Copyright © 2008 by Aginah Carter-Shabazz
ISBN13: 978-0-6152-3027-6 Softcover $18.99 Self Published
CHOICEZ is the riveting story of Aginah Carter-Shabazz, one of Philadelphia's most prominent cosmetologists who learned the hard way about the high cost of pursuing the "fabulous" life. The moving memoir reveals lessons learned about the reality of negative inter-dependent relationships. "Choicez do matter"
Aginah masterfully weaves readers along her journey revealing her poor choices and how they impact her life. Throughout the memoir, Aginah learns and grows, but the lessons of her choices don't fully take hold until she reaches middle age. Throughout the memoir, Aginah learns and grows, but the lessons of her choices don’t fully take hold until she reaches middle age. Whether CHOICEZ will succeed in helping you to remove the layers of programming and conditioning that is needed for women to make better choices awaits the reader in the exciting climax of this motivational story? CHOICEZ- How They Impact Our Lives. www.youtube.com/thebookchoicez
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aginah Carter-Shabazz was born on Mothers’ day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 13, 1950 to Donald and Elizabeth Glenn-Carter. She began her professional career in 1978 as a “sleuth” who was bound and determined to uncover the mysteries of having beautiful hair "working from the inside out." Aginah opened several hair salons complete with her own line of Aginah’s Herbal Hair Products in Philadelphia. She has served her loyal clients for over thirty years. Ms. Aginah's entrepreneurial thinking has taken her creativity to a whole new dimension. In 2003, Aginah was inspired to direct and produce Justice For Her, an award winning documentary following her daughter’s arrest, trial and acquittal in a capital punishment case premiered Mother’s Day 2008 at the African American Museum in Philadelphia with over 300 guests in attendance. This documentary reveals that the choices women make bring consequences never imagined in their wildest dreams. www.myspace.com/justiceforher
Today her motto, "working from the inside out," has taken on an even greater meaning and a far wider perspective. Ms. Aginah uses the message to influence the ideals of young women, helping them to understand that the choices they make in their hearts and minds will affect the rest of their lives as well as their ability to enjoy positive and productive futures.
Aginah Carter-Shabazz has received a large amount of press over the years. She has received numerous leadership awards, including the State Treasurer’s Award to African-American Female Entrepreneurs in recognition of her contribution to society and the West Philadelphia Economic Development Award. In a fitting tribute to her personal triumph and her professional achievement, Ms. Carter-Shabazz was awarded the 1996 Madam C.J. Walker Award by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., placing her among the nations' outstanding African-American women who walked in the path of an African-American icon. www.aginah.com
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS & BOOK SIGNINGS
Ms. Aginah has addressed audiences, including adults, youth and families, at Department of Human Services, International League of Muslim Women, Montgomery County Chapter of Black Women’s Educators Alliance, Baltimore Chapter of Sister4Sister Networking Inc. Aginah Carter-Shabazz has a host of appearances coming up over the next several months. SCI Chester Prison, Earn Center (welfare to work program), Weidner University, Community College, Riverside Prison for Women, ReelBlack Cable Television and Book Signings. In April, Aginah will be in New York appearing at Columbia University. The next few m SCI Chester Inmate Improvement Organization, churches, community centers, book stores, prisons and schools. Based on her experience, Ms. Aginah conveys the myriad of ways that we can all make better choices. “CHOICEZ will help you remove the layers of programming, conditioning, and limiting beliefs that can suffocate your spirit; teach you how to experience free-ness in your mind, how to affect your ability to manifest and attract what you desire; and how stepping into your full woman-ness or man-ness positively affects your love relationships with spouses, friends, and loved ones.” –Aginah Carter-Shabazz.
ORDER ONLINE: Hardcover ISBN13 978-1-4363-2222-5 $29.99
IN PERSON: Aginah's Salon/Office 7516 City Avenue Office 6 Philadelphia, PA. 19151 Email aginahhair@aol.com Call 215.878.1227 phone orders via credit/debit cards or visit your local BOOKSTORES and request CHOICEZ: How They Impact Our Lives By Aginah Carter-Shabazz
Share comments at CHOICEZ THE BLOG www.choicezthebook.blogspot.com
AFTERWORD
Writing this book has been a cleansing experience for me. I was able to revisit and face painful memories. I have walked away from those memories, now looking back at them as experiences. I am not the same. I love the woman I am today. I am not married and I am whole whether I am in a marriage or not. I smile when I think about how my friends describe me. They say I am married to the Internet. You can find me at my computer day and night. It serves as company and of course, as a source of information and knowledge about many different things.
I thank God for giving me the understanding and the discipline to have peace from the inside out. I own a small salon, one to which I can walk and at which I serve a small number of people who have been loyal clients over the years. I pray. I meditate. I am the captain of my health ship! I take herbs, homeopathic solutions and natural supplements to support my health, which is basically good. I am back to exercising. And I manage my time.
I also manage my money even though it is quite a bit less than I am accustomed to having. I no longer frequent the upscale designer clothing stores. I don’t drive a Mercedes or a seven-series BMW. I’ve changed those things because now, I would not think of having those things without those luxuries being backed up with a mutual fund, a retirement fund, and at least several healthy bank accounts.
Effect and Cures
The problems such as the ones many of us have experienced don’t happen all of a sudden. They begin slowly and grow. A young woman might be attracted to the big-talking guy—he’s cool in her young eyes. If she is successful at capturing his attention, she gains a sense of power because of who he is portrayed to be in certain circles of influence.
This is true, especially for women who don’t know who they really are inside. They seek and define themselves in the personality of another person, a man. Women gain a sense of power and self-esteem by capturing a man’s attention. This can be a seed of codependence—a woman who is more childlike emotionally, who needs to find her significance in the personality of a man. When women do that, they open themselves up to all kinds of unscrupulous characters because they are not looking for a good man; they are seeking a man that looks good. Lots of women fall into the clutches of a real psychopath because he could play the part and look the part. The cure has some long deep roots to be unearthed; you must dig deep. Dig deep? Yes, inside to search for yourself. In that process, you destroy the roots and remove the weeds. When they die, nail the coffin shut.
It’s May 2001; I lay totally relaxed on a beach in Nassau, the Bahamas, reflecting on my life’s journey. While being warmed by the sun and cooled down with a dip in the ocean, I am listening to the roar and revisiting the lives of four generations, my maternal grandmother, my mother, my life and my daughter’s life. What stands out most is that the choices we’ve all made are similar.
By making the decision to tell my story to the public, I put myself in the way of insulting comments about my character. By stripping away my modesty and revealing myself as a complicated person who is not perfect, I am allowing others to see for themselves that a less-than-perfect human being like me can help others by speaking out about my faults and the poor choices I made.
Sistah friends, I brought to you my life experiences because some women need to know they’re not alone and bringing to you CHOICEZ tells the story—even I was afraid to write. CHOICEZ has helped me on my healing journey. I’ve learned the lessons and moved on—so can you. Please take the time to think it through, whatever it may be. Take heed to God’s warning signs, pray, meditate, read, talk to someone, and ponder your decisions. Right now, make the decision to “make the right choice.” They impact our lives.
THIS SITE IS UNDER DESIGN DEVELOPMENT