PUSHING THE PARADIGM OF FASHION : BEV THE CREATRESS

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Bruce Walton Jr

The first thing Bev wanted to be very clear about is that this was NOT a hobby

Hobby?? No…more like passion work. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely started out as a hobby, but it soon became something that I felt led to do as often as I could. My imagination hasn’t let me rest since I began.
– Bev The Creatress

Bev was raised by a single father along with her two brothers. She explains the sometimes she wanted to find her feminine side under the tomboyish ways. It was easy for her to just blend in with her brothers while playing sports, playing video games and wearing t-shirts & comfy shorts. Although, deep down, she wanted to find ways for the pretty young girl within herself to be expressed outwardly.

At the age of 13 she finally discovered a way. She started to cut up and hand sew her own clothing. Thus, the birth of “Creatress”, which is a feminine version of “creator”. She found her way of expression and femininity at the same time.

Bev expressed that she may have gotten her creative boost from lack of resources. Growing up her father encouraged her to be as creative as possible with the things she had and never let the lack of money discourage you. This is exactly what she did. Like a concrete grown through the pavement, she made a way to find beauty out of an impossible circumstance.

At the age of 17 it was clear that she wanted to transition from hobby to business. She chose fashion as a major and it was off to the races! She prided herself heavily on making 1 of 1 clothing. Something that gave people an exclusiveness and helps combat insecurities. Her style of choice was predominantly “street couture”. It’s a mixture of street wear and couture clothing. Her own little niche.

” When someone has a hand in creating what they will sport to a very important event or time in their life, it truly transforms them and I am so grateful to be a part of their journey! “
– Bev The Creatress

During her college stint she went on a mental journey that explored her spirituality and knowledge of self. She paired this with a strong sense of awareness and cultural pride she grew up with (Afro-Carribbean) and let it translate into the fashion. To her, it’s more than just ethnicity that makes us special.

“I love all that makes us diverse within the African diaspora…yet we have cultural universals that connect us, from the inside out and that can never be overlooked. I KNOW that my divine spirituality and creativity is one in the same and it grows strong each and everyday I allow it to flourish.“
Bev The Creatress

During her time in college she had to get an entirely different motivation. Working and going to school in Miami, a place where it is beneficial to be bilingual with Spanish and English, proved to bit a bit of a set back. She started to notice that she would passed up on for jobs, contracts, and potential endeavors because she didn’t speak Spanish. Lucky, Bev was raised tough. She took on the challenge. She didn’t let it slow her roll. She is proud of her resiliency and says that no hardship is worth folding for!

Her most prestigious award came during her 6 year employment with Universal Studios. Her job there was to help design costumes for marquee events and park attractions. A team of employees within the Entertainment section of the company held an award assembly called “The Woody Awards”. Employers included in nominations were people such as performers, fabricators, technicians, escorts and more. Bev took home the award for Excellence in Costume Fabrication and Makeup Artistry. What made the honor even more rewarding was the fact that she doubted she would win because she wasn’t the popular one in the bunch. This honor sealed her confidence. to be credited by a professional platform spoke volumes as far as where she felt she stood within the society of artist. She felt solidified, in a way.

I asked Bev “What do you want from this”? Her response was so selfless that it was art within itself

“I just want to encourage others to allow their creativity to flow, whether that is through music, poetry, dance, painting, inventions etc. It will connect you closer to the Source, the original creator within that is bigger than anything we can fathom. Lessons and understanding will grow when you begin to think holistically, recreating yourself each and every day. Nothing is forever. Energy is always moving and changing. “
Bev The Creatress

Bev is very grateful to be surrounded by great mentors, colleagues, and creative friends. They really lift each other up and vent when things get tough. She loves the human experience and expresses that ” ‘ish happens “. Thats why she loves to be around open minded people and are willing to understand everyones journey.

If you wish to reach out to Bev the Creatress she can be found at bevthecreatress@gmail.com, Bevthecreatress on Instagram and Facebook.com/bevthecreatress

She offers custom clothing services, different levels of sewing and craft classes, and ready to wear clothing for sale.

Written By : Bruce Walton Jr aka Chunta Ankh

Natural Professional Bodybuilder Athlete of the Year : Diana Hubbard

Posted on December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 by Bruce Walton Jr

When you see a person with an amazing physique your first reaction is always to drop your jaw in awe. Why so? Think of the first thing that comes to mind. Dedication. Will power. Discipline. Even obsession, in some cases. These types of things don’t come over night. In fact, A lot of people who work out often still may not have the incredible physique that a bodybuilder has. The lifestyle simply takes more than an hour at the gym every day. It’s a complete lifestyle. Eating habits are different. Recreational activities are different. This type of life takes a firm choice. You can live a healthy life without being a bodybuilder. So why choose to be? It can be something as simple as seeing Schwarzenegger in a movie, being bullied as a child, or even a singular situation. Maybe you had a eureka moment. All I know is when I see it, I give my instant respect. Like a salute to a general in command.

When I first saw Diana, the first thing I thought was intimidation. Not towards me but in general. I’ll tell you why. Women’s athletics is still a growing spectacle in all categories of sports. I’ll give you an example. The first bodybuilding competition was held around September, 1901. However, the first women’s bodybuilding competition wasn’t held until 1979. Nearly a century later.

The push away from the stereotypical house wife role, to “We can do it, too!”, came during and after World War II. Even though women had already started fighting for rights around the late 1800’s, the public campaign came around the 1940’s. Since most the men were at war, woman had to show that they had what it takes. Even when society tried to keep them boxed in. This push has elevated to the incredible stature that it is today. Watching women such as Serena & Venus Williams dominate tennis, or watching Amanda Nunes destroy the UFC women’s division has definitely been a treat.

(Photo Cred : Marty Gottlieb)

I even asked Diana does she think she intimidates men at all. She responded, “No, in fact, I think it makes them approach me even more. I think they love the discipline aspect of it.”. This is that part that definitely intrigued me.

So what actually drove Diana to sculpt her body into this amazing physique? There may not be a definitive answer but she did tell me an interesting story about a scar she had on her arm.

As I gazed at every unique muscle on her body I noticed a scar on her left arm. You can almost miss it in pictures if you don’t look closely. Being a journalist I always want to hear the inside scoop, so I asked her about the scar. She responded,

“That’s where most of my insecurities really came from now that I think about it. I hated that scar and I would hide it all the time. It lowered with my self-esteem a lot. I broke it in a freak accident when I was around 9-10 years old. I was high up on a swing and fell off. My elbow hit a rock and broke it. My elbow that is. Now a days I embrace my scar. I’m not embarrassed about it anymore and I tell the story with confidence. It makes me unique and I like that.”.

(Photo Cred : Marty Gottlieb)

This simple rock story may be the reason that she is rock solid today. Mentally and physically. Her life started off pretty normal, though. I mean, besides the fact that she was home schooled. In fact, she was home schooled from kindergarten to middle school, which she explained was a “huge culture shock”. Diana was into athletics early, as well. She played basketball throughout her school stint and was a stand out player. After graduating from Bloomfield Tech in 2009 she attended Iona College on a full scholarship.

After a stand out rookie year, where she was the runner-up for rookie of the year, she slowly started to lose steam. She exclaimed that she has always been a shy person with low self-esteem. She believes this is the reason that she slowed down.

“So here I am, a D1 player who didn’t go pro or go overseas like “I’m supposed to”. I felt like a failure and had no choice but to look for work. A year later I decided to join a gym. I missed being active. I hadn’t realized that playing basketball year round was keeping me in shape and the sudden stop would make me lose it a little. I didn’t eat healthy, I drank, partied, and was overall unhappy. I was lost and beat myself up for years for not perusing a professional basketball career like most D1 players do. For 3 years I went through tough hardships that included relationships, self-esteem issues, health issues, and more. I was tired of living with no purpose. I needed a change.”

Around 2018 is when she regained her flame. She decided to challenge herself and compete in a bodybuilding show. She said she had it on her mind for 2 years before she actually took action. She didn’t feel like she was 100% focused and was nervous about doing something that would put her in the center of attention. Then she remembered the quote, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”. This led to Diana hiring a personal trainer and eventually a nutritionist. After 4 weeks on their plan she picked a show to compete in. She told herself no more hesitation, it’s go time!

She practiced posing in the mirror after she finished doing Lyft, which would be around midnight. She also followed her coach’s meal plan with precision. In July of 2018, merely 4 weeks after she began her training, she entered a Natural Organization called the INBA PNBA. There, she won first place in Figure Novice and Figure Open. Crazy right? This woman was determined! This expedited success came from a determined work ethic. Diana says she wants people to push pass the thought that they are “too busy” to push towards things they want.

“My typical day, before my first show, would be to wake up at 5am to Lyft. Then I train. I go to work and after work go back to do Lyft. Afterwards, about midnight, I head to gym again to practice posing. This routine is almost everyday.”

Later that year, Diana became certified in personal training and holds two pro cards in Figure and Physique. She has since competed in 8 shows over the course of 2 years.

Her most recent victory came Nov.16th at a big show In Las Vegas with the INBA PNBA, The Natural Olympia. She placed 3rd overall and was named the National Athlete of the Year by the same association. Seeing this amazing feat in such short time said a lot about her determination. When a person falls in love with athletics it requires a totally different kind of commitment. It’s a life style change. This brings some much fire out of people. It also makes you think more of your over-all health. A strange observation I made throughout the years is that the majority of people maintenance their cars better than they maintenance their bodies. Diana noticed herself slipping and not only bounced back but became something much better than before.

( Above Coach Marc Tauriello & League President Denny Kakos)

“In the end, it all started with me just wanting to be active again. The gym became my happy place. It became an outlet for stress and distractions in the world. Never be afraid to fail, for failure is apart of success.” Diana expresses.

“Bodybuilding is an extremely tough sport, physically and emotionally. Despite it’s difficulty, I find myself loving every bit of it. There are a lot of highs and lows. Especially dealing with the strict diet. Can you imagine eating the same thing every day for months on end? The temptation to cheat is unbearable at times. You might as well forget about having a social life during the preparation. It slowly diminishes. Through all this, the workouts only get more intense. I love this mode, though. I can sense that’s it’s challenging me physically and emotionally. Anything that pushes me in this way, I feed off it. Just like in my basketball days. The fire I got when we played a tough team. When I missed a couple of shots but was determined to bounce back. Even when I made a bad play and had to sit on the bench and reflect on how to improve. I love all of that. What I love the most about this sport is that it taught me a lot about nutrition. I will continue to eat healthy, have balanced meals, and diet naturally. I am a stronger woman today because I took a chance to go for something I wasn’t sure I was ready for, and made myself ready.”

BELOW

(Photo Cred – Marty Gottlieb)

Here is a list of placings Diana has had throughout her career as a bodybuilder.

2018 East Coast Classic – 1st Figure Open , 1st Figure Novice

2018 The Philip Ricardo Legend’s – Pro Debut , 1st Place

2018 Natural Olympia – 9th place (world) (17 competitors)

2019 The Philip Ricardo Legend’s Classic – 3rd place

2019 Eastern USA Pro-AM – 1st Pro Figure , 1st Women’s Physique (Earned Pro Card in women’s physique)

2019 The Nationals – 1st place in Physique pro debut

2019 Muscle Beach International – 1st in Pro Women’s Physique

2019 Natural Olympia – 3rd Place , National Athlete of the Year

Diana would like to credit her Nutritionist, Mentor, and Coach Marc Tauriello (Extreme Gym, Nutley,NJ) for her outstanding success thus far.

Today, Diana is still a full time bodybuilding and has plans to continue to have ground breaking success. She works and a personal trainer in between time. Congratulations on all of your success and keep striving for greatness!

Written : Bruce Walton Jr

This Mom Stayed In Shape After 5 Kids!

Posted on April 28, 2019April 28, 2019 by Bruce Walton Jr

Meet Venus Tutu! We stubbled across her after the picture below went viral!

Of course curiosity flew around wondering how in the world did she manage to do it! Most women are concerned about how their body will bounce back after pregnancy. Their bodies endure so much between weight gain and the stretching of the skin. So I asked Venus what her post pregnancy secrets were. This is what she revealed.

Venus was born in Liberia but moved to the states and was raised in Philly. She had her first child at the tender age of 17

“It was a drastic change for me, especially from my native background beliefs. Due to me having a baby so young and out of wedlock I became an outcast to my family. I went from having a roof over my head to being homeless/sleeping in laundromat bathrooms. I was still in high school, raising a baby with no knowledge of how to do so. I struggled a lot but my son kept me sane and pushed me to better both of our situation. He’s literally my life.”

Being so young, Venus felt like her body didn’t suffer much. She bounced right back into shape. She humorously replied “My breast didn’t get the same memo”. It wasn’t until her second child where she actually started to take fitness seriously.

Venus explains that after her second child the “gym” was a trending thing at the time. It just so happens that it helped her stay in shape. Her wanting to workout in hopes of bouncing back after pregnancy didn’t happen until after her 3rd child. She explains how she focused on foods she saw the best weight loss results from

“After my 3rd baby my snap back wasn’t as quick. I still had some weight left on me. Once I noticed that I started going to the gym more and changed my eating habits(not entirely). I also discover the foods/drinks that made me drop pounds in days”

Venus’s grandmother birthed 14 kids and her body was amazing afterwards so she feels a lot of it had to do with genetics mixed with hard work. She says she loves her body. She lives to show it off as much as she can. She inspires the be a model at some point in her life.

Her latest test was recovering from having twins! Especially since the previous child wasn’t even a year old yet.

This took a real tool on her over all energy levels. She’s explains thats the hardest part about staying in shape,at this point, was simply getting up.

Venus understands the struggle of parenthood. Especially being a single parent. These are her words of advice.

“Take them kids with you ! Find a gym that has a daycare center inside and go workout ! Most mothers want to workout but can’t due to them not having anybody to watch their kids. So find a gym that has a daycare center and go ! You may not see results in days or weeks but don’t give up ! Pick certain days to work on certain things and stay consistent! You know it’s working when it hurts. Pain should encourage you even more! Build up your confidence and kick ass when you’re working on your body goals ! Please don’t go to the gym just to post pics on social media…focus on the goals you set”

If you want to reach Venus for business inquires contact her at

venusktutu@gmail.com

Venus Tutu on FB & IG

Written by Bruce Walton Jr