Hurricane Katrina: Where Were You, When The News of the Hurricane Hit New Orleans, Louisiana?

It's been 10 years since Hurricane Katrina. So many things were going through my mind when I first turned on the news to see the catastrophic storm that hit
New Orleans, LA., August 23 - August 31, 2005. It was surreal,
watching so many people stranded on the roof tops of their homes. Helpless.
Spike Lee's documentary, 'When The Levees Broke' accurately summarized the tragic moments.  Time magazine also covered the story very well. 

Spike Lee's  Documentary - When The Levees Broke (Parts I and II)

Spike Lee's - When The Levees Broke (Part III and IV)

R,I,P, all those whose lives were lost because of the storm and the broken levee. 

My condolences to the many families that were torn apart because of Hurricane Katrina.

Love & light,
Carla
P.S. Where was I when Hurricane Katrina hit? I was in Southern, CA, Dana Point, spending time with my Cousin Dorothy Sims, the woman that helped raise me. We felt utterly helpless be cause we could not do a thing to help all of the stranded people on the roof tops. So many residents of New Orleans, LA suffered - and it hurt to watch them suffer.
 Cousin Dorothy passed 11/2015.
R.I.P my Dear Cousin Dorothy.

Los Angeles STATE OF THE NATURAL UNION - Nappywood™ - 3rd Annual LA Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO 2015 Wrap UP!(Part 1 of 2)

There were Greeters at the door that said,
"Welcome to Nappywood™ " when you arrived at the two-day #NaturalLifestylesMatter event.
 The Greeters made everyone feel at home as they directed everyone to The Reef.

L to R., Regina Kimbell, Co-Founder, Nappywood™, Co-Founder of Los Angeles NATURAL Hair & 

Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*),

Guy Walker, President, Wealth Management Strategies, as well as the moderator
for the "State of the Natural Union" and

 Renee Morris, Owner of Uncle Funky's Daughter hair care.

The Two-Day Nappywood™ LA
Event had great products like Miss Jessie's,
Design Essentials, Cream of Nature, Uncle Funky's Daughter to name a few!

Standing with the microphones,
L. to R., Visionaries Gwen Allen, Co-Founder,Los Angeles NATURAL Hair &Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*) and
Regina Kimbell,
Co-Founder, Nappywood™  and  Los Angeles NATURAL Hair &Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*),  

Sitting panelist from L to R - STATE OF THE NATURAL UNION 
Juwana Todd, Co-Owner, Jojuda's Salon and Day Spa, Design Essentials Educator,
Lead Educator @ Design Essentials,
Dr. Kari Williams, Owner, Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon & Trichology Clinic,
as well as
 President, California Cosmetology Association, Los Angeles,

  Renee Morris, Founder/CEO,

Uncle Funky's Daughter,

Houston, TX,

Miko Branch, Co-Founder, CEO, Miss Jessie's  Hair Salon, NYC., and Cheryl Morrow PhD, Founder,
 Curl Academy-San Diego, CA

Regina Kimbell, Co-Founder,Nappywood™, and Co-Founder, Los Angeles NATURAL Hair &Lifestyle EXPO (LANX*),   
Renee Morris, Founder, Uncle Funky's Daughter, Sandi Cook, 
Team Nappywood™, Community Organizer LA. 

 It was truly an all inclusive hair care affair. This was an inclusive event.The #NaturalLifestylesMatter,  2 Day #Nappywood Event had something for all hair grades, whether you were transitioning from perm to natural hair- there was a product/treatment
 in the house for you!
 Do you know what we talked about? Our hair, and how to treasure what we have, no matter how thin or thick your hair is, be it grades 1-4,
there was something for you!

There were so many talented, qualified #Hair-educators on hand, helping all to learn more about how to love their Natural #Hairdos at this awesome
#InternationalBlackHairtage Event -  and it was FUN!
We learned first hand, from the experts at the  event
 how to moisturize and add shine and bounce to what you have. 

Philanthropist Regina Kimbell and Gwen Allen are Visionaries on a Mission to educate women and men around the globe about how to care for WE - with Soul.
The #Nappywood Team, helped support #SpecialOlympics 2015 Team from Tanzania, providing hair care products for the Team!  

A "Must READ" book - Miko Branch & Titi Branch, Co-Founders of Miss Jessie's Hair Care Salon, NYC.
(We love you always, #TITIBranch)

 A beautiful Model having a conversation with the lovely Miko Branch, Co-Founder of Miss Jessie's Hair Care and
  Dr. Kari Williams, Owner, Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon & Trichology Clinic, 
as well as
 President, California Cosmetology Association, Los Angeles

Just pay attention to the next time you step off a plane, train, automobile, curb and are traveling through LA, NYC, DC, Atlanta, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas,Texas, Alabama, Louisiana-
even Globally,
Ghana, Kenya, Capetown, South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, The Congo, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Eritrea, Tanzania to name a few places - women are taking the time to love their hair.

How awesome is that?...more to come!

Love & light,
Carla

P.S. Thank you Gwen Allen and Regina Kimbell & #Nappywood Volunteers, for the generous donation gift bags with tons of hair care products that was given to the
#Special Olympics Team from Tanzania, that took home the GOLD
 here in Los Angeles, CA in 2015!

*Gwen Allen, Co-Founder, Los Angeles Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO,   
 and LANX* Weekend
Regina Kimbell, Co-Founder, Nappywood™ and  Los Angeles Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO Weekend (LANX*)
Please join our Meet Up group - #HappyInNappywood

Special Olympics - Los Angeles | July 25 - August 2, 2015

There were over 6,500 athletes from 165 countries competing in LA - awesome!
Thank you, Mayor Eric Garcetti!
 Los Angeles City Council President, Herb Wesson Jr., and his lovely wife,
Fabian were in the house!
Thank goodness that Maria Shriver's Mother, the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver had the foresight to visualize and implement the Special Olympics. 
Congratulations to all of the participants in the Special Olympics World Games in LA, CA 2015
#SpecialOlympics
@LA2015

Herb J. Wesson, Jr. Los Angeles City Council President Council Member
District 10. and his lovely wife, Fabian Wesson
(Photography by Albert E.Lord III)

Special Olympics Los Angeles, closing ceremony at the LA Sports Arena
#SpecialOlympics2015
(Photography by Albert E. Lord III)

Special Olympics Delegation - Team of 8 from Tanzania
Competing in Athletics, and bringing home the GOLD, SILVER and the  BRONZE
in relay racing. - and Moza Cooper, The zebra and black gift bags have hair care products given to team by
LA Natural Hair & Lifestyle EXPO #Nappywood  #HappyinNappywood
(Photography by Carla Thomas)

Thank you, Albert E. Lord III for all of the work that you do, holding up the torch,
 representing  District 10, Herb J. Wesson Jr., Council President.

Albert E. Lord III, Deputy Office of
 Herb J. Wesson Jr., President of Los Angeles City Council, District 10
 Twitter:  @HerbJWesson
(Photography by Albert E. Lord III)

Thank you, Moza Cooper, for taking the time to take me to meet and greet a group of
Champions from Tanzania. It was a pleasure to meet everyone. Hats off to the CEO!


Love & light,
Carla