Lilian Blankson, Ghanaian American, and Programming Manager, Writer & Producer for Black Entertainment Television Networks (BET International) launches ‘Rain Love’ Poetry, an inspirational collection of poetry book that intersects with photography and takes on the theme of love covering the complexities, devastation, acceptance, and divine restoration of love.
The launch party was held last month at the Jin Lounge in Washington D.C. and had in attendance some of the beautiful and powerful women used as models in the book.
“The Launch party exceeded my wildest dreams, ” said Blankson to Ladybrillemag.com. “I was so honored by the love and recognition that I was given especially when I saw BET Executives like Stephen Hill, President of Entertainment, there to support me.”
Another supporter present was Kai Brown, a model in the book, and Executive Producer and broadcast media professional whose experiences include working on the Academy Awards, the People’s Choice Awards and the Daytime Emmy’s. “Lilian is wonderfully gifted and she has such an amazing command of the English language – she is truly, truly a poet,” said Kai to Ladybrillemag.com. “You can personally feel and visualize every word, every sentence, every story, and they draw you in so deeply. The poems are powerfully captivating stories that speak to pain, love & hope like nothing you could imagine. It’s as if she walked into our lives and told our personal stories.”
Indeed reading through ‘Rain Love,’ there is that sense that Lilian does literally walk into the lives of millions of women and helps tell their stories. Lilian in her introduction in the book ‘Rain Love’ explains that she “believe(s) passionately in love, (and) if (she) hadn’t been left, lied to, cheated on, deceived and betrayed, (she) would not have been able to write these poems.”
Speaking to Ladybrillemag.com, however, she explains “The poetry is NOT all about me and the pain I experienced during my divorce. A few of them are, but a great deal of them are fictional accounts while others are other people’s experiences. I purposely set out not to write a woe is me book, but rather a book that will allow women to see that we all have pain and sorrow in love, but with God’s helping hand, we can get through it.”
For Ava Hall, Creative Director at BET International and one of the models in the book, “During the photo shoot, I knew that the project would reach a lot of people. The photo shoot sessions were such a high of love and unity and they were also deeply emotional. I knew then that the book would be a HUGE hit! . . .”
Leslie Pears one of the guests at the ‘Rain Love’ launch party shared similar sentiments. “It is not just visually beautiful (b)ut the layout and pictures are amazing. She captured women of all shapes, colors & sizes showing clearly that the pain and devastation from love affects us all. The poetry will make you feel, think, cry and rejoice – it truly takes you on a powerful journey.”
An excerpt from one of the poems in the book illustrates Pears’ point.
Ingredients
After years of searching
I have not found him-
the brotha who is man enough
to allow me to be woman
knowing that although I can take care of me
I will still depend on him to take care of we
The one who is not intimidated by my strong independence or strong will
understanding that loyalty is not conditional,
and that patience and compromise are innate . . .”
Check out some pictures from the event and be sure to visit www.rainlovepoetry.com to learn all about it and purchase your copy!
~Story by Uduak Oduok
~Courtesy Photos Lilian Blankson/Rain Love
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
