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A scene from the protests in Los Angeles on May 27th, 2020


With so much going wrong now, with how lives are threatened, people getting shot and racism, Anna Wintour has called out Joe Biden. She wants him to choose a black woman as his Vice President, and to do it now!

Wintour who is the Editor- in-chief of Vogue Magazine wrote an editor’s letter.

“These are days of wildly mixed emotions. I am always one for optimism and I had been cheering at signs of recovery and cautious re-emergence, the communities and businesses carefully opening up, the Americans following guidelines, wearing masks in public, and social distancing safely, the pandemic slowing its spread in most places.

But there has been little to cheer about recently. The signs of division, anger, and chaos in our country are overwhelming and heartbreaking. And we have a disgraceful president who seems capable only of vile statements of hate, of stoking our divisions, and turning Americans against one another.

She urged the Vice President to do more now, with all he has been up to.

“He must surround himself with the best and the brightest minds who represent all of America—and that means he should choose a woman of color to be his vice president, and he should do it soon. What an important symbol she will be for a country that is long and tragically overdue for new leadership,” she wrote

Nigeria has had its share of wrongful treatments as a young lady name Uwa was raped and killed in church last Wednesday. A trending hashtag has ensued on social media, so justice can be done, as several others have lost their lives this way. And the Police has also wrongfully cost some of this as weeks ago two policemen allegedly shot a teenager according to news reports.

Rachel Jankovic (@lizziejank) is a wife and mother of seven children. She is author of You Who?, Why You Matter and How to Deal with It, and is heavily involved with a Bible reading ministry for women.


While sharing with desiringGod, she emphasized the need for women to wholly embrace the full content of the Bible and not see it as a merely self-help tool when we need need help.

“In an age obsessed with the concepts and tools of self-help, Christian women reject the assumption that our Bible is just another tool. The Bible is anything but a self-help tool. We might assume the Bible is only something we use to boost ourselves up in times of need. That thought is subtly prevalent, and sadly destructive.

Rachael wants women to know the help does not comes from us

There is help, but it is not the help we offer ourselves. It is the help of a holy God who is accomplishing his purposes in us.

She continued, “My uncle is fond of saying that many Christians approach the word of God as if it is a cat they are dissecting. They want to label all the parts, standing over the word, analyzing and classifying it based on the comfort they think they need. In reality, we are the cat. The word is the knife that cuts — even between thoughts and intentions, soul and spirit, joint and marrow (Hebrews 4:12). The word of God is not a dead thing lying on the table, waiting for us and our insights to put it to use how we think we need to. It is living; it is active. It is far beyond our power to control.

She added the case of avoiding difficult parts of the Bible and not submitting oneself 

There’s a way to acknowledge God’s word, even grabbing little pieces of it for inspiration or encouragement, and yet not submit to its authority and power.

You can be careful to stay out of the dangerous bits, avoiding anything that confronts your assumptions. You might be afraid of the gnarly Old Testament stories. You might refuse to let the Bible’s clear teaching on men and women come near you. You might skip over an imprecatory psalm, or avoid the toughness of Jesus in certain passages. You might spend all your time reading the insights of people who feel safe, those you know have no intention of actually letting the knife of the word get near your heart. Or maybe you only look up a specific comfort for a specific time.

The sinful heart of man loves to try to get the word of God into a place where we are not so threatened by it. Because, goodness knows, it is a threat! It threatens the old man in all of us. And the biggest threat it offers is to open our eyes to reality.

We want the Bible to serve us in a very limited capacity. Something that could fit into the glove box of our lives and encourage us when we feel we need encouragement. The word of God certainly does encourage us. But it undoes us first. It destroys and remakes us (Hosea 6:1). It doesn’t maul us to leave us as a carcass on the table of our quiet time, but it calls us back to life through dying to ourselves. Like the words of the prophet Ezekiel, the word puts flesh on our bones (Ezekiel 37:4–6). It breathes life into us. The Bible calls us to the purposes of God, equips us for those purposes, and then sends us out to do them.

She wants all to know the Bible is not for some specific leaders in Church

Reading the Bible in its entirety is not for the gurus of self-help. Reading the whole word is for every human.

The saddest part about our attempts to relegate Bible reading to a self-help tool or self-development effort is that we speak of the word of God as though it were a skin cream or energy bar. A little something we pull out to improve ourselves, and that we sometimes privately share with others to help them along. An insider tip. A little item we have at our disposal and like to apply as needed, in moderation, with caution. We will do anything to keep it small and controllable.

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Gabrielle Union-Wade finally reveals reasons for leaving her judge role on “America’s Got Talent” in November 2019.

Speaking with Variety, the actress spoke out about negative moments she experienced while on the set of the popular competition show. She had raised concerns with producers but felt being looked upon as difficult.

Union discussed several issues like how the Executive Producer Simon Cowell’s smoking allegedly made her unwell because she is allergic to cigarette smoke.

The decision about whether to complain was difficult when someone is “coming onto a set and you are literally met with the very definition of a toxic work environment, and it’s being carried out by the most powerful person on the production,” she said.

NBC and AGT’s producers said they took her concerns “extremely seriously”, and they “had no bearing” on her exit.

They referred the BBC to media reports saying the investigation concluded that Union’s claims were unfounded.

“The investigation has shown that the concerns raised by Ms Union had no bearing on the decision not to exercise the option on her contract,” a statement said.

Though hesitantly, she raised the problem with producers, but was told that “effectively, nothing was going to change”, according to Variety.

“I ended up staying sick for two months straight,” Union said. “It was a cold that lingered, and turned into bronchitis, because I couldn’t shake it. It impacted my voice, which affects my ability to do my job.”

Cowell’s spokesperson told Variety that “when he was directly informed of the smoking complaint during the first couple of days of the season, he immediately changed his behaviour and the issue was never raised again”.

Union raised the issue of hair and make-up being inadequate for contestants from minorities. Although, according to Variety, roughly half of the hair and make-up staff were people of colour.

Her complains includes racist jokes and excessive focus on female judges’ appearances, including race-related comments.

A statement about the producers’ investigation into her comments said: “We have heard from contestants and talent alike that their experience on AGT has had a positive impact on their lives.”

“We continue to remain committed to having an inclusive environment for everyone associated with the show, and to upholding AGT as one of the most diverse programs on television.”

Gabrielle Union-Wade had initially signed up for AGT because it would give her “the experience of being a part of a show that hails itself as the biggest stage in the world,” one that is “super-diverse” and prides itself as “giving people the opportunity to shine where they otherwise probably wouldn’t.”

Watch her interview with Variety while speaking on her experience.

Instagram:Venus Williams


Venus Williams is not just one if the best tennis players you can find, she is also a pro when it comes to maintaining a good skincare routine. Before now, Venus has been featured in Vogue magazine, where she gave a clear look at her nightly skincare regimen. Well she is now teaming up with retailer Credo Beauty for a new line for sunscreen products aimed for women of color.

The new partnership was announced this week with Credo Beauty. They  are known for their assortment of clean, natural beauty brands. This is the tennis champion’s very first beauty line called EleVen by Venus x Credo, an extension of her Eleven brand, which consists of athletic wear.

Williams understands the importance of protecting your skin from damage, using a sunscreen, “When I was younger, I was wild and too free, and I took it for granted that I had great skin,” she said. “But that is not the case now. I am covered from head to toe when I’m outside: long sleeves, long pants, and sunscreen. I try to protect my skin as much as I can,” she told Allure

Her love for her fellow women of color, is profound, as she got them in mind, because for her, this is a product specially made for them. “No matter what skin tone you are, you want your skin to look like your skin, and you don’t want any layers on top,” William said. “This [line] leaves no white cast and, of course, it’s universal for every skin tone and complexion,” she said.

 

You really do not know what a pencil can do if you have not seen what Phoebe Ouma creates.

Phoebe Ouma has a thing for African women and as a result, she has dedicated her time to using a pencil to sketch women in the clothing she finds interesting. The Kenyan artist displays the beauty, strength and fashion sense of an African woman with poised flair in her artwork.

The graduate of fashion design and marketing at the University of Machakos in Kenya, says she’s interested in re-enacting the work of designers who portray African print and culture in ways that non-Africans can relate to.

In a 2019 interview with CNN, she said: “I have always been drawing, it is a thing I have been good at”. She told CNN, that she became conscious of the need to tell stories of African women when she was in high school. “I had this folder in high school where I used to keep some of my drawings. Most of my models had white complexions and I didn’t realize I was doing this until someone pointed it out,” she said.

On her Instagram bio, she says, “Soft spot for Illustrating African Brands” and “Occasionally I break character & pursue beauty beyond Africa”. Ouma has also kept her fans entertained as she has posted some of her work.

She is no doubt an inspiration to many in the art world as her work is showing more of what being an African looks like.

Check out some of her artwork:

Photo Creditphoebe_ouma

 

Source: Bellanaija

Hello WORriors, it’s #WomanCrushWednessday, and our Woman Crush is Njideka Crosby Akunyili!

Born in Enugu, Nigeria, Akunyili Crosby is a visual artist based in Los Angeles, California. She was just 10 years old, when she moved to, Lagos, to attend one of the country’s most prestigious boarding schools, Queens College. With this, her first taste of a multicultural – the  Nigerian, British, and American popular culture was born, which contributed to the similarities between her work and the work of pop-culture artists.

It is interesting to note that she is the daughter of the late Dora Akunyili who was the Director-General of the National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control of Nigeria (NAFDAC). Even with a well known mother in Nigeria, Akunyili Crosby has made a name for herself by clearly taking her part in the artistic world. She has won multiple award an today, her name is known not only in Nigeria, but in the United States and other parts of the world as well.

A portrait of Ms. Akunyili Crosby with layered images, made in collaboration with the artist.

A portrait above of Ms. Akunyili Crosby with layered images, made in collaboration with the artist. Photo: Photo And Illustration: Maxine Helfman For The Wall Street Journal.

She adds photo transfers and fabrics to bring in different aspects such as hair styles, fashions, architecture, and furnishings from the two cultures.

 

Predecessors (left panel), 2013, Acrylic, transfers, colored pencil and charcoal on paper, 7 ft. × 7 ft.
Predecessors (right panel), 2013, Acrylic, transfers, colored pencil and charcoal on paper, 7 ft. × 7 ft.

Akunyili Crosby studied biology and art at Swarthmore College, where she met her  husband and fellow artist Justin Crosby. She pursued her MFA at Yale, which is when her artistic breakthrough occurred.

“The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born” Might Not Hold True For Much Longer, 2013, Acrylic and transfers on paper, 5.5 ft. × 7 ft. Courtesy of the artist

She adds colourful paint, fabrics, acrylic, photos, cut-outs from Nollywood films, advertisements, and Nigerian fashion magazines, to create vibrant paintings and collages that dance across the borders of her different identities. She is influenced by writer Chinua Achebe who brings the English language to fit his culture. In an interview with W Magazine, Akunyili Crosby explained that she uses an approach similar to Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, who sometimes portrays characters speaking in their own dialects, which remains untranslated, you need to search for its true meaning by yourself, something also similar to what Chimamanda Adichie books does.

In her work, Akunyili Crosby cracks English and uses it to create a transcultural, syncretic space.

We celebrate Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

Chaymeriyia Moncrief


Chaymeriyia Moncrief is a tech entrepreneur from Alabama, USA. She is the founder and CEO of the prepaid wireless carrier, Tesix Wireless™ Network.

At 24, Moncrief, turned down a $4.4 million offer for her company, and therfore raised over $5 million which her telecom company at the end 2019 had a $10 million valuation. Now, she is 25 years and has ventured into smartphones and electronics.

But this isn’t the first company Moncrief has started; she has been hard at work from an early age.

“I do have a branding agency and that is what I started at 12 years old, as a designer, and it officially turned into a business at 16,” Moncrief told WSFA12.

Pic Credit: nspreelectronics.com

“I am a huge thinker and big dreamer,” she said.

Moncrief is the first African-American woman to launch her own line of smartphones, according to blackbusiness.com. Her electronic brand is called NSPRE™ Electronics featuring smartphones and other electronics.

She studied Business Management and Computer Science in Alabama State University.

In 2016, she launched a Branding Studio before stepping into the world of technology at 24 after

Before her present endeavors, she had earlier launched a branding studio.

Moncreif relates her bad experience with a cell phone company.

“You go in and they say your phone bill is going to be $98, but you are getting a $150 or $200 bill. I think the final straw for me was a $235 bill, and that is when I said I want my own company,” she told WSFA.

She went on to create her business Tesix Wireless, a telecommunications company that announced its launch in 2018. “The name [Tesix Wireless] comes from two things: Technology and sixteen because sixteen is when I started my entrepreneurship journey. The name has a personal meaning to me,” Moncrief said.

Chioma Uzoma is a public health educator, founder, the Medvocacy initiative (TMI) Africa.


Vaginal Candidiasis

Vaginal Candidiasis is a common Fungal/Yeast Infection that affects at least 3 out of every 4 women.
Research has shown that 75% of women will experience this at least once on their lifetime, hence the need to discuss this issue.
Vagina Candidiasis affects the Vagina and the Vulva (The tissue surrounding the Vaginal Opening in Women).

It normally presents with symptoms such as:
•Vaginal Rashes
•Vaginal Redness
•Vaginal Irritation
•Swelling
•Cheese-like, odourless discharge.

The Major cause is the Fungus *Candida albicans*.
This organism is responsible for most Vaginal yeast infections.

Your Vaginal naturally contains a balanced mix of *Yeast* and *Bacteria*.
Certain *Bacteria* (e.g *Lactobacillus acidophilus) help keep this yeast in check, because candidiasis infection will only set in when there is an overgrowth of Yeast cells.

Unfortunately, this balance can be disrupted. Overgrowth of the Yeast cells causes the Signs and symptoms of Vaginal yeast infection.

*CAUSES*
▪︎Indiscriminate Use of antibiotics:
In a bid to prevent Sexually transmitted infections, most women resort to taking Antibiotics after unprotected Sex.
Wide Spectrum Antibiotics kills a wide range of bacteria including the healthy Bacteria *Lactobacillus acidophilus* meant to keep the yeast cells in check.

▪︎Use of Contraceptives high in estrogen/ Hormone therapy increasing hormonal levels.

▪︎Pregnancy :This is due to changes in the Hormonal Balance/Hormonal Imbalance.
It should be treated in pregnancy as the infection may be transmitted to the Unborn child during delivery, causing *Oral thrush*.

▪︎Uncontrolled Diabetes

▪︎Impaired Immune System:

-Women constantly on Corticisteroids.

-Women with immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

*PREVENTION*
▪︎Regular intake of Unsweetened yogurt (These are rich in *Lactobacillus acidophilus*

▪︎Cutdown on Sugar Intake

▪︎Avoid unnecessary Antibiotics intake.

▪︎Wear undies made with cotton and avoid wearing extremely tight undies.

▪︎Avoid *Douching*: The Vagina is Self-cleansing, you dont need to jet water with soap into your Vagina to wash it. This only removes the healthy bacteria and hence overgrowth of the yeast cells causing infection.

▪︎Avoid Using scented or harsh feminine products as they cause irritation to your Vagina.

▪︎Avoid extremely hot tubs and water baths.

▪︎ Avoid staying in wet clothes.

*TREATMENT*
Self Medication is not adviced so you should see a qualified Medical expert immediately you notice these symptoms.

*Note*:
If infection becomes recurrent, lasts for more than 3 weeks or occurs more than 4 times in a year, do not ignore as it may be an indication for underlying ailment e.g Diabetes, Compromised immune system. Ensure to make an appointment with your Doctor.

*P.S*: Vaginal Yeast infection can be transmitted Sexually from a male who is infected with *Candida albicans*, to a female and vice versa.
However, it is not classified as a Sexually transmitted infection because anyone can be infected. At the onset of puberty, one can get infected without necessarily being sexually active.

FOR MORE INFORMATION/COUNSELLING:

*Contact*:
📞/ Whatsapp
07067125522

Northern Nigeria number one skincare therapist and one of the most successful in the country, Maryam Ali Adamu, Chief Executive Officer of Aljism Skincare Products and wife of Yusuf Gidado Idris, son of former Secretary to Government of the Federation during the General Sani Abacha regime has revealed her passion in life. In a recent interview with Potpourri she said her mission in life is to make women both beautiful and powerful.

On making women attractive, she said, “I believe no woman is unattractive as long as she has flawless skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body hence what a person consumes is equally as important as what they apply on their skin. I used to be troubled by skin problems like acne, spots, discolouration and sunburn. I decided to study skincare after my Masters in Law in England in order to find a solution to my own skin problems. Shortly after my two and a half years programme, I was able to start my own skincare line, using everything I learnt and it has been success story so far.”

When she came back to Nigeria after her programme in England, family and friends encouraged her to help other people by producing and selling skincare products to make others equally flawless. She started producing and selling skincare products in November 2017. She has helped thousands of men and women clear their skin problems.

Today, she is the most successful skincare therapist in Northern Nigeria. Her brand, Aljism Skincare has become a household name. You can hardly bump into 10 northern women without at least 8 knowing Aljism Skincare Products and its CEO, Maryam Ali Adamu.

On making women powerful, the Yobe State-born entrepreneur believes women must shed the toga of merely being comfortable as housewives, sisters or daughters and take their stand among men to control their destinies.

According to Maryam, the best way women can rise above mediocrity and pity is to support one another.

“Women have always been thought to compete with one another but I encourage the opposite. I believe collectively, women have a better and stronger impact in society. Due to the scarcity of women in business in the northern parts of Nigeria, the reality is raising one another up and encouraging and patronizing one another, is the greatest way to balance the equation.

“Women’s table has more strength when balanced by one another. Competing doesn’t allow growth rather it creates segregation. The stereotype of women not supporting women needs to be reversed. Women who support other women are more successful in business. Breaking the stereotype of women only serving as baby-making machines must become a thing of history,” she said.

Maryam Ali Adamu is a graduate of Business Administration and Law from the Coventry University, England. She’s from Yobe State. She is the daughter of Dr Ali Adamu (PhD) Standford and former Executive Secretary of the National Primary Education Commission during the General Sani Abacha regime and presently a business mogul into Oil and Gas.

Source: Vanguard


The highest top paid female athletes according come from Tennis players to Forbes. And Japanese Naomi Osaka has made about $37million from the past year.

Sharapova and Serena Williams were the top earners of the decade before Osaka came on the scene. The three are now the only women to rank among the 100 top earners in sports since 2012.

Naomi Osaka celebrates her win over Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open, which kick-started her career as the most marketable female athlete. GETTY IMAGES
Naomi Osaka celebrates her win over Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open, which kick-started her career as the most marketable female athlete. GETTY IMAGES

The 22 year old, has earned $37.4 million over the past 12 months from prize money and endorsements. That’s $1.4 million more than Williams has earned in the same period. The previous record was $29.7 million back in 2015 by Maria Sharapova.

The money Osaka has earned has put an end to Williams 4 year streak as the world’s highest-paid female athlete.

“I’m really interested in seeing a young business grow and adding value to that process,” Osaka told Forbes last year. “I tasked my team with finding brands that align with my personality and my interests.”

Tennis superstars Sharapova, Li Na, Williams and now Osaka are the only women to rank among the 100 top earners in sports since 2012. Every year since Forbes started tracking data, the highest-paid female athlete every year has been a tennis player, with Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis the top earners for most of the 1990s.

Osaka spoke to Forbes about her most recent marketing campaign with Bodyarmor that was just launched last week, “I always look outside tennis to see how other athletes are training and conducting themselves,” she says. “It’s no secret that some of the athletes that I have looked to in shaping my career are non-tennis players. I’m a big basketball fan, and what James Harden has done in the NBA over the last few years has been amazing. He’s definitely one of the most exciting players in the league, so being a part of this spot with him was really fun. I was also lucky enough to shoot this campaign on the same day as Skylar [before the pandemic], so we got to spend some quality time together. She is really down-to-earth, and we got along great.”