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Taylor Rooks is putting mental health front and center with LG’s “Transparent Conversations.”

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A sports reporter Taylor Rooks has gained widespread respect within the sports industry for offering invaluable insights as an NBA and NFL broadcaster. Now, with a while in the sport, she’s adding just a few latest titles to her repertoire, including her latest podcast with her friend and co-host Joy Taylor, in addition to becoming the host of season two LG . The latter is a traveling podcast series in partnership with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA®) “that focuses on college student-athletes discussing mental health and well-being.”

Rooks, graduate University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign draws on his own experiences to attach with his guests and speaks to the experiences of faculty athletes. In each episode, he travels to different college campuses to debate mental health on the earth of faculty athletes.

Taylor Rooks is putting mental health front and center with LG's 'Transparent Conversations'
Taylor Rooks on the bottom with LG in the course of the NCAA Final Four

“When I heard about , it really resonated with me because that’s what I try to do both in my career and in real life. I think the basis of everything is communication, and if we can all be honest about ourselves and our experiences and feel that these words reach safe spaces with people who really care, who want to learn more and want to help in this way, that they can – that’s what transparency is all about,” Rooks says on the ESSENCE podcast. “The feeling that you can be vulnerable and that you can be open, open enough to talk about the things that really matter in your life or the things that are maybe bothering you. So when I heard that LG wanted to be able to have these kinds of discussions on college campuses with young student-athletes who are really trying to find a solution outside of the pressures of sports, school, family, friends and it just grows. It just felt right and really important. And something I was truly called to do.”

Rooks has already had university interviews with NBA star Kenny Anderson, Fisk University men’s basketball head coach, 2X NBA All-Star Jerry Stackhouse and Vanderbilt head coach, in addition to current college players.

In support of those intergenerational conversations, LG is reaching out to advocates, administrators, coaches and student-athletes to debate the work-life balance that characterizes the student-athlete world. Just last month, Rooks traveled to the NCAA Final Four to film two latest episodes that focused on the role coaches play in student-athlete mental health and the importance of collaboration in implementing effective mental health initiatives.

While she says she learned so much from the experience, what really stuck out to Rooks was an exchange with Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley during which the 2 discussed the role coaches play in keeping players’ mental health each on the sector and and beyond. “It was incredibly insightful to hear a coach have such a keen awareness of how he can both positively and negatively impact a student-athlete’s mental health and how he wants to make sure he is always doing the right thing,” Rooks explains. “Above all, beyond wins and losses, the important question was: Are my student-athletes feeling well and am I doing everything I can to support them?”

The NBA host continued to debate how many colleges have beefed up their athletic staffs, in order that sports teams usually are not just limited to coaches and trainers, but additionally expanded to incorporate mental health professionals. “It was a real eye opener and it was great to see these positive steps that schools have taken to ensure their athletes feel supported. There are a lot of people who employ sports psychologists, a lot of mental fitness coaches, some they really call mental coaches, people who work there and their job is to make sure you feel supported,” Rooks continued.

In addition to keeping players in good mental and physical condition for on-court performances, these professionals also help with the transition away from post-graduate sports, as for a lot of student-athletes, sports turn out to be a big a part of their identity. Drawing from my very own experiences as a school athlete, I noticed a paradigm shift in my life and how I needed to rediscover my identity away from sports – because life doesn’t at all times have the identical outlook that may be translated into wins and losses. “It’s cool that mental health is being talked about so loudly and so proudly, and right in front of our faces, in order that athletes know that they’re greater than only a champion or a winner or someone who plays football or basketball or soccer , which is just a part of them. This is the vital part. But that is not the entire part.

When Rooks turns the tables on me, he asks, “But how did you manage to do that? Did you rely on therapy or did you rely on self-reflection?” In response to Rooks’ inquiry, I share that while therapy played a pivotal role in my journey, it was ultimately self-reflection and a commitment to non-public growth that paved the way in which for navigating the complexities of mental health in athletics after graduating from university. She praised me for this, confirming that life after sports is a difficult journey. “Especially when you’ve been seen as a person for most of your life. This is what I hear a lot of athletes talking about both in , but also in the conversations I’m having now [with] current athletes, the identity issues they have and how they deal with it.”

As a Black woman in sports, Rooks, while excited by the sudden surge in interest in a women’s sport, namely basketball, also believes it calls for a much-needed audit of what it took to get here. “I think what we really lose is that this moment can exist, fortunately and fortunately, because of the many moments that preceded it. For it to be long-lasting, I think it’s a validation of all of us, athletes and media fans, how we all contributed to this very positive moment that we’re seeing now and which I hope will last forever, but also how way we contributed to why it took so long. Because that’s how we’ll continue to see the game really grow.”

She passionately advocates for changing the narrative around women’s sport, calling for a deeper dive into their individual stories and achievements. “I would like to proceed to see the expansion of girls’s sports based on who they’re, not only the indisputable fact that they’re women. I feel that was an issue,” he says. This feeling resonates inside her WNBA player Angel Reese’s recent criticism of sportscaster Emmanuel Acho’s views on the LSU team.

As Rooks points out, “Me personally, in the media, we still talked about these athletes from the point of view and perspective of the fact that they are women, without really telling their story.”
For women’s sports to actually reach its peak, Rooks says, the narrative needs to vary. By encouraging much-needed conversations and storytelling, you can too profit the long run of the sport for generations to come back by utilizing a podcast. “they concentrate on their humanity, and we center their experiences. In my opinion, this is the way you develop the sport because this is the way you develop the athlete.


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Celebrity Coverage

How Diana Ross’s Halloween look was created Uche Moxama – essence

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Courtesy of Cindy Romero

Halloween is the perfect time of 12 months to advertise an icon. This 12 months, for instance, Beyoncé morphed into funk rock star Betty Davis and Coco Jones referenced Donna Summer’s album covers. And for the content creator Uche Moxamrecreation of the 1969 Diana Ross film.I’ll wash this guy out of my hair” on the duvet, the immediate answer was “yes.”

How Diana Ross Uche Moxama's Halloween look was created
FRANK CARROLL/NBCU PHOTO BANK

“I grew up listening to great artists: Whitney, Diana, Donna Summer, the list goes on,” Moxam tells ESSENCE. “Not only were they the powerhouse of their decade, but they also provided representation of beautiful, strong and talented black women who were rarely represented in the media at the time.”

For a protracted time, Moxam had been waiting for the suitable moment to rework into Diana Ross’s mountain of curls (as if released from a set of very large curlers) from the GIT Broadway special. However, probably the most iconic a part of the look was also probably the most difficult to create. “The biggest challenge was supposed to be the hair,” she says, contacting a hair stylist Alan Schober.

How Diana Ross Uche Moxama's Halloween look was created

“Alana managed to arrange each bundle of hair individually and artistically to achieve the effect shown in Diana’s film,” he says. “I wanted the hair texture to be three-dimensional, not just using Photoshop or a black board.” Using a 65-inch cardboard as a base and more bundles of hair than she could count interwoven with Moxam’s real hair, Schober turned her costume right into a masterpiece.

How Diana Ross Uche Moxama's Halloween look was created

“I focus on a natural look [for everyday beauty] but Halloween is truly a time to become someone else,” she says.

However, Uche Moxam’s makeup veered away from Ross’s neutral lip with glazed lips and cheeks sculpted with blush, becoming an icon in its own right. “I’ve been wanting to bring it to life for some time and this year I managed to do it.”

How Diana Ross Uche Moxama's Halloween look was created


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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The best beauty moments of Halloween 2024 – essence

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@janellemonae / Instagram

Celebrities have been known to bring creative costumes every Halloween. From area of interest cosplay to Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween party with high-budget SFX makeup and rugged references, stars never fail to live as much as their past looks. And last night turned out to be no different.

For example, when Janelle Monaé called a surreal version of ET, it took a team of five SFX artists to create the life-size costume. Lizzo has 4 looks starting from red body paint to scissored skin: the set includes an Ozempic pack, a honey bunny, Edward Scissorhands, and a never-rejected face card.

Although Doja Cat as a sunflower is a reference to the 2001 video game, Halloween will not be limited to fictional characters. Beyoncé took on the persona of funk-rock singer Betty Davis, Winnie Harlow referenced Diana Ross, and Coco Jones referenced Donna Summer’s album covers. Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion proved that Halloween lasts all 12 months long by dressing up within the anime cosplay she probably would ever wear.

Below, ESSENCE rounds up our favourite beauty moments from Halloween 2024.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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WNBA earnings are rising, but will they be enough? The real story behind the numbers – the essence

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 06: A’ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces brings the ball up the court against Betnijah Laney-Hamilton #44 of the New York Liberty in the first quarter of Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs Semifinals at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 6, 2024 . in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Liberty defeated the Aces 76-62, winning the series three games to 1. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this image, User consents to the terms of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

When Angel Reese signed with the Chicago Sky and was chosen seventh overall in the 2024 WNBA draft, it entered a league completely different than five years ago. The compensation landscape has modified dramatically – but let’s be honest about whether these changes are truly transformational or simply an incremental step towards what these athletes deserve.

The raw numbers tell the story of progress. 2024 WNBA season boasts the highest earnings in the history of the leagueand top players will be capable of earn as much as $241,984. Supermax pay has increased 94% since 2019, when the league’s elite players reached $121,500. Even minimum wage for newbies increased to $64,154 – greater than double the amount in 2019. But that is where it gets complicated. While The WNBA salary cap has reached $1.4 million per team in 2024, The NBA salary cap is $140 million. Yes, you read that right. And before anyone makes the “but revenue” argument, let’s acknowledge that even after accounting for differences in league revenue, WNBA players receive about 33% of the league’s revenue, while NBA players receive about 50%.

For most WNBA players, to make it work, meaning playing year-round. According to AP, about 50% of players also compete abroad during the WNBA off-season. Stars like Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson can fetch top dollar in each markets, but this double duty comes at a value – physical fatigue, time away from family and the mental strain of never really having an off-season season.

Marketing dollars tell a totally different story. League Collective labor agreement for 2020 included provisions for increased marketing opportunities, but in 2023, only a handful of players have signed deals with major brands. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark’s NIL valuation has reached $3.1 million before she even declared for the WNBA draft – highlighting each the potential and the disparity in how women’s basketball talent is valued.

The racial dynamics are particularly striking. In the league where over 60% of gamers are black womenthe conversation around fair pay is not only about gender – it’s about racial equality in sports. When we discuss WNBA salaries, we’re talking about undervaluing the work of Black women, and it is a story that reverberates far beyond the basketball court.

The league has taken steps in the right direction. The latest CBA introduces progressive elements similar to fully paid maternity leave, improved travel accommodations and potential income sharing opportunities. These changes come after years of player activism, led by women like Angel McCoughtry and Nneka Ogwumike who weren’t afraid to demand higher.

But let’s be clear, higher than before does not imply ok. When the WNBA minimum salary is barely above median household income in the USwe’re not only talking about the gender pay gap – we’re talking about the fundamental devaluation of girls’s skilled sport.

The query is not whether WNBA players should be grateful for these raises. The query is why, in 2024, we still have to make the case for fair compensation for skilled athletes who consistently produce world-class results, drive civil conversations, and encourage the next generation of athletes.

Pay rises are the starting, not the end. As viewership increased, the 2024 WNBA Finals saw: Viewership increase by 115%. in comparison with the previous 12 months – the pace of real changes is gaining momentum. The numbers are growing, yes, but until they reflect the true value these athletes bring to the game, our work isn’t done.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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