Interested in Going Back to Grad School?
September 22, 2010
Hey! Are any of you interested in going back to school? Grad school to be specific? Well I've been getting a lot of questions about the current program I am in. I am in my last semester in the MA in Media Studies Program at New School University. I have been actively involved at my university for the past two years and always love to share information on how to learn more about the program. No one can ever take away your education. If you are interested in my New School experience, just ask! I will be sharing some of my graduate school work on my website so be on the lookout for my posts either on my website, youtube, vimeo, or any of the social networking sites I frequent. For more information on the New School, go to www.newschool.edu. Also come to our open house...I am always there representing!

Community Service Venues for the Holidays
September 15, 2010
I am currently looking for soup kitchens, churches, or anywhere looking for volunteers for the holidays to either feed the homeless or give back in any way. At times I do have a list of venues and will try my best to compose one and distribute to my massive email list. I love performing community service for the holidays so if you have any ideas, please let me know and we can start to form a group and take to the streets on Christmas, Thanksgiving, or New Year's. For more info please contact me here or here.

Critical Themes in Media Studies Student Conference
at New School University 2010/2011
September 7, 2010
I plan to possibly take part in the annual Critical Themes in Media Studies student conference that provides a distinguished forum for graduate students from the Media Studies MA program, The New School, and around the world to present original scholarship on media studies and society. The work presented at Critical Themes reflects these shifting boundaries. Drawing inspiration from The New School's progressive academic tradition, the conference incorporates a wide variety of theoretical and thematic perspectives ranging from the social sciences and the humanities to design and technology, policy analysis, and urban studies. I plan to submit a personal short film I have thoroughly working on throughout my past two years in the MA in Media Studies graduate program dealing with the plight of a New York City radio personality to deal with the tragedy of 9/11 and informing the people of her favorite city. In addition, I am debating whether to showcase my thesis work at this conference on African American Women and Minority Media Ownership, at least focusing primarily on my videotaped focus group session. My decision will be made towards the end of the summer.

New School Senate
August 31, 2010
I am a new member of the New School University Senate for Fall 2010/Spring 2011! I get to be a part of the change at the New School---which I stress is strongly needed! Go to my profile on the New School Senate site and check me out! I am so happy to be apart of this team because it gives me a unique way to be a voice of the student body. In addition to the university being so diverse at times it can be hard for students to navigate through the big city of New York let alone handle the stress of such a big historic university with a bevy of its advantages/disadvantages, accomplishments and controversial issues.

West Indian Day Parade 2010
August 17, 2010
I will be participating in this year's West Indian Labor Day Parade in Brooklyn, NY on the Eastern Parkway representing Haiti while participating on Dahved Levy the (officially rude boy of 107.5 WBLS-FM's Caribbean Fever) band float. Join me or watch me as we walk along the entire eastern parkway from start to finish and send out special prayers and blessings to the people of Haiti and continue to represent the flag with pride and hope. There will be food, good music, and good vibes--please come out and support. Also, there will be opportunities to give back to Haiti through collecting more goods and funds to send to the people of Haiti. Any donations will be appreciated.

New School University Orientation Leader
August 3, 2010
This year (Fall 2010) I will be representing New School University as an Orientation Leader!!! I am so excited to be a part of the Orientation family team because my first experience as a leader at my alma mater St. John's University Queens campus was awesome and I made long lasting friendships. I am also excited to be the first face all of the New School freshmen and international students see as they come to this big new exciting world we call New York City where first impressions are everything! Once again if you have any questions regarding New School University and its programs/events, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Photoshoot with Derek Blanks
July 20, 2010
I once again came across the best opportunity in the world...a chance to shoot with the great photographer D. Blanks aka Derek Blanks is responsible for the celebrity alter egos...super cool huh? Look out for pics of this shoot! It's going to be awesome! Special shoutout and mention to my Haitian girlpower team from SJU of course Stylist Stacy Armand who is a long time childhood friend (from pre-k to SJU yall) and who is launching her OWN TV show (so exciting)! And also my college homie and Makeup Artist Ms. Natasha Denis devastating diva of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated Omicron Alpha Chapter St. John's University. Please check out their websites and patronize them! They are awesome!

Auditioning for 107.5 WBLS-FM
August 31, 2010
Guess who is auditioning on 107.5 WBLS-FM NYC? Your girl The Beautiful Stranger! Please listen to me as I audition on Saturday, July 10th 2010 from 6a-10a on my dream station 107.5 WBLS-FM. I am very excited to have the opportunity to hit the airwaves in NYC...definitely one of the most memorable and biggest accomplishment in my radio career! Please tune in for support and let me know what you honestly think of how I sound? Do you see more on BLI or BLS? Your voice and opinion counts! So please let me know!

Vote for me for MTV TJ!
July 11, 2010
MTV has come up with a great new twist on a job position called a "TJ" or a twitter jockey. Yall know damn well I am always on facebook or twitter actin' a fool..so basically all the time I invest in spilling my beans should be rewarded with $$$. Here's how you can help go to www.tj.mtv.com/open-nomination and nominate ME!! My twitter name is @BUtifulstrngr For further instructions on how you can vote for me read below (and I believe you don't have to be on twitter...if you do, just create a quick account...It's EASY!!!) Thanks in advance for your support!

1. Have your facebook account opened
2. Go to www.tj.mtv.com/open-nomination in another tab on your browser
3. Scroll down to Click that you're over 21
4. Click launch
5. Like zyncsm (or whatever that fb connect thing asks you to like)
6. Paste @BUtifulstrngr in the Enter the Twitter handle for your nominee:"box.
7. You can choose to share how you voted on your facebook or twitter or account
8. Whatever option you choose, you will be brought back to the voting box so you can vote as many times as possible.

DON'T JUST READ THIS...SPREAD THE WORD PEOPLE! USE YOUR VOICES AND YOUR FINGERS AND VOTE!!!

Agenda for Summer 2010
July 2, 2010
Want to know what else is on my agenda for summer 2010? My Thesis of course! For some who may not know, I am currently a graduate student at New School University and my thesis is currently entitled "Turning The Dial: on African American women in Media Ownership ...the future of our Minority Media Owners." I plan to gather a strong pool of the most powerful black women in today's radio industry and examine and explore their mind and world to get to the root of the issue of lack of media ownership...is it racism? Is it lack of diversity efforts? Follow me through my research and journey as I finally complete this thesis...then off to graduation in May 2011! Yippee!

Hip Hop Takeover
July 1, 2010
Check out the Beautiful Stranger on The Hip Hop Takeover which is 12 hours of Hip Hop Programming from noon - midnight on WBAI 99.5 FM Pacifica Radio. There will be NO COMMERCIALS on Saturday, JULY, 10th! So Tune in! The title of my show is "Hip Hop for Haiti: Still Focused" and will be airing at 3pm on WBAI. In addition, Romina "Mina SayWhat" Llona will be my producer for the "Hip Hop for Haiti: Still Focused" program. She is currently a programmer for Sirius SatelliteXM LOVE channel as well as on the programming team as an on-air personality, show producer, and voiceover talent for Sirius XM's "THE HEAT," a Hip Hop and R&B channel. Mina is the co-host alongside the legendary Fab Five Freddy on the Hip Hop Nation channel and acts as a host on The Heat. We will be receiving voiceover work from Sirius Satellite's own programmers Ron "Millz" and Sean "Sdot" Mascoll, WBLS own Ian "the Goose" Eligon, and special guests Dj Whookid and more to be announced! You can follow Hip Hop Takeover on facebook and twitter. **More importantly make sure to not only indulge in each of the programming but tune into my show as I reinstate the importance of keeping hope alive in HAITI as the struggle still continues...

A Night of Healing, Hope, and Prayer
June 28, 2010
Night of Healing, Hope, and Prayer with Bishop Hezekiah Walker of 1190 WLIB. My good friend and favorite gospel star Bishop Hezekiah and host on 1190 WLIB is holding a second Night of Healing, Hope, and Prayer where 107.5 WBLS-FM and 1190 WLIB literally shut down Times Square to remember and help those in Haiti. I will be introducing the professional dance group from The Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory Repertory Company to this special night to dedicate a piece to Haiti and continue to keep this disaster in the mind of others and aid in relief efforts.

Staying Healthy & Motivated
June 20, 2010
Staying Motivated and Staying Healthy seems so hard to do with such a hectic lifestyle like mine!!! Especially when finding the right diet or workout plan. There's P90X, Insanity, personal trainers, water diets, How to books, and the list goes on...join me this summer 2010 as I figure out the best way for the Beautiful Stranger to go from WHOA to WOW! I'm determined and will lose weight this summer. I have no specific goals or super promises, I just wanna do it! Help cheer me on by sharing your weight loss stories, motivations, methods, anything! Write me!

Career Day at PS26
May 24, 2010
Barbara C. De Laleu, The Beautiful Stranger took part in Career Day at PS 26 The Jesse Owens School on 1014 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. Career Day went down on Friday, May 21st, 2010. Representing the entertainment industry as a local radio personality, I joined a group of diverse professionals to take part in this excellent opportunity to enlighten today's youth by sharing professional and academic experiences. The importance of mentorship and career awareness is essential to our future leaders. The overall experience was very humbling and it was great and necessary to have peek into today's school system! As this was my very first time participating in a Career Day event, I cannot wait for the next time! A quote that was shared on this inspirational day goes as follows: "Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children." Check out a pic or 2 in my gallery on the site!

Help for Haiti Fashion Show
April 10, 2010
Barbara De Laleu, The Beautiful Stranger hosted the Help for Haiti Fashion Show on Sunday, April 4th, 2010 at Delancey Bar Nightclub in NYC for a dear friend and St. John's alumna Kathia Jacques-Simon! Co-hosted by former lead singer of the popular Haitian band Zin Veronique Jeremie. The show entertained its audience with performances by Mark Plaisir, Bennchoumy, Abraham N. Benjamin and more super talented acts. This event was to help in the relief efforts for the people of Haiti while supporting local fashion designers - most of which had extraordinary pieces on display. Many thanks to the designers who included Imani Whyte (IMANILIA), Ronnie Z. Crawford (Zebulon Crawford Designs), and Whitni Jones Dicker of (Plentitude Design Group) just to name a few, models, makeup artists, runners, performers, and most importantly the organizers/directors of the show Bijoux Kareen Augustin, Kathia Jacques-Simon, and Claire Seide. It was truly an inspiring and fun event! Big Shouts to IMANILIA for designing my dress for the event. Check out her website!!! Also, check out pics of the event in my gallery!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!
February 18, 2010
Barbara's 27th year of existence was one to remember!!!!! I turned 27 years young on February 12, 2010 and since it was exactly 1 month on the heels of the disasterous Haiti earthquake on January 12, 2010, I decided to divert the focus off of myself and focus on the children of Haiti who are currently roaming the dirt and rumble-filled streets without any shoes. Having been personally affected by this tragedy with still lost and dead family members, this was very important for me. With the help of my graphic designer boyfriend Todd A. Chapman of Black Enterprise Magazine, the birthday event dedicated to the kids in the earthquake was entitled "Kicks 4 Kids in Haiti"! The party was held and hosted by celebrity photographer Kimberly Butler at Kimberly Butler Studio in NYC(Special Thanks To K. Butler)!! Many of the Beauitful Stranger's close friends, co-workers, and family members attended with a special performance by guest beatboxer Terry Lewis aka 'Kid Lucky.' The event was catered by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Jean M. De Laleu, and cake by Make My Cake Bakery in Harlem USA-NY. The response and donation at this event was overwhelming and the collection surpassed a little over 200 pairs of 'kicks' and a variety of shoes!! Truly a complete Success! We ended up sending the Kicks 4 Kids in HAITI donations to the BARREL PROJECT at St. Clare's Church in Rosedale, New York. The Barrel Project is a program designed to help children in Haiti especially during the Lent season. The Barrel Project accepted children clothing, jeans, khakis, underwear, dress clothes, shoes and socks specifically for kids in Haiti. Because of the massive response, I plan on doing a part II of Kicks 4 Kids in Haiti partnering with other organizations looking to give back to Haiti so stay tuned for announcements or a party near you! Special thanks to graphic designer and my other half Todd A. Chapman on the logo! To see pictures of this event, please visit my gallery!

American Women in Radio and Television
February 5, 2010
For the 2009-2010 year I served as Vice President for American Women in Radio and Television New York City Chapter and with a new year comes new changes! Today my organization has been renamed Alliance for Women in Media New York City Chapter. The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM NYC), formerly known as American Women in Radio & Television, New York City (AWRT NYC) provides advocacy, educational programs, networking opportunities, and career development services to women in the electronic media industry. AWM/AWRT has historically provided a voice for women in media and allied fields, and currently through local and national efforts. Personally, I have grown through this organization from being a student member to membership committee co-chair to the 2009-2010 Vice President of the NYC Chapter. I have won various awards from BELL (Bringing Excellence at a Local Level) Awards at the Washington, D.C. Women's Media Forum to the "25 Women Who Rule in Sales and Marketing 2008/2009" featured in the Making Waves Magazine, a publication of AWM/AWRT. I am proud to represent this organization and to be a member for the past 4 years. I have found great friendship within this strong network of women and mentors who have always been there by my side. I continue to serve on the board, this year not assuming the presidency, rather working closely with the Programming Committee and urge you to join today! Please visit our website at www.awrtnyc.org or visit national's website at www.awrt.org. In addition, Alliance for Women in Media holds the distinguished annual Gracie Allen Awards. This year it was in Beverly Hills, CA and I attended! Check out pics in my gallery of me in the 90210! :)