Category Archives: News

Why I Ghosted My Besties (You, Guys)

I know what y’all thinking–where has this bish been?

Let’s just say adjusting to moving from Brooklyn to Queen City, getting a new job, and a new puppy (Malchi!) didn’t leave much time for me to tickle the keyboards.

Hectic schedule aside, these past two months of grinding left me so overwhelmed and stressed I had to quit a job that became toxic.

It felt like it took such a huge piece of my energy that I didn’t have time to do what I love: this right here.

I can feel myself going through the motions every single day–go to work for eight hours, feed my pooch, feed myself and go to sleep.

There was no joy or anticipation of what was in store, just on auto pilot mode. Walking away from a position that didn’t bring fulfillment was the best decision I made.

I already feel so invigorated and motivated to continue chronicling amazing people enriching the world with their generosity.

Thank you, besties, for your patience and understanding. I missed you and love you.

I would love to hear your stories on walking away from toxic people, places or things. Please leave your comments below.

What We Wish For on Int’l Woman’s Day

If this past year has taught me anything, it’s that women are unbreakable. We are unstoppable and our gentle exterior may show we come in peace, but our tenacity, strength and smarts most certainly exude that we. mean. bizness.

We get shit done that no one (*cough* men *cough*) else want to handle. Or better yet don’t know how to manage. Not us. We can study for that midterm and feed our newborn. Cook dinner and clean the house. Eff an apron, where is our cape?

We most certainly need one today because…drum roll please…it’s International Woman’s Day.

On this day we tip our hat to all the 3.96 billion women (thanks Alexi…ok, stop laughing) around the planet, helping to make this world a safer more worthwhile place.

To truly accomplish this goal, we need a favor from the fellas. And you have to say yes because it’s our day. However, we will need today, tomorrow, next week and even next year to get it done. You need to recognize our worth. Our abilities. Our talents. And most importantly: our symmetry with you.

We demand equal treatment. The time for asking is over. We are ready. Yaasss SHE’s ready (in my Tiffany Haddish voice) for that board seat, equal pay and for goodness sake being respected for our brain and not our boobs.

It’s 2018, guys. The clock moved past 1952, *checking watch* 66 years ago. A time machine doesn’t exist to go backwards, women are getting in formation to claim our rightful place of power.

Because our time is now.

Cheers to all the overlooked, underpaid and unappreciated women that don’t know you are a bulletproof spirit, waiting to soar like a shooting star above our orbit.

Won’t He Do It! Shaquille O’Neal Covers Funeral Expenses for Teen Who Accidentally Shot Himself

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Shaq played a savior of sorts this Easter holiday.

Lord knows the family of Malachi Hemphill needed one.

After learning their 13-year-old son accidently shot himself while handling a loaded gun during a livestream Instagram video.

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WXIA reported that his friends watching the video had warned Malachi to put the safety on the gun, and it went off as he proceeded to do so.

“I heard a big boom,” his mother Shaniqua Stephens told the outlet. “I just knew that it was something that was wrong.”

Malachi was found by his mother and sister.

The Atlanta-based teen died Wednesday at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Thursday evening Shaquille O’Neal visited the family to give his condolences and offer to pay for the funeral.

“We just broke down and started crying because Malachi didn’t have any insurance,” Shantirea Bankston, Malachi’s godmother, said.

“We weren’t prepared to bury him this young. We didn’t have insurance for him. So to have that from Shaquille O’Neal it was a blessing and very touching, and we appreciate everything he do for the community.”

 Shaquille O’Neal released a statement saying he was willing to help to ease some of the family’s unimaginable pain.
“No mother should have to go through this,” he said. “I can only imagine the pain that she and all of Malachi’s family must be feeling.”
Hopefully, no other mother will have too. We’ll be praying for you, fam.

 

 

NBA Star Kyrie Irving Gives Second Chance to Sick NJ Boy | Chance the Rapper Inspires Investment in Chi-Town

Kyrie Irving has more than his NBA teammates backs. The Cleveland Cavalier also takes care of those reppin’ his junior high school alma mater—The Patrick School.

Upon learning 12-year-old Spencer Joyner was missing school due to a rare brain disorder—where spinal fluid leaks into his skull and cause excruciating headaches–Irving paid for his entire $11,000 tuition bill and medical bills.

The New Jersey native has been back in school for a month and still thriving from the boost Irving gave him.

“I would thank him for all the things that he’s done, paying for my tuition, paying for my medical bills,” Spencer said.

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Irving isn’t the only superstar to open his wallet and hope to make a difference. As you all know Chance the Rapper has been laying down a lotsa stacks to improve Chi-town public schools. This weekend he let his friends in on the act.

Like Seattle Seahawks player Michael Bennett, who vowed to donate his endorsements to the effort.

I was inspired by Chance The Rapper to ‘think bigger’ when he pledged one million dollars to Chicago kids and their school system. So, I’ll be joining him by investing in the future of our youth.

Chance even influenced the Chicago Bulls head office to write a $1 million check to the cause. Chance was even there to watch the check being presented to the schools.

The Chicago Tribune reports 12 Chi-Town schools will receive an extra $10,000 as a result.

At the announcement, Chance said “It is my job, just as who I am, to bring light and attention to public school funding, broken formulas and especially how it affects my hometown … where there’s 90 percent minority students.”

Chance the Rapper Chicago’s Mayor.

Feel Good Friday | Beyonce Grants Sick Fan’s Wish | Colin Kaepernick Donates to Meals on Wheels

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TGIF, Blinkers!

The weekend starts riiiggghhhtt…wait for it…now. But before we whip out that Olivia Pope-style wine glass, let’s take a look back at all the good news stories this week.

Starting with POTUS Orange’s Trumpcare. As of three hours ago the bill is DOA. Leaving Obamacare in place. And 24 million people all take a collective sigh of relief.#LongLiveObama

 

If you were feeling salty at Colin Kaepernick for suspending his take a knee challenge, this may get you back on his team. On the heels of POTUS Orange proposing cutting Meals on Wheels funding (heartless mofo) C.K. came through by donating $50,000. If this doesn’t have teamwork written all on it…can we get this dude back in shoulder pads please?

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Beyonce is showering one deserving fan with her Black Girl Magic. Houston teen Ebony Banks battling a rare form of cancer. To cheer her up friends from her high school, Alief Hastings started an online campaign to arrange a convo with Queen Bey. After numerous Instagram, Twitter and Facebook postings with hashtag #EBOBMEETSBEYONCE (Ebob is Ebony’s nickname) Beyonce Facetimed Ebony on Wednesday afternoon.

Telling Ebony, currently in MD Anderson Cancer Center, she loves her.

Dreams do come true.

Have a great weekend, Blinkers!!

Big Serving of Goodness! Woman Feeds 30,000 Using Coupons

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I’ve cut a coupon or two during my pig tail days (in my mama’s house you didn’t have a choice) but never enough to land on a game show.

Or boast about feeding 30,000 strangers as a result of clipping skills. Lauren Puryear can.

The New Jersey native set an epic  birthday wish: to feed 30,000 people for her big 3-0 in September. She aalready surpassed it.

Don’t worry she’s not superhuman. But does have a superpower: an  obsession with extreme couponing.

“After I couponed for 50 jars of Ragu sauce and 100 boxes of Barilla pasta all for free, I knew I was going to make a difference in the world,” she told Scary Mommy.

Lauren’s “small scale” compassion via couponing project kicked into high gear when delivering 5,000 meals to people in New Jersey, Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Giving the Northern VA dweller the idea to go even bigger. Hence, the B-day goal.

Lauren launched the org For Love of Others, which pools volunteers in the East to provide homeless with food and necessities, like uncooked meals for family dinner and kids’ bagged lunch.

Setting a great example for her six-year-old son, who volunteers with her.

“He’s really grown into such a little humanitarian,” she said. “I hope he’ll continue to help others throughout his life however he sees fit. He also also learned how to coupon, which he loves.”

Lauren already has sights set on helping even more people with new Push Past Poverty initiative–after discovering the people she feeds are at or below the poverty line–that educates people on rising above poverty.

As Puryear’s humanitarian work expands, so do her goals. “I will keep on feeding until [my 30th birthday] and see what number I can get up to,” she said. “Maybe 300,000!”

 

King of Hearts! LeBron James Launches Shoe for Disabled Athletes

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Even LaVar Ball would agree this is the real legacy LeBron James should be leaving for his sons and daughter–helping those that need it the most.

And King James did just that with today’s launch of Nike 10 Soldier FlyEase sneaker–designed to cater to special needs kids of all ages–in Cleveland.

How?

The kicks were the brainchild of 12-year-old Matthew Walzer, who penned a letter to Nike CEO in 2012 describing how difficult it is tying his shoes because of his cerebral palsy. Nike revamped the shoe to include a zipper all the way around to get in and out easily.

Kids from the Cleveland Clinic Hospital for Rehabilitation were given their very own FlyEases’ by LeBron today at the Cavs practice facility. LeBron emphasized the impact the kicks would have on independence and performance.

“It’s about us empowering every kid and everybody to understand that we are all athletes,” James said. “Sport, in general, should never be taken away from any kid.”