellent singing voice through some wacky plot device like a church choir solo or random sing-off that would somehow keep everyone in the buidling from being evicted.

Kevin Peter Hall (the 7′2? actor who portrayed Harry in Harry and The Hendersons and Predator in the movies of the same name) guest starred as Rose’s love interest on 227 and in 1988 the two began a real-life relationship, marrying both on the show and in real life. Sadly, he passed away in 1991 from complications of AIDS contracted through a blood transfusion. 227 was canceled that same year but the now Alaina Reed Hall continued to act until her death, steadily appearing on sitcoms such as A Different World, Friends, Ally McBeal, and making the best of a recurring role on the short-lived series Cleghorne. She also returned to her theater roots with a one-woman show, “Alaina at the Bijou.”

Largest Bikini Parade-Kellogg Company sets world record

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa–287 bikini-wearing South African women paraded down 1,690 meters of Melrose Arch Boulevard-setting the new world record for the Largest Bikini Parade.

With high spirits the women led by SABC1’s Live presenter Bonang Matheba celebrated their femininity by making a difference in creating awareness for breast cancer in South Africa, as Special K® made a donation to the non-profit breast cancer awareness group, Pink Link.

Other local celebs there were 5FM’s Grant Nash with his radio co-host Anele Mdoda there to show the girls their support.

“As a brand, Kellogg’s® Special K® understands the importance of assisting women to look good and feel fabulous, no matter what their shape or size.
We were delighted to see tall, short, boyish, curvy, pear and apple-shaped women all have the confidence to do things ‘their way’, and participate in the Largest Bikini Parade,” remarked Sarah Mansfield, corporate spokesperson at the Kellogg Company of South Africa.

“We decided to front this initiative to break the Guinness World Record™ for the Largest Bikini Parade as we believe in the celebration of women and their bodies, and all the participants most certainly celebrated their femininity, whilst making a difference for breast cancer in South Africa.” concluded Mansfield.

The previous world record for the Largest Bikini Parade held by America stood at 281, but Kellogg’s Special K and cancer awareness group Pink Link managed to attract 287 women in bikinis to Melrose Arch in northern Johannesburg.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get something like this going on here in Chicago?;)

Peace, Love, Joy, Hope Greeting Card available at Kinetic Cards & Gifts

actually, i did more than worry. i cried. i know i shouldn’t. i know that with early detection, a woman can beat it. hell, i’m living with a survivor! but that didn’t stop me from feeling scared. that didn’t stop me from thinkin about the radiation. the chemo. and all the things that those treatments do 2 a person. i know my aunt is a strong person. she’s come thru many other obstacles in her lifetime. she will come thru this.

so yet another woman i know affected by breast cancer is in my prayers. this time it’s my blood. so now when the doc asks me do i have family history, i’ll say yes. not looking forward 2 that. but it’s not about me. this calendar isn’t about me. it isn’t about vanity. it’s about them. it’s about love. it’s about peace. it’s about Hope. things we all need this holiday season.

-Jenn-