Champion Gymnast Simone Biles (photo via blackamericaweb.com)
No one can deny that 18-year old gymnast Simone Biles is having an incredible year.
Fresh off her historic 2015 World Gymnastic Championships win this fall, the Olympic hopeful was recently awarded one of the highest accolades attainable to American athletes. On Thursday, she was named the winner of the Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year, beating out tennis GOAT Serena Williams and nine-time world champion swimmer Katie Ledecky, USA Today wrote. (photo via Instagram) Even more awesome? Biles did it without having actually having been on an Olympic team. She was too young to make the 2012 Olympic team that competed in the London games, but Biles, along with Gold medalist Gabby Douglas, are prepping for the Olympic trials next July to win a spot on the U.S. team heading to Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Biles’ athleticism is a tour-de-force as she continues to break records wherever she tumbles.
Since she began competing in 2013, the Texan-native has not lost any meets, winning “14 world championship medals in three years; 10 of them gold, the most by a woman in history,” writes ESPN.com. She is also the first woman in 23 years to win three U.S. Gymnastics Championships and this fall, she became the first woman in history to win three consecutive all-around titles at the World Gymnastics Championships.
Biles was just one of many winners announced at the ceremony held in Philadelphia, others awardees included:
Male Olympic Athlete of the Year – Jordan Burroughs, Wrestling
Olympic Team of the Year – USA Women’s Soccer
Female Paralympic Athlete of the Year – Tatyana McFadden, Track and Field
Male Paralympic Athlete of the Year – Joe Berenyi, Cycling
Lesa Lakin
Today we are going back to the GAP in search of the perfect gift for GIRLS. There is just so much to choose from, and so many deals to be had. We’ve found some good ones.
Take it from me, it’s not always easy to pick for a girl with her own very distinct sense of style… but cute is cute… PERIOD. We’ve taken a stab at finding some things she may enjoy.
Here are a few of our affordable finds…
HAPPY FACE POM-POM BEANIE $13.56 (on sale)
It’s cheeky, fun, and we LOVE it. It’s the fun-colored beanie for the youngster that likes a smile.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Jay Pharaoh (via COLLEGE HUMOR)
Just call her “Flow-tus,” because Michelle Obama has flow and bars. The first lady teamed up with Saturday Night Live’sJay Pharoah in a new rap song that encourages teens to attend college.
In the video, produced by College Humor, Pharoah and Obama rap about the benefits of attending college, minus the student loans, of course.
“South Side Chicago, we all know, we had to do overtime every night to make it tomorrow,” Obama raps. “And everyone could really make their dream true. Hey, kid listenin’ in Michigan, that could be you!”
Check it out below:
2015 flew by, and 2016 will be making its debut very soon. So if you want to make this final month of the year a December to remember, then these holiday hacks are just for you. Get ready to attend every holiday party with a stress-free RSVP, all while jump-starting your New Year’s resolution with these quick and easy tips:
Adjust Your Diet
Temptations are high, and the holidays only come once a year, so while it may be tempting to jump-start your resolution with a holiday diet, a more manageable and realistic goal would be to indulge without binging. By forbidding all things peppermint, gingerbread, eggnog, etc., you’re actually welcoming more cravings and food fixations. However, by allowing yourself portion-controlled holiday treats, you’ll be giving yourself the gift of self-control, and that’s certainly a gift that keeps on giving. So I suggest having a “Sweet Saturday” or “Flavorful Friday” once a week. In fact, research shows that indulging in reasonably sized treats encourages you to find pleasure in mealtime again—and that pleasure will help ensure that you don’t feel the need to go overboard in the future.
Remake the Flavors
Speaking of indulging in moderation, one way to enjoy the season’s flavors sans guilt is to blend it in. Literally. I have been putting my Omega blender to some serious work this holiday season, and you can, too. My favorite way to sip the season is to remake my pre- and post-workout protein shakes.
For instance, I’ll throw a crushed peppermint candy cane in my strawberry shake for a minty treat, or I’ll substitute a light eggnog for my typical almond milk in my vanilla shake for a festive holiday smoothie. Or, my all-time favorite is bananas, vanilla milk alternative (soy, almond, cashew, etc.) and a scoop of the vanilla chai Vega One Nutritional Shake. This plant-based protein powder is so tasty, you will definitely forget that it’s healthy.
Be Merry and Sweaty
Robbie Ann Darby (photo via theroot.com)
Well, now that you’re sipping the season, it’s time to keep it merry and sweaty with fun and effective workouts. However, ’tis not the time to be sweating on autopilot. Those low-intensity workouts are not the business this time of year, when you’re trying to maintain and not gain, so do yourself a solid and hit up some HIIT training. Short for “high-intensity interval training,” this approach to sweat is all the craze simply because not only does it rev up your metabolism, if done correctly, but it can also cut your workouts in half. That’s right, less time and more results.
The key, however, is to go hard (think breathless) for short bursts and immediately chase those moments with a short rest. Any split ratio is welcomed, so go all out for, say, 40 seconds and then rest for 20. Repeat this as many times as you can without compromising your form, and the afterburn is guaranteed. Basically, you’ll be burning calories well after you leave the gym. Think to the tune of at least 24 hours after. So yeah, that holiday party Saturday deserves an HIIT session Friday.
Chance The Rapper (photo via allhiphop.com)
The year 2015 is ending on a high for Hip-Hop. Earlier in the week, Kendrick Lamar was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards, the most ever for a Hip-Hop performer in a single year. And, tonight (12/12), Chance The Rapper became the first independent artist, in any genre, to perform on the 40-year old sketch comedy franchise, “Saturday Night Live.”
Chance performed 2 songs on the SNL stage. The first was “Somewhere In Paradise” with Jeremih. As is often the case, the song was part rap, part singing and all Chance catching the spirit, as he showed his jubilation for being on stage, both vocally and physically. His lyrics were joyous, even stating that there were people in his life who said he’d never reach this point, and yet, here he was. He also covered every inch of the stage with spirited dance moves. Jeremih joined halfway through and was the recipient of a bear hug at the end from the MC who seemed overwhelmed by the moment. Chance also was supported by a full band, which included his longtime collaborator, Donnie Trumpet, with whom he released the Surfalbum earlier this year, under the collective name of The Social Experiment.
Chance’s second song was “Sunday Candy,” his sweet love song from Surf. Unlike the first performance, this one was much more staid, with Chance seated while backed by his band and choir. Even still, his joyousness shone through the rain about which he sang. To take a look at both performances, click here. article by Parfit via ambrosiaforheads.com
2015 Heisman Trophy Winner Derrick Henry (photo via bet.com)
Alabama Crimson Tide’s Derrick Henry is the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since 2009. He came in first with 1,832 points, beating out Standford’s Christian McCaffrey (1,539) and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson (1,165). The 2015 Heisman Trophy Ceremony was held last night in New York City.
While Henry was the favorite coming in, he knew he had tough competition, especially coming from a state with no NFL team. “I didn’t know at all. Them two guys were great contenders for the trophy. Deshaun, with how consistent and efficient he is at the quarterback position, all the success he had, I was kind of worried. Christian, breaking Barry Sanders‘ record, doing all the things he does, he’s just unbelievable.” However, the RB was more than happy to receive the highly coveted trophy, “I’m just so thankful to have this trophy. It’s just a blessing and an honor.”
Henry can add the Heisman trophy to his already impressive collection of the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Doak Walker awards. He has also set Alabama records with 1,986 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. article by Evelyn Diaz via bet.com
“Creed” Director Ryan Cooler (photo via buzzfeed.com)
After several months of meeting with various black directors and not locking one to helm “Black Panther,” it’s finally confirmed that “Creed” director Ryan Coogler is in negotiations to direct the action film for Marvel and Disney, TheWrap reports.
The studio has been desperate to lock a black director, and had considered Ava Duvernay and F. Gary Gray for the project. Marvel and Coogler had discussed the movie in the past, but both sides cooled on the negotiations until recently resuming talks. EUR previously reported on Coogler’s comments regarding why the race of the director is important on projects such as “Black Panther.” He explained ScreenRant, ”Yeah, I think it’s important. Perspective is so important in art. That’s not to say that you can’t work outside yourself.”
Since the critically acclaimed success of Coogler’s tragic drama “Fruitvale Station,” he has had his pick of projects, including the “Rocky” franchise, casting his “Fruitvale” star Michael B. Jordan as the son of Apollo Creed. The Oscar-buzzed film grossed nearly $30 million its opening weekend.
When asked during a recent interview how important it was “to build a central narrative of a black boxer in a film that doesn’t directly address race,” Ryan responded:
“It was very important. When I would watch “Rocky” films, Apollo was the guy that I identified with as a young black man, because I grew up as an athlete for most of my life. With boxing, we have a long history of the greatest American fighters and so many of them are black and Hispanic but you don’t see that representation in cinema so I was really excited.” Chadwick Boseman is set to star as T’Challa, the superhero in charge of a fictional African nation called Wakanda. The character will first be introduced in “Captain America: Civil War.”
“Creed” is currently playing in theaters across the country. “Black Panther” is scheduled to be released Nov. 3, 2017. article by Ny MaGee via eurweb.com
Lesa Lakin
This year give the gift of peace and love with the cozy beanies we found at the GAP. Affordable and practical these hats make for great gifts. I LOVE the LOVE hat!
Also we found sweaters on sale now. Have you checked out the GAP lately? There seems to be a sale every time I blink. They’ve got great things right now, so don’t miss out. Here are a few of our finds….
Aaron Steed remembers helping a woman move items out of her home years ago so she could flee an abusive relationship. Steed and his moving company had moved many women in similar situations, but this time things turned scary.
He remembers the woman’s abusive boyfriend coming home, flinging a toaster toward the wall and accusing Steed of taking his items, leading Steed to call 911. Looking back, the company owner says it was all worth it. His Meathead Movers helps victims of domestic violence get away from their abusers by moving their belongings for free.
“To our unfortunate surprise, during the first two or three years running the company, I’d be the one who would pick up the calls,” said Steed, 35, of Avila Beach, in San Luis Obispo County. “I’d periodically get calls from someone — usually a woman — fleeing an abusive relationship. There were a lot of intense moments and crying.
“I remember the conversations pretty vividly and feeling a tremendous amount of panic and sadness. Handling those phone calls made it very real very quick. As the jobs went on, we realized we were potentially saving lives.”
He felt bad taking money in these situations, so shortly after the company was created 18 years ago, that became company policy — free moving services to people fleeing violent situations.
The company, which Steed and his brother started in San Luis Obispo while both were still in high school, now has four offices in California, including a Santa Ana location that opened in January 2014.
Models in clothing in a photo Philadelphia Printworks’ “School of Thought” lookbook, provided to Colorlines by Philadelphia Printworks on December 11, 2015. (Photo: Mark Ryan/birchxbirch.com)
Those of you dismayed by the backlash against university activism might wish that you’d attended an institution named after your favorite Black thinker, inventor or writer. Now, a new apparel line gives you the next best thing.
Philadelphia-based screen printing company Philadelphia Printworks just released the “School of Thought” collection, which features sweatshirts from fictional universities bearing the names of Black leaders. The company describes the inspiration behind the collection on their Facebook page:
The “School of Thought” collection, designed by Mars Five and Philadelphia Printworks, imagines a different world where colleges and institutions have been established based on the philosophies of Marcus Garvey, Audre Lorde, Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver and James Baldwin. The collection represents the double consciousness experienced by African diaspora in America and creates a safe space for the praxis of liberation.
DesignerMars Five, whose real name is Donte Neal, elaborated in a statement emailed to Colorlines:
From a graphic design perspective, I’ve always appreciated the visual aesthetics of universities, colleges and similar institutions. I believe we all apply and belong to our own particular schools of thought. Though sometimes multiple, conflicting or harmonious, these theoretical institutions are where we take responsibility for our own educations. Where we craft our social, political and economical morals and values. In collaboration with Philadelphia Printworks, my goal was to give these schools a manifested and wearable pride.
The company’s other products explore similar progessive and anti-racist themes, with shirts reading “Assata is Welcome Here” and “No Justice No Peace.” Check out the “School of Thought” lookbook here. article by Sameer Rao via colorlines.com
