Let's move forward…HOW?!! Someone said you have to be able to control your ego to move forward and hope for a better tomorrow. To an extent that's true but how? You stand and confront your past but if you allow your past to take a walk with you into the future, you're doomed. Does the past decide the future? History is a land where future lessons are taught. Friends will say "forget the past and move on" but I ask- do we easily forget the past? To live in the present doesn't mean that memory can be deleted.
After a lot of thought (and still thinking), I've come to this conclusion; Everyone wants to be able to improve their lives in some way- to heal, to start something new, to find their soul purpose. As long as we are alive, this process continues. Everyone has a next step waiting to be taken but a good number of everyone has trouble accomplishing it. In fact, we spend an inordinate amount of time making up reasons and excuses for not moving forward. Being stuck can be extremely painful but I also believe to move forward, one must suffer a little kind of pain- "No pain, No gain, or No past, No future". The desire you have to change a habit or improve your life comes from your soul. When you don't move forward with it, you block the very expression of your soul. Frustration accumulates over time because of dysfunctional patterns of self-sabotage that merely represents the surface issue. To go forward or backward is painful; but to stand still is intolerable. Our breath today is part of an ongoing song that will never cease. We have to remember we came to live and plunge ahead because if we're not living, we're dying. Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Have faith; be thankful that you are a part of this wonderful tapestry of life. Step out fearlessly and simply move forward!!
I can't believe this is the 5th issue of AfroStyle Magazine…YAY!! We have come so far but we still have a lot to accomplish. The main theme of this issue is the power of Movement and we cover this in our articles such as Tap Dance: The Cultural Fusion of the Irish and African Dance as well as our photo spreads such as the Maasai People of East Africa: Tanzania and Kenya in our AfroTraditional spread. In this issue, we have two amazing AfroFusion photo spreads- "Egypt with Germany" and "Cuba with Thailand". In addition, we highlight the Funky Spring/Summer fashion trends in AfroStreet. Featured is an interview with a man who's an inspiration to many- Emmanuel Ofusu Yeboah. We also pay tribute to his friend the late Jim Maclaren who didn't let his circumstances get in his way of fulfilling his destiny. Take a trip with us to Cuba in our AfroTravel and enjoy the sound of jazz as we explore Africa's influence on this popular music genre in the article, "Africa in the American South: Gathering the Musical Elements of Jazz". Fashion for the Summer/Fall of 2011 is highlighted in our photo gallery and in our ever popular article Design School of Africa. We also have the absolute pleasure of interviewing the Grammy Award winning music group Arrested Development.
I would like to thank guest contributor Shari Belafonte, The AfroStyle Team and many others for making the 5th issue of the magazine possible. Finally, thank you to you for taking the time to check out the magazine. Drop us an email at info@afrostylemag.com and let us know how AfroStyle Magazine can be of service to you and the community at large.
I hope you enjoy this issue of AfroStyle Magazine!
Amaka M. Onyioha
Editor-In-Chief