Amy DuBois Barnett
Editor-in-Chief
EBONY MAGAZINE 

Have you seen EBONY Magazine lately? It’s been completely re-invented, re-invigorated and re-imagined.  Amy’s sweeping changes to EBONY uniquely embody this year’s conference theme of “Create. Build. Fund.” as she transformed a family classic into a highly sought after modern favorite for a new generation of readers.  We’re thrilled to have her share her business and branding insights as the headline keynote of BlogaliciousFIVE.

An award-winning media executive and brand architect, Amy DuBois Barnett’s vision has shaped the pages and websites of Harper’s Bazaar, Essence, Teen People, Honey magazine and Ebony, where she is currently Editor-in-Chief of the oldest and largest African-American magazine in the country. At Ebony, Barnett executed the publication’s first top-to-bottom redesign in its 66-year history to critical acclaim. She also introduced key new editorial franchises (Ebony Beauty Awards, Black Wealth issue, 50 Finest) as well as groundbreaking editorial packages (Multiracial in America, Can We Save Detroit, Black Men in America, Election 2012). As well, she re-conceived and re-launched Ebony.com with a new mission and message.

In 2011, Ebony’s achieved rate base grew by 11%, and Ad Age listed Ebony as one of the 25 fastest growing magazines in the country based on circulation. Since re-launch, Ebony.com’s unique visitors have grown by 500%. Ebony won a record-breaking eight Salute to Excellence awards from the National Association of Black Journalists in 2012. Ad Age listed Ebony as a 2012 Magazine Brand to Watch and minOnline listed Ebony as one of the top five advertising gainers in the industry for the June 2012 issue. Barnett was named the 2012 Media Executive of the Year by Target Market News.

Most recently, Barnett was the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar where she served as right hand to publishing legend, Glenda Bailey. Prior to Harper’s Bazaar, Barnett was the Editor of Teen People, entering history books as the first African-American woman in the country to head a major mainstream consumer magazine.

Before Teen People, Barnett served as Editor-in-Chief of Honey magazine for nearly three years where she oversaw a major redesign of the magazine that doubled its rate base and generated national buzz for the previously unknown brand.  She also launched Honeymag.com and integrated the brand’s online and print content.  Prior to Honey, Barnett was with Essence, first as Fashion and Beauty Features Editor then as Lifestyle Editor. She was also a founding editor of the comprehensive luxury style website, FashionPlanet.com, and its sister magazine, Fashion Almanac.

Barnett has appeared weekly as an on-air correspondent for CNN’s American Morning and has been featured on many national television shows including The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, Nightline, and on various programs on VH1, MTV and BET.

A Brown University graduate, Barnett also has an M.F.A. degree in Creative Writing from Columbia University and a certificate in Fashion Merchandising from Parson’s School of Design. She is the author of the NAACP Image Award-nominated advice book for Black women, Get Yours! How To Have Everything You Ever Dreamed Of And More (Doubleday/Broadway Books, 2007). She is also a published fiction author whose work has appeared in various journals and anthologies.

For her pioneering work as a journalist, style expert and writer, Barnett received the Trailblazer Award from the New York Association of Black Journalists, an Aldo award for fashion journalism from the Fashion Association, and a Hurston/Wright award for creative writing.  Barnett is on the board of the American Society of Magazine Editors and is a member of the Fashion Committee of the School of the Arts Institute in Chicago.

Barnett has lived in 12 cities on three continents, and is fluent in French. She has spent most of her adult life in New York City, but currently resides in Chicago with her six-year-old son, Max.

Power in Collaboration

When I have an idea, I immediately start thinking of who or what can help me see my idea through fruition. Though I exhibit extroverted characteristics, I am naturally an introvert. Ideas and thoughts come and go, all day and long. I tend to keep most of my goals and aspirations to myself, unless I come to the realization that someone can truly benefit from my brainstorming.

Earlier this year, I attended a Local Levo in D.C.centering around young women in different fields of work willing to share their personal and professional stories.

That was February. After successfully pitching the idea to my alumni office and tracking down alumni willing to offer their advice to other young women, a date was set. Though, I would like to think I could have masterfully done all the administrative work on top of the logistical planning and coordination, I don’t have that kind of time. I had to collaborate with the alumni office and my point of contact, Christine, who served as my on-campus liaison. She was my voice in the committee meetings and regularly provided updates and notes when asked. We discussed details upon details including the time of day, the number of alumni panelists, marketing for the event, etc. Her feedback coupled with the suggestions and support from other university officials has been helpful.

I am especially grateful for the female alumni I contacted who agreed without hesitation to speak about their experience in the workforce, balancing motherhood and pursuing additional educational and professional opportunities. The women represent a range of industries, cultural background and work experience. My idea was simply an extension of a programming event I attended and now it will be a reality.

Since the event is the first of its kind of George Mason, I am unsure of the outcome and response; however, I am proud that over the past few months I’ve reconnected and collaborated with women who want to support and engage other women.

There is a lot of power in collaboration. The more I reach out to people to help me accomplish my goals, the more I realize the support and resources are there. You cannot do it alone. You should not do it alone.  Collaboration makes the difference in many cases. Simply put, collaboration is the difference.

Ijeoma Nwatu’s blogs about women entrepreneurship and her professional journey, which includes jumping into a digital media and PR career. She reads obsessively about business, leadership, digital marketing, and startups; and how women should be represented in those areas, especially women of color. You can read her blog here and follow her on twitter. 

The 2013 BlogaTech summit, held at the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center in Washington, D.C., brought together an engaged crowd of digital and social media speakers and enthusiasts. Everyone was encouraged to tweet feedback from the panelists using the hashtag, #blogatech, and tweeting to the host, @beblogalicious. From mobile devices to iPads, the audience interacted with each other, guest speakers and the web. Attendees included guests like Alicia Lyford and Hannah Olson, two college friends from the University of Oregon, to Ananda Leeke of Digital Sisterhood.

Following opening remarks from Chief Curator, Stacey Ferguson and Microsoft representatives, Stephanie Peters and Dr. Mark Drapeau, the BlogaTech Summit began with Professor Richardson explaining how to create and build a platform. Professor Allison Richardson, who specializes in mobile learning, left the group with five key points in developing a platform:

1.      Choice – Pick the best, most credible sources for news. Create great content.

2.      Conversation – Start and maintain a meaningful dialogue.

3.      Curation – Sift through media to highlight the best content. Include video and audio.

4.      Creation – Make your own media to establish yourself as a thought leader.

5.      Collaboration – Build smart partnerships. Remember this African proverb,“Go fast alone. Go far with others”.

Professor Richardson kicked off the day’s presentation with her infectious energy and the rest of the speakers presented quality information and useful web tools for actionable steps.

Here are more takeaways from the Blogatech summit:

• Brian Pesin (@bpesin) of Contactually, a web-based relationship management tool, referred to micromarketing as following up with your personal and professional networks. Your communication can help with getting referrals and ultimately revenue.
• Julie Diaz Asper (@juliediazasper) of Social Lens Research made it very clear that when utilizing social media, “Don’t be boring”.
• Kat Calvin (@agindc) of Blerdology, a social enterprise focusing on the Black tech community, shared the importance of working with people who actively want to work and collaborate with you.
• Donna Harris(@dharrisindc), co-founder of 1776, strongly encouraged women to offer help and ask for what they need when attending networking events. A “give and grow” mentality will go a long way.
• Special guest, The Honorable Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-NM, U.S. House of Representative, celebrated and championed entrepreneurship while challenging women to take more active leadership and business roles within their communities.

The BlogaTech Summit is grateful for the insight of all of the guest speakers and panelists. Many of them joined the attendees during the networking reception where everyone enjoyed  an array of meats, cheese and fruits while learning more about a women’s initiative in Ghana, Shea Yeleen, International, from founder, Rahama Wright.

Thank you to the guests who attended and our sponsors, Microsoft and Windows 8, for their support. We hope to see you at the next BlogaTech Summit!

To learn more about BeBloaglicious, visit www.beblogalicious.com and don’t forget to like our Facebook page.

This post was written by Ijeoma Nwatu from the blog, Lucky IJ. You can follow her on Twitter @Lucky_IJ.

I was that person who pushed through my goals, never really pausing to celebrate those small accomplishments. I would busy myself to get to my top goal, whether it was transferring to state, graduating with my bachelors or attaining my MBA. Now that my life has switched gears, the same used to hold true, but then I realized I am missing out on quite a few things life had to show me, and I slowed down a little bit.

You see, as a plus size blogger, I never even imagined my path to lead me to where I am, to impact those others, and to be fortunate enough to live out my passion in helping others to love themselves. My journey has been a cyclical one. Starting out motivating others and then realizing how much they motivate, challenge, uplift, and inspire me!

What does this have to do with celebrating oneself?

It is necessary. For me, as someone who motivates and advocates loving oneself, taking the time to celebrate you and all you have accomplished I find to be therapeutic and self-motivating to do more and aim higher. But as it pertains to fashion, it can get complicated.

How do I celebrate, embrace, or love myself in a niche that is often considered an outcast, forgotten, or purposely ignored?

My problem is that there are amazing limitations and scarce options for me to enable my fashion habit as someone who desires and demands the high fashion that is permitted to my lovely straight-sized sisters. On this journey, I have scoured through all the leading fashion portals and have found but a few with the same passion and angst. I know I am not the only one who loves to pick up a Glamour, Vogue, or Marie Claire- only to be frustrated about the options delegated to my curvy frame. I do not want to be left to browsing the accessories- since I know those will fit.

So, I thought about it. Why the relegation to internet only shopping, or hide and go seek with specialty boutiques? How can I motivate, encourage, share and celebrate those who embrace us? Yes, I am a woman with curves. I have been a big girl all my life, and I am okay with it. Would I like to tone up? Yes. I want to make sure my curves are smooth but that is my own preference. But am I dying to lose weight to appease society’s view on beauty? NO!

I LOVE MY CURVES! I have had them forever. I have always been a thick soul sister. I have been a cheerleader, I have worked for many retailers for the last ten years, and have always had to adapt my style to the options afforded to me. As I have found them, I decided to lead my own excavation to find the best of the best contemporary and high-end plus size fashion designers who have ME in mind when designing.

With this thought process, I created a declaration, manifesto, and new mindset as I dare to embark further into the lovely world of fashion. Three words sum me up completely as I have tirelessly explored a definitive reason for my passion.

I am Curvy. A full-figured woman who loves fashion on the outside of the high fashion sizing.

I am Confident. I have no shame with my curves. I rock them, own them, and love them.

I am Chic. Full- figured fashion addict, with a discerning eye for quality, fashion, and style.

This is my celebration of me. Finding and encouraging change while empowering others to put their proverbial best curve forward. I have now found that my personal milestones and celebrations are so intertwined into my blog, and I am okay with this.

Spring is here! What a great time to reflect and celebrate the beginning of a new season and all of the possibilities that it brings! While celebrating can sometimes involve indulging in our favorite meal or treating ourselves to the latest shoes or gadget, here are some cost-free, spiritually rich ways to usher in this new life season and celebrate by BEING:

Be still – often taken for granted, being still allows us to reflect and focus on where we are and how we got here. Being still may involve prayer, meditation or just focusing on breathing. In such a fast-paced society, breathing is one resource that is free and accessible to most everyone. When done correctly, breathing can be very healing and has been found to have several health benefits. Breathing can also provide clarity for moving forward.

Be present – regardless of our circumstances in life, being present allows us to fully experience all that is happening around us. Take the time to engage in life’s simplest pleasures: the smell of Spring, the sound of children playing on the playground, the taste of a new recipe. These are the moments that remind us of the simplicity of joy

Be kind – none of us exist in isolation. We can all benefit by taking regular inventory of our interactions with others. How are you passing on your blessings to others? We all have something, whether tangible or not, that can benefit others. Paying it forward through our interpersonal relationships as well as serving our community reminds us that we are part of a larger whole. Besides celebrating is best when shared, right?

Be open – you never know which doors will lead you to your next journey. Imagine the possibilities if fear didn’t exist – fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of embarrassment, etc. By challenging ourselves to take a chance by doing one thing that we are scared to do  i.e. attend an event where we fear we don’t belong, inquire about an opportunity we fear we don’t deserve, or write a guest post that we fear we aren’t qualified to write (!), we open ourselves up to possibilities with unknown paths. Despite the immediate outcome, being open allows us to broaden our experience which can only further prepare us for future opportunities.

Be Blogalicious – in honor of the 5^th anniversary of Blogalicious, be still, present, kind and open while supporting digital diversity and join dozens more like-minded folks in Atlanta this October for a celebration like no other!

How are you celebrating the change in seasons? How do you practice being still, present, kind and open?

We just got word from the Hyatt Regency Atlanta that our exclusive guest room block is now open for reservations!

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Blogalicious conference attendees are being offered a discounted room rate of $149/nt (+ taxes/fees)
2. The room block is available several days before as well as several days after the conference (Sept. 28 – Oct. 10) so that you have the option of arriving early and leaving later.
3. The double rooms always go first – if you really want one of those, we recommend booking ASAP.
4. Our hotel block sells out every year WAY before the cut off date, so please don’t wait until the end.  Cutoff date is Sept. 10th.
5. If you need a roommate, you’ll be sure to find one in our private attendee Facebook group. You’ll be invited to join once you register for the conference.
6. If you’re a signed sponsor, our team is happy to handle your room needs for you! Please contact: justicefergie@beblogalicious.com

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR ROOM!!

Happy Booking!

Blogalicious becomes like a family.  It allowed me a platform, created opportunities for me to sit on a stage and speak, and it let me call myself an Ambassador.

I have been positively celebrating my successes since Blogalicious and when you are sitting in that seat for the first time and the first speaker comes on stage you will KNOW that your blogging life will never be the same again, so get ready to Celebrate in the ATL and definitely afterwards!!

Getting together annually for Blogalicious is totally all about learning and growing and OMG – the great drinks, but its also about the camaraderie of getting to know other like-minded women (and a few men!) who only want to see you grow!

See you in 7 Months…Celebrating Even More Success!!

Ticket Giveaway

Special Discounted Registration Code

Full Circle.

It’s time!!

After months of researching, traveling, scoping and strategizing, we are SO excited to FINALLY announce that this year’s Blogalicious Weekend conference will be at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta from October 3 – 5, 2013!

We’re taking it back to where it all began:  for the fifth-year anniversary of Blogalicious Weekend, we felt there was no better place than the location of our first event – Atlanta, GA.  Our host hotel is the iconic Hyatt Regency Atlanta, a property rich in history, in a bustling urban setting, and luxuriously updated to suit our needs {Blogalicious is going to have its own tower, y’all.} And?

Our theme for this year is ‘Create. Build. Fund.’

Not only will our conference program surround this theme, but so will all of our events for the year – and we’ve got lots planned.  We’ll be sharing more about our anniversary theme in the coming weeks, but know that we are devoting ourselves to inspiring and helping you to create, build and fund your visions for your blogs, brands and businesses.

For now, wipe your virtual and IRL calendars clean for the week of October 1st {trust us on this} because this year’s conference will be unorthodox, unprecedented and not-to-be-missed.

Happy Birthday to YOU!

Register for Early Bird Now.