Category

Baby Jade

Aug 06
0

Leftie is out of here!

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Far too often we get stuck in our daily lives/routine and time just passes us by. Why do we allow for such things? Having diagnosed myself a nomad (shout out to my Kunama clan) I’ve started to feel this itch. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it could be. I certainly didn’t think it was my living in LA because LA is the land of opportunity and whatever was going to happen to me was going to happen here. Clearly I’ve watched too many movies. So I got to thinking (uh oh) and my thoughts led me to the decision I so happily made about a month ago: to start somewhere new.

What does this have to do with my photo you ask? Well, I had to blame SOMEONE, and my brain seemed to be where the culprit lay. SO, I’m turning off the left side. It somehow got turned on in the past few years (silly little brain gnomes) and I’ve been gliding through life thinking logically instead of creatively. My #creative side is what brought me to #LA to begin with!! I think as we get older, leftie starts to take over because it’s the side that makes “sense”. *eye roll* If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that it doesn’t make sense. So why should I? If you wanna seek adventure then you have to SEEK ADVENTURE. Duh! So in 6 weeks it’s bye bye tinsel town, hello adventure, by way of London (with a stop in MN to be with family) I’ve seen how lucky and blessed I am to be able to experience life; the last thing I’m going to do is waste that ability because of someone’s idea that it may not be logical.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

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Xo, B

Jul 28
0

Where Are We Now?

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This weeks blog is a flashback to my 24 year old self. It was January 2009 and Obama had just been inaugurated, and I was on cloud 9:

“From slavery to abolishment, from sitting in the rear of the bus, lynchings, beatings, fire hose, colored vs. white, sit-ins, pickets, marches and not being able to vote or count as human beings, to civil rights. From segregation, to integration. From Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to Rev. Jesse Jackson, one thing carried them through all the pain: HOPE! From fear to strength. HOPE! Hope begot drive, drive begot strategy, and strategy begot results. HOPE!
Results lead us to a man, a man who rose above all expectation of him with pride, faith, dignity, drive, and confidence. His was a message of unity and togetherness to get us through the tough times, and an urgent craving to live as one race and to embrace our differences. Barack Obama has done the inevitable; he’s done something many thought they’d never see in their lifetime. He became the 44th, first African-American President. President Obama has a long journey ahead of him, but he believes we can make the difference, all of us, not just for the present time but for the future. What he asks of you? To unify and embrace one another and help those we can; to coexist with each other and to bear our fellow mans heartaches and joys as if they were our own.
There’s hope now. Hope for my brother Samuel, for Noh, for Alem, for Lulia, for Henok, for Naomi and for all children regardless of their color/creed/faith. A hope that was once only dreamed has become a reality. January 20, 2009 marks a day where dreams and aspirations are encouraged and doubt is nowhere in sight. On this day, as an African-American woman, I feel invincible.
We have overcome.”

As I sit here and re-read this idea of my 24 year old self I ponder the past 5 years and wonder if that HOPE is still alive. Have there been any changes? You decide. And if the answer is no, do something about it. Don’t remain silent.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

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Xo, B

Jun 02
0

Gooooooaaaaaaallllllllllllll

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

After getting this question far more than I imagine I would if I weren’t female, I’ve decided to answer. Why am I such a futbol fanatic?
Simple, my Baba. Futbol is the one thing my father and I alone share. The two of us would watch games together while my sister was off somewhere and my mom was busy making coffee or whatever. Honestly, I didn’t love it at first, but after a while I started to look forward to those moments, and soon came to love them! I mean, watching my father react to close goals would have me in stitches. He couldn’t understand my laughter (he thought I was foolish) but it was in those instances that I grew even more in love with him (if that’s possible). They were our moments. It wasn’t long before I was sitting alongside him yelling and cheering!
Over the years I’ve had an appreciation for the game that is all my own. With the World Cup right around the corner my excitement is peeking! I mean, nothing else on the planet unifies countries quite like the World Cup. The respect that fans have for the players, players for the fans and players for the players is not matched with any other sport. During some matches, teams will even swap jerseys as a show of respect for one another and to own a piece of history. 32 world teams qualify to see who the best team is in the WORLD?! Crazy! The Olympics have similar traits, sure, but there’s just something about futbol and its fans that you won’t see anywhere else. Not even the Olympics.
That being said, I absolutely couldn’t enjoy this year’s World Cup without my father, so I am happily heading back home to enjoy the Cup with my father. Our next goal is to actually GO to the World Cup but for now, a trip home will suffice.
Even though I am an “adult” now, I’m still daddy’s proud little girl. To this day my first, and only, phone call before a game is to my father. I am my father’s daughter.
Plus I’m African, what are you going to do? 😉

Dedicated to my father Elashe Awate!

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
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Xo, B

Jun 02
0

Ajaa Nachle

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Rain pours down while a beautiful woman sings and searches. Searching for what you ask? For answers, her lover, her voice, the truth….the answers are endless, but the scene is priceless. It’s a scene you’re almost always guaranteed to find in a Bollywood film.
Growing up in an Eritrean household there are two movies guaranteed to be in your possession. The first of these films is “The Gods Must Be Crazy” and the second is “Mother India” Without knowing, we grew up on Bollywood. Of course the love I have for it now is one that had to be discovered. When one first sees a Bollywood film, and isn’t necessarily aware of what goes on in one of these films, their response is usually one of “huh?” but like anything, it gets better and better every time you watch it. I rediscovered a love for Bollywood, one I didn’t even know I had, when I saw “Bride and Prejudice” a remake on the Jane Austen classic, “Pride and Prejudice”. If I’m honest, I was taken aback by all the colors and the random outburst of song. The first time I saw the film I actually thought I’d wasted money in purchasing the film. A few days passed and I decided to watch it again, this time I found myself involuntarily tapping my foot, working my hands as they did in the film, and singing along. And by the third time I was ready to pack my bags, move to Mumbai and audition for a Bollywood film. Obviously, that didn’t happen but I did want more! Much more of what it was I just watched.
As if by fate, a cousin of mine told me of a Bollywood film showing on Netflix. Duh! Netflix was bound to have a Bollywood section and it did! I watched movie after movie until I ran out of films to watch. I became familiar with names like Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee, the list goes on.
One becomes seduced by the colors, song and dance, the overly dramatic love stories, and the heartfelt ways lovers find their way to one another against all odds. Definitely a much different take on films than that of Hollywood and that’s okay. It works. One needs to understand that Bollywood is not a reflection of what happens in India but more a way for the citizens to escape into a world of make believe, while still keeping with the tradition of the people. It’s absolutely beautiful!
My only problem? I now find it difficult to watch Hollywood cinema. Not a bad problem to have.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
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Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B

May 23
0

Live Below the Line

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Did you know that there are 1.2 billion people around the world live below the poverty line? What’s the poverty line you ask? Imagine living on nothing more than $1.50 a day. That’s it. That means when you go to the grocery store for your weeks’ worth of groceries you are only allowed to spend $10.50. That is just what thousands of people across the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Colombia are doing. They’ve dedicated five days to living on $1.50 a day while also raising money for a charity of their choosing. Living as someone who shops and cooks for herself, I realize the true commitment this would take. I spend roughly $30 a week on groceries, not to mention a the occasional happy hour 😉
Unfortunately, I found out about the cause too late to join but I still wanted to be a part of this brilliant journey that was taking place. If for no other reason than to feel for myself what a billion of my fellow people feel everyday of their lives. So I embarked, I went to the store and spent $6 on ramen, a box of cereal. I have to be honest; I had apples in the house that I added to my meal plan but even then I couldn’t believe how little the food was. I tried to stick to a getting as many nutrients as possible (a luxury so many people don’t have). I was irritated, upset, and found myself asking why I was even doing such a thing. The moment that feeling came it was followed by an even bigger feeling: shame. I couldn’t believe my thoughts and behavior. Here I am complaining about having so little to eat for 4 days when there are those around the world happy to have at least that much to put in their bellies on a given day.
As the days continued that thought was in the forefront of my mind. Every time my stomach would growl I would think about the fact that this was only a temporary feeling for me and would fight through it. I started to look forward to the feel because it reminded me of all that I am lucky to have. Unfortunately, I can’t save the world from poverty but I can definitely do my part in helping the few that I can and paying attention and appreciating all that I have.
If you’re interested in helping the cause visit: https://www.livebelowtheline.com/ let’s all play a part and better the world.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
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Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B

May 06
0

We’re All Monkeys

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Infomation, Uncategorized | One Comment

“Clap if you lost a racist grandma in the last year or two…..You know what I’m talking about. We all have them. You have that one grandma who passes away and, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s so sad … Eh, she was kind of a racist piece of shit.’” – Aziz Ansari

Is racism really dying? Coming off the victory of Meb Keflezighi, and the support he received, I began to think so, but maybe I’m wrong. What with the shooting at the Jewish center, the Sterling/Clippers debacle and, for futbol fans, the Dani Alves situation that took place just a few days ago, I’d say we haven’t broken nearly as many barriers as we should have. This upsets me to no end; especially in the world of sports where it’s all about unifying fans, and people of all different backgrounds coming together to cheer on their favorite teams/players.

In the Sterling case, the racist remarks are made by Sterling himself. A man who owns a team made up of African Americans makes negative comments about African Americans?! I mean, what? The beauty in this situation was the amount of responses. Legendaries, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson voiced their sadness at Sterling’s behavior. The Clipper team played their game without showing the team logo. Clipper sponsorships have even been suspended and statements given voicing the belief of Sterling are his and his alone. As for Sterling himself, Adam Silver issued him a $2.5 million dollar fine and a lifetime ban from the NBA.

With the Dani Alves scenario it was a bit different. Alves was gearing up for a corner kick when a fan threw a banana to Alves on the pitch. Alves, not skipping a beat, picked up the banana, peeled it, took a bite, wiped his hands then took his kick. Amazing! What a way to, literally, kick racism in the teeth. The fan was given a life ban, and players came to Alves side in support (some even posting pictures of themselves eating a banana on their social media outlets) but my mind still can’t get past the reason as to why, in either situation, such matters have to be taken? We’re in a time where we have an African American as President, a time, where a female President may happen sooner than later, a time where an actress like Lupita Nyong’o is named “People Magazine’s” most beautiful person, and yet we still have racists in our midst.

The shooting was the worse offense because it ended with fatalities. May the victims and their families find peace.

If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that hate is taught. No one is born to hate. So when I re-read Aziz’s statement I can’t help but think maybe he’s an optimist. Racism may not be as blatant as it once was but it’s definitely still around, and will remain so until we stop teaching hate and start teaching love. Are you doing your part?

Apr 23
0

Face of Two Nations

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When I turned on my computer to settle into work, the morning of April 21st, I was not expecting to see such a familiar face. Pictures of a man were plastered on every news website. He held the US flag over his back, had a halo made of golden leaves placed on his head and looked to be praising the heavens. Tears sprang to my eyes because I truly felt as though I knew this man, from nothing more than his face. Then I saw his name and everything made sense, the man was Eritrean and the photos taken were of him crossing the Boston Marathon line. His face was so familiar because he shares the same native homeland as that of my parents and the blood that runs through my veins. People belonging to the Habesha community have a very distinct look, which is why, when I saw Meb Keflezighi, I thought I was looking into the face of one of my uncles or a friend’s father. His face ever etched with features I grew up around.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one filled with pride. My Facebook and Twitter timeline’s were filled with congrats for Meb on his victory! I wasn’t shocked, Eritrean’s rush to the aid of others in help as well as to celebrate in any victory. In our minds we are all one. But as I looked at my timeline the posts and tweets were only from my fellow Habesha friends. None of my Caucasian or Asian or even fellow African’s of other countries was showing praise, just the Eritreans. I followed suit, I gave a great shout out to Meb and to the winner of the ladies: Rita Jeptoo of Kenya. My victory was short lived. I had called Meb an Eritrean American and said that it was a great day to be East African and a friend of mine commented and said something so ignorant that I had no choice but to speak up. He generalized the win as a win for Africa and that “my boys” were known to be great runners. Um, I don’t represent the continent of Africa. When I pointed this out he remarked that I had mentioned Kenya as well. We went back and forth until finally he said I should be proud and that technically Meb was American so it was a victory for everyone. I scratched my head when I read that. When did I argue that he wasn’t? In fact I said Eritrean American; it was he that decided to make it about Africa in general. My mind reeled as the events that took place kept replaying in my head. I started to really take a look at responses to posts and I realized that we have a tendency, in this country, to support or claim when it’s convenient. I was in no way, shape or form, taking away from the fact that Meb was an American citizen; I just asked that we acknowledge the fact that he is both American and Eritrean. He embraces both sides to him so why couldn’t we? Don’t belittle others victories. Embracing both sides of who a person is doesn’t take away but instead adds.
I’ll leave you with this last thought: would the nation be as quick to claim Meb (or someone like him) if he had done something negative or would we then begin to categorize them everything else but American? Puts a great deal into perspective.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
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Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B

Mar 24
0

First Timer at SXSW

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SXSW has been around since 1987 and yet I’d never really heard of it, let alone dreamt of ever going. But if my life has taught me anything in the past 4 months, it’s to expect the unexpected! In a New Year filled with events from Sundance to All-Star Weekend, SXSW shouldn’t have caught me off guard, but it had. I’d no idea how vast it was. So as we departed for Austin, thoughts of being in the south and what awaited us swirled in my head. I’m one who shouldn’t be left alone in her thinking too much; I have a tendency to imagine the most bizarre scenarios, especially in unknown territory.
Fortunately for me, everything I thought was wrong. Austin is an amazing city. On the verge of being one of the hippest cities in the U.S. it’s very reminiscent of an early New York City. People of all walks of life living and working together in harmony; surrounded by rural suburbs on one side & Lake Houses on the other, the industrious downtown was filled with boutiques, music shops, restaurants (serving the best in fusion dishes), and of course, the birthplace to the hottest festival.
Each day we experienced one more reason Austin was such a great city. On one of our last nights in Austin we met, Earl. Earl was a native New Yorker who decided to move to Austin in 2012 with his business partner. When I asked him why the move, he explained to me how Austin was the number one city, per capita, where start up business are successful. When he and his partner heard this, they moved to New York and haven’t looked back since. He went on to explain that besides the positive effect on business he’s received, he’s just become the latest victim to fall hopelessly in love with Austin.
As for the festival itself?! Oh man, for a week people went without sleep to catch the hottest acts today! What was once considered an indie festival has now turned into one of the biggest mainstream festivals. Kanye and Jay-Z sharing the stage for a free concert! Janelle Monae! Lady Gaga even had a fan throw up on her, which is……a topic for another blog….the point is A-listers came to Austin and turned it up!
We left exhausted, stimulated, and excited for what SXSW will bring next year! This first timer was left wanting more.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehemawate
Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B

Mar 10
0

And the Oscar goes to…..

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

My favorite season has come and gone but like always, it has left me with excitement and renewed my sense of purpose. In a night where the best of the best are chosen by their peers, this night is the biggest in cinematic history. I’m talking about the Oscars!
The Oscars have always held a special place in my heart. From the time I can remember Oscar Sunday was the most important day in my life. I’d make snacks, dress up in a fancy gown, invite everyone over (and even have a faux red carpet). It was great!! My parents indulged me because they understood how important this night was to me.
The Academy Awards are about more than just a celebration of the year’s biggest films. They were the wave of the future. In a time where African American’s weren’t even allowed to sit with white people the Academy not only recognized their first African American with an award but allowed for that star to be present. I’m talking of course of Hattie McDaniel.
While it’s true that Ms. McDaniel still sat in the segregated section at the 1940’s award show, she still made history that night by winning. She faced backlash, unfortunately, for the role in which she won. But I believe she responded to her critics best when she said, “Why should I complain about making $700 a week playing a maid? If I didn’t, I’d be making $7 a week being one.”
Another Oscar year that I cherish was the 1999 Oscars when Roberto Benigni won for best Foreign Film and went absolutely nuts! He won for the film “Life Is Beautiful”, a film about a father determined to shield his son from the horrors of being in a concentration camp.
Even the Muppets have had many a cameo at these prestigious awards. Miss Piggy!? Ahhhhh!
Even more recently, the number of African’s really making their mark and getting noticed by Hollywood. A new found favorite is the beautiful and flawless Ms. Lupita Nyong’o. I beam extra hard when I think of her win. It shows me that opportunities for me are endless and that I too can accomplish anything and everything I want with dedication, hard work, and a dream.
I could go on and on about the moments that have meant something to me but we’d be here all night. I just want to close out by quoting the gracious Ms. Nyong’o:
“It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else’s.”

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehemawate
Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B

Feb 24
0

New Orleans, Still Classy

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Infomation, Uncategorized | No Comments

Next year marks the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina; the storm that stole 1,833 souls. I had the pleasure of visiting New Orleans pre-Katrina, and just recently, post. I have to say that New Orleans did not lose its charm and instead maintained her classy, ever gracious self. In a city where one can wander the streets with alcoholic beverages in their hand, one may think the city is reminiscent to a modern day Gomorrah, but instead you find yourself amongst the friendly folks. Filled with southern hospitality and a great appreciation for life, the citizens of this city went above and beyond to make me and my associates feel at home.
The general public is from all walks of life. Folks of New Orleans aren’t known because of their outer appearance, but by the way they treat you. Men, women, black, white, foreign and native alike all held one thing; they were courteous, and full of life. They didn’t treat you as if you were a visitor in the city but more like family they’ve known for ages. What some may have found abrupt, I saw as a group of people breaking down the barrier of tourists versus locals. One felt at home everywhere they went.
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The history etched in the city is what makes it so majestic. Plaques of the Spanish officials the streets are named after, jazz bands playing in the streets, the buildings untouched on the outside, and the smells of classic creole and southern dishes wafting through the streets make you feel like if you closed your eyes you could be walking the streets when New Orleans was first becoming what it’s now known for today.
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The food was glorious! I think I had grits with every meal. Having grown up in the south, I’ve always been a fan of good ol’ fashioned southern style dishes, and the delicacies I tasted were simply out of this world. Simple dishes were given a twist, classic dishes were fused with new world flavor, and some dishes were served in paper bags as they had been for the past 50 years. No matter what your taste preference is, you were guaranteed to find something that would not only taste great but would also blow you away. And the freshness in their sea food can’t be compared to anything else! A dish that is common to New Orleans was Alligator. Alligator was a common find on every menu we came across. What I thought was a rare food was being ordered left and right with no surprise but as if the most common fare ever. I’ll admit I wasn’t brave enough to try the Alligator but I did understand just how popular a dish it is.
All in all, New Orleans captured my heart. I left a little bit of it there and plan to return shortly to not only get it back but fill it with even more love for that wonderful city.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

Let’s connect on social media, I’d love to hear from you:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethlehemawate
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethlehemawate
Snapchat: betu_la

Xo, B