July Feature: I'm on Work Like a Mother Podcast!

Today I look a look at my schedule and realized the summer is basically over! One stop in Staples and seeing all the school supplies perfectly lined up seemed to solidify that. 

It's been quite the hiatus here in this space! I'm most active on Instagram - specifically my stories - but am excited to share that I was recently featured on Work Like a Mother Podcast produced by Neighborhood Schools. 

Check it out (you can also search "Work Like a Mother on Spotify or Apple too!):

Here's a link to the summary transcript here! 

I'm excited to be doing a lot of cool projects offline, but please check out my personal website Quiana for all things brand me. 

For now I'm settling into 2 more weeks of camp for my kids then a few fun family adventures as things continue to re-open and we safely reunite with family and friends across the US. 

Safe travels to those of you traveling this summer as well!

Happy April!: Where I've Been

I had this post as a draft to go up last week and was going to say how excited I was to post monthly but alas, here we are at April! It amazes me how much social media has changed since I started this space in 2009 as a digital journal of young family life. While I continue to stay most active on Instagram, I'm grateful to still have this space to return to document important updates.

Here's where I've been lately...

Welcome 2021: Time to Align (& a Giveaway)

{Mug via Mud LOVE}

Exhale.

That's exactly what this Monday feels like to me.

I was over on IG TV this morning with a Happy New Year message explaining a bit more.

Check it out...

I'm Speaking: Mom 2.0 Everywhere

The past 3 years I've attended Mom 2.0 - a conference for moms, marketers and media. This year's a bit different: it's later in the year and it's virtual, renamed to Mom 2.0 Everywhere. As much as I'd miss being there in person, I'm excited for this new format that allows attendees to take advantage of so many awesome sessions without the flurry of running around from place to place.

My session Creating a Multicultural Community: How To Create A Diverse, Inclusive Online Space was pre-recorded and airs Wednesday, September 16 at 1p.m. EST. In it my co-panelists Paulita David, Nailah Blades, Anne Vorrassi and I share insights from our collective experience fostering diverse communities virtually - a topic that is so important right now given all that's going on. 

If you haven't snagged a ticket, you can follow the #mom2summit hashtag from September 15-17 to get bits of wisdom from the session. There are always so many resources and amazing insights shared! 

Curious about my previous Mom 2.0 experiences? You can check out my past posts here and here. 

A Decade of Harlem Lovebirds: Where Am I?

Thank you Terrence Adderley for our fall photos!

October 1 marked 10 years of our family starting in Harlem. 

Ten. Years. 

Now more than ever I continue to see how this online space translates into incredible offline opportunities. 

A bit of what I've been up to...

Hey June: Thoughts on Fun, Guilt, and Sponsored Posts

June is a celebratory month for my family, and I'll admit it's been hard in the wake of everything happening lately in the world to balance festivities while being concerned and informed. There's some level of guilt there, and I'm thankful to have finally started therapy earlier this spring to help manage it (amongst other things). 

Mom 2.0 2019: I Heart Austin

Today I'm back from a whirlwind 5 days in Austin, a city that's been on my bucket list for a while. I'm already plotting for when I go back! I arrived last Wednesday morning then Uka flew down to join me for the weekend. Last year, we did something similar when I attended Mom 2.0 in Pasadena, and now I'm starting to think we might have a new birthday tradition for him going. 

If there were 3 things I had heard about Austin it was that the people are amazing, the food is awesome and that the city itself is beautiful. 

It didn't let us down. 

Take a look...

Three (!) Headshots & a Life Update

{Photo by: Justin Hackworth; Shirt by: The Nineteenth Amendment D.C.}

Over the weekend I received the last of my headshots from Altitude Summit, and I was especially thrilled to catch photographer Justin Hackworth who was in high demand yet again! I remember being enthralled by his images before attending my first Alt Summit in 2014 as he seemed to perfectly capture the electric atmosphere of the conference. 

I actually have a couple more headshots to share from Alt Summit... 

Online to Offline at Altitude Summit 2019

At The Parker Palm Springs

Blogging conferences have changed. 

In fact I don't even feel comfortable calling Altitude Summit a blogging conference. It's more than that. 

Let me explain...

Join Me in Palm Springs: I'm Speaking at Alt Oasis!

As 2018 comes to a close I realize I've been invited more than any other year before to step from behind my screen and share my voice IRL, and I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be at Alt Oasis, Altitude Summit re-imagined. This will be my 3rd Alt experience (you can read my '14 recap here and my '18 experience is in my Instagram Highlights), and in 2019 I'll be continuing the conversation I started in 2018 with a new session, "Like to Action: Making an Impact with Your Influence."

Nia's Magazine Debut (& a MASSIVE Spring Update!)

We are hurtling towards the end of the school year (Grayson's done in 2 weeks and Nia has another 4 weeks), but in the interim I wanted to share some of the exciting things going on around here...

Getting Uncomfortable at Mom 2.0 2018

{Thank you Best Buy for the photo.}

Yesterday was my first full day back in a somewhat routine state after returning Tuesday at 1a.m. from the West Coast where I attended the 10th annual Mom 2.0 with Mr. Lovebird. It was my second time attending (here's last year's recap), and this time around while I spoke again, there was also another looming theme for me: being uncomfortable.

Today's the Day: I've Returned to Altitude Summit and I'm Speaking!

Image via Altitude Summit

It's been 4 years since my first Altitude Summit and so much has happened since then. If you had told me at the time that in a few short months after giving birth to my son that I would be relocating to Portsmouth, NH then returning to Boston 2 years later I absolutely wouldn't have believed you. 

Here's a quick rundown of what my first Alt Summit was like...

Bloggers, Business and Boston: My First Paint Night

Disclosure: I was invited a guest of NEXT On Scene Magazine; all opinions expressed are my own. 

I still feel like I'm getting re-acclimated to living in Boston and one of the best ways to do that has been getting acquainted with the Boston blogging community. When I last lived in Boston (all the way back in 2007!), I hadn't started my blog yet and thankfully there are so many amazing Facebook groups that have been so welcoming including a wonderful group brought together by NEXT On Scene Magazine founded by Jackie Zuk.

Quiana in Action

Shirt via Myrtle & Flossie

"What exactly do you do?"

It's a question I often get asked directly and sometimes it's implied so I thought it would be helpful to share the projects I'm currently working on especially if there are followers whose work might align with what I'm doing and which might lead to future partnerships. 

Here we go...

2018 New England Auto Show with Honda Clarity

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with A Girls Guide to Cars and Honda Boston; all opinions expressed are my own.

I remember the exact moment that I was introduced to the Internet. I was in 8th grade working on a writing assignment in the computer lab with a classmate when I looked over on her screen and saw something I had never seen before. I asked her what it was and she replied, "This is the Internet!" My mind was blown as she gave me a quick run through. Apparently, a few in my class were given trials before it rolled out to the rest of us. Once we got to use the Internet and I logged into Netscape, I knew right where to go: searching for cars. 

10 Things I'm Looking Forward to in 2018

Rather than making resolutions, I enjoy putting together this annual list and also looking back to review the previous year. 

But first, OPRAH...

Presenting: Quiana at Blogalicious 2017

This past weekend in Miami was very much needed. It was so refreshing to be around my Blogalicious family, and I have to say: Kia knocked it OUT. THE. PARK. when it came to their suite and offerings. They are so thoughtful! 

Here's a little video they produced for me, and I share my thoughts on blogging conferences, attending as a newbie and why I love Blogalicious so much:

More to come...

 

Tone Deaf

Today I'm breaking over one month of silence in this space.

Why I Stopped Side-Eyeing Mom 2.0 Summit: A Newbie's Recap

As an avid attendee of blogging conferences Mom 2.0 Summit has been on my radar for years, and I'll admit it: I side-eyed it as a "clique-ish," ultra-niche conference. When thinking up my blog's name I was very self-conscious about putting "mom," "mommy," "mama" or anything similar in my title and I feared going to a conference with the name "Mom" in the title would root me too deeply into the "mommy blogging" trenches I always knew I didn't want to stay in long-term. 

Boy was I wrong.