Diva Zone ™ Magazine DZ 2018 Holiday Issue - E-Magazine | Page 3

2018 Special Holiday Edition Contents ON THE COVER: Ashanti VanEckelen Cotton and her now one-year old precious and amazing son, Wali Jr. Ashanti is a single mother, works full time as an offi cer for the NJ Dept of Corrections and makes time to run a small business to support her son without excuse! She creates custom designed denim clothing @abibs_ink. Follow this remarkable young woman on Instagram and support the work of her hands! @heyshanti_ and @abibs_ ink See a few photos of Wali Jr., beautiful Mom, Ashanti and his gorgeous grandmother, Jennifer VanEckelen-Andrews inside this issue. OVERVIEW: The DIVA Zone™ Magazine is blessed with yet another opportunity to share our hearts with yours in this special 2018 Holiday Issue! Our beloved publication is now offered in print (with national distribution) as well as an electronic format which will allow us to expand our magazine even further and make your reading experience more interactive; and prayerfully more readily accessible. It is also our hope that our readers are encouraged to electronically share with many others, what we believe to be a quality, well-balanced publication for our sisters. Check the website for a list of stores where The DIVA Zone will be distributed for free. We are counting on you to help us spread the good news! Inside this Holiday issue, you will be blessed by articles which will bring our focus on the things in this life that matter; things that money cannot buy. We have pieces on Joy, Peace and encouragement for anyone who may be feeling lonely and blue. You’ll be challenged to spend consciously and try your hand at some great holiday recipes. We also have taken time to acknowledge, strengthen and encourage our fi erce sisters who have been called to the task of Single Motherhood. We see you and we salute you all! The DIVA Zone welcomes our readers and supporters to join us as we celebrate this blessed season together via our Holiday Affair Yacht Dinner Party on Saturday, December 8, 2018 in Manhattan! Make sure to get your tickets and experience a wonderful elegant evening fi lled with holiday cheer! Go to www.divazonemagazine.com on the event page for tickets and more info. From all of us here at The DIVA Zone™ Magazine, we again thank you for your continued support, prayers and most assuredly, for believing in this vision. Although, we are but the conduit and God is the Master of this plan, the writers and editors remain in awe of the unfolding of it all. 3 CENTERING MOMENTS with Najiyyah 4 SPIRIT Got Joy? 5 Safeguard Your Peace 6 HEALTH 7 RELATIONSHIP 8 Managing the Holiday Blues 9 It’s a Wonderful Life FOUNDING PUBLISHER AND EDITORIAL DIRECTOR NAJIY YAH BROOKS MANAGING EDITOR -IN-CHIEF NAJIY YAH BROOKS SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR Madelin Dargan, MLD Communications CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / EDITORS Ann-Marie Bennett Monica Brooks Najiyyah Brooks Tosha J. Brown Sonia Sutherland-Cruz Tanisha Russell Day Linda Henderson Shani Tyler Jones Tashena Middleton Delayna Keller Watkins Maria Whitaker ADVERTISING SALES AND EDITORIAL OFFICES: Brooks Media Group LLC Toll Free 866-350-1150 www.divazonemagazine.com [email protected] www.brooksmediallc.com The DIVA Zone Magazine™ is published six times a year by Brooks Media Group LLC and has earned the readership of both national and international online audiences of women seeking to lead well-balanced, happy, healthy, wealthy, and spiritually sound lives. Contribution of articles, photographs and industry information are welcome, but cannot be returned. The DIVA Zone Magazine’s mission is to inspire, educate, uplift and encourage all women into well balanced and healthy living. Advertisers who offer products, services and events in support of our mission are encouraged to contact our Sales Department at 866-350-1150 or sales@ divazonemagazine.com © Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, including photocopying, electronic retrieval / publication without written permission of the Publisher. Eat Healthier this Holiday Season Are you Lonely or Alone? FINANCE 12 Holiday Spending COVER STORY The Joy and Pain of Single Motherhood 14 -15 Invisible Man 16 A Plea to Absentee Fathers -17 Can I Get a Do Over? 18 BUSINESS 8 Tips for Networking this Season 20 BEAUTY 21 Holiday Make Up Tips Reason for the Season Holiday Home Decorating with a Purpose 23 Arts and Entertainment 24 An Intimate Chat with Lord Yancyy -26 RSVP Etiquette 27 FOOD Gourmet Holiday Meals Prepared at Home 28 A Special Invitation 30