Source: Getty / Getty Black love is one of the most powerful unions in the universe. However, Black couples are not as praised and magnified as they should be. Black love is real. Appreciate each other Love each other Have fun with each other Joke with each other Uplift each other Communicate with each other Enjoy each other Travel Fall in love -@Shi_wortham “I appreciate all Men who have integrity and morals and just dependable…I enjoy witnessing Black Love /Marriages… And not those who only practice in public and behind closed doors.” -@BiancasTalite13 There’s definitely a stigma when it comes to healthy, Black relationships in America. The images that we see in the media don’t often show images of Black love, let alone celebrate it. NPR did a whole report on why so many Black Women are single. The article stated: Dating is hard for lots of people, but for black women in the United States, it can be uniquely horrible. For one thing, we’re often expected to conform to white beauty standards. For another, we’re up against a hold parade of racist stereotypes: that we’re angry, overbearing, lazy, prudish and hyper-sexual and emasculating all at once. Those stereotypes and expectations do two things. First, they limit the pool of people who are interested in dating black women. And second, they often create situations where we, as black women, try super hard not to fit into those categories. So rather than relaxing and trying to have fun with potential dates, we’re caught up in the impossible game of trying to seem fun and ambitious and feminine and flirty…but not too flirty. But don’t fret— there are still some brothers out that love them some melanin. Couples like Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union have had many ups and downs throughout their nearly decade long relationship, but somehow they’ve managed to prevail and look like a Black Barbie and Ken doll in the process. April is National Couple Appreciation Month , and there are several ways to celebrate: Leave a love note on your mate’s car. Surprise your love with coffee or tea before they wake. If your sweetheart is a selfie-loving type and you’re not, give in on occasion and take a couples’ selfie. Let your significant other overhear you complimenting them. We’ve decided to honor the special month by highlighting some of our favorite couples who prove Black Love is still strong and long lasting. Check out these ten couples who exemplify Black love at it’s best. [ione_media_gallery src=”https://globalgrind.cassiuslife.com” id=”4160581″ overlay=”true”]
Earlier this week, we learned that Kim Kardashian hopes to become a lawyer by passing the bar in 2022. No, Kim will not be attending law school, and will instead seek to exploit a loophole by apprenticing at a San Francisco firm from now until the time of the exam. Kim says she’s always been interested in the law, but she only seriously considered becoming a lawyer after working with Donald Trump to secure presidential pardons for Alice Johnson and other non-violent offenders, some of whom were serving life sentences. But while the notion that becoming a lawyer is a real possibility may be a new one to Kim insiders say the dream has been with her since childhood, when she worshipped her attorney father, Robert Kardashian Sr. “Getting a law degree is not a new dream for Kim, it’s something she’s talked about over the years,” a source close to the situation tells Hollywood Life. “But until recently it was very abstract. It wasn’t until she started working prison reform that it became a real possibility in her mind.” Kim is well aware that the road ahead won’t be an easy one — especially with a fourth kid on the way — but she believes she can clear any hurdle with the help of her husband. “Kanye’s limitless love helped make this happen too,” says the insider. “He believes in her so much, that absolutely helps her believe more in herself and her abilities.” “Even though Kim is going the non-traditional route and is doing an apprenticeship that doesn’t mean she isn’t studying course material and doing assignments, she’s very much a student of law right now and she loves it.” The source says Kim is every bit as ambitious as she seems, but her desire for a law degree has more to do with helping others than with her own earning potential. “This isn’t about her wanting to go out and start a law practice,” says the insider. “It is about her wanting to be able to take advantage of the unique position she is in to help people that have been unjustly locked up and wanting to do the best job she can for them. “Kim is taking classes to learn more about law and how everything works,” the informant adds. “Whether it’s her empire, her businesses or using her knowledge to help in criminal reform, those are the major reasons she is tackling law.” And as a bonus, she gets to take part in the vocation that her father held in such high esteem, “Plus it makes her feel closer to her Dad,” says the source. “Its something special to her because she knows it would have been special to him. It takes her away from her normal life and day to day happenings of being a celebrity that she normally has to deal with. “She feels this is one more puzzle piece into the person she wants to become, she is always striving to be better.” In the same Vogue interview in which she revealed her plans to become a lawyer, Kim spoke candidly about Kanye’s struggle with mental illness . “It is an emotional process, for sure,” she added. “Right now everything is really calm. But we can definitely feel episodes coming, and we know how to handle them.” Kim said that after several attempts at chemical treatment, West has come to realize that medication “is not really an option, because it changes who he is.” She also revealed that she’s distressed by the criticism she receives from those who believe she doesn’t do enough to rein in her husband’s erratic behavior: “But I think some of the hurtful things that I read online … What is she doing? She’s not stopping him,” Kim said. “Like it’s my fault if he does or says something that they don’t agree with?” she said. “That’s my husband. I share every opinion that I have and let him know when I think something’s wrong.” A very measured diplomatic response to what we’re sure is a very touchy subject. Hey, maybe Kim has a future in politics once she passes the bar! View Slideshow: Kim Kardashian Basically Got Naked on This Red Carpet and Twitter Came at Her So Hard
This July, Chantel and Pedro’s 90 Day Fiance spinoff will premiere on TLC for the first time. But The Family Chantel isn’t the only spinoff that’s been in the works, and another will premiere even earlier than that. 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way will have its series premiere sooner than you ever imagined. In a press release about the exciting new series in the popular franchise, TLC teases what viewers can expect from The Other Way . “Viewers are familiar with the premise of hit 90 Day Fiance ,” the statement begins. In case anyone had somehow missed it, the statement reminds them: “when an American brings their partner from abroad.” But there’s a catch to the K-1 visa process, and it’s right there in the show’s name. “And has only 90 days to marry them,” the statement notes. “Or have their partner leave the country.” In some cases, stars on 90 Day Fiance have never met in person before that 90 day countdown begins. “But in this new spinoff series,” the statement continues. “They’ll find out what happens when love flows in the opposite direction.” As previously reported, this spinoff will follow Americans who move to other countries instead of the other way around. In this case, the term 90 Day Fiance becomes a bit of a stretch. Different nations have different policies on immigration and immigration for marriage. The United States’ policies on immigration and visas are notoriously strict. This series will be flipping the (non) script and showing viewers how very different the experience can be. “A collection of Americans make the ultimate sacrifice,” TLC describes. (To be clear, plenty of people moving to the US on the original series came from very nice countries themselves) The statement continues: “and move across the globe.” TLC notes that they’re willing to leave it all behind “for the person they love.” Here, a primarily American audience will see different narratives play out. “Leaving their American comforts for vastly different ways of life leads to major culture shock,” the statement notes. Much of the world has a fairly reasonable idea of how things are in the United States, largely because of television and film. Unfortunately, a lack of globally popular media from many countries means that Americans may be ignorant about what to expect. TLC promises that viewers will watch Americans “as they experience the challenges of relocating for their international love affairs.” As always, there is a definite question of whether things will work out in the end … and whether it was even worth it to try. “Will uprooting their lives in the United States pay off?” TLC asks. Living in the most powerful nation on Earth has some drawbacks, but it’s a lot to give up. “Or,” the statement concludes. “Will it be the biggest mistake of their lives?” After all, leaving it all behind for love sounds romantic. But love can fizzle out in a matter of decades. Or years. Or even months. 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way premieres in June of this year. There has been a rumor bouncing around on the internet that one couple who is familiar to viewers will appear on this series. Some have suspected that Paul and Karine (who just welcomed their baby boy! ) will be the ones, since they’ve been in Brazil this whole dang time. Even though Steven returned to the US without Olga , it won’t be those two, since Olga and baby Alex will follow him in a matter of weeks. But mostly this spinoff will be about new couples with very different dynamics. Viewers won’t know what to expect until they tune in. Or at least until that first trailer drops. View Slideshow: 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After Season 4 Cast REVEALED!
Ever since the nationwide college admissions scandal news broke a few weeks ago, a majority of the attention paid to this illegal scheme has focused on Lori Loughlin. This has likely been the case for two reasons: She is best known for playing a whole character on a family sitcom; and the daughter she illegally helped get into college totally sucks as a human being . But another very well-known name has also been at the center of this controversy — and now Felicity Huffman has taken over the spotlight for an afternoon. The veteran actress pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud as well as honest services mail fraud on Monday. Huffman was one of 13 defendents to plead guilty to these crimes in a courtroom, as the former Desperate Housewives star has confessed to paying Rick Singer $15,000 to rig her daughter’s SAT test. The teenager ended up with twice the amount of time as normal to take this exam, due to the bribery, while a proctor corrected her answers afterward. In the end, Sofia scored a 1420 on the SATs, 400 points higher than she had scored on the PSAT. On March 12, Huffman was arrested and released on a $250,000 bond; she was charged at the time with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and, according to the official complaint. Her husband, actor William H. Macy was mentioned in the indictment as having agreed to the scam, but never charged with a crime. “I am pleading guilty to the charge brought against me by the United States Attorney’s Office,” Huffman said in a statement on Monday. She continued: “I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions. “I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. “My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her. “This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty.” In a case such as this, the prosecutor recommends a sentence to the judge, while the latter has the final say on what sort of punishment is apt for the crime at hand. As of this writing, it’s unknown whether or not Huffman will face any jail time. She had been facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fines — but it’s impossible to believe she receives anything close to that sentence in the end. Huffman portrayed Lynette Scavo in Desperate Housewives for every episode of that ABC drama. She has also enjoyed extended roles in American Crime and Get Shorty. The actress has also been nominated for an Academy Award. Attention will now turn to Loughlin, who is accused of bribing officials at the University of Southern California with $500,000 in order to pretend her kids were high school crew team members. This lie prompted the two daughters to have their admissions standards lowered because the school considered them to be athletic recruits. Neither Loughlin nor her arrested husband have spoken out yet on these allegations, choosing to keep a mostly low profile over the past month or so. Both Huffman and Loughlin, it’s worth noting, have also been sued for $500 billion .
It’s undeniable that we are in tense times surrounding racism in the United States, so Taraji P. Henson ‘s new movie co-starring Sam Rockwell, titled The Best of Enemies may be exactly what we need. It tells the story of no nonense civil rights leader Ann Atwater and KKK President C.P. Ellis and the development of their friendship during the course of a charette to decide whether Durham schools should be desegregated in the 1950’s. Source: Derrick Salters/WENN.com / WENN HelloBeautiful had the opportunity to speak with Bill Riddick, who actually came to Durham from Raliegh to set up, organize and oversee the charette and encouraged Ann Atwater (played by Henson) and C.P. Ellis (played by Rockwell) to co-host it for full representation. Riddick discussed that a charette is designed to solve one specific problems, we joked during the interview that we need a charette right now in the United States. Henson was passionate about playing Atwater who was undeniably a strong character, “She was up against all these men, all these powerful men.” If you wonder how Henson was able to channel this for the character, she added, “I feel like that in this industry.” Rockwell stated he read the script and knew that this was an important film to make. As someone who has seen the film (and actually lived in Durham for four years), I highly recommend it. You’ll walk out feeling hopeful for a new future and re-energized to make change. Check out the interview above and go see The Best of Enemies in theaters Friday, April 5th, 2019. DON’T MISS: Taraji P. Henson Lets Us In On A Little Secret: My Fiancé Wears Magnums Taraji Interrupts Her Friend’s Wedding In This EXCLUSIVE ‘What Men Want’ Clip GET THE LOOK: Taraji P. Henson’s Romantic Hairstyle Is Perfect For Your Next Date [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”2933542″ overlay=”true”]
Ever since Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou canceled their wedding last summer, things have looked bleak for the 90 Day Fiance couple. The newest trailer for 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? showed them appear to have some huge fight over Azan’s (possible) infidelity. But it looks like they’ve overcome it, because Nicole is making sure her engagement ring catches your eye on social media. Nicole and Azan’s love story has stretched for ages, but it looks like the ride is far from over. “Feeling beautiful today,” Nicole captioned a cute selfie on Instagram. In the selfie, she is sporting her purple hair and her adorable cheeks. That’s not what holds your attention, however. It’s hard to see a diamond engagement ring up close and personal in a photo without taking notice. That is so sweet! Last summer, Nicole flew out with the intention of marrying Azan. Things didn’t quite work out as she had hoped, and she had to return from Morocco empty-handed. Her father explained at the time that the “timing” simply hadn’t worked out. It turns out that he meant that literally, because Nicole’s visa expired and she had to go back home. Nicole and Azan met on an international dating site. Nicole is American and Azan lives in Morocco. They appeared on Season 4 of 90 Day Fiance . Though they did not get married, they returned for Season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? Nicole has twice called off their wedding, and Azan cannot yet come to the United States because his K-1 visa was denied. They are one of the franchise’s longest-running couples. It’s no secret that Nicole and Azan have been engaged for ages. But it’s reassuring to see Nicole continuing to sport that ring on her finger. The 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? trailer teased a whole lot, including a lot of fights. In the trailer, we see Nicole talking about something that Azan did — and while the word “infidelity” comes up, it’s unclear what it is. At one point, a question from a producer appears to make Nicole walk away and call Azan for a serious, semi-private discussion. We won’t know what happens until we watch the new season, which begins on April 28. Did Azan cheat on Nicole? Cheating is a known and widely feared risk in relationships, especially long-distance romances. But allow us to present another theory. Nicole had notably saved up money — a difficult endeavor — while working here in the States. She then gave a lot of that to Azan as an investment in a shop that he intends to open in Morocco. Is it possible that he did something with the money other than what Nicole had intended? If so, that would explain the serious tension. But that is purely speculation, in part because we cannot imagine giving thousands of dollars to someone we haven’t yet been able to marry. Especially not in Nicole’s situation. She’s a mother and she works hard for her cash. Now, maybe we’re being paranoid, or maybe Nicole is just a fool in love like so many others have been over the years. But she and Azan do seem to have something very genuine between them, despite their story’s ups and downs. This ring appears to be a promise that, whatever tension exploded late last year in front of TLC’s cameras, they worked through it. But when, oh when, will they get married? View Slideshow: 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After Season 4 Cast REVEALED!
Just because a prosecutor chooses not to file charges against someone does not mean that person has been exonerated of all crimes. This seems like an important piece of information to keep in mind these days. It applies to both a certain President of the United States and also a certain actor on the FOX drama Empire. In the latter instance, of course, we’re talking about Jussie Smollett, the polarizing star who was indicted on 16 felony counts a few weeks ago, all of which related to an alleged attack on the streets of Chicago around 2 a.m. on January 29. You must know all the relevant details by now, right? Smollett claimed he was attacked by two white men who screamed about “MAGA Country,” while also hurling racial and anti-gay epithets at him, prior to placing a noose around his neck and pouring bleach all over him. The reported hate crime made national news. But then police started to question various details of Smollett’s story, eventually arresting him for falsifying a police report . Cops in The Windy City believed Smollett staged his own attack for publicity purposes and demand he apologize for wasting their time, money and resources — while also making a mockery of similar, very real hate crimes. Fast forward a couple weeks to yesterday, however, and all the charges against Smollett were dropped . It was a stunning development. “Today, all criminal charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped and his record has been wiped clean of the filing of this tragic complaint against him,” read a statement issued by Smollett’s lawyers shortly after the news broke. “He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public, causing an inappropriate rush to judgment,” continued this message. HOWEVER, the Chicago Police Department and Rahm Emanuel, the Mayor of Chicago, later went public with their own remarks… … making it clear they were happy to still judge Smollett for what they believe to be his illegal actions. “This is a whitewash of justice,” a visibly angry Emanuel told reporters, adding: “I’d like to remind everybody a grand jury indicted this individual based on only a piece of the evidence that the police had collected in that period of time. So a grand jury actually brought the charges.” Emanuel went on to plainly say that Smollett “did this in the name of self-promotion.” Elsewhere, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson – who was previously so vocal in denouncing Smollett for the phony assault – said he stood by his department’s work and thought the charges against the Empire actor were justified. “I’m sure we all know what occurred this morning,” he said. “My personal opinion is that you all know where I stand in this. Do I think justice was served? No. I think this city is still owed an apology.” View Slideshow: Jussie Smollett: This is How He Staged His Alleged Assault Johnson added: “If someone accused me of doing anything that would circumvent [my integrity], then I would want my day in court. Period. I’ve heard that they [Smollett legal team] wanted their day in court with TV cameras so America could know the truth. “But no, they chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system. My job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and present them to the State’s Attorney. “That’s what we did. I stand behind the detective’s investigation.” As detailed below, meanwhile, even the attorney who decided to drop the charges against Smollett doesn’t think the actor is innocent. First Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Magats said on Tuesday that he stands “behind the investigation” and: “The mere fact that it was disposed of in an alternative manner does not mean that there were any problems or infirmities in the case or the evidence.” Ummm, so why let Smollett walk free and declare victory? “Here’s the thing — we work to prioritize violent crime and the drivers of violent crime,” Magats said. “Public safety is our number one priority. I don’t see Jussie Smollett as a threat to public safety.” The fact that Smollett committed to two days of community service also seems to have somehow played a role in this baffling decision. For his part, Smollett thanked God and his supporters and emphasized his innocence in a statement outside the courthouse yesterday morning, saying: “I’ve been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. I would not be my mother’s son if I was capable of doing one drop of what I was accused of.” And this REALLY pissed Emanuel off. “Mr. Smollett is still saying that he is innocent, still running down the Chicago police department. How dare him. How dare him.” the Mayor said. “Even after this whitewash, still, no sense of ownership over what he has done. … This is a person now who has been let off scot-free with no sense of accountability of the moral and ethical wrong of his actions. Emanuel concluded: You have a person using hate crime laws that are on the books to protect people who are minorities from violence to then turn around and use those laws to advance your career and your financial reward. Is there no decency in this man?
Source: Ramin Talaie / Getty Tyson Is Recalling Almost 70,000 Pounds Of Their Chicken The United States Department of Argiculture announced on Thursday that Tyson Foods, Inc. recalled 69,093 pounds of their frozen chicken strip. According to the company, Tyson fears that the food was contaminated with metal. For everyone out there with some chicken in their freezer wondering which product specifically, it’s the buffalo and crispy style ready-to-eat variety, which were produced on November 30, 2018. That means that all of the recalled products should have a “best if used by” date of Nov. 30, 2019, along with the establishment number “P-7221” printed on the back. These products were shipped all around the country, including going to Washington and Michigan for “ institutional use. “ The decision to recall the chicken came after a pair of customers complained of “extraneous material” in their strips. This most recent situation definitely isn’t the first time a product of theirs has caused some trouble for the company–as a matter of fact, it’s not even the first time this year. Tyson asked customers to return 36,000 pounds of chicken nuggets back in January because they may have been contaminated with rubber. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service gave this recall a “Class I” label, which means a high health risk and a “situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.” Yikes. The agency says if you have any potentially contaminated strips in your fridge or freezer at the moment, you should return them to the store you got them from or just throw them out. The release also points out that “there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.”
Source: Kent Gavin / Getty Fifty-two years ago today, Muhammad Ali would fight his last fight prior to being suspended from boxing. The match took place at Madison Square Garden in NYC and he was fighting Zora Folley . Folley and Ali went seven rounds before Ali knocked him out. The vet went down suddenly, but Ali’s win couldn’t have been much of a surprise, as the heavyweight world champion was undefeated in the ring. “I went to New York to win the championship. I wouldn’t have gone if I did not think I could win,” Folley said at the time . “I was confident. But Ali beat me at my own game…the right hands Ali hit me with just had no business landing—but they did. They came from nowhere…this guy has a style all of his own.” Ali defended his title but at the time he was also fighting for his life, having been reclassified as eligible to serve in the Vietnam war. In April of 1967, Ali refused to be inducted into the United States military—consequentially, his license was suspended by the New York State Boxing Commission and he was stripped of his title, with other states following suit. The following month, Ali would be indicted by a federal grand jury, who accused him of violating the Selective Service Act. He was eventually sentenced to five years in prison with an added fine of $10,000. “I’m the champ. I can beat any man alive. I don’t have to prove it to anybody. It doesn’t make any difference if they take my name off a few bits of paper. You can’t brainwash the fact that I am the champ out of the minds of the people. If I thought it would bring freedom, justice, and equality for 22 million so-called negroes, they wouldn’t have to draft me. I’d join tomorrow,” he is quoted as saying after exiting the courthouse. The champ would never serve the five year prison sentence, as he remained free during court appeals, with the Supreme Court overturning his conviction in 1971. As we all know, Muhammad Ali passed away in 2016 at the age of 74 and his death devastated the world. In 1975, Ali was asked by Playboy how he thought he’d be remembered. He responded: “I don’t know, but I’ll tell you how I’d like to be remembered: as a black man who won the heavyweight title and who was humorous and who treated everyone right. As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him and who helped as many of his people as he could– financially and also in their fight for freedom, justice and equality. As a man who wouldn’t hurt his people’s dignity by doing anything that would embarrass them. As a man who tried to unite his people through the faith of Islam that he found when he listened to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. And if all that’s asking too much, then I guess I’d settle for being remembered only as a great boxing champion who became a preacher and a champion of his people. And I wouldn’t even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was.” Man, we miss you Ali. Rest in peace.
Source: Roy Rochlin/Ethan Miller/Getty / Getty Cory Booker Talks Potential White House Wedding With Rosario Dawson People were a bit shocked when Rosario Dawson came forward to confirm her baeship with Presidential Candidate Cory Booker a few weeks ago. We’re not saying that they don’t love each other, we’re just saying that you can’t be the President of The United States AND be a bachelor. But anyway, Cory was recently rhapsodizing about Rosario to Ellen Degeneres and things escalated very, very quickly according to Buzzfeed : “She’s just an incredible human being,” Booker told Ellen DeGeneres of Dawson in an interview airing Wednesday. “She’s a deeply soulful person and has taught me a lot of lessons about love already and that sometimes you show the greatest strength when you make yourself vulnerable.” Oh, but it wasn’t over there. Ellen backed Booker into a corner about getting married at the White House if he were to become POTUS: “I mean, if you go in single and have a wedding in the White House — I mean, we would watch,” DeGeneres said. “That would be like our royal wedding — that’d be great.” “So you’re saying if Rosario and I get there, wait, don’t do the marriage before?” Booker jokingly asked. “Would you help preside over the wedding?” he asked DeGeneres. “Yes, I’d be a big part of that,” DeGeneres confirmed as they shook hands. Listen. A Black wedding at the White House? Whew, chile, the RATINGS.
