Esi Edugyan is an award-winning novelist whose cultural heritage and diverse education fuels her rich stories of history, race, and finding one’s place in the world. Born in 1977 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Edugyan began writing poetry as a teenager and her talents were soon recognized by a high school teacher. She started her…
Time Magazine has released their annual list of the most influential people of 2017. The list includes important figures including world leaders, artists, and athletes. The 2017 list includes a number of African and African-American individuals of note. Among those who made the list this year are athletes LeBron James, Simone Biles, and Colin Kaepernick, musicians John Legend and Alicia Keys, actress Viola…
An explosive new Vanity Fair report about the Donald and Melania Trump marriage has also provided new insight into the relationship between Melania and Ivanka Trump. President Trump’s relationships with both women, his wife and his daughter, have always been closely scrutinized. Both relationships are certainly unlike any we’ve seen with any previous First Family. As First…
A Nigerian government official attracted worldwide attention this month for cutting off the hair of a number of female employees. Andrew Kumapayi is a commander for the Nigerian Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Rivers State, Nigeria. He was performing a “routine inspection of officers’ hair and nails” when he determined some hairstyles to be non-compliant. Images…
Israeli musician Idan Raichel blends styles to share music with a message of peace. A keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and composer, his music draws from Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African musical styles. His lyrics are almost always in Hebrew and he often uses bits of traditional Hebrew texts. LA Times described what Raichel does as creating “a zesty…
Oprah Winfrey and Viola Davis are two of the most powerful women who continue to leave their incredible imprints on the world. The pair have been recognized in a most deserving way, landing on People magazine’s World’s Most Beautiful issue this year. Congratulations, Oprah and Viola. Your glamour both on and off the red carpet, stunning features, poise, intellect and confidence…
A Prestigious Appointment Recently, Dr. Vera Songwe was appointed as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nation’s Economic Commission for Africa (the “ECA”). An economist with extensive experience directing policies relating to the World Bank’s activities in West Africa, she becomes the first African woman to hold the influential position. The United Nations Economic Commission For Africa issued…
Are you intimidated by the gym? Do you feel like it’s too late to get in shape? An 80-year-old grandmother from Baltimore named Ernestine Shepherd is just the person to inspire you to get fit. She has an unbelievable physique and an impressive record. Ernestine’s story proves that anything is possible with determination and…
The use of kerosene lamps in Africa has been a subject of concern for many years now. These lamps are used most commonly in developing Sub-Saharan Africa and the southern regions of Asia. More than 95% of communities without electricity are found in these regions. The Problem For people who live off the grid,…
The Tribeca Film Festival is a modern New York cultural mainstay. Since it began in 2002 as a response to the 9/11 attacks, this springtime festival is devoted to growth, change, and hope in the film industry. This year’s film selection of 98 features is 20% smaller than previous years, making it the most selective…
Weddings are expensive but some people take the expense of a wedding to another level with all kinds of bling and extravagance. Not surprisingly, when Gucci Mane married Keyshia Ka’oir this week, the ceremony was all kinds of lavish. In fact, they spent a cool $1.7 million on the big day. Or rather, BET did.…
The number of women victimized by producer Harvey Weinstein has continued to grow. In a compelling op-ed for The New York Times, Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has added her voice to the chorus. After sharing the details of several uncomfortable encounters with Weinstein, Nyong’o ends with a rallying cry hopeful of change. “I speak up…
In the current political climate of the United States, even the most meticulous analysts have had a hard time trying to determine a constant, defining theme of the Trump administration. In the words of former President George Walker Bush, Donald Trump can be described as a “flip-flopper,” a politician whose views, goals and convictions seem…
Many may not be aware of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s cozy and lucrative relationship with African countries. Following earlier attempts to establish links with some nations on the Continent through the provision of aid programs, this relationship has intensified with North Korea currently having embassies in 11 out of 54 African countries.…
