I had the honor of helping Josefa Salinas, Community Affairs Director for Hot 92.3, with her annual How to Be a Girl Camp. Me and a few others stayed overnight at California State University, San Bernardino, for 4 days and 3 nights to help counsel, guide and mentor over 30 girls ages 11-17, to become young ladies. We were up at 6am and had activities lined up until 10pm. We all came together to take the young women through everything they need to know to be confident, well put together and ready to present themselves to the world.
The camp included classes on health, finance, personal development and life skills! The girls tackled visual poise, public speaking, personal finance, healthy relationships, hair, makeup, wardrobe and the ultimate class: Girl 101 and much more!
This isn’t the first time I’ve helped with the How to Be a Girl Camp and it will not be the last. It was such a rewarding experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat! I urge everyone to get involved in their community and help guide young children. What ever knowledge you pass on to one child can be passed on from them to another child. Each one teach one!
Josefa Salinas is an on-air radio personality for Hot 92.3 and KTLK, Author of 101 Things to Know Before You Date my Daughter, My Best Friend, Founder of How to Be A Girl Camp, Library Commissioner and overall Community Leader! I honored Salinas with a “Woman to Know” award for her personal commitment, dedication and contributions to women and the community. When asked about what inspired her organization, How to be a Girl, she says, “We kind of lost the art of being a girl. My whole thing is to teach young women that you can be beautiful, smart, intelligent, funny, and still be a girl. Still be a leader, still run a corporation, still be the President of the United states, and still be a girl.” Her overall hope for women is to help them understand their worth. She says, “If they understood for one second the value they have as a woman, they will never give it away for free.”
You can join Salinas in her community efforts this weekend as she teamed up with the LAPD Juvenile Division for this year’s VOICE Holiday Party, an event to bring joy to children who have suffered so much at the hands of those who were entrusted to protect, nurture and love them. Learn more about the event here.
The Gibson Amphitheatre was packed on Friday, March 23, as Hot 92.3 took it back…way back…back into time where people wore bell bottoms, an afro, big hoop earrings and platforms! Back when you had a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip! George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Con Funk Shun, The S.O.S. Band and Stephen Shockley & Fred Alexander – formerly of Lakeside came to one place, for one night, to tear down one stage…and they did.
We took it back…way back. Back to the 60s-70s. Back to when guys wore matching suits! Back to when a group had dance steps! Love Affair 2012 took some of us on a trip back down memory lane!
Below are some photos of me and a few of the artist and live performances from The Delegation and Barbara Lewis. Enjoy!
Ashley Caprice and Eddie Holman
Ashley Caprice and The Temprees
Ashley Caprice and member from The FuzzAshley Caprice and member from BloodstoneAshley Caprice and member from The Impressions
Ashley Caprice and The Originals
Ashley Caprice with the Originals and The Intruders
Feel free to leave your thoughts about the annual Hot 92.3 Love Affair.
Young MC was performing his biggest hit, Bust a Move, when I arrived at the venue. My hands immediately went in the air and I was waving them around like I just didn’t care! Doug E. Fresh had the crowd blown away with his beatboxing on The Show; Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock had the audience rhyming along with them onIt Takes Two; The beat was pumpin’ with Mellow Man Ace on Mentriosa; It got hot in the place when Grandmaster Melle Mel took his shirt off and performed Whitelines; Tone Loc rapped about having a Funky Cold Medina;The Sugarhill Gang took it back with the first rap single to become a Top 40 hit, Rappers Delight; Newcleus and Soulsonic Force made the B-boys and B-girls proud with their break beats.
Speaking of B-Boys, I had the pleasure of meeting Michael “Boogaloo Shrimp” Chambers, star from the 1984 flick, Breakin’. I’m a huge fan of the hip hop era and its four elements which are MCing, DJing, breaking, and graffiti. I tend to pop-lock every now and then…don’t judge me! I even took up a breakdancing class with J.U.I.C.E click here to watch my attempt at doing a freeze called “the Baby.” So I was very excited to meet Boogaloo Shrimp and tell him how he’s inspired me. Watch as we pop-lock and chat together below. I also received pop-lock lessons with Dr. Cosmo…and we even rapped La Di Da Dee together…check that video out as well! He’s currently involved with the Hip Hop School of Arts.The two will star in the upcoming documentary based on the Westcoast Poppers. I can NOT wait to see the film.
Poppin’ and Rappin’ with Dr. Cosmo
Chat and Poppin with Boogaloo Shrimp
There was so musch history and so many legends in one place. It was an honor to meet mostly all of the artist and talk to them about their influence in hip hop. Back in the day, people thought hip hop was a fad, but it’s been 20-30 years and these artist arte STILL performing and keeping hip hop alive. Check out a slideshow of my pics with the performers below.
When Josefa Salinas, Community Service Director for Hot 92.3, told me she was going to create a camp that would empower young girls I immediately said, “I want to help!” The week-long “How to Be a Girl” conference included classes on health, finance, personal development and much more for young ladies in grades 7-12. I watched the girls strut their stuff during visual presenation classes where they learned the proper way to walk down a runway, and cry tears of accomplishment as we sang, “Count on Me,” over a bonfire. Most of the particiapants said because of the camp they feel more confident…and that’s what it’s all about! All I can say is I wish this seminar was around while I was growing up!
Singing “Count on Me” by Whitney Houston and CeCe Winans over a bonfire.
“Count on me through thick and thin ,A friendship that will never end ,When you are weak, I will be strong ,Helping you to carry on,Call on me, I will be there, Don’t be afraid, Please believe me when I say, Count on me…”
I now feel inspired. I feel proud…and I feel hopeful for the next generation. Congratulations Ms. Josefa Salinas! You did it! 🙂
