home
T
|
he C.A.B Sharlisa
sat
down with Editor in chief and blogger of SocaMom.com, Eva Greene Wilson to
learn more about what she does.
Learn more about
this fascinating blogger below!
Here at THE C.A.B
we clearly love a good 'play on words' and amongst other things, that's what
draws our attention to you, SOCAMOM! What inspired that name?
Ever since my dad brought a Byron Lee and the Dragonaires cassette tape (that’s how long ago it was) home from a trip to Trinidad, I have loved Soca music. One of the great things about Soca music, is that just about every island (and non-island) in the Caribbean has embraced it, and found a way to make Soca its own. It is a sound that brings us all together. I wanted SocaMom.com to be a place where Caribbean families, from all over the Caribbean could find events, stories, and content that highlights the things that unify us, but also makes each country unique
Where are you originally from, your island origin?
My
family is from Trinidad and Tobago. I was born here in the US when my
parents came here for college.Ever since my dad brought a Byron Lee and the Dragonaires cassette tape (that’s how long ago it was) home from a trip to Trinidad, I have loved Soca music. One of the great things about Soca music, is that just about every island (and non-island) in the Caribbean has embraced it, and found a way to make Soca its own. It is a sound that brings us all together. I wanted SocaMom.com to be a place where Caribbean families, from all over the Caribbean could find events, stories, and content that highlights the things that unify us, but also makes each country unique
Where are you originally from, your island origin?
How do you as the SOCAMOM keep your Caribbean culture prevalent in your kids’ lives here in America?
We are lucky that we live nearby family that cooks, so they are very familiar with the food. My husband and I keep a kid friendly Calypso and Soca playlist readily available, and mix it in with the other music that we listen to when we are in the car or relaxing on a weekend at home. They just came back from a trip to St. Vincent, Trinidad, and Tobago to visit family. Going there and letting them see and hear everything for themselves is really the best route, but that isn’t possible for a lot of families. That’s why I feel like the content that we provide on SocaMom.com is important.
THE C.A.B, it’s a Vlog site, where STARLISA goes and checks out the best lime in the NYC area. As the SOCAMOM, how would you describe your blog site and you yourself as a blogger?
SocaMom.com is a blog and community for Caribbean parents. I am the editor in chief, and I describe myself as a Caribbean American parenting blogger. I cover anything that relates to Caribbean parenting using videos, interviews, educational downloads, and events. I host two offline groups in Brooklyn, NY and Washington, DC so that we can take their relationships offline and socialize with like-minded families.
In honor of women’s month as we feature you, who would you say are your favorite women figures in our culture?
There are so many wonderful women with Caribbean heritage, it is so hard to choose just a few. Since I have started blogging, I have met many who are not necessarily famous, but are doing great things for the diaspora. In blogging, I would say Patrice Yursick of Afrobella.com and Karen Walrond of Chookooloonks.com, and Claire Sulmers because of their longevity in what has proven to be a very difficult line of work, as well as their continued connection to their Caribbean heritage. Actresses; Cecily Tyson, Nia Long, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. I grew up watching Cecily Tyson, and I remember my parents being so proud of her Caribbean heritage, even though she was born here. It made me understand that being Caribbean is about what is in your blood, not necessarily where your cord was cut.
What is your favorite subject to blog about?
I love adding new educational downloads to the blog. I
feel that it is one of the places that I can do the most good for the most
people. I also like to blog about books for children by Caribbean
authors. Since I wrote my own children’s book, Anancy’s Family Reunion, I
have gotten to talk to so many wonderful authors who are working to make sure
that kids learn about Caribbean culture, and see themselves in the books that
they read.What can we look forward to in 2014 from the SOCAMOM?
In January, I started co-hosting the Caribbean Mom Chat on the second Tuesday of each month with three other Caribbean bloggers on Google Hangout and Twitter. I have also been hosting Google Hangouts with Caribbean authors to discuss their writing process and books. I have started filming my first documentary on Caribbean parenting, so hopefully that will be complete before the end of the year. In 2014, you can look forward to more offline family events, guest posts, and educational materials as well. This is our third year, so we want to continue to produce fresh new content in the most innovative ways possible.
At #teamcab most of us have grown up here and in the Caribbean so we have gone to school, lived and have not only family but good friends too. Tell us about your kids, and then give our mothers out there raising 1st and 2nd generation Caribbean children in the United States advice on how to appropriately keep them connected to the culture.
I have three children, two eight year olds (not twins) and a 14 year old. I have four pieces of advice for moms raising Caribbean children outside of the Caribbean. One, tell them how they ended up living outside of the Caribbean and why. They need to know the story of their family. Two, find restaurants that serve Caribbean dishes and take them there. Find Caribbean recipes, and learn to make them alongside your children. Research where the different ingredients came from, and how they ended up in the dishes that they are eating. Three, make sure they know all about the countries that their family comes from. They should be able to recognize the flags, speak at least some of the language (including patois), and be able to find the countries on a map, at the very least. It is hard to stay connected to a place that you cannot see, so find videos on YouTube that highlight the wildlife, music, and culture of their country of origin. Find local events that highlight the culture. This isn’t always easy, but on SocaMom.com we try to gather as much information as we can and add it to our calendar. We also have recipes, downloads, and videos that can help.
Eva Greene Wilson Bio
She has interviewed former Essence Editor in chief and Jamaican mom, Constance White, Trinidadian fashion trailblazer and winner of Project Runway Anya Ayoung-Chee, and Trinidadian stage and screen actress Hazelle Goodman, Jamaican TV personality and beauty queen, Kamila McDonald Alcock, writer and director of the feature film on Caribbean immigration, Home Again, Sudz Sutherland, American comiedian and actor Craig Robinson, as well as the most recent American Idol winner, singer and performer Candice Glover have all talked about career and family with Eva. She has provided sponsored content from a Caribbean perspective for companies like WeTV, Dodge, Warner Bros., Disney, HP, and Gaylord Hotels.
Eva runs two offline meetup groups for Caribbean parents, one in Washington DC and one in Brooklyn, NY. She published a children’s book, Anancy’s Family Reunion, in 2013.
Her family is from Trinidad and Tobago.
Social Media:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/socamomdotcom
Amazon - http://amazon.com/author/evawilson
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/socamomdc
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/socamom
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/socamom/
LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/socamom
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/socamomusa
Contact:
Eva Greene Wilson (no hyphen)
202-643-SOCA (7622)
By;SharLisa Peterson
Copyright 2014 Caribbean E-Magazine All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without credit..
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