Would you try the Whole30 diet?
The post Whole30: I Cut Bread, Sugar, Legumes, Dairy, Alcohol And Grains From My Diet For 30 Days appeared first on MadameNoire.
Whole30: I Cut Bread, Sugar, Legumes, Dairy, Alcohol And Grains From My Diet For 30 Days
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20 Foods That Help You Naturally Detox
It could be easier than you think.
The post 20 Foods That Help You Naturally Detox appeared first on MadameNoire.
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10 Signs Your Body Desperately Needs A Detox
Put simply, a detox is a period when one abstains from toxic or unhealthy substances.
The post 10 Signs Your Body Desperately Needs A Detox appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Is This Petty? I Gave Him A Hickey And He Was Pissed
Do you remember when you first learned how to leave a hickey on someone?
For me, it was college. And while I wasn’t a hickey version of Banksy, leaving them on folks all around campus, once I figured out how it all worked, I was more than excited. I left them on my boyfriend pretty consistently. But then again, we were like 19 and 20 at the time; not too far out of high school and green when it came to experiences outside of a simple French kiss (and he wasn’t very good at that). So, in a weird, young and twisted way, I was proud. But I can say that I haven’t given or received one since those collegiate days. And now that I’m a bill-paying, job-working, church-going member of society who sees my Pentecostal in-laws every weekend, I can’t say I really want one at this point.
But would I necessarily be mad if I received one? Perhaps a teensy bit annoyed, not mad, though. And knowing my silly behind, the old me might think it’s cute. However, there are plenty of people who don’t see anything cute or funny about having their significant other leave a hickey on them.
While writing for XoJane in 2013 and 32 at the time, Bitch Is the New Black author Helena Andrews shared an account of the time she reprimanded her boyfriend for leaving a hickey on her neck. Despite trying to cover it with concealer, that hickey was spotted by a man on the street who low-key tried to slut-shame her for it, so she took her anger out on her partner.
“Hey baby girl,” he said as I walked past, confident the hickey was camouflaged. “I see that mark on your neck.”
And with that throwaway sentence, he reduced me to something smaller than I was. Immediately I became furious — with my boyfriend. How could he have been so careless? To put me in such a compromising public position. I was wearing my nighttime activities on my neck and instead of feeling proud of that — or in control of it — I felt like I needed to hide it. The tension between my modern enlightenment versus societal brainwashing was more than I could explain via text. So I just typed, “What the f–k?”
Later that night I explain [sic] him how that random man made me feel like an object, how a complete stranger ruined my entire day with a simple (and yes, sexist) observation. And, also, how it was all my boyfriend’s fault.
He took everything in quietly, absorbing my mad ranting like a champ. Once I was out of breath, he looked up at me and said, “I’m sorry.” What he was sorry for I doubt he even knew, but it made me feel better, less invisible, which is ironic since the whole row started because of something someone saw.
It was that same worry mixed with upset about what other people would see and think that caused my sister to get admonished by a guy she was dating a few years ago. She was still in her 20s at the time, and he was an older man. A successful brotha in his 40s. She didn’t tell me whether she intentionally or accidentally left a hickey on his neck, but the fact that she did created a rift in what was looking to be a burgeoning relationship. She said that he told her that her “behavior” was immature and that as a grown a– man, he can’t be seen out and about with love bites on his neck. She didn’t consider the mark to be that deep. Still, that argument pretty much kicked off issues that would arise after that fact with him often questioning her maturity, and my sister feeling like she was dealing with someone who was just a little too stiff and judgmental.
As for where others stand on hickeys, it was also brought up as a mark of possession, which to some is immature. A friend, a man in his mid-30s with kids, said the last hickey he received was probably 15 years ago. Now that he’s older, and a father, he doesn’t like the idea of getting hickeys (though it depends on who they come from). Plus, he says, “You know damn well people do that on purpose,” which, per the possessiveness angle, doesn’t sit well with him.
“If it was a random woman just trying to tat me up to be territorial then I would be upset,” he said, “but if it was a longtime girlfriend or wife, no. But I would feel somewhat uncomfortable because I don’t want my kids seeing my neck and feeling like its okay if they do it.”
In most cases, unless someone is going to town, a hickey is not always that visible to others. And while I could understand not wanting to walk into work with a neck that looks like freshman year all over again, to actually be angered seems over the top to me. A light recommendation to your partner to ease up during heavy “petting” sessions sounds good enough. But to make them feel bad by chiding them about showing affection in that way might make them leery about what they do to and for you in the future. Plus, if it bothers you that much, I’m willing to bet it’s not because of how it looks to you, but because of how it looks to others. And in that case, I would just say, it’s not the business of “others” either way…
But as always, that’s just my opinion. What say you? Is it petty to for someone to get worked up about their partner leaving a hickey on them? How would you react?
Image via Getty
The post Is This Petty? I Gave Him A Hickey And He Was Pissed appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Black Love: Actors Dulé Hill And Jazmyn Simon Are Engaged!
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[/caption] Yay for Black love! We’re happy to announce that actors Dulé Hill Jazmyn Simon have made it official and are set to tie the knot. The “Ballers” actress shared the news via her Instagram page and from the looks of things, the proposal included a hot air balloon, champagne and an emphatic and resounding “yes.”
Credit: Joseph Marzullo/WENN.com[/caption] Yay for Black love! We’re happy to announce that actors Dulé Hill Jazmyn Simon have made it official and are set to tie the knot. The “Ballers” actress shared the news via her Instagram page and from the looks of things, the proposal included a hot air balloon, champagne and an emphatic and resounding “yes.”
From the looks of things, Dulé popped the question on Good Friday. As with any couple, we have to know how they met. Thankfully, Jazmyn shared the story on “Home & Family” last August.
“I met Dulé at lunch. I was supposed to be in Miami for two days to shoot the “Ballers” pilot and my two days turned into two weeks because I was at the end of the second day and my scene got bumped. And when it gets bumped it goes to the end of the schedule. So I packed two days worth of clothes and I was there for two weeks. And one day, I was so bored towards the end of the two weeks, and I went to lunch. I called and said can someone pick me up for lunch on set. So they come and pick me up. And Dulé had just traveled in for that one day because he was doing a play on Broadway called After Midnight. So he was only off on this Monday. So he came and I went to set, it’s just me and him at the end of the table. And I said, ‘Oh I know you. You’re Dulé!’ And I went and we exchanged numbers and the rest is history.”If you’ve seen the cast of “Ballers,” you know that it’s a male-dominated environment. Jazmyn is literally the only woman. So nearly a year after their initial meeting she and the cast had become like family. As such, when the group was attending an event, she said, “I’m surrounded by all of my brothers. I love you guys.” And Dulé leaned in and said, “I’m not your brother.” Jazmyn said, “He had been trying for all those months but he just wanted to make it very clear. ‘I’m not your brother.’ And I was like ‘You’re going to be my boyfriend aren’t you.” As far as what the other men on set thought about him, Jazmyn said, “They are so protective of me but they all adore Dulé. Like Dulé is a guy’s guy. He’s just a stand up individual so it’s hard not to love him. And so, honestly about six or seven months into him pursuing me, Donovan Carter, he’s like, ‘Please give Dulé a shot. Just give Dulé a shot.’ So they’re all for it. They love him and our relationship hasn’t changed so they don’t mind.” As for the reason Jazmyn made Dulé wait for nearly a year she said she didn’t want to mix business and pleasure.
“It was my first series so I was like, ‘that is a bad precedent to set’ that I date the first guy I meet at lunch’ on my first series. And so he worked for it. And he told me, ‘I’m very patient.’ And I was like ‘Alright, crazy man.’… Friend zone fail. Best decision I ever made.”In addition to trying to be professional, Jazmyn also took her time dating Dulé because she had been in a couple of bad relationships and she wanted to ensure that the next one went differently.
“And at the end of one relationship, I gotta be clear with God what I want because this is not what I want. And so I made a list of 10-12 things that were really important to me, not wants but needs, things that I needed from a partner. And Dulé is literally everything on that list. The first one has a relationship with Jesus, the second one was loves me. He does. The third one I think was makes me laugh, very smart. I don’t know, nevertheless, everything on my list, he was. And it took me time to realize that everything that I wanted, was right there.”Beautiful! You can watch Jazmyn's full interview in the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=527&v=e1Hq4xxOUWk You can check out pictures of the couple over the years on the following pages, they’re pretty adorable.
The post Black Love: Actors Dulé Hill And Jazmyn Simon Are Engaged! appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Mother Of Baby Cast In “Girls” Said Son Is Not Black, He’s Puerto Rican & Haitian
It seems like every couple of months, we discover yet another person who could use a history lesson. This week, it’s the mother of the baby cast to play Hannah Horvath’s child on the series finale of HBO’s “Girls.”
For those who didn’t watch, Lena Dunham’s character Hannah is pregnant by the last season. And despite the father of her child, a surfing instructor from Pakistan, saying that he has no intention of being involved with the child, aside from offering a name suggestion, she plans to have the baby anyway. And in the series finale, she does. So naturally, they needed to cast a baby for the role of Grover.
With his Pakistani roots, he needs to be a bit darker than Hannah. But audiences found the casting choice to be a little off. There were quite a few questions on social media, asking “Who’s little Black baby is this?”
Hannah’s according to the casting director.
And while most people noted this baby’s Blackness when he was supposed to be Pakistani and White, there was one person who felt the need to set the record straight.
The child’s mother.
In a since-deleted tweet, Jaclyn Nichole writes:
@MissJess_Switch 1st off my 👶🏽 who plays Grover isn’t black! He’s Puerto Rican & His Dad is Haitian,does is matter? He fit the role to a T & he’s gorgeous!
— Jaclyn Nichole (@jooeunl) April 20, 2017
Y’all know what it is. There are scads of phenotypical and genetically Black Puerto Ricans. And Haitians are simply, Black. The slave trade and Black diaspora are real.
When people tried to tell her these facts, Jaclyn responded: “Haitian is a nationality, black is a race. If your [sic] Haitian & have fair to white skin like his twin, then he’s Haitian but his race is white.”
Nah.
First of all, I’m not going to put any more pictures of her children out on the internet for us to dissect in an attempt to identify. But I will say these boys, the one who played Grover, his lighter skinned brother and their Haitian father are undeniably Black.
And it’s really a shame that their fair-skinned, freckled mother is hesitant to acknowledge this. I could talk about this for days but I’ll just say this, a word of caution to the Black men who have children with White or White-identifying women, make sure they’re willing to embrace your Black child’s full identity and prepare them to move through the world as Black men and women.
Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of “Bettah Days.” You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @VDubShrug.
The post Mother Of Baby Cast In “Girls” Said Son Is Not Black, He’s Puerto Rican & Haitian appeared first on MadameNoire.
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11 Must-Have Items From The ASOS Activewear Sale That You Can Get For The Low
Who doesn't a love good sale?
Lucky for you, ASOS (who always has some kind of deal-stealing sale going on) is having a 60 percent sale on activewear right now. We're talking accessories, pants, tops, bras, shoes -- the whole nine yards. So if you've been looking for a new workout bag, some comfortable workout pants or something daring like a crop top or bodysuit, they've got you covered for a limited time. And seriously, these pieces are not only cute but affordable. Thanks us later for the heads up.
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Adidas x Stella Sport Backpack $42.50
Elle Sport Pink Leopard Pa nel Performance Leggings $25.50
Puma Exclusive to ASOS Logo Body With Extreme Low Back $19.50
YAS Crossover Crop Top $11
Adidas 3/4 Training Pants $29.50
Reebok Mesh Cylinder Travel Bag $58
Elle Sport Tonal Leopard Color Pipe Gym Leggings $34
Puma Powershape Medium Support Racer Back Gym Bra $24.50
Reebok Capri Leggings $22
Y.A.S. Drape Front Tunic $18
Adidas x Stella Sport Yvori Running Sneaker $45.50
The post 11 Must-Have Items From The ASOS Activewear Sale That You Can Get For The Low appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Things You Need To Know About Celiac Disease
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There has been a surge of Celiac disease awareness in recent years. This awareness has helped people become diagnosed, get the help they need, and, finally, understand why they’ve lived with pain and discomfort for years. It’s also left many people confuse. A lot of individuals have the symptoms associated with Celiac, leading them to self-diagnose, and sometimes cut out gluten for no reason whatsoever, while still failing to target their issue. Some people don’t believe that Celiac disease is even real (it is) simply because we rarely heard about it until the last decade or so. But there are a lot of conditions humans have suffered and even died from for centuries, that we really only came to understand in the 21st century. So here are facts about Celiac disease you should know, whether you have it or not.
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There has been a surge of Celiac disease awareness in recent years. This awareness has helped people become diagnosed, get the help they need, and, finally, understand why they’ve lived with pain and discomfort for years. It’s also left many people confuse. A lot of individuals have the symptoms associated with Celiac, leading them to self-diagnose, and sometimes cut out gluten for no reason whatsoever, while still failing to target their issue. Some people don’t believe that Celiac disease is even real (it is) simply because we rarely heard about it until the last decade or so. But there are a lot of conditions humans have suffered and even died from for centuries, that we really only came to understand in the 21st century. So here are facts about Celiac disease you should know, whether you have it or not.
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You’re born with it
You do not develop Celiac disease. It is an auto-immune disease, and you have it from the moment your little body enters this world. Some people think they develop it because symptoms can take decades to appear. [caption id="attachment_613832" align="alignleft" width="500"]
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It cannot be cured
So before asking your friend who is complaining about their condition to “Just get some medicine” you should know that, they can’t. They simply have to avoid most of the food you eat. [caption id="attachment_707056" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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It is different from gluten-sensitivity
Gluten-sensitivity and Celiac disease will produce many of the same symptoms (bloating, diarrhea, vomiting) but do not cause the same long-term issues. Only people with Celiac disease can struggle to absorb nutrients if they consume gluten. [caption id="attachment_711664" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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A little history lesson
To show just how powerful this disease is, during World War II, when there was a bread shortage, incidents of Celiac disease went down. Naturally, they went back up when bread became once again widely-available. [caption id="attachment_722647" align="alignleft" width="414"]
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You can have it and not know it
Some individuals with Celiac disease never exhibit symptoms, but that isn’t to say that the disease isn’t harming them. Your intestines can suffer damage if you eat gluten and have Celiac disease, even if you do not suffer the immediate effects. [caption id="attachment_708138" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Yes, it’s very serious
If someone has Celiac disease, so much as a particle of wheat flour landing on their food can make them sick. So when your friend with Celiac asked if you cut any bread on the board that you’re now cutting her carrots on, she isn’t being difficult. [caption id="attachment_623973" align="alignleft" width="500"]
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Celiac doesn’t always show up in your tests
You can actually test negative for the disease and still have it. So, if you exhibit the symptoms of Celiac disease, and you feel tremendously better when you don’t eat gluten, then disregard what the test says and just stop eating gluten. [caption id="attachment_704593" align="alignleft" width="476"]
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What is the real danger?
When someone with Celiac disease consumes gluten, their intestines can be damaged, making it difficult for them to properly absorb nutrients. The intestines may also leak into the bloodstream. [caption id="attachment_708003" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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There may be a correlation between Celiac and infertility
While there haven’t been conclusive studies proving that Celiac disease causes infertility, studies have found a prevalence of Celiac disease in women struggling to conceive who are unable to determine another cause of their fertility issues. [caption id="attachment_703281" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Celiac disease can cause cancer
Consuming gluten when one has Celiac disease can put you at a higher risk of developing lymphoma and small bowel cancer. [caption id="attachment_722656" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Some symptoms are hard to catch
Celiac disease can cause symptoms clearly related to an intestinal condition, like bloating, constipation and vomiting. But the disease can also cause symptoms people don’t often associate with digestive diseases, like depression, skin rashes, fatigue and joint pain. [caption id="attachment_613832" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]
Diagnosis is complicated
While blood tests can often detect Celiac disease in people suffering advanced stages of the condition, intestinal biopsies are necessary to diagnose it in people only in the beginning stages. [caption id="attachment_608268" align="alignleft" width="467"]
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Misdiagnosis happens all of the time
Since the symptoms of Celiac disease are quite similar to those of Chron’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colitis, it is often misdiagnosed. [caption id="attachment_712213" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Diagnoses are on the rise
Within the past twenty years, the number of documented cases of Celiac disease has risen from about one in every 10,000 people to one in every 130 people. [caption id="attachment_717467" align="alignleft" width="380"]
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A few more symptoms to be aware of
Celiac can manifest itself in hundreds of symptoms. Here are some to look for: tingling of the extremities, sores in the mouth, changes in mood, yellowing or browning of the teeth, headaches, anemia, and delayed growth in children.The post Things You Need To Know About Celiac Disease appeared first on MadameNoire.
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K. Michelle Comes For Loni Love After Angela Yee’s Appearance On “The Real”
Another day, another opportunity for K. Michelle to be messy. This time her ire is directed at Loni Love of “The Real.” Honestly, I knew there was going to be some type of backlash when Angela Yee appeared on the show and talked about the now infamous interaction when K. Michelle came to “The Breakfast Club.”
While Angela Yee refused to say K. Michelle’s name, Loni wanted to make things clear. And she clarified that the woman they were discussing was indeed K. Michelle. And though K. Michelle has directed her faux rage toward Loni, it was actually Jeannie Mai who heard the story and responded with “Let crazy be crazy.”
Well, that’s a trigger word for K. Michelle and she chose Loni as her target for today.
K. Michelle lives for drama. And since she’s such a fan, perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for her to make an appearance on the show and say what she’s got to say.
Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of “Bettah Days.” You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @VDubShrug.
The post K. Michelle Comes For Loni Love After Angela Yee’s Appearance On “The Real” appeared first on MadameNoire.
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If You Could Only Listen To 5 Prince Songs For The Rest Of Your Life, What Would They Be?
Can you believe it has been a year since Prince passed away?
I remember that day like it was yesterday. When TMZ reported that he died, many people, including myself, didn’t believe it. But as more and more reputable publications started to share the news, my heart sank. Prince? How could Prince not be in the world? That night my friends and I made our way to the Brooklyn Bowl, a bowling alley with a huge stage and dance floor, to hear Questlove spinning the Purple One’s classics. We danced and cried and screamed out the lyrics to our favorites, from “Let’s Go Crazy” to “Anotherloverholenyohead.” It was both a great night, as well as one of great sadness.
Here we are a year later, and while trying to figure out a way to commemorate that year, I thought, what better way than to let the music play? So I ask the question: If you could only listen to five Prince songs for the rest of your life, what would they be?
Culture editor Veronica Wells, a Prince aficionado, says, “Pink Cashmere,” “Love 2 the 9s,” “Beautiful Ones,” “Nothing Compares 2 U” and “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad.”
Deputy editor Brande Victorian claimed some popular favorites, including “Adore, “When Doves Cry, “Kiss,” “U Got the Look” and “Purple Rain.”
And as for myself, I’m going to go with the deep cuts: “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” “Baby I’m a Star,” “Erotic City,” “The Beautiful Ones,” and “Sometimes It Snows in April.”
All of these songs we have a connection to for a variety of reasons. With that being said, what are the five Prince songs you couldn’t live without? Let us know below…
Image via Getty
The post If You Could Only Listen To 5 Prince Songs For The Rest Of Your Life, What Would They Be? appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Cuba Gooding Jr. Pays Tribute To His Father After “Main Ingredient” Singer Found Dead At 72
If you know anything about Cuba Gooding Jr. and his family, then you know his father, Cuba Gooding Sr. In very sad news, the patriarch of the family was found dead in his car on Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles. He was 72 years old.
According to the LAPD, Gooding was found in the Woodland Hills neighborhood and CPR was attempted, however, Gooding was incapable of being resuscitated. There was reportedly no indication of foul play. An autopsy is pending.
Gooding Sr. was the lead singer of the music group The Main Ingredient. They were known for hits including “Everybody Plays the Fool” and “I Only Have Eyes For You.” He is survived by his wife, Shirley, and four kids, including actor Cuba Gooding Jr., fellow actor Omar, April and Tommy.
The Academy-award winning actor paid homage to his father on Instagram late last night. He kept it brief but shared an image of his father with Main Ingredient and included the caption, “Eternal…”
According to TMZ, Cuba Jr. still reported to work and tried to pull it together on the set of his film Life in a Year, which Jaden Smith is also a star of. They were shooting in Toronto and Smith managed to crack a smile or two with his co-star.
Image via Getty
The post Cuba Gooding Jr. Pays Tribute To His Father After “Main Ingredient” Singer Found Dead At 72 appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam’s Family Comes Forward Refuting Suicide Claims
Last week, we reported about the mysterious death of Jude Abdus-Salaam. Since her body was located by authorities in the Hudson River, with no signs of foul play, many began to speculate that she’d committed suicide.
The claims took a turn for the disturbing when someone posted false claims on Wikipedia stating that Adbus-Salaam had a history of suicide in her family and that both her mother and brother took their own lives.
That was not the case and people who knew the judge personally stepped forward to refute them.
“Sheila’s mother, the matriarch of our family who died at age 92 in 2012, did not take her own life,” their statement read. “Shelia’s younger brother, who died in 2014, lost his battle with terminal lung cancer.”
Now, those close to her, including her husband, have come forward to challenge the claims of suicide.
Her husband, Rev. Gregory Jacobs, who reported his wife missing, said, “These reports have frequently included unsubstantiated comments concerning my wife’s possible mental and emotional state of mind at the time of her death. Those of us who loved (the judge) and knew her well do not believe that these unfounded conclusions have any basis in reality.And in the absence of any conclusive evidence, we believe such speculation to be unwarranted and irresponsible.”
Jacobs was Judge Abdus-Salaam’s third husband. The couple married last year.
Judge Abdus-Salaam’s extended family, the Turners also spoke to the claims about the Judge Abdus-Salaam being the first Muslim judge.
“Sheila has not been a practicing Muslim for the past 20 years. She continued to use her first husband’s surname professionally. We will forever remember witnessing her happiness as she united in marriage to an Episcopal priest last year.”
Veronica Wells is the culture editor at MadameNoire.com. She is also the author of “Bettah Days.” You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter @VDubShrug.
The post Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam’s Family Comes Forward Refuting Suicide Claims appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Back Like He Never Left: Barack Obama To Host First Post-Presidency Speaking Engagement In Chicago
After several months of unanswered texts, a few, “New phone? Who dis?” moments, and some sightings of him getting his entire life, former President Barack Obama is ready to answer our calls and come back to drop some profound and poetic bars on his welcoming public.
This upcoming Monday, our former Commander-In-Chief will return to his hometown to host a civic engagement at the University of Chicago. Obama taught constitutional law at the university in the late 1990s. He also represented Hyde Park, the neighborhood where the university is located, during his time as an Illinois state senator.
“This event is part of President Obama’s post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders driven by strengthening communities around the country and the world,” Obama’s press team announced on Friday. Obama will be returning to his presidential campaign roots encouraging hope and change among youth in the event which aims to be “a conversation on community organizing and civic engagement.”
However, if you’re waiting for him to criticize any moves made by the present administration, you’re likely to be disappointed. According to the New York Times, those closest to the former president report he is strictly committed to the idea of that there is only one president at a time and he will not be addressing Trump’s handling of immigration, healthcare or foreign policy. Sorry folks, it won’t be that kind of party and the theme for the evening seems to be positive vibes only.
Politico reports that the engagement will be televised but otherwise is invite-only and tickets were sent out to select students at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Chicago State University, Roosevelt University, Loyola University and The University of Illinois at Chicago.
I don’t know about you all, but I can’t wait for the former President to bless our ears with eloquence, intelligence and wisdom. I might just have to shave my legs for this. It’s been too long, Barry. Far too long.
The post Back Like He Never Left: Barack Obama To Host First Post-Presidency Speaking Engagement In Chicago appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Draya Michele’s MintSwim Summer 2017 Collection Has Arrived
Former Basketball Wives LA starlet Draya Michele has done a drastic revamp of her brand, and we’ve been here for it every step of the way. Lately, her style has taken a turn for the best, flaunting her petite and poised stature in sophisticated finds from her capsule collection Beige+Coco.
But Michele is making headlines this time around for her multimillion dollar swimsuit line that put her on map as an entrepreneur, MintSwim. Just in time for the summer, she’s served up a new collection that’s just the right amount of sexy and edgy. There’s tankinis and two-pieces featuring cool cut-out patterns, low-cut designs and color ways ranging from neutral to bright. Basically, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The new collection ranges in price from a reasonable $46 to $100 and is available now at mint-swim.com.
Happy shopping, ladies!
The post Draya Michele’s MintSwim Summer 2017 Collection Has Arrived appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Is Another ‘Friday’ Movie Happening?
It’s safe to say that everyone and their mama has seen the cult classic Friday. To date, it’s been 22 years since Ice Cube debuted the narrative that follows Smokey and Craig after they smoke a dope dealer’s weed and try to figure a way to get the $200 they owe to the dealer that same night. And it’s been 15 years since the third installment of the comedic film, Friday After Next, premiered in theaters.
For years, there’s been speculation that Cube’s Cubevision productions are hitting us with another dose of nostalgia with another reboot reportedly titled Last Friday.
With individuals still hopeful, one of Friday’s most memorable actors, John Witherspoon, who played Cube’s father Willie Jones, gave fans some details about the film’s whereabouts, TMZ reports.
“Cube said they’re going to do another Friday,” the 75-year-old confirmed. “He said he wanted to meet with me this week, but he couldn’t make it, but we’re going to meet next week and get things together.”
Back in 2015, actress Angela Means, who played Felicia, shared her thoughts on a possible Friday follow-up, offering, “Cube wants to keep going, but people have moved on and the same people aren’t available at the same rate and don’t have the same time or the same inclination.” “That’s where it is. It’s going to be timely and when it happens, it’ll happen,” she continued. “It’s not like people are opposed to it, but it’s just the nature of the business, just timing. It’s got to be right.”
Well, sounds like the business and timing is right now.
The post Is Another ‘Friday’ Movie Happening? appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Fellow Comedians Pay Tribute To The Late Charlie Murphy In Special Way
The recent loss of comedian Charlie Murphy is still hitting many fans hard, but fellow colleagues D.L. Hughley and George Lopez found their own way to keep their friend’s memory alive.
After being in NYC last Wednesday for Murphy’s funeral, the two visited Fun City Tattoo to get some ink in honor of the funny man. The pair posted their new “Darkness” hand tattoos to Instagram, script that fans know is the nickname given to Murphy by musician Rick James during a “True Hollywood Stories” segment on Chappelle’s Show.
The comedian and older brother of actor Eddie Murphy, died Wednesday, April 12 at the age of 57 after a long battle with leukemia. Many of Murphy’s friends joined together to lay the late comedian to rest including Cedric The Entertainer, Eddie Griffin and Donnell Rawlings to name a few.
His family expressed their appreciation for the public’s support in an official statement to E! News:
“Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our son, brother, father, uncle and friend Charlie.”
“Charlie filled our family with love and laughter and there won’t be a day that goes by that his presence will not be missed. Thank you for the outpouring of condolences and prayers. We respectfully ask for privacy during this time of great loss for all of us.”
His nickname may have been “Darkness” but Murphy brought a whole lot of light and laughter into many people’s lives. We wish peace to his family and friends as they celebrate his memory and mourn their loss.
The post Fellow Comedians Pay Tribute To The Late Charlie Murphy In Special Way appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Jay-Z Is Tackling Race And Inequality With Nat Geo In New Series
Coming off the highly successful “The Kalief Browder Story”, Jay-Z is reportedly working on his third docuseries with the National Geographic Channel. “Race With Jay-Z”, a project Hov is producing with The Weinstein Company, will explore systematic injustices such as incarceration and the wealth gap, social media, activism and family as reported by Variety.
Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, says the six-part docuseries will further showcase Jay-Z’s gift for storytelling by capturing present-day stories from a diverse mix of people from all walks of life all over the country including immigrants and first-generation Americans among others:
“National Geographic and Jay Z are the world’s foremost storytellers in their own right, and we’re thrilled to be working with them on such an evocative and meaningful project.”
“By using highly cinematic storytelling techniques along with Jay Z’s singular point of view, the series will tell a dramatic, thought-provoking story on race in America.”
The project is just one of many upcoming ventures Jay-Z has in the works with The Weinstein Company. Variety also reports that the team is developing a series of film and television projects about the life and death of Trayvon Martin after winning a heated bidding war over rights to two books: “Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It” and “Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.” Both works addressed how racial profiling and inequality present within the criminal justice system both contributed to the 17-year-old’s death at the hands of 28-year-old George Zimmerman as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.
We’re glad to see Jay-Z providing a forum for difficult conversations and raising awareness about issues that affect all of us.
The post Jay-Z Is Tackling Race And Inequality With Nat Geo In New Series appeared first on MadameNoire.
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Tyra Banks Reveals That “Life -Size 2” Is A Thing Teasing The Teenage Guilty Pleasure In All Of Us
If Tyra Banks is about anything it’s her business. Entertainment Tonight reports that the sequel to the 2000 Disney hit Life-Size will air on Freeform in December 2018.
Bank revealed she’s been working on the sequel for five years. Life-Size 2 will feature Banks reprising her role as the iconic Eve, a young girl’s doll who comes to life. Eve who is all grown continues to learn about the ups and downs of life while helping a young woman learn to live and love again.
At Freeform’s recent Upfront Presentation in New York City, 43-year-old Banks dropped some details on the sequel:
“Five years, four scripts, and finally we realized, Eve needs to grow up. She’s been around for a while. She’s been alive for a while. She needs to grow up and experience more adult things. So, you’re going to see a very different Eve on Freeform.”
The question is will Lindsay Lohan be making an appearance as an all grown-up Casey? Banks says it’s something she’d like to see, but also has her eyes on another young actress:
“I love Lindsay. I have not [reached out to offer a cameo], but I think it would be interesting. I have to talk to my producing partners. I think it would be interesting, right? That was my girl back in the day!”
“I would love Zendaya. I think Zendaya would be really interesting.”
As far as a release date, Banks remarked she’d be squeezing the project in between a few other gigs she’s signed on to including being the new host of America’s Got Talent, a return to her “baby” America’s Top Model, and being a mother to her real-life baby, 1-year-old son, York. Banks says she and producers are set on a date for late 2018:
“I was gonna fit it in between Top Model and AGT and teaching at Stanford and seeing my baby. So, we were like … Christmas 2018 will make it a better Life-Size.”
Are you excited for Life-Size 2? I know I’m not the only one who just started singing the lyrics to “Be A Star.”
The post Tyra Banks Reveals That “Life -Size 2” Is A Thing Teasing The Teenage Guilty Pleasure In All Of Us appeared first on MadameNoire.
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How Success Changes A Relationship
[caption id="attachment_827779" align="aligncenter" width="1068"]![success changes]()
Bigstockphoto.com/A happy African American man and woman couple standing together outside under a tree.[/caption]
Success and status affect a relationship—whether we want to admit it or not. It can affect it in wonderful ways, like offering financial security and eliminating arguments about how to pay rent or afford a vacation. It can also help the successful person feel more confident and at ease—helping them actually focus less on proving themselves. But success can also make it difficult to keep the same dynamic you and your partner had when you were just starting out in your careers, young, hungry, hopeful, curious and creative. Those were fun years! Money and success don’t have to change people, but they can. Most psychologists and life coaches will tell you that so long as you’re right with yourself before you become successful, then money will only make you better. But if you have unresolved issues, money can destroy you. Here is how success changes relationships.
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Bigstockphoto.com/A happy African American man and woman couple standing together outside under a tree.[/caption]
Success and status affect a relationship—whether we want to admit it or not. It can affect it in wonderful ways, like offering financial security and eliminating arguments about how to pay rent or afford a vacation. It can also help the successful person feel more confident and at ease—helping them actually focus less on proving themselves. But success can also make it difficult to keep the same dynamic you and your partner had when you were just starting out in your careers, young, hungry, hopeful, curious and creative. Those were fun years! Money and success don’t have to change people, but they can. Most psychologists and life coaches will tell you that so long as you’re right with yourself before you become successful, then money will only make you better. But if you have unresolved issues, money can destroy you. Here is how success changes relationships.
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It can make your partner question his worth
If one person achieves a lot of career success and the other one doesn’t, the less successful one can become a bit insecure. They may start wondering, “Wouldn’t my partner rather be with someone as successful as she is? I better have something good happen for me soon or my partner will start to think I’m a loser.” [caption id="attachment_708770" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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You can struggle to be present
Success always comes with more opportunities, more invitations to collaborate, more emails…it will become harder and harder to be present during date night with your partner. You need now, more than ever, to remind yourself the world can go on without you, and those emails will be there in the morning. [caption id="attachment_699584" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Success can define your confidence even more
The higher up you get, the lower you can also get if and when your career doesn’t go your way. A meeting or deal gone wrong can quickly put you in a terrible mood and destroy your confidence, which naturally affects your relationship. [caption id="attachment_626812" align="alignleft" width="500"]
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You have to make tough choices
You’ll constantly have to choose between staying on that conference call later or making it to your partner’s office holiday party. Maintaining a work/life balance will only get harder and harder. [caption id="attachment_702372" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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New characters come into your lives
Success brings new characters into your lives—good and bad ones. Both you and your partner will have to deal with these people. You may need to work with someone you really don’t like, and that means your partner has to go to dinners and functions with that person, too. [caption id="attachment_219442" align="alignleft" width="435"]
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You’ll work hard to remember what matters
You need to remind yourself, every day, that it’s your relationships that really make you happy in this life. If you don’t remind yourself of that, then your work/life balance will be thrown off, your partner won’t feel appreciated, and you could end up with a serious hole in your love life. [caption id="attachment_220080" align="alignleft" width="500"]
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You can forget that all problems matter—even his small ones
It may be hard to listen to your partner vent about what you perceive as a small problem when you’re tackling an issue at work that could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. But you have to remember that if the issue feels big to your partner, then you should treat it with importance. [caption id="attachment_700233" align="alignleft" width="468"]
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Money talks can be uncomfortable
The truth is that, at this point, it may not make sense for you and your partner to split everything 50/50. This is especially true if you’d like a more expensive lifestyle, now that you have more money. These conversations can be very uncomfortable for you and your partner. [caption id="attachment_712175" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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You have to work hard for time together
You can’t just say, “We’ll see each other when we see each other” because then you’ll never see each other. You have to take time every week to put your calendars side by side and find time to be together. [caption id="attachment_706777" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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His friends may want favors from you
When you are successful, people who want to use you come out of the woodworks. Your parent’s friends may try to use him to get to you, trying to ask you for favors, for money, for connections…it will be awkward for both of you. [caption id="attachment_607204" align="alignleft" width="500"]
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You’ll want to help your partner
You know your partner is talented, and you want the world to see it! You finally have the connections and visibility to help your partner show the world how talented he is. [caption id="attachment_609701" align="alignleft" width="430"]
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Your partner may be too stubborn to accept help
Your partner may not want your help, and may insist he needs to do this on your own. He may even be insulted at your offer to help. [caption id="attachment_702826" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Your partner can feel insecure about gifts
What do you get the woman who can afford everything herself? It’s not an easy question for anyone to answer. Your partner may feel insecure about picking you out heartfelt, but inexpensive gifts when you can buy yourself anything you want. [caption id="attachment_710065" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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Your sex life can take a hit
Between your partner questioning his worth sometimes, your confidence wavering like crazy and all of the other issues on this list, your sex life may take a hit. [caption id="attachment_701345" align="alignleft" width="420"]
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You have to practice gratitude
It’s always easy to think, “I could have more. There’s always more.” But you won't’ be happy that way, and your relationship won’t thrive that way. Start every day by being grateful for your health and your relationships. Remind yourself that, because you have those, you are already as successful as can be.The post How Success Changes A Relationship appeared first on MadameNoire.
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When The Tea Gets Cold And Bland: Am I Too Grown For Gossip?
There’s a quote that goes, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” I’m willing to admit my brain is the size of a craisin at least five times a day as my colleagues and I engage in water-cooler conversation that starts with, “Did you know Serena Williams is pregnant? Who is the stripper Carmelo Anthony cheated on Lala with? Why is Cash Money getting sued for the two-hundredth time?” But I have to admit that for me, that’s where most gossip ends. There are very few people in my life that I have in-depth conversations with that go far beyond politics or popular culture and into my personal feelings. And when it comes to breaking down my friend’s failed relationships, my frustration with a co-worker or supervisor, or just generally any less than favorable feelings I have for folks in my life, besides my husband there’s only two people I regularly turn to. The thing is, talking about folks isn’t anything I do for fun or to pass the time. So it always catches me off guard when people invite me trash-talking sessions for absolutely no reason at all.
Don’t get me wrong: We all gossip, but that doesn’t make it right. As I once mentioned in a piece I wrote called The Talking Ish Commandments, “Talking ish isn’t right but there’s a right way to do it. There’s levels to this ish. If you’re going to gossip, do so responsibly.” And a key part of engaging in gossip is being sure of who you do it with.
If there’s one thing I try to avoid, its office gossip. My luck has always been that just as I’m talking trash about Sonia from accounting with the bad breath, that broad will pop out of a bathroom stall or from around the corner of my cubicle. So most days when I need to vent about work I’ll call up my sister because she’s doesn’t share my employer and I’ll make sure to do it when I’m far from the building and at least one train stop away. When a co-worker invited me to lunch recently, I was already leery. First off, if there’s one thing about me I am very cautions when it comes to making friends at work. There’s too much potential to make a mess where you make your money. Although I met one of my BFFs at work, it took me a whole year to invite her behind to happy hour, long after I decided she was trustworthy and wouldn’t be bringing up the petty nickname I made up for the Vice President at her next employee review.
This recent situation involved a co-worker I chatted with occasionally, but definitely wasn’t on the level of texting shade regularly to within our office or even hanging out after hours. So here I am with this co-worker eating chicken sandwiches in the food court of a local mall. We have a few jokes here, rehash some office events and before I know it she’s going on a shade parade picking apart the dressing habits of another female colleague and the mental health conditions of a few male employees. What I noticed however, was that the gossip wasn’t entertaining or engaging, it just seemed kind of sad. These folks were people I barely knew, but seemed nice enough, and the convo waded through shallow waters of who wasn’t wearing designer labels and whose spouse was unemployed, nothing that actually spoke to the character of these people. I also had to entertain the idea of if she was willing to slander these folks around me and we weren’t that close, she had to be doing the same to me when she skipped out to lunch with Shanice from Marketing.
Lastly, it made me lose the little respect for her I had already built. Like I said, we all gossip. But I would hope that when I made it closer to this woman’s age of 40-ish, I’ll be in a place where I’m not judging people character based off of what brand name they are or are not wearing. I don’t want to spend my lunch hour talking prison reform and privilege, but I also don’t want an AARP membership into the Mean Girls Club where what I say of someone else says more about my insecurities than anyone else’s.
It made me wonder: Do you ever outgrow gossip? Like I said, I expect to be getting my craisin brain on a few times a day as long as Beyonce keeps popping out babies and Drake keeps being a target for Instagram groupies everywhere. But the last thing I want to be is the “Pearl” of 227 fame in my neighborhood, sitting in my window serving the tea of those who are out living their lives while I let my own pass me by. Although I’m no stranger to some Lipton, there’s a lot more going on in the world that I’d like to discuss than designer labels and other folks’ fails at love.
Do you think it’s possible to outgrow gossip?
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 When The Tea Gets Cold And Bland: Am I Too Grown For Gossip? appeared first on MadameNoire.
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