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Mel B joins campaign calling for new UK law banning discrimination on the grounds of afro hair

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Mel B, theGrio.com

LONDON (AP) — Former Spice Girls singer Mel B is one of dozens of black Britons calling on Parliament to overhaul the country’s equality laws and outlaw discrimination on the basis of Afro hair.

In an open letter to lawmakers on Tuesday, activists including Mel B, singer Beverley Knight and lawmaker Paulette Hamilton called on the UK to introduce a law recognising afro hair as a protected feature.

“For a long time, people with afro hair have experienced unfair treatment in British society and the current law does not go far enough to regulate businesses, schools and society and prevent serious harm,” reads the open letter, published ahead of World Afro Day on Sunday.

“The omission of hair as a protected characteristic under the law has facilitated everyday discrimination and the normalization of Afro hair as inferior in every sphere of life,” it added.

Mel B wrote that her “big, curly hair” attracted unwanted attention when she was a baby and later a pop star.

“The first photoshoot I did as the Spice Girls for ‘Wannabe,’ the stylists looked at my hair and said I had to straighten it,” she said. “My big hair didn’t fit the mold of a pop star.”

She claims she stayed strong and didn’t change her hairstyle, and ladies still tell her that the ’90s music video inspired them to stop straightening their hair.

Racial discrimination based on hairstyle has been a subject of debate and lawsuits in the United States for a while now. Earlier this 12 months, a trial involving Black student who was suspended from school for wearing twisted dreadlocks.

Texas and Michigan are amongst two dozen US states that recently introduced laws was intended to forestall employers and schools from penalizing people for hairstyles including Afros, braids, dreadlocks, twists or Bantu knots.

In July, the US territory Puerto Rico passed similar anti-discrimination laws.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Cardi B Changes Her Approach to Postpartum After Giving Birth to Her Third Child

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Cardi B is back within the gym, but she’s in no rush to “get back into shape.”

On September 12, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper announced the birth of her third child on Instagram. Shortly after sharing a carousel of photos of her and her family within the hospital, Cardi B shared videos of herself on the gym on her Instagram stories. The post sparked concern amongst her fans, noting how quickly the star got back to figuring out.

“It’s only been a week. Yoh, how much pressure are women under in the industry? Crazy,” one user commented Xto which Cardi B responded by sharing her insights into her postpartum period.

“This is my third baby and postpartum has been a little different than my first two… I’m not lifting (heavy) weights, I’m not straining my muscles, I’m not doing squats, none of that… just cardio,” she wrote. “Sometimes to avoid postpartum depression, you have to keep your mind occupied, and for me that’s working out and staying active.”

In addition to explaining her approach to postpartum, the Grammy Award-winning rapper addressed a number of the hate she faced during her third pregnancy.

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“You know what’s funny?? Y’all got me down when I gained 15 pounds because I was 5 months pregnant, but now you’re acting all worried and want to talk about the pressure??? Y’all were saying I was pregnant to avoid work, now you see I’m still doing it, it’s different,” she continued. “So yeah, I take it (personally), but it’s FOR ME because either way you’ll have something to say.”

“Totally hot!! And I agree about society and pressure,” she said he tweeted continuing her conversation along with her fan. “I’ve just never been the type to worry about getting back into shape after having a baby. I don’t know what it is this time, but I have this surge of energy that I want to do EVERYTHING… It’s like I want to accomplish all my goals in one day.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Simone Biles Launches First Multi-Generation Collection with Athleta

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Simone Biles continues to prove she is greater than only a gymnast. With a portfolio of accomplishments that stretch beyond gymnastics, Biles continues her partnership with female-led sportswear brand Athleta.

“I am incredibly excited about my limited edition collection with Athleta,” Biles said, in accordance with Good Housekeeping“There’s something for everyone here – all in a beautiful navy blue with a subtle shimmer that adds a touch of uniqueness.”

Unlike her previous collections, the newest capsule includes pieces for each women and girls. Finding what Biles considers the appropriate balance between sportswear and on a regular basis style, the gathering includes five women’s pieces, two girly styles and a waist bag, priced from $28 to $199.

“The fact that it’s something multi-generational is incredibly exciting to me,” Biles added, in accordance with Refinery29“My last two collections with the brand were for Athleta Girl, and I really wanted to create something that my friends and family could wear too. The pieces are beautiful, timeless, and offer so much variety.”

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In 2021, Biles ended her partnership with Nike to sign a brand new deal with Athleta. Expressing her appreciation for the brand’s commitment to diversity, the gymnast praised the corporate for featuring “women and girls of all ages, sizes, abilities, races and backgrounds.”

During the photoshoot for the brand new collection, Biles reiterated the identical sentiments in a backstage interview Fashion.

“Athleta is for women, by women. They know exactly what to do to get from the gym to work, work to the gym, back and forth,” she said. “Honestly, I got involved with them because they support me and (all of my) endeavors… they asked, well, what do you want outside of the gym?”

Shop the Athleta x Simone Biles capsule collection now at Athleta.com.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Ballerina Michaela DePrince’s mother dies a day after her daughter died suddenly at age 29, family says

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Michaela DePrince, Elaine DePrince, the DePrince family, Black ballerina, Black ballet dancers, Black celebrity deaths, theGrio.com

Tragedy has struck again for the family of ballerina Michaela DePrince, who died suddenly last week. The family said Michaela’s adoptive mother died the day after her daughter.

Elaine DePrince of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, died Wednesday, Sept. 11, following the death of Michaela the day before on Sept. 10, in accordance with Facebook post from family spokeswoman Jessica Volinski.

“There has been a lot of speculation online, so the family would like to officially clarify several issues,” reads the statement, which begins by thanking the general public for his or her support.

“The last few days have been even more difficult than most people realize as the family has also been dealing with the death of Michaela’s adoptive mother, Elaine DePrince,” Volinksi wrote.

She clarified that Michaela didn’t die on September 13, as some media reported, and that Elaine died during a “routine procedure in preparation for surgery.”

Elaine was unaware of her daughter’s death at the time of her death.

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“As incredible as it may seem, these two deaths were in no way connected,” the statement continued. “The only way we can make sense of the senselessness is that Elaine, who had already lost three children many years ago, was spared the pain of losing a fourth child by the grace of God.”

Michaela, a pioneering ballerina who took the dance world by storm in 2011 when she starred within the documentary “First Position,” was raised as an orphan in her native Sierra Leone. She and her sister Mia were adopted by Elaine and her husband Charles and moved to New Jersey. Her many fans all over the world followed her journey and growth in dance as she joined the Boston Ballet and released a memoir and a children’s book. She was 29 when she died.

“What the family is going through right now is truly unimaginable,” Volinski’s latest statement noted, adding: “It is tragic and devastating to grieve the loss of two family members who died within 24 hours of each other. We continue to ask for privacy.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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