Category Archives: Women Crush Wednesday

Langston Hughes Legacy Revived Through Arts Collective

So, I’m killing two birds with one stone on this post, actually three because I love doing the most.

Giving much deserved props to my fave poet–Langston Hughes–during National Poetry Month (check).

And featuring an arts collective org launched by Coretta Scott King Award winner. Introducing our other #WCW…Renee Watson.

The New York Times Bestselling author of “Piecing Me Together” was so inspired by Langston Hughes’ work she created “I, Too, Arts Collective” org (a nod to the iconic poem) in the scribe’s own Harlem brownstone.

Yes Ma’am!! The same parlor Langston used his famous typewriter, is now being occupied by kids taking part in African drumming and adult poetry readings.

It’s among the many creative programs offered by the non-profit, whose goal is to foster creativity within Harlem and sustain Langston’s legacy.

“This was a person that didn’t just write about Harlem, but loved Harlem,” Watson told CBS News.

What better way to repay that love affair than preserving the last creative space Langston Hughes worked in.

Through crowd sourcing and using hashtag #LangstonLegacy to get support, Watson was able to lease the brownstone in 2016.

The new goal is getting the collective to buy the building, which should’ve been a museum, anyway.

“There’s stories about Langston sitting in the parlor room with friends, and just talking politics, and talking about art, and we do that here. And so I hope that, yeah, if he knew it was going on, I think he would be proud. I feel like he’s cheering us on,” Watson said.

I am too.

Beyonce Donates to Young, Gifted and Black at HBCU’s

My edges have officially grown back, so that Beyonce can snatch them right off again come Saturday for Beychella 2.0.

Not only has the Queen of showtime put on the blackest of black performances celebrating…um…Black culture that wasn’t featured on an Apollo stage, Beyonce is donating to the cause.

Our girl is shelling out $100 Gs worth of scholarships at HBCU’s through her BEYGOOD charity initiative.

Xavier, Wilberforce, Tuskegee and Bethune-Cookman (sorry Howard, we know you needed that W) will receive $25K each for Homecoming Scholars Award Program.

Four students from each school can apply. Just like with the merit scholarship she debuted after release of Lemonade, students concentration has to be art based.

Winners will be announced this summer.

May your odds be as favorable as Beyonce’s killing the stage on Saturday. #Blackexcellence

In My DNA: First Black Woman to Grace Canadian Money

new-10-bill-unveiled-featuring-civil-rights-icon-viola-desmond-0

I got, I got, I got, I got/ Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA/ Cocaine quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA/ I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA/ I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA

Sorry y’all, I can’t stop singing this Kendrick Lamar joint ever since I heard my cousin is the first Black woman to grace Canada’s $10 banknote.

Naturally, Viola Desmond is our WCW. For not only refusing to leave a white’s only section of a movie theater in the late ‘40s, but more importantly her defiance was the jump off to the civil rights movement, which led to the end of segregation in Nova Scotia.

For not only refusing to leave a white’s only section of a movie theater in the late ‘40s, but more importantly her defiance was the jump off to the civil rights movement, which led to the end of segregation in Nova Scotia.

No wonder out of more than 26,000 submissions, cousin Vi was selected as the Canadian woman reppin the new banknote.

Fair warning this post will be bias as a mofo, but I’m hoping you guys will indulge me in this proud moment.

Viola Desmond did for Canada what Rosa Parks did for us. Only she did it a decade before Rosa. My cuz Vi stumbled upon her role as a civil rights pioneer. Much like Rosa, she was sick and tired of being sick and tired. 

So this is how she landed in textbooks:

In 1946, Vi’s car broke down while traveling and had to stop in New Glasgow to get it fixed. To kill time, she went to the movies.

It was obvi segregated because it’s 1946—whites took the floor seats and Blacks were forced in the balcony section.

There was no way cousin Vi was getting a floor seat, so she paid for the balcony. Yet still sat in the white’s only section. My cousin.

She refused to leave and had to be dragged out of the theater by police. She spent 12 hours in the clink.

Cousin Vi was convicted and ordered to pay what amounted to $26 in fines. She fought the charges up until her death in 1965.

It wasn’t until 2010 the charges were dismissed by Nova Scotia’s first African Lieutenant general. “Here I am, 64 years later – a black woman giving freedom to another black woman,” Mayann Francis told Maclean’s magazine.

Yup that’s called black girl magic. Now get out and spend those Desmond’s.

 

How “Walking Dead’s” Sasha Wants You to Beat Cancer

The Walking Dead‘s Sasha knows a thing or two about dodging scary monsters.

Cancer happens to be the scariest invisible monster out there.

Good thing Sonequa Martin-Green (aka Sasha) has our back as Stand Up To Cancer’s ambassador.

First line of defense against battling this menace?

Clinical trials.

It’s the “brightest torch researchers have to light their way,” says Sonequa in Stand Up To Cancer’s newest PSA.

Urging cancer patients to take part in the trials to help develop effective medicine.

Less than five percent of cancer patients sign up for research trials in this country.

“Clinical trials are a fundamental path to progress and the brightest torch researchers have to light their way to better treatments,” Martin-Green says in the PSA out to be distributed nationwide this month.

“And if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, they may be your brightest ray of hope. That’s because clinical trials allow researchers to test cutting-edge and potentially life-saving treatments while giving participants access to the best options available,” she added.

Being up close and personal to the issue–Sonequa’s mom is a cancer survivor–makes her want to lead the charge for this issue.

“Participation in clinical trials is so important, and I’m honored to lend a voice to this message so that more patients can be aware of their options,” the Star Trek Discovery star shared.

With the right treatment plan, cancer can finally fuck off for good.

Fingers crossed, y’all. This monster will be exterminated soon.

Rihanna Helped Raise Billions for Education Fundraising Overseas

Rihanna may have helped raised $2.3 billion dollars for global education on Friday, but she’s not even close to finishing her goal.

“We’ve made tremendous progress today, but of course, our work is never done,” Rihanna told the crowd at the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) fundraising conference in Senegal.

“We have a long way to go and this is a fight that we’re never going to stop fighting until every boy and every girl has access to education.” Rihanna preached at the podium.

Rih Rih was named GPE’s global ambassador to foster education last year. And since then the “Work, Work, Work” pop icon has been doing just that.

The Harvard Humanitarian has led donation drives through her Clara Lionel Foundation–that funds education, health and emergency response programs–and wrapped a mini doc where she visited a school in Malawi.

You better earn those miles for a cause, sis.

The Flash’s Candice Patton Launches Online Collective for Women

Y’all are on notice: Shethority is in full effect!

The online women’s collective campaign, launched late last year, is “a positive place for women and the feminine to inspire, empower, and share,” their Twitter bio reads.

Shethority is the brainchild of The Flash’s Candice Patton and her fellow female CW superhero Caty Lotz of Legends of Tomorrow.

The two besties birthed the idea for creating an encouraging platform on a hike in Vancouver.

Candice told E! News it was important to have a meaningful dialogue with fans.

“We were just talking about these conventions we go on a lot, and you know, we meet fans, we sign autographs, we take pictures, and we go home. A lot of our fans are young, they’re women, they’re women of color, and we don’t really get to have a dialogue with them in that medium at a convention. It’s two minutes and they’re ushered on and the next fan comes up. And we saw a desire from them to want to talk about seeing us on screen and the importance of being a woman and empowerment, so we wanted to create a place for young girls, women, and boys to speak on female empowerment.

Shethority’s Instagram is filled with empowering videos about how to handle male-dominated workplaces and boosting confidence and self-esteem.

The campaign has evolved into selling Shethority t-shirts and sweatshirts with the “I Got Your Back” slogan along with the CW actresses faces.

Proceeds of the shirts will go to Girls Inc., a non-profit that promotes mentorship and support for girls 6-18. The remaining funds will go toward growing the Shethority space.

Candice told E! News that she wants to see Shethority grow into an even bigger movement.

“I hope it’s a huge nonprofit. I see mentorship programs where women in successful careers, whether it be film or TV or doctors or lawyers or people in STEM, reaching out to some of these young girls and being able to mentor them through Facetime or emails or short texts.”

Talk about wonder woman.

Five Times Michelle Obama Exemplified Black Girl Magic

It’s not as if we need a reason to celebrate FLOTUS Michelle Obama (fyi, she’s the only first lady I acknowledge) because, I mean, she’s Michelle.Obama.

She’s the cinnamon queen we’ve been waiting to bow down to foreva. No offense Bey.

Her “when they go low, we go high” mantra was way more effective than that make America great ish.

Aaanndd it was THE perfect cautionary sign for people (like me) heading towards petty town. It was used more like a speed bump, really.

Anyway, what to get the woman that has everything. The hell if I know that’s Barack’s problem. What I’m going to give you is what we’ve been craving for months: more Michelle.

To celebrate Michelle Obama’s 54th birthday we’re highlighting her five most lit moments as first lady.

Number 1 is Michelle’s truth bombs. This First Lady always kept it 💯 Especially about our nation’s history. No fake news here.

Number 2 is Michelle’s emphasis on education. Like a cool aunt you don’t mind listening to on career day, Michelle would traverse across the country to the most millennial-heavy events to press the point of getting a higher education.

Number 3 is her unconventionality. What other first lady has spit a verse about healthy eating? I’ll wait.

Number four is helping Black women, or women in general, realize their self worth and how to make themselves a priority.

Number five is Michelle’s give back game. It’s epic. There wasn’t a school she didn’t visit or a soup kitchen line she didn’t serve a meal.

Happy Birthday, Michelle. Our wish is for you to continue to be great.