Yasmin Shiraz

Lil's Waynes drawers are showing & JayZ's t-shirt are covering his!

Today I visited a suburban school in Northern, Virginia to talk about my career as an author / filmmaker. I showed the students the six books that I’ve written and I even showed them the movie poster to my first film, Can She Be Saved? As an extra bonus (in case they didn’t like my books)–I brought a old copy of my magazine, Mad Rhythms. They listened to me talk about my books and my film, but they were most excited when I told them that I had interviewed Jay-Z, been to Diddy’s house in the Hamptons and they were even more excited when I told them that I had gone to Lil’ Wayne’s 16th Birthday party. Huh? These young people were in 1st through 5th grade! They were so excited when I mentioned the name “Lil Wayne.”

I guess in my mind, I love music so much, I think that its a language that is spoken only to me, but the reality is that music is a universal language that is spoken to all people. When I mentioned to the young people that I had interviewed Jay-Z, there were all sorts of “wow”s and sighs in the room. I knew Jay-Z was really, really hot with Hard Knock Life, but is he still that hot? Apparently. That was something that surprised me today.

I had a great time inspiring and talking to young people about my career as a writer, author, filmmaker. I love it so much that it never feels like work.

Me outside my screening in San Diego's Regal Cinema

Can She Be Saved? is an official selection of the 2010 NC Black Film Festival and I will be receiving their Emerging Filmmaker award. I wanna say thank you again to everyone who has supported the film and my work as a filmmaker. I can’t wait to see my new filmmaker family when I get there. (Coming Correct, I see you! Father’s Day, I see you!)

Here’s the trailer in case you haven’t seen it.

Here’s a new letter that I received a few days ago from a Retaliation reader.

Dear Ms. Shiraz,

I’ve become one of your biggest fans. I read your book Retaliation which you said was not a true (story.) But to me, it felt real. I cried because it reminded me of my old life when I lived in Maryland. I lost my cousin to a gang in 2008. I looked up to him just like Tashera did with her brother. We did everything together when we (were) little. He got put in a foster home and I was (gonna be) next. But I made it out. I’m a 3.5 GPA student and I’m preparing to go to college to become a Registered Nurse. I enjoyed reading the book because it felt like i–the reader–was there. I will continue reading your books.

Your biggest fans,

Tamika

I appreciate Tamika for sharing this with me and letting me know of her journey. These are the letters that keep me motivated. Thank you Tamika!!! I’m sure you’ll make a great RN. Keep shooting for the stars!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Allison Maslan, author of “Blast Off!”. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently came across an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and business coach who is as serious about creating passion as I am. She is serious about helping people find the things in life that continue to elude them.

In her new book, Blast Off! ,The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams Into Reality, Allison Maslon provides strategies in the areas of  careers, relationships, healthy living, soulful living and even limitless living. Its time that there were more books that help us to STOP putting limits on our lives. Chapter 8, Financial Freedom and Prosperity, may be the most important part of the book, period! In a recession so many people are resigned to complain and complain about the economy. But, how many people are willing to come up with a plan or a strategy for success? Allison’s book helps give you the tools to help you blast off—recession or no.

The book officially launched on January 19^th and so Allison is in full Blast Off! mode and offering free gifts on her site. Blast Off! is $24.00 and available on Borders, Barnes and Nobles websites but (as usual) its even cheaper on Amazon’s website! available on Amazon It’ll also be available at bookstores everywhere.

I encourage you to check out the book and see if you can apply some of her strategies and really blast off! I think it could help me get even further and to help me keep my focus. See you in the stratosphere, ya girl, Yasmin!

A few months ago I visited New Jersey and keynoted a teen life conference for Planned Parenthood. It was an event that reached out to high school students and encouraged them to be “The Change That You Want To See In The World.” In addition to speaking at the event, I autographed copies of Exclusive and donated them to the event. I felt good about giving the young people some they could relate to–a hip hop novel based on real life events. Their letters to me have been touching and so I’m gonna share 5 more emails today from Shawn, Zasha, Donald, Kadidiattou and Ashley…

Thank you for participating in our Teen Life Conference. I love your book. I feel as if i can connect to it in so many ways. I like how the book seems as if it is being played out right before my eyes. I can connect to the characters as well. I LOVE IT ! — Shawn M.

Hello Ms. Shiraz, Exclusive was a great book all the imagery and detail really made me feel like I was there with Tisha and Shout. There is no doubt in my mind that Privacy won’t be the best thing that ever hit stores and I cant wait to read it. =)  — Zasha

I just want to take some time out and congratulate you on the wonderful book you wrote, “Exclusive.” I would like to say that it was a fantastic book to read. I am pleased to have seen [you] in person and got a chance to read this book. It was filled with tons of scenes that reached out to me personally. I would be glad to read more of your books. — Donald

Hi , Ms.Shiraz I wanted to let you that I really loved Exclusive although I wish it ended a little better* but all in all it was one of the best urban books I’ve ever read ,and I cant wait to read Privacy =] . –Kadidiattou

Hi, I had the pleasure of reading your book, “Exclusive” and it was very profound and real. I enjoyed it so much that i have passed it along to one of my good friends. I feel that every young person or even just people in general can benefit from reading this book. You in general have also encouraged me to become a writer and activist. I’ve recently attended one of your presentations and I must add that you are a very ennobling keynote speaker as well. So Ms. Shiraz keep inspiring….thank u = ) –Ashley

Much love to Shawn, Zasha, Donald, Kadidiattou and Ashley for reading Exclusive and telling me what they thought. I appreciate their time cause you best believe if you write a book and nobody reads it, it doesn’t feel very good! So, thanks to them, I’m feeling great today!

Peace!!!

*Exclusive is part one of a two part book series.  PRIVACY is book two. So, Exclusive doesn’t really end until PRIVACY. This is what Kadidiattou meant by wishing that Exclusive ended better…

I will be in the house at the 4th Annual National Girl Bullying Conference presenting a session that will feature my film, Can She Be Saved? and my book Retaliation. As most of you know, working with young women has been a passion of mine for many years, so I’m overjoyed that this opportunity has presented itself. Thank you to the young ladies who continue to inspire me and trust me with their stories.  It has been my honor to share your voices with the world.

Much love—

Yasmin

PS. I will share more info on the conference as it gets closer. Its in June 2010!

Its true that authors, singers, filmmakers, and artists would be nothing without the people who are touched by their work. No matter how successful you become, you never tire of hearing that somebody was inspired by what you do. On Christmas Eve I received an email from Jen in Texas who not only emailed me about Retaliation, but she went to my YouTube channel and commented on a bunch of my videos.

Yo, I love that kind of enthusiasm.

So, I want to send my love and appreciation right back to Jen and share her email because love begets love.

Hey!!! Its me, ur grl jen! i read retaliation, and it wuz tha best book I have ever read! I want to buy all of tha books u hav written, and i plan on readin those tooo! Retaliation really changed the way I look at everything. I have almost been into ‘lots of fights at school and now that i look back, i hardly even knew tha grls that tried pickin a fight w/ mee… — ur grl in TX, Jen

These kinds of emails are the reason that I can write for 10 hours straight, its the reason that I can fly on a wing and prayer and shoot a film that I’m not sure people are going to see. You gotta believe that your work is gonna reach the audience who needs it most! Faith not Fear. Thanks Jen for the connect!

Peace…

For the past eight months, I’ve been doing a lot of introspection of my life. I’ve completed journaling exercises to understand what I’ve done good and what I’ve done that isn’t so good.  One of the issues that I’ve noticed consistently is that I always give more than half.

In any relationship that I have, I don’t seem to mind doing my part and also a portion of the other person’s part. The problem with this: the other person is rarely carrying their own weight.

The more that I’d do, the more that the person would let me do. Thankfully, in 2009, I’ve learned to pull back and do my part only. This has allowed me to feel as an equal in a relationship instead of feeling used. This has also allowed the other person to really commit to our relationship. Either they are going to do their part or they’re not.

How do you know if you are doing more than your 50%?

1. If you’re always are calling someone who doesn’t call you.
2. If you’re always planning something for you all to do and the person never reciprocates.
3. If you’re spending your time trying to fix the relationship and they don’t seem to be doing anything.
4. If you’re apologizing for your mistakes and theirs as well.

No relationship can work if there isn’t mutual effort by all parties. It takes two oars to row a boat or the boat isn’t going to move. Whenever you think that you can maintain a relationship by yourself, think about being in a very small boat in the middle of the ocean with one oar.

You can only do your 50% of any relationship. If a person wants you to do more than 50%, then they really don’t value the relationship like they should.

Best Teen Writing of 2009

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers has released its new anthology featuring works from teen writers who were honored for their writing by the The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2009. Taken from 452 award-winning manuscripts, Best Teen Writing features the work of 48 young writers. The writers are from 12 – 18. The Awards are the largest source of scholarship funds for creative teens in the US.

Congratulations teens!

Me and Jazmine, Co-Chairperson of the AFOOFA Club at the Teen Conference

On this past Friday, I was the keynote speaker for Planned Parenthood’s Teen Life Conference that was held at William Patterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. One of the workshop topics was Youth Rights. A lot of young people don’t understand that they have rights. When I think of youth rights, I think of people like 5 year-old Shaniya Davis whose body was found last week in a wooded area in North Carolina. Shaniya had a RIGHT to make it to her 6th birthday. Shaniya had a RIGHT to have a mother that didn’t sell her into prostitution.

When I think of Youth Rights, I think of the story of Precious–a teen girl who had not one, but two babies by her own father. Precious had a RIGHT not to be sexually abused by her father. Precious had a RIGHT to be believed when she told people of what had happened to her. Precious had a RIGHT to be taken away from an abusive situation.

I’m so glad that Planned Parenthood did a workshop on youth rights because too many of us grow up believing that we can be treated poorly and that its okay. It isn’t. Too many adults treat young people as if they are nothing and that should not be done.

When I spoke to the youth at the Teen Life conference, I encouraged them to go to the authorities if they were being abused. I encouraged them to seek help and keep looking for it until they found it. I have people in my life who have been sexually abused and no one helped them. Every time I think about it, it brings me to tears. If you know someone is being abused, help them–any way that you can. Don’t ever assume that because they are being abused, they asked for it. Victims do not ask to be victimized.

The theme of Planned Parenthood’s Teen conference was a quote from Ghandi: “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” When I was a young person and needed help, I didn’t always receive it. But as an adult, I can be the help that I didn’t receive.

Talk to a young person today about youth rights!