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Honoring women of many colors
Honoring women of many colors
Nia Peeples, actress, singer, mother and charity worker, will be the keynote speaker at Women in Film’s Networking breakfast Friday.
Nia Peeples, actress, singer, mother and charity worker, will be the keynote speaker at Women in Film’s Networking breakfast Friday.
Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 9:06 AM PST
Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 9:06 AM PST
Women in Film's networking breakfast features Malibu resident and actress Nia Peeples, coinciding with the celebration of Black History month.
Women in Film's networking breakfast features Malibu resident and actress Nia Peeples, coinciding with the celebration of Black History month.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu's Nia Peeples, actor, top-charting singer and host of a new Web-based lifestyle seminar geared to women, will be the keynote speaker for Women in Film's monthly breakfast meeting this Friday.
Malibu's Nia Peeples, actor, top-charting singer and host of a new Web-based lifestyle seminar geared to women, will be the keynote speaker for Women in Film's monthly breakfast meeting this Friday.
Her appearance coincides with the celebration of Black History Month and a roster of guests whose personal stories speak more to the color of their character than the color of their skin will join Peeples at Chart House restaurant.
Her appearance coincides with the celebration of Black History Month and a roster of guests whose personal stories speak more to the color of their character than the color of their skin will join Peeples at Chart House restaurant.
Candace Bowen, WIFs membership director, said actor Calvin Levels, who recently wrote and produced a one-man play about African-American author James Baldwin, and Malibu's Louis Gossett, Jr., creator of the Eracism Foundation will be at the breakfast. Also scheduled to speak are actresses Marla Gibbs from television's “The Jeffersons” and Ja'net DuBois, chairwoman of the Pan African Film Festival.
Candace Bowen, WIFs membership director, said actor Calvin Levels, who recently wrote and produced a one-man play about African-American author James Baldwin, and Malibu's Louis Gossett, Jr., creator of the Eracism Foundation will be at the breakfast. Also scheduled to speak are actresses Marla Gibbs from television's “The Jeffersons” and Ja'net DuBois, chairwoman of the Pan African Film Festival.
“As women of color, we come together once a year to stop and reflect about our cultural ancestors, but also to make sure that we are ready to plow new fields and plan for tomorrow,” Bowen said of the event.
“As women of color, we come together once a year to stop and reflect about our cultural ancestors, but also to make sure that we are ready to plow new fields and plan for tomorrow,” Bowen said of the event.
Peeples starred in the '80s television series “Fame,” which was based on the popular film, as well in daytime and prime time TV shows. She also recorded hit dance club songs and was featured in People magazine 2008 “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” special edition.
Peeples starred in the '80s television series “Fame,” which was based on the popular film, as well in daytime and prime time TV shows. She also recorded hit dance club songs and was featured in People magazine 2008 “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” special edition.
“Actually, I am a woman of many colors,” Peeples said of her Irish/Native American/Filipino/Spanish/German heritage. “I don't seem to fit in anywhere, but I am allowed everywhere.”
“Actually, I am a woman of many colors,” Peeples said of her Irish/Native American/Filipino/Spanish/German heritage. “I don't seem to fit in anywhere, but I am allowed everywhere.”
Peeples has said others defined her for decades-studios, agents and producers, who primped, prodded, pushed and shaped the career of a beautiful and talented young girl. Motherhood, maturity and the reality of failed marriages brought her to a point of reassessment of priorities.
Peeples has said others defined her for decades-studios, agents and producers, who primped, prodded, pushed and shaped the career of a beautiful and talented young girl. Motherhood, maturity and the reality of failed marriages brought her to a point of reassessment of priorities.
“Women in particular must realize how important we are as individuals, not just as women,” Peeples said. “It is our nature to take care of everyone, so we tend to box ourselves in. And then years pass. Life happens that is scary. But suddenly, you realize that maturity is the greatest part of your life.”
“Women in particular must realize how important we are as individuals, not just as women,” Peeples said. “It is our nature to take care of everyone, so we tend to box ourselves in. And then years pass. Life happens that is scary. But suddenly, you realize that maturity is the greatest part of your life.”
Peeples was born in Hollywood and said she was lucky enough to come from a grounded family who supported her.
Peeples was born in Hollywood and said she was lucky enough to come from a grounded family who supported her.
“My father always told me, ‘You can achieve whatever you want,'” Peeples said. “But he never added, ‘But, you don't have to do anything.'”
“My father always told me, ‘You can achieve whatever you want,'” Peeples said. “But he never added, ‘But, you don't have to do anything.'”
Voicing the conundrum of many in the post-women's liberation generation, Peeples found herself trying to be the proverbial superwoman, a sexy star and a nurturing mother, a pop recording artist and a serious businesswoman, a public example to young womanhood and a private person for her family (Peeples has two children).
Voicing the conundrum of many in the post-women's liberation generation, Peeples found herself trying to be the proverbial superwoman, a sexy star and a nurturing mother, a pop recording artist and a serious businesswoman, a public example to young womanhood and a private person for her family (Peeples has two children).
“It's exhausting,” she said. “Getting it together is not keeping it together and you gradually learn that it's just as much about being pliable as being perfect. In my seminar, I try to explain that your strength as a woman comes from what I call the three R's: reassess, research and recommit. You never land on any one thing that works forever, so your success as a person depends on being able to change joyfully.”
“It's exhausting,” she said. “Getting it together is not keeping it together and you gradually learn that it's just as much about being pliable as being perfect. In my seminar, I try to explain that your strength as a woman comes from what I call the three R's: reassess, research and recommit. You never land on any one thing that works forever, so your success as a person depends on being able to change joyfully.”
Bowen echoed Peeples' assessment of today's women-of any color.
Bowen echoed Peeples' assessment of today's women-of any color.
“We do so much for so many that we become practically invisible,” Bowen said. “For me, Nia represents the best of women of color. She sings, she dances, she's beautiful, she's thoughtful; she gets things done. I honor Nia for just going out and doing what Women in Film tries to do.”
“We do so much for so many that we become practically invisible,” Bowen said. “For me, Nia represents the best of women of color. She sings, she dances, she's beautiful, she's thoughtful; she gets things done. I honor Nia for just going out and doing what Women in Film tries to do.”
The tsunami that hit Indonesia in December of 2004 was a defining moment for Peeples. The devastation of her ancestral nation split her focus from her career and propelled her to join a group of private relief workers called Surfzone Relief Operations. Their mission was to evade bureaucratic red tape and bring sustainable aid directly and immediately to the islands off Sumatra.
The tsunami that hit Indonesia in December of 2004 was a defining moment for Peeples. The devastation of her ancestral nation split her focus from her career and propelled her to join a group of private relief workers called Surfzone Relief Operations. Their mission was to evade bureaucratic red tape and bring sustainable aid directly and immediately to the islands off Sumatra.
Along with her brother-in-law and a handful of “surfers,” she helped pool financial resources, bought relief supplies like fishing kits, dugout canoes and barrels of water; chartered a 75-foot schooner and sailed to Sumatra to deliver the goods directly into the hands of starving communities. It was, she said, the beginning of a journey to reconfirm her own values.
Along with her brother-in-law and a handful of “surfers,” she helped pool financial resources, bought relief supplies like fishing kits, dugout canoes and barrels of water; chartered a 75-foot schooner and sailed to Sumatra to deliver the goods directly into the hands of starving communities. It was, she said, the beginning of a journey to reconfirm her own values.
At the same time, Peeples began to conceive of a new way to reach out to other women facing the doubts she encountered in her path to “wisdom.”
At the same time, Peeples began to conceive of a new way to reach out to other women facing the doubts she encountered in her path to “wisdom.”
Her online seminar “The Elements of Life” launched last month, an audio program available free for streaming or for a small fee as a download, in which she talks about beauty, truth and the pathway to both.
Her online seminar “The Elements of Life” launched last month, an audio program available free for streaming or for a small fee as a download, in which she talks about beauty, truth and the pathway to both.
“I'm honored to speak at the Women in Film breakfast,” Peeples said. “But color isn't the only thing that defines us. We are so many elements in our individual experience: our parents, our jobs, even the movies we watch. So we can't let any group build fences around us. It's about equality and freedom to be all of our experience.”
“I'm honored to speak at the Women in Film breakfast,” Peeples said. “But color isn't the only thing that defines us. We are so many elements in our individual experience: our parents, our jobs, even the movies we watch. So we can't let any group build fences around us. It's about equality and freedom to be all of our experience.”
The Women in Film Malibu breakfast will take place Friday at Chart House Restaurant, 18412 Pacific Coast Highway, from 8 to 10 a.m. More information can be obtained online at www.wif.org
The Women in Film Malibu breakfast will take place Friday at Chart House Restaurant, 18412 Pacific Coast Highway, from 8 to 10 a.m. More information can be obtained online at www.wif.org
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