Curvy girls need to be shown some love in the swimwear department, too. Don’t sleep y’all. While there are a few up and coming designers catering to more than itty bitty sizes , Queen Latifah’s stylist Timothy Snell is stepping foot in the arena as well.

With his own BET reality show Curvy Style garnering the attention of many, Snell has created a edgy new swimwear collection that helps curvy women go from beachwear to streetwear with ease alongside Always For Me.

Collaborating with the plus-size fashion, he created a 24-piece capsule collection boasting of color-block tankinis and graphic print one-pieces, mesh hooded maxis, kimonos and hipster pants. According to Snell, the line that features a super contemporary flair isn’t just about fashion, but giving curvy women confidence.

“It’s about the fit and exposing what you’re comfortable showing,” Snell said in a release. “When a swimsuit fits and looks amazing, it eliminates any hesitation.” To boost your confidence your level even further, he recommends looking for cuts that “accent your best assets.”

Check out the full line now at alwaysforme.com.

The post This Swimwear Line For Curvy Women Is Everything appeared first on MadameNoire.

Black-ish actress Yara Shahidi is certainly on our hair inspiration list. From her coolly intricate braided updos to carefree tousled and textured curls, there’s no style she can’t rock. So, how can you get the same slay yourself?

Well, for Shahidi, she’s all about maintaining the health of her hair. “I have always been very natural with my hair,” she explained in an interview with Byrdie. “It really wasn’t until the request of some acting jobs I had to straighten it. What I realized is just how damaging heat is. While it does give you really cool options and allows you to do different takes on hairstyles, I had to deal with a lot of heat damage from straightening my hair or curling my hair with heat.”

After dealing with severe heat damage that forced her to cut six inches of her mane off last summer, her hair has shown her tons of love back in return. “I’ve been able to have so much fun with it,” she gushed.

Shahidi went on to explain that she swears by just a few products for her coily coif. “Almond oil, a great gel, and deep conditioners are all fantastic for curly hair like mine. I love the Mielle Deep Conditioner ($14) and Almond Oil ($13). I think those really do help with my hair. And then EcoStyler is a $3 gel that I swear by because it’s not always about the most expensive product, but the most efficient.”

Well, there you have it ladies. A good deep conditioner, some almond oil, and good ole’ EcoStyler gel is all it takes.

The post You Can Score Yara Shahidi’s Gorgeous Curls For Just $30 appeared first on MadameNoire.

Last weekend, La La Anthony hit the red carpet of VH1’s Dear Mama Mother’s Day tribute scoring 10’s across the board for the slayage she served in a cherry red Zachary gown paired with gold gladiator heels and accessories.

But aside from her dress and accompanying accessories, it was the finishing touch of her crown that turned heads. Opting for a simple and sleek low ponytail that wouldn’t take too much distraction from the full ensemble, celebrity hair stylist Nikki Nelms added a gold leaf foil finish to her middle part. Fly and festive, right?

He’s the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside ❤️🙏🏽 #myoneandonly #myeverything #vh1 #dearmama (gold foil in my hair and I loved it😉)

A post shared by LaLa (@lala) on May 7, 2017 at 3:16am PDT

WOW. WOW. WOW 🏆🏆🏆 #dearmama

A post shared by LaLa (@lala) on May 7, 2017 at 11:12am PDT

Excitedly sharing her ‘do on Instagram, La La captioned her photo, “gold foil in my hair and I loved it.”

We loved it too, La La. Ladies, what do you think? Would you try this style?

The post Are You Feeling La La Anthony’s Latest Hair Accessory? appeared first on MadameNoire.

Jennifer Hudson has a new gig and it’s on a platform that she’s no stranger to: a reality television singing competition. The former American Idol contestant, now Oscar-winner, has joined Season 13 of The Voice as a coach, Variety reports.

Hudson, who served as the winning coach on the U.K. edition of The Voice earlier this year, will join Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton as coaches.

“Jennifer is an extraordinary vocal talent and one of the premier voices of our time. She embodies the experience, expertise, positivity and sheer talent that The Voice stands for,” said Paul Telegdy, NBC’s president of NBC’s alternative and reality group. “Her exceptional skills as a singer and actress have extended to film, television and Broadway, which makes her an incredible addition and a natural fit for our show.”

Congrats, Jennifer! We’ll be tuned in.

The post Jennifer Hudson Will Be A Coach On New Season Of ‘The Voice’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

Fans of classic R&B, get ready for a sonic treat because it’s been announced that Bell Biv DeVoe, SWV, and En Vogue are coming to a city near you on their “Three Stripes Tour” across the U.S.

The 16-city tour will kick off on Saturday, May 13 in Jacksonville, Fla., stopping in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Detroit, before coming to a close Aug. 6 in Columbia, Md.

Interestingly enough, the tour comes following the release of BBD’s highly-anticipated Three Stripes LP, which dropped in January. In addition, SWV is promoting their Still album and En Vogue is in the works on dropping their own project, Electric Café.

Next week @OfficialBBD x @OfficialSWV x@EnVogueMusic start the biggest tour of the summer!

Get your tickets 👇https://t.co/L6SOY6PqkQ

— eOne Music (@eOneMusicUS) May 11, 2017

While the tour will feature all three acts for most the run, En Vogue will not be gracing the stage in St. Louis, Houston, and Chicago.

Take a look at the full list of show dates below, and cop your tickets here.

THREE STRIPES TOUR DATES

May 13 – Metropolitan Park – Jacksonville, FL
May 14 – Mahaffey Theater – St. Petersburg, FL
May 20 – Wolf Creek Amphitheater – Atlanta, GA
May 26 – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT
May 27 – Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel – Niagara Falls, NY
June 1 – Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Philadelphia, PA
June 2 – Kings Theater – Brooklyn, NY
June 9 – Verizon Theatre – Dallas, TX
June 10 – First Security Amphitheater – Little Rock, AR
June 16 – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO*
June 17 – Providence Amphitheater – Kansas City, MO
July 2 – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX*
July 22 – Firstmerit Bank Pavilion – Chicago, IL*
July 28 – Cincinnati Music Festival – Cincinnati, OH
July 29 – Chene Park Amphitheater – Detroit, MI
Aug. 6 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD

The post Bell Biv DeVoe, SWV, And En Vogue Are Going On Tour appeared first on MadameNoire.

It’s unfortunately becoming way too common to see a news headline that reads, “Infant Dies At Local Daycare” or “Toddler In Critical Condition After Being Assaulted By Childcare Worker”. In addition to expensive childcare costs and seriously questioning what other adults consider safe and holistic care for my kid, I literally thank God every day for the two sets of retired grandparents that are in my support system that most weeks are bickering over who gets to keep my daughter for the day. However, if you didn’t already have a healthy helping of parent paranoia, a new study says that “to Grandmother’s house we go” may not be the safest bet for your child either.

According to a recent study if Mee Maw is using butter to treat burns, rubbing liquor on gums for teething relief or using Tussin to treat any and everything, your child could be at risk. CNN reports research presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academics Societies meeting on Thursday surveyed grandparents on child care techniques such as putting children on their sides to sleep, having loose bedding in a crib and using ice baths to lower a high fever which most child-care experts today would agree are outdated guidelines for care and could be possibly putting your child in harm’s way.

In a questionnaire given to 636 self-identified grandparents nearly a quarter were unaware that the safest sleeping position for babies was on their backs, and that sleeping on the sides or back puts the infant at major risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the leading cause of death among babies between 1 month and 1 year of age. 68% of participants also were unaware that cuts and scrapes heal better when covered (because Grand Daddy always said, “You gotta let the air get to it.”) Researchers attribute the lack of information to the learning curve that older caregivers may experience with information that changes daily and possibly not being around other caregivers to exchange information.

Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York and lead author of the study, says that grandfather may not always know best and that just because your parents raised you and you turned out OK, doesn’t mean their parenting methods are the best:

“We shouldn’t assume that just because they’ve raised a child before, they’re experts.”

As a fairly new parent and former parenting educator, one of the ideas that I emphasized in my classes that were mostly made up of teenage parents and parents under the age of 25, is that the great thing about becoming a mother or father is embracing the opportunity to raise your children as you see fit.  For example, my mother’s version of the “sex talk” was, “Don’t have sex and you won’t get pregnant.” Now that I have a daughter of my own, I’ve become dedicated to raising her in a household of sex positivity where she is educated about the way her body works and encouraged to communicate honestly to me about her thoughts and feelings, even if it’s uncomfortable for me to hear. So on some level I see where Dr. Adesman is coming from.

But there is a flip side to it. Once I became a parent myself, I learned that you won’t be able to navigate the day-to-day of your child’s upbringing and your own sanity (which will be tested if you have a toddler or teen) with merely a book approved by the American Association of Pediatrics. Much of parenting comes from your gut, experience and getting to know your individual child and your unique parenting style. Very few situations in parenting are as easy as “have your child facing backwards in the car until age two” and “no aspirin for children under the age of 19”. As a parent you learn to balance when to take advice from someone who has spent a fraction of their adulthood studying child development from a book or the person who sat in steamy shower with you when you cried throughout the night because you didn’t know how to blow your nose just yet.

Look I get it: There are certain guidelines that have been scientifically proven to keep your child safe, but admittedly the last thing I want to consult in the middle of the night when I have a colicky infant who has been crying for three hours straight are stuffy AAP guidelines on how to get her to stop crying. Most days I’d like to believe that Pop Pop has the best of intentions when he’s reaching for the Tussin for a tummy ache or when Glammy thinks you should add cereal to bottle because your 6-month-old is looking a tad bit scrawny. The power in parenting is that even if you are limited on childcare options, you have every right to sit the grands down and tell them that you don’t want Tussin within two feet of your kid regardless of how you were raised.

As a new parent and recovering perfectionist, I remember the anxiety and guilt that came with thinking I didn’t do every single thing according to Dr. Sears or my child would grow up to regularly resent me and spend thousands of dollars on therapy just to find out all the bad things in life happened to her because of me. I obsessed over matching bottle tops, having a certain number of onesies in her diaper bag and thought, “There goes any chance she had at nuclear physics,” anytime she hit her head.  So the last thing I want to hear is that the woman who thinks I need my asthma inhaler every time I clear my throat should be added to the list of crib bumpers and unsecured IKEA dressers. Ironically the study found that even the pro’s could use a child safety refresher: In a previous study, Adesman surveyed pediatricians and found that only 24% answered all 12 questions about basic safety information correctly.

So what IS the best way to keep your kids safe?  In my opinion it’s surrounding them by people you trust that love them as much as you do, consulting a professional when you’re at a loss, communicating with your support system about what’s best for YOUR child and an occasional Google search about deodorant ingestion (because toddlers). It may be time to retire the Tussin, but rest assured my parents are clocking in for childcare duty tomorrow at 9:00 sharp.

Toya Sharee is a Health Resource Specialist 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, Bullets and Blessings.

The post You Might Want To Retire The ‘Tussin: Study Shows Grandparents Childcare May Be Harming Your Kids appeared first on MadameNoire.

Another day, another crazy beauty trend.

While many of us look to a bold statement lip or eye-catching eyeliner to amp up our ensembles, there’s a new makeup trend making waves: color-contoured lashes. First spotted on Pinterest, the look is surely an adventure even though it’s best described as low-effort with high-impact.

In a video collaboration between Harper’s Bazaar and L’Oréal Paris, they break down the easy step-by-step way to achieve the fabulous look. First, they swipe a few coats of primer to the ends of curled lashes and apply blue mascara only to the tips. Combing from root to tip, they then remove excess mascara and top off the bottom lashes with a dust of black, and voila!

The results? An enviable ombré effect that subtle yet head turning. Who doesn’t love switching it up?

Click here and here to see how it’s done.

The post Color-Contoured Lashes — Would You Try It? appeared first on MadameNoire.

According to researchers at UC San Diego, 85% of people experienced the wrath of acne at some point in their life. For others, it’s been an ongoing issue that doesn’t seem to let up, and then there’s that 15% that somehow got lucky and bypassed zits, pimples, cysts and all.

Well, for those that are well acquainted with acne, there have been major strides made in treating it. Whether it’s Accutane, antibiotics, or topical retinoids like Differin, there are various ways to handle outbreaks, but researchers have noted that “there are no appropriate therapeutic modalities that are long-lasting and systemically effective” at reducing P. acnes bacteria (the causative bacterial agent in acne vulgaris). So, when it comes to the treatments, they are usually reactive and are used after acne lesions are present. Not to mention, when the treatment is concluded, acne always has the potential to come back even more aggressive.

However, the aforementioned researchers have revealed that there’s an acne vaccine in the works. Now that’s pretty revolutionary stuff, right?

P. acnes secrete a toxic protein on the skin that causes inflammation, but the vaccine would serve as an antibody to the protein, Allure reports. The vaccine won’t kill the bacteria itself, as P. acnes is beneficial in some ways – it’s the gram-positive bacteria found in your hair, neck, face, and intestines, and some strains even destroy viruses trying to enter the skin, one of the lead researchers, Eric C. Huang explained. But the acne vaccine will be able to do more than prevent pimples, helping with with endocarditis, endophthalmitis, osteomyelitis, as well as joint, nervous system, and cranial neurosurgery infections.

Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, founder and director of Capital Laser & Skin Care and associate clinical professor, department of dermatology at the George Washington University Medical Center, shared her thoughts on the vaccine, offering “Acne is a multifactorial condition, meaning that it is usually caused by a multitude of things (hormones, excessive sebum, bacterial overgrowth, clogged pores, inflammation), and since not all acne is caused by each of these issues, it will be difficult to have a vaccine that treats all forms of acne.” But, if proven to be successful, Tanzi is on board for recommending it: “Acne causes severe psychologic stress to millions of young people every year (not to mention the lasting effects of the scars). If it can be avoided, that would be an amazing gift to millions of people who would otherwise have to suffer.”

The post Apparently, An Acne Vaccine Is On The Way appeared first on MadameNoire.

Ladies, it’s that time to switch out your sweaters and jeans for tank tops and bathing suits and frolic in the sun. And as the summertime kicks into full gear, it’s always important to have your beauty routine prepared, especially when it comes to protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays that can wreak havoc in as little as 15 minutes.

With statistics proving 78% of millennials never wear sunscreen or only wear it to the beach, super cool beauty brand Glossier has introduced a sunscreen that we’re already obsessing over. Dubbed Invisible Shield, it’s a daily sunscreen with SPF 35 that protects against UVA/UVB rays AND pollution like smog and carbon monoxide. Hints it’s name, the sunscreen goes on clear and doesn’t leave the unsightly white cast most products do.

No greasiness. No white finish. No effect on makeup. No excuse not to wear Invisible Shield SPF 35 every. single. day.

A post shared by Glossier (@glossier) on May 10, 2017 at 6:50am PDT

Glossier founder Emily Weiss also noted that its application is “like water,” because nothing’s worse than greasy sunscreen. And the smell? Sweet notes of orange essential oil were added to the formula. For the ladies out there with sensitive skin, Glossier promises that Invisible Shield is never enough to irritate your skin or make you more sun-sensitive.

In addition to sun protection, the ingredients are a powerful mix of vitamin E, vitamin P, broccoli, and aloe leaf extract to neutralize free radicals inside skin.

Visit Glossier.com to get Invisible Shield today for $34.

The post Get Into Glossier’s New Sunscreen appeared first on MadameNoire.

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A sex deficit; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

Feeling under-prioritized; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

Failure to listen; they healthy way

The unhealthy way

Whose friends you see more; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

The romance is dying; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

Cleanliness; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

Jealousy; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

Finances; the healthy way

The unhealthy way

The post How Healthy Vs Unhealthy Couples Handles These Issues appeared first on MadameNoire.

On March 22, Demi Grace became the first model to wear locs in a Pantene Campaign. The musician and model was one of many Black women to star in the ad for the brand’s newly launched Gold Series product line, demonstrating the beauty of our various hairstyles and hair textures and celebrating strong, beautiful strands.

Demi’s appearance in the campaign certainly turned many heads, and because locs rarely get the attention they deserve in the mainstream, we reached out to the singer to hear more about her loc journey, stereotypes surrounding locs, and how she keeps her hair healthy.

MadameNoire (MN): How long have you had locs, what made you decide to grow them?

Demi Grace (GC): I’ve had locs for almost a year now. I always love trying new hairstyles and locs felt like the perfect style to work for me as both a pop artist and commercial model.

MN: What was the growth process like for you? 

GC: I started out with faux locs and I am letting it permanently lock. I love length and I definitely wanted my locs to be long but it depends on the hairstyle. Short hair is very attractive as well.

MN: Has it been a struggle to find products that penetrate your locs and keep your hair healthy?

GC: It hasn’t been a struggle to find products for my locs. In fact, I would say this hairstyle has been the easiest for me to maintain. When it comes to penetrating my locs, I really like to focus on my scalp and the Intense Hydrating Oil from the Pantene Gold Series line is perfect for that.

MN: What is your maintenance routine like and what products do you use to keep your locs looking fresh?

GC: I wash my hair once a week, again focusing on my scalp and roots. I retwist my hair once a month or every other month. I like my locs to look a bit more grown out than most prefer so I take my time to retwist. I use the Gold Series Moisture Boost Shampoo on my scalp which is great for getting rid of product build up. If you oil or moisturize your scalp on a daily basis, this product is great! I don’t go heavy with conditioner because my locs are very long and it would take days to dry which would put me at risk of mold.

MN: How was your hair before you locked it and have you found people treat you differently because of your hair or stereotype you in any way because of your locs?

GC: Right before I locked my hair I wore my hair in short tight curls, however, I generally wore weaves and constantly straightened my hair before ever wearing it curly. People definitely notice my hair before anything else on me sometimes and I kind of like it that way. I have been stereotyped a few times because of my locs but I just let it brush off of my shoulders. You can’t take negative criticism and comments too seriously if you want to progress in this life.

The post How Model And Musician Demi Grace Keeps Her Locs Looking Fresh appeared first on MadameNoire.

You’re already under stress

You’re already cranky

You and boo are already bickering

Think of all the events

And think of the dress fittings

You could over-do it

Or do it and not get the results you wanted

Your boo can’t stand to watch

You can’t handle your booze

You’re exhausted as it is

You won’t look toned

You’re missing out on the fun

It will throw off your hormones

You’ll look to other de-stressors

You’ll put it all back on immediately

You’ll feel sick when you eat your cake

It puts too much pressure on you

You won’t recognize yourself in your photos

You’ll gorge on your honeymoon

The bride is already the most beautiful woman in the room

The post Why You Shouldn’t Crash Diet Before Your Wedding appeared first on MadameNoire.

When my friends and I were in college, we used to play this game where we would guess who the first to get married would be, then the second, all the way through the last. Given my somewhat irrationally high standards/pickiness and my rocky track record in the love department, I was the odds-on favorite for bringing up the rear on the march down the aisle. So what a shock it was when my boyfriend got down on one knee on the second anniversary of our first date and asked me to spend the rest of our lives together. Through tears and kisses, I said yes and there started a year and a half whirlwind of planning. Getting married remains the most wonderful experience of my life. Spending hours celebrating with my dearest friends from across the country, while pledging my life and love to the greatest man in the world was the best experience I could have asked for. However, the only thing I didn’t expect was making the move to married life solo.

Though some of my friends had promising loves of their own, they’ve fizzled or slowed down since then to the point that there isn’t a marriage in sight. That’s not to say none of my friends have said “I Do.” I’ve had several male friends from college take the plunge and a select few female friends as well. But my core group, the women who I leaned on most heavily in college and in the years directly following, aren’t planning a trip to Kleinfeld’s or a “Say Yes To The Dress” appearance anytime soon. Normally being the leader isn’t something to chafe at, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish someone would hop on the boat and meet me on marriage island.

If it isn’t obvious, allow me to say that marriage changes things. Gone are the days when all you want to do is hit the town with the boo, dine at the hottest restaurants, drink at the sexiest lounges and just spending your days in bed without a care in the world. Getting married forces you to change, albeit in a good way. Suddenly your life is re-prioritized with a distinct skew toward the future. You and your partner start thinking about plans, from home improvement projects to furniture orders to, gasp, having a little person of your own. And while I can say that these changes, were not only welcome, but really, really fun in their own right, it would be a lie to say that it didn’t feel a tad bit lonely. Sure my husband, being a few years older than I, has a number of friends who have also settled into domesticity. However, there is a stark contrast between me (pre-childbirth) and them (post-childbirth). If marriage is a change, having children is a systemic shaking of your day-to-day reality. Moreover, I’m simply not as close to these wives of friends as I am the girls who saw me through hall crawls, broken hearts and wild times in college. So moving into this chapter of adulthood is something I’d love to share with them.

While I’m holding it down for the ladies at Home Depot and talking DIY projects, my girls are still living in the bliss of pre-married life. While I’m plotting out what paving stones I’d like to use in the backyard and what patio furniture makes sense, my girls are heading off to Europe and enjoying carefree weekends in the city. That’s not to say that my husband and I don’t have the opportunity to be equally as carefree, but addressing the domestic side of life together happens just as frequently. And that’s not to say that pre-married life isn’t without its troubles, frustrations or radical differences from singledom. But those changes can often pale in comparison to what you face after getting hitched and truly interweave your life (emotionally, legally and financially) with another person.

Being the first one in the group to get married has been a fun experience, allowing me to truly experience marriage in an untainted, wide-eyed way. But as I settle into year two (with having kids being something that we won’t be flirting with for a few more years), it would be nice to share my new reality with the people I love and relate to the most. To be able to relate to them just as I did when we all were firmly settled into the same life-stage just a few years ago: Young, unmarried professionals trying to find their ways through adulthood. And it wouldn’t be too terrible to have a few wild bachelorette parties under my belt before I’m out the game for nine months growing a person.

So ladies, come join me on this journey. It was the best decision I ever made, but would be even better with my besties.

The post Musings On Being The First Friend To Get Hitched appeared first on MadameNoire.

They can protect your business

They can keep debts separate

They guard your estate

They split parenting responsibilities fairly

They keep you from supporting your ex forever

They deal with marital issues too

They make divorce less of a headache

They make divorce cheaper

If you don’t have one, the law will interfere

This is what a prenup costs

You do need a lawyer

You may need separate lawyers

They will not cover child custody

You can add just about anything

They can have expiration dates

The post What You Probably Don’t Know About Prenups appeared first on MadameNoire.

After less than a year of marriage, Kevin and Eniko Hart (formerly Parrish) have announced that they’re expecting their first child together. The comedian shared the news today in one of several of his Mother’s Day posts.

Celebrating Mother’s Day with my beautiful wife. We are laughing at the fact that this time next year we will be celebrating her 1st actual Mother’s Day. #Harts #Blessed

The caption was accompanied by a slideshow that featured Eniko’s pregnant stomach as well as the baby’s gender.

Check it out below.

Congratulations to these two!

The post Kevin Hart And Eniko Are Expecting Their First Child Together appeared first on MadameNoire.

This past weekend, the Miss USA 2017 pageant took place and a new queen of pageantry was crowned. Chocolate City took home the top prize yet again with 25-year-old Miss D.C. Kára McCullough winning the competition on Sunday night. She beat out first and second runner-up Chhavi Verg of New Jersey and Meridith Gould of Minnesota. So what’s her story?

McCullough is a nuclear scientist at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and before being given that opportunity, she graduated from South Carolina State University with a degree in chemistry (with a concentration on radiochemistry). The beauty wore her natural curls during the competition, which she was initially nervous about.

“When I choose to wear my hair curly, I was afraid,” McCullough told Refinery29. “I didn’t know if people were going to accept it.”

She continued, “I decided to embrace what makes me feel comfortable and what makes me feel the best and brightest on stage, but also embrace what other people can relate to. That typical, traditional sleek hair with a big tease, not to say it’s gone out the window, but it’s transitioning a lot.”

Of course, her choice to forgo the usual long hair or big bouffants for natural hair was received warmly. However, as last night’s show went on, that ended up being one of the few things received warmly by those who were watching the competition at home yesterday. Despite her being a great role model in terms of embracing her hair, being a successful Black woman in the STEM field, and starting an outreach program called Science Exploration for Kids to help students from grades six to 11, her stance on healthcare and feminism weren’t a hit with viewers.

When asked during the competition if she felt that affordable healthcare is a privilege or a right to everyone, she responded with this:

“I’m definitely going to say it’s a privilege. As a government employee, I am granted health care. And I see firsthand that for one to have health care, you need to have jobs. So therefore, we need to continue to cultivate this environment that we’re given the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs to all the American citizens worldwide.”

As for feminism, according to PEOPLE, McCullough said this when asked what she considered feminism and if she identifies as a feminist:

“So as a woman scientist in the government, I’d like to lately transpose the word ‘feminism’ to ‘equalism.’ I don’t really want to consider myself — try not to consider myself like this die-hard, you know, like, ‘Oh, I don’t really care about men.’ But one thing I’m going to say, though, is women, we are just as equal as men when it comes to opportunity in the workplace.”

Yeeeeeeah, that didn’t go over so well.

McCullough will have until next year to figure out whether or not those are the stances she wants to keep on such issues, because that’s when she will represent the USA on an even bigger stage — at the Miss Universe pageant.

Images via WENN 

The post Meet The Newly-Crowned Miss USA: Natural-Hair Wearing Scientist And Miss D.C., Kára McCullough appeared first on MadameNoire.

When schools make their students wear uniforms, one of the reasons they do so is in order to unify students, making attire less of a distraction. But is uniformity not only necessary when it comes to uniforms, but also when it comes to hairstyles?

The girls names are Mya and Deanna Cook. Love this Globe photo of them. pic.twitter.com/BS18DYUEl7

— Astead W. Herndon (@AsteadWH) May 13, 2017

That’s what the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden, Massachusetts seems to think. They’ve punished students, including twins Deanna and Mya Cook, for wearing box braids. The 15-year-olds have been hit with multiple detentions and even removed from everything from prom to the track team over them. Their parents worried that the detentions would lead to suspension, so not only did they start keeping the girls from serving them, but they also decided to protest the school’s stance on braids in the dress code, which they deem racist.

“They teach them at a very high academic level and I appreciate that, and that’s why they go to the school,” the girls’ mother, Colleen Cook, said to the Boston Globe. “But, unfortunately, they don’t have any sensitivity to diversity at all.”

Mystic Valley Regional Charter School believes that braids throw a wrench in their attempts to focus “on what unites our students.” They believe such styles could create negative conversations about social class, in particular, at what means students live.

“Our policies, including those governing student appearance and attire, foster a culture that emphasizes education rather than style, fashion, or materialism,” the school’s statement reads. “Our policy on hair extensions, which tend to be very expensive, is consistent with, and a part of, the educational environment that we believe is so important to our students’ success.”

For the record, the school’s student handbook prohibits hair extensions in general, along with hair coloring, makeup, tattoos, and even nail polish.

But Colleen Cook said that the stance on extensions, particularly braided ones, which were cracked down on more than ever after spring break, is an attack on students of color. Cook said the braids give her daughters pride. “They want to partake in their culture.”

And if being banned from prom and extracurricular sports wasn’t enough, another student was even suspended. Such extreme measures have caused Cook to reach out to the Anti-Defamation League, the attorney general’s office as well as the NAACP. However, according to Boston’s local CBS affiliate, Mystic Valley has refused to meet with the Anti-Defamation League. But state education officials are set to discuss this contentious policy with the school’s officials. Also, the ACLU of Massachusetts has filed a complaint against the school:

Our complaint seeks a new policy and an immediate halt to disciplinary actions based on the existing policy

— ACLU Massachusetts (@ACLU_Mass) May 15, 2017

In a statement, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice called out the policy, and even requested records to see the number of students of color impacted by this particular dress code.

“Denying young black women their opportunity to express their cultural identity will not make the school safer, more orderly, or less ‘distracting,'” the committee said.

Images via Bigstock and Twitter

The post Black Students Punished At Massachusetts Charter School Over Box Braids appeared first on MadameNoire.

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