Meet Mabou Loiseau: Extraordinary 8-year-old Genius Speaks 8 Languages & Plays 8 Instruments

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At only 8-years-old Mabou Loiseau speaks English, but she can fluently read, write and speak French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Haitian Creole, Japanese, and she even knows sign language. Mabou also plays the piano, violin, guitar, harp, clarinet, conga, drums and the flute. Although she learned majority of those skills while at DoReMi School of Music Arts & Languages in Laurelton, New York, she is truly a product of genetic greatness.

Mabou reached national spotlight after she was featured on the Katie Couric show. When asked where she got her talent from, the 8-year-old polyglot said, “I was born smart, duh!” In all seriousness, she may be right about that. Mabou’s household naturally consists of three languages. In an interview, Mabou’s mother, Esther Loiseau, stated:

“My husband spoke Haitian Creole fluently so he only spoke to Mabou in Haitian Creole. My sister, who lived with us for some time, spoke Spanish fluently, so she only spoke to Mabou in Spanish. I spoke French fluently, so I spoke to her only in French”

But when her daughter was only a year-and-a-half, she began repeating French words that had yet to be taught to her. Astounding enough, she knew the meaning of those words as well and this inspired Esther to further cultivate and invest in her daughter’s gift. A typical day for Mabou would drive us ordinary people insane. Esther further explained that,

“Mabou’s days vary depending on her scheduled activities or lessons. However, a somewhat typical weekday for her is like this”:
8 a.m. – 11.00 a.m.: Russian speaking Nanny
11.00 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Lunch break / other activity
1 p.m. -5 p.m.: Arabic speaking Nanny
5 p.m. -6 p.m.: Activity of choice
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.: Music lesson (harp, guitar, violin and/ or piano)
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Swimming lessons

No worries, Esther makes sure that she leaves enough time for Mabou to enjoy a normal childhood as well. However, Mabou is a sponge to learning and enjoys her daily activities.

“I want to be a firefighter, and I want to be a doctor, and I want to be a dancer, and I want to be a princess,” Mabou said on her webpage. “And I want to be an actor, and I want to be a musician, and I want to be a singer, and I want to be a veterinarian, and I want to be a mom.”

via http://www.risingafrica.org

Kids are a blessing

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The woman laying in the hospital bed, that’s my girlfriend. I met her when she was six months pregnant with the baby she is holding now. We’ve only been dating for three months, but I feel like I have been through the whole 9 months of pregnancy with her. My he nurse would ask if I was Dad? I hesitated but my girlfriend said yes. So all the nurses would just randomly call me dad. She just gave birth to him on 9.8.2015. He was 10lbs and 9oz.This is her third child/ son. It was my first time witnessing a birth of a baby and I’m just 21 years old. When he came out I felt like he was mine. I chose to step up and fill some shoes another man had left behind. I chose to be a father figure, a male role model to this little guy. This isn’t even my son. Most men just walk out on a family, but I walked in on one, that was missing a male role model. A lot of young men need this because it is somewhat hard for a woman to try and raise a man. When a father isn’t there in a young mans life he seems to grow hatred towards some people also. So let’s rebuild the black families. Let’s stop the loss. Kids are a blessing.

Benjamin F. Baker III

Why actor Wendell Pierce didn’t wait for someone else to rebuild his New Orleans neighborhood

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Wendell Pierce is perhaps best known for his acting roles on “The Wire” and “Treme.” Lately, he’s taken on a different kind of role, as community rebuilder. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Pierce invested time, money and art into to bringing back the neighborhood where he grew up. Ten years later, Jeffrey Brown accompanies Pierce for a look at his home that has not only survived but thrived.

via http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/actor-wendell-pierce-didnt-wait-someone-else-rebuild-new-orleans-neighborhood/
http://thepositiveblackwoman.com

Before Oprah

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Before Oprah Winfrey, Hazel Scott, wife of Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., was the first African American woman to have her own television show, “The Hazel Scott Show”, which premiered on the DuPont Television Network on 3 July 1950. However, she publicly opposed McCarthyism and racial segregation, and was outspoken the show was cancelled in 1950.

via Nubian Rootz Cultural Center

Afronta newspaper: Black and independent media in the city of Belo Horizonte

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Black Brazil Today

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Note from BW of Brazil: OK, so we first brought you the story of an independent, black newspaper in one of Brazil’s largest cities, Belo Horizonte, back on July 22nd. But as we consistently stress here, black representation in Brazil’s mainstream media leaves much to be desired, and as such, any forum that comes along to fill in the gaps left by Brazil’s white, blond, blue eyed model will be promoted and celebrated here! As such, we are proud to once again announce the creation and release of the newspaper Afronta. 

Afronta: Black and free media

By Camila Eiroa

Journalist Etienne Martins, 31, is responsible for the first independent newspaper in Belo Horizonte dedicated to black culture Journalist Etienne Martins, 31, is responsible for the first independent newspaper in Belo Horizonte dedicated to black culture

“It wasn’t possible to like being black by not fitting into standards of beauty in the magazines. It was frustrating.” This is what Etienne Martins says, while she notes that…

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Is there a such thing as a black princess? ‘Fábula de Vó Ita’, an independent short film about racism and representation in childhood seeks support through crowd-funding

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Black Brazil Today

Catarse_1 Ana Fulô (Vó Ita or Grandma Ita) and Tekka Flower (Gisele) in scene from ‘Fábula de Vó Ita’

Note from BW of Brazil: Race and representation. It’s a very important topic for us here at BW of Brazil. Brazil’s media clearly doesn’t care that more than half of it’s population doesn’t fit within the standard physical representation that has been presented on the airwaves for decades now. These representations often have devastating effects on the self-esteem and identity of children who don’t fit into these standards. But as many have and are realizing, complaining does very little. Change requires a vision, a plan, development and a will to do for self what others can’t or aren’t willing to do. Another thing that is very much necessary is funding, that asset that so many groups and organizations are lacking. A few months back, we brought you the story…

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