Beyonce’ is giving everyone another reason to get in formation. This time the doted mommy, proud feminist and savvy entrepreneur is encouraging women to be active and healthy through her very own active wear line.
“Strong beyond measure,” Beyonce’s affectionately entitled Ivy Park is a beautiful comfy collection. Slaying in your workout ensemble is the perfect motivation to get fit and healthy. From bodysuits to over the high varsity socks and sleek leggings, Ivy Park’s can be worn on and off the field. Utilizing her dancers and Blue Ivy as models the Robin Harper shot ads for Ivy Park showcase a few looks from the two hundred piece collection.
Beyonce designed the line to specifically compliment the versatility of every woman’s physique. From ultra slim to beautifully curvy Bey is making sure that every woman can confidently work out feeling flawless. Ashley Everett, the Bey-Hive’s Dance Captain says, Ivy Park “is one of the most comfortable active wear.that I’ve ever tried.” Through a poetic video diary, Beyonce spoke about her motivation for getting up, running every morning and conquering her fears in life in the hopes that every girl and woman may do the same in their own life no matter what challenges they face.
Getting the phone call stating I had booked the commercial for Intel’s new campaign “Experience Amazing” was a dream come true. Often times in this profession, you are working non-stop and praying for a breakthrough. That is exactly what this was and it honestly all happened so fast.
One day after rehearsal my director forwarded me an email from a casting agency looking for a dancer with a story of adversity. I sent in my audition packet and they contacted me for a skype interview. I decided to talk about my experiences dancing with Scoliosis – a curvature of my spine that affects range of motion, balance and alignment.
I have always wanted to use this challenging experience as inspiration for others dealing with it as well. A few days following the interview process I was hired by Intel!!! I cried from joy and disbelief. A month later I was on a plane to LA. I was super excited and nervous because I knew how huge this was. I enjoyed my time rehearsing in the studio with choreographer Anthony Talauega and assistant Amy Allen. They pushed me each day and created a dynamic and technical solo that fit my movement style and connected back to my story. After that week, I was on set filming my first international commercial. I was fortunate to have my mother Alexia Fraser by my side to share this experience. Everyone involved on and off set was so nice and made me feel so appreciated. It was a long day on set but I was so fulfilled at the end.
Seeing the commercial air during the GRAMMYs and Superbowl is still so surreal. Thirteen years ago I thought my dreams were over. The day I was diagnosed with Scoliosis I was terrified. When I was diagnosed doctors immediately suggested I get surgery which meant placing metal rods in my back to straighten the curve. My family and I opted to not have surgery and we found a chiropractor by the name of Alex Eingorn for a more therapeutic non-surgical treatment.
Today I am dancing professionally. I am a founding dancer of Visceral Dance Chicago, and a former dancer with Ailey2. Booking the job with Intel is just another accomplishment that I am so grateful for. Looking back at the days when I was worried about my future as a dancer and ashamed of having Scoliosis, I can proudly say that my hard work and resilience paid off. My “Breakthrough Performance” with Intel’s new campaign came so unexpectedly but is one of the best things to happen to me. The best advice I can give to dancers facing any setbacks is to use it as motivation to keep going. The best things happen when we are ready. So do the work, prepare and be ready. Trust the timing of your life!
Physical, Spiritual and Mental,. These words describe yoga, a practice originating thousands of years ago and defined as a ” Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, which, includes breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures.
Yoga advocates andprescribes toacourseofphysicalandmentaldisciplines utilized to attainliberationfromthematerialworldandunionoftheselfwiththeSupremeBeing. There are a lot of skewed perceptions about yoga but former NFL Player, Derrick (DJ) Townsel is revolutionizing how people think about this mentally healing discipline. “A lot of people tend to believe that only rich, California stay-at-home moms do yoga,” begins Townsel, a former NFL player, now known to the yoga population as “the Rasta Yogi”.
“When I played with the Texans I would see guys tear ACLs and that right there was just a sign that I needed to do more stretches because that could’ve very well been me in a practice or a game,” Townsel spoke of the wake-up call leading him to yoga. His favorite pose has always been the Scorpion, but as of late, he’s been doing the Visvamitrasana (vees-va-may-tra-sah-nah), or the ‘Flying Warrior’–a horizontally oriented pose involving a lot of balance and patience.
He gains a lot of his inspiration from fellow yogi, Laura Sykora, who sparked his interest with the inversion challenge. “Just seeing how easily she was performing poses and how hard it was to get into them, I was like, okay this is something that I want to really get into and try out,” he laughs.
He’s also disintegrating the racial and gender-based archetypes by just doing what he loves—something that actually started out in the middle of his living room.
Despite his humble beginnings, the health coach from Florida has influenced many of whom may not have even met him in person. Social media has contributed largely to his efforts to break down the barriers these stereotypes have built. The Rasta Yogi also accredits yoga as a way to strengthen bonds with his family.
“Aside from the physical, the biggest part [of the personal benefits] is the spiritual,” Townsel discloses. “I grew up in a very Christian household, but I never really had that true connection with the higher power. But, through yogaand meditation, I have seen more than I have with some years of church…I was in church all the time and I would see people who were, you know, praising the Lord, and then fighting in the parking lot. I really haven’t been to church in years. But, my mom always calls me and asks, ‘Have you been to church?’ and I’m like, ‘Mama, my mat is my church.’”
However, preoccupying himself with his new passion did not come without challenges.
“Trying to clear your mind and be still—that’s usually the first one that people deal with, with meditation, physically just trying to get past a lot of years of lifting weights and playing football, so my muscles were extremely tight…I’m not going to say it’s been an easy journey but it hasn’t been one where I’ve struggled much. I’ve just surrendered and been letting things happen the way they are. I just know that I’m going through certain things for a reason.”
He defines strength as, ‘subjective’. “Strength to me could be different to somebody else. To some people it’s physical, to some people it’s mental, to some people it’s spiritual…it pretty much changes person by person. For me, it’s helping others finding strength. My purpose is to help people, so I find my strength helping others discover theirs.”
Some things you should take away from the West-Indian yoga instructor?
“The main thing is, I’m a very easy person to approach,” he says. “A lot of people, when they comment and I comment back on things [on social media] they’re like, ‘Oh, I didn’t think you would respond!’ I’m very easy to talk to. I love communicating with people, I love seeing people be the best versions of themselves—which is why I started personal training and PT [physical therapy] yoga because I like to help people realize the power they have within them.”
You can catch up with Derrick in Washington D.C on April 9th to start or continue your journey in Yoga. Check out when he’s coming to your town next here! For additional workshops and to keep up with Derrick bookmark his website and subscribe to his newsletters here!
I have an Arabian Dutch Harness mixed mare named Paris Hariq. A
strawberry blonde sorrel, she is absolutely beautiful and I immediately
fell in love with her at first sight. I remember walking out to the barn
where she was and other horses coming up to the ranch owner nuzzling her
hand and following us through the pasture. When we reached Paris, who
was then named Classy, she stood proudly allowing us to look at her but
she never dropped her head to nuzzle and she certainly didn’t follow
the owner to the round pen. Instead of standing still while the owner
saddled her, Paris turned her head and walked to the opposite side of
the paddock. Eventually she was saddled and the owner rode her around to
show me her fancy gait and admire the way she held her tail high, proud
with her Arabian heritage, but one thing was for certain, she had her
own ideals. The owner smiled at me as I fed her an apple, “She’s a
very proud horse,” she told me. Clearly I was unexperienced with
horses and so after purchasing Paris, I realized I couldn’t get her to
do anything I wanted her to do. First I had to assert my dominance over
her and then and only then would she become an obedient horse and submit
to me. “She’s an alpha female,” one of my equestrian friends
explained. At the words “alpha female” I remember feeling a sense
of dread. As a single black woman with her own PR agency, it’s a title
I’ve heard many times before. It’s also one I’ve learned to dread
because it is usually stated as a negative trait that results in a
lonely yet successful stretch of life.
Living in Atlanta, GA land of the successful black girl, I am surrounded
by women that share my ambition and passion to be a conscientious
influencer. In a city with over 80,000 AA single females the theory of
the lonely career woman that is too bossy to “catch a man” is an
urban legend. All of the woman in my past and immediate circle have
been varying types of alpha females, business owners, doctors, lawyers,
etc. we are over achievers and yes many of us are single. As an
entertainment publicist I have the opportunity to speak with men on a
daily basis and many of them are turned off by a female peer. “I
don’t want an alpha female,” one told me bluntly, “I need a woman
who is able to support me and put me first.” Quite a hard pill to
swallow for someone who has become comfortable with the woman they are
and have realized that authenticity is the passageway to inner peace. So
if I am an alpha female, now what?
Aside from constantly hearing negative feedback on alpha females from my
entertainment industry counterparts, I began working with my pride and
joy two summers ago, almost every other day. Paris was hard to win over
and very stubborn. I brought apples, carrot sticks and all types of
treats but she remained stand offish, preferring instead to boss around
the other horses instead of canoodle with me when I appeared at the
barn. One day while riding her a trainer saw me struggling with getting
her to leave the barn. “She’s afraid of everything, “he said in a
brisk accent. “What do you mean she’s afraid? She just doesn’t do
anything I want her to do,” I replied frustrated. He laughed out loud
to my chagrin. “No she is afraid. Your horse is a leader; she wants to
be in control. You’re taking her someplace that she isn’t familiar
and that’s scary to her. She doesn’t trust you to lead her. You have
to gain her trust.”
The trainer’s words struck a chord in me and I realized how much I had
in common with my horse. A passionate creative who has always been
confident in her work, I feel comfortable when operating at work. I am
confident in my skillset and know what I bring to the table. Much like
Paris at her barn and pasture; the PR/Marketing field is my terrain and
there are few people who can tell me things I don’t know about PR
strategy. It would be shocking for people outside of my close circle
of family and friends to know that when she takes her work hat off, the
PR girl with almost 10k Instagram followers, is painfully shy and would
rather be in a small group of friends than around a group of strangers.
Professionally social but personally introverted I struggle to balance
those two worlds. Like Paris, when out of my comfort zone I could be
read as resistant and stubborn even, but the truth is the resistance is
a sign of being uncomfortable and yes afraid.
Like myself many of my colleagues are extremely confident when it comes
to their trade, but unsure of themselves when interacting on a non-work
level with people, especially the opposite sex. To be judged for
something outside of work is something that makes an over achiever feel
vulnerable almost to the point of panicking. Many of us thrive on our
ability to conquer our weaknesses through determination and being a
conscientious worker, these formulas don’t always translate the same
way to interpersonal relationship. There are no tests, licenses or
degrees that can guarantee success in intimate relationships so it
leaves many alpha females feeling unsure of themselves and unable to
cope.
After working with Paris consistently for almost a year, I pulled into
the driveway leading to her pasture one day not expecting anything
different than our usual routine. I had my bag of treats and my tack and
was preparing to get out of the car when I looked up and saw her
barreling towards the gate after recognizing my truck. It brought tears
to my eyes that not only did she recognize me but she knew the sound of
my truck pulling up on the gravel. Her reception made every trip that
summer worth it. Not only did she start coming to the gate when I
pulled up but she’d also follow me when I went to get her and
eventually she started listening and obeying my commands. We were on a
camping trip one day and another rider remarked, “Wow you can tell
that’s your horse. She doesn’t want to be bothered with anyone
else.” My goal had been to have a relationship with my horse that was
special and this was proof that we’d finally gotten there.
Some of the characteristics assigned to alpha females in psychology
studies include being fiercely loyal and supportive of those they love.
While I don’t believe some men are cut out to be in a relationship
with an alpha female, I would suggest to others– they could be missing
out on a great partner. I am a testament with my willful mare Paris
Hariq. Although she wasn’t easily impressed, once I’d won her over,
the relationship has proved uniquely ours and the bond is stronger than
most owners have with their horses. She isn’t going to follow the
first person that walks up to the fence with an apple and for me that
reward was worth the wait.
By Christal Jordan
Christal Jordan is the principal behind Enchanted Branding & Public Relations, a premiere entertainment agency based in Atlanta, GA. Jordan is also a freelance journalist and published author. You can follow her on Twitter or Instagram via @enchantepr
She is happy to be alive. She survived more than just the economic crisis that most entrepreneurs had to face. Sherilyn K. Smith-Rudolph almost didn’t make it to see herself become the nationally recognized executive that she is. She almost wasn’t there to accept her award as entrepreneur of the year- but on an unusually beautiful November night in Dallas, Texas Rudolph was in fact present as she was honored by the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce for her exceptional work as the owner and CEO of Enigma LLC- a start-up that she created after years of working as a photographer at the highly acclaimed Dallas Weekly newspaper. Dressed in a strikingly elegant black gown, Rudolph looked beautiful and flawless. Her hair was impeccably styled by premiere celebrity stylist, Dionne Alexander (whose previous clients include Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin, and Iman) and just like them Rudolph was shining like a star. The immensely tall and slender executive could’ve easily been mistaken as a former Yves St. Laurent runway model. Her life seemed picturesque to the high level professional executives and CEO’s who cheered for her during The elite Quest for Success gala that honored Black entrepreneurs once a year.
The Quest for Success Award recipients represents the best in the entrepreneur field. Rudolph’s exceptional national reach, diverse client base and unequivocal success in marketing and event planning had brought her to this point. Over the years she worked on projects such as the Superbowl, Megafest, and the NBA All Star Weekend. On the theatrical side, Enigma LLC orchestrated the marketing and promotions for Porgy & Bess, Fela and Dream Girls. Rudolph even managed to snag the contract for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators Conference. All of these achievements add to her immense portfolio and rise as one of the country’s leading female entrepreneurs. Her keen ability to forecast when and where to penetrate marketing strategies is an attribute Rudolph honed at the Dallas weekly and carried into her own company. Rudolph’s tactical vision and implementation has set a high precedence in event management and marketing separating her from other companies in her field. Over the years her company has been the agency of choice for clients such as General Motors, Dell, American Airlines, NBA Star Chris Bosh, Kenyon Martin and a slew of other NBA and NFL players.
Abesi, Sherilyn and her client, NBA star Kenyon Martin
National news anchor, Roland Martin who formerly worked with Rudolph at the Dallas Weekly attributes Rudolph entrepreneurial success to her honesty and ability to always deliver beyond expectations. “Sherilyn has always exhibited a strong degree of professionalism and excellence about her that is unmatched. I have always been able to trust her explicitly and have always known that when she says it’s handled than it’s handled. That type of honesty is rare,” says Martin.
Ironically, for years there was one thing Rudolph had been dishonest about. From the outside looking in , Rudolph’s life looks liked it belongs in the pages of Ebony magazine or some southern high society publication where women drink tea wearing white gloves and those ambitious oversized hats. She has a doting husband and an adorable toddler who hates to be separated from his mommy when it’s time to trade in his home life for day-care. Rudolph’s intelligence confidence, wit and humor has certainly gotten her far but it is her learned survival tactics that has really made her who she is. Before meeting her husband, Rudolph was in a long-term on again- off-again relationship with her college sweetheart that was physically and emotionally abusive beyond belief.
“Every day was a masquerade and I was constantly hiding bruises and lying to the people I loved and cared about because I was ashamed of my reality. I was dishonest to the people who loved me the most. I was so consumed with loving him that I didn’t even consider to love myself. I had endured tremendous loss with the death of my father and grandmother and somehow over time I had become addictive to a love that wasn’t even love at all. I endured mental, emotional and physical abuse to a point in which it started to feel normal for me. I thought that ending my life was my only resort out of my profound sadness and shame. The only reason I didn’t ever follow through with suicide was because I didn’t know how my mother could handle burying me.”
This destructive relationship spanned over thirteen years until one day Rudolph almost died at the hands of her boyfriend. He almost killed her but she survived. It was after that moment that the executive decided to not only be successful in business but in life as well. After winning the Entrepreneur of the Year award in Dallas, Rudolph received a scholarship to the Tuck School of Business at the prestigious, Dartmouth college. “As an Entrepreneur its rare that you receive feedback on where you’re strong and where you’re weak. This applies to life as well. A mentor is needed and i got this through Dartmouth. Emotionally i broke down because i felt like I found a place that understood me and i felt rebuilt. Dartmouth helped me realize my worth. When I came close to giving up, I was giving up on life but ironically the trials and triumphs I endured as an entrepreneur strengthened me to hold on. I knew that if I changed my mindset and had a better vision and strategy for my life than things would get better. That’s what we do in business and we have to apply the same tools to our personal lives. I am alive for a reason and I plan to make my time in this world worthwhile—not just to myself but to other women, mothers and sisters without voices. Not everyone is strong enough to share their story and some women are not even here to do so- but I am. I am so happy to be alive.” Rudolph championed her entrepreneur platform to mentor young female business owners and now supports a battered women’s shelter.–
If the luck of the Irish bares any truth than a compelling new film may just become one of the best independent documentaries of the year. With only 5 years of formal education, a County Mayo, Ireland native has accomplished a rare feat by landing a world-wide distribution deal for his documentary, Rednecks + Culchies. As an Irish immigrant living in the Midwestern city that has dominated world news headlines since the killing of unarmed teenager Mike Brown, Anthony Monaghan’s perspective of the city of St. Louis comes from a unique angle that is rarely seen. Monaghan connects experiences of his own life as an immigrant with that of his employees and friends who reveal the common thread that they all share living in a city harshly divided by class and dis-proportionally impacted by violence.
In Rednecks + Culchies, the budding director who owns a thriving construction company gives an intimate glimpse of the other side of St. Louis through the lives of his employees and the stories that deeply connects them to his mission to end poverty by providing opportunities. Despite the fact, that Monaghan had worked construction jobs around the world, never before had he encountered anything like the harsh disparities in the lives of American construction workers. Rednecks + Culchies delves inside the hidden world of Monaghan’s workers who are brilliantly skilled craftsmen, but suffer from poor work habits, drug dependency, and alcohol addictions and past criminal behavior. Astonished by the rough lifestyles of his workers, Tony was motivated to share their stories and awaken society to issues they prefer to ignore. Heartbreaking yet inspiring, Rednecks + Culchies goes beyond the surface of St. Louis’ social issues to uncover the root of the city’s problems.
“St. Louis is a great city but unfortunately it’s gotten a bad name because it has a lot of issues that people are afraid to deal with,” begins Monaghan. “They’re not ready or they feel uncomfortable but that only prolongs the solution. It doesn’t matter what part of the city or suburb you live in or which neighborhood you come from. One person’s struggle is everyone’s problem because in one way or another as a community our lives intersect,” says Monaghan.
Monaghan himself is very familiar with struggle but says the European struggle is much less harsh than the disparity he has witnessed in America specifically in St. Louis Missouri. Secondly, the side effects of class-ism, inequality and its financial impact on those who are bi-products of these factors is something Monaghan personally experienced himself when he was a young Irish immigrant in Britain. Like a large segment of the Irish population, Monaghan faced overt discrimination on a regular basis. Monaghan says that he would get kicked out of restaurants and bars just because of his ethnicity. “The minute someone hears your accent they want you out of their establishment. We’re treated as second class citizens in Britain. More importantly, a lot of times you won’t get hired for a job just because you are Irish. To me these type of situations where people can’t advance because of a lack of fairness and inequality is the real issue in most cities like London and St. Louis,” explained Monaghan.
Monaghan is able to connect the common thread of economic struggle in his documentary. Rednecks + Culchies displays how many people are bruised from the socio-economic wounds that cripple hope and that in itself is deeper than Black and White. On the surface level the political and social structure creates divisive rhetoric to divide people by race, ethnicity and background but the internal root of the problem is stimulated by social inequality and lack of access for the impoverished and working class who are just trying to make a living to feed their family.
Race and Xenophobia are all very real but too often they are utilized by the political power structure as a self-serving purpose to distract people from the real issue of economic hardship experienced by the working class and poor.“If you’re aren’t born into wealth and the middle class, you’re already essentially disadvantaged because you won’t have as great of access to a good education and you will be distracted by the ills of living in a
stressful environment plagued by violence drugs and apathy. In Redneck + Culchies, Tony is often baffled by the damaging habits of his workers, yet he sees compassion, friendship and a sense of humor in them and continues to offer them opportunities and support them with a father-like love saying “After all, we’re all human.”Rednecks + Culchies, forces us see that the pathological and dysfunctional behavior of some of the workers stem from something much greater than mere irresponsibility or laziness but rather the side effects and psychological impact of living a life without hope. This is better explained as nihilism by Dr. Cornel West who defines the ordeal as “The livid experience of coping with a life of horrifying meaningless. The frightening result of this is a numbing detachment from others and a self destructive disposition towards the world.”
“There are people who feel like they can’t advance and at times have lost their purpose and meaning because they are forgotten about in society and disposed of by Politicians with no accountability. Look at St. Louis’ city school system. They say there’s no money to properly sustain the schools and teachers but we were going to raise funds for a 300 million dollar stadium. We’re also home to one of the richest higher education institutions, Washington University.
The stark contrast of rich and poor in such a small circumference is so great that it disheartens those who don’t have. There are a lot of youth who are so traumatized by hopelessness and the conditions that they live in that they give up on life and trying, resorting to crime. They don’t care if they live or die or if the next person does either. Monaghan’s daughter who appears in the documentary experienced how this type of numbing detachment seeps into reality when she was recently held at gunpoint after getting off of work. “Its really painful that this happened to her. I’ve been talking about these issues for years and the documentary was done way before this but this now makes me want to push harder and close the gaps of poverty, maybe that could even help resolve the violence problem in St. Louis.
On March 24th at 7p.m, Mr. Monaghan is hosting “It’s not just Black or White “Rage against Poverty” screening presentation of his documentary at the Tivoli Theatre with all proceeds benefiting S.H.E.R.A.H a St. Louis organization providing housing, support and resources to low-income women. S.H.E.R.A.H also receives 20% of the sales of Rednecks + Culchies. Rednecks + Culchies is available for pre-order on Amazon and will be officially released on April 19.
by Abesi Manyando: Gender Disparity plagues the advancement of girls and women on multiple cultural, political and social levels. Issues such as educational inequality, gender violence, forced child marriages and female genital mutilation debilitates the growth and success of many girls. I wanted to bring awareness to these issues and highlight a few phenomenal women who are making strides to make life easier for girls in this world. Michelle Obama, Chimamande Ngozi Adichie, Gelila Bekele, Waris Dirie, and Amel Larrieux’s actions are instrumental in changing the trajectory for girls in 2016.
On March 8th, Social media was set ablaze with beautiful tributes for International Women’s day. March in itself is Women’s History month as well. I was both ecstatic and concerned because although we have made strides there are still so many issues that unjustly impacts girls and women in every corner of the globe. Gender parity, abuse and inequality is still very much a thing. Access to education, traditional genital mutilation, and the lack of freedom is all very real today. Yet, when a woman dare speaks up about inequality, she is then branded as an anti-male bitter feminist. I think it is a crime for us to not pay attention to the issues that affect women every day but even more importantly issues that affect powerless young girls all over the world.
To be a woman by Georges Yazbek used with permission from owner. www.georgesyazbek.com
In 2016, there are still girls in the United States getting kidnapped and trafficked everyday. Goldia Coldon, the mother of Phoenix Coldon, a young college student who disappeared in St. Louis is still waiting for her daughter to be found. Despite not having the necessary help required to find her daughter she is relentless in her search. “I know she is out there, somewhere and I pray the Lord sends his Warriors to rescue her,” she said to me. In Nigeria there are girls getting kidnapped, raped and murdered by Boko Haram in broad daylight. When the #Bringbackourgirls campaign was a headline story, many people cared and now that our news has become fixated by Trump, O.J, reality shows etc, we have forgotten that many girls have not been returned home by the militant group, Boko Haram. In fact, Boko Haram is still raiding schools. Do people even know the reason? Do they know that many of Boko Haram’s attacks at primary and secondary girls schools are triggered by their stance against girls receiving education? We celebrated Women’s day in 2016, but something as simple as learning how to read is the cause of girls being murdered in parts of our world? Because education is the key to empowerment, financial freedom and slight equality and access? This in itself threatens some cultures social structure. In Pakistan, 16 year old Malala Yousafzai almost didn’t survive the bullets that nearly infiltrated her cerebrum because she advocated for girls’ rights to learn. The Taliban had intended to kill her just because the young student wanted all girls to have a chance at education. We have to do better in not just talking and writing about these issues but taking action, even in small ways. We must engage with the United Nations and see what is being done to close the gaps of disparity and end human rights violations against girls too. Here are a few women and causes that we should all support..
photo courtesy: Let Girls Learn.org
1, Fist Lady, Michelle Obama’s 62 million girls campaign and Let Girls Learn focuses on elevating girls to higher heights through global primary education. The website states that, “To educate a girl is to build a healthier family, a stronger community, and a brighter future. Unfortunately today, 62 million girls around the world are not in school. Half of them are adolescents. We know that countries with more girls in secondary school tend to have lower maternal mortality rates, lower infant mortality rates, lower rates of HIV/AIDS, and better child nutrition. But too often, a girl who could change her world for the better is locked out of that future by the circumstances of her birth or the customs of her community.”
2. Chimamande Ngozi Adichie is a scholar and writer whose work has empowered many girls to embrace their own power and not be afraid to succeed despite traditional bearings. Adichie’s “We should all be feminists” challenges gender inequalities that limits girls and raises boys to think they are superior by human nature. Adichie questions the premises of preconceived notions that brand women to be less important then men. Through her work, Adichie is changing how girls view themselves and their place in our social structure. Adichie writes, “We say to girls: You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man. If you are the breadwinner in your relationship with a man, pretend that you are not, especially in public, otherwise you will emasculate him.”
Gelila Bekele: Charity Water project: photo by : www.gelilabekele.com
3. Model, Filmmaker and Humanitarian, Gelila Bekele’s Charity Water project has had over 6,185 water projects funded in 19 countries with almost 2 million people served. Like in Flint, Michigan, the lack of access to clean water is a major contributing factor in illness leading to death. According to the 2015 World Economic Forum, “The Water crisis is the number one global risk based on impact to society as a measure of devastation.” Founded by Scott Harrison,Charity Water provides basic clean drinking water to impoverished regions that don’t have access to clean water. “Charity Water is an amazing organization that is dear to my heart, I am proud to be a part of the organization and will continue to support it for many years to come,” said Bekele on her website. On twitter, Bekele also brought up an issue that impacts many girls and that is child marriages. Bekele tweeted a video from Global Citizen that showed how people reacted to the idea of child brides.
Not to underscore the fact that some customs are based on historical tradition, cultural norms and at times driven by poverty but more than 15 million girls are married before the age of 18. According to The World Bank, “When girls marry early, they often drop out of school, have more children over their lifetime, are at greater risk of HIV infection and intimate partner violence. They face serious health complications and even death from early pregnancy and childbearing. Child brides are often isolated, with limited opportunity to participate in the development of their communities. Child marriage therefore hampers efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable global development.”
4. Before becoming a highly recognized model, Waris Dirie escaped being a 13 year old Somali child bride by running away in the middle of the night. After attaining fame she used her platform to create social and legal change pertaining to child marriages and traditional female genital mutilation. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, appointed her as UN Special Ambassador for the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation.In 2002, Waris Dirie started her own organization, the Waris Dirie Foundation, based in Vienna. The foundation launches worldwide public awareness campaigns against Female Genital Mutilation and supports existing campaigns. Furthermore, it supports victims directly and offers a helpdesk for them, and an information service for activists, supporters and press via the email waris@utanet.at. Up to now more than 60.000 people from all over the world took advantage of this unique services.
Safa Idriss Nour: from Desert Flower: photo courtesy: Waris Dirie
In 2007 Safa Idriss Nour received the opportunity to play a young Waris in the film Desert Flower with the condition attached that Nour’s parents wold not subject Nour to genital mutilation. The family agreed and Nour played the role. Four years later they had second thoughts but Waris intervened before Nour underwent genital mutilation. Read more on Waris’ site
5. Singer,Amel Larrieuxhas used her angelic vocals to bring attention to many of the issues that have been discussed. Infusing a catchy pop melody with a house track and poignant lyrics, Amel like Waris specifically brought to light the horrific impact of genital mutilation in her song “Bravebird.” In a 2005 Barnes and Nobles interview Amel shared that Bravebird was composed after she read a story about a survivor of female genital mutilation. “I guess it was my gift to her to extol her bravery.”
So, sometimes our gifts and efforts to advance the lives of girls and women can come through a path of activism like Malala or it may come from supporting organizations and women like First Lady Michelle Obama, Gelila Bekele and Waris Dire. At other times it can come through intellectual creativity and not being silent like Amel Larrieux and Chimamande Ngozi Adichie. What ever it is that we do, it should at least move us closer to changing the disparities and circumstances that limit girls from rising and sometimes just simply living to see another day.
by Christal Jordan: Edited to Perfection has become the norm for not just the magazine publishing industry but everyone living in an Instagram world. As a noted Publicist, Christal Jordan has an inside perspective of how body image is a fixation of the entertainment industry. The recent Ebony Magazine cover and Body issue sent her down memory lane as she ponders if the Ebony move & could be a beginning of the death of photo-shopped perfectionism.
This Ebony Magazine cover instantly took me back to a life-changing
conference call during my first year in the business as an independent
publicist in 2006. “She is 175 lbs. and she needs to be closer to
125lbs. for us to shoot this album package. We can’t shoot her at this
weight.” I would never forget the conversation as label execs
discussed a new artist. The artist had recently given birth and was
working feverishly to lose weight and placate her record label, but it
wasn’t happening fast enough. After her manager assured the label she
was on a strict diet and exercise routine and would meet the deadline,
they moved onto the subject of image. References were then made about
other women who fit the image most closely related to what they
predicted for the artist we discussed.
I remember feeling conflicted because as a young mother myself, I was
participating in a conversation about this young woman as if she was an
object and not a real live breathing human being. Her features and
weight were discussed as attributes that determined her marketability;
it didn’t matter that she was a great artist with amazing vocals and
great stage presence. Those factors were irrelevant as we sat
discussing the how to promote her project. I was reminded that no matter
how many hurdles we climb or how smart we prove ourselves to be, more
often than not in the world of entertainment women are regulated to
objects. I participated in the conversation, as I’d been taught how to
create the perfect illusion of beauty in order to encourage a favorable
rating with the public, but later that night as I looked at my daughter
and I remembered she could one day be looking to this artist as a role
model, I had to force myself to swallow any residue of guilt or
hypocrisy I felt about my participation. It wouldn’t be the last time
I’d feel that way, but over the course of my career it got easier.
For female talent the industry has one rule; she must be a woman that
men desire sexually and women want to emulate. That is the combination
that defines success. It’s a formula you can apply to most successful
female actors, artists, musicians etc. Its repeated in crass terms
during artist showcases and talent auditions. If you bring a female
artist in the room and there is no physical reaction from men, you
probably don’t have a “star” on your hands. The industry standard
of beauty is exclusive and doesn’t allow for error. I became numb to
the constant conversations with new artists on weight and imaging. Photo
shoots were artists talked about egg whites and spinach and shrieking at
the mention of a carbohydrate. Artists were congratulated the thinner
they became and it correlated to their image being referred to as
“sexier”. The old adage that one could never be too thin or too
rich is still very relevant. Super thin actresses Photo shoots and
video sets were some of the most stressful places to be. I recall being
on set with a popular artist almost six months after she’d given birth
and the photographer nearly walked off set because her body hadn’t
“snapped back”.
Gorgeous model Liris Crosse has helped balance and diversify body image beauty for models
The photographer was frustrated because he knew he
wouldn’t be able to deliver the images the label wanted. Another time a stylist lamented their job because the talent simply didn’t fit thesample sizes that allowed for her to be in the latest fashions before the looks hit the store. Other shoots I watched as photographers
manipulated waistlines, backsides and yes skin tone until the subject
was almost unrecognizable but painfully beautiful; edited to perfection. I noticed a strange shift was happening last year when Sports Illustrated shook up their audience by placing Robyn Lawley on their coveted cover, and I loved the reception Crystal Renn’s book Hungry received as
an introspective look into the modeling industry. Even Mattel finally relinquished Barbie’s unrealistic image and shortened her legs and widened her waist, hoping to atone for decades of young girls trying to achieve the impossible. African American culture is much more complicated.. While recent numbers from the CDC show that a whopping 82%
of African American women are overweight compared to 63.2% of our
Caucasian counterparts and 77% of Hispanics, we are also much slower to
adapt to change.
For Ebony Magazine to feature singers Chrisette
Michelle and Jazmine Sullivan along with designer/blogger Gabi Greg and actress Danielle Brooks on the cover was monumental. These recent covers
could be a sign that the industry may indeed be transitioning and
acceptance could be forthcoming. In order for that to happen, this
embracing of the everyday woman and her would “everyday body” would need to be based in something bigger than shock value and a “hot
topic”. As someone who has contributed to body shaming and feels the
hypocrisy in her own life, I would welcome the change. As a mother and
godmother of two beautiful African American young women, I would love to
see images that resemble them in media. I also believe the celebrities
that we love to glorify when they resemble our version of perfection and
later crucify when they don’t live up to the unbelievable restrictions
it takes to consistently emulate that standard would fare better later
in their careers. Only time will reveal if this attitude will be long-standing or if it’s the latest craze. Either way, Kudos to Ebony and Sports Illustrated and most importantly to Barbie.
Who doesn’t love the ballet? Even better, what is more perfect than a ballet inspired look? Its comfortable yet chic, casual yet classic, sporty but feminine. This year I dressed up as the black swan for Halloween and re-fell in love with ballet looks of course.
Since then we’ve been obsessing over different looks you can create to incorporate ballet in your everyday wear.
All you’ll need is a white/black cami or leotard, leg warmers, finger-less gloves, flats, a tutu-inspired skirt or dress, shades of pink makeup and a ballerina bun. We found some looks from polyvore, pintrest and my wardrobe. You don’t have to do the entire style in one look, instead add doses of ballet to something you would wear every day, this way you’ll escape from looking like you’re auditioning to be in the Nutcracker.
A simple white/black cami as seen on Natalie Portman in the Black Swan. You can wear this inside your favorite sweaters, pullovers, or hoodie.
A tutu inspired skirt, captures the essence of the ballet.
2.. Nia Long is rocking a perfect ballerina bun. This simple easy up-do is classic and minimal.
3. To keep your ballet inspired look for an evening affair, a short-sleeve sheer lace dress like the one Mila Kunis is wearing will do the trick or you can opt for a very traditional sleek ballerina girl look as seen below.
by Zain-Minkah Murdock & Abesi Manyando— Ballerinas are poised, agile, elegant. They remind me of the flowers I used to plant in the yard with my mom as a child. They sway blissfully in the wind, aiming for perfection, their tutus fanning out from their hips like delicate petals.
By appearance, ballerinas seem to be delicate and ethereal. They define every element of the term “perfection” Misty Copeland’s “A Ballerina’s Tale” is far from delicate. In fact, it is a story about remarkable strength and resilience. It is not about perfection but rather mastering your imperfections to seize every opportunity that manifests your dreams into reality. The documentary chronicles the journey of Copeland’s rise as the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater. Considering how long ballet has been part of modern culture and the fact that paleness is as synonymous to ballet as tutus, you can only imagine how historic and challenging the entire scenario is.
The art-form of ballet’s precise focus of synchronization and uniformed visual blending has made it a difficult task for Black ballerinas to be as accepted or even rise in premier Ballet. In her documentary, Copeland, Victoria Rowell and other Black ballerinas spoke about the extreme struggles they have endured in rising as notable ballerinas who didn’t fit into the usual format of the ballet culture. “I didn’t fit the mode. Based on my body-type, pedigree and background, I should not have been part of one of the greatest ballet companies,” shared Copeland. “I don’t think the classic ballet will ever accept me, I’m Black, I have a large chest, and I’m muscular.” Copeland’s race is not just a small aspect of her career, in fact it is an enormous aspect of who she is. Copeland refuses to erase race in her story because it is a critical part of her ballerina tale.
The struggle of a Black Ballerina is very real. Years ago Copeland was discouraged after reading a New York Times piece entitled, “Where are all the Black Swans?” The article pointed out the absence of lead Black Ballerinas in principal roles and mentioned Copeland as the lone Black dancer at the Corps de Ballet. “This made me feel like why should I even try if I’m not going to make it” said Copeland in her documentary. Just like Copeland, every day there are little black dancers who may feel like giving up because they don’t feel as if they belong in ballet. So for this reason alone, Copeland’s ethnicity is the nucleus of her story. Her being a Black ballerina should not be omitted because it is a key element in hopefully changing a culture of exclusion that has been accepted in ballet with an unfairly justified excuse that Black ballerina’s throw off the pale white picturesque uniformed image envisioned by choreographers.
There are a few people who feel that that Copeland didn’t have to focus on the fact that she was Black in her documentary. This would have been intellectually dishonest. In a tweet, Erin Roy stated the following: “2night #ABallerinasTalePBS Though let’s inspire thru beauty & joy of ballet & orchestral music rather than label ’em bastions of white supremacy,” (@iamerinroy)
Like the aesthetics of a flower, ballet represents everything that is beautiful. Nevertheless, no matter how beautiful the most exquisite flower in the world may be, it still succumbs to the harsh winter winds and thieving insects threatening its ‘perfect’ surroundings. Let’s face the facts, if a flower is exposed to the sun less or watered less often than another, would you blame the flower for wilting? Would it not be factually incorrect to not connect the two mutually exclusive factors and not omit that the challenges the flower endured are a part of its story. No matter what the external perspective may be, internally the root of the story has merit and should never be hidden.
Copeland responded to Roy’s tweet saying, “That’s all wonderful when race isn’t involved…But I’m a black ballerina with black American experiences.” So on matter how immensely beautiful and joyful an art form may be, artists of color still suffer from racial issues in America. And, that seems to be a valid point of discussion. If Misty Copeland is suggesting that her experiences as a Black ballerina in the dance industry may be unique to the experiences of many of her white colleagues, then why not talk about it? Why cover it up? A documentary is meant to document a point in time, or in other words, a part of reality. Being black in America is an affliction that should be mentioned alongside her leg fracture and familiarity with common insecurities.There is no “race card” being swiped here and it is unfair to erase the pain of what comes with being Black in an arena that is not as accepting of your Blackness. Take a moment to imagine yourself in someone else’s shoe (or rather, ballet slippers). Copeland says, “In my moments of clarity I envision all the people who’ve been touched by my story, who upon seeing my journey know that you can start late, look different, be uncertain and still succeed.”
To order your copy of A Ballerina’s Tale please click here
Only time will reveal if this attitude will be long-standing or if it’s the latest craze. Either way, Kudos to Ebony and Sports Illustrated and most importantly to Barbie.
