Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Gabby Rivera

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Gabby Rivera

Twitter: @QuirkyRican

Website: gabbyrivera.com




What she does: Gabby is a writer, a teacher, the Youth Programs Manager at GLSEN, and the author of YA novel Juliet Takes A Breath.

Why she's inspiring: Gabby writes about QTPOC issues, particularly those of young, queer Latin@s. Her work, including Autostraddle articles like "No White Tears: A Non-Guide on Dealing with Microaggressions from Your White Partner" and "36 Reasons Why QPOC-Only Spaces Are Very Necessary", educates her audiences on how to interact with others and how to love themselves.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Brittney Cooper

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Brittney Cooper

Twitter: @ProfessorCrunk

Website: brittneycooper.com




What she does: Brittney is an author, speaker, feminist theorist, and Assistant Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University.

Why she's inspiring: Brittney co-founded the Crunk Feminist Collective, "a space of support and camaraderie for hip hop generation feminists of color, queer and straight, in the academy and without," "a rhetorical community, in which we can discuss our ideas, express our crunk feminist selves, fellowship with one another, debate and challenge one another, and support each other, as we struggle together to articulate our feminist goals, ideas, visions, and dreams in ways that are both personally and professionally beneficial."

Wow. What a mission.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Phoebe Robinson

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Phoebe Robinson

Twitter: @PRobinsonComedy

Website: blaria.com

What she does: Phoebe is a comedian, writer, actor, television consultant, blogger, and podcaster.




Why she's inspiring: Phoebe created her website Blaria (i.e., Black Daria), despite the protest of a member of her management team who did not understand the concept of blogging. She also hosts the live comedy show 2 Dope Queens with her friend and fellow comedian Jessica Williams. And Phoebe writes comedically poignant works, including recaps of Empire for VanityFair.com and an upcoming collection of essays on race, gender, and pop culture called You Can't Touch My Hair.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Lexi Alexander

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Lexi Alexander

Twitter: @Lexialex

Website: lexi-alexander.com




What she does: Lexi is a filmmaker.

Why she's inspiring: Lexi speaks out about issues of discrimination in the entertainment industry, particularly those concerning colorful women. Both online and IRL, she shares her own experiences of navigating Hollywood as one of the few working female directors and represents for the often misrepresented MENA (Middle Eastern/North African) community. Lexi functions as a Mockingjay for the media revolution that will be tweeted, not televised.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Reagan Gomez

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Reagan Gomez

Twitter: @ReaganGomez

Website: ReaganGomez.com

What she does: Reagan is a writer, director, actor, the creator of the web series Almost Home and Surviving, and the creator of the podcast Reaganomics.




Why she's inspiring: Reagan creates her own projects. In addition to performing in movies and TV shows, Reagan has written, directed, and starred in both a short film and two dramatic web series. She also shares fire tweets and inadvertently functions as a more consistent news source than CNN.

I would love to see a Talented Tuesdays crossover series from Reagan, Brittani Nichols, Andrea Lewis, and Amanda Seales in 2017. Six seasons and a movie. Characters welcome.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Anna Akana

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Anna Akana

Twitter: @AnnaAkana

Website: AnnaAkana.com

What she does: Anna is an actress, writer, comedian, filmmaker, and YouTuber.




Why she's inspiring: Anna leads a purpose-driven life through sharing her comedy and telling creative stories. Through her often humorous YouTube videos, Anna conveys her messages about important issues like confidence, mental health, racism, sexism, friendship, identity, and cats to her 1 million-plus fans.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Akilah Hughes

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Akilah Hughes

Twitter: @AkilahObviously

Website: ItsAkilahObviously.com




What she does: Akilah is a stand-up comedian, writer, blogger, producer, YouTuber, and one of the few nonwhite UCB comedians.

Why she's inspiring: Akilah makes jokes and talks about important topics. Her video, On Intersectionality in Feminism and Pizza, humorously explains the serious issue of whitewashing in feminism. She also critiques literature while drinking; enjoy responsibly.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Nicole Chung

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Nicole Chung

Twitter: @nicole_soojung

Website: the-toast.net

What she does: Nicole is was a writer and the Managing Editor of The Toast. (RIPD 😪)

Why she's inspiring: Nicole writes about race, racism, racists, transracial adoption, diversity, APIA representation, and imaginary boyfriends like John Cho(!). Her words entertain, educate, encourage, and embolden her readers who are trying to make sense of the world.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Nichelle McCall

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Nichelle McCall

Twitter: @Nichelle_McCall

Website: nichellemccall.com




What she does: Nichelle is a speaker and the CEO of BOLD Guidance, a software company that helps students organize their college applications and helps colleges effectively recruit new students.

Why she's inspiring: Nichelle teaches other entrepreneurs how to run successful businesses. She has also worked with nonprofit organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to help underrepresented individuals gain access to education and entrepreneurial resources.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Rhonesha Byng

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Rhonesha Byng

Twitter: @NeshasAgenda

Website: HerAgenda.com




What she does: Rhonesha is a journalist and the founder of Her Agenda, "a digital media platform working to bridge the gap between ambition and achievement for millennial women."

Why she's inspiring: Rhonesha lives by her acronym N.E.S.H.A., "No One Ever Slows Her Agenda." Through her entrepreneurial venture, Her Agenda, and her writing, Rhonesha informs, connects, and empowers women by providing interviews, curated articles, events, and additional resources to help them succeed in their personal and professional arenas.

If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Mala Kumar

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Mala Kumar

Twitter: @malaskumar

Website: malakumar.com




What she does: Mala is a writer, the author of The Paths of Marriage, a project manager, and a UX designer.

Why she's inspiring: Mala regularly speaks out on LGBTQI issues in the international tech industry. She is bringing awareness to the systemic discrimination that exists throughout the world, particularly the complexity faced by QTPOC individuals working in international development organizations who may be forced to remain or become closeted.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Kimberly Bryant

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Kimberly Bryant

Twitter: @6Gems

Website: about.me/kimberlybryant

What she does: Kimberly is the Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls CODE.




Why she's inspiring: Kimberly founded Black Girls CODE after her daughter could not find the education and mentoring she needed at her computer science camp. Since its inception in 2011, Black Girls CODE has brought computer programming workshops and after-school programs to girls in underrepresented communities throughout the United States. The nonprofit's mission is to "empower young women of color ages 7-17 to embrace the current tech marketplace as builders + creators."



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Natalia Oberti Noguera

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Natalia Oberti Noguera

Twitter: @nakisnakis

Website: pipelineangels.com




What she does: Natalia is the Founder & CEO of Pipeline Angels, "a network of women investors that’s changing the face of angel investing and creating capital for women social entrepreneurs."

Why she's inspiring: Natalia, who speaks passionately about diversity, LGBT, and Latina issues, created Pipeline Angels to disrupt the insidious pattern matching white maleness that runs rampant in the Silicon Valley venture capital community. Her "angel investing bootcamp for women" helps new investors learn about venture funding, find mentors, and apply their new skills.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Morgan DeBaun

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Morgan DeBaun

Twitter: @MorganDeBaun

Website: blavity.com

What she does: Morgan is the founder and CEO of Blavity, "a community of the best multi-cultural creators and influencers in the world."




Why she's inspiring: Morgan created Blavity to address the underrepresentation of colorful millenials in mainstream media. She has built the website through bootstrapping, without any venture funding. Blavity partners with "diverse content creators and influencers to help them reach a wider audience, amplify their message, and fund their hustles." It is currently the top website in the world for black millenials.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Melissa Kimble

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Melissa Kimble

Twitter: @Melissa_Kimble

Website: melissakimble.com

What she does: Melissa is a freelance writer, Senior Social Media Manager at EBONY, and Founding Editor of #blkcreatives.




Why she's inspiring: Melissa "believes in using social media for good through education and empowerment" and sees her job as teaching "mission driven Creatives how to leverage their stories online for offline success." She founded #blkcreatives to build a community for other black creatives to share resources, showcase projects, discover opportunities, and feel less isolated.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Monday, September 19, 2016

Where's My Movie? Shirley Chisholm

It's Where's My Movie? Monday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspirational individual who has changed the world but, for some reason, does not have her own biopic. These women are amazing human beings who should be commemorated as historical game changers in textbooks and statues and monuments. For now, we will discuss them on this internet blog.

(For comparison, Steve Jobs has been portrayed in 11 documentaries, four feature films, and one theatrical production. He created a company that sells phones.)




Name: Shirley Chisholm

What she did: Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was a teacher, an educational consultant, the first black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, a founding member of both the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Women's Caucus, and one the first women and first black people to run for President of the United States.




Why she needs a movie: Shirley Chisholm survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Are there any movies about that? I didn't think so.

Coming to a theater near you: Yes, I'm Running for President. Of the United States. Of America.: Shirley Chisholm's Road to the White House



If you would like to nominate a notable lady for Where's My Movie?, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Luz Rivas

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Luz Rivas

Twitter: @LuzRivas

Website: diygirls.org




What she does: Luz is the Founder and Executive Director of DIY Girls and Co-Founder of KitHub.

Why she's inspiring: Luz's nonprofit organization, DIY Girls, has a mission "to increase girls’ interest and success in technology, engineering and making through innovative educational experiences and mentor relationships." Luz has already reached hundreds of girls through her programs and workshops, and she plans to teach thousands more.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Luvvie Ajayi

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Luvvie Ajayi

Twitter: @Luvvie

Website: luvvie.org

What she does: Luvvie is a writer, teacher, and digital strategist.




Why she's inspiring: Luvvie has been blogging and winning the internet for over a decade. Her websites AwesomelyLuvvie.com and AwesomelyTechie.com cover a range of relevant topics from pop culture to politics to business to social media. Luvvie is also the co-founder and Executive Director of The Red Pump Project, "a nonprofit that raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls." She is doing big things.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Marina Franklin

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Marina Franklin

Twitter: @marinayfranklin

Website: marinafranklin.com




What she does: Marina is a comedian and actor.

Why she's inspiring: Marina created Friends Like Us, "a podcast featuring women of color with very different views on Hot Topics."She and her Friends have developed a safe space for colorful ladies, especially those in the comedy world, to share their informed opinions on social justice, politics, sexuality, gender, transitioning, racism, relationships, motherhood, current events, and any other issues her guests would like to discuss.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Lela Lee

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Lela Lee

Twitter: @LelaLee

Website: LelaLee.com

What she does: Lela is a cartoonist, writer, and actress.




Why she's inspiring: Lela created Angry Little Girls, a growing brand that started with one Angry Little Asian Girl and now includes comics, books, an animated series, and additional merchandise. Her diverse group of Little Girls show her audience how to freely express the strong emotions that women are often encouraged to suppress.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Mia McKenzie

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Mia McKenzie

Twitter: @miamckenzie

Website: miamckenzie.com




What she does: Mia is a writer, speaker, and the creator and Editor-in-Chief of Black Girl Dangerous, an "independent, non-profit media project amplifying the voices of queer and trans* people of color since 2012."

Why she's inspiring: A black, queer feminist and award-winning author of The Summer We Got Free, Mia writes and speaks about social justice, QTPOC issues, race, gender, and identity. Her Black Girl Dangerous forum alone has "reached over 5 million readers from every populated continent on earth."



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Where's My Movie?: Sacagawea

It's Where's My Movie? Monday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspirational individual who has changed the world but, for some reason, does not have her own biopic. These women are amazing human beings who should be commemorated as historical game changers in textbooks and statues and monuments. For now, we will discuss them on this internet blog.

(For comparison, Steve Jobs has been portrayed in 11 documentaries, four feature films, and one theatrical production. He created a company that sells phones.)




Name: Sacagawea

What she did: Sacagawea served both as a tour guide and a Shoshone and Hidatsa interpreter for the Lewis and Clark expedition. She also functioned as a native ambassador for the party's 33 white men, who were scared of the native inhabitants they would encounter as they traipsed through those inhabitants' sacred lands.


[the most accurate video representation of Sacagawea's story that I could find]


Why she needs a movie: She doesn't have film about her, but Lewis and Clark do, in which Shoshone woman Sacagawea was played by white American woman Donna Reed. All of that sentence needs to be rectified. Not only because Sacagawea lead the overrated duo and their band of merry men across the country, but because she did so at the age of 16, two months after giving birth to her son, who was conceived by the 30-something-year-old man who had purchased Sacagawea as his slave/wife. Sacagawea then spent the rest of her postpartum recovery negotiating horse trades, saving emergency supplies from a sinking boat capsized in a storm, and walking to the Pacific Ocean through the Rocky Mountains, all while carrying a two-month-old baby on her back.

For his service, Sacagawea's slavemaster/husband received $500.33 and 320 acres.

For her service--without which Lewis and Clark would be two anonymous guys from the 1800s, instead of two of the most famous trespassers in American history--Sacagawea received nothing...

...until the year 2000, almost 200 years after her death, when her image was minted on the U.S. $1 coin. Yes, one dollar. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, and Andrew Jackson murdered countless human beings (and owned slaves, too!), yet their faces are on higher denominations of U.S. currency.

Coming soon to a theater near you: 16 and Pregnant and Leading a Bunch of Grown White Men Into the Woods, Including the French-Canadian Pedophile who Bought Her and Raped Her, Ain't That Some Bull-- The Sacagawea Story



If you would like to nominate a notable lady for Where's My Movie?, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Laura Weidman Powers

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Laura Weidman Powers

Twitter: @laurawp

Website: code2040.org




What she does: Laura is the co-founder and CEO of CODE2040, "a nonprofit organization that creates programs that increase the representation of Blacks and Latino/as in the innovation economy."

Why she's inspiring: Laura created CODE2040 to change the culture of Silicon Valley. She's not just talking about the demographic change coming to the United States in two decades (which is already here). She's doing something about it by piloting programs for individuals in underrepresented groups to facilitate their success.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Kimberly N. Foster

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Kimberly N. Foster

Twitter: @KimberlyNFoster

Website: Fuchsia.Media




What she does: Kimberly is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of For Harriet and COLOURES.

Why she's inspiring: Kimberly created For Harriet, "an online community for women of African ancestry" in order to "provide a thoughtful, collaborative alternative to mainstream media representations of Black womanhood."

Yes, please!



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Jenny Yang

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Jenny Yang

Twitter: @jennyyangtv

Website: jennyyang.tv

What she does: Jenny is a comic/writer and the co-producer of Dis/orient/ed Comedy, "the first-ever (mostly) female, Asian American stand-up comedy tour."




Why she's inspiring: Jenny shows her community that it's okay to wander off the path of being a "good Asian." When she started explore comedy as a career that would make her happy, she didn't like unwelcoming scene of "young white guys who always loved to talk about masturbating and smoking weed and why there's so many Latinos in Los Angeles." So, Jenny created her own scene with Dis/orient/ed Comedy, which features "unique comics of diverse race, sexuality and gender not often seen on mainstream comedy club stages." Very nice!


If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Janel Martinez

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Janel Martinez

Twitter: @janelmwrites

Website: aintilatina.com

What she does: Janel is a freelance multimedia journalist, CCO of 20/20 Shift, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Ain't I Latina, "an online destination created by an Afro-Latina for Afro-Latinas."

Why she's inspiring: Janel represents for the Afro-Latina community, a group who lives at the intersection of "yes, I'm black," "yes, I speak Spanish,""no, we don't all necessarily speak Spanish," and "I don't care what you think Latinas are supposed to look like." She created Ain't I Latina in response to the egregious lack of women of both African and Latina descent featured and recognized as such in media. (For reference, see Univision and Telemundo's programming for the brown paper bag test in action.) Janel has constructed a space "where millennial Latinas can celebrate their diversity."



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Where's My Movie?: Rita Moreno

It's Where's My Movie? Monday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspirational individual who has changed the world but, for some reason, does not have her own biopic. These women are amazing human beings who should be commemorated as historical game changers in textbooks and statues and monuments. For now, we will discuss them on this internet blog.

(For comparison, Steve Jobs has been portrayed in 11 documentaries, four feature films, and one theatrical production. He created a company that sells phones.)




Name: Rita Moreno

What she does: Rita Moreno is an actor, singer, and dancer.




Why she needs a movie: Rita Moreno has been performing for 67 years and counting. For stamina alone, she deserves all of the applause. The last project I saw her in was an episode of Grey's Anatomy earlier this year, in which she played a forsaken wife who gained back the love of her husband after he sustained a brain injury. She is an inspiration to actors everywhere, especially to Latinas and women of a certain age, as a multi-talented individual who has persevered in spite of the limits that her society has tried to place on her.


 
Gina Rodriguez at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors


Idolized by previous Where's My Movie? luminary Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, fellow Nuyorican Rita Moreno has not only sustained an extensive career in an industry known for its lack of representation of so-called "ethnic minorities" and women over 40; she has also won all of its top awards: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar (for West Side Story, featured above), and a Tony. And, like another previous Where's My Movie? luminary Dr. Maya Angelou, Rita Moreno has also earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts.

And, she was the animated voice of Carmen Sandiego!

Unless she cures cancer on Mars, I don't know what else Rita Moreno would need to accomplish to warrant a biographical feature film.

Coming to a theater near you: American EGOT: The Award-Winning Nights of Rita Moreno



If you would like to nominate a notable lady for Where's My Movie?, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Jamilah Lemieux

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Jamilah Lemieux

Twitter: @JamilahLemieux

Website: jamilahlemieux.com

What she does: Jamilah is a writer, speaker, and Senior Editor at EBONY.




Why she's inspiring: Award-winning blogger and black feminist Jamilah speaks out on issues of race, gender, sexuality, LGBT rights, and social justice. Her media influence reaches far and wide, from print to online publications to television appearances to social networks. 



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Woke Bae Watch: W. Kamau Bell & Kevin Avery

It's Woke Bae Watch Wednesday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspired individual who uses their celebrity to bring attention to an area of social justice. These are activists and allies whose good work should be replicated on a global level, so we'll start by discussing these changemakers right here.

(Disclaimer: Featured baes are not necessarily woke in every aspect of social justice. Watch at your own risk.)




Name: W. Kamau Bell & Kevin Avery

Twitter: @wkamaubell and @KevinAvery

Website: wkamaubell.com and kevinaverycomedy.com

What they do: Kamau is a talk show host, socio-political comedian, and star of the woke United Shades of America on CNN. Kevin is a stand-up comic, actor, and writer for Last Week Tonight. These two friends and former roommates host a podcast together called Denzel Washington Is The Greatest Actor Of All Time Period.







Why they're woke: From 2012 to 2013, Kamau hosted Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell on FX, and later on FXX. On Totally Biased, which Kevin was the head writer for, Kamau discussed current events with a perspective on inclusion not often shown on television. His commitment to social justice and diversity in media was evident both in his words and deeds. Kamau's writing staff, guests, and stories reflected a variety of genders, sexualities, colors, ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds present in the United States population, unlike most writers' rooms in Hollywood, particularly in late night television. Kamau also allowed his comedic correspondents to speak for themselves on issues they personally had more knowledge about, like gender fluidity in fashion, South Asian and East Asian representation in America media, and being a woman.

Additionally, on their Denzel Washington podcast, Kevin and Kamau don't limit themselves to discussing movies. They also have cultural conversations similar to the ones found on Totally Biased, including regular dialogues on the plight of WBAs: Working Black Actresses.

And finally, Kevin helped write this:





If you would like to nominate a woke bae for Woke Bae Watch, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Ashly Perez

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Ashly Perez

Twitter: @itsashlyperez

Website: You Do You

What she does: Ashly is an actor, writer, producer, director, and buzzfeeder.




Why she's inspiring: Ashly is a funny, prolific lady--with hundreds of thousands of followers--who represents for multiple groups at the same time. Her latest web series, You Do You, features a rarely seen story: the process of a nonwhite woman discovering her queer identity and coming out.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Ashley C. Ford

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Ashley C. Ford

Twitter: @iSmashFizzle

Website: ashleycford.net

What she does: Ashley is a writer, editor, speaker, and teacher.




Why she's inspiring: Ashley creates articles about LGBT issues, sexuality, crime, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Her words--particularly the pieces about her own life-- educate, entertain, and hearten her readers about their own lives.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Necole Kane

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Necole Kane

Twitter: @iamnecole

Website: iamnecole.com




What she does: Necole is the CEO of xoNecole, "a newly defined platform for women to share their personal stories, showcase their signature style, and speak their minds."

Why she's inspiring: Necole took a leap of faith and publicly rebranded herself and her company--from successful Necole Bitchie to uncharted xoNecole--in order to focus on positivity instead of negativity. Her transformed company now has a mission "to promote positive images of woman of color, as well as empower, educate, and inspire millennials through our beauty, fashion, lifestyle, career and travel features."



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Monday, June 20, 2016

Where's My Movie?: Maya Angelou

It's Where's My Movie? Monday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspirational individual who has changed the world but, for some reason, does not have her own biopic. These women are amazing human beings who should be commemorated as historical game changers in textbooks and statues and monuments. For now, we will discuss them on this internet blog.

(For comparison, Steve Jobs has been portrayed in 11 documentaries, four feature films, and one theatrical production. He created a company that sells phones.)




Name: Dr. Maya Angelou

Twitter: @DrMayaAngelou

Website: mayaangelou.com

What she did: Maya Angelou was an author, composer, dancer, director, journalist, orator, singer, celebrated poet, memoirist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist.




Why she needs a movie: Maya Angelou was and is an inspiration. The recipient of over 50 honorary doctorate degrees, along with the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Dr. Angelou shared her teachings throughout the world in her writings, her performance art, and her official classes at both the University of Ghana and Wake Forest University. Her lived messages of education, freedom, hope, peace, perseverance, triumph, and unity continue to touch her students across cultures, countries, and decades.

Coming to a theater near you: Get, Give, Learn, Teach: Dr. Maya Angelou: The College Years



If you would like to nominate a notable lady for Where's My Movie?, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Twanna A. Hines

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Twanna A. Hines

Twitter: @funkybrownchick

Website: funkybrownchick.com

What she does: Twanna is a sex educator and advocate.

Why she's inspiring: Twanna promotes "judgment-free, inclusive sex education and healthy interpersonal relationships." She wants "to make the world a happier, healthier, and more peaceful place." And she has been doing so with her funky brown work around the world since 2005. Sounds great to me!



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Frangela

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Frangela aka Frances Callier and Angela V. Shelton

Twitter: @frangeladuo

Website: frangela.com

What they do: Frances and Angela are actors, comedians, and radio hosts.




Why they are inspiring: Frangela have been sharing their humorous take on national events since the early 2000s. These best friends and pop cultural pundits are "America's back up & black up." Their comedy, particularly their Idiot of the Week series and their poignant tweets, provides a welcome alternative to mainstream newsiness. They have also reviewed my first novel, so that is nice. :-)



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Woke Bae Watch: Damon Young

It's Woke Bae Watch Wednesday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspired individual who uses their celebrity to bring attention to an area of social justice. These are activists and allies whose good work should be replicated on a global level, so we'll start by discussing these changemakers right here.

(Disclaimer: Featured baes are not necessarily woke in every aspect of social justice. Watch at your own risk.)




Name: Damon Young

Twitter: @VerySmartBros

Website: verysmartbrothas.com

What he does: Damon is the founder and editor-in-chief of Very Smart Brothas, contributing editor for EBONY.com, columnist for EBONY magazine, and co-author of Your Degrees Won't Keep You Warm At Night: The Very Smart Brothas Guide to Dating, Mating, and Fighting Crime.




Why he's woke: Have you read Very Smart Brothas, the oasis in a desert of crazy for bougie black girls and boys from the 80s, 90s, and today? If you have not, then please do so, and come back. I'll wait.

For those of you who are regular readers of VSB, you already know the levels of wokeness that flow through Damon and his VSB co-founder Panama Jackson.

That is all.



If you would like to nominate a woke bae for Woke Bae Watch, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Sujata Day

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Sujata Day

Twitter: @sujataday

Website: sujataday.com

What she does: Sujata is an actress, writer, musical artist, producer, and director.




Why she's inspiring: Sujata stays on her hustle. Whenever I see her pop up on my screen over here or over here, I say, "Hey, it's CeCe!" Now I apparently have to watch The Grinder because she was in  an episode of that show, too.

Sujata doesn't simply wait for roles to appear. She also creates her own. She's crafting a blueprint for other desi performers and colorful actresses--who are told to make lemonade out of lemons-- to follow by growing an orchard of lemon trees full of projects with non-stereotypical characters.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Eliana Murillo

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Eliana Murillo

Twitter: @Eliana_Murillo

Website: elianamurillo.com

What she does: Eliana is the Head of Multicultural Marketing at Google and the CMO of Tequila Alquimia.




Why she's inspiring: Eliana makes me think, "What am I doing with my life?" At age 27, she leads the Google Multicultural Marketing team, the team she founded. She also designs cakes (like Peeta Mellark), makes tequila, and supports philanthropic causes, including World Fund, Children International, and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Wow!



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Erin Jackson

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Erin Jackson

Twitter: @EJthecomic

Website: erinjackson.net




What she does: Erin is a comedian and a co-host of Exhale on ASPiRE TV. And she makes guest appearances on Marina Franklin's podcast, Friends Like Us.

Why she's inspiring: Erin is a funny lady who has been blogging since 2005. That's over a decade! She delivers humorous jokes, shares informed opinions, and serves as a role model for girls and women who need to see a comic like Erin--an educated black woman--doing her thing unapologetically in a field dominated by white men.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Where's My Movie?: Sonia Sotomayor

It's Where's My Movie? Monday! Each month, For Nerdy Girls features an inspirational individual who has changed the world but, for some reason, does not have her own biopic. These women are amazing human beings who should be commemorated as historical game changers in textbooks and statues and monuments. For now, we will discuss them on this internet blog.

(For comparison, Steve Jobs has been portrayed in 11 documentaries, four feature films, and one theatrical production. He created a company that sells phones.)




Name: Sonia Sotomayor

What she does: Justice Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.




Why she needs a movie: Justice Sotomayor is the first Hispanic or Latina Justice and the third female Justice to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States. She worked through a tough childhood environment to not only graduate as the valedictorian of her high school class but also earn an undergraduate and graduate education at two separate Ivy League institutions and fulfill the dream she had at ten years old to become an attorney.

Even though close-minded Republican Senators like John McCain felt that "an excellent resume and an inspiring life story are not enough to qualify one for a lifetime of service on the Supreme Court" and right-wing talking heads like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh accused Sonia Sotomayor of being a racist (takes one to know one, I guess?), the Justice was confirmed to the Supreme Court on August 8, 2009, by the Senate with a 68-31 vote. Justice Sotomayor continues to speak out for necessary diversity in the legal system and against matters of racial inequality and discrimination.

Coming to a theater near you: Wise Latina: Sonia Sotomayor at Princeton and Yale



If you would like to nominate a notable lady for Where's My Movie?, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Angélica Pérez-Litwin, PhD

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Angélica Pérez-Litwin, PhD

Twitter: @DrAngelicaPerez

Website: latinasthinkbig.com




What she does: Dr. Perez-Litwin works as "a social entrepreneur and psychologist devoted to advancing the careers and influence of Latinas in the United States and around the world."

Why she's inspiring: Dr. Perez-Litwin created Latinas Think Big®, "an innovative national platform that is galvanizing the careers and ventures of innovative Latinas, entrepreneurs and professionals across all sectors." She is building a global community of women ready to make an impact on the business world.



If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Talented Tuesdays: Daria Burke

It's Talented Tuesday! Each week, For Nerdy Girls features a digital innovator who inspires colorful women around the world. These are individuals who should be celebrated on a global level, so we'll start by talking about these changemakers right here.




Name: Daria Burke

Twitter: @DariaBurke

Website: dariaburke.com

What she does: Daria is beauty strategist, writer, speaker, and women's advocate.




Why she's inspiring: Daria created Black MBA Women, "a diversified media platform offering content, community, and career development for black women from top business schools." She also has written about women and careers for a variety of online publications, including The Huffington Post and MSNBC




If you would like to nominate a digital innovator for Talented Tuesdays, please let us know in the comments, or email us at ForNerdyGirls [at] gmail [dot] com.