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10 Hair Masks To Give Your Mane A Little Extra TLC

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<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/hair-mask-collage.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/hair-mask-collage.jpg" alt="" width="1068" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-784565 aligncenter" /></a> Most women with a serious skincare regimen know routine face masks are a must, but you should know the same goes for your hair. You probably already deep condition regularly, but there's a difference between that practice and using a hair mask. According to <a href="http://www.hypehair.com/67028/the-difference-between-hair-masks-and-deep-conditioners/">Hype Hair</a>, "Deep conditioners are formulated to soften and condition the hair....Hair masks, on the other hand, are formulated to strengthen the hair from root to tip." We're not saying give up your deep conditioners for hair masks, we're saying you should be using both regularly so that your hair can be its softest and strongest at all times. Don't know where to begin when it comes to finding a great hair mask? We've got you.

“Who Are You When You’re Not Black And You’re Not A Woman?” Salma Hayek, Jessica Williams Have Tense Talk About Race

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One of the biggest criticisms of the feminist movement is that while all women are encouraged to come together to support one another and the fight for women's rights, the experiences of those who aren't White, straight, cisgender women are often ignored. If it doesn't benefit or impact White women, it's said that you won't find them trying to march. Some might view it as an unnecessary attempt to be divisive, or trying to figure out whose plight is worse, but the truth is, women can't unify (or all people, in general) if folks don't start listening and accepting the reality that we have different struggles and levels of oppression. Just because we're all the same sex doesn't mean some of us don't experience a lot of uncomfortable things on a daily basis because of our race or sexual orientation. This was evident during a lunch at the Sundance Film Festival meant to celebrate women in film. While a number of influencers were given a "seat at the table," there were only a few women of color present, including Alfre Woodard, Jessica Williams, Sanaa Lathan, author Sarah M. Bloom and director Dee Rees. The conversations were captured by <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-female-filmmakers-lunch-race-debate-20170128-story.html" target="_blank"><em>Los Angeles Times</em></a> writer <a href="https://twitter.com/AmyKinLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Amy Kaufman</a>. <img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Salma-Hayek-Jessica-Williams-PF.jpg" alt="Salma Hayek Jessica Williams PF" width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter wp-image-784581 size-full" /> During a discussion about Donald Trump and the current climate for women, Salma Hayek stated that she felt like women were "about to go to war." She also said that while she did agree that she wants more women to be hired and given opportunities in Hollywood, she wants us to be careful no to "fall into victimization." "I don’t want to be hired because I’m a girl," she said. "I want them to see I’m fabulous. Don’t give me a job because I’m a girl. It’s condescending." Legendary actress Shirley MacLaine stepped in, stating that a Trump presidency is a test of our "inner democracy" and that the women present at the lunch should be sure to explore their "core identity." While the conversation began with recommendations to battle what's happening around us by focusing on what's within us, Jessica Williams posed a thought-provoking question that ended up changing the tone of the discussion: <blockquote>“I have a question for you,” Williams, 27, said to MacLaine. “My question is: What if you are a person of color, or a transgendered person who — just from how you look — you already are in a conflict?” “Right, but change your point of view,” MacLaine offered. “Change your point of view of being victimized. I’m saying: Find the democracy inside.” “I’m sorry,” Hayek said, jumping in. “Can I ask you a question?” “Yes, ma’am,” Williams answered. “Who are you when you’re not black and you’re not a woman? Who are you and what have you got to give?” Williams took a deep breath. “A lot. But some days, I’m just black, and I’m just a woman,” she said. “Like, it’s not my choice. I know who I am. I know I’m Jessica, and I’m the hottest b---h on the planet I know.” “No, no, no,” Hayek said. “Take the time to investigate. That’s the trap! ...There is so much more.” “Right,” agreed MacClaine. “The more is inside.”</blockquote> Williams clearly wanted the women to address the reality that it's hard to focus on the "democracy inside" and blocking out detractors by focusing on what's within when being not just a woman but a Black woman can draw ire from the outside. Many don't have that privilege. While some present who weren't women of color could get where Williams was coming from, unfortunately, Hayek felt that Williams was falling into that whole idea of victimization. Her decision to focus on the struggles of being a Black woman and not on who she really is under that was what Hayek deemed a choice -- and not a necessary one. Williams disagreed, citing the reality that she doesn't have the privilege to walk around unaware of such facts: <blockquote>“I think what you’re saying is valid, but I also think that what you’re saying doesn’t apply to all women. I think that’s impossible.” “What part of it is impossible?” Hayek responded. “You’re giving attention to how the other one feels.” “Because I have to,” Williams said. ”If you have to do that, then do that,” Hayek said. “Then that’s your journey. But I want to inspire other people to know it’s a choice.” Mudbound director Dee Rees ended up chiming in, doing so in defense of Williams's point: At this lunch, she said, she didn’t feel like she was posing a threat to anyone. But in line at the bank? Things were different. “I don’t see myself a victim,” she said. “[Jessica] doesn’t see herself as a victim. But it’s how you're read.” “I also feel like the word ‘victim’ — I feel like it has bothered me,” Williams replied. “When I talk about feminism, sometimes I feel like being a black woman is cast aside. I always feel like I’m warring with my womanhood and wanting the world to be better, and with my blackness — which is the opposite of whiteness.”</blockquote> As Kaufman documents, there was a moment after this when Cat Cora, the celebrity chef who provided food for the lunch, wandered out of the back to try and relate to Williams's experience -- but instead, made her own issues the central focus of discussion, cutting off Williams's point. It took director Jill Soloway (as well as director Kimberly Pierce) to speak up and encourage the women to do a better job of listening to Williams. As she put it, "With intersectional feminism, it’s our responsibility as white women to recognize that when there are people of color or people who are queer — we need to prioritize your voices and let you speak the loudest and learn from your experience, because we haven’t been listening. So please, Jessica, finish your thoughts." But by that point, Williams was a bit discouraged and Hayek? Well, she kept doing her damndest to invalidate her experiences. A moment even arose where Hayek spoke to the star in a condescending way, calling her "baby": <blockquote>Williams, visibly uncomfortable, said she also wanted to encourage all of the women in the room to pay special attention to women of color and LGBT women. “I think we need to not speak over black women,” she said, “not assign them labels.” “What does this mean, ‘speak over?’” Hayek asked. “To project your ideas on me,” Williams said. “I think there is a fear that if we present an idea that, ‘Hey, maybe [black women] have it a little bit harder in this country’ — because we do; black women and trans women do — if we’re having it a little bit harder, it doesn’t invalidate your experience. I really am begging you to not take it personally.” Williams continued, referencing Planned Parenthood to support her argument. While many women may rely on the clinic, she said, four out of five women who use their services are women of color. “So when you say women of color,” Hayek began. Then she noticed that Williams was not making eye contact with her. “Jessica, do you mind if I look at your eyes?” Williams barely looked up. Still, the back-and-forth continued, with Hayek questioning whether or not she was considered a woman of color in Williams’ estimation. Nearly everyone in the room responded that Hayek was. “Wouldn’t it solve it if women just all had each other’s backs in general?” Cora asked suddenly. “Sure,” Peirce said. “The thing is this, yes, all women can work together, but we have to acknowledge that black women have a different experience. She’s here struggling and we keep shutting her down.” “I don’t think anybody here shut her down,” Cora said, fighting back. “Can I interrupt, because I feel misunderstood,” Hayek agreed. “It’s not shutting you up. I feel misunderstood on one point: We should be also curious about our brain. By being the best that you can be. That’s what I was trying to say to you. Let’s not just spend all the time in the anger, but in the investigation.” “Baby, I’m Mexican and Arab,” she went on, addressing Williams. “I’m from another generation, baby, when this was not even a possibility. My generation, they said, ‘Go back to Mexico. You’ll never be anything other than a maid in this country.’ By the head​s ​of studios! There was no movement. Latino women were not even anywhere near where you guys are. I was the first one. I’m 50 years old. So I understand.” “You don't understand,” Williams said, shaking her head quietly.</blockquote> I think the conversation had here was exactly the point Williams was trying to make -- folks don't listen, they prefer to talk over. Addressing the fact that the experiences of Black women or women of the LGBTQ community are not that of White women doesn't mean pointing it out is intended to be a slight to White women or non-Black women of color. True, we've <em>all</em> been through something, but when the experiences of women who aren't White are encouraged to be mixed in the pot with everyone else's, as though, like Cora tried to say, just being Team Woman could fix all that ails us, it definitely gives off the impression that certain forms of discrimination women of color and LGTBQ women face don't matter. It's especially sad when it's another woman of color pretty much telling you to get over it already. While Williams hasn't spoken on the uncomfortable conversation she had at Sundance (the full transcript of this conversation speaks for itself), Hayek has since responded to the negative reception her comments received after they were published in the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-female-filmmakers-lunch-race-debate-20170128-story.html" target="_blank"><em>Los Angeles Times</em></a>: https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6RHmUA-YW/?taken-by=salmahayek&hl=en <em>Images via Splash and WENN </em>

Remember Baby Girl From “The Bernie Mac Show”? She’s Having A Baby Of Her Own

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If you’ve ever seen “The Bernie Mac Show,” it would be impossible for you to forget Bryana, aka Baby Girl. And since we haven’t seen her on the acting scene since the show ended over ten years ago, in 2006, it would be very easy to still see her, in our mind’s eye, as a little girl. <img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/dee-dee-davis-.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-784580" height="516" width="400" /> But that is not so. Dee Dee Davis is not a little girl anymore, she’s 20-years-old and a young woman who’s expecting a child. She and her boyfriend, who met when she saw him at a fair and thought he was a <a href="https://twitter.com/DeeskiiAlmighty/status/822908803377152000">"cute n*gga"</a>, have been discussing the arrival of their son on Twitter. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Son 😘 daddy cant wait to meet you 💕👶💪🏾 <a href="https://t.co/4M8E7XySAz">pic.twitter.com/4M8E7XySAz</a></p> — S〽️okey (@Chief_Smokey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chief_Smokey/status/822680546870525953">January 21, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Not too long ago, the two celebrated their two year anniversary. Dee Dee commemorated the occasion with a montage video. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy two year anniversary baby💕 <a href="https://t.co/xHXvu65V6U">pic.twitter.com/xHXvu65V6U</a></p> — Dee dee Davis (@DeeskiiAlmighty) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeeskiiAlmighty/status/813507498313297920">December 26, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Recently, her boyfriend tweeted a picture that shows off the bump, check it out below. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">👪 Baby Logan on the way 😘 love you son 🎉🎉🎈🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/0J1Ig0LTho">pic.twitter.com/0J1Ig0LTho</a></p> — S〽️okey (@Chief_Smokey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chief_Smokey/status/826995712575553536">February 2, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Congratulations to these two. We're wishing Dee Dee a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery. <div class="yj6qo ajU"> <div id=":1b1" class="ajR" tabindex="0" data-tooltip="Hide expanded content"><img class="ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" /></div> </div> <div class="adL"><span class="im"><i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1486133334751000&usg=AFQjCNEejG2rXm5qEzQG5AcYgjh_FTiPDw">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1486133334751000&usg=AFQjCNElmIYDSrbrbU3R9Afch1MPghSQ-A">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1486133334751000&usg=AFQjCNFm0NprwK6P4kS85KMCnBy8FA7xnw"> @VDubShrug.</a></i> </span></div>

If You’ve Ever Felt Lost Shopping For Skin Care Products In Sephora, Your Savior Has Arrived

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When you walk in Sephora, you either feel like a kid in a candy store or a child lost in an amusement park. In both cases, you don't really know where to begin, but one of those feelings leaves you filled with excitement and the other overwhelmed with anxiety. Good news, Sephora feels your pain and they're doing something about it when it comes to shopping for skin care. Because, why make a stressful skin situation even more stressful? <a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/sephora-skin-care-1.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/sephora-skin-care-1.jpg" alt="" width="1068" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-784594 aligncenter" /></a>       Enter several new Skincare buying guides on <a href="http://www.sephora.com/skincare" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.sephora.com/skincare&source=gmail&ust=1486144851378000&usg=AFQjCNGK6pElD5Yrb-vzTslVjcdRisrvXA"><span class="il">Sephora</span>.com</a>. The new <a href="http://www.sephora.com/top-rated-skin-care?icid2=buyingguidelp_topratedskincare" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.sephora.com/top-rated-skin-care?icid2%3Dbuyingguidelp_topratedskincare&source=gmail&ust=1486144851378000&usg=AFQjCNGnEEGCUyIAu8JDVKKxSzi8GTXCQg">Skincare Rated For You</a> feature essentially allows you to get personalized skin care advice right from your home -- or office or wherever you're shopping for your beauty needs. All you have to do is complete a short quiz about your skin type and top skin concern, then voilà, a list of cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and more appears before you that you can either purchase right online or jot down to go try out and pick up in the store. If you want to skip the quiz altogether, you can also search <a href="http://www.sephora.com/skin-care-by-age">skin care products by age</a> -- whether you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50-plus, since certain skin issues often pop up at particular ages -- or <a href="http://www.sephora.com/skin-care-for-different-skin-types">skin type</a> --oily, dry, combo, or normal. With the listing of the top-rated products right at your fingertips, you no longer don't have to be intimidated when it comes to finding the product that's best for you.

Women Of Black History: 5 Things To Know About Sculptor Augusta Savage

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BP_Xo7ZBt3q/?tagged=augustasavage&hl=en While flipping through the app Flipboard this morning, I ran across a story in my "Black History" news category that really caught my attention. Author <a href="https://timeline.com/the-most-important-black-woman-sculptor-of-the-20th-century-deserves-more-recognition-af0ed7084bb1#.5ubsmg6yn" target="_blank">Keisha N. Blain</a>, a historian and writer, shared the contributions of sculptor Augusta Savage (February 29, 1892 – March 27, 1962). Savage is known as perhaps one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, becoming a leading artist in the Harlem Renaissance (She was commissioned to make busts for the likes of W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey). She was also an outspoken activist and helped a great deal of famous artists make a name for themselves when they were getting their start. While her work was loved during her life, a lot of it didn't survive because, according to Blain, Augusta could "mostly afford to cast only in plaster." However, images of her work still remain, as does her influence on the arts. Here are five things to know about Augusta Savage, the sculptor, teacher and proponent of social and political change. https://www.instagram.com/p/BFrm5VKA6TS/?tagged=augustasavage&hl=en <h2>She Was the Seventh of 14 Children and Her Father Didn't Want Her Doing Art</h2> According to the <a href="http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artist/?id=4269" target="_blank">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>, Augusta Savage, born Augusta Christine Fells, was the seventh of 14 children. Her father, Edward Fells, was not a supporter of her early interest in sculpting (using clay) when she was young. The Methodist minister felt that the images she constructed were "graven" and against the 10 commandments. According to Augusta, her father used to whip her a few times a week over her artwork, recalling that he "almost whipped all the art out of me." <h2>She Started Teaching Clay Scultpture as a Teenager</h2> By the time Augusta started high school, her talents were too great to ignore. When she was 15, going to school in West Palm Beach, Fla., her teachers caught wind of her work. She was asked to teach clay-modeling lessons to other students during her senior year of school with the principal paying Augusta a dollar a day for her work. https://www.instagram.com/p/BKPcxNghgbA/?tagged=augustasavage&hl=en <h2>She Lost a Scholarship at an Art School When They Found out She Was Black</h2> According to <a href="https://timeline.com/the-most-important-black-woman-sculptor-of-the-20th-century-deserves-more-recognition-af0ed7084bb1#.5ubsmg6yn" target="_blank"><em>Timeline</em></a>,<em> </em>after making busts for Du Bois and Garvey, Augusta won a scholarship at a summer arts program set up by the prestigious Fontainebleau School of the Fine Arts near Paris. Unfortunately, the scholarship was revoked after the school found out that she was a Black woman. She spoke out about the injustice of this, even sending letters to newspapers in New York, filing a complaint with the Ethical Culture Committee, and gaining support from different Black leaders. Unfortunately, despite her best efforts, the school's committee stuck by its decision to keep her out of the program. Thankfully, that didn't hold Augusta back. She ended up obtaining a fellowship in Paris after a bronze work she did of her nephew, titled "Gamin," garnered a great deal of attention. While there, she was able to exhibit her work in multiple galleries and collaborated with different popular Black artists residing in Paris. https://www.instagram.com/p/gvrZqKCYk1/?tagged=augustasavage&hl=en <h2>One of Her Most Famous Works, "The Harp," Was Inspired by "Lift Every Voice and Sing"</h2> Augusta was commissioned by the New York World's Fair of 1939 to put together a sculpture that celebrated the musical contributions of Black folks. Inspired by James Weldon Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as well as negro spirituals and hymns as a whole, she crafted her largest work, <em>The Harp</em>. The sculpture was 16 feet tall, and fashioned a traditional harp to have Black youth in graduated heights sculpted into the strings. It was Augusta's last major commission, and unfortunately, it was destroyed when the fair came to an end. <h2>She Helped Other Famous Artists Get Their Start</h2> After her time in Paris and both before and after creating <em>The Harp </em>for the New York World's Fair of 1939, Augusta spent a lot of her time teaching. She even started her own art school in Harlem called the Savage Studio of Arts and Crafts. Augusta also opened a gallery that provided a space for burgeoning Black artists to showcase their work, helping future prominent talents like Jacob Lawrence, Gwendolyn Knight and Norman Lewis cultivate their skills.  

Did You #DeleteUber? Try Moovn, A Black Owned Car Service App

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<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Screen-Shot-2017-02-02-at-5.04.05-PM.png" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-784628" width="1303" height="584" /> If you were one of those who deleted Uber in protest of their relationship with President Trump, you might be looking for something to replace it with. Yes, there’s Lyft and Via etc. But there’s also an app created and owned by a Black man. <a href="https://www.moovn.com/"><strong>Moovn</strong></a>— which is a great name by the way— was created by Godwin Gabriel of Tanzania. The app is seeking to compete with Uber and Lyft, particularly after <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/30/uber-boycott-boosts-carl-icahn-lyft-investor.html">Lyft’s own association to Trump recently came to the forefront.</a> In 2015, Carl Icahn made a $100 million investment into Lyft. Icahn was not only a supporter of Trump during the campaign, arguing that he would be better for the economy, Trump also appointed him a special advisor on regulation. Other Trump advisors have also invested in Lyft. A spokesperson for Lyft said, “We don’’t always agree with our investors and aren’t afraid to say so. We do respect their right, and that of every American, to freedom of expression.” So…if you want to use a car service that is not connected to Trump, consider Moovn. The app, which launched in 2015, currently operates in 9 cities in North America including New York City, D.C., Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Portland, Vancouver B.C. They also have an international presence in Tanzania, Dubai, Johannesburg South Africa and Nairobi Kenya. Unlike other car services, Moovn allows users to choose from other vehicle options, including bikes, especially in developing countries. The emergence of the app comes as the perfect time as research has found that drivers for both <a href="http://madamenoire.com/724129/uber-and-lyft-discriminate/">Lyft and Uber have been known to discriminate against Black clients. </a> In an interview with <a href="http://urbangeekz.com/2016/10/african-american-launches-ride-sharing-app-compete-uber-lyft/"><em>Urban Geekz</em></a>, Gabriel explained that he taught himself coding and developing software in order to launch the app. Despite the work he put in, he says that the first launch of the app was “amateurish at best.” But things changed when he received backing from investors. “It wasn’t until we received investor backing that I was able to hire and collaborate with a team of seasoned developers to transform the platform into what we have today.” Before the Uber debacle, Gabriel told <a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2016/moovn-technologies/"><em>GeekWire</em></a>, “Being a late-comer in this space allows us to learn from our competitors’ missteps, which has helped us strategically navigate our own course towards continued growth.” While Gabriel says it has been difficult to break into the market with giants like Uber and Lyft, he says that they are confident that they’ll be able to provide a much needed service to the global market. According to Clutch the interface is easy to navigate and use. And the app does not increase pricing based on weather conditions or due to increased traffic. It is available for both Apple and Android users. You can check out the website here. And download the app <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/moovn/id1001122843?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4"><strong>here</strong></a> (Apple) and <strong><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Moovn+Technologies">here</a></strong> (Android.)

Nutrition Coach Dr. Ro Gives Us 10 Tips To “Lose The Final 15” And Clean Up Our Diets

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Did you know that on this day, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/today-is--fall-off-the-wagon-day---huh-221227637.html?ref=gs?id=32" target="_blank">the first Thursday of February</a>, people start to backtrack on their weight loss goals started for the new year? It seems that on this particular day, many people fall off of the wagon and a "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/02/01/here-are-the-best-and-worst-foods-for-weight-loss/" target="_blank">downturn in visits to the gym and the upswing in people going to fast food restaurants intersect.</a>" So what should you really do when you want drop those extra pounds but can't seem to keep yourself motivated? What do you do when you keep working out but still don't see results? And what do you do when a focus on trying to drop the pounds ends up messing with your intake of essential nutrients? Well, we talked with an expert to get answers. Dr. Ro is an award-winning health journalist who holds a Ph.D. in nutritional sciences, a master's degree in community nutrition and a bachelor's degree in foods and nutrition. Her expertise has been utilized by millions through her work as a nutrition coach for <em>The Dr. Oz show</em>, and she recently released a new book and health program, "<a href="https://everythingro.com/dr-ros-final-15/" target="_blank">Lose Your Final 15</a>," to help people meet their weight-loss goals. Dr. Ro offers advice to help you stay on track to meet your goals while also knowing what you should include in your diet, take out, and stay away from. Check out these 10 tips and stay on the wagon instead of completely falling off. <img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/shutterstock_215705731.jpg" alt="Dr. Ro weight loss " width="1000" height="667" class="aligncenter wp-image-725184 size-full" /> <h2>What's the Hardest Thing About Losing Weight, Particularly That "Final 15"?</h2> Emotional and stress eating, as well as cravings. That's one of the toughest things for anybody trying to lose weight because there are a great number of people who do not make the connection between the food choices they make and what they're feeling at the time. They don't make the connection that they're standing in front of the freezer about to grab a box of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and they're going to down the whole pint because they're upset. Their being upset in that moment may have roots in something they experienced in their childhood. It could go way back in terms of how they see themselves now as an adult in the world. It's a much deeper problem than most people realize.

Lil Mo Reportedly Fired From Radio Show For Unprofessionalism

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.4537037037037% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPKZMryDtjb/" target="_blank">You woke? #thefamitm is!!! All wild on this FRIDAY EVE!! Lock in now >>> #939wkys you already know who it is ❤️❤️</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Lil Mo (@thelilmoshow) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-12T11:19:45+00:00">Jan 12, 2017 at 3:19am PST</time></p> </div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> As many of you know, Lil Mo has been working as a radio personality for the past few years on Radio One D.C. for the past year on the show “The Fam.” But recently she was fired. According to <em><a href="http://singersroom.com/content/2017-02-02/lil-mo-fired-tv-one-radio-personality-post/">The Singersroom</a></em>, Mo’s fellow employees learned of her termination through an e-mail. When the news hit the internet, people immediately assumed Mo was being let go because of her comments in support of her friend and former “R&B Divas” co-star Chrisette Michele, who decided to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration. She also had some not-so-nice things to say to Spike Lee who refused to include Chrisette’s song “Black Girl Magic” in his “She’s Gotta Have” series coming to Netflix. But a source told <a href="http://thejasminebrand.com/2017/02/02/exclusive-lil-mo-was-not-fired-from-radio-show-over-spike-leechrisette-michele-controversy/"><em>The Jasmine Brand</em></a>, that her commentary on that situation had little to do with it. <blockquote><em>“She was fired over un-professionalism and it has nothing to do with her comments she made about Spike Lee, over Chrisette Michele. She’s super talented and gave lots of energy on-air but there was another side that was alarming on the station. Some of the things she said on social media to people, were sending red flags. She also handled a few situations totally inappropriate. It was starting to become a hazard.”</em></blockquote> Shortly after she was terminated, she posted this flyer for an upcoming event with a very telling caption. <blockquote><em>“Since I GOT FIRED and was HUMBLY REQUESTED ‘please don’t disparage us on social media”. Chowwwwww people are WEIRD AF!! So JUST KNOW Bitch we turning up!! Ima </em>drink<em> my damn pain away and I may leak these INCRIMINATING text messages while I pour out some liquor for </em>erode<em> that’s finna get LAID OFF?!! Nah.”</em></blockquote> Well, that seems to be the exact type of behavior they were referring to. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQBlQBeDKZz/?taken-by=thelilmoshow">Lil Mo has since edited the caption</a>. But the comments from her followers on the post point back to the original caption. And if that's not a good enough example, here's another one captured by <em>The Shade Room. </em> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPi_6kdAfdZ/" target="_blank">#LilMo vs fan 😳 #ClapBackSeason</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A video posted by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-22T00:39:50+00:00">Jan 21, 2017 at 4:39pm PST</time></p> </div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>   Earlier today, Lil Mo issued a statement on the whole thing. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQDf-KkjML0/" target="_blank">Alhamdulillah for everything. You think you know. But let ME tell it!! When God removes YOU don't you ever question, just GO!!!!! People wish they could escape but they are stuck. And that is what makes situations TOXIC!! I tried to be Harriet Tubman and shit because I listened to the daily woes and how much they would complain. Yet they stay. in that I realized some things are ALL some people have. I talk to God ALOT. Like how I talk to YOU. I be cussin and I say OOPS sorry you know my ❤️. My truest ambition is to help and to sing. I had to choose. Thank you @mznatina for saving me from doing something DUMB. thanks to all that reached out. Thanks to my past, you didn't break me. You PUSHED me to be better. I use to be sooooo scared of success. It is not measured by what one has but it is what one is willing to sacrifice. I became complacent with a JOB to have legit paperwork. But NOTHING I've acquired came from that. I was and will always be LIL MO. That's my REAL job. I accept and am actually relieved by the fact someone leaked an email that was supposed to be confidential. That goes to show I was amongst . I would NEVER leak what I have in my possession. But I will damn sure send to someone else to . Nah but in reality it's time for me to level up. I'm NO fool. I've been through worse, from greater.. I'm actually wiser than I even give myself credit for. I have an amazing heart and great ideas. Believe me, you will be peeking. Numbers don't lie. Love always, Meezy </a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Lil Mo (@thelilmoshow) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-02-03T15:35:39+00:00">Feb 3, 2017 at 7:35am PST</time></p> </div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> It seemed that in her transition from musician to disc jockey, Lil Mo failed to realize that there are some things you can do as an artist that you cannot do as a media professional. We’ve seen other celebrities fall down the same trap. Knowing Lil Mo’s personality, though, we’re sure it won’t be long before we see her again, in one capacity or another. <div class="yj6qo ajU"> <div id=":1bd" class="ajR" tabindex="0" data-tooltip="Hide expanded content"><img class="ajT" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" /></div> </div> <div class="adL"><span class="im"><i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNH-D00Hy3z1Y6nowRhP3_9wn1CXmA">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNEI6aaDYDbw5GHIGInrCq6IHxMETQ">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNFgWQd6XNa0Zs-0XgNmxgOdNRJPbA"> @VDubShrug.</a></i> </span></div>

Stylist Behind Viral Traction Alopecia Transformation Videos Discusses The Real Problem With Weaves

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If you live in Atlanta, chances are, you know about <a href="http://razorchicofatlanta.com/" target="_blank">Jasmine "Razor Chic of Atlanta" Collins</a>. If you live outside of Atlanta, you may not know of her, but you likely know her work. The hairstylist, with more than 25 years worth of experience under her belt, has styled the hair of NeNe Leakes, Terri J. Vaughn, Trina and more. However, she has gained notoriety for helping everyday women save hair that has been damaged beyond belief due to poor maintenance and wearing weaves way past recommended lengths of time. Considering that Atlanta is seen as the weave capital of the world, it makes sense that Collins, who specializes in chic short cuts and color, would be who people flock to for help. Still, she never could have imagined just how many women would come to her chair, in tears over signs of traction alopecia, looking for her to work a miracle with her shears. https://www.instagram.com/p/BID8UJEgcAd/?taken-by=razorchicofatlanta "I always tell people that this is actually something that I stumbled across," Collins told me over the phone in Atlanta. It all started when she decided to not just share the "after" pictures of her clients, but also some of the very telling "before" images that included some women with large bald spots and damaged strands.  "When I was doing them, people would come in and they would have slight cases of traction alopecia around the temple area," she said. "By me starting the transformations and being able to give people a nice haircut, I was was able to show how I was camouflaging these minor flaws that they have. So I stumbled across this whole hair loss, traction alopecia thing. It's almost like I accidentally kicked over a barrel of water and I'm trying my best to dry it up, but I can't dry it up because people keep coming." Nowadays, Collins said women with these specific hair issues have become the majority of her clientele -- 95 percent. She says it's because she's one of the only stylists trying to really show what's going on instead of trying to cover it all up. But Collins isn't against weaves and protective styles that cover the hair but do a lot of pulling. As she put it, there's no wrong way to wear hair, just wrong techniques to creating styles and wrong maintenance. https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyvuceDLrW/?taken-by=razorchicofatlanta "I always start off by telling people that I'm not anti-weave at all," she said. "But it's healthy for people to wear their own hair. The way I view hair extensions is I view it like an accessory. A piece of jewelry. You're not going to take a bath or sleep in this jewelry. You're only putting jewelry on temporarily because you want to feel extra for a particular day or moment. But the problem is, people are going into these weaves and they're not coming out of them for years on top of years." And by "years on top of years," Collins means that people are doing back-to-back weaves. She has clients who haven't dealt with their own hair in years -- back to back to back weaves and wigs worn for upwards of 15 to 20 years. "For people who have sat in my chair and had these hair extensions issues, they don't ever need to go back to that," she said. "Just how you need air and light to be able to breathe and have some life, your hair follicles need the same thing. But if you're constantly pulling on them and having them locked up for so long, you're working backwards." Something I did notice from Collins's popular profile was that the hair of many of the women who were having these major style transformations seemed to be relaxed in the "after" photos. I wondered if that could be more damaging to already damaged hair, but Collins said she only applies partial relaxers for some clients. https://www.instagram.com/p/BN5RO2rDhpR/?taken-by=razorchicofatlanta "It depends on texture," she said. "If a person has a certain grade of hair, I can just cut it, do a hydration treatment, steam it, do a nice haircut and they can wear it like that. But a lot of times, I have to put at least a partial relaxer around the perimeter for it to lay down and look real polished. I always tell people, for really short hair, if you want it to look really good, you're going to have to have some relaxer somewhere." When I asked her what she would say to those who say that the best bet for these clients would be to go natural, Collins reiterated the point that people should wear their hair however they want (though she recommends embracing your own hair), including relaxers. However, these same people need to see stylists who have the right techniques. She said that at one time, wearing weaves was a lot simpler and healthier, but things changed drastically. https://www.instagram.com/p/BNqJI_UhTy_/?taken-by=razorchicofatlanta "I've been in the hair care industry for over 25 years, and the Black hair care industry has taken so many turns," Collins said. "Back in the day, when everybody was doing relaxers, people had heads full of hair. They would get roller sets and still had a lot of hair with relaxers. And then bonding, it was one of the healthiest ways you could add hair extensions in. You could control the amount of glue you put on the tracks. You didn't have to load the track up with glue, you would just dot it here and there just for it to last about a good week or two. People weren't losing their hair by the boatload until every everyone started running toward sew-ins because they didn't want glue in their hair. But think about it: If you constantly pull on the hair follicles -- first of all, you have to braid this hair down, take some needle and thread to sew it down and lock it down for a long period of time, then you add four or five bundles of hair that will pull on it. Your hair doesn't have a fighting chance to do anything because it's weighed down." She even said that women need to ease up on wigs as well, specifically lacefront options that weren't meant for everyday usage. https://www.instagram.com/p/BMN9X3XDeVZ/?taken-by=razorchicofatlanta "Those units were made for theatrical shows and people who didn't have any hair at all," Collins said. "It gave you a more natural hairline and look. People today are not even wearing their hair. They're sewing it down and throwing a lacefront on it because people have gotten lazy and don't want to do their hair anymore." But she's hoping to help other stylists help their clients change all of that. Collins has been teaching classes over the last three years in an effort to aid stylists in learning her technique and hopefully helping their clients with extreme hair damage. <a href="http://razorchicuniversity.thinkific.com/collections" target="_blank">Her programs, called "Edge-U-Cation,"</a> offer varying things, from creating waves on a short style and unique cutting techniques to ways to camouflage thinning and balding edges for those with traction alopecia and general hair loss. But overall, she hopes that she can also encourage women through these transformations to give their real hair a chance and weaves a rest. "Enough is enough. It has been trending for too long," she said. "I don't know if you remember, but back in the day, it was a secret to wear hair extensions. Now people don't even care anymore. Their hair goes from being short to down their back. Even when you look at TV now, it's all over TV. Every reality star, everybody has it in their hair. It's a trend. Do you remember when gold teeth were popular back in the day? I know I wanted one and I was crazy. It's a trend, just like everything else. But when people see the damage that has happened over time, trust me, people are going to get back to wearing their hair. They're slowly coming out of it now." Check out more of Jasmine's transformation images via her Instagram page, which you can find <a href="https://www.instagram.com/razorchicofatlanta/" target="_blank">here</a>.

“I Was Shocked” Mathew Knowles Says He Didn’t Know Beyoncé Was Pregnant

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<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BP_McoKA0Sf/" target="_blank">Thank you guys for your well wishes and blessings. I'm the happiest grandfather in the world!!! Congratulations #Beyonce and #JayZ! #Proud #Family</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Mathew Knowles (@mrmathewknowles) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-02-01T23:28:05+00:00">Feb 1, 2017 at 3:28pm PST</time></p> </div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> Listen y’all it wasn’t my intention to talk about Beyoncé and this pregnancy for the rest of the week but there are all these side stories that are just too interesting to ignore. In addition to the announcement, we had to include the other photos. And now, her father, Mathew Knowles’, reaction to being a grandfather three times over has surfaced. I first stumbled upon this Instagram video of Knowles congratulating his daughter and son-in-law. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQAxGcCAS3O/" target="_blank">Recorded an #Instagram video for the first time. I think I can get the hang of this. LOL. Congrats again @beyonce and #jayz! #beyonce #Proud #family #TheCarters #Granddad #mathewknowles @instagram</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A video posted by Mathew Knowles (@mrmathewknowles) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-02-02T14:07:36+00:00">Feb 2, 2017 at 6:07am PST</time></p> </div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> Sweet! But then today, I stumbled across an interview, Knowles did with The Insider. During the sit-down, he said that he was just as surprised as us. “I was shocked. I got a first text, and I was like, ‘Why is this person saying congratulations?’ Then I get a second text from one of my students at Texas Southern, and I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ He was like, ‘God to the web.’ I didn’t know myself.” Still, Knowles approves of the way his daughter went about sharing the news. “It was smart. As a business decision, I think it was strategy. I think there’s more to come.” Y’all know Mathew is always going to bring it back around to the business. And while he learned of the news like the rest of us, he called her after the announcement and said, “She sounded a little tired ‘cause she’s been working on the GRAMMY performance. We just had a wonderful daughter-dad conversation.” He said, “I’m extremely, extremely proud and happy.” We’re excited for the whole family. But I can’t help but wonder if Beyoncé kept this from him because she knew he would do an interview like this. You see he couldn’t help but spill the tea and essentially confirm that she’s going to be performing at the Grammys. You can watch his full interview in the video below. <iframe src="https://players.brightcove.net/pages/v1/index.html?accountId=4999016479001&mode=iframe&playerId=H1qfU1W9&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Ftheinsider.com%2Fmedia%2Fecaaf88548d2f08f742b23e21dc32f35%3FpostId%3De8af02b6a12d&videoId=5308445567001" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span class="im"><i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNH-D00Hy3z1Y6nowRhP3_9wn1CXmA">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNEI6aaDYDbw5GHIGInrCq6IHxMETQ">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNFgWQd6XNa0Zs-0XgNmxgOdNRJPbA"> @VDubShrug.</a></i> </span>

She Tried It! The New Pantene Gold Series Collection

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<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Pantene-she-tried-it.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Pantene-she-tried-it.jpg" alt="" width="1068" height="629" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-784675" /></a> <p style="text-align: left;">Last week we told you Pantene just launched a completely <a href="http://madamenoire.com/783301/new-hair-collections/11/">new collection</a> of products specifically for women with relaxed, natural, and transitioning hair. This week, we were able to put the line to the test.</p> Yesterday, the brand invited us to experience the Gold Series up close and personal via a styling session with celebrity stylist Chuck Amos that demonstrated just what wonders the line can do. As I sat with Chuck -- a man whose hands have touched the hair of Alicia Keys, Beyonce, and now me -- I told him that I'd tried the <a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-deep-hydrating-co-wash-15-2-oz/-/A-51181013">co-wash</a> and <a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-curl-defining-pudding-7-6-oz/-/A-51180613">curl defining pudding</a> from the collection for my standard wash n' go style, so he decided to do something different with my mane, a la a curly 'fro. We began with a typical cleanse using the <a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-moisture-boost-shampoo-9-1-oz/-/A-51180413?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|51180413|6">moisture boost Shampoo</a>. While Pantene certainly isn't the first brand to promise intense hydration with a particular product or infuse a line with argan oil, they are the first to use gel technology that actually offers a conditioning benefit in the cleansing stage. In other words, your hair isn't stripped of moisture when you shampoo it with their product, moisture is actually added to the hair. And unlike co-washing with a conditioner -- a staple of many naturals' routine -- which can leave you with a false sense of clean, this shampoo guarantees both clean strands and hydrated strands, Chuck explained. [caption id="attachment_784684" align="aligncenter" width="825"]<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/PNT_GS_Group_01_RGB.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/PNT_GS_Group_01_RGB.jpg" alt="" width="825" height="620" class=" wp-image-784684" /></a> Pantene Gold Series product group[/caption] My wash was followed up with another dose of hydration via the moisture boost <a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-moisture-boost-conditioner-8-4-oz/-/A-51180471?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|51180471|4">Conditioner</a>. Although there wasn't time to fully experience the restorative properties of the <a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-repairing-mask-7-6-oz/-/A-51180612?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|51180612|0">repairing mask</a>, Chuck did apply it to my hair so I could get a sense of how it works, and then he had me actually feel my hair as the conditioners penetrated my strands. It took nothing for me to run my hands through my hair. The "slip" was great and there were no snags at all. As <span class="il">Pantene</span> Scientist Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson, who helped developed the line, explained of the products, "Protection is right away and penetration is right away." Before blow-drying, just a small amount of the<a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-hydrating-butter-creme-6-8-oz/-/A-51180798?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|51180798|1"> hydrating Butter-Creme</a> and <a href="http://www.target.com/p/pantene-gold-series-intense-hydrating-oil-3-4-oz/-/A-51180933?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|51180933|3">intense Hydrating Oil </a>were added to my hair. FYI, if needed, there is a leave-on detangling milk in the line that coats the hair nicely and drastically cuts down on comb time so you can get right into styling, which is what Chuck did after just 5-7 minutes of blowing my hair dry with a diffuser to maintain volume. Next, he went old school with a tiny barrelled curling iron heated by a stove and made about a hundred little spiral curls all around my crown. You can peep the process below, along with a detailed explanation from Chuck on all the steps. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMadameNoire%2Fvideos%2F1373071156049069%2F&show_text=0&width=400" width="400" height="400" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> With all the curls complete, I was sent on my merry little way to go to bed and try my best not to ruin the foundational masterpiece laid while I slept. Thankfully, my satin pillowcases did not fail me and I woke up with curls just as defined as they were when I left the shop. I followed Chuck's directions to separate the curls one by one and pull down on them to loosen each one and give my overall shape more length. Although he suggested I use a blowdryer on the roots for even more stretch, I was too terrified of messing something up so I just went with the separate and tug method and was blown away by the finished look. <a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Pantene-she-tried-it-2.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Pantene-she-tried-it-2.jpg" alt="" width="824" height="813" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-784682" /></a> I've always wanted to rock a curly banged, around the way girl kind of 'fro but never really knew how to go about it -- or if the style would look right on me -- but I'm absolutely in love with this look. There's also nothing like walking into work and hearing a bunch of "oooh and ahhhs" of approval from all of my natural-haired co-workers. <a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/pantene-she-tried-it-3.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/pantene-she-tried-it-3.jpg" alt="" width="869" height="781" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-784683" /></a> Two things I'd be remiss not to mention are how much shine my hair has -- like it was glistening when I left the shop yesterday, and this morning I just added one drop of the intense hydrating oil to my hands as I separated each curl just to be sure I wasn't creating frizz. Second, my hair is incredibly soft! No hold spray or spritz was applied to maintain the curls, so although they're super defined they're not hard at all. My hair honestly looks so perfect, I feel like people think I'm wearing a wig right now. If they ask, I'll just tell 'em it's Pantene.

Working Out In Stilettos And 9 Other Times Mariah Carey Proved She Was The Queen Of Extra

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCNm9SDe_H/?taken-by=mariahcarey&hl=en I don't know about you, but when I'm prepping to go to the gym, I put on some tights or loose sweats, pull off my jewelry and put on my sneakers. Like most people, I like to keep it pretty simple. But if you're queen diva Mariah Carey, you show up for training in stilettos, fishnet stockings and diamonds -- the shinier the better. That's how Carey arrived to meet with celebrity trainer <a href="http://madamenoire.com/782587/celeb-trainer-gunnar-peterson/">Gunnar Peterson</a>. If it were anybody other than Carey, such images would make you roll your eyes uncontrollably, but this is what we've come to expect from the legendary singer. She likes her lights bright, her shoes high and her diamonds with butterflies on them. They don't call her a diva for nothing. If you need further examples of Carey doing the absolute most, get to clickin', because there are plenty of examples of Queen diva at her diva-est on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCNBaJjfAX/?taken-by=mariahcarey&hl=en https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCLqInjVtl/?taken-by=mariahcarey&hl=en

12 Flashback Friday Pictures Of Our Favorite Celebs

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I happen to be one of those people who loves going through old photos. They really don’t even have to be my own. So I happen to love when celebrities share old photos of themselves, or when the internet digs them out of a crate somewhere. Check out some of my favorites on the following pages. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"></div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCRB0xDndv/" target="_blank">#tbt #lol Faye Faye from Grumman Ave! #ThaBricks</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Faith Evans (@therealfaithevans) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-02-03T04:05:50+00:00">Feb 2, 2017 at 8:05pm PST</time></p> </div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> <h2>Faith Evans</h2> I can’t ever remember seeing Faith with Black hair. She was too cute!

Is This Petty? He’s Muslim, I’m Christian, And I Don’t Know If It’s Going To Work

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Earlier this week, I had a conversation with a friend from choir about a guy she is dating that she really likes. It began after she asked me if my husband was of a different faith than Christian because of the fact that I recently started splitting my time between two churches. I told her no and that we're just different denominations: He's Pentecostal and I'm Baptist. We do most Sundays at his church and once a month, we go to my church so I can sing with my choir. <img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/woman-in-church.jpg" alt="faith dating " width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter wp-image-784715 size-full" /> Anywho, she asked me all of this because she's currently seeing a guy she met through a friend, and he's Muslim. Before talking with me, she asked for the advice of a young minister in the church who pretty much told her that if it were him, he wouldn't date a woman who wasn't of the same faith. As he pointed out to her, if they end up in a serious relationship, married and with children on the way, would they be raised to be Muslim or Christian? According to her, they get along well, enjoy spending time together and have grown close over the last two months that they've been dating. They have their occasional disagreements, but they aren't faith-based squabbles. "I just know I'm not about to change my faith for anybody, not that he's asked me to," she said to me as we prepared for service. "I've been in this church since I was young and I don't see him coming here with me. The assumption has always been that I'd raise my children to be Christian, and now I'm wondering now if it'll be a problem down the line. As of right now, I'm having fun so I'm not trying to think about it too much." But such an issue is an important one to ponder before you get too far into something with another person. With that being said, if you found yourself interested in a person who is of a different faith, would you cut things off even if you found that you really liked them? After thinking on it and talking to this young woman about her situation, I would say that the move you make should depend on the person you are with. While there are people out there who are okay with believing in what they believe in while their partner believes in something else if it enriches them, there are others who want their significant other, and inevitably, the children they might have, to be of their particular faith. They want their partner to change something that is deeply personal and important in order to be with them. And then there are people who may say they accept what you choose to believe in, only to mock principles of your faith that are significant. For instance, a girlfriend of mine was telling me about a couple she saw in a documentary. The husband was a Christian and the wife was Muslim. When he brought up Jesus Christ as the son of God, on camera, while trying to make a point about something, the wife rolled her eyes at him and seemingly jeered at his statement. Over the course of a long-term relationship, I'm sure you can see why that would be problematic. But as I said, that goes back to knowing the person you are with and knowing whether or not these are behaviors that would end up on display. I personally don't think there's anything wrong with being with someone of another faith. And as for kids, I also think that while you can raise a child to be a of a certain belief, they are going to grow up and either continue to find God, or choose not to, on their own. Still, I understand how deeply important it is to many to find someone they are "equally yoked" with. Faith is often seen as the foundation of a healthy marriage and family, and if you're not of the same type, it could make things quite complicated. And it's for that reason some people choose to end things early with people who aren't of the same religious conviction. Because the real question is not if you can be happy dating someone of a different faith, because you can. Instead, the question is if when certain issues arise, you can be okay with the idea of their religious existence being in conflict with your own and accept it rather than trying to change them? I think my choir mate will figure that out sooner than she thinks... <em>But as always, that's just my opinion on the matter. What say you? Could you be okay with dating someone of a different faith? </em> <em>Image via Shutterstock</em>

9 Beauty Buys That Say I Am Ready For Love — And Valentine’s Day

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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/valentines-day.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/valentines-day.jpg" alt="" width="1068" height="600" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-784697" /></a></p> Valentine's day is 11 days away -- let the primping begin! Let's be honest: half the reason we want valentines is because America tells us February 14 is the day we have to celebrate romantic love. The other half is because we want to dress up and look cute and this holiday gives us a reason. Bonus points if said cuteness leads to a smooch (or more) by the end of the night. T Whatever your sexy motivation is come V-Day we want to make sure you put your best eye, lip, skin, and more forward. So we put together this list of beauty buys that'll have you looking top-notch and ready for love in no time.

Should Giuseppe Zanotti Run Nicki Minaj Some Money?

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Y’all know Nicki Minaj is quick to call out racism or sexism when she’s the victim of it. She consistently speaks about the way she’s treated in the industry as a woman. She called out MTV and their nomination of videos that didn’t feature diverse body types and now, she’s coming for shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti. Nicki tweeted this earlier today. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is wonderful. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeZanotti?src=hash">#GiuseppeZanotti</a> seems to think it's ok to name his sneakers after me but his PR says they won't take our call. Lol.</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827552551742607360">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I met <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeZanotti?src=hash">#GiuseppeZanotti</a> years ago. At which time, he told me I inspired him to design a sneaker in my honor. Wore them on the cover of Cosmo</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827553011912286208">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Recently when he gave other artists capsule collections, my agency reached out and was told they're not taking our call.</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827553899439599617">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just go on google, you'll see all the different pairs he's named after me. Lil black girl can inspire u but ain't worth a collection my nig?</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827554643395883009">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RunMeMyCHECK?src=hash">#RunMeMyCHECK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> I got time today. barbz trend this cuz he gon learn today. The racism & disrespect won't b tolerated.</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827557286516240384">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Don't care about the money. It's just the disrespect. You're not taking MY call? Lol. Give some money to charity in my name or smthn.</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827560879889735681">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> If you’re confused about what Nicki is referring to, allow one of her fans to enlighten us. Giuseppe has not 1, 5, or even 10 shoes named after her. He has 23. Twenty-three. A fan took some snapshots from the internet. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">In total there are 23 different shoes named after her <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RunMeMyCHECK?src=hash">#RunMeMyCHECK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> <a href="https://t.co/jIw94bAXi0">pic.twitter.com/jIw94bAXi0</a></p> — Tom Ford (@ThatShadyCunt) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThatShadyCunt/status/827559076288659456">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> It’s a good thing he collected the receipts because not even an hour after Nicki’s first tweet, #GiuseppeWhatsGood started trending worldwide. It was number one in the U.K, number two in Switzerland and then four in Brazil. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">U know what I gotta go. My phone ringing. Tell Floyd, Fif & Mike Tyson to book me for the next fight. Me and Giuseppe. after cb & Draco</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827569602183966720">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Within an hour, Giuseppe removed all shoes named after Nicki from his website. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Well that's a start. Guess they taking calls now... <a href="https://t.co/wferAGj2h8">https://t.co/wferAGj2h8</a></p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827578444510875648">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Nicki continued, speaking up against those who tried to dissuade her from speaking out publicly. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Women are always shamed by other when speaking up in the work place. That's why women cont. to earn less. Jada spoke up & Oscars madeAchange</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827606553062735874">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scarlett spoke on her pay vs. her male co-stars & was shamed by other women as well. WakeUp! This is our work place! Just like u have yours!</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827607476988153858">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Again, she reiterated that it’s not about the money. In fact, she was willing to donate the proceeds to charity. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'd like them to donate to St. Jude's Children's hospital on my behalf. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> Giorgina, I don't wanna post your email.</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827610147140861953">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just imagine if I walked into your office building & told you not to take a meeting with your boss regarding a deserved pay increase. lol</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827610781839671297">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This isn't a sneaker. Zanotti spoke to me on the first sneaker. But 23 pairs of sneakers later & u still don't wanna break bread?!?! yikes</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827611863697485824">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiuseppeWhatsGood?src=hash">#GiuseppeWhatsGood</a> I'll match whatever you give to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StJudesChildrensHospital?src=hash">#StJudesChildrensHospital</a> up to half a million dollars. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/23PairsOfSneakersLater?src=hash">#23PairsOfSneakersLater</a> yikes</p> — NICKI MINAJ (@NICKIMINAJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/827617021890289666">February 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Listen, whether you agree with the method or not, she absolutely has a point. And if you ask me, the means seem necessary since they didn’t even have the decency to answer the phone. What was she supposed to do? Send an email that would have ended up in the trash folder? No, she rallied the people around a conversation that needs to happen not only with Nicki Minaj but with several women in our country and world. You can't use a woman's brand and persona to make money for your company and then prevent her from benefitting as well. It's not right and it's not okay. Most importantly, it seems that the conversation resulted in change. In the type of times we’re living in, when we feel helpless against the frequent and consistent injustices going on in our government, we need to feel like we can use our voice and power to bring equality and fairness in any arena. And while Nicki Minaj has money to blow and has “made it” many times over, her celebrity doesn’t make her exempt from that. <span class="im"><i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNH-D00Hy3z1Y6nowRhP3_9wn1CXmA">“Bettah Days.”</a> You can follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNEI6aaDYDbw5GHIGInrCq6IHxMETQ">Facebook</a> and Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://twitter.com/VDubShrug&source=gmail&ust=1486223337100000&usg=AFQjCNFgWQd6XNa0Zs-0XgNmxgOdNRJPbA"> @VDubShrug.</a></i> </span>

Women Of Black History: 5 Things To Know About Activist And Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

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Eleanor Holmes Norton has spent the majority of her life fighting for what's right. Not only has she done so as an activist and lawyer, but also as a Democratic delegate to the House of Representatives (among many other things). It's a position she currently holds in congress representing D.C. You may not recognize her name, but the 79-year-old has made history a few times over in the fight for civil rights and women's rights. As a lawyer for the ACLU, she's even had to defend the likes of <a href="http://todayinclh.com/?event=real-freedom-for-the-thought-we-really-hate-eleanor-holmes-norton-defends-free-speech-for-george-wallace" target="_blank">George Wallace</a> in the fight to stand up for free speech -- even when it's hate speech (something she wasn't happy about). She's done a lot not only for Black people, but women as well. That's probably why part of her story was shared in the Amazon series <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4687892/" target="_blank">Good Girls Revolt</a> </em>(she was played by Joy Bryant). Here are five things you should know about the activist, Ivy league graduate (shout out to Yale), lawyer, and U.S. representative. https://www.instagram.com/p/tBfjHhnJZl/?taken-by=congresswomannorton&hl=en <h2>She Was an Organizer for the Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee During the Civil Rights Movement</h2> While in college, Norton had been arrested for organizing and participating in protests and sit-ins in multiple states, including D.C., Ohio and Maryland. By the time she got to law school at Yale, she traveled to Mississippi to take part in the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1964 in the hopes of registering as many Blacks as she could to vote. While the campaign wasn't able to get as many people as volunteers would have liked registered, and many participants were harassed, assaulted and a few workers and residents were even killed, it had a major impact on the civil rights movement. Such contributions put the spotlight on the plight of both people in the South not being able to practice their right to vote, but also the violence civil rights workers were being subjected to. It was said that Norton's time with SNCC is what inspired her to make activism a life-long commitment. https://www.instagram.com/p/BI0QjXDj38M/?tagged=eleanorholmesnorton&hl=en <h2>Fannie Lou Hamer Was Her Mentor</h2> While organizing for SNCC in Mississippi and attending law school, Norton met Hamer after she had been jailed and beaten. She called the civil rights leader a mentor whose gift for rallying people through her speeches was unmatched. "I met this woman who had six years of education, yet she had a gift for synthesis, for bringing together ideas," Norton told the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/04/28/the-little-light-of-civil-rights/fdc10da5-06eb-4c46-8fe4-b0ad48d6a131/?utm_term=.34e6cd5e694c" target="_blank"><em>Washington Post</em></a>. "And the way she said it was a marvel to behold. There are a whole lot of preachers out there and they can preach up a storm but the level of analysis is not always there." Out of all of the people she worked with during that time, Norton told the publication that Hamer had the biggest impact on her. "I miss her more than anyone else in the movement." <h2>She Was Part of the Landmark <em>Newsweek</em> Case</h2> After working as an assistant legal director of the the American Civil Liberties Union, Norton ended up representing 60 women who worked at <em>Newsweek</em>. They filed a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stating that the publication would only allow men to be reporters. With Norton as their lawyer, the women won their case and Newsweek dropped their policy, allowing women reporters. This story was brought to the small screen for the aforementioned Amazon show <em>Good Girls Revolt</em>. https://www.instagram.com/p/BHm4dtYAShN/?tagged=eleanorholmesnorton&hl=en <h2>As Head of New York's Human Rights Commission, She Used Her Platform to Fight Discrimination Against Women</h2> Following her win with the women of <em>Newsweek</em>, she became the head of the <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/eleanor-holmes-norton-9425250#synopsis" target="_blank">New York City Human Rights Commission</a>, appointed in 1970 by Mayor John Lindsay. Norton held some of the first cases focused on discrimination against women. She used her role as an opportunity to remind people that sex discrimination against women was indeed against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A true feminist, Norton wrote pieces for and contributed to the creation of all sorts of published collections and publications. Those works include <em>Sisterhood is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings From the Women's Liberation Movement</em>, <em>Women's Rights Law Reporter</em>, which was the first legal periodical focused on women's rights (she was on the founding advisory board), and Norton also signed the <em>Black Woman's Manifesto</em>. https://www.instagram.com/p/aguEUxHJd8/?taken-by=congresswomannorton&hl=en <h2>She Was The First Woman Chair of the U.S. EEOC</h2> Norton was the first woman to be appointed Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Of course, she used this opportunity to set up regulations that stated that sexual harassment is in violation of civil rights laws as a form of sexual discrimination.  

The Pressure to Be Perfect: It’s OK to Not Be OK

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  <a href="http://madamenoire.com/784729/ok-not-ok/frustrated-black-woman/" rel="attachment wp-att-784730"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/frustrated-black-woman.jpg" alt="not be ok" width="800" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-784730" /></a> Parenting a two-year-old means you a get a regular dose of excitement in the form of what new phrase your toddler has learned in the past 24 hours. Sometimes it’s something cute and age appropriate like, “Lion goes ROAR!”. Other times it’s something embarrassing like your child belting out, “Rain drops, drop tops,” in the middle of Sunday morning service. But in the past month or so my daughter has picked up a phrase that I’m not too thrilled with. Although it’s not the F-bomb or any of his trifling cousins, as innocent as it seems, it’s more about the WAY she uses it. Lately I’ve noticed that whether she’s rolling on the floor watching <em>Teen Titans</em> or is mid-meltdown after her dad announces IPad time is over, when asked if she OK, her default response is, “I’m fine.” Her father and I can’t help but laugh as we look at each other like, “Little girl you just flipped over the armrest and landed on your jaw. You are not ‘fine’.” But that’s the thing with language and learning. It’s all programmed responses to routine questions because at two-years-old when Mommy asks, “What sound does a cow make?” the answer is always, “Moo!” But my daughter’s default response did get me thinking about how often we as adults do the same damn thing. You walk into work and a colleague asks how everything is going and although you only got two hours of sleep, just used your last $5.00 to put two drops of gas in your tank and contemplated how many tequila shots you could take this morning and still be a professional, your answer is, “I’m fine.” Well in case you didn’t know: I’m stuck in a 9-5 when I strategically plan the precise moment I’m going to use a personal day because I dread going every single day.  I’m going through a weird thirty-something type of puberty that includes way too much Netflix streaming and a dash of social anxiety I never saw coming. The guy this country chose as President tweets the workings of our American government like Keke Palmer when she’s PMS-ing with a point to prove. And I for one am NOT fine, and just in case you didn't get the memo, it’s cool if you’re not fine too. I'm actually a pretty transparent person, so being real about what I’m going through has never been a big issue for me. You won’t catch me crying on the bus driver’s shoulder about how sleep deprived I am because my toddler decided to play Twister at three in the morning in the middle of my bed, but when it comes to the people I’m comfortable with whom I know care for me, they usually get an earful. They’re the ones who get a detailed breakdown of my sucky day with plenty of nuance emotion words and full reenactments of situations that made me feel awkward or angry down to, “And that chick thought she was doing something in some damn sneaker pumps!” Unfortunately, the sad lesson I’m learning is that many women hide behind “I’m fine” to make their lives appear much more put together than they actually are. You ever see someone on Facebook who has vacation albums for days or perfectly posed selfies with vague quotes about living life to the fullest but off-line they’re asking you to borrow $100 to cover their student loan bill? You don’t have to put all of your personal business on your status update, but if you’re going to give everyone a play by play, be honest and don’t just feature the highlight reel. And more importantly if you can’t be real with your family and friends, who CAN you be real with? “I’m fine,” does the opposite of making you appear perfect, it burns down the bridges between you and the people you are close to and leaves you to fight your battles on your own. When I have friends that can't be real and only focus on what’s going right in their lives all it does is break down communication and takes away opportunities to bond and build authentic relationships. I think most of us judge people on the very things we judge ourselves on. If we’re insecure about our hair, we’ll talk about other women’s weaves all day.  If we feel like the clock is ticking and our ovaries are slowly losing hope 28 days at a time, we bash Beyoncé and whomever resides in her womb. With many of my friends I’ve noticed a shift in attitude that I think is greatly affected by age: When you’re in your twenties  you’re supposed be a mess and finding yourself, but after thirty if you haven’t checked off the job with health insurance, engagement ring and grad degree items off your "successful adult" checklist, you’re clearly doing something wrong. So instead of confiding in those who care for us most when we feel like we might be failing, after thirty we isolate ourselves behind, “I’m fine,” because someone lied to us and said after your twenties you’re not allowed to not have you ish together ever. Look whether the barista gave you a caramel latte instead of hazelnut or your credit score recently fell harder than Khloe Kardashian over a random shooting guard, I’m here to tell you it’s OK to take a break from being perfect and start having some real conversations about how life isn’t too kind sometimes. Don’t be afraid to stop hiding behind being fine when you’re actually feeling like a mess. You might be surprised to see most of us are a mess too. <strong><em>Toya Sharee is a community health educator and parenting education coordinator who has a  passion for helping  young women build their self-esteem and make well-informed choices about their sexual health.  She also advocates for women’s reproductive rights and blogs about  everything from beauty to love and relationships. Follow her on Twitter @TheTrueTSharee or visit her blog, <a href="http://bulletsandblessings.wordpress.com/">Bullets and Blessings</a>.</em></strong> <em>Image via Shutterstock</em>

Best-Selling Black Girl? Marley Dias Lands Book Deal

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<a href="http://madamenoire.com/784736/marley-dias-lands-book-deal/marley-dias-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-784738"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/marley-dias-2.jpg" alt="marley dias lands book deal" width="800" height="500" class="aligncenter wp-image-784738 size-full" /></a> You may remember 12-year-old Marley Dias for <a href="http://madamenoire.com/610624/ick-of-reading-about-white-boys-and-dogs-marley-dias-launches-1000blackgirlbooks/">#1000BlackGirlBooks</a>, a successful social media campaign she started to collect 1000 books that feature black girls as the central characters. After reaching her goal and paying it forward by donating the titles she collected to her school and to a school in her mother’s hometown of St. Mary Jamaica, Dias is now setting her literary goals a little higher. According to <a href="https://mic.com/articles/167559/marley-dias-the-12-year-old-behind-1000black-girl-books-is-penning-her-own-book#.6E2Bd4wsP">Mic</a>, this past Thursday, Scholastic announced that pre-teen had signed a deal with the publisher for a book due in Spring 2018. The press release reveals the book is a "keep-it-real guide" to helping kids and preteens make their dreams come true. Scholastic's vice president and executive editor Andrea Pinkney spoke on the project in a statement: <blockquote>"Through her smarts and ingenuity, she's delivered a jolt of inspiration that's sent an unstoppable shock-wave to kids everywhere who've stood up with Marley to shout 'Yes!' to the power of positive action.” "In this book, Marley will share her dynamic wisdom with readers everywhere."</blockquote> Dias spoke about the importance of representation at the <em>United State of Women</em> summit in Washington, D.C., in June: <blockquote>“I think it's important to have someone who looks like you because when you have someone you share a very common trait with, such as race and gender in this case, you would see all these things that they're learning and then you take that back with you to improve your lifestyle.”</blockquote> In her quest to build her very own black girl library, it appears Dias’ name will be featured on a Barnes and Noble shelf near you her soon enough. We can’t wait to see this girl conquer the literary world.

Study Reveals By Age 6 Girls Probably Believe Boys Are Smarter

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<a href="http://madamenoire.com/784741/by-age-6-girls-believe-boys-are-smarter/girls-vs-boys/" rel="attachment wp-att-784742"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/girls-vs.-boys.jpg" alt="girls believe boys are smarter" width="800" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-784742" /></a> You may be practicing ABC’s and 123’s, keep your pantry stock with broccoli and other brain foods, and have the complete works of Dr. Seuss on deck, but a recent study reveals that you may be sending your daughter mixed messages about her intelligence. The research of psychologists Andrei Cimpian and Sarah-Jane Leslie was recently featured in the <a href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/well/family/why-young-girls-dont-think-they-are-smart-enough.html?emc=eta1&referer">NY Times</a> and reveals that by the age of six girls begin to believe that certain activities are not for them because they aren’t “smart enough”: <blockquote>“Our research suggests that American children are picking up on cultural stereotypes about brilliance at an early age. Unfortunately, these stereotypes suggest that girls aren’t as smart as boys.”</blockquote> The findings reveal that parents may subconsciously reinforce this mindset although they may not actively express it.  A 2014 report found that parents were more likely to Google questions about their son’s intelligence like, “Is my son a genius?” and questions about their daughter’s appearance such as, “ Is my daughter overweight?” The recent study points out that problem occurs when kids begin to pick up on these beliefs no matter how subtle they seem to be. The researchers studied 400 children ages 5 to 7, recruited over the last several years from a middle-class community near the University of Illinois and observed something interesting: <blockquote>“For one study, each of 96 children (half boys, half girls) was told two stories about a person whose gender was not specified. They were told that one was about a “really, really smart” person, and the other was about a “really, really nice” person. Next, the children were shown four pictures (two males and two females) and were asked to guess which one might be the person in the story. At age 5, boys and girls were equally likely to associate intelligence with their own gender, but that changed quickly. At age 6, girls were significantly less likely to associate brilliance with their own gender. Many of them picked a male character to identify as the really smart person in the story, much as the boys did.” “When we asked children to guess which of four children, two boys and two girls, would get the best grades in school, girls picked mostly other girls. In other words, the girls we tested were aware that girls do better in school than boys, but that didn’t change their ideas about who’s “smart.”</blockquote> As someone who gave up on being good at math around 7<sup>th</sup> grade, admittedly this makes me question if my disinterest is more about lack of belief than actual ability. So how can we start to put an end to this cycle of stereotypes that has our girls internalizing the idea of “boy do it better” as early as the first grade? Psychologist Carolyn Dweck thinks the answer may lie in “emphasizing the importance of learning and effort — rather than just innate ability”. In other words, stop telling your kids they’re naturally better at one activity than the other based on their anatomy and start spreading the message that achieving our goals is more about effort and learning which everyone has equal access to regardless of gender. Dweck also says it’s important to surround your kids with role models of all genders and professional paths. For every singer there should be a scientist and for every supermodel there should be a mechanic. Now that we’ve gotten pretend play down, I think it’s time to start adding some STEM activities to my toddler’s schedule.
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