Divalocity™

I Don't Watch The X Factor USA But I Will Now....

2011-10-18T19:40:00.001-05:00

This is what a 60 year old man looks like.

I don't watch the X Factor USA, but I will now just to see singer LeRoy Bell, who is 60 years old perform and possibly win it.

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The Herstory Makers:The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Winners

2011-10-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Leymah Gbowee, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Tawakkol Karman for the tremendous work you have done in the name of PEACE. Warmongers pay very close attention to these women because women are tired of all the chaos that you continue to create in the name of so called democracy and freedom! It's up to every woman in the world to stand up for true freedom if we want to see a future.

Thank you all for your courage!

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

2011-10-06T19:02:00.000-05:00

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Visionary..Innovator, Creative Genius...Game Changer.
R.I.P.

An Open Letter To Sherri Shepherd

2011-10-03T11:21:00.000-05:00

A B.O.S.S. Woman: Kanya King

2011-09-19T09:24:00.000-05:00

While checking out Net-A-Porter this morning I came across the photo below of businesswoman, Kanya King. When I see women who have created successful businesses I want to know more about them and what drives them to achieve because they can serve as a powerful inspiration to a lot of women.

I've been wondering whyI haven't saw any blog posts written about her on some of the blogs that I read from the UK? All they seem to talk about are the American celebrities, which always leaves me thinking that I know they are several individuals in the UK who are doing things worthwhile and worth mentioning and she's definitely one to know.

Why Kanya King is a B.O.S.S. is because she is the CEO of the MOBO Organization, which produces the MOBO(Music of Black Origin) Awards, MOBO Magazine and other business ventures. The MOBO Awards highlights the best in the urban music in the UK and beyond. Kanya is also one of the most influential women in the music industry and the recipient of numerous awards and honors and not only is she stylish and beautiful, she's an inspiration to us all.

"The Boss" A painting from artist, Frank Morrison.

"Beyonce Gonna Be A Mama!"

2011-08-28T21:22:00.000-05:00

This will be the biggest news after Hurricane Irene! Congratulations to Beyonce and Jay Z!
This will be the first child for the couple. Jay Z reportedly has a child from a previous relationship.

Photo: Getty Images

On The Book Shelf: Sister Citizen

2011-08-27T13:31:00.000-05:00

Fans of Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry will be thrilled to read her latest book, Sister Citizen which delves into lives of American women of African descent that centers at the heart of American politics and how it impacts our daily lives in the 21st Century.

Dr. Melissa V. Harris-Perry is professor of political science at Tulane University, where she is founding director of the project on gender, race, and politics in the South. Her previous book, Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought, won the 2005 W. E. B. Du Bois Book Award from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists and 2005 Best Book Award from the Race and Ethnic Politics Section of the American Political Science Association.

A Love Supreme No More:Nick Ashford 1942-2011

2011-08-23T08:34:00.000-05:00

The legendary Nick Ashford who along with his wife Valerie Simpson wrote some of the worlds most powerful love duets, died Monday in a New York hospital. They said "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" but he has now reached the highest peak. May Nick Ashford rest in eternal peace.

I always thought of them as a beautiful example of Black Love.

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela!

2011-07-18T12:06:00.000-05:00

Naomi Campbell and former South African President and Humanitarian, Nelson Mandela embrace in 1998.
Happy Birthday to one of the greatest men in our lifetime! Today, take the time to serve your communities in some way to enrich the lives of others.

Who's Haute Now: Celia Okoyino da Mbabi

2011-07-09T08:39:00.000-05:00

Germany’s midfielder Celia Okoyino da Mbabi celebrates scoring during the France vs Germany Group A match of the FIFA women’s football World Cup on July 5, 2011 in Moenchengladbach’s Borussia Park stadium, western Germany. Germany won the match 2-4.

Thanks Newsweek: Even In Death Princess Diana Can't Get Any Peace!

2011-06-29T07:01:00.000-05:00

The publishing world will do anything for a dollar and I mean anything! Case in point, using a Photoshopped magazine cover with her sons wife, Kate Middleton in hopes of selling more magazines. If it's not her sister Pippa or her brother that the sleaze media is trying to pimp the entire world with, we wouldn't know who these people were.

The article was written by Newsweeks EIC, Tina Brown where she states: If tragedy had not struck in 1997."Diana would have been 50 and still great-looking. Brown predicts Diana would have moved to New York, kept her youth through Botox shots and told her story to 10 million followers on Twitter. Really Tina?

Princess Diana and my birthday are only a day apart and this cover has created it's share of controversy and I guess that's what they wanted. Kate is not Diana, because she's her own woman so please stop trying to put her in this role.

Why So Much Hate???

2011-06-28T18:33:00.000-05:00

TWITTER=You realize just how judgemental, closed-minded, ignorant and indifferent some people really are in 140 characters or less.

Why do we use social media in the wrong ways? I've been hanging out on TUMBLR lately because it's relaxing and it's a judgement free zone unlike TWITTER which should be renamed TWATER (HATERS) for some people because of the hatred and judgement they spew from their cell phones and their computer screens. It's okay to have an opinion, but when it's about downing another person it's not an opinion it's downright envy and self-hatred. Most people use social media to propel their businesses forward instead of acting like children thinking that their cool. We can and must do better. *stepping down from crate*

Who's Really Supposed To Be The Role-Model For You Or Your Children???

2011-06-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

Somewhere along the way many people have lost what it means to be an influential parent in their child's life by keep on insisting that celebrities be their children's role-models.

The question came up since the web is abuzz about actress Nia Long's pregnancy and whether or not she's setting a good example for other women and young girls? Nia Long is not the parent of any of our children and if we'd start to look at these entertainers as people too instead of somehow better than we are maybe we wouldn't have this problem.

Celebrities are not a symbol of excellence because they make X-amount of dollars than we do. The only way I will ever see them as a symbol of excellence is when they use their power and influence to uplift, empower and change the lives of other's through education, and not by their lavish display of materialism and ego. The person that your children needs to look up to is you and I so that they will never look down upon themselves.

They are other's out here worthy of emulating regardless of who they are or what label people affix to them.

I'm Every Woman, But...

2011-06-13T09:24:00.000-05:00

To every woman who believes that she must live her life for other's (other than her young children if she has them) and only works so hard just to meet their expectations; realize that you've only got one life and that's the only one you should be concentrating on and start to expect more of yourselves, not less than.

Have We Taken The "No Snitch Rule" Into The Work Place???

2011-06-08T10:58:00.001-05:00

"The Headlines Are All Over The Web"

Have we taken the "No Snitch Rule" not only into corporate America, but also in our workplaces? Have we become so defined by our jobs, that we don't possess any integrity? I see it almost everyday, when people see wrong doing but choose to look the other way. That's never been my attitude because I couldn't live with myself if my character was lacking of integrity. Nothing angers me more than an individual who doesn't have any integrity or courage and then whines about racism while in the workplace especially when they have every opportunity to speak up and against it.

The internet is abuzz with the recent law suit filed by former GUCCI employee Josephine Robinson who claims that her former executive supervisor, Stan Sherwood gave her orders to reduce Rihanna's payment for the GUCCI advertisements in which she appeared in and to withhold 30 percent of the singers fee and overtax her, is now asking for five million dollars in damages.

The woman clearly shows that she had no ethics when it came to doing her job and since Rihanna is a public figure and GUCCI is a brand often associated with the wealthy, she thought she saw an easy mark. She's riding on the public support of fans and those who perceive racism in every faucet of life while ignoring the total picture. I hope the judge throws out the lawsuit because it shows that she only filed it to retaliate against for being fired by GUCCI.

I'm sure GUCCI has some type of ethics of conduct in place and all employees are confronted with challenging issues on a daily basis, and a code of conduct is a valuable resource, providing them the information they need to act with integrity in the workplace and in compliance with laws, regulations and company policies. Any employee can bring a complaint of wrongs against their supervisors who have authority over them, especially those who issue them orders to perform unethical practices.

Courage is something you show before stuff hits the fan, not after it. There's no use in taking a stand after the wrong doing is done on your watch and then trying to paint yourself as a hero. That kind of stuff does not work for me. That's why the US Department of Treasury, The Department of Labor, The EEOC and various government agencies exist to support employees, use them and don't be afraid to do so and then file a suit if you've gone through the needed channels to rectify the problem.

Henry Holland:It Sucks To Be Solange???

2011-06-01T21:20:00.001-05:00

The victim...Henry Holland

This dude says it sucks to be Solange Knowles. Is he a joke? Is he, like for real? Henry Holland is trying to cash in on Solange's name by selling his line of tee-shirts. Please, give me a break, Solange is beautiful, talented, fierce and a style icon in her own right. There's Beyonce and then there's Solange, two sisters who clearly love each other and are blazing their own paths. He's just another individual who has a hard time relating to women who insist on being themselves.

Deal with it! It seems to me that the only one who sucks is him.

Does she look like a woman who sucks? I don't think so!

Naomi Campbell Vs Cadbury Chocolates

2011-05-30T09:10:00.000-05:00

Naomi Campbell is angry that Cadbury had the audacity to create an advertisement that creates controversy by making a reference to conflict diamond case.

The image that has provoked the wrath of the former top model shows a chocolate bar that emerges from a sea of diamonds. With an inscription: "Go beyond Naomi, now there's a new diva in town." She, is taking legal action against Cadbury, not talking about diamonds, but racial discrimination.

IMO, I've always thought of all diamonds to be considered as 'conflict diamonds' because of the manor in which the people of the African continent have suffered every since they were found.

Le Look Du Jour: Kerry Washington

2011-05-20T01:42:00.000-05:00

Who: Kerry Washington

What: LA MER & OCEANA Celebrate World Ocean's Day 2011

Wear: VALENTINO 2011 S/S RTW

CHANEL DOESN'T DO NICHE AND THEY STILL MADE A PROFIT!

2011-05-11T16:32:00.000-05:00

Well at least I still have my memories before we became a trend.

What happened?

So, no Black models walked in the 2012 Chanel Resort Show... big deal or is it something sinister? I don't plan on buying anything shown and neither are the ones that are whining about it.The only color that luxury brands see is green and they don't have to advertise to us because the majority of us will buy their products anyway because some of us have no conscious when it comes to supporting these brands. I write my blogs because I love fashion and the arts and if I don't see women of color on the runways I don't write about them.

I’m glad we’re having this dialogue, but what do we do after it? This kind of reminds me of a certain author-politician, that's been all talk and all inaction for the past 11 years and only shows up to promote his books. When I see magazines featuring clothing and accessories of these same luxury brands it makes me go, hmmm, especially when there isn't one ad featured in these same magazines, but yet they claim to be directed at women who are supposedly affluent shoppers.

The CHANEL brand means exclusiveness and European wealth, which is only reserved for those who can actually afford to buy the brand, not those who would rather go broke to have it. Looking back on several of my French magazine archives, CHANEL advertisements never featured Mounia or any other famous black models of the time with the exception of an ad from the 1970's which featured Pat Cleveland, but at least they were featured in CHANEL fashion shows quite regularly during their heyday unlike the present times. The last time I saw a black woman walking for Chanel was when Jourdan Dunn did it.

Chanel is a European based brand which is also based upon those same values. We've been complaining about the exclusion of black models since 2000 and some things just remain the same on both fronts and yet we still spent 20 billion in dollars on apparel, much of it without an ad directed at us in sight.

I read Arise magazine and I noticed that it’s full of luxury based ads compared to Essence, Ebony (which aren't fashion mags) and Jones magazines which are comprised primarily of beauty/hair-care products and home-care advertisements. Our buying power is large enough to control several countries and yet luxury brands still don’t see us as customers. Has it ever stopped us from spending our money with these brands? Nope and it probably never will.

Luxury, versus necessity by definition, is a function of price divided by the practical value of an item determined by those who control it. Supply is always key because exclusivity is one of the major factors which determines what's considered as luxury goods. Luxury material goods and services cannot be considered a luxury if everybody has or does the same things. Chanel is not mass produced.

China is the new luxury market and luxury businesses are going where the money is and I've recently read that the African market is also emerging right along with them and India for the demand of luxury consumer goods.

Want to change things at Chanel? I suggest everyone that’s angry about this exclusion of Black models write Alain & Gerard Wertheimer, the two main owners of the company. Who knows they just might listen and take action. Are we? Revolution and change starts when we take action, not inaction. Money talks and so does the action of withholding it.

It's amazing that it took NY Magazine's Amy Odell to point out the obvious when Bethann Hardison has been talking about this exclusionary practice for years. I guess she wasn't mainstream enough and we all know when the mainstream media says or does anything in regards to us it is an event and we are somehow finally validated and approved just as long as they green light it, it becomes an even bigger issue.

WHAT'S HOT NOW: THE "POP" TELEPHONE HANDSET

2011-05-10T11:58:00.011-05:00

Vanity Fair columnist, Amy Fine Collins is shown using a "Pop Phone" at The 29Th Annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon.

Phone Lines
Pop phones are the newest thing in communication technology. Attach the cord to your Blackberry or iPhone and use the handset like a good ‘old fashioned telephone! Prices range from $29.99 to $36.00 on Amazon.com. I don't know if it's for me because they seem to take up purse space, but it is kind of cool.

Photo: courtesy of A+R

IN FULL BLOOM: The 29Th Annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon

2011-05-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

After the Met Gala, I can honestly say that I look forward to the annual "Hat Luncheon" to see the glamour and all the amusing hats, plus to see which of my favorite ladies will be attending the event. On Wednesday, May 4, 2011, The 29Th Annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon, was hosted by the Women’s Committee of The Central Park Conservancy, and was held in the six-acre Conservatory Garden, the Park’s only formal garden. Over 1,200 supporters raised more than $3.2 million dollars to support the Conservancy’s work in maintaining and preserving Central Park. Winner of the best hat worn a this event will have to go to Pamela Joyner. The woman definitely knows how to make an entrance.

THE 2011 COSTUME INSTITUTES MET GALA PRESENTS: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN'S SAVAGE BEAUTY

2011-05-02T23:58:00.000-05:00

THE TWO BEST DRESSED BELLES OF THE 2011 COSTUME INSTITUTES METROPOLITAN MUSEUM BALL ARE: IMAN AND CHRISTINA RICCI. THESE TWO GLAMOROUS WOMEN STOOD OUT FROM THE CROWD FROM WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER. THOSE WHO WORE MCQUEEN SET THE TONE FOR THE EVENT.

IMAN IS WEARING STELLA MCCARTNEY

AND

CHRISTINA RICCI IS WEARING ZAC POSEN

QUALITY TIME, REDEFINED???

2011-04-30T09:49:00.000-05:00

The fully wired American living room often seems less like an oasis for shared activity than an entangled intersection of data traffic. Why this might not be such a bad thing.

When I saw the above photo on The New York Times website, I kept saying to myself that this is my family. We have become our techno- gadgets. The husband is game obsessed, my girls have taken over my breakfast nook by turning it into a cyber cafe and they're on their lap tops and BlackBerry's at the same time. They disconnect the home phone because they say it interferes with the Wi-Fi. Is this the new family structure? I say yes, because technology has taken over our lives. I believe in family and Saturdays and Sundays are strictly reserved for family togetherness and technology is not allowed at the table. How do you and your family reconnect???

Photo/Source: NYT

The Score: Black Women-0

2011-04-23T23:16:00.000-05:00

The Winner???

When did marrying become a sport? And when did being married become the be-all end-all that defines womanhood?

I made a comment to my sister about twenty years ago that was based on the success and accomplishments of women of color, especially those of African descent. I told my sister that I feared that one day all of the hard work and strides these women made would somehow be taken away from them and obstructed much like it had been for men of color because some in society would start seeing that we're becoming powerful. I stated there would possibly come a time when there would be events to block our advancement and vehemently remind us who we're supposed to be and attempt to put us in a place reserved specifically for us.

Any woman who reads any form of media will get the impression that women of African descent are being attacked. From the black women can't find a man syndrome and now to the "White Women Are Winning" post I just read on Uptown's magazine blog, which literally says that Black Women are losers at finding love. When I read the article I felt sorry for the young women who want to get married, but believe all the media hype and lies written about them as to why they can't find a husband.

Everything that's been written lately about us has been saying what's wrong with black women, but I have yet to see anything written about the black man's contribution to this dilemma. What's the matter, is everyone afraid to tell the truth of what's really going on? Or is it another example of black-male protectionism? I understand fully the predicament of black men in this country, but our corrosive silence and inaction doesn't cure the problems between us, it only continues to divide our community. It takes two people who are willing to make a "real" commitment in a relationship. A woman can't actually go out and marry herself, now can she?

Attempting to shame women and make them feel guilty because they have yet to find a husband only makes some women desperate enough to run into the arms of undeserving men which will only add to another statistic. If society didn't work so hard to determine stereotypical gender-roles, people wouldn't be confused about them and men wouldn't think that marriage is something that is synonymous with prison confinement. There are a lot of unanswered personal problems we face as a people that we need to honestly address before we can come to terms with the lack of marriage growth among us.

The biggest problems we face as black women in this world is that it's not the situations and events that define us, it's our thoughts about them. We can either wallow in self-pity and continue to let the comments about us rule us or take charge of your own thoughts and lives by removing it from those who don't have our best interest and continue to grow. It's downright ridiculous to allow others to determine how we feel or act. No individual should have that much power but us. No one can control the things that happened in our lives, but remember the most important thing is our general well-being.

If women continue to concentrate on what they don't have, they'll miss out on the complete joy of living. Rather than seeing being single as a problem, continue to see it as an opportunity for growth. When women compare their lives to that of Caucasian women they fail to realize how this will ultimately set many women up for failure. Your life should be a reflection of you, and you are worth just as much as the next woman, so act accordingly. Some women just aren't going to compromise their principles for a sudden walk down the aisles for loveless marriages no matter what's said.

Statistics only tell one side of the story, not the actual reasons for the numbers. Some women are looking for status and some women are looking for what a marriage union is supposed to be about, two people who truly honor and love each other.

Sorry, but I have yet to receive this memo on who's winning what and maybe we need to rise up to a world that seems so hell-bent on knocking us down. I'm adding the author, Andrea Michelle to my list of "faux relationship" experts. I keep getting this vibe that she's an author that I've heard of before who often travels in that circle at Uptown magazine. Anyway she's entitled to her opinion as I am of mine.

What If Duro Olowu Is the Designer of Kate Middleton's Wedding Gown???

2011-04-23T15:40:00.001-05:00

With all the chaos and wars going on in the world, the media wants us to forget about what's really going on by zeroing in on the "Royal Wedding" between Kate Middleton and Prince William. After reading about all the speculation of who's designing her dress, I figured why not join in the fray by betting on who her designer will be?

I'm sure by now that Kate has decided who her wedding gown designer is and with all the names that's been thrown into the pot from: Victoria Beckham, Bruce Oldfield, Daniela Issa Helayel, Jonathan Akeroyd, Philippa Lepley, and Sarah Burton, I'm sure she has found the one designer who has created the gown of her dreams.

What if she chose a dress from Nigerian born and London based fashion designer, Duro Olowu? Talk about draw-dropping, plus the fashion world will never be the same! I get the giggles just by thinking about it, because she'll show the world just how self-assured she really is. Even if Olowu isn't the chosen one, I bet you anything it's between Daniela Issa Helayel or Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen who are the designers of her wedding gown. I bet my money on Sarah Burton as the designer of her wedding gown.