“She never got a chance to live.”

Those were the sorrowful sentiments expressed by Aston Coke after the gruesome discovery of his 10-year-old daughter, Shani Coke’s partially clothed, obviously raped, lifeless corpse on a roadside in Trelawny, Jamaica, on July 21.

Now, less than two weeks after laying his young daughter to rest, a relative confirmed the death of the grieving father on Sept. 9, at the Percy Junor Hospital in Mandeville, after a battle with colon cancer, per The Jamaica Star.

“He was already gravely ill, and then when his daughter was murdered, he took down worse,” a family friend told The Jamaica Observer. “He was in hospital shortly after the incident and didn’t even get to go to her funeral two weeks ago. His heart was broken.”

RELATED CONTENT: ‘She Never Got A Chance To Live’ — Shani Coke, 10, Found Raped & Dead, Sparking Outrage In Jamaica As Repeat Sex Offender Killed By Mob Seeking Jungle Justice

The post ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’ — Father Of Shani Coke, 10, Raped & Murdered In Jamaica, Dies Two Weeks After Her Funeral appeared first on MadameNoire.

How old is R&B icon Mya, the Grammy-winning star whose unforgettable music, talent, and timeless presence have captivated audiences around the world? At 46, Mya continues to turn heads, radiating a youthful glow that reflects her commitment to wellness and self-care. Behind that glow is a disciplined lifestyle that balances her demanding career as a singer, actress, and philanthropist with a plant-based diet, regular detox practices, and a personal commitment to celibacy.

RELATED CONTENT: Mya Talks Giving Flowers To Men and 21 Savage Collab at Jazz In The Garden 2026.mp4

The post Mýa Is 40-What?! Inside The 46-Year-Old R&B Star’s Luminous Life, Career, And Evolution appeared first on MadameNoire.

Every year, from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. But within that story is another rich and sometimes overlooked one: the history of Afro-Latinos.

Afro-Latino history stretches back centuries. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, European powers such as Spain and Portugal transported roughly 15 times more enslaved Africans to Latin America and the Caribbean than to mainland North America, according to the Pew Research Center.

That history helped shape the cultures, communities, music, food and traditions found throughout Latin America and the Caribbean today.

RELATED CONTENT: Famous Afro-Latinos Tired Of Trying To Explain To People They’re Black—And—Latin

The post The Unique History Of Afro-Latinos In America — Why It’s Much More Complicated Than ‘I No Black’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

Nia Long is trending for all the right reasons. On Sept. 16, the beloved actress officially received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Check out Nia Long’s most iconic looks to celebrate this milestone. 

Long is the latest Hollywood legend to have her name permanently cemented on Hollywood Boulevard. The honor arrives more than three decades after Long first captured audiences as Brandi in Boyz n the Hood and later became a household name as Lisa Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 

According to Essence, Sept. 16 was even declared Nia Long Day in Hollywood. KTLA notes that Long’s star is located on Hollywood Boulevard and N El Centro Avenue.

Still, Long’s influence has never been limited to the roles she played. Since the 1990s, she has quietly been one of Black Hollywood’s most consistent style and beauty references. Before social media made every celebrity outfit a potential viral moment, Long was already serving looks that women could actually recreate. Her short pixies, glossy curls, brown lip combinations, sleek gowns, and effortlessly cool off-duty style helped define the beauty language of an era.

There is something especially timeless about Nia’s approach. She has never appeared overly invested in chasing whatever trend was dominating the moment. Instead, she has built a beauty signature around confidence, femininity and simplicity, allowing her natural beauty to remain the star.

From Nina Mosley in Love Jones to her red carpet appearances today, Long has given us plenty of hair and fashion inspiration along the way. And now that the actress has officially earned her place among Hollywood’s stars, we are looking back at some of the Nia Long looks that deserve their own place in the style hall of fame.

RELATED CONTENT: Take Notes! — 21 Black Women Who Not Only Wrote The Blueprint For ’90s Fine, They Continue To Redefine Ageless Beauty

The post The Evolution Of Nia Long’s 10 Most Epic Eras: From Brooklyn Bad Gyal To Bonafide Black Hollywood Star appeared first on MadameNoire.

Pam Grier has never been the type to sit around waiting for somebody to tell her what comes next. At 77, the Foxy Brown star is still living life on her own terms, and her latest chapter proves that her impact reaches far beyond the screen. Here’s what Pam Grier’s up to today. 

RELATED CONTENT: Pam Grier Reveals She Has ‘Better’ Sex At 76 Than She Did In Her 30s, Says Orgasms Last For ‘3 Whole Days!’

As Yahoo Entertainment notes, after more than five decades in Hollywood, Grier remains an influential figure in Black cinema. From Coffy and Foxy Brown to Jackie Brown and The L Word, her career has crossed generations and genres. Now, she is using her experience to preserve Black stories, encourage younger creatives and keep herself curious about what is possible.

Scroll to see what the star has been doing at 77.

The post Pam Grier Today: At 77, The Iconic Actress Is Still Working Hard, Breaking Hearts, & Apparently Beds Too! appeared first on MadameNoire.

These Black British men have had fans completely smitten. Check out the Black celebrity men from the UK, who have our full attention inside. 

Fans may wonder why these particular celebrities have had us swooning for years. It is the accent, yes, but it is also the confidence. The effortless cool. The way these men carry themselves whether they are on a red carpet, in a boxing ring, on a race track or accepting an Academy Award. 

As MadameNoire previously noted in a gallery of Black British heartthrobs, there is just something about the way Black British men carry themselves — confident, calm and never doing too much—that stops a scroll cold every single time.

Essence documents the celebration of Black British talent, and the pipeline of extraordinary men coming out of the UK right now is deeper than it has ever been. From seasoned legends who have been fine for decades to newer faces who just walked into a room and immediately demanded our full attention. This list covers every lane. Actors, athletes, musicians, models. All different industries with the same gag-worthy impact.

A recent HelloBeautiful interview with actors Lucien Laviscount and Chloe Bailey circulated and editor Shamika Sanders asked the important questions. After referencing Druski’s hilarious parody of UK actors portraying American characters, Sanders asked how an actor from the UK—like Laviscount—actually feels about the narrative that they’re “taking jobs” from American actors. 

“I think it’s crazy to think like that,” Lucien answered simply. “There’s enough struggles in the world that we’re going through than to worry about about actors from different places playing different characters.”

The Strung actor shared more of his perspective as an entertainer from the UK. Lucien talks about the art of acting and how it makes the job more exciting and liberating for him. 

“I love changing my voice, I love changing my appearance,” he goes on to share. “Whatever it takes to be that character. That’s what makes this industry so freeing and so fun for me.” 

Now, we are expanding the conversation because there are more names on this list that deserve their flowers and we intend to give every single one of them. Scroll for more Black British men who have had us stopped in our tracks. 

RELATED CONTENT: Oh, Bruv! Photos Of 6 Fine A** Black British Heartthrobs … Just Because

The post Passports Ready? — 14 Sexy Black British Men We’re Willing To Cross The Pond For, From Footballers To On-Screen & Real-Life Bad Boys appeared first on MadameNoire.

Ciara Miller danced the pain away on the Sept. 16 episode of Dancing with the Stars where she was seen performing an emotional foxtrot with partner Brandon Armstrong that left judge Carrie Ann Inaba in tears. 

Elegantly gliding from slow walking steps and quick side steps, The Summer House star dazzled on the floor as she and Armstrong danced to Whitney Houston’s classic hit “Exhale.”

Speaking to Deadline about her decision to use the song in her performance, Miller explained:

“It really spoke to where I was at in this period of my life. And I love Whitney Houston. I’ve been listening to that song throughout this entire year and I just felt like it marked such an important moment for me….I just felt like as long as I connected with the song, hopefully people would be able to see that connection to it and I’m just really thankful that it translated.”

Carrie Ann Inaba was visibly moved to tears by Ciara Miller’s foxtrot.

Although the judges felt as though the reality TV star could improve on her control and flow, awarding her and Brandon with a score of 15 out of 30, Inaba teared up, as she could feel emotion and pain in Miller’s movements.

“You made me cry,” she told Miller. “Because I can see the pain that you have. I can feel it. This is the beautiful thing about dance is that it gives you a place to express that and I think that you are a stunning dancer,” Inaba, 58, told the 30-year-old celeb. “I want you to continue this journey. I want you to believe in yourself.”

Derek Hough echoed a similar sentiment, praising Miller, but urging her to lean into her movements freely with confidence.

“I want you to go back to rehearsal and dance like you know that you’re good, because you are,” he said.

RELATED CONTENT: Summer House’s Ciara Miller Is Bravo’s Breakout Star & Deserves All The Hype

The post Ciara Miller Risked It All By Choosing This Classic Whitney Houston Song For Her ‘DWTS’ Debut — ‘It Really Spoke To Where I Was At’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

Orgasming at the same time with your partner can be, well, truly orgasmic. But how do you actually make it happen? According to sex expert Rachel Needle, PsyD, co-founder and director of Modern Sex Therapy Institutes—a comprehensive educational hub and training organization offering professional certification —it all comes down to timing.

The post Ready, Set, GO!: How To Actually Orgasm At The Same Time As Your Partner appeared first on MadameNoire.

Nadirah Ali — a brilliant chef, lifestyle creator and a loving mom of three —- teamed up with MNHome Edit this month to give her children’s rooms a much-needed facelift and a brand-new look. In this episode, the proud mother walked us through her renovation process, working with a $4,000 budget to cover the room makeovers and assembly costs. The result? Absolutely gorgeous.

Renovating three rooms at once is no easy task, but Ali had a clear vision for each space. She created a mood board for each of her three children, carefully choosing fun themes and designs that she knew her kids would love coming home to. Along with her husband, Sed Baliem, Ali also planned to surprise the children with their newly transformed rooms.

MN Home Edit with Nadirah Ali: Here is the vision for her renovation process.

For her daughter Trinity, 2, Ali chose a princess-inspired theme filled with charming details fit for a little royal. Her other daughter, Favour, also received a princess-themed room, creating a sweet and magical space designed around her personality and interests.

See more of the renovation process after the flip.

The post ‘MN Home Edit’: Nadirah Ali Just Won Mom Of The Year With These Jaw-Dropping, Budget-Friendly Kids’ Room Makeovers appeared first on MadameNoire.

The Trump administration recently proposed allowing married, single-income households to draw from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), but the proposal ignores the reality of many Black women and women of color.

The premise underlying the “parent-based care” option is that staying home is a choice equally available to all families, and that public policy should stop favoring paid care over that choice. Alabama’s own labor data undercuts that premise. Among Alabama women, Black women have the highest labor force participation rate of any racial group, at roughly 58 percent, higher than white, Hispanic, or Asian women in the state, according to research compiled by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. That pattern is not incidental; it mirrors national data showing Black mothers work at higher rates than other mothers regardless of their children’s ages, often because a single income cannot cover a household’s basic costs, and because Black women are statistically less likely to have a spouse’s income to fall back on in the first place.

At the same time, the wage floor beneath that labor is lower. Alabama’s gender wage gap is among the largest in the country: women are paid about 67 cents for every dollar men earn, and Black women are paid only about 52 cents, compared with roughly 41 cents for Hispanic women, according to the state’s own Workforce and Wage Gap Task Force. Put together, these figures describe a population of women who work at high rates out of necessity, are paid less for it, and are, under this rule, the least likely to be married in a way that qualifies them for a subsidy premised on a spouse’s income covering the household while they stay home. The “choice” the policy claims to expand, leaving paid work to care for a child at home, already largely unavailable to them. The rule does not open that choice to them; it uses money that would otherwise help keep them in the workforce to subsidize the choice for families who already had more room to make it.

This is the sharper version of the equity question raised by the policy overall: it is not just that working families lose out to non-working ones. Black women and other women of color, who are overrepresented among Alabama’s working parents and underrepresented among its married, single-income households, are structurally positioned to be net losers in a fund reallocation they had no hand in designing.

RELATED CONTENT: Tupac’s ‘Dear Mama’ Hits Different On National Working Moms Day And, Really, Every Day — The Brutal Truth About Working-Mom Guilt [Op-Ed]

The post As If! — Trump’s New Childcare Funding Proposal Assumes Black & Brown Women Have The Option To NOT Work [Op-Ed] appeared first on MadameNoire.

Caribbean culture hit the streets of New York Fashion Week (NYFW), bringing island influence, bold fashion, and a whole lot of pride with it.

On September 10, the Caribbean Fashion Collective (CFC) brought its Spring/Summer 2027 show to Little West 12th Street in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

Looking at the invite beforehand, I saw the Meatpacking District neighborhood. But there was no exact venue listed. While most NYFE invitations send you directly to an address, some are a little more nebulous.

And in my experience, those are usually the ones that are the most gag-worthy.

Fashion Week has taken me into showrooms, wide-open event spaces, rooftops, ballrooms and even libraries. This time, the CFC took us straight to the cobblestones.

Models walked directly down the street as guests lined both sides of the runway. The runway pros stunted on the raised stones and did not miss a beat. The industrial backdrop mixed with bold color, Caribbean pride and a crowd that brought its own energy to the street.

RELATED CONTENT: The Diaspora Is Dripping! 22 Caribbean Bag Brands Bringing Culture & Craftsmanship To Your Closet

The post Carnival Couture! Caribbean Culture & Fashion Transformed The Streets Of NYFW Into A Magical Masquerade Runway appeared first on MadameNoire.

Family court can be complicated, especially for parents who assume they understand their rights until they find themselves in front of a judge. During a recent conversation on The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, family law attorney Cynthia Hawes explained some of the biggest mistakes parents make when dealing with custody, child support and parenting time.

RELATED CONTENT: From Child Support To Custody Battles: Attorney Cynthia Hawes Reveals The Family Court Secrets Every Parent Needs To Know

The post Attorney Cynthia Hawes Breaks Down Why Being A ‘Good Parent’ Is Not Enough In Family Court, Especially For Black Men: Watch appeared first on MadameNoire.

There is something special about a Black woman cutting her hair that makes everybody stop and stare. Zendaya just reminded us of that power. Check out the actress’ unpredictable pixie cut and 16 more big chops we never saw coming. 

Maybe it is the shock of seeing someone known for long, flowing styles suddenly rocking a big chop. Maybe it is the confidence that comes with realizing you do not need inches to serve face.

RELATED CONTENT: Zendaya Is A ‘Student Of Fashion’ — But Her Controversial Iranian Earrings Have Critics Asking If She Did Her Homework [Op-Ed]

#WCW — Temps May Be Dipping, But These 50 Queer Queens Are Keeping Our Timelines Scorching Hot, Vol. 39

Zendaya debuted her shortest hairstyle yet at the 2026 Emmys, trading her recent bixie for a sleek, textured pixie cut styled by Coree Moreno. According to Allure, the look featured soft texture, controlled height and a polished silhouette that gave major Halle Berry energy.

And she is not alone. Black women have been making the big chop look like a whole personality for decades. MadameNoire’s roundup of iconic pixie cuts and its more recent short-hairstyle guide remind us there is no one way to wear a cropped crown.

Here are 17 more women who made us say, “Wait, she cut her hair?”

The post Zendaya’s Surprise Pixie Cut Has All The Girlies Gagged! 17 More Shocking Celebrity Big Chops We Never Saw Coming appeared first on MadameNoire.

Treva Harris, the Philadelphia mom who went viral in 2024 for spending a whopping $27,000 on a Cinderella-themed prom send-off for her daughter, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for a $535,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud scheme, according to a press release issued by U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Sept. 11. The 50-year-old resident of Medford, New Jersey, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, a $7,500 fine, a $100 special assessment, and $535,000 in restitution by United States District Judge John F. Murphy.

RELATED CONTENT: From Private Jets To Pythons — 65 Lavish 2026 Black Prom Send-Offs Fueling Applause, Side-Eyes & Viral Discourse

The post Mom Who Gave Daughter $27K ‘Philly Princess’ Prom Send-Off Sentenced To Prison After $535K COVID Relief Fraud Case appeared first on MadameNoire.

This story was so wild that it even earned a spot on The Breakfast Club’s “Donkey Of The Day” segment. South African authorities have extradited several Nigerian nationals wanted in the United States over alleged romance scams and other internet-fraud schemes, according to the BBC and a recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice.The defendants were arrested in South Africa in 2021 at the request of U.S. authorities and were extradited to the United States on Sept. 11, 2026. According to South African authorities, the group, who were allegedly connected to the Black Axe crime network, allegedly targeted more than 100 women in the United States and defrauded victims of more than 100 million rand, roughly $6 million, the BBC noted. 

RELATED CONTENT: Scamming In The Name Of Love: Romance Scams Skyrocketed In 2020

The post ‘You Don’t Need A Girlfriend, You Need A Loan Officer!’ — 6 Nigerian Nationals Extradited To US For Allegedly Scamming $6M From Over 100 Women appeared first on MadameNoire.

The queens are outside, and we are most definitely digging them in every way!

Another Wednesday has rolled around, and we’re swooning like never before. From the US Open to New York Fashion Week, live concerts, and everything in between, the ladies are outside. And although the summer is winding down and the seasons are changing, something that will always stand the test of time is the heat that these women are bringing!

For the past 39 weeks, MadameNoire has been committed to highlighting the beautiful women in the LGBTQIA+ community, and we’re not about to let up now. They are the gift that keeps on giving, and our timelines are the proof in the pudding. So here’s to the luscious lesbians, bisexual baddies, queer queens, trans beauties, and beyond!

Check out 50 of the hottest queer queens we’re crushing on below.

RELATED CONTENT: #WCW — The Girls Didn’t Come To Play! These Queer Queens Had The Internet Gagging All Week, Vol. 38

The post #WCW — Temps May Be Dipping, But These 50 Queer Queens Are Keeping Our Timelines Scorching Hot, Vol. 39 appeared first on MadameNoire.

September marks National Suicide Awareness Month, giving an opportunity to have public conversations about mental health crises and suicide intervention. The most dangerous form of despair in the Black community is often the most invisible and defined by a slow, passive surrender where we simply stop fighting for our own health and survival. 

Between 2011 and 2017, the suicide rate for Black girls between the ages of 13 and 19 increased by a staggering 182%. In 2023, suicide became the third leading cause of death for Black youth aged 10 to 24, and between 2018 and 2020 the suicide rate among Black female youth nearly doubled. 

RELATED CONTENT: Suicide Prevention Awareness Month — 9 Celebrities Who Courageously Spoke About Their Suicidal Ideation

The post Capes Off: Confronting The Hidden Crisis Of Black Women’s Struggle With Passive Suicide [Op-Ed] appeared first on MadameNoire.

Too many healthcare settings continue to operate under heteronormative assumptions that fundamentally exclude queer, trans, and gender-expansive Black people from the important conversation around perinatal health. Specifically, Black transgender and nonbinary/gender-expansive people who are pregnant or seeking to become parents run into shock and surprise from providers who are ill-equipped to provide them care. In some cases, they run into outright discrimination and refusal of care. 

The core issue is that gestational healthcare systems were built exclusively around cisgender women’s experiences, leaving transgender and non-binary pregnant people to navigate systems that range from unwelcoming to actively hostile. Providers must be thoroughly educated on considerations for pregnant people who are transgender and nonbinary in order to create an affirming environment for perinatal care. Creating truly inclusive maternal and gestational healthcare requires fundamentally reimagining how these services are structured and delivered. 

Gestational healthcare is saturated with terms like mother, women’s health, and she, which can be deeply dysphoric for transgender men and nonbinary people. These experiences include being repeatedly referred to with incorrect pronouns by providers and staff and being required to sign documentation that lacks language or options that accurately represent their identities. This forces the group to receive perinatal care in non-affirming environments, which can impact the efficacy of the care. 

RELATED CONTENT: Black Women Were Once Forced To Nurse Other People’s Babies — Now We’re Reclaiming Breastfeeding On Our Own Terms: 6 Things To Know

The post Here’s Why Transgender Families Need To Be Included In Maternal Health Conversations [Op-Ed] appeared first on MadameNoire.

NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak have a long, complicated history from their time on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” but NeNe made clear this week that some things matter more than past drama. During an appearance on “The Big Tigger Morning Show” Friday, Leakes revealed she reached out to Zolciak last week to check on how she’s holding up amid her son KJ’s ongoing legal case.

“I recently spoke to Kim. I think it was last week,” Leakes said. “I just hit her up, wanted to know how she was doing… and made sure she was okay with what her son is dealing with. I know that’s a tough time, and I know she’s not okay.”

Their communication is unexpected given the tension that’s existed between NeNe and Kim for years. According to Page Six, the two famously feuded during their overlapping seasons on RHOA before NeNe exited the franchise in 2020. Their history grew even more contentious in April 2022, when Leakes filed a lawsuit alleging that Bravo and executive producer Andy Cohen had “encouraged” a work environment in which Kim made “racially offensive and stereotypical” comments toward her and other cast members. NeNe eventually dismissed the lawsuit “without prejudice” a few months later.

Despite that history, NeNe’s comments suggest the two have moved into a more civil, if not fully repaired, place in their relationship, especially as Leakes recently made her own return to the Housewives franchise for a cameo in Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.

RELATED CONTENT: #RHOA Romance Rekindled: NeNe Leakes And Nyonisela Sioh Are Officially Back Together, Say Sources

The post The Door Is Open To Reconciliation — NeNe Leakes Says Kim Zolciak Is ‘Not Ok’ As Two Connect Amid Former ‘RHOA’ Star’s Son’s Sex Assault Case appeared first on MadameNoire.

The 78th Primetime Emmys brought some of our favorite television stars together Monday night, and before the awards were handed out, we were locked in on the fashion.

Several stars sizzled and slayed television’s biggest night. Held on September 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the 2026 Emmy Awards brought actors from the sitcoms, dramas, and shows we love to the carpet. Niecy Nash-Betts served curves in red. Ayo Edebiri mixed powder blue with a huge pop of orange, while Chase Infiniti stepped out in deep burgundy.

Quinta Brunson arrived in a fresh-off-the-runway look, while Colman Domingo once again reminded us why he remains one of the men we look for on every red carpet.

But Zendaya had us looking from the hair down. So let’s get into it!

RELATED CONTENT: Black Women Set the Tone — 8 Golden Globes Red Carpet Looks We’ll Never Forget

The post Style Worth A Standing Ovation! — Black Women Serve Flawless Fashion, Fit Physiques, & Fabulousity At The 2026 Emmy Awards appeared first on MadameNoire.

On Friday, Sept. 18, Pop Pairings, Bed-Vyne Wine & Spirits, and Bring BK Back Day Party, presented in partnership with The Veraison Project—a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access and opportunity throughout the wine industry—will bring the inaugural Black & Brown Winemakers Experience to 75 Stewart Ave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Hosted by Ken Pettus with music by the legendary DJ Spinna, the experience is designed for everyone from curious first-time wine drinkers to seasoned collectors. 

RELATED CONTENT: Pour It Up, Sis — 6 Black-Owned Brands To Celebrate National Moscato Day

The post Get Ready To Raise A Glass & Celebrate! The ‘Black & Brown Winemakers Experience’ Set To Launch Inaugural Event appeared first on MadameNoire.

What happens when someone trained to format buildings applies that same eye to bodies, silhouettes, and how women want to move through the world in their clothes? We find out through the work of Cederick Campbell. Over the past year, the Detroit-based stylist has become a go-to voice in women’s fashion, particularly on socials, where he shares styling tips, fashion inspo, and hilarious OOTDs with his twin brother, Mac.

Campbell will tell you upfront that he never wanted to be a practicing architect. The licensing timeline alone was enough to send him running toward fashion. But the training stuck. Once he found the throughline between his professional and personal interests, the rest was history.

Don’t get it twisted. Campbell is not translating menswear rules onto women’s style. He’s applying a completely different discipline to how women get dressed. His approach to styling through an architectural lens is less about buildings and more about the design principles followed to make them. With New York Fashion Week upon us, he dished on his top four to help you confidently build the perfect fit.

RELATED CONTENT: From Bambi Prints To Barrel Pants — 8 NYFW 2026 Street Style Trends Worth Copying

The post Architect-Turned-Stylist Cederick Campbell’s Top 4 Design Principles To Create The Perfect Women’s Fit — ‘Quiet Luxury Isn’t Really A Thing’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

Enthusiastic consent is a newer approach to understanding consent that focuses on active, mutual, and genuine willingness before and during sexual or romantic activity, but what does it look like in practice? According to The University of Sydney, instead of simply assuming someone consents because they have not said “no,” enthusiastic consent focuses on looking for a clear and willing “yes,” with an active presence of excitement. 

Enthusiastic consent must be informed, voluntary, and active, meaning that a person has clearly communicated that they are willing to participate through verbal or physical actions, and it’s not as hard to spot as some people may think.

The post What Is Enthusiastic Consent? A Newer Approach To Understanding Sexual & Romantic Permission Beyond Just ‘Yes’ And ‘No’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

The WNBA sent its first string players to FIBA, and it paid off as Team USA beat Team France 97-79 to win the championship and claim America’s fifth consecutive Gold medal.

The stacked team included Breanna Stewart, Kahleah Cooper, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Napheesa Collier, Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston, and Paige Bueckers.

But what fans were most locked in on was rivals Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese being on the same team, as Clark dropped 12 points and Reese scored 3, respectively.

The two were even spotted being cordial while seated next to each other on the bench, cracking smiles between sips of water.

It only dispels the social media storyline that the two are sworn enemies after their rivalry started in college at Iowa and LSU, which led to finger-wagging and an NCAA championship, and sparked a renewed interest in the WNBA as they made their professional transition.

To further prove the beef isn’t as deep as everyone says, Clark, rocking her new gold medal hardware, was asked if she and Reese are friends now, and she jumped at the chance to end that narrative.

“We’ve always been friends. Don’t try to do that,” she says while wagging her finger at a reporter and walking away.

RELATED CONTENT: Caitlin ‘Contusion’ Clark’s Constant Gaslighting Divides The WNBA And Emboldens Racist Attacks On Black Players [Op-Ed]

The post ‘We’ve Always Been Friends’ — Caitlin Clark Shuts Down Reporter On Angel Reese Rivalry, But Fans Want Same Energy For ‘Racist A–‘ Stans: 14 Reactions appeared first on MadameNoire.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s youngest child is celebrating a big milestone. The latest addition to the Mayers clan, Rocki Irish, is officially 1!

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky celebrated their daughter’s first birthday on Sunday, Sept. 13, throwing their baby girl a party surrounded by family and friends.

Fans got to catch a glimpse at the festivities thanks to Rihanna’s longtime friend Melissa Forde, who shared photos from the celebration. Her snaps from the celebration included an adorable picture of Rihanna holding and kissing her baby, along with the mother-daughter duo coordinated in pink for the occasion.

RELATED CONTENT: Fine AF Fridays, Vol 43: Rihanna Feeds Us Cake, Cake, Cake In Her New Savage X Fenty Lingerie Set

The post Double Dose Of Dior! Rihanna & Rocki Twin In Matching Pink Designer Dresses To Celebrate Baby Girl’s 1st Birthday appeared first on MadameNoire.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett apparently looked at Chris Brown’s long, messy history and decided, “You know what this needs? A Congressional Record.”

The Texas Democrat is catching serious backlash after honoring Brown during his recent R&B Tour stop at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the singer performed alongside his co-headliner Usher. Crockett, joined by Texas state Rep. Venton Jones and producer RoccStar, presented Brown and Usher with congressional recognition celebrating their contributions to music and culture. And while we can all recognize Usher is hardly controversial or problematic, the decision to give Brown an official congressional nod has people understandably asking what, exactly, Crockett was thinking. We get it, the two are on a joint tour together, and it might be socially awkward to honor Usher and exclude Chris Breezy, however, as author Ta-Nehisi Coates is now virally famous for saying, was silence not an option?

RELATED CONTENT: Jasmine Crockett, You Cannot Have It Both Ways [Op-Ed]

The post ‘Jasmine Crockett Made Time To Glorify An Abuser!’ — Democrat Representative Slammed For Honoring Chris Brown At Texas Tour Stop appeared first on MadameNoire.

Oprah Winfrey’s legendary car giveaway remains one of the most unforgettable moments in daytime television history. On Sept. 13, 2004, viewers watched as the host surprised her studio audience with Pontiac G6s, but the giveaway was far bigger than anyone initially realized.

Reflecting on the special episode with Vanity Fair on July 21, Winfrey, 72, revealed that the audience was led to believe that only 12 cars were up for grabs. After 11 vehicles had already been handed out, Winfrey had small gift boxes distributed throughout the studio, telling the audience that just one box contained the key to the final car.

“There was supposedly one car left,” Winfrey recalled. “And everybody was thinking they were going to be that one person. You see them all like, ‘I hope it’s me.’”

The post ‘You Get A Car!’ — 22 Years Later Oprah Winfrey Finally Reveals The Secrets Behind How She Pulled Off Her Iconic Car Giveaway Episode appeared first on MadameNoire.

Dimone Fleming, a 26-year-old Bronx mother, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity in connection with the 2022 deaths of her two young children at a family shelter. The Aug. 24 ruling comes after mental health evaluations concluded that Fleming was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings, according to reports from the New York Times, ABC7 New York and USA Today.

The post Bronx Mother Experiencing Postpartum Psychosis Found Not Guilty After 2 Sons Found Dead In Tub — ‘There Is A Major Change In Hormones’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

Jamila Wright had just returned home from her tea shop when she got on the phone. It was a Tuesday in Bed-Stuy, the historic Brooklyn neighborhood where her business, Brooklyn Tea, resides. Since opening in 2019, the beloved neighborhood tea house, co-founded by Jamila and her husband Alfonso “Ali” Wright, has been on quite a journey, riding out the global pandemic and surviving (or rather, thriving) to tell the tale. Wright credits a large part of their success story to the vast, yet tight-knit, network made up of her alma mater Spelman College and the broader community of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Today, Brooklyn Tea, proudly born and brewed in Bed-Stuy has grown beyond the borough and is now available nationwide in major retailers including Target and Wegmans. This year, the brand launched Brooklyn Tea & Market in New York’s JFK Airport, becoming the first Black-owned beverage brand to operate in a U.S. airport.

The road hasn’t been easy, but it’s brought new friendships, opportunities, and a deeper sense of community. MadameNoire caught up with Wright to discuss the power of her HBCU network, navigating the pandemic, and the beauty of bringing people together.

RELATED CONTENT: Forget NYFW — HBCU Students Just Won The First-Day-Of-Class 2026 Fashion Olympics

Brooklyn Tea

After graduating from Spelman College with a degree in English, “I went straight to Brooklyn,” said the Atlanta native. “My older Spelman sister told me about a program she had done, and opened the door and walked me through.” It was an opportunity to teach, which soon became a calling. “I fell in love with education,” said Wright, who went on to earn her master’s degree in early childhood education at Hunter College. From teaching in the classroom, she advanced to Dean of Students. “Teaching is where I became more informed and skilled around how to actively create community and build culture,” she reflected.

Wright’s gift for bringing people together proved just as valuable in entrepreneurship. “That transferred into Brooklyn Tea,” she continued. “That heartbeat, my husband would say, comes from my teaching background, comes from our HBCU backgrounds, of wanting everyone to feel not only like they belong but like it’s a part of who they are too.”

For Wright, her journey from the classroom to the tea shop came together with purpose. “There’s a very clear throughline for me,” she affirmed. One chapter flowed into the next. The Wrights, and the business, stayed close to home. “I’m a ten-minute walk from my first school. My first two staff members were students that I taught, who then wanted to go on to HBCUs,” she said. “They saw that kinship, how people came into the shop to support us because we were HBCU grads.” (Her husband Alfonso graduated from Hampton University.)

HBCU Legacy

There’s real power in being connected to the HBCU legacy, Wright emphasized. “There is a surgical precision to how we open doors for each other,” she said. “So many opportunities have come from not only a Spelmanite, not only a Morehouse alum, but from the HBCU community.”

From being gifted $5,000 in ad spend to securing a major wholesale account with Google, Wright credits the HBCU ecosystem with bringing these opportunities to light. “We all feel the interconnectedness,” she said. “We know what it means to be counted out and we damn for sure aren’t doing it to each other.” As alumni themselves, the husband-and-wife duo uplifts the next generation with an annual scholarship for high school grads headed to HBCUs.

It was this very community that helped the business stay afloat during the global pandemic. Brooklyn Tea opened in Bed-Stuy in 2019, with COVID-19 just around the corner. Then the shutdown happened. “I thought I was being very casual about how much of a struggle it was, but apparently the fear was written on my face,” said Wright.

In that moment, the community banded together and made sure the business weathered the storm. “The Spelman and Morehouse community collectively paid our rent for two months,” Wright said. But even amid the hardship, there were unexpected wins. Brooklyn Tea was shouted out by Shonda Rhimes and was featured on Beyoncé’s Black Parade Black-owned business directory — “all in a span of a week!” Wright recalled.

With new orders rushing in, they got a crash course in scaling the business. “We had no idea any of these things were coming our way. We were building in real time,” Wright said. “But as we kept going, we got better at everything.”

Kinship

Raised in West Indian families where tea is a way of life — a love language — the Wrights bring that same cultural reverence to their product, prioritizing quality and ethical practices while offering distinctive blends like Cream Earl Grey, Kyoto Cherry Rose Sencha, and Vanilla Rooibos.

Seven years since its grand opening, Brooklyn Tea has become a neighborhood fixture, welcoming tea lovers from the block and beyond. Wright enjoys seeing friendships blossom inside her tea shop. “You came for one thing and left with something far greater than the product or service itself. As an entrepreneur, that’s the goal,” she said. From hosting mixers and tastings, to live music and screenings, Brooklyn Tea keeps the community coming together.

One event that she cherishes to this day was a 2022 screening of The 1619 Project with author and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones. Wright had reached out about doing an event together, and Hannah-Jones responded with an immediate yes. “She felt a kinship to us,” Wright said. “She felt moved to collaborate with us. We were on the same mission which was to give back to our people. And for that reason alone, she showed up, having never met us, and did this whole event.”

Ecosystem

One thing Wright treasures most about entrepreneurship is the network of people she’s able to grow alongside, including fellow HBCU grads. “I love the relationships that I get to cultivate with other business owners,” Wright said. “It’s a tall order to ask your friends to understand the complexities of what you’re going through. So to be able to have this community where you get to truth-tell and commiserate, and plot and plan in a way that makes you feel humanized — there’s really nothing like it.”

“It’s this ecosystem that is both social and financial,” Wright added. “We celebrate each other and go to each other’s events, we share where we get our cups from.” It’s impossible to name just a few, she said: Keishon Warren from Brooklyn Blend, Nicole Nicholas from Aunts et Uncles, Melissa Butler from The Lip Bar, Renae Bluitt from She Did That. “There are so many. I mean, the list really does go on.”

RELATED CONTENT: Back To School! — ‘A Different World’ Sequel Set For Fall Premiere On Netflix: Everything We Know So Far

The post Blooming Beyond The Yard: Jamila Wright On Building Brooklyn Tea And The Power Of The HBCU Community appeared first on MadameNoire.

When Laila Ali got sent to the principal’s office for standing up for herself she never felt guilty about it. Often described as “loud,” “stubborn,” and having “more fire than anyone knew what to do with,” she challenged the status quo that a young girl should be seen and not heard.

That “fire” the adults in her life tried to control was, then, the catalyst for her confidence, and now, it’s the inspiration behind her new children’s book, A Spark of Greatness: The Autobiography of a Fighter. 

RELATED CONTENT: Mompreneurs: Maya Payne Smart On Raising Readers And Rewriting The Story For Early Literacy

The post ‘Confidence Helps Us Find Our Place’ — Laila Ali Shares Insights On Raising Strong-Willed Daughters & Her New Children’s Book, ‘A Spark Of Greatness’ [Exclusive] appeared first on MadameNoire.