Valerie Jarrett speaks at NABJ Hall of Fame Lunch

Photo Credit: Huffington Post.com



Valerie Jarrett in her signature white, talking and walking with President Barack Obama

It is Day 2 for Fashiona at the National Association of Black Journalist conference and she was given a ticket to the Hall of Fame Luncheon. She and the other attendees were looking forward to hearing Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Obama administration, who had graciously accepted NABJ's invitation to speak.

Photo Credit: Tom Maday

From left to right: Valerie Jarrett, Desirée Rogers, Linda Johnson Rice; in The Sisterhood from the August 2000 issue of Chicago magazine

Partial to wearing white, Ms. Jarrett looked lovely in diamond earrings, a multi strand pearl necklace, a two piece white top, and an A line skirt with a bow detail on the waist. In her remarks, she revealed while that SHE pays some attention to the fashion world, that President Obama pays no attention to the "Washington Chatter".

Valerie Jarrett (L) and Desirée Rogers (R) BEFORE they took office.


Fashiona

Naomi Sims: Black and Beautiful

August 1973 Cosmopolitan Cover


Before there was Naomi Campbell...there was Naomi Sims. The former trailblazing model lost her battle with cancer on August 1, 2009 at age 61. In her short 5 year modeling career, she was on the cover several magazines including Ladies Home Journal and Cosmopolitan. She, like business minded former models B Smith, Beverly Johnson and Tyra, left the grueling yet fickle modeling world at the top of her game.

Ms. Sims is known to many who grew up in the 1980's (Fashiona included) younger set as the "wig lady" because of her wig collection of the same name. Ms. Sims' multi-million dollar company was started like many other successful brands out of necessity. While modeling, Naomi was constantly disappointed with the lack of beauty products for black women.

Before weaves and no-lye relaxers, Naomi Sims' wigs gave women of color "hair options". A firm believer in "Black is Beautiful"....Ms. Sims also knew that all women need a bit of help to look their best.


Fashiona