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Pioneering author and publisher Tina McElroy Ansa dies at age 74

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Tina McElroy Ansa, Tina McElroy Ansa death, Who was Tina McElroy Ansa?, Tina McElroy Ansa writer, Tina McElroy Ansa author, Didi Tina McElroy Ansa die?, Tina McElroy Ansa books, Tina McElroy Ansa obituary theGrio.com

Tina McElroy Ansa, an acclaimed author, journalist, and pioneer whose vivid narrative captured the sweetness, complexity, and resilience of life within the black South, has joined her ancestors.

On September 10, 2024, the author died at the age of 74 in her home on the Georgia coast. After her unexpected death, McElroy Ansa’s good friend Wanda Lloyd, whom she met during her freshman 12 months at Spelman College, wrote Facebook post announcing the news.

“It is with immeasurable sadness and a broken heart that I share the news of the death of Tina McElroy Ansa, my sister-friend since we were paired as roommates our freshman year at Spelman College. I am sharing this on behalf of Tina’s family,” the post reads. “Tina was an award-winning novelist, journalist, writer-doula, advocate for a huge number of her “good little students,” founding father of Sea Island Writers Retreat, publisher of DownSouth Press, storyteller, public speaker, podcaster, editor, and avid gardener. She was an advocate for her adopted community of St. Simons Island, Georgia, and loved her hometown of Macon, Georgia.”

Born in Macon, Georgia, in 1949, McElroy Ansa was the youngest of 5 children of Walter J. and Nellie McElroy. In 1971, she and Lloyd graduated with a level in English from an all-women’s HBCU. She began her storytelling profession as an editor at The Atlanta Constitution, where she became the primary black woman to affix the editorial staff of the publication. After moving from editor to reporter to features editor, McElroy Ansa took a break from journalism to put in writing her first novel, “Baby of the Family.”

Inspired by the stories and experiences she heard on her porch growing up, McElroy Ansa’s writing wove generations of family, spirit, and tradition into narratives that spoke on to the essence of the Black Southern experience. Through her sharp prose and deep exploration of family, culture, and community, she helped shape a brand new narrative for Black women in fiction.

“She was one of the women writing African-American literature in the 1980s and 1990s,” Lloyd said. Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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After her debut novel won the New York Times Notable Book of the Year award in 1989, McElroy Ansa wrote Ugly Ways, The Hand I Fan With, You Know Better, and Taking After Mudear: A (*74*). In addition to her own writing, the veteran journalist-turned-author was captivated with supporting other black writers. In 2007, she founded DownSouth Press Publishing House to publish and promote “African American literature that will enrich, enlighten, and edify the world.”

Similarly, in 2004, McElroy Ansa organized the Sea Island Writers Retreat, an annual event designed to assist emerging and established writers improve their skills in writing fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and editing.

In addition to being a author, publisher and mentor, McElroy Ansa was also a wife. In 1979, she married cinematographer Jonée Ansa, with whom she lived until his death in 2020. Before her death, McElroy Ansa was reportedly working on her sixth novel, a nonfiction book titled “Secrets of a Bogart Queen” and an October film festival celebrating the a hundredth anniversary of the Harrington School, the primary school for African-American children in St. Simons, Georgia.

According to Lloyd McElroy, Ansa “was a leader in the writing community and a friend to more people than we can imagine.”

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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