October 2009

Liz Ogumbo “Rest if you MUST…but NEVER quit!”

October 2009

The colder winds are coming through and

it is now time for us to harvest. For farmers the

harvest is visible and tangible and deliciously edible.

For the rest of us that practice a different kind of

farming, the harvest is more intangible. With the

economy on a downward spiral and many of us losing

our jobs, it’s hard to take the time to live the life of

our dreams. But as we look at the most successful

among us even in these times, it is those that dared

to pursue their dreams that are doing better than

most. Look at our recent and previous AIM profiles,

Liz Ogumbo, Kemo Camara, Thomas Mwicigi, Sulley

Imoro and you see the brave souls among us who

strive to live the life of their dreams by pursuing

their passions. For them there is a harvest because

they dared to invest in their dreams. For you and me

we have to reflect and evaluate what we have

invested in and we know very well whether our

efforts have borne fruit.

Did you seek to get a better job, an education, more

money, a better relationship, a healthier lifestyle?

Did you invest the time and energy in your goal for it

to be realized? That is what I seek for us to reflect

upon. The only way for us to elevate our lives to the

next level is by dreaming bigger dreams and taking

the time to make sure that we get where we need to

be despite the adversities we face. In this economy,

the adversities are plentiful and the money is short.

This is a climate that withers our resolve to realize

our dreams, but as the late Aaliyah crooned, "If at

first you do not succeed, dust yourself off and try

again". The reason AIM profiles those in our

community that have a plentiful harvest is to keep

the idea fresh in our minds that we cannot remain

complacent.

AIM is a product our dreams and aspirations

and is a daily reminder for us that our dreams

are important and are part of what strengthens

us so that we are able to deal with all the other

strife that is part of life.

Take a page from the AIM profiles and beyond

and pursue your dreams. Each new day offers

us season to plant our dreams, but you cannot

harvest if you don't plant and if there is nothing

to show for it come harvest season, "dust

yourself off and try again". Farmers have to

wait months for the planting season to begin,

but lucky for the dreamers who pursue their

goals, it is always planting season.

Enjoy life, share in the bountiful harvest,

edible and intangible alike and always strive to

do better!

By Evalyn Githina

Editors Note

aimminnesota@gmail.com

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The Feature Story

Imani House of Fashion was incorporated in early 2007 by Liz Ogumbo, and is located in Nairobi, Kenya.

Liz the fashion house's designer is constantly coming up with new fresh designs to

distribute Women’s' dresses, suits, blouses, blazers, swimwear, accessories, jeans, men’s' shirts and pants to retail sales outlets and customers over the Internet, their future

product line is concurrently in development.

http://www.imanimodels.com/index.php/imani-house-of-fashion

Address: 1 Hamp Court, Upperhill P.O Box 12258-00400

Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254-725-227453 Fax: +254-20-218457 Cell: +254-737-569748

Imani House of Fashion is mainly built on three principles:

To sell quality, trendy clothing affordably.

To sell unique, ever-lasting trends that our buyers cannot find elsewhere.

To offer our customers free wardrobe consultation 24/7 in person, via email or via phone.

Wambui: Most designers design for themselves, please

tell us what inspired you to begin creating clothes.

Liz: I used to be based in LA, when I went shopping I

wasn’t 100% happy with clothes in the stores. I would

see a dress that needed a longer zipper, or a jacket

that needed a ribbon on the hem line to give it a more

finished look. Instead of whining about what was

missing I would modify the clothes I bought and it

ended up being my design. People would always ask

me “where did you get that” and I knew I was on to

something, that’s when I decided to go commercial.

Wambui: Your clothes are beautiful, tell us what

inspired them

Liz: I work with fabrics that I have locally and I create

clothes that fit my perception on style. Right now, I am

working with cotton polyester and crotchet wool. For

production purposes I have to find sustainable fabric so

that should I get a large order I can always replenish. I

also try to break the monotony by using unconventional

mixes of fabric and accessories. I haven’t seen crotchet

in convention clothes. I love crease free fabric,

something you can pack in your suitcase and not worry

about.

Wambui: How did you get into the fashion industry?

And who is the typical woman you design for?

Liz: I first started in LA modifying clothes that I found in

the department stores, but I first and foremost had a

Liz Ogumbo

Wambui Wamutogoria a designer

herself and owner of Utamaduni Wear

sat down with Liz Ogumbo of Imani

house of fashion to find out what

motivates her, her dreams and

designs…..

“Rest if you

must but NEVER

quit!”

modeling agency that I started with. I wanted to

expand from LA to Kenya, but I had a difficult time

transitioning due to lack of professionalism and a

different beauty standard and what was considered

fashionable here. I didn’t come for fashion but when

looking at both businesses I realized that fashion design

was sustaining me more than the modeling agency.

Wambui: Where do you draw inspiration for your

designs, and does your culture affect your designs?

Liz: Inspiration comes from me and how I want to see

things; and my perception of style. My culture affects

my designs because I am African. I don’t try to be

African I am African and everything I design comes from

that source.

Wambui: Has your design aesthetic changed as you’ve

matured in your craft or do you have one set vision that

you’ve stuck with?

Liz: I have stuck with my core styles. I love maxis I think

they flatter any woman no matter her shape, size or

height. I am also very specific about cuts. The cuts make

the clothes because they dictate how the clothes fit on

the woman. Anyone wearing clothes by me needs to be

flattered or they shouldn’t wear it.

Wambui: Do you have any style tips for our readers?

Liz: Less is more, some women are scared to be simple

but sometimes simplicity is elegant and stylish. Colors

are great of African skin tones; they also help uplift

your mood and can give you the pep you need to get

you through the day.

Wambui: If you had to describe your collection in a few

words what would it be?

Liz: Trendy, simple, sexy, elegant and of course it has

to be affordable

Wambui: What do you find unique about doing

business in Africa?

Liz: This is home and home should be the most

comfortable place, it has its challenges but you can

always work through them.

Wambui: Are your designs available for purchase and

where can we purchase them?

Liz: I sell my own clothes. Right now I prefer to sell in

dozens and whole sales, I am slowly moving away from

one item sale. I am working with some buyers in Cape

Town but nothing is finalized. I am open to all options.

Wambui: What advice would you give to anyone

aspiring to make it?

Liz: Rest if you must, but never quit!

“Less is more, some women are

scared to be simple but sometimes

simplicity is elegant and stylish” says

Liz

Liz wearing a short

suit and a ruffled

blazer

Before we get

started…

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” -Proverbs 27:17 KJV.

s iron is used to sharpen iron, causing both pieces to be sharpened, so does the sincere

exchange of philosophies and wisdom between two persons to make them both the better off. The G-Spot® isn’t about me having all the answers or being the absolute authority on a given situation (we should never completely surrender our judgment to an individual simply because he or she is an “accredited expert” just as we shouldn’t completely dismiss the advice of others simply because they are not). It’s about the exchange of philosophies, hopefully more proven than unproven, for the betterment of all parties. It’s about honest gender-based ideas and nuances (e.g. the “why do men and women do what they” do type questions). I look inside myself each and every time I give advice and I ask that you do the same when asking a question. Before we get started there are three things, rules if you will, that I swear by when it comes to advice giving. Number 1, I believe that we must start with the truth as we know it, measuring all other things to that truth if we wish for all the piecing to fall in line and arrive at the best course of action. Starting with the truth requires integrity on my part as well as yours. This means that your question and how you phrase it must be as truthful as possible.

Sharing a biased version of reality to get the response you are hoping for isn’t conducive to growth (remember we want both of our iron swords to be sharpened). Likewise my answer must be rooted in truth (i.e. my understanding as governed by my philosophies and convictions), especially if that truth convicts me as well (again, iron sharpening iron is the goal here). The second is that certain liberties must be allowed in order to facilitate points of view. In other words generalizations in the absence of actual facts will be made for the purpose of cultivating answers to the question, I will try to point out these generalizations by with terms like “most”, “some” or “many” instead of “all” or “none” when replying to questions. The path the advice takes as it moves towards a result will be based solely on the situation as it has been presented to me and the liberties taken to fill in the blanks, not based on the actual situation in which details were not made available to me (as working out a situation is like plugging variables into an equation, what you get out is directly related to what you put in). When generalizations are made the fact that a trait or behavior attributed to the masses may or may not apply to you directly doesn’t negate the fact that you must be aware it applies to others around you. Lastly, but certainly not least, relationship advice assumes that you are in a safe and salvageable relationship. It is against everything I believe in to advise a woman or man for that matter to remain in an abusive relationship or to persuade a person to leave a safe and salvageable relationship based on an isolated incident. I will not advise you to “stay” or “go” as to consider doing so requires one on one or couple counseling with a professional. My purpose is to shed some light and provide perspective with which to help you make the best decision for your situation as I and others reading the exchange increase in wisdom as well (dare I say it again, iron sharpens iron). Thank you in advance for sharing and I wish you all the best! Gerald Montgomery

A

The G-Spot

Let’s talk about… L-O-V-E (Part I)

Love, the great equalizer, can take someone who seems bad

for us in every way and elevate him or her to soul-mate status.

Hence the expressions; “blinded by love” or “love is blind.” Blind

because we so often pursue and maintain relationships that defy

rationale and, in extreme cases, logic. Love- the mystical force that

endows us with supernatural abilities- like the song writer who said

“I‟ll stop the world and melt with you!” (Now I‟m dating myself.)

Or the irrational pledge of walking a thousand miles to be with our

lover. We willingly compromise our resources, reputation and

relations in the name of true love, as if true love requires nothing

less. Ahh, mi amore!

When asked why you are in love with your mate (not to be

confused with the initial attractive feelings that leads to our desire to

court them, but the love declared which solidifies a commited

relationship) you innately recite the list of characteristics and

physical traits that did you in, as if they are the reasons anyone

would be in love with him or her, hoping at least one of those items

meet the interviewer‟s approval (i.e. validates your love). To no

one‟s amazement you list some of the same characteristics and traits

found in many others. Yet you are not madly in love with everyone

exhibiting these qualities, to include your ex. At the same time your

mate isn‟t bombarded by other “love-crazed zombies” because of

these distinctions; these same characteristics that took complete

control of your senses..

Why is that? Is it because you are the only person intuitive enough

to realize how loveable your mate is? If that were true then why

aren‟t you madly in love with everyone with these same

characteristics and traits? Maybe, just maybe, the reason we fall in

love with a particular person has very little or nothing to do with

their makeup. Maybe, just maybe, to be in love with another is an

objective not an outcome. Perhaps we date with falling in love as

the goal and it is the other person‟s responsibility to mess it up,

meaning it‟s not what he or she does right but what they don‟t do

wrong that leads to the declaration of love.

Sure, it is much more romantic to have tripped, falling into

love unwittingly while walking a platonic path- for love to be the

result of the stars aligning. To be swept completely off your feet as

if God himself (masculine, not male) ordain it before time began.

But the truth of the matter is being in love is a human vocation; we

fall in love because we need to be in love. If it were the result of a

spirit afflicting people at will (e.g. cupid and his arrows) then

emotional monogamy would be an impossible expectation. If so we

truly couldn‟t “help who we fell in love with.”

We are predisposed to falling in love if for no other reason

than procreation. That‟s not to say I feel procreation is the primary

reason for love‟s “jones” (the lust or infatuation we feel). But to

say that even the least romantic among us “feels the heat” every

now and again.

Love

I‟m merely pointing out that there is a biochemical element

to being in love (a chemical in our brains called PEA,

phenylethylalamine) to facilitate a biological need. I‟ll even go so

far as to say when the courtship begins we are not waiting to see if

love will possess us (which we interpret as divine confirmation) but

we tarry for what those around us will agree is an acceptable

duration before letting love out of its cage. Those who disregard

this waiting period claim “love at first sight” as their defense.

Once we decide to be in love with someone the reality is

(i.e. unleash love in the direction of our latest crush) we find

reasons to justify it, even if we have to make some up (e.g.

possibilities). This opens the door to a whole host of personality

types and with each type more excuses to love in spite of them. The

weakest justification for loving someone we have absolutely

nothing meaningful in common with, in my opinion, is the misused

adage, “opposites attract…” as in opposites attract, likes repel. This

law, regarding the polarity of protons, neutrons and electrons,

governs science not the human heart. Yet when we set our

affections on an individual nothing, not even the wisdom of

experienced loved ones, can deter us.

OK, so is it a bad thing, predicating love? Definitely not!

It‟s actually the reason I believe being in love is so extraordinary;

the choosing of one above all others in spite of themselves. But I

think we would make much better decisions in the name of love if

we realize that being in love doesn‟t control us, we control it. I am

convinced the purpose of love, the covenant between lovers, is to

justify the good that we do, to validate godly behavior. To do right

by someone even when he or she is unwilling to do right by us. To

look out for the best interest of another even when they exhibit self-

destructive behavior. Realizing that we control love means never

having to give in when someone says “if you love me you would do

it”. If they do [say that to you], you tell them that love has but one

master; you‟re the ambassador of your love for them, not them! If

it‟s not something right for you to do when you‟re not in love it is

just as wrong for you to do because of love!

I am also convinced that how an individual loves (quality

and quantity) is directly proportional to his or her capacity to do so,

not a universal measure of love displayed by all. Our ability to love

others is capacity to love as a cup with liquid in it; the bigger the

cup the more it is able to hold but you will still only get out of it

what has been put into it. The cup size is the potential to love,

which is a good thing. But it may only be filled a quarter, a half or

three-quarters of the way up. This is all you can get out of it until

more is put into it! So when an abusive husband claims to love his

battered wife I am convinced that he believes he does.

Unfortunately this means there is very little liquid in a very small

cup! In „Let’s talk about L-O-V-E part 2‟ I‟ll share where I believe

the liquid comes from. It may not be where you think.

Iron sharpens iron, so lets be better because of it!

By Gerald Montgomery

“Once we decide to

be in love with someone the reality is

we find reasons to justify it, even if we have to make some

up”

Gerald Montgomery is a free lance writer and a contributor to the AIM Magazine.

…And Justice for All?

In light of Michael Vick’s “strings-attached” reinstatement to the National Football League, I got to thinking about an issue I usually avoid discussing- that being the criminal justice system. For those who may have been taking full advantage of their passport for the past 2 ½ years, visiting the most remote parts of the planet, Michael Vick, former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, was convicted and sentenced for his involvement in a Virginia dog-fighting ring. All the angles were covered- from illegal gambling across state lines to animal cruelty to conduct unbecoming a celebrity/role model. During the proceedings the racial and cultural element to this case was undeniable, reminiscent of the O.J. trial. Mr. Vick has been released from prison and is working through the conditions of his parole. Naturally, if he is to survive, he will need some source of income, no one disputes that. The nation-wide quarrel is over if he should be permitted to return to the NFL- that is, to iconic status and millions in net worth. Or should he as an ex-felon continued to be humbled for is crime, placing a cap on is earning potential? Our legal system, federal and state, congruently with our social system began to run its course. Our judges, D.A.’s, defense attorneys and prison system all contributed to what was supposed to be the complete penitence for Vick, at least in this life. And this penitence was supposed to satisfy not the hunger of vengeance but the appetite of justice. See, our legal system is meant to exact a fair (as in equal to, not necessarily the same) and impartial (as in with a degree of mercy) punishment for crimes committed. Otherwise the offender would be at the mercy of those who seek vengeance instead of justice - both beasts are hungry but vengeance is the one without a stomach. In other words once the legal system, the only system of the two with the authority to punish, declares time served the matter is supposed to be concluded and the thoroughly punished and rehabilitated individual returns to the general public. Society, then, should not be permitted to carry out its own consecutive sentence (trying to satisfy the stomach-less beast), which is essentially a non-legal form of double jeopardy. To discriminate against an ex-felon should be no different than

Sports

Michael Vick

discriminating against homosexuals or minorities. Am I putting ex-felons in the same category as gays and blacks? Not at all! But I am putting the unprovoked hatred towards others in the same category. Once a felon has been released from prison he or she should have at a minimum the following rights: (1) The right to provisions- food, clothing and shelter, (2) The right to provide for said provisions- employment or other legal sources of income, (3) The right to equal protection under the law and (4) The right to a franchise in the society in which he pays taxes- the right to vote for elected officials. Serving time for a heinous crime then landing a very high paying job may not seem fair to those in poverty but salary capping ex-felon would most certainly be unfair. After all isn’t that why Vick is in the news now, his salary potential? Emotions aside, in the matter of, “Michael Vick vs. the American psyche”, if the punishment he received from our legal system did not fit the crime then shouldn’t that be the issue? Let us debate if it fit the crime or not and if so or if not why not. Not if he should be entitled to a job that allows vengeance as the goal; to compensate the injured party (or parties) without being as criminal to the offender as he was in his act. Let’s make this debate about much more than Vick, about much more than race, about much more than money! If our legal system is indeed broken then let’s fix it and let’s fix it now!

Perhaps our laws and sentencing practices should be reviewed periodically, if they aren’t already, so that we all agree before we are either plaintiff, defendants or spectators whatever the punishment fits the crime, and evaluate the flexibility afforded to judges is consistent with the spirit of justice. For the record I am neither “pro Vick” nor insensitive to animal cruelty. I am just a citizen with an opinion seeking truth in all things, in spite of myself.

Gerald Montgomery

If the punishment

he received from

our legal system

did not fit the

crime then

shouldn’t that be

the issue?

3D TVs, THE NEXT BIG THING (I THINK)

The movies we used to watch in the 80s and

90s used to depict the year 2010 as a year

when we would have flying vehicles and the

ability to teleport ourselves to our destinations

like they used to in Star Trek. Well, obviously

that hasn’t happened.

We are in the age of touch screen monitors

and HDTVs; where we have a portable

computer in our hands and the ability to

communicate with someone across the world

in a matter of seconds. Well, rumor had it that

Panasonic and Sony are about to take us to the

next level.

Queue the age of 3D TVs. Panasonic and Sony

are looking at debuting their 3D TVs either at

the end of this year or in 2010. Most 3-D

technology involves showing two images, one

for each eye, that viewed together are seen as

a single three-dimensional scene. The new

generation of 3-D TVs uses a technology that

rapidly flickers between two images, together

with electronic glasses that allow each eye to

see only one. Without the glasses, images on

the screens are blurry and a bit nauseating to

watch.

So then does this mean anytime you watch

your cool new 3D TV you have to deal with

those bulky glasses?? Sounds futuristic alright!

Well these TVs are probably going to start off

like the HDTVs started, priced in the thousands

of dollars. But with 3D technology comes the

need for 3D content. For now they are talking

about having cable companies broadcast in 3D,

but that is not slated until 2011. They are also

looking at rereleasing some movies in 3D.

Great… that means you have to also buy the

3D players they are going to sell which can play

the 3D DVDs. More money to spend…

As for me, I am still stuck on the tube TV. I was

just hoping this year to get a nice HDTV for

Christmas. As much as I love technology, my

pocketbook doesn’t love it as much. For now,

until I hit the lottery, I am content with

remaining one step behind technology for the

sake of my bank account. I’ll still be pretty

excited to see these 3D TVs at Best buy so I can

check it out for myself and day dream about

the day 3 years from now when I might be able

to afford one.

By

Linda Obel

The Buzz

The Buzz The must haves…….

$21.99

Kina Klothing is Pan Afrikan, Art, Bongo

Flava, Afro Beat, Taarab, Fashion, Poetry,

Sankofa, Jazz, Pop-Culture, Fela Kuti , 60s,

70s, 80s Afrika, HipHop, Play, CDs, mp3s,

Graphic Design…everyday people.

Check out their awesome tees

www.kinaklothing.bigcartel.com

$16.99 at Marshalls

Covet Perfume a very smooth

and aggressive perfume with a

very seductive blend of fragrance

notes.

Lush makes effective products from fresh, organic* fruit and vegetables,

the finest essential oils and safe synthetics.

They invent their own products and fragrances. They make them fresh by hand using little or no preservative or

packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients, and tell you when they

were made. Lush can be found in cosmetics at

Macy’s or at www.Lush.com

$15.00

Aromatherapy Body Mist

Sensuality - Black Currant Vanilla Black Currant Absolute inspires heightened sensuality. Vanilla

Absolute soothes and calms to instill feelings of comfort. http://www.bathandbodyworks.com

Cantu products found at Target

Upload photos, create text, draw and design a new bottle wrap. Design a skin for your bottle or order

a new bottle and skin. Go GREEN! http://www.siggskins.com

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 medium carrot, chopped 2 medium potatoes, cubed 1 medium butternut squash - peeled,

seeded, and cubed 1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken

stock salt and freshly ground black pepper to

taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

2. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency.

3. Season with salt and pepper

For your Health!

Food & Health

Getting six or more glasses of water a day is hard

enough in summer, and now that it's cold outside, it

might be even more difficult to drink one.

Just remember…….

Water is necessary to maintain a healthy body temperature, to digest food, transport nutrients, remove

waste and even to breathe. That doesn't change just because it's cold outside.

So drink on…for your health!

Butter Squash

Soup…

A recipe sure to keep

you warm!

● ● ●

Colorful Coats

“Skip the traditional black or neutral jackets and go for something bright and bold this fall. Brightly colored add interest to every look and

looks very fresh for the fall. With these bright coats, simplicity is key. Keep it simple and make the coat

the focal point of the outfit”

● ● ●

Fall ’09 Must Haves!

Cozy Cardigans

A cardigan is a quick way to update your fall wardrobe because there’s a cardigan for just about every outfit. It’s perfect for in-between weather when it’s not quite cold enough for a

jacket.

Fashion

Diane …is AIM’s new fashion contributor. She

considers herself a lover of style

and fashion and self expression

through clothes. She is proudly

Nigerian and loves to add

elements of her culture to her

style of dressing. To read more

about Diane go to

www.africanawardrobediary.com

which is a daily blog of her fashion

ideas.

If you have any fashion related questions,

project ideas or just kind words, you can

contact her at ifeghabo1@gmail.com

Adding animal print,

leather and studded

accessories are easy ways to update your fall wardrobe.

Rock and Roll

Showcase your legs in fun tights/ leggings.

Opulence and Decadence- Rich colors and embellished fabric add excitement and

make any outfit festive.

Dark Shimmer & Sequins

Linda Obel AIM

aimminnesota@gmail.com

Eva Githina AIM

aimminnesota@gmail.com

Gerald Montgomery Dr. G

G-Spot Email: gmonty@popp.net

Diane African Wardrobe

Email: ifeghabo1@gmail.com

www.africanawardrobediary.com

Wangechi Ruguaru AIM

aimminnesota@gmail.com

To alert us to an error, contribute or to write a comment, please email us at

aimminnesota@gmail.com

Contributors

Wambui Wamutogoria Utamaduni Wear

Email: utamaduniwear@gmail.com www.utamaduniwear.com