Store Closed

After four years, Goddess Zuri is closed. This wonderful adventure has helped prepare me for the next chapter.

Thank you for all of your support over the years.

Peace,

Candace

Goddess Zuri is Closing | Entire Site $10!

For nearly four years, we've provided women with inspirational, unique t-shirts and accessories to reflect and glorify the natural beauty in them. And over the years, we continued bringing the inspiration through our blog which boasted messages of self-love and respect. Finally, we feel like our work is done and have decided to close up shop.

What this means for you is deep discounts on our remaining inventory. The entire site is now $10! And what this means for us is more time and energy to prepare for the next project.

Thank you for supporting Goddess Zuri with your purchases, blog comments, pictures submissions, social media posts, and overall eagerness to spread the word about our company. This isn't good-bye forever, but it is good-bye for now.

So, take a look around goddesszuri.com and fill your baskets up. From class tanks to bold tees, we're confident you'll find something to match your natural beauty identity. Our virtual doors will close on December 31st.

Goddess Zuri Special Offer: $10 Sorori-tees!

Goddess Zuri Sorori-tees are on sale for $10 thru Friday! Reg. 18.

Visit www.goddesszuri.com and start shopping!

Cool Down With A $5 Tank!

Stay cool with Goddess Zuri's B.U.T.FUL tank for only $5 thru Sunday, August 7th! Reg. $22.

B.U.T.FUL: The statement is simple: Beautiful. If you believe it, declare it with this tank. It's slim-fitting and made with 100% cotton. Color- brown.

Looks fabulous on the naturally beautiful.

Cool Down With A $10 Tank!

Stay cool with Goddess Zuri's 100% Natural tank for only $10 thru Sunday, July 30th! Reg. $22.

100% Natural: 100% Natural. No artificial ingredients. No additives. This 100% cotton, slim-fitting tank was made specifically for women who are rocking what God gave them. Real hair. Real nails. Real eyes. Real assets. Color- red.

Looks great on the authentic.

Should I Go Back To School?

I've been toying with the idea of going back to school for a while. About once a year, I have this "what am I doing with my life?" internal conversation that leads me to graduate school considerations. I've thought about a MBA and various master's programs, but I've never been really sure.

Then I had a conversation with one of my mentors about my dilemma, and he gave me one simple piece of advice that changed the dialogue of my internal struggles. "Don't go back to school unless you know what you're going for."

"Well, I'm going back to school to gain more knowledge, get more credentials and become more attractive to employers," was my natural response. But my mentor wasn't convinced. And actually, neither was I. His concern was that many people go back to school without good reason. He challenged me to think about what I really wanted to do and be and analyze which degree, if any, would help me get there.

The truth was, I didn't know explicitly how a MBA or other master's degree could help me in figuring out my life's purpose or reaching my career goals. I wasn't even sure what my career goals were. So, my mentor was right. I needed to ask myself more questions before deciding to pay out $60,000 to a university without knowing what I would get in return.

This year, when the "what am I doing with my life" conversation surfaced and school, once again, became a consideration, I was ready. I had done enough introspection and trial and error over the past year to know what program I wanted to investigate and why.

So, here's what I learned.

Going back to school is a common consideration for people when they question the course or purpose of their lives, but sinking tens of thousands of dollars into a degree without a clear understanding of how it relates to career aspirations is misguided.

Eating Well On A Dime: Tips from Coco

Of all the things we come across in life, money, or the lack of money proves to be the most stressful. The cliché is that “money is the root of all evil”, but for many, not having money leaves them stressed, frustrated, and sometimes miserable. Marriages and relationships succumb to battles over money management and spending. I have witnessed instances where spouses maintain “secret” bank accounts, others have their lawyers craft detailed and complex prenuptial agreements, and I have joked with many sista-friends about waiting for our significant others to be occupied, or ideally not home, so that we may smuggle our shopping bags out of the car trunk and into the house.

While the Obama administration is trying to grapple with a post-Bush American economy, the populace is forced to deal with the daily pressures of the recession. Unemployment is steadily increasing and under-employment is commonplace. Individuals with Master’s degrees are forced to work entry-level clerical positions, and they do so simply because, $1 an hour, is better than $0 an hour. Sadly, it is an Employer’s Market. It is common to see job descriptions posted on career sites and job boards that list requirements such as:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• A number of years of experience required
• Proficiency of an array of computer programs and software – MAC Office Suite, MS Office, FMP, QuickBooks, Raiser Edge, MAS 90, ACT!, Lotus Notes, Bentos, and the list goes on.
• Other certifications and licenses required
• Bilingual required (Spanish, Mandarin, etc.) despite the fact that the official language of this country is English

After all these requirements and an extensive description of expected job duties are made, these employer’s have the audacity to list a salary, that would hardly allow this qualified & educated applicant the ability to afford shelter, to feed themselves, as well as pay their student loans. The entire situation is deplorable, and for more and more Americans, it is difficult and depressing.

Unfortunately, many have foolishly bought into the idea of the “American Dream”, and now they are finding themselves shut out; even after they did the “right things” in life, that they were told would guarantee success.

Still, one of the most basic human needs that must be fulfilled is food consumption. Without food and the nutrients that we obtain from eating, our bodies will be unable to sustain themselves. The need to feed is innate. A baby doesn’t have to be taught to want to suckle on its mother’s breast.

This action is performed instinctively. Times are hard and learning the tools of discount dining or eating on a budget is essential. Spending a little time planning menus prior to a trip to the market can result in savings. Having a menu in mind, makes it easier to utilize coupons. Also, there are a plethora of websites that one may access to print coupons. Just goggle the terms “printable coupons” or “coupons”. Flip over your old receipts – Ta Da!! – there are often coupons on the back. Before discarding “junk mail”, check the local flyers to see if there is a sale on any goods that you may need. I encourage you to take advantage of farmer’s markets, as well as supermarket sales; such as Winn Dixie’s BOGO (Buy One Get One Free), which I recently discovered and absolutely love!

Buying items on a BOGO promotion may lead you to have to select a different brand than you regularly use, but make the sacrifice, experiment, and collect the savings. The best items to pick up during a BOGO promotion are those that have a longer shelf life, and may be used at a later time. Those on the West Coast should certainly pick up items at the 99C Store chain before they visit the supermarket. This chain often carries name brand items, as well as many basic pantry items, breads, spices, and produce all for 99 cents!

I would suggest that those who want to dine-on-a-discount, to expand their horizons and select generic items at the supermarket. Of course, some items should be viewed with skepticism, especially certain generic cereals, but most generic items are exactly the same taste and quality as the name brand. So why pay for more? My cabinet is filled with Wal-Mart’s “Great Choice” products. With an average savings of $0.50 to $2.00 an item, selecting these products is really a great choice.

Last, to truly dine-on-a-discount one must be willing to cook. Fast food expenses add up quickly and microwavable and frozen entrees can become costly. Be sure to stock you kitchen with the basics – flour, rice, seasonings, pasts, and potatoes. Add to the basics depending on your personal and cultural cuisine choices. These basic items should be feasible to use in a variety of dishes.

For instance, I can transform a bag of potatoes into several dishes:

Scalloped potatoes
Mashed potatoes
Baked potatoes
Potato salad
French fried potatoes
Potato stuffing – a traditional Virgin Islands dish
Or use them in a stew

The same strategy may be applied to other food items. Discount dining is simple, taking a small amount of consideration and planning. The current economy has made the strategy very important, and any family or individual who drastically needs to save money and create a spending budget, should adopt the methods of discount dining.

Here’s to Good & Affordable Eating!
(copyright) Eclectic Life Books

Popular Sale Returns: Spirituali-tees for 5 Bucks!

A popular sale returns: Goddess Zuri's Spirituali-tees are on sale for $5 thru Sunday, June 26th! Reg. $12.

Abraham's Heiress: The story of Abraham is one of faith, obedience, promise and prosperity and serves as an inspiration for this shirt.

Praying hands: Quite simply, there is power in prayer. Prayer changes things. This 100% cotton, slim fitting tee is an outward reflection of that truth.

Get them before the sale ends!!!!

God Bless The Child

by Hero With A Thousand Faces

“Momma may have, poppa may have, but God bless the child that's got his own...”- lyrics from God Bless the Child by Billy Holiday

Billy Holiday’s sentiment shared in her rendition of God Bless the Child is an anthem for independence. The origins of these lyrics allegedly stem from an argument a then struggling Billy Holiday had with her parents after they declined to loan her money. Holiday laments that it doesn’t matter how well off your mom or dad might be; real financial security comes when a person has his or her own assets.

Solid advice. However, these lyrics take on a slightly different meaning for me. I interpreted them in a way that leans more towards spiritual maturity and independence. As I reflect on my own spiritual journey, I recognize how the theme of these lyrics is interwoven throughout it.

I was raised in the South and followed the traditional Southern Baptist Christian narrative. And like many denominations and religious bodies, many Baptists claim sole legitimacy on truths about God and living. Even as a child, I felt a bit uneasy with religious figures who stood on blind faith and operated under the notion that their religion or God was above all others. I felt, and still feel, compelled to seek knowledge and truth using a balance of openness, humility, and critical thinking. My mind and heart reason that geography, where people live, has a bigger impact on their chosen religious practices than any other factor. With this line of thinking, I could make the argument that had I been born in Orissa, India, I may have grown to become a pious Hindu. If I were born in Guadalajara, Mexico, I may have grown up practicing Catholicism.

True spiritual growth occurs in our life’s journey when we come to undeniable personal understandings of our beliefs and principles. This personal understanding is attuned with our true selves and resonates in our soul. This level of understanding is usually acquired when our souls go through the hero journey. A hero journey is the age old story of one facing challenging times and situations that thrust the hero into the pits of his or her soul. The reward is true possession of that soul. It is a journey open to all and different for all.

As Billie Holiday reminds us, “God bless the child that’s got his own...” So how do you go about cultivating your own spiritual understanding?

Listen. When something resonates with your soul, there is often an “amen” affirmation that takes place within. I believe this is the higher self harmonizing with the seemingly contradictory elements and variables of the worldly self. Listen for it, acknowledge and build from it.

Eat Well, Be Beautiful

There is no universal definition of beauty. No rules on how long your hair should be, how tall you should stand, how much weight you should carry nor how much melanin you should possess.

In fact, my personal definition of beauty only requires two things, both of which are related to eating well. Confidence and good health.

What we eat can play a big role in determining our weight, the clarity of our skin, the shininess of our hair and the strength of our nails. All of which are common factors that can affect our confidence; so, it’s no stretch to say the effects of what we eat can build up or deflate the way we feel about ourselves; and there’s no doubt that what we eat is directly related to how we feel. Beauty is about taking care of ourselves, not necessarily about keeping ourselves up. The latter deals primarily with attention to the exterior. Developing healthy habits like eating small, regular, wholesome meals help cultivate beauty from the inside out. Eating healthy, in concert with exercise, can elevate our confidence, energy, strength of mind and body and help us maintain a healthy attitude.

Real beauty requires confidence and good health and starts with eating well.

Here are a few suggestions:

* Increase Metabolism: hot peppers, whole grains, broccoli, green tea, salmon, tuna
* Healthy Skin: salmon, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, spinach, turkey
* Shiny Hair: carrots, cantaloupe, wild salmon, tuna, walnuts, beets, berries, flaxseed
* Strong Nails: garlic, apples, onion, gelatin

Be Fearless

Be fearless. This simple two-word sentence sums up my personal mission statement. I've made a commitment to myself to be fearless in love, life, work and play.

Because of these two words, I've embarked upon some equally challenging and rewarding experiences. I moved to Chicago immediately after college, a place where I knew nothing and no one, to start my career. I bought a house when I was 24. I started Goddess Zuri when I was 26, having no previous knowledge about designing, constructing garments, importing materials, or running an online store. In 2008, I traveled to Indonesia alone after reading and being inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert's novel, Eat Pray Love. I started blogging two years ago despite my time-management concerns. And most recently, I tried out for the Carolina Panthers TopCats cheerleading team.

I don't have any formal dance training or experience, but I love dancing and movement. So, I went for it. In a little under a month, I challenged myself to learn four routines and their accompanying formations. I continually worked to improve my flexibility, posture and technique throughout the process to advance to the next round of competition. I made it all the way to the final audition where I left everything on the floor. Though I didn't make the squad, I am proud of myself for being fearless, pushing back my limitations, and building character.

Who Does She Think She Is?

Woe of Eve by Maye Torres

I returned home at about 5pm after spending Mother's Day with my mom in SC. I relaxed for a second, got some food, and then turned on the tv--a rarity for me. As I flipped through the channels, I stopped on PBS. I'll admit that I wasn't expecting to stay on the station long, but the program pulled me in.

I was watching a documentary called, "Who Does She Think She Is?" by Academy Award winning filmmaker Pamela Tanner Boll. It was a interesting look into the choice women make between mothering or working; their children's well-being or their own.

The documentary featured five extraordinary women artists who refused to choose and somehow balanced mothering and pursuing their passion; partnering and acting with independence.

The film follows Angela Williams through her struggle of finding balance with her family and her art in theater; Camille Musser who has been married for 30 years and painting for 20; Janice Wunderlich who is a Mormon mother of five and full-time artist; Maye Torres, a divorced mother of three boys, who lives and works almost completely off the land to makes ends meet as a working artist; and Mayumi Oda, an artist focused on goddess imagery and a cultivator who hosts "Goddess Retreats" on her ranch in Hawaii.

Everyone expects us to choose between ourselves and our family, but do we have to?

For more information on "Who Does She Think She Is?," visit www.whodoesshethinksheis.net

B.U.T.FUL Tank: On Sale for $5!!

The weather is warming up and so is Goddess Zuri's B.U.T.FUL tank sale! This tank was originally priced at $22 then permanently marked down to $12.

Goddess Zuri wants to unload the remaining inventory, so we're further discounting this tank to $5 thru Sunday, May 8th. That's a 77% savings!

Don't wait, and order your tank today!

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B.U.T.FUL--The statement is simple: Beautiful. If you believe it, declare it with this tank. It's slim-fitting and made with 100% cotton. Color- brown.

Goddess Inspiration: Ralph Waldo Emerson

CONTEST: How are you influenced by green?

How are you influenced by the color green? Are you on a paper chase? Do you take extra steps to care for the environment? Goddess Zuri wants to know.

Visit our facebook page and leave a comment on the contest posting. You could will this bracelet, made with hand-painted wooden beads from Indonesia.

Contest ends on Friday, April 1st, at midnight.

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What's Your Shade of Green?

Green. It’s a color that most of us wear but not every shade looks good on us. There’s green with envy, money green, environmental green, beginner’s green, and marijuana green. At some point in each of our lives, we’ve probably worn at least one of these shades. Which shade are you wearing?

Green with Envy. It could have been the skinny bella at work who set you off as you looked down at the 10 extra pounds clinging to your waist. Or maybe it was your friend’s near-perfect relationship that reminded you of your lack thereof. Or was it thoughts about your sibling’s professional success that led you to question your career? Whatever your reason is for wearing this shade of green doesn't matter.

Fashion consultants encourage avoidance of it as it tends to be unflattering and easily emphasizes the extra poundage you may be trying to lose.

Money Green. It’s hard not to be influenced by this shade of green, especially when society encourages possession of it. To stunt like people in music videos, you need it. To vacation like the folks on reality shows, you need it. And to simply pay the bills and keep gas in the car, you need it.

Fashion consultants advise that the motivation behind wearing this green mostly determines how it will look on you.

Environmental Green. Recycling instead of trashing. Biking instead of driving. Reusing instead of abusing.

Fashion consultants agree that taking steps to save our planet is always a good look.

Beginner’s Green. You've likely worn this hue at some point in your life if you’ve started something new without knowing all the ins and outs of the particular task. It could have been a new job, school, relationship, workout routine, or baby that elicited your inexperience.

Fashion consultants agree that this shade of green is OK to wear but not for an extended period of time. At some point it should be updated with a more ripened tone.

Marijuana Green. Weed, often referred to as ‘green,’ is a favorite shade for many people, and maybe you. It's said to have a calming effect and possess the ability to influence creativity, thought, and pleasure.

Fashion consultants warn that this color, despite its ability to calm and relax, can make you appear lazy and unmotivated.

So, what’s your shade of green? Have you worn any of these? We’d love to hear about alternate shades of green, too.

Goddess of the Week: Linda J.

Name: Linda J.

Hometown:Houston,TX
Hobbies: church activities, reading the bible, spending time with family
What makes you a fly goddess?: I strive daily to be an individual, to set myself apart from others, to be happy with who I am.
What advice do you have for women who are trying to free their goddess?: Be yourself; accept all that God has made you to be. "Don't be a clone."

Goddess Zuri is Spring Cleaning | 50% Off Sale!

Goddess Zuri is SPRING CLEANING! Get the I'm A Natural and 100% Natural long sleeve shirts for 50% OFF, now thru March 31st.

I'm A Natural- If you're a natural woman, natural beauty or natural diva, this is the shirt for you! This slim-fitting, 100% cotton waffle thermal crew was made specifically for women who are naturally fresh, naturally fly and naturally fabulous!

-Color- black or emerald with metallic silver imprint.

100% Natural- No artificial ingredients. No additives. This slim-fitting, 100% cotton waffle thermal crew was made specifically for women who are rocking what God gave them. Real hair. Real nails. Real eyes. Real assets.
-Color- black with metallic silver imprint.

Helpful Hints: Shirts fit true to size, but if you want a little extra room, go one size up.

-For longevity, machine wash cold, hang dry.

Price Tag

I recently found out about Jessie J, an artist out of London that hit the U.S. stage not too long ago, and I'm digging her style and content. Here's a dead-on description of her vocal style, as I see it, from her bio.

"Mix a bit of Rihanna with Gwen Stefani, add the charisma of Pink, and you will start to get an idea of what kind of girl Jessie J is. As much as she can be a voice for the hard times, those soulful, Aretha Franklin-esque vocals can also soundtrack the best of times too. Take the Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus) produced song "Price Tag"—an upbeat, energetic dance number that highlights Jessie’s booming voice and can still stand out amidst glossy production."

Take a listen to "Price Tag," and you decide if the description is accurate.

Goddess Inspiration: Christian D. Larson