The best way to protest is with your vote and your dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the wake of the Trayvon Martin verdict folks are tired, angry, and upset. I am reading a lot of  Facebook post's where people are stating that some kind of  action is needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Most folks  do not know where to start  so I am here to tell you that I believe that if you hit folks where it matters ( in their pockets)  EVERYONE WILL PAY ATTENTION. The problem is that people in our communities  think that their money does not matter. That is not true in fact economist have said that Black people spend a billion dollars a year yes  I said a BILLION$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, how is that for buying power?  Don't believe me Black America's 1 billion dollar consumer buying power is a fact, why do you think you see all of these stores popping up in the hood ( Gap, Costco, H&M  etc).

Another very important thing that counts is YOUR VOTE. It boils my blood to hear someone say " I'm not voting because my vote does not count" It pisses me off even more when I hear it from someone who's ancestors were not allowed to vote because they were thought of as property and not as a human being, If you do not vote for yourself please do it for our ancestor's. Just think about it if your vote didn't count President Barack Obama would not be in office today. SO stop  the Bull $h!+ and use your voting rights there was a lot of blood shed so that we would have the right to vote.

There's a lot of research out there that supports the fact that the black dollar stays in the community for 6 hrs WHY? because you are spending your money with people who do not support businesses in the community where you live  because they do not live where you live. Where do you think they spend there money? NOT WITH YOU.
The Chinese restaurant that you eat at , nail salon you patronize, the grocery store that used to be owned by Papi ( Who actually lived in your neighborhood) but is now owned by Habibi ( who sends his money western union to another part of the world) THEY ARE NOT SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITIES SO WHY DO YOU STILL SHOP THERE ? +

Photo courtesy of Black In Public, Black Out Loud, and Black On Purpose! via Facebook.

Lil Kim was on to something when she stated First you get the Money, After you get the money you get the power. After the power comes the MF RESPECT!!!!!!!!!! You can start by BUYING BLACK!!!!!!!

Michael Baisden  also believes that "the best way to protest is with your vote and your dollars. Boycott any companies supporting A.L.E.C. (The American Legislative Exchange Council) and The Koch Brothers" 

Koch Brothers
Brawny
Angel Soft
Quilted Northern
Mardi Gras
Sparkle
Soft and gentle
Dixie
Vanity Fair

A.L.E.C American Legislative Executive Council




Are you willing to stop supporting the oppressors? Are you willing to stop falling for anything and start standing for something? If you are good for you because our future generation depends on you. A  great way to start would again to stop supporting the companies mentioned above and  download the app AROUND THE WAY it highlights black owned businesses in your neighborhood this is the first step to spending  your money to support black owned businesses. Go ahead and download it its free and if you see a black owned business that you know of that is not on the AROUND THE WAY APP  ADD it.

Please stop being tired of being tired and turn your frustration into action. Don't think for a minute that you don't matter because I am here to tell you that you do. NOW LETS STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND BE ABOUT IT.

Namaste
Cherina

List of Members of the American Legislative Exchange Counsil

List of Members of the American Legislative Exchange Counsil
3M^[14]
Allergan^[15]
Alliant Energy^[16]
Altria (formerly known as Philip Morris)^[2]
America Online (AOL)^[17]
American Bail Coalition^[2]
American Bankers Association^[18]
American Chemistry Council^[16]
American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE)^[16]
Association of Corporate Counsel^[16]
American Council of Life Insurers^[18]
American Council of Trustees and Alumni^[19]
American Electric Power Company^[16]
American Enterprise Institute^[16]
American Gas Association^[16]
American Insurance Association^[18]
American Legal Financial Association^[20]
American Petroleum Institute^[21]
American Principles Project^[19]
American Tort Reform Association^[20]
Americans for Prosperity^[16]
Americans for Tax Reform^[17]
Amoco^[21]
Anheuser-Busch^[18]
Association for Competitive Technology^[17]
AstraZeneca^[15]
AT&T^[2][15]
Atlas Economic Research Foundation^[16]
Bayer^[2][15][16]
BNSF Railway^[20]
BP (Formerly known as British Petroleum)^[16]
Bristol-Myers Squibb^[15]
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck^[16]
Carpet and Rug Institute^[16]
Cato Institute ^[17]
Celgene^[15]
Center for Competitive Politics^[22][23]
Center for Digital Media Freedom^[17]
Centerpoint360^[2]
CenturyLink^[15]
Charter Communications^[17]
Chevron^[16]
Cintra^[18]
Citizens In Charge Foundation^[22]
Civil Justice Reform Group^[20]
Cloud Peak Energy^[16]
Comcast^[15]
Commonwealth Foundation^[16]
Community Financial Services Association^[18]
Con-way^[18]
ConocoPhilips^[15]
Continental Resources^[16]
Corrections Corporation of America^[24]
Coventry Health Care^[18]
CropLife America^[16]
Crown Cork and Seal Company^[20]
CTIA – The Wireless Association^[17]
DCI Group^[17]
Delaware Electric Cooperative^[16]
Dezenhall Communications^[16]
Diageo^[2][15]
DirecTV^[17]
Dow Chemical^[15]
Duke Energy^[16]
DuPont^[15]
EBay^[17]
Edison Electric Institute^[16]
Eli Lilly^[15]
Energy Future Holdings^[2][16]
Entertainment Software Association^[15]
Energy Solutions^[16]
Entergy^[20]
Evergreen Freedom Foundation^[23]
Express Scripts^[15]
ExxonMobil^[2][15]
Fadem and Associates^[23]
Farmer's Insurance^[20]
Federalist Society^[20]
FedEx^[15]
Foundation for Excellence in Education^[25]
Free State Foundation^[17]
Genentech^[15]
Geo Group (formerly known as Wackenhut)^[24]
Georgia Pacific^[20]
GlaxoSmithKline^[2][15]
Goldwater Institute^[16]
Heartland Institute^[16]
Higher Education Research/Policy Center
Hilex Poly^[16]
Honeywell^[16]
Illinois Policy Institute^[19]
Imagine Learning^[19]
Institute for Justice^[23]
Institute for Legal Reform^[20]
Institute for Policy Innovation^[17]
Institute for Study of Economics and the Environment^[16]
International Franchise Association^[18]
International Paper^[16]
James Madison Institute^[25]
John Locke Foundation^[16]
Justice Fellowship^[23]
Kansas City Power and Light^[26]
Koch Industries^[2][15][20]
Lawyers for Civil Justice^[20]
Lindenwood University^[16]
LyondellBasell^[16]
Mackinac Center for Public Policy^[16]
Macquarie Capital^[18]
Management and Training Corporation^[24]
Marathon Oil^[16]
McLeod County Farmers Union^[23]
MDU Resources Group^[16]
MV VeriSol^[18]
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers^[23]
National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies^[18][20]
National Association of Water Companies^[27]
National Beer Wholesalers Association^[22]
National Cable and Telecommunications Association^[17]
National Coalition for Safer Roads^[23]
National Federation of Independent Business^[20]
National Pawnbrokers Association^[22]
National Popular Vote^[23]
National Rifle Association^[15]
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)^[16]
National Taxpayers Union^[16]
NetChoice^[17]
News Corporation (parent company of Twentieth Century Fox, Wall Street Journal and Fox News)^[17]
NiSource^[16]
Novartis^[15]
Nuclear Energy Institute^[16]
NV Energy (Nevada Energy)^[16]
Occidental Petroleum^[16]
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs^[16]
Orchid Cellmark^[23]
PacifiCorp^[16]
Pacific Research Institute^[20]
Peabody Energy^[2][16]
Pfizer^[2][15]
PhRMA^[2]
Pickle Consulting Group^[20]
Pinnacle West^[16]
Pioneer Institute^[25]
Price Waterhouse Coopers^[20]
Progress and Freedom Foundation^[17]
Progress Energy^[16]
Property Casualty Insurers^[18][20]
Real Clear Science^[16]
Reason Foundation^[17]
Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals^[23]
Reynolds American^[15][16]
Rubber Manufacturers Association^[16]
Salt River Project^[2][16]
Sanofi Aventis^[15]
Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association^[17]
Schering Plough^[15]
Serlin Hale^[23]
Shell Oil^[16]
Simplot^[16]
Southern California Edison^[16]
Sprint Nextel^[17]
State Farm Insurance^[2]
State Policy Network^[17]
Stop Child Predators^[22]
Taser International^[20]
Tesoro^[16]
Texas Public Policy Foundation^[16]
Thomson Reuters^[14]
Time Warner^[14]
T-Mobile^[17]
United Health^[25]
United Parcel Service^[2][15]
US Chamber of Commerce^[19][20]
Verizon^[15]
VISA USA^[18]
Washington Policy Center^[16]
Wilson Research Strategies^[16]
Wine Institute^[18]
Wireless Generation^[25]
Wise Carter Child & Caraway^[17]
Wyeth^[15]
Xcel Energy<sup>[25]

]</sup>
Former corporate members

Amazon.com^[28]

American Traffic Solutions resigned April 13, 2012^[29]
Amgen^[30]
Arizona Public Service Company^[31]
Best Buy^[32]
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation^[33]
Blue Cross Blue Shield^[34]
Cargill is listed as a member in 1998,^[35] but now denies ever having been a member^[14]
Coca-Cola^[36]
CVS Caremark^[30]
Dell^[32]
Enron (went bankrupt in 2001, see Enron scandal^[21]
General Motors^[32]
Hewlett-Packard^[32]
John Deere^[32]
Johnson & Johnson^[37]
Intuit^[38]
Kaplan, Inc.^[25]
Kraft Foods^[36]
Louis Dreyfus Group^[32]
Lumina Foundation for Education^[25]
Mars^[39]
McDonald’s^[38]
Medtronic^[40]
Merck^[41]
MillerCoors^[32]
National Association of Charter School Authorizers^[42]
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards^[25]
PepsiCo^[38]
Procter & Gamble^[32]
Reed Elsevier^[43]
Scantron^[25]
TicketMaster was a member as late as 2000, but now denies membership and is threatening legal action for being associated as a member^[14]
Walgreens^[32]
Walmart suspended membership May 31, 2012^[44]
Wendy's^[39]

Ms. Cocoa Boriqua

 I made it my business to step outside of my comfort zone and socialize (although I'm semi shy)  when I attended the blogging while brown conference . I introduced myself to  Camille ( who by the way was wearing the cutest pink blazer)   and we swapped business cards. As I walked away I knew that I would  be contacting  her to highlight her on Black Wallstreet Camille was a confident curvy girl and I'm all about empowering my community.  My thick natural hairs beauties this interview is for you.

XOXO-Cherina

1.    I love your blog name The Cocoa Boricua how did you come up with that name? 

I was actually on the bus when I came up with The Cocoa Boricua. My mentor told me my previous name was whack and that I needed to change it. Lol! She told me I needed to come up with a name that symbolizes me.

There are two reasons I created the name The Cocoa Boricua. I am Black/African American and Puerto Rican. I was born and raised in Humboldt Park Chicago. My skin does look like cocoa and chocolate is one of the best things on earth to me!  My English professor in undergrad was a New York Puerto Rican. He saw my last name on the first day of classes and asked me was I a Boricua, and that’s what he called me until I graduated from college. That’s who I am.  Camille Jade’ The Cocoa Boricua. Unashamedly Curvy! Unapologetically Natural!

2. What is your blogs main focus?

My blogs main focus right now is fatshion (plus size fashion) and natural hair.  I hope to inspire my community to think deeper about how we look. I want people to love and appreciate the person they are in the present moment.

If you don’t love yourself at 300 pounds and you’re bald headed; don’t think cupid is going to shoot you with love when you’re 150 pounds and you have hair down your back. Don’t be ashamed of your curves and never apologize for being the natural you!

3. Just like myself I see you’re a curvy girl. What's your favorite trendy store to shop at? 

I love exclusive pieces when it comes to clothes and jewelry. There’s a boutique here in Chicago called The Blair Chic Boutique. They have amazing summer dresses, leggings, they carry some indie designer pieces as well as jewelry. Check them out they are online too!

4. You have gorgeous natural hair. Any suggestions and hair care tips on someone considering the big chop? 

Thank you! My advice to potential big choppers is: make sure you keep a small spray bottle. When I first did my big chop my hair was always dry so I kept a small spray bottle that had extra virgin olive oil and water in it. When it looks dry, spray it!

Another thing is even though your hair is short; you still have to protect your ends. Buy a silk/satin pillow case and invest in satin/silk scarves. Cotton is not your friend; it will rip the ends of your hair!

5. ADD ANYTHING YOU WANT THE READER TO KNOW. 

If you ever need styling tips or have natural hair questions feel free to hit me up!  I promise I don’t bite!

6. Where can we contact, Facebook, Instagram etc at. 

You can find me on thecocoaboricua.com, Instagram, Twitter, Pintrest @cocoaboricua.

Blogging while Brown confrence

A huge thanks to Claire Sulmers the Editor-in-Chief of The Fashion Bomb one of the top blogs in the country. Fashion Bomb had a contest and I won ( the first thing I won all year). I was extremely hyped not only because the top bloggers would be in the building but because I knew that I would receive the knowledge and wisdom needed to not only take Black Wall street to the top but my other 2 businesses Glam Goddess Hair and N.Y. Luxuries to the top as well.

The conference was awesome on the panel  Led by AlfredA Edmond, JR of Black Enterprise sat Claire from The Fashion Bomb, Necole Founder of Necole Bitchie, Karen Civil , and Angel Law founder of Concrete Loop. These woman gave beginning bloggers like myself some vital info ( I had my notepad jotting away). They discussed how to overcome adversities, how they first got started, and how to get ads placed on your website so you can get paid and a host of other GENIUS advise which is to much to blog about. However as you know I am not with the crab in a barrel mentality so if you want any advice on how to start a  blog  I will  be glad share what I have learned ( Each one teach one).

From here on out I will be using their advise to take Black Wall Street to the next level and By August I will have decided if this is going to be a daily or a weekly blog. Until then I will continue blogging about black owned businesses, blogs, etc, etc that we should all go out and support.

Until next week
Be Blessed
XOXO Cherina Hamilton.



     The beautiful and Articulate Claire Sulmers who is a Harvard Grad not only did Claire graduate from Hrvard she graduated  Magna Cum Laude  ( Goooooooooo Claire).

     The gorgeous Karen Civil and I she is sought after by all the top artitist ( Can you tell I was excited to take a flick with Karen ( Cheeeese).

The very sweet and pretty Nicle Garner C.E.O of The Garner Circle a top P.R firm

And the stunning Ms. Necole Bitchie who's beauty radiates from the inside out.

And the one and only Mr. Alfred A Edmond, JR Editor at large for Black Enterprise.