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Celebrated author Karen Good Marable talks about her debut children’s book ‘Yaya And The Sea’

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Laylah Amatullah Barrayn; Simon and Schuster/Tonya Engel

The importance of positive books with black characters for black children, and albeit, for kids, is unquestionable – at the very least not here. We know the impact that reading funny, engaging, and even whimsical stories with individuals who appear like them can have on our youngsters. Telling our stories beyond conflict, hardship and trauma has unquestionable power, especially for young, precious minds. They are still being shaped and have an innocence and curiosity about the world that we regularly lose on the opposite side of middle school.

So once we heard that veteran wordsmith Karen Good Marable had created a children’s book about just a little girl named Yaya who visited the ocean with her mother and three aunts on the primary day of spring, we were greater than excited. Marable’s name has appeared in lots of books and publications, from , , and, in fact, . But more importantly, she is a mother, an aunt (each by blood and surrogate), a niece and an artist who has consciously focused on culture throughout her impressive twenty-year profession.

We got to discuss with the Prairie View, Texas resident about the magical day over 20 years ago that inspired her to jot down what her little daughter thinks of the book and the incontrovertible fact that, yes, the tooth fairy can – and does – stop by black children’s homes, too.

ESSENCE.COM: How long did it take you to jot down?

KAREN GOOD MARABEL: was originally a journal entry I wrote on an A train in 2001. My friends and I took the very same trip I describe within the book, and it was a bit Yaya too! I used to be moved by Yaya’s unexpected presence that day (my mother did not have a nanny) and I wrote the story through her eyes. (Yaya was five years old on the time). Fast forward to 2018; Denene Millner z Books by Denene Millner/Simon & Schuster Kids asks me if I’ve ever written a children’s book. I told her I had written a story with a baby in it, but I wasn’t sure if it was for kids. She said, “Let me read it.” I wrote it down – thank God I keep journals – and he or she loved it.

You’ve been a longtime editor, journalist and author for over twenty years, profiling celebrities from DMX to Lauryn Hill for canopy stories. How was the technique of writing this book different out of your previous work? And how was it the identical?

The technique of writing Yaya and the Sea was different in that the text and illustrations needed to work together. I needed to learn to not say or describe every part and as a substitute let the illustrations do what they were meant to do. One of the similarities between my previous work and writing is that it relies on a real story. This is me writing about my life. In recent years, my work has mainly consisted of private essays, poetry and memories, so Yaya is a continuation of this trend.

What was it like working with illustrator Tonya Engel on this project?

. Tonya Engel dropped at life! When I first saw her illustrations for the book, I cried. This is our first time working together and I’m honored that Denene and the ancestors have seen fit to bring us closer together. In terms of cooperation, there was no real contact between us. There might need been an occasional query about a scene within the book, like a New York subway or a bodega, but Tonya had clearly done her research. Her illustrations are paintings. Therefore, once I talk about an image book, I also mean an image book as a murals, something to be collected. Valuable. As a lovely book in your library. I view the work of Tom Feelings and Faith Ringgold in the same way.

One of the important thing elements of this book is how the Yaya aunties love her and one another. Was it vital to you to place that within the book – the love between girls and the love we give and receive as aunts?

This was very vital. Throughout my life, at every stage, there has all the time been a sisterhood, whether it was the coven of six girls I used to be born into growing up in Prairie View, Texas; my Wheatley Hall crew from the fourth floor at Howard University; or the sisterhood I joined in my early twenties while living in Brooklyn, Oya’s Elements. Oh, and I grew up with the very best aunt on the planet. My Aunt Nita (short for Juanita) is famous. Quintessential and irreplaceable. She is the role model aunt I hold for all my nieces and nephews, real and funny.

When I became a mother, I actually began to know the necessity for “auntie love.” My daughter all the time says, “Mom, I have lots of aunts!” That is, a circle of sisters who love and take care of her (and laugh with her). A secure space to which he can return repeatedly. I like that that is displayed in .

What feedback have you ever received out of your daughter, Mia Pearl, about this book?

I used to be afraid to point out the book to my daughter to whom it was dedicated. Kids give it to you straight, and I already felt so rattling vulnerable. But I finally showed her the folded and picked up pages when the book was in its early stages. The very first thing she said was (knowing Aunt Renée was me), “Wait a minute. Were you naked in the ocean?” And when she got to the tip: “I adore it. Good job, mom.

In your author’s note, you state that children remind adults to be honest and real. What did Mia Pearl teach you about honesty and truth?

My child insists that I be honest with her, which requires me to be honest with myself. In , the aunts knew that little Yaya was on the shore watching them, which was humbling and honorable. You model sacred work. Children are innocent. Untainted. This innocence have to be protected. Respectable. You make these earliest impressions because adults are answerable for this purity. That doesn’t suggest the tooth fairy won’t stop by or we cannot go see Black Santa at Greenbriar Mall [in Atlanta]. But that is also a part of the magic.

What else would you prefer to tell the ESSENCE audience about?

As a part of the promotion, along with Saturday mornings with children, I run family-friendly salons for adults. Parents, aunts and uncles, those that buy books, read to children. People who see picture books as artworks that might be present in any library. We take themes present in ritual, intention, community and elevate them for adults. There is music, food, wine, a brief discussion, and a ritual. It’s time. You can find more information about these salons on my website Instagram account and mine website.


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Angelina Jolie’s disturbing performance in new interview sparks criticism Years after health problems caused her face to sag

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Angelina Jolie promotes her next film, “Maria”, in which she plays the role of the famous opera singer Maria Callas.

However, for some fans, the press was more about Jolie’s health and appearance than her work in film.

On November 21, Jolie sat down with Michael Strahan for an interview on “Good Morning America” ​​to discuss her fear of using her real voice to sing opera for the role and the enjoyment of motherhood. However, in the course of the chat, some fans claimed they noticed Jolie’s face looked different than usual.

In the newest interview, Angelina Jolie expresses concerns about her health. (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

One person was cited by Express US for this story he said“It looks rough.”

Another commentator on Page Six he wrote“Ok, I just read that her face looks different because she stated that she developed hypertension and Bell’s palsy, a condition that she said caused her face to droop to one side. I assumed she looked like she had a stroke, in order that explains it.

Debates about Jolie’s sickly appearance erupted when fans noticed visibly large veins on her arms during separate red carpet appearances. Even those that knew her health were still shocked and anxious by her photos.

Jolie first revealed that she had the disease in 2017. In an interview with Vanity Fair she said he said she discovered she had hypertension and Bell’s palsy in 2016, the identical yr she filed for divorce from Brad Pitt.

So when she was diagnosed with the disease, she said she wasn’t sure what could have caused it. “I can’t tell if it’s menopause or if it’s just the year,” said Jolie, then 42. “Sometimes women in families put themselves last until it manifests itself in their own health.”

However, she also said that she is trying to pay more attention to her health. “I actually feel more like a woman because I make wise choices, I put my family first and I am responsible for my life and health. I think that’s what makes a woman complete.”

Last yr, the “Maleficent” star opened up again about her condition, revealing that it was caused by the stress of ending her relationship with Pitt.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, she said he said“My body reacts very strongly to stress. My blood sugar levels go up and down. Six months before the divorce, I suddenly developed Bell’s palsy.

According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke“Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face. It occurs when one in every of the nerves that control the facial muscles becomes damaged or stops working properly, which may cause the facial muscles to droop or sag.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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“The Honorable Shyne” is a hit. This is why I wanted to tell this story. — Andlandscape

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One of the primary reasons Andscape culture author Justin Tinsley and I were tapped to co-executive produce was our backgrounds as music journalists. The documentary chronicling Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s rise to fame, imprisonment, and re-emergence as a political leader suits firmly into our wheelhouse, as his best rap years got here within the early 2000s – right at the center of our hip-hop fandom. I donated my time helping with the documentary, which was a top ten show in its debut week on Huluas a likelihood to help tell the story of hip-hop. I got here away from the project with an understanding of a man in conflict, at odds with himself and his past, and wanting to forge a path forward.

Shyne’s story illustrates the American dream: a poor black immigrant comes to America and from nowhere becomes one in all the largest rap stars. It is also a story about how the American criminal justice system and music industry chew up and spit out so many young Black people. To carelessly follow Shyne’s story is to consider him as just one other young black man who fell into a bad situation and never recovered. After all, his rap profession was effectively derailed when in 2001 he was sentenced to ten years in prison for the 1999 shooting at Club New York in Manhattan. But what inspired me about Shyne’s story was his refusal to let this devastation define him.

In 2021, I hung out in New Orleans with former No Limit rapper McKinley “Mac” Phipps, who had just been released from prison after spending 21 years in prison for a murder he denied committing. As I listened to Shyne’s story, I considered Mac. Both were avatars of a system that tested rap as much because it tested individual men. Mac’s story was about how hip-hop lyrics may be used to accuse someone within the face of overwhelming evidence of their innocence. Similarly, Shyne’s trial created a sensation about hip-hop’s relationship to violence in a city hungry for head on a plate.

Both Shyne and Mac emerged from prison as completely different people than once they entered. In Mac’s case, it was the period of time he spent at home, during which he transformed from a teenage rapper into a man after 20 years spent in confinement. For Shyne, his transformation got here from faith when he converted to Orthodox Judaism in prison. When I have a look at people like Shyne and Mac, I wonder how they’ll survive being locked in a cage, and their answers are inspiring.

While Shyne’s rap stories are what drew me to this project, it’s his journey as a man that makes me proud to help tell his story. And we actually get to see that journey after he raps the ultimate bars of his rap profession.

Shyne got here to the film wanting to discuss his lowest moments – the time after his release from prison in 2009, when he lashed out, frustrated at seeing a latest crop of rap stars emerge within the void left by his absence. He was rudderless. As rudderless as anyone may be who has lost a decade to a prison system that wanted to destroy him. And much more, since it was closed when the superstar’s fame was on the tip of his fingers.

The raspy-voiced rapper could have let these mishaps define him, but that is where Shyne’s story resonates with everyone, whether or not they’re a rap fan or not. Shyne’s second act, the one through which he finds purpose in community and family, where he uses his innate charisma and true genius to turn out to be a political leader and motivational speaker.

I cannot discuss Shyne’s reappearance without mentioning Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs, the disgraced hip-hop mogul who signed Shyne to his label Bad Boy Records and helped launch his profession, is the elephant within the room throughout the documentary and in Shyne’s life. So lots of the artists who emerged under Diddy – from G Depp and Mase to The Notorious BIG – suffered terrible consequences. Shyne’s name was all the time on the list because he spent ten years in prison. And yet, Shyne’s approach to healing and moving forward is as inspiring as his ability to overcome what he sees because the sabotage of his life and profession.

These are lessons I didn’t expect to learn from the stories in regards to the hip-hop star from my childhood. These are inspiring moments that can be of interest to those that haven’t yet turn out to be inquisitive about the Brooklyn, or somewhat Belizean, rapper featured within the documentary. These are the points that make me proud to be a a part of telling Shyne’s story.

DavidDennis Jr. is a senior author at Andscape and the creator of the award-winning book “The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride.” David is a graduate of Davidson College.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Kendrick Lamar Releases Surprise Album ‘GNX’; group chats are going crazy

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Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar GNX, GNX, GNX album, K-Dot, K-Dot GNX, theGrio.com

There are few things more exciting than receiving an infinite barrage of text messages at the very same time in numerous group chats. This normally implies that something vital has happened in popular culture. Well, the exact same thing happened about noon on November 22, within the yr of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, higher often called Kendrick Lamar, released the album “GNX”, nod towards Buick Grand National Regal GNXa rare muscle automobile released in 1987 – which also happens to be the yr Kendrick was born.

“GNX” is coming to the tip of what has been a banner yr for Kendrick Lamar. From epic diss records geared toward Drake, to creating the largest song of his profession (and a Drake diss track) on “Not Like Us”, to the “Pop Out” concert streaming live to tell the tale Amazon Prime, Kendrick won this yr. He even received seven Grammy nominations, mostly for “Not Like Us.” And this victory will proceed in the brand new yr. In September, it was announced that Kendrick would stay Super Bowl 2025 headliner will happen in New Orleans. This announcement sparked some controversy and comments from several New Orleans legends similar to Juvenile and most notably Lil Wayne, who felt disrespected; Kendrick immediately refers to this topic within the opening song of the album (all stylized in lower case), “wacced out murals”.

The thing is, Kendrick didn’t sleep for many of 2024. And then, while the remaining of us were minding our own business, listening to other albums that had just dropped, like Ice Cube’s “Man Down,” I began receiving text after text… and I knew that would only mean that something vital happened.

At this point in my life (and possibly even yours), Kendrick Lamar releases are a drop-everything-and-listen event. I immediately went to the streaming service, launched “GNX” and pressed “Play”.

I need to admit that the primary time I heard the album I used to be a bit confused. Kendrick has probably never been more popular or famous; if there was ever a time to drag a Kanye West and release his own version of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” – an album largely produced as Kanye’s best and most representative of Kanye’s greatness – now could be the time. “GNX” has a far more modern West Coast vibe and is certainly more for his die-hard fans than anyone who just began gaining attention due to his beef with Drake. Maybe that was the purpose; possibly not.

Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar GNX, GNX, GNX album, K-Dot, K-Dot GNX, theGrio.com
Photo: Dave Free

Either way, I can imagine that folks whose favorite lines are “OV-Ho” won’t be immediately thrilled. I wasn’t immediately blown away (though very amused by how sensitive Kendrick is to what people say about him on social media, well, everyone), but as is all the time the case with Kendrick albums, repeated listens are likely to correct any immediate monotony that I even have about his projects. For example, now that I’ve listened to it just a few times, I can not wait to listen to black college bands playing “tv off” style, which seems like a cousin of “Not Like Us.” The Shoot, Bayou Classic, which also takes place yearly in New Orleans on Thanksgiving Day, stands out as the first time we hear a band playing “TV off.”

Since the album didn’t come out long enough to be reviewed, group chats and social media were abuzz with immediate reactions. This is the a part of music releases I really like, where everyone seems to be listening to the identical thing, offering premature takes that will not even delay the following day. I’m not different; I’m sure I’ll say something about this album that can sound silly by Monday. Shoot, I can have already done it. But that is what happens when great artists release music. We spend time with others after which we refer to them, analyze them, criticize them, praise them, destroy them and let all our prejudices fly free. Love it.

It’s value noting that certainly one of Drake’s diss tracks that did not appear during last summer’s fracas was titled “The Heart Part 6,” and was an apparent try to usurp Kendrick’s pre-album practice of removing a non-album song titled “The Heart.” Well, Kendrick has a song on his recent album called, you guessed it, “The Heart, Pt. 6,” which I feel will probably be released soon Drake. Good job, Kenny.

Argue.


Panama Jackson theGrio.com

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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