Spike LEE at The HCC Black History Gala

The 2010 HCC Black History Gala Friday night was a elegant affair, the ballroom was filled with guest dedicated to raising scholarship money for over 75,000 students at HCC. (I've even taken a class or 2 there.) It was mentioned that this year was the first time that the Gala was sold out. Bravo!

The Joyce M. Reynolds Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients Jodie L. and Sonny Messiah Jiles.

The Silent Auction kicked off with a bid on a Computer package of which a HCC Employee won. That's dedication to the cause! Here are some of the other items... a sporty golf package at a luxurious country club, exclusive top notch weekend stay at the Hilton of Americas. 2 week lease of a new Cadillac while your vehicle is being serviced complimentary. First Class flights on Continental Airlines. Melanie Lawson won a framed and autographed piece of art created by T. Ellis.

Sold to the highest bidder!!!

Melanie Lawson bid on this beautiful piece of art created by T. Ellis.

I felt like a SISTER not a SISTA as I watched the video montage of Spike Lee's achievements. Each frame brought me back to a place and time of hope. I remembered how I felt when I saw "She's Gotta Have It." To see YOUNG, HIP BLACK people in a movie was MAJOR. (Youngsta's take stuff like seeing black actors on the movie screen for granted.) School Dayz. Watching the black collegiate experience was so inspiring to me... It made me feel so proud and cool to be a black young woman attending college. (Remember the scene WAKE UP! ) Mo Betta Blues is my all time fav movie period. That movie introduced me to jazz music, black love and most of all made Wesley Snipes and Denzel Washington bona-fide sex symbols. Think about it... Denzel rarely played in love scenes he was always known for his serious roles. Who could forget Wesley Snipes scene? He brought the dark skin brotha's back! lol. Do The Right Thing. A neighborhood riot was started with one question...Why aren't there any black people on the Wall? Spike Lee is so responsible for the success of so many actors... Samuel Jackson, Halle Berry, Rosie Perez and so many others. Can you tell I am a fan?

We all know that Spike Lee is controversial, anything could fly out of his mouth. So why was I shocked when he addressed how stupid SYRUP is. Or how about when he shared what his friends said to him when he announced he was going to be a film maker "Nigga, Please. I heard that from a lot of my friends and family." However there was one person that was instrumental in Spike's success and that was his grandmother who saved years of Social Security checks so they he could attend Morehouse. It was also his grandmother that invested in his first film because it was his dream. Spike said that although parents have the best intentions when encouraging their children to choose a degree that would generate the most money sometimes they are the biggest dream killers. If your child is a painter, or a singer don't force them to be an accountant just because it makes money. Lee shared "I know a lot of folks with good paying jobs and they are the most unhappy people I know."

Many good things were said but the one thing that stands out to me is that it only takes one person to believe in you and that's YOU. The second thing is all it takes is ONE person to support another person's dream. Whether it be a kind word at the right time or money to get the process of progress rolling. Spike Lee's grandmother invested over 50 years of hard work into her grandson and look at how many returns her seed money has given the world. Bravo Grandma Lee!

Pic 1>T. Ellis presented Spike Lee with a portrait and a heartfelt speech about how inspired he was by Spike Lee's work. Pic 2>Melanie Lawson and Spike Lee

Sheila Jackson Lee




Pic 1>Bryce Kennard Pic 2>Freddie Floyd Pic 3> Curtis and Angela Flowers




Pic 1> Dr. Freddie Wade III Pic 2> Dj Silent Killa and guest

*Picture me in one of those signature scenes where the character is standing still and everything around is moving.* ;>
K. Anntionette

HCC Black History Gala

Spike Lee keynote speaker at HCC Black History Gala - Spike Lee Trivia Winners Announced Spike Lee, whose original films, powerful documentaries and unforgettable movie performances span three decades, is the keynote speaker at the Houston Community College Black History Gala, 7 p.m. Friday, February 26, 2010 at the Hilton Americas Houston Hotel.

The HCC Black History Gala – Houston’s premier Black History Month event – raises money for scholarships for HCC students. Last year, 44 HCC students received college scholarships through the Black History Month Scholarship program.

Past gala speakers include Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Clarence Page, celebrated actor James Earl Jones, noted Princeton professor and lecturer Dr. Cornel West and nationally known broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien.

This year’s Joyce M. Reynolds Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are longtime Houston business and community leaders Kase Lawal, Jodie and Sonny Messiah-Jiles.

SOCIAL PRIVY> People you should know. Here's just a little bit of what this dynamic trio does for the Houston community.

Dr. Kase Lawal is the chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC International Corporation and chairman of Allied Energy Corporation in Houston, Texas, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CAMAC HOLDINGS; vice chairman, Port of Houston Authority Commission. He also serves as a member of the board of directors and is a significant shareholder in Unity National Bank, the only federally insured and licensed African-American-owned bank in Texas.

Sonceria “Sonny” Messiah-Jiles, publisher of the “Houston Defender.” Jodie Jiles serves on the board of directors for Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and the University of Texas Health Science Center Development Board. He is a past chair of the Audit Committee for the University of Texas Houston Health Science Center. This dynamic couple are committed to the advancement of health care, education, economic diversity and growth within the Houston community. Bravo!

Information courtesy of www.hccs.edu and Wilkipedia.

WAKE UP!!! Do The Right Thing ;>

K. Anntionette

Snoop Dog @ House Of Blues

The House of Blues was wall to wall packed last night with fans hard pressed to see Snoop do his gansta-thizzle. Snoop produced a mini gangsta soap opera to entertain the crowd while he chillaxed backstage and got his mind right. Fans grew restless after hours of posting up and securing their spots center stage they began stomping and chanting Snoop Dog Snoop Dog!!!! It was a little after eleven when the curtain flew back and there he was with diamond beveled "Snoop" monogrammed microphone in hand. Snoop ran through snippets of his current and ol school hits. I'm absolutely luvin his latest "I wanna Rock" he does this lil dance move while performing that is so f'n gangsta. I luvs his gangsta boogie!

SOCIAL PRIVY STORY TIME: Here's a lil section that my homeboy Ya'bro convinced me that I should share with my readers. So here goes... Snoop and I go waaaaay back. Like the concrete under four flats. We met once upon a time in the magical land of Atlanta at a very ugh hmm distinguished event called "Freaknic" (I have to laugh while I'm typing this). Anywho... Snoop and I fellowship'd over the love of ________." I helped him out of a jam and from that moment on we were cool. Everyone in his crew was cool with me and my homegirls because we were known as "The Get It" girls. (Get ya head out of ya @ss, we were not the "Give it Girls" were The "Get It" Girls. Get It?) Long story short we stayed in touch. So when Snoop came to Houston to perform we hooked up once again, fellowship'd and damn near shut the Ihop off of Westhiemer down over some all u cant eat rooty-tutty-fresh and fruity pancakes. *giggle*

Snoop and Crew (Daz, Krupt and Nate Dog) had a gig in Lake Charles. We had so much fun and everybody was so cool and not ego-trippin, we decided to take the show on the road. (We were young you know how you never want the party to be over.) I am a control freak, so I insisted on driving my own car and getting my own hotel room. Everybody (My Girls) was giving me a hard time because they wanted to us to ride on the tour bus. I was like Hell Naw... Fly me or I'll drive because I know what goes down on tour buses. (I was the goodie-goodie girl "who tried hard to play by the books" sometimes I cheated lol.)

Thank God! Because when we arrived to Lake Charles Snoop and entourage got into a fight at The Casino which later led to them being arrested at their hotel for marijuana possession. Needless to say if I was down to just hang at any cost my @ss would've been arrested right along with the crew. I had to make a couple of calls on the behalf of Calvin Broadus (Snoop) and Nathaniel Hale . (Some kinda way I'm always the chick on the outside accepting collect call and ish.)

Fast Forward to House of Blues last night. We took a couple of seconds backstage to reminisce about the old days . He almost jumped out of his skin when I brought up Lake Charles and Freaknic. "Damn, you a Gangsta baby!" How many of y'all went to jail with me in Lake Charles?" Over half the room raised their hand. My hands were tucked in my pocket. Thank God for common sense.

Daz and Kurupt

Social Privy Approved MALICE IN WONDERLAND in stores now.


Bow Wow Wow Yippee Yo Yippee Yay
K. Anntionette in the mofo'n house


PS> So I think I should write a book called The "Get It" Girl... minus the trollup style of Karrine Steffans BLOW by BLOW tale-all!!!

Love Couture at A Loft

Bridget Roberts is the brains and beauty behind Love Couture Fashion Show benefitting Cancer. I had the pleasure of attending last years show and this year most definately surpassed last years Fab Event. I'm so impressed and applaud Bridget for her humanitarian efforts so much that I am officially tagging her the first SOCIAL PRIVY APPROVED Socialite and Philanthropist. Many tag themselves socialites but not many fit the definition. A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained. Socialites in the "past" used their social skills and connections to promote and raise funds for various charitable or philanthropic activities. The term socialite is so commonly misused today, describing individuals with over the top self indulgent behavior and what not. NOT!!!! I'm one a mission to bring the sophistication and elegance back to the title Socialite and Bridget Roberts fits the defination to the tee. BRAVO!

Meanwhile Fashion Week in New York is taking place, JAckie of Melodrama and Victor Puentes of M2M Style Lounge are committed to giving Houstonians a preview of the upcoming Spring trends. Backstage is where all the magic takes place. It was a beautiful scene. Stylist such as Travis Cal moved about the racks, and tables filled with everything a woman could ever want orchestrating the final details and touches on outfits as the ran down the assembly line. Jackie was watching like a hawk overlooking each model like a proud mother... every now and then giving little pointers such as "Oh no, that's going to mess with my situation, too matchy-matchy."

Vanessa Hairstylist of Marbella Salon laid hands on the models tresses and worked wonders with a potion called Moroccan Oil. Laquetta Jenkins also of Marbella Salon airbrushed several models faces which gave them a radiant glow. (Gotta try that one out.) Another interesting concept was Terry W. making ladies up as they laid down of the floor. Now that's comfort and convenience.

The guest looked just as good as the models.

The Magic Hands of Dj Good Grief

MELODRAMA AND M2M LOUNGE PRESENT

THE SPRING TRENDS

Ms. Bridget takes her much deserved strut on the red carpet wearing a couture design by Travis Cal.

This is one of the ladies who auditioned for Mr. Harvey "Star" Washington's Model Casting Call. Good News! She received a call back, Congrats Diva!

This is how the models really look when they're not working!

Just Joking you all are absolutely GAWGOUS!!!!

Once again JOB WELL DONE... I tip my crown to ya Queen! ;>

K. Anntionette