Working in the high-pressure world of event planning and production  can be rewarding and glamorous.  A-listers walking down the red carpet, paparazzi flashing, champagne and good food galore, DJ spinning the hottest tracks, how fun could that be to get paid to party!? Now, wait one moment before you jump into a new career. This event didn’t magically happen overnight.  There were VIP lists to write, a venue had to be selected, you had to stay within a defined budget, on- site staff to assist the day of, security had to be enforced, press had to be notified, and you may need to secure a sponsor as well!Doesn’t sound like a cake-walk after all? Enter I’na Saulsbery, an Atlanta-based event planner who has turned her passion into the Starfire Group, which produces an array of events of every caliber. From baby showers to large scale celebrity events  I’na knows how to create an affair to remember.

A Clark Atlanta University alum, she started her career while  working at Diddy’s restaurant, Justin’s as a Marketing Director for seven years and built a loyal following that in turn became future clients. Her strong work ethic and innovative eye has made her a sought  after planner in Atlanta and nationally. You may have seen some of work on the BET show  Monica: Still Standing  and  the MTV  series,  My Super Sweet 16 party for Quincy, Diddy’s son. See how one woman’s passion became her labor of love.

 1.    Style & Substance: When did you know working in the event planning industry was your calling?
I hadn’t realized that event planning was my calling until a little later on in my life. For eight years I worked HARD for someone else, and although I enjoyed my job, as rewarding as it was-I wanted more. I would do events from time to time on the side and people would always tell me how much they enjoyed themselves. I just never realized that I really could make a living out of it. Since I was 16, I knew it was something that I enjoyed doing, and surprisingly I was pretty good at it.

2.    Style & Substance: What was your idea  behind the name Starfire for your company?
I came up with name-The Starfire Group for my company, because I wanted a name that was unique, vibrant, and yet easy to remember.

3.    Style & Substance: Your core business is based in Atlanta, how do you continue to gain new clients outside of this market and grow your brand?
I have been able to gain new clients and grow my brand, because I believe I do doing good work, and when you do good work, you can’t help but to move up. (SMILES)

4.    Style & Substance: In this tough but rising economy, how did you get the strength to start your business and was it difficult?
I started my company in 2007, and I had no idea that the economy was going to take this downward spiral. It was more than strength it was about timing and having faith. “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” -Martin Luther King Jr.  It has been difficult, but I have been extremely blessed.

5.    Style & Substance: What are some resources every event planner should have to be successful?
While some people may think that you have to have a lot of money or a nice office to show off, its much more important for every event planner to have a creative mind, be detailed oriented and possess a very outgoing personality. It also helps to have a good following of people that support and look forward to attending your events. These are just some of the resources that every event planner should have to be successful.

I'na prepping for an intimate baby shower.

6.    Style & Substance: How do you stay grounded when working with celebrities and not  getting star struck?
It can be exciting to work with celebrities, but it’s not hard to stay grounded when working with them, as they are regular people just like us at the end of the day. Now, I couldn’t have said the same if I was working with someone like Michael Jackson or Madonna…I’d probably be floating on cloud 9 for years!

7.    Style & Substance: Do you have any advice for up and coming event planners that  are starting out?
I would advise any up and coming event planners to do their research. I would suggest they read plenty of books on event planning and use the Internet…it’s your friend. (SMILES)I would also suggest that frequent different events in their area as well as other markets.

I'na at the Still Standing Preview Party, an event she planned to promote singer Monica's reality show.

8.    Style & Substance: What is the hardest part of your job?
The hardest part of my job is having to accept that I am not able to control the weather. (LOL) Clearly, that is something that is way out of my league, yet being an event planner, you plan accordingly so that everything goes just the way your client imagined- you always want to make sure that everything is perfect for your client. However, Mother Nature can put a damper on even the brightest day.

9.     Style & Substance: Describe your style and substance?
My style and substance is extraordinary, exuberant, & EXPLOSIVE!

To learn more about I’na and her company click here.

Reading Michael Arceneaux’s blog, The Cynical Ones, often invokes some type of emotional party in my head. The brother can write. There has been times where I have laughed till I couldn’t laugh again, cried because he was so brutally honest, or even thought, wow does Michael live in my brain? This Howard University alum, Texas native, now a Cali transplant, has turned his blog into a full-fledged career and made new opportunities blossom. Arceneaux’s voice is what makes his blog so entertaining, provocative and one of the best daily reads on the net. The world is so obsessed with celebrity and pop culture, and he covers their missteps, trials & tribulations, awkward moments and triumphs with flavor a  that is so unique.

Style & Substance: When did you start the blog, The Cynical Ones?
I started my blog in May 2005.

Style & Substance: You also write for The Root, where does your inspiration stem from?
I was assigned that blog, actually. I reached out to an editor, who through research, I found out went to Howard. I was familiar with her work at The Washington Post. She told me I could pitch her and so I did. Every now and then my work would be published on the site. Then earlier this year she told me that they had a new blog in mind and after submitting a sample, offered it to me.

Style & Substance: I have coined the phrase, “instant celebrities for no reason” why do you think there are so many people famous without having real talent?
I think we live in a celebrity-obsessed culture and because we’ve created such a need for celebrity anyone can be one now. That in turn has convinced others with not a lick of talent in their bodies that they, too, can become famous so long as they attention whore enough.

Style & Substance: Post- graduating from Howard University was it hard for you get a steady writing gig?
Yes. Incredibly. The publishing world was in disarray and with the state of the economy, budgets were slashed everywhere which only exacerbated the problem.

 Style & Substance: What celebrity really gets on your last nerve?
Far too many. But in short: Any self-involved “celebrity” who acts as if they’re above criticism or above anyone or anything, for that matter.

Style & Substance: Did you always know you would be a writer, if not your second choice?
I knew I was always wanted to write, but I initially thought of becoming a news anchor and then eventually go on to write books and the like. I’ve never had a second career option, honestly. Just couldn’t see myself doing anything outside of media.

Style & Substance: You put a lot of heart into your writing as well as personal information that makes your work EVEN more soulful, do you ever regret that?
There have been some instances where I’ve looked back at something I’ve written and thought, “Yeah, maybe that was too much.” Then I remind myself quickly that what’s done is done and there’s no turning back.

Style & Substance: Your favorite writer?
It changes often. The first writer to come to mind is James Baldwin. Not only because of his eloquence, but out of sheer gratitude for paving the way for people like me to be more frank in their work, and touch on issues still largely ignored within our community (sexuality being the main one

Educated. Black. Men. This should not be a rarity in this day in age. We have a black president and not every young person should strive to be a ballplayer, hustler, or a rapper. Demetrius  Walker, a Vanderbilt University alum and co-creator of DangerousNEGRO.com  with his impressive team, is cultivating  a new way to empower the youth of today to realize that  being smart is cool.  Using fashion as a platform,  to reach the  masses, they have created, this site to not only spread the message but also invoke a conversation. The line is not just about graphic tees and catchy logos. Ten years ago the urban apparel market was the toast of the town. It became the accessible mascot for young kids  wanting to “keep it real” mimicking the style of their music idols and fake street thugs. Kids today are not buying into the  façade. Now is the time raise the bar.

 STYLE & SUBSTANCE: Who are the creators of Dangerousnegro.com?
dangerousNEGRO is myself, Demetrius Walker (Marketing Director), Tre Baker (Chairman), Sebastine Ujereh Jr. (President), Justin Giboney (Attorney), Tracy Holmes (Customer Service Director), Gary Mavindidze (Community Relations Specialist), and Frank Robinson (Technology Specialist).  Six out of the seven of us went to Vanderbilt University, where we were friends with similar interests in Black empowerment. From there we all furthered our education in different ways.  I’m proud to say we boast amongst our ranks an MBA, an MBA candidate, a PhD candidate, a JD., a Master of Engineering, and 2 Bachelor of Arts scholars. Justin and myself (Demetrius Walker) are also public speakers that travel around the country lecturing.

 STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What is the meaning and goal behind your site Dangerousnegro.com?
dangerousNEGRO arose from the minds of Black men united in a quest to deliver consciousness to a lost generation. Point blank there is way too much coonin and way too much glorification of ignorant behavior going on these days. So we decided to take a stand by giving the world a positive visual representation of Black culture. Our goal was to start not just an innovative clothing line, but a movement that could branch out into every major avenue of influence in the Black community. We firmly believe that through our products we can increase the number of socially conscious individuals around the world, and, in turn, increase their impact on the community. By serving as a visual representation of the Black Empowerment Movement, our brand can help to inspire action and combat the apathy that has taken over many aspects of the Hip Hop culture and Black society.

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: How long did it take you to get your ideas and thoughts together to launch this exciting movement?
Well Vanderbilt was really the incubator for most of our ideas.  So debates amongst ourselves in undergrad laid the foundation for what would become a dynamic movement.  After our Chairman, Tre Baker, learned about the remarkable work of A. Philip Randolph, and him being labeled “the most dangerous Negro in America” by President Woodrow Wilson, we found a name to place on top of our thoughts. The FBI also called MLK a ‘dangerous Negro’ after the March on Washington. There was pretty much a trend used by the Federal government in labeling Black leaders with organizational skills “dangerous Negroes”. We felt like those are the cats we needed to emulate. Those are the people that put fear into the powers that be…. not these fake want to be gang bangers on TV and the radio. We noticed there was nothing out there as far as fashion that portrayed what we stood for… The Stop Snitching shirt movement was going hard in the streets.  Dope Boy tees was popular.  We wanted a visual representation of a new way of thinking… hence the clothing line. So to answer your question directly, it took a couple of months to officially launch the business, though our thoughts and beliefs had been constructed year’s prior.  We started selling t-shirts in December of 2005 and officially became an LLC in February of 2006.

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: One of your hot sellers, the “Young.Gifted.Black.” tee was banned in a school in South Georgia, why do you think one tee shirt could cause such a negative reaction?
Taking pride in ones Blackness is often construed as being ultra radical, super militant, or as history tells us – dangerous.  For a shirt like “Young.Gifted.Black” to scare the mess out of a public school in the 21st Century, it just proves we still have a long way to go in terms of American race relations.  Everyone needs to understand that loving your ethnicity and taking pride in which you are does not mean you are racist.  Racist people take pride in their race, but also go out of their way to degrade other races.  There’s a huge difference.   

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: The urban apparel market has become saturated with a lot of clothing that may be branded as trendy and “overnight sensations” what will make your brand stand the test of time?
dangerousNEGRO will be here forever because it goes way beyond just clothing. It’s a mentality, a lifestyle, and a way of thinking.  We’re taking the fashion industry by storm because we’ve been so shut out that it’s only sharpened our swords… People’s ignorance has only made us stronger and helped us build more character, confidence, and competitive spirit…Not to mention, it has forced us to cut out middle men and make ourselves much more profitable.  

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: Are you surprised about the success of the site?
 As far as success is concerned, we’re happy that people have embraced our message.  However, we still have not reached the extremely high goals that we set for ourselves back in 2005.  Honestly, we feel like we’re just getting started.  There’s so much more to accomplish.  Until we can clearly see a paradigm shift in the mentalities of our people, we really haven’t accomplished anything.  Every household in the Black Diaspora needs to be familiar with the concept of dangerousNEGRO.  

 STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What is next for dN|Be Apparel and dangerousNEGRO.com?
dN|Be will be branching into every major avenue of influence in the Black community.  TV is not out of the question. Political engagement is in the works.  We have books coming out. As far as the clothing line, people will notice more attention to detail, quality, and creativity in our designs and concepts.  Stay tuned for dope hats, more women’s selections, and premium/limited edition items in the near future.

 STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What is your Style & Substance?
Our company’s tag line is “The Style’s In The Message!” Therefore, what gives dangerousNEGRO substance is the principle of Black Empowerment that goes into every decision we make.  That puts us in our own lane.  Show me another clothing line that inspires so much thought and action in the minds of its followers.  We own social media… look at how large our following is on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Youtube.  There’s simply nobody on the Planet Earth doing what we’re doing right now.  We’re in a league of our own.

 For more information  please check out this site.

Tomara Watkins is a woman of many talents. A recent graduate of Howard University, she found her  calling three years ago when she began to pursue her true talent of becoming a makeup artist. She started her career ”behind the counter” as a makeup artist at Macy’s for the Bobbi Brown line and also has honed her skill at MAC. Her goals have been elevated to overdrive and she has become a sought after make-up artist, transforming blank canvases into works of art on many different editorial and fashion photoshoots. Her days are spent traveling to NYC and adding many new works to her portfolio.  Last year she debuted her site, T Watkins Beauty to showcase her finished products. This is just chapter 1 in the story of Tomara. Who knew a chemistry major would blossom into a modern day Picasso?

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: When did you fall in love with cosmetics?
Tomara: I came out the womb with an L’Oreal Juicy tube in hand…lol. I always snuck and played with my mother’s makeup when she left the house. I would go and try to put her foundation on, especially. Then there’s the moment I stumbled upon Kevyn Aucoin’s book face forward, because I was looking for books on sewing in the library (I thought I was going to become a seamstress). And there are also the times when I would sit home on Friday nights and read Seventeen magazine, and I remember Ashanti saying that she wore MAC and Bobbi Brown lip-gloss. I clipped the article out, because I would be traveling to Houston for the summer (I lived in the Maybury of Florida) and I knew there would be one of those stores there. My cousin offered to purchase me some new lip-gloss while I was at The Galleria and I found myself in the MAC store. He said that I could get anything I wanted, and I left with clear lip glass (the sticky stuff…lol). I wore that lip glass and I thought I was the S#$%, until my guy friend innocently asked me if I had just ate some chicken, because my lips were so shiny….lol.

 STYLE & SUBSTANCE: You have worked hard on the sales floor in retail, “pushing beauty” what was the hardest part of the job?
Tomara: Convincing women that the things that they considered flaws weren’t as big of a deal as they thought. Also, just dispelling all of the beauty myths that are out there. For instance, I had a woman tell me that black womenshouldn’t wear red lipstick…and just showing her that she could…just find the right shade. And encouraging women to take care of their skin. Well, at first I didn’t find anything really difficult about the ob. I loved it!! When my counter wasn’t busy I would visit other counters to see if I couldfind new products that I hadn’t discovered. But eventually, I started to get bored, because I didn’t have a true creative outlet. I would always get excited when new products would launch because the visuals stimulated me so much creatively. I would say to myself that that is what I wanted todo, so once I realized that and started testing the hardest part became having to be there.

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What are the three products every person should have in their beauty arsenal?
Tomara: I’ll give you 6 (I’m an over achiever):
1. A great moisturizer (this is even for you oily girls)…really a great
skincare regimen.
2. Mascara
3. Undereye concealer ….this can take away all of those late nights, by making you looked rested. Don’t forget the eye cream
4. Bronzer….quick and easy way to give your skin a glow
5. A natural looking blush …
6. Semi Matte Lipstick …this is great when you need to lookprofessional….lip gloss can be a bit distracting in these situations.

STYLE& SUBSTANCE: What well-known makeup artist or model really personifies true beauty to you ?
Tomara: Iman. Even at 50, she still maintains herself and looks amazing. She is also very comfortable in her skin and encourages everyone else to be as well.

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What are the beauty “no-no’s” that you see women use, which just looks horrible!!??
Tomara: Soooo many….too much blush for daytime, wrong shade and formulation of foundation. Test foundation on your jaw line and blush should look natural….enhancements…

STYLE&SUBSTANCE: Your best work you have done to date? [Whether a photo shoot or you choose..
Tomara: Cover of Highlights Magazine (not the kiddie magazine…I get that a lot). It should be in bookstores now.

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What are your long-term goals?
Tomara: I would love to be a key makeup artist at Fashion Week, and to one day become the creative director of my own brand.

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: What have you learned the most as a budding artist in this business?
Tomara: Just because you have talent doesn’t mean that the jobs will come to you. If you have talent, you have to go out there and network with everyone.It’s a hustle!!!

STYLE & SUBSTANCE: The FASHION/BEAUTY industry is now beginning to see our beauty as an asset, do you think this new resurgence in the BLACK FACE OF BEAUTY will last?
Tomara: You know….I think black beauty has always been celebrated, but only in small numbers. For instance, back in 90’s there was only room for a few top black models and really only 2. If you ask the average person to name two famous black models, I am sure we all know what names would come up. I just hope that moving forward there is room for more and that every aspect of beauty is addressed, including Latinas, Indians, Asians, anyone that has been underrepresented in the world of beauty.

 STYLE & SUBSTANCE: In your own words describe what is style and substance? Tomara: Originality and Creativity at its best.
Classic.

Makeup Artist: T Watkins
Photography: GL Wood