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Ebony Intro Speech

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!  

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MUDGIRL RUN ✨

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

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FENTY SKIN – Wake Up With Fenty Skin Routine 🫧

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Cooking Live Lobster 🦞

Cooking Live Lobsters 🦞😅 #Lobster #Seafood #Live #MaineLobster @mainelobsternow

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The Ancient Kingdom of Benin

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. 

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Editorial-Style Prints – VoyageMag Interview ✨

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

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Spring is Coming ✨

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

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That Silly Goose Grass!

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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2024 Catch Up + Book’d Unboxing

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Finding Ebony Queen 👑

Finding yourself is like the human version of the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the shedding of a snake, and the molting of a stick insect. It hurts and it takes a long time to become the best version of yourself but when it’s all said and done, it’s exactly what you were meant to do. When you’re young, you believe you are who you are and there is nothing else you could grow into. You like what you like, and you don’t like what you don’t… but as time goes on eventually you realize, time does change you.

It took me a long time to find the right avenue for my voice. With such a creative spirit inward, I feared exposing that part of myself to the world. I didn’t want to be judged by those who were committed to misunderstanding me. I didn’t want anyone attaching their own doubts and fears onto my dreams and art. I didn’t want to adhere to the standards of the industries I was trying to bud in. Now, at 30, I’m grateful for my youthful self. I was guarded and rightfully so, but now, I’m entering a new era of Ebony. It took 28 years, but I no longer fear the things I once did. I am Ebony. I am secure in who I am and know exactly where I’m going in life. If I want to fulfill the God-given purpose of my life, I must speak. I must free myself from the shackles of fear and allow GOD to put me in the positions I was meant for.

I think my fear stemmed from insecurity. My youth felt like a black abyss of endless dread. Now don’t get me wrong, I had a great childhood. My mother worked tirelessly to ensure my siblings and I had everything we could ever need. The abyss I’m referring to was in my head. I’ve always had this impending doom feeling in the back of my mind. Like, “why would it matter if I tried to pursue my dreams? We’re all going to die in the rapture soon anyway!”. Or, thinking to myself “I want to try out for the dance team in high school but maybe I am too fat and would make a fool out of myself”. As I grew older, I began to understand that this was rooted in my fears of failure. Instead of trying something new, I’d sabotage myself by talking myself down and making myself feel unworthy of big achievements. I missed out on a lot of opportunities and life that way. I don’t want to do that anymore.

Thus, why it was so important to address it here and now. As I continue to blossom into the powerhouse woman that I aspire to be, the flood gates of creativity have opened. I’m not surprised though; my success seems to be connected to how much I am willing to let my inhibitions go. As I grow, I have felt the desire to share my most personal art strengthen with the hope of connecting to the audience that relates to me. Those who are full of talent but sit quietly in the back waiting for something to ask for us to show it off. Those who want their art to be so painstakingly perfect that they become paralyzed with perfectionism and don’t ever begin. This is for us.

We have the right to take up space. We were born to express ourselves and create art that will beautify our lives and the world. With that said, as I embark on this journey of freeing myself from the shackles and sharing more of my world, I can only pray that I touch someone out there. I pray that I inspire them to chase their dreams sooner, let go of their self-doubts, and let life take its course. Our stories were written long before we touched Earth, we just have to read the book of our own life every day with faith and without fear to achieve true happiness.

Signed,

Ebony Queen 👑