Beyonce wins BET's 2020 Humanitarian Award
The BET Humanitarian Award is given to a celebrity who makes strides towards bettering communities, a celebrity who understands the significance of philanthropy and dedicates their time and money on working with charitable causes, and Beyoncé fulfills nothing short of this description.
Queen B. Yoncé. Sasha Fierce. Ms. Carter. Just a few nicknames that refer to the one and only Beyoncé. The singer, songwriter, producer, actress, and woman of many more talents has been nominated as BET Networks 2020 Humanitarian Award honoree. From starting her own charity BeyGOOD and implementing multiple humanitarian projects and efforts, it is no surprise that Beyoncé was chosen to receive this special award.
The BET Humanitarian Award is given to a celebrity who makes strides towards bettering communities, a celebrity who understands the significance of philanthropy and dedicates their time and money on working with charitable causes, and Beyoncé fulfills nothing short of this description.
Being the incredible human that she is, Beyoncé donates to more than 35 different charities, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Feeding America, and Stand Up To Cancer.
In light of the current protests and efforts to dismantle systemic racism, Beyoncé remains a prominent figure for the Black Lives Matter movement. In her acceptance speech, Beyoncé dedicates the award to all of her brothers and sisters who continue to fight for change, and encourages people to use their voice and power to vote.
On Juneteenth, the anniversary of the emancipation of enslaved people, Beyoncé released a song titled “Black Parade” which celebrates black history and is an ode to her heritage. The musical release comes as no surprise, though, as Beyoncé has always celebrated blackness in her music and remains a symbol for black beauty, grace, and power.
In addition to her recent creative projects that commemorate black heritage, Beyoncé has partnered with Disney on a visual album titled “Black is King” inspired by “The Lion King” that will also pay tribute to Black culture and incorporates the timeless lessons from the movie.
As if BET’s Humanitarian Award isn’t already an honor in itself, the award was presented to Beyoncé by none other than former First Lady, Michelle Obama, who beamed with proud while speaking about the honoree- her dear friend.
Beyoncé’s career thus far has been undoubtedly influential, and in her young life she has already done more than most in philanthropic efforts. She is a star who she shines bright, and is able to radiate that light onto others and help them to create better a better world around them.
Photo credit can be attributed to Google's website.
Report: Alexandra Donnelly
Being a black gay creative for me feels liberating but at the same time there’s pressure. Pressure in needing to express yourself to a white society, that you are enough; what feels like having to explain my existence. having to explain why who I am and the art I produce is more than a hyper sexual view, but just what it is, art - expression, my expression.
Summer is here and it’s important for every woman to feel beautiful in their own skin. Support these amazing companies that offer some beautiful swimwear pieces that will leave you feeling confident and vibrant.
It's always been important to support black designers, but amid a pandemic and sociopolitical crisis, these black artists and business owners need your support now more than ever!
While people have shown concern for the rapper, others have taken the opportunity to make jokes about the incident. Within the last couple of months, the topic of how Black women are marginalized in society has become more prevalent.
The sudden worldwide shift to Digital Fashion Weeks has engendered confusion and ambivalence among designers and fashion brands, particularly in regards to the content of their promotional videos.
After witnessing the backlash from Simone Biles Vogue cover I had to sit aside and ponder: Why is it so challenging for some photographers to capture the beauty of black skin/people? Our undertones, our glow, even the texture of our hair. So, like always I went looking for methods to best capture dark skin.
This spicy blackberry and plum sauce recipe was a push for something different and will now be my go to condiment for the summer season.
Black women die at a rate three times higher than white women when giving birth. The death of Sha-Asia Washington has shown the racial disparities Black women face in childbirth.
Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon is the first posthumous album to reach No. 1 since 2018. Pop Smoke and XXXTentacion are two of the four hip-hop artists with posthumous No. 1s. They follow The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, who each have three posthumous leaders. R.I.P to the Woo.
To be black and well can mean a lot of things, but should definitely include #Skincare #Meditation #BlackReading among many other things, daily! #BlackLivesMatter #HealthAndWellness #AmplifyBlackVoices
Ib Kamara Celebrates "Future, Community, Beauty, and Blackness" in Browns' "Family Affair"
What we wear should make us feel good, especially for our moms to be. Finding the perfect pair of jeans and tops can be tough, and for pregnant women, even harder. Read more to see some great places to shop tha
The Danger of Moving on from Movements Too Quickly
Going back to “normal” is a problem when society is on the brink of a revolution. Social media has made it easier for people to forget about the movements and protests going on outside their front door.
What exactly is normal supposed to be when black bodies are being murdered by the people who are supposed to protect them? Protests are still crowding the streets of American cities. Petitions are still being added to sites daily. Black bodies are still being killed. They are still going missing. They are still being unheard.
If you look on social media, it appears like none of this is happening… Or at least as though less people care anymore. Following George Floyd’s murder, people’s Instagram timelines were filled with infographics, petitions, and the controversial black squares. But now? One finds themself scrolling through selfies and homemade cake photos once again. People are posting memes and pictures of their pets on their stories. The social media sphere is once again returning to what it was before the cry for revolution rang out from the buried lungs of BIPOC.
Since the start of the 2020 protests, countless streets and squares have been named after the Black Lives Matter movement. Streaming services are removing episodes of old shows that have blackface in them. White actors are stepping down from their BIPOC voice acting roles... But none of this is enough. These kinds of changes are placating and minimal.
The current state of social media allows for these actions to seem like enough. As the outcry dies down, so does the pressure. Without this pressure, those with political power will not move forward and push for substantial reformation. A return to “normal” is a loss of collective voice– of collective influence.
Don’t stop posting. Don’t stop signing petitions. If you can’t go out and protest, support those who can. This is not the time to act as though your job is done– there is still so much you can use your voice for in this time of revolution.
Report: Nicolette Schneiderman
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.
Being a black gay creative for me feels liberating but at the same time there’s pressure. Pressure in needing to express yourself to a white society, that you are enough; what feels like having to explain my existence. having to explain why who I am and the art I produce is more than a hyper sexual view, but just what it is, art - expression, my expression.
Summer is here and it’s important for every woman to feel beautiful in their own skin. Support these amazing companies that offer some beautiful swimwear pieces that will leave you feeling confident and vibrant.
It's always been important to support black designers, but amid a pandemic and sociopolitical crisis, these black artists and business owners need your support now more than ever!
While people have shown concern for the rapper, others have taken the opportunity to make jokes about the incident. Within the last couple of months, the topic of how Black women are marginalized in society has become more prevalent.
The sudden worldwide shift to Digital Fashion Weeks has engendered confusion and ambivalence among designers and fashion brands, particularly in regards to the content of their promotional videos.
After witnessing the backlash from Simone Biles Vogue cover I had to sit aside and ponder: Why is it so challenging for some photographers to capture the beauty of black skin/people? Our undertones, our glow, even the texture of our hair. So, like always I went looking for methods to best capture dark skin.
This spicy blackberry and plum sauce recipe was a push for something different and will now be my go to condiment for the summer season.
Black women die at a rate three times higher than white women when giving birth. The death of Sha-Asia Washington has shown the racial disparities Black women face in childbirth.
Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon is the first posthumous album to reach No. 1 since 2018. Pop Smoke and XXXTentacion are two of the four hip-hop artists with posthumous No. 1s. They follow The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, who each have three posthumous leaders. R.I.P to the Woo.
To be black and well can mean a lot of things, but should definitely include #Skincare #Meditation #BlackReading among many other things, daily! #BlackLivesMatter #HealthAndWellness #AmplifyBlackVoices
Ib Kamara Celebrates "Future, Community, Beauty, and Blackness" in Browns' "Family Affair"
What we wear should make us feel good, especially for our moms to be. Finding the perfect pair of jeans and tops can be tough, and for pregnant women, even harder. Read more to see some great places to shop tha
Among the many other issues surrounding diversity and inclusion within the fashion industry, it's important to acknowledge the failings of the system that produces fashion industry practitioners; the university.
Anderson .Paak's "Lockdown" Examines the Current Movement, And Why We Can't Let Up
Released on Juneteenth, "Lockdown" perfectly captures what will go down as one of the most significant movements in human history.
In the month since George Floyd’s murder we have heard from multiple artists who have spoken about the importance of the protests that have followed. R&B singer/rapper Anderson .Paak dropped a track of his own titled “Lockdown” on Juneteenth that not only discussed the protests, but it also talked about other events that are intertwined with the message behind the protests.
Before the protests began we were all still focused primarily on the COVID-19 outbreak, and .Paak himself asks “Speakin’ of the COVID, is it still goin’ around?” which is followed with the question “Plus unemployment rate, what, forty million now?” It’s hard to ignore the role the pandemic and mass unemployment have had in sparking the protests, especially since the virus has disproportionately affected Black communities and the government’s response to providing help to these communities is nowhere to be found.
But .Paak also touches on some of the more Orwellian aspects of the protests that few other artists have pointed out. He notes the “secret agents” planted in the crowd, a reference to the undercover officers that were spotted in the crowd at multiple protests. It could also be a reference to the uniformed officers that were caught on video destroying storefronts likely in an effort to shift the blame to the protestors. Speaking of destroying storefronts, .Paak also brought up incidents of looting and seems to address the fact that the media focused a lot of its attention on the uncommon incidents of looting and ignored the very common incidents of police brutality that took place at these protests. This is not the first time we’ve seen .Paak get political and spit some woke lyrics, but it is certainly one of the most notable. There is also a version of the song that features a very powerful verse from Jay Rock.
Aside from the lyrics, the beat is a typical smooth, funk inspired instrumental that we’ve come to expect from .Paak. While the sereneness of it may not seem like a great compliment to the distressed lyrics, it encapsulates the faint hopeful tone of the track. His final utterance of “we ain't gotta stop 'cause they tell us to” and the cover art for the track which features .Paak holding a sign that says “The People Are Rising” seems to hint at optimism that real progressive changes will come out of these protests, and we have seen small steps taken in the right direction since the protests began. Police department budgets across the country are being slashed with money being reinvested into communities that desperately need the funds, and the country is slowly reckoning with its past as statues of former Confederate generals and Confederate flags are being taken down.
But the cover art also features the names of 39 people who had their lives taken away by those whose duty is to protect and serve. So, while change may seem inevitable at this point, we can not forgot those who lost their lives because these changes were not implemented sooner.
Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and Irked Music Geek
Report: Michael Rosen
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.
Being a black gay creative for me feels liberating but at the same time there’s pressure. Pressure in needing to express yourself to a white society, that you are enough; what feels like having to explain my existence. having to explain why who I am and the art I produce is more than a hyper sexual view, but just what it is, art - expression, my expression.
Summer is here and it’s important for every woman to feel beautiful in their own skin. Support these amazing companies that offer some beautiful swimwear pieces that will leave you feeling confident and vibrant.
It's always been important to support black designers, but amid a pandemic and sociopolitical crisis, these black artists and business owners need your support now more than ever!
While people have shown concern for the rapper, others have taken the opportunity to make jokes about the incident. Within the last couple of months, the topic of how Black women are marginalized in society has become more prevalent.
The sudden worldwide shift to Digital Fashion Weeks has engendered confusion and ambivalence among designers and fashion brands, particularly in regards to the content of their promotional videos.
After witnessing the backlash from Simone Biles Vogue cover I had to sit aside and ponder: Why is it so challenging for some photographers to capture the beauty of black skin/people? Our undertones, our glow, even the texture of our hair. So, like always I went looking for methods to best capture dark skin.
This spicy blackberry and plum sauce recipe was a push for something different and will now be my go to condiment for the summer season.
Black women die at a rate three times higher than white women when giving birth. The death of Sha-Asia Washington has shown the racial disparities Black women face in childbirth.
Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon is the first posthumous album to reach No. 1 since 2018. Pop Smoke and XXXTentacion are two of the four hip-hop artists with posthumous No. 1s. They follow The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, who each have three posthumous leaders. R.I.P to the Woo.
To be black and well can mean a lot of things, but should definitely include #Skincare #Meditation #BlackReading among many other things, daily! #BlackLivesMatter #HealthAndWellness #AmplifyBlackVoices
Ib Kamara Celebrates "Future, Community, Beauty, and Blackness" in Browns' "Family Affair"
What we wear should make us feel good, especially for our moms to be. Finding the perfect pair of jeans and tops can be tough, and for pregnant women, even harder. Read more to see some great places to shop tha
Black Lives Matter
The recent murders of numerous black men have sparked protests all around the country. Black people have had ENOUGH.
James Baldwin once said, “To be a negro in this country is really never to be looked at.” The recent murders of numerous black men have sparked protests all around the country. The leading cause is the murder of the innocent man George Floyd in which it was caught on video of a police officer kneeling on his neck for a total of 8 minutes until he died. This all took place with three other officers present. Along with George Floyd, the past few weeks have been traumatizing for the black people in America. We have lost Sean Reed, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor all in a span of one to two weeks. There might even be more that we know nothing about. Black people have had ENOUGH.
Through this hard time, the question is why them? Is it because they are so strong, so innovative, so smart? Is it because despite anything you throw at them, they still rise to greatness? Is it because even when all odds are systematically rigged against them, they STILL find a way to prevail? Many black people feel as though the appropriation of their culture is done every day, yet their lives are unimportant to the average white police officer. The Black Lives Matter movement is a call to action.
This has happened before and if there was no video, there would barely be a case for many of these young black men. How many black men had no video? Why does there even need to be a video for the wrongfulness of these officers to be taken care of? The past few days have been historic due to the riots in Minneapolis, Washington D.C, Atlanta, and even New York City. The Black Lives Matter movement is a great cause to bring light to situations and fight for justice. Black people must be heard.
Report: Soila M Douce
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.
Being a black gay creative for me feels liberating but at the same time there’s pressure. Pressure in needing to express yourself to a white society, that you are enough; what feels like having to explain my existence. having to explain why who I am and the art I produce is more than a hyper sexual view, but just what it is, art - expression, my expression.
Summer is here and it’s important for every woman to feel beautiful in their own skin. Support these amazing companies that offer some beautiful swimwear pieces that will leave you feeling confident and vibrant.
It's always been important to support black designers, but amid a pandemic and sociopolitical crisis, these black artists and business owners need your support now more than ever!
While people have shown concern for the rapper, others have taken the opportunity to make jokes about the incident. Within the last couple of months, the topic of how Black women are marginalized in society has become more prevalent.
The sudden worldwide shift to Digital Fashion Weeks has engendered confusion and ambivalence among designers and fashion brands, particularly in regards to the content of their promotional videos.
After witnessing the backlash from Simone Biles Vogue cover I had to sit aside and ponder: Why is it so challenging for some photographers to capture the beauty of black skin/people? Our undertones, our glow, even the texture of our hair. So, like always I went looking for methods to best capture dark skin.
This spicy blackberry and plum sauce recipe was a push for something different and will now be my go to condiment for the summer season.
Black women die at a rate three times higher than white women when giving birth. The death of Sha-Asia Washington has shown the racial disparities Black women face in childbirth.
Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon is the first posthumous album to reach No. 1 since 2018. Pop Smoke and XXXTentacion are two of the four hip-hop artists with posthumous No. 1s. They follow The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, who each have three posthumous leaders. R.I.P to the Woo.
To be black and well can mean a lot of things, but should definitely include #Skincare #Meditation #BlackReading among many other things, daily! #BlackLivesMatter #HealthAndWellness #AmplifyBlackVoices
Ib Kamara Celebrates "Future, Community, Beauty, and Blackness" in Browns' "Family Affair"
The truth is that we do live in a modern age, and if you are a woman who wants to start a business in a traditionally male field, there is no reason why you shouldn't. And in fact, by breaking the mold and stepping out of your comfort zone, you can much more easily make a name for yourself.
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.
A lot of us are dealing with loss in isolation. The ongoing pandemic has changed how we interact in every facet of life, including how we experience the death of those close to us.
So, there is no one blanket solution for the bulk and solid industry. But, you can do these things to bolster your economic recovery.
The fashion industry appears to be delivering on their promise of supporting black creatives with such emerging programs as the Black in Fashion Council and the Kelly Initiative. The most recent of these efforts is RAISE Fashion, a group dedicated to providing free mentorships to black fashion designers and entrepreneurs.
Pose tells the story of LGBTQ ballroom culture in New York City during the late 1980s and early 1990s and has thus been applauded for being a television show with prevalent trans actors. A key player in bringing this historical scene to life is Billy Porter, who portrays the character Pray Tell.
In the midst of this terrible pandemic, something amazing has come. Black content creators have continued to be on the rise. It is always important to be able to have representation and voices that you can relate to, especially in today’s climate. Black creators have reached a new level of creativity large in part to the elevation of the podcasting industry. We as content creators have taken over the podcasting platforms. With that being said we decided to create a list of some of our go-to podcasts that we think you would truly enjoy.
Calls for justice intensifies as Breonna Taylor’s killers remain free. Breonna Taylor’s story and the push for her killers to be behind bars was once an important topic on social media, but as her killers remain free and charges have been dropped people have seemed to loose sight on the bigger picture. Whether its signing petitions, voting in November or reaching out to politicians we must not forget about Breonna Taylor because she needs justice and so does her family. Let’s keep pushing for change and not forget about what’s more important in today’s world even if we feel like progress isn’t being made right away. As long as we continue to fight, we will see change.
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.