Celebrity Coverage
NFL History Makers: Meet Edy Lawson-Jackson and Samira Jackson, the First Mother-Daughter Agent Team – Essence

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – SEPTEMBER 6: The NFL logo on the field before and during the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles on September 6, 2024 at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Breaking barriers in the world of sports is not any easy task, especially in a league as male-dominated as the NFL.
Edy Lawson-Jackson and her daughter Samira Jackson did just that by becoming first-ever mother-daughter duo to be certified by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) as sports agents. Their journey will not be only historic, but in addition a testament to the resilience, exertions and dedication of Black women who’re making strides in industries where they’re underrepresented.
Edy Lawson-Jackson, a Maryland native, began her profession in sports law in the late Nineteen Eighties, with a deal with athlete representation. Throughout her profession, Edy has been an advocate for expanding opportunities for girls and people of color in the sports industry. In 2010, she earned her NFL agent certification, becoming one among the few Black women to represent skilled football players at the highest level.
For her daughter Samira, following in her mother’s footsteps was a natural step. Samira, a company finance skilled with a law degree, saw first-hand how her mother navigated the competitive world of national sports and decided to follow an analogous path. In 2022, Samira received NFLPA certificationmaking history as a member of the first mother-daughter team to represent NFL athletes.
The path to becoming an NFL agent is rigorous. Both Edy and Samira had to satisfy rigorous criteria to earn their NFLPA certifications, including passing a comprehensive exam, fulfilling continuing education requirements and demonstrating extensive knowledge of NFL regulations. The certification process is designed to make sure agents are fully prepared to represent the interests of NFL players in contract negotiations, marketing agreements and other skilled opportunities.
In an industry where women — especially Black women — are vastly underrepresented, the mother-daughter duo’s certification marks a pivotal moment. According to recent statistics, of the nearly 1,000 certified NFL agents, only 88 are womenand an excellent smaller fraction of them are black women. That makes the Jacksons’ achievement all the more remarkable, as they proceed to pave the way for future generations of ladies of color to follow of their footsteps.
Edy Lawson-Jackson’s profession in sports law spans greater than three a long time. After graduating from law school and passing the bar exam in the early Nineties, she worked in a wide range of legal fields, including entertainment and sports, gaining precious experience before becoming a licensed NFLPA agent in 2010. She has represented athletes, entertainers and other high-profile clients, with a deal with expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in the industry.
In an interview for Edy reflected on her journey and the importance of working along with her daughter, “It’s been a long journey, but being able to do this work with my daughter is a dream come true. It’s really important to us to show that Black women belong in this space and that we can have a significant impact.” Samira echoed similar sentiments, stating that working along with her mother was each inspiring and empowering.
The sports industry, especially at the NFL level, has long been dominated by men. Both Edy and Samira faced challenges navigating a career that always excludes women and people of color from positions of power. Yet their determination to succeed and break barriers was unwavering.
Samira’s path to becoming an NFL agent wasn’t without its challenges. As a Black woman in corporate finance, she needed to prove herself in an industry that’s each competitive and proof against change before moving on to sports representation. But her resilience paid off, and in 2022, Samira joined her mother at Affiliated Sports Advisors (ASA), their joint firm, where they represent NFL players and proceed to develop their roster.
Edy and Samira’s historic accomplishment is greater than just a private milestone; it’s a robust reminder of the changing face of the NFL. As the first mother-daughter team to earn NFL agent certification, they’re a part of a broader movement to extend diversity and inclusivity in sports. Their work creates opportunities for other women—particularly Black women—to enter and thrive in industries where they’ve historically been excluded.
For many young women trying to break into the sports industry, Edy and Samira are role models who show that perseverance, exertions, and dedication can open doors. Their story is a testament to the power of family, heritage, and the influence of Black women in shaping industries which have long been dominated by others.
Celebrity Coverage
17 times Pharrell changed the game of beauty and care – essence

Umbrella Griffin/Getty Images
When it involves aging like good wine, Pharrell Williams is de facto in its own league. For many years, Multihyfenate Mogul provided futuristic bits, the fashion of breaking the boundaries of the first or honest-detective skin. Long before how care became a modern slogan price a billion dollars, Pharrell told people to beg for his routine. From his early days Neptunes to his current rule Louis Vuitton’s Creative director of men, remained a master class in the head, Grace and Reinvention.
Let’s return to the starting of 2000. During the charts of Nerd and Neptunes, Pharrella’s skin already had headers headers. In music videos equivalent to “Frontin”, his fresh, deprived complexion was convinced that she was aging the other way around. Quick to 2010 during the NRJ Music Awards in Cannes, France – his skin looked smooth, shiny and full of reflection. Two years later, at Art Basel in Miami, he again stunned himself, hydrated and without the texture of the glow, which looked calm and ready for the camera, despite the humidity.
Until 2013, Pharrell will win the Met gala, the most watched red fashion rug, with a matte but radiant finish. The following 12 months, devices, hard and timeless in Grammys. No shadows under the eyes, no sparkle-only this clear, healthy glow, to which all of us aspire. And someway he rose. In 2015, during MTV Europe, Pharrell gave us real glass energy. With minimal care and probably no foundation, his skin remained luminous and plump – in three steps, which most of us are chasing in ten.
But Pharrell didn’t stop to be a muse for skin care – he became a plan. With the launch HumanraceIn 2020, he didn’t create one other brand beauty brand. He introduced a brand new vision of skin care for the industry as an entire: intentional, integration and rooted in prosperity. Supported by his own dermatologist, Dr. Elena Jones, a neutral, vegan and balanced brand, Humanace, speaks on to the latest generation-especially black men-moving, what contemporary care might be.
In honor of his 52nd birthday we have a good time many moments that Pharrell changed the game beauty and care-and we reminded us that care for ourselves just isn’t a trend is a commitment for ourselves.
Celebrity Coverage
Janet Jackson to receive the ICON Award at 2025 American Music Awards – Essence
Photo: Solaiman Fazel
Janet Jackson gets his long flowers. The global Superglaw and the cultural pioneer will receive the prestigious icon award in 2025 American Music AwardsLive on Monday, May 26. Honor, who recognizes the artist, whose occupation has an indelible influence on music and culture popular around the world, comes when Jackson celebrates five quite various years in the industry.
In addition to accepting the prize, Jackson will go to the stage of his first television performance since 2018. The moment means a historical return for the 11-fold AMA winner, who stays one amongst the most influential characters in the history of music. This yr’s AMA, led by Jennifer Lopez, is possibly going to be going to be going to be broadcast live to CBS and stream to Paramount+, transmitting from the coast to the newly opened Fontainebleau Las Vegas center.
The influence of Jackson not only continues – it develops. Only this yr her single “Someone to Call To My Lover” from 2001 became popular in social media, causing the renovated success of the chart inside twenty years after its release. According to the luminrate, the song shot in the third place on the chart of R&B digital songs and noticed a surprising increase of 1,400% in American streams on demand. This moment is one amongst the many willing of her remaining force, proving that Janet’s heritage still resonates with old and latest fans.
Before appearing at Ama, Jackson launched his residence in Las Vegas, with six concert events at the Resorts World Theater from May 21 to May 31. The residence takes place after its record route in 2023, which became the best -earning occupation, covering 36 dates sold out and widespread critical recognition.
The numbers of her careers speak for themselves. With over 180 million records sold around the world, Jackson occupies the best -selling artists in history. It has five Grammy awards, two Emmy, Golden Globe and dozens of AMA, Billboard and MTV awards. Her third album herself redefined pop music and beat the albums, on this primary album of a woman who generated the five best 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits. This heritage lasted, which stays the only album that provided the seven best singles, and, which added six more 10.
After receiving the induction of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, the Janet Artist Gniston entered the next Renaissance. Her residence “Metamorphosis” Las Vegas established money records, her self -proclaimed document attracted 20 million viewers in the first week, and her fashion partnerships, including recent cooperation with Thom Browne, still maintains her in the latest style.
After his performance, Ama Jackson will return to World Resorts Stage for 3 additional programs 28, 30 and 31 May. Tickets for these performances at the moment are on sale via Ticketmaster.
As the vote of fans for this yr’s awards, the 2025 American Music Awards guarantees the night to remember – one which honors the past, rejoice the present and distinguishes a living legend, which craftsmanship continues to be developing.
Celebrity Coverage
Tara Davis -woodhall on her hair trip and showing on a representation of textures with a pigeon – the essence
Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images
The average American publishes 4.8 hours a day on their phone. Meanwhile, 90 percent of black people live in a household with smartphones, i.e. Six percent of the higher than the total US population. But despite almost 4,000 emoji coded in our phone, most of the black ones have Difficulties to get hold of emoji which exactly represent our hair.
Calling for change, athletes Tara Davis-Woodhall He works with #CodemyCrown, a Crown Coalition campaign led by Dove and Rise365 To put pressure on the Unicode consortium to include emoji depicting Afros, Braids, Cornrows and Locs. Like the game industry, Black Beauty is poorly represented by technology with such platforms Idor And my leading integration of the crown with the digital world.
“8 out of 10 black people in the USA fights to find Emoji that reflect their hairstyle,” says Davis-Woodhall. “I wasn’t surprised, just disappointed.” Wearing hair relaxed to College, the athlete says that her relationship with her hair was about assimilation, which is capable of likely be attributed to the lack of representation.
“Growing up in white society, black hair is too much work and is not seen so beautifully,” he says. “I’ve always tried to straighten my hair.” But when she was natural in college, she understood the beauty in our texture of the hair. In March, for the first time, she published Afro on Instagram along with a blow and braids, all of which could thoroughly be styles absent in the Emoji Apple library.
Nowadays, “I change hairstyles every month,” he says, now leaning to sewing. However, he says that finding a routine will likely be like finding emoji: harder than it should. “I’m trying to protect my omission as much as possible,” he says. “In fact, this is impossible when you do so many shoots and try to keep your hair as tame as possible.”
Banking about deep treatments and oils, finding time in her tight schedule to take care of her hair is an act of self -care. This and opening pores on her skin and scalp in a long, hot bath at night. “I work on the skin, I work on the skin of the body, making sure that I remain moisturized and exfoliated,” he says. “I give myself a little more time because I feel that I give [most of my] Time for other people. “
Now, back to the track season in full bloom, finding styles which could withstand blood, sweat and tears of an Olympic athlete is one other obstacle. But one thing is for certain, he hopes that Emoji represents the emotions he puts in each. “The beauty of our hair is that you can have options and wear everything you mean.”
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