Tag Archives: New York

Bridging the digital divide in underserved communities: NY Social Media Week program

Social Media Week NY - Carla Franklin

A few weeks ago I organized a New York Social Media Week event that focused on bridging the gap between the tech industry and underserved minority communities. Entitled, Hood to Hipster: Silicon Alley’s Impact on NYC’s Underserved Communities, the two-part program focused on improving opportunities for women and minority tech entrepreneurs, and the importance of integrating technology in to community development activities in underserved areas of NYC. I was honored to have some amazing speakers and participants take part in this program. Special thanks to every who helped me make this event possible.

For more information, please visit the NY Social Media Week event listing at: http://socialmediaweek.org/newyork/events/?id=137229

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Event Title: Hood to Hipster: Silicon Alley’s Impact on NYC’s Underserved Communities

Part 1: Improving the pipeline of Women and Minorities in Tech [Tech-entrepreneur business pitch showcase and panel discussion]

  • Entrepreneurs
  • Judges:
    • Meredith Blount — Associate, Cooley, LLC
    • Alexandra Lutz — Vice President, Global Business Strategy, Huge, Inc
    • Mike Germano – CEO/co-founder at Carrot Creative + Chief Digital Officer at VICE
    • Steve Whittier – Group Creative Director at Big Fuel
    • Carla Franklin — President, Carlin Solutions, LLC (moderator)

Part 2: Bridging the Technological Divide in New York through Community Development [Roundtable]

  • Speakers:
    • Majora Carter — CEO, StartUp Box #SouthBronx
    • Mike Germano – CEO/co-founder at Carrot Creative + Chief Digital Officer at VICE
    • Evan Hines – Acting-Commissioner/Citywide CIO , NYC Department of IT and Telecommunications
    • Kyle Kimball — President, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
    • Kai D. Feder, Dir., Capital Budget & Economic Development, Office of the Brooklyn Borough President
    • Eric Adams — Brooklyn Borough President
    • Carla Franklin — President, Carlin Solutions, LLC (moderator)

Urban Gourmet: Fiddleheads & Ramps from the farmers market

Having easy access to fresh, locally grown vegetables through various farmers markets around the city is one of the best things about living in New York City.  Fiddleheads and Ramps are in season and pair well with fingerling potatoes and fresh, free range eggs for an amazing weekend brunch.   I made Fiddleheads today as a bunch sidedish, and will be eating them at least once a week until they are out of season (in a few weeks). Below is my simple and easy recipe for sautéed Fiddleheads.

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Carla’s Farm fresh Sautéed Fiddleheads

Ingredients:

1/4lbs of Fiddleheads
4 cups of Water
3 Tbs of organic Butter
3 medium Shallot bulbs, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tbsp of smoked sea salt
1/4 tbsp of freshly ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Remove any brown/yellow skin clinging to the Fiddleheads, then rinse thoroughly;
  2. Heat water in a small pot. Boil Fiddleheads in water for 3-5 mins.  Remove from water and drain on a paper towel;
  3. Melt butter in a frying pan over a medium flame;
  4. Add the 3 chopped Shallots and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pan.  Sauté for 3 mins, or until shallots turn transparent;
  5. Turn the flame up a bit, and add cleaned Fiddleheads to the pan;
  6. Sauté for 5-10 mins, until Fiddleheads turn dark green and frond start to get a bit crispy;
  7. Remove mixture from heat and drain on paper towel;
  8. Sprinkle with smoked sea salt and fresh pepper.
  9. Serve has a side dish

Office style: Red & Leopard

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I love mixing patterns and styles. Red goes so well with leopard print.  My dress is by Catherine Malandrino and the pumps are Steve Madden.  This look shows how seamlessly pricier designer styles can be mixed with mid-priced labels.

Ratchet or Refined: Keeping it real while panhandling

Ratchet or Refined: Will work for Weed; Carla Franklin

It takes all types to make the world go round.  This is probably why life in the microcosm of New York City seems to zoom by at the speed of light.  There are literally all types of people here.  In general, I prefer people who are consistently pragmatic and painfully honest.   Why?  Because that is my approach to life.  There is no need to “beat around the bush”.  Life is too short.  For the most part, my friends and colleagues always know where I stand.  Now, I do believe that maintaining civility and kindness are important when walking the path of honesty and pragmatism.

Given this, I truly appreciated the honestly of a panhandler that I passed the other day.  He wanted money for “weed”, and his sign said as much.  Disclaimer: I do not support or condone drug usage or raising funds through panhandling purchase drugs.  That being said, I’m not here to condemn these activities either.  Who am I to judge?  I do respect the honesty…the realness, if you will, of this man’s approach in raising funds.  There was no need to lie, or pretend on his part.  He “kept it real”, and was civil while doing so.  So, what do you think friends?  Is keeping it real while panhandling Ratchet or Refined?

Ratchet or Refined? I spy something big and furry…

Ratchet or Refined White fur Carla FranklinAs I commuted through Manhattan last week on the subway, I spotted a gentleman in a white, faux fur coat.  It isn’t often that you see a man in a fur in Manhattan, especially one that is faux and white.  The color contrast of the coat against his underlying royal blue shirt was amazing.  My interested in his fashion statement was piqued by his confident, nonchalant “hipster” vibe.  I wondered, “is he serious, or on his way to a themed costume event?” Where does one even get a white faux fur? Nothing about his demeanor indicated self-consciousness or any comedic intent.  Homeboy was totally comfortable and indifferent/oblivious to anyone (namely me) looking at his coat…and I totally respected that.  Plus, his coat in animal cruelty-free, so I had to give him credit for that also. He OWNED the look and WORKED the look (I give it 2 diva snaps and a smile).  So I ask, dear friends, what do you think?  Ratchet or Refined?

Ratchet or Refined? Dill Pickled flavored sunflower seeds

20130324-164751.jpg While perusing a local bodega in the city, I ran across a new flavor of sunflower seed. The Southerner in me was instantly draw to them. I mean, Dill Pickles + sunflower seeds?!?! What an amazing combination….a delicacy in which to behold and delight! However, my sophisticated New York transplant alter ego questioned the ratchetness of this snack. While some might deem this flavor of sunflower seeds as being “country as hell”, I ultimately decided to try them, and was very pleased. So, what say you friends? Are dill flavored sunflower seeds ratchet or refined?

Busting A Cyberstalker

Carla Franklin NPR

Busting A Cyberstalker

I was honored to speak with NPR’s Michel Martin about my personal experience with Cyberstalking several weeks ago.  I hope that others can learn and benefit from my experience.

Carla Franklin was cyberstalked and bullied for years by a man she briefly dated. She has now become an advocate and expert for online harassment. Host Michel Martin talks with Franklin about her experience and cyberstalking laws…read more here

Great article. In life we must take [what appears to be] the good with [what appears to be] the bad. We must embrace the Ying and the Yang…the balance…in order to grow, to improve ourselves and to become better. Dealing with and learning from rejection helps to build our mental strength, and prepares us for the path that we were meant to walk.

Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing Blog

By Aaron Hamburger

I’m an avid tennis player, so last summer when one of my partners canceled our game at the last minute, I thought I would get some extra practice by hitting shots against the wall of a nearby handball court.  Yet, after a few minutes of hitting, I became frustrated.  The reason?  I couldn’t tell whether my shots were any good because there was no net.

While in the middle of a heated tennis match, I don’t exactly feel warmth for the net, particularly when it snags a ball that would have been a brilliant winning shot against my opponent.  In fact, in such cases, I have been known to give that net a good hard smack with my racquet.

And yet once the net was gone, I keenly felt its absence.

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New beginings…new posts!

carla franklin new beginnings

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog, primarily due to personal and professional matters on which I’ve been focused over the past year.  Starting today, I look forward to actively writing about my passions and interests, my work in anti-cyberharassment advocacy, and, occasionally, my thoughts on political and social matters.  I am celebrating new friendships…new opportunities…and new beginnings…and look forward to sharing my thoughts with you in the future.  Thanks for visiting my blog!