Queendom Entertainment
Queendom 👑,
This year we’re kicking off our first annual Easter hat competition. Submit your best Easter hat shot on Easter Sunday to ebonyqueen@queendomentertainment.com to be entered in the competition.
The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card ✨
Ebony M
Self-Introductory Speech
Public Speaking
01/28/2024
Transcription of Speech
Good day, my name is Ebony and today I will be using this book to introduce myself to you all. I have chosen a book because there are many layers to books, but those layers all embody levels of creativity. Creativity is a universal language that allows us to connect with each other on a more personable level. Creativity is the root of my essence, as everything that I am in life, is a direct result of embodying my creativity. I am an aspiring musician, author, and entrepreneur and I am excited to give you all a glimpse into my world today.
My creativity budded from my love for writing. From an incredibly early age, I have always felt an inclination to write my feelings, thoughts, and fantasies. As I got older, my writing became more distinct, and rhyming, became my chosen method of delivery. I have developed my artistry over the years and have released two mixtapes under the stage name, Ebony Queen. Recording music is a fantastic way to capture major events in life, in a way that can be re-explored often. I enjoy being able to revisit my music and admire my personal growth as a writer with each new project.
As I grew in my music, I began to have the desire to write more fulfilling works. I started to explore authoring short stories, poems, and have now graduated to writing my first book. While initially my writing started out as a method of outlet, it grew and became a way for me to escape my reality by creating fantasy worlds. Not only can I explore the worlds that I am familiar with, but I can also delve deep into worlds that I create and let my creativity flourish.
With my creativity flourishing, my writing has inspired me to pursue entrepreneurship. I do not like to limit myself and often, creatives are required to put themselves in a singular box and pursue one creative career at a time. Instead of looking to be successful in one creative lane at a time, I have created my own media company, which allows me to publish and distribute my artwork for profit without any middle-men. Writing has been a godsend in my life. It has allowed me to heal myself, explore my inner thoughts, and speak my truth aloud publicly.
In conclusion, what this book represents is the creativity that awaits it. When the pages are clean and crisp, a new story is waiting to be inked, to be told. When the pages are full, there is a story to be explored. My story is one filled with music, imagination, and business. Creativity and writing have been a driving force in my life. I hope my love for writing has given you all a good glimpse into who I am, what I do, and what I am striving for in life. Creativity connects us and is what makes the world fun!
Queendom 👑
We are officially signed up for this year‘s local MUDGIRL RUN 🏃🏾♀️
The MUDGIRL RUN is an all inclusive, 5km (about 3 miles) race, consisting of 17+ obstacles.
Whether you are by yourself or in a team, the course is committed to testing your strength, endurance and above all, your spirit.
There is no timing and no obligation to complete all the obstacles. You are here for the sole purpose of having fun and having a great experience, regardless of your athletic ability.
Get 10% off your mud girl run ticket by using our personal invite link 🔗 https://ice.social/NDTBva
#MUDGIRLRUN #TPA
Cooking Live Lobsters 🦞😅 #Lobster #Seafood #Live #MaineLobster @mainelobsternow
Queendom 👑,
This month’s book of the month is in honor of women’s history month, and of course, black history. I was watching the movie, Harriet, about Harriet Tubman, and was inspired by Harriet & Marie Buchanan’s storyline. Although Marie Buchanan, played by Janelle Monáe, was a fictional character it got me thinking about the stories of the women who escaped slavery, as well as, those who assisted the women who had escaped from slavery by introducing them to new life in the North.
The author Karen Cook Bell is a Professor of History and the Wilson H. Elkins Endowed Professor at Bowie State University. Her areas of specialization include slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and women’s history.
Her non-fictional book “Running From Bondage” mirrors the work of William Still, who in the movie Harriet & in real life, collected slave stories and records of those searching for freedom on the Underground Railroad during & after The Revolutionary War. Karen’s work focuses specifically on the stories of the women during this time.
Synopsis:
“Running from Bondage tells the compelling stories of enslaved women, who comprised one-third of all runaways, and the ways in which they fled or attempted to flee bondage during and after the Revolutionary War. Karen Cook Bell’s enlightening and original contribution to the study of slave resistance in eighteenth-century America explores the individual and collective lives of these women and girls of diverse circumstances, while also providing details about what led them to escape. She demonstrates that there were in fact two wars being waged during the Revolutionary Era: a political revolution for independence from Great Britain and a social revolution for emancipation and equality in which Black women played an active role. Running from Bondage broadens and complicates how we study and teach this momentous event, one that emphasizes the chances taken by these ‘Black founding mothers’ and the important contributions they made to the cause of liberty.”
Ebony M
Honors Humanities
Cultural Experience and Critical Analysis Essay
February 18th, 2024
The Ancient Kingdom of Benin
( “Benin Heads” )
Nestled in the southern region of the modern-day country known as Nigeria is a city known as Benin. In history, it was known as The Benin Kingdom aka the Edo Kingdom. Benin came to be established by way of Edo people seeking liberation from their rulers, The Ogisos. The remnants of this culture are approx. 5,246 ancient artifacts housed in museums across the world, on display for admiration by the very cultures that looted the items from their land of origination. (“Benin Bronzes Online Database Goes Live with Details of Thousands of Looted Artefacts”). The most cumulative significant artifacts of this culture are “a group of sculptures which include elaborately decorated cast plaques, commemorative heads, animal and human figures, items of royal regalia, and personal ornaments” known as the “Benin Bronzes.” (“Benin Bronzes”)
The Benin Bronze casters began creating the figures before the 13th century but were not acquired for distribution to the museums until The Benin Expedition of 1897 by a British force, also known as “The Benin Massacre”. Per the British Royal Collection Trust, “The Oba (king) of Benin held great influence and prevented the Company from forming a monopoly in the region. In 1896, the Company decided to mount an expedition to depose the Oba and replace him with a council appointed by British officials.” (“Alan Boisragon (1860-1922) – The Benin Massacre / by Captain Alan Boisragon”) In February of 1897, the “Raid of Benin” commenced, resulting in the burning destruction of the Oba’s palace and ultimately, his exile from the land. The monarchs most precious artifacts were looted to destabilize the power of the King, thus, resulting in foreign museums being full of stolen ancient African artifacts. The exhibit selected holds most of these artifacts, in addition to the looted ones of many other cultures. They are put on display, in no specific order on the online exhibit, for admiration by those who are interested in seeing the cultures of the African people.
The Benin Bronzes boast a plethora of distinct artifacts. However, the most frequently discovered were known as the Benin Heads. These busts were created from carved elephant tusks, brass, and bronze. They were perched upon Benin Altars to symbolize the transference of power from late kings to the new king. The material used to create the bust was directly dependent upon the stature of the King it was created for. This ranged from the previously mentioned brass and bronze, to wood, and terracotta. (“11 Facts You Need to Know About Benin Art”) The Oba was tasked with forming and commissioning bronze casters and ivory carvers to create the art for the royal court.
Within the exhibit the masks are amongst other artwork that represent different things within the Benin culture. It also includes the artifacts of other African cultures which gives the artwork distinct significance and puts the differences between each culture and its artwork on display. As previously mentioned, other distinct notable artwork exclusive to the Benin culture are cast plaques with elaborate scenes of how the Benin perceived their trade partners, the Portuguese. According to the “Khan Academy,” the plaques depicted them with “their pointed noses, thin faces and beards and strange clothes.” (“Benin Plaques at the British Museum”) The artwork from the Benin culture tells specific stories, depending on which art you are ingesting. Seeing the the artwork in its entirety in an exhibit brings the Benin history to life and provides tangible evidence to support the vast, factual cultural significance of the Benin Empire.
Works Cited
“11 Facts You Need to Know About Benin Art.” Google Arts & Culture, artsandculture.google.com/story/11-facts-you-need-to-know-about-benin-art-yemisi-shyllon-museum-of-art/iAXxMDvz38PV8Q?hl=en.
“Alan Boisragon (1860-1922) – The Benin Massacre / by Captain Alan Boisragon.” Royal Collection Trust, http://www.rct.uk/collection/1121484/the-benin-massacre-by-captain-alan-boisragon.
“Benin Bronzes Online Database Goes Live with Details of Thousands of Looted Artefacts.” The Art Newspaper – International Art News and Events, 8 Nov. 2022, http://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/11/07/benin-bronzes-online-database-goes-live-with-details-of-thousands-of-looted-artefacts.
“Benin Bronzes.” The British Museum, http://www.britishmuseum.org/about-us/british-museum-story/contested-objects-collection/benin-bronzes.
Benin Heads. Photograph. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. https://www.randafricanart.com/images/Metropolitan_Museum_of_art_African_collection111.jpg,
“Benin Plaques at the British Museum.” Khan Academy, http://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/west-africa/nigeria/a/benin-plaques.
“Metropolitan Museum of Art – African Art Collection – Virtual Tour Page 4.” RAND AFRICAN ART, http://www.randafricanart.com/Met_Museum_virtual_tour_4.html.
Thank you @voyagetampamag for the editorial-style prints of our recent interview ✨
The Queendom 👑 really enjoyed our interview and we hope to work with you all again in the future 💫 #LinkInBio #QueendomEntertainment #VoyageMag #VoyageMagTampa #Entrepreneur #Media #Interview #Artist #Model #Author #Queendom #QueendomEntertainment #EbonyQueen
QUEENDOM,
Happy Lunar New Year 🧧
Happy Valentine’s Day 💌
& Happy Almost Spring 🌺
Spring is in 34 days & we’re getting a headstart on all our springtime tasks ✨
Comment some things that you do to bring in the spring 💬
#Spring #LunarNewYear #DaylightSavings
#SpringCleaning #Travel #Season #Seasons #Change
#Sun #WarmWeather
Ebony
Natural Sciences Final
03/29/2023
That Silly Goose Grass!
Have you ever pulled a green thing off a cloth out of a freshly cleaned batch of laundry? Or maybe noticed some extremely sticky things on the tip of your shoes or in the cuffs of your jeans? They call that Goosegrass! While fascinating, it is also annoying and can be bothersome. The biological name of Goosegrass is Eleusine Indica. Eleusine Indica is a warm season, annual non-native grass commonly found in any disturbed sites throughout Florida. Most famously known for sticking to shoes and clothes until picked off, it is considered an invasive weed that can be particularly difficult to control. It blooms annually and can only be controlled with season-long herbicide treatment. It is categorized as a low alert level due to its ability to be maintained.
I know what you’re thinking, why not just get rid of it? Put simply, there does not seem to be any final solution to the overgrowth of the weed Goosegrass. With that information, it can be expected that it will continue to spread and prosper in environments that it can survive. “It is considered an invasive weed due to its vigorous growth and abundant seed production. Seeds germinate near the surface of moist soils with temperatures above 65°F (Chauhan and Johnson 2008).” (“HS1178/HS1178: Biology and management of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in tomato, pepper, cucurbits, and strawberry,” n.d.) With Florida’s unique and supporting environment for growth, it is safe to assume that it will continue to spread and invade Florida’s biome. In addition, I must emphasize that it’s specific to the biomes that goosegrass can be expected to thrive in. Again, that is wet and moist lands.
While not yet possible to eliminate, it is controllable. “In plasticulture production systems, goosegrass can be controlled with the use of plastic mulches and hand pulling of small plants that emerge in the planting holes during the cropping period.” (“HS1178/HS1178: Biology and management of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in tomato, pepper, cucurbits, and strawberry,” n.d.) Although the process described is not yet a process that is made easy or readily available to the public for personal overgrowth control, domestic sprays and weed control are available. With minimal effort, the inconvenience of goose grass can be minimized. I assume with further research; complete annihilation efforts will start.
While it is an invasive species, I do believe that it does not have a great enough negative impact on the vegetation and environment of Florida to be a pressing issue. It may stick to you but there is no evidence of it ever being fatal. I never personally experienced Goosegrass to the extent I have here in Florida. So, it does prove interesting to know it is an invasive species. However, I must say I have never lived in an environment as watery as Florida. As covered previously, it is mostly in wet and warm environments that the weed prospers. Goosegrass appears on a long stem as flat leaves with no hairs. Again, it is a nuisance, but not enough to trigger immediate investigative research into its annihilation. My favorite part about goose grass is picking it off!
Work Cited
HS1178/HS1178: Biology and management of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in tomato, pepper, cucurbits, and strawberry. (n.d.). Ask IFAS – Powered by EDIS. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1178
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