Posts tagged with "Serena Williams"

94th Oscars

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The 94th Academy Awards were held on Sunday, May 27, at the Dolby Theatre right in the heart of Hollywood. The Oscars ceremony made for a night of unforgettable moments, including the slap that broke the internet.

The night began with words from Serena and Venus Williams before Beyonce’s performance of “Be Alive” from Best Picture nominee “King Richard.” The film stars Will Smith while following the story of the tennis sister icons childhood and rise to widespread athletic acclaim.

To reference the story even further, Beyonce’s pre-recorded performance took place at the former Lueders Park tennis courts in Compton. Sporting lime-green tennis-inspired attire, Beyonce and her dancers captivated the audience and started the show off flawlessly.

This year’s Academy Awards saw the return of a host for the first time since the 2018 showing, and three at that. Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes shared banter on the stage and separately throughout, successfully beginning with a bit directed towards Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Further controversy surrounding the night stemmed from the pre-recorded award announcement of eight categories and the New York Times stated this included the short films, production design, score, editing, makeup and hairstyling and sound. Conducted to seemingly shorten the duration of the show, this didn’t help much, as the show ended up extending to a long three hours and 40 minutes of showtime. Not to mention the pre-announced awards were aired as if they were live.

Amidst the contentious night of awards, we saw light as Ariana Debose became the first Afro Latina and openly queer women of color to win an Academy Award. While starring as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” we also saw DeBose become the second Latina to win an Academy Award following Rita Moreno for the same role dating back to 1962.

DeBose commended the trailblazing of Moreno during her acceptance speech while saying, “Now you see why that Anita says ‘I want to be in America,’ because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true, […] I’m so grateful your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me and I love you so much.”

DeBose rejoiced this moment in history, stating, “To anybody who has ever questioned your identity — ever, ever, ever — or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us.”

The most shocking night of the event that has had the entire world talking came when Will Smith punched Chris Rock on-stage after an insensitive comment about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair.

While presenting the Best Documentary award, Rock joked about Pinkett Smith, stating, “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” speaking about her shaved hair.

Back in 2018, Pinkett Smith revealed to the world that she had alopecia, which causes hair loss. It appeared Smith was laughing along at first, but then he got up and slapped Rock. After returning to his seat the audio cut out in the United States but was broadcasted internationally where audiences heard Smith then yell, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth!”

The conflict left the in-person audience stunned, and Rock reacted by saying, “Will Smith just smacked the s*** out of me.”

Later on, Smith was awarded for his performance in “Little Richard” with the Best Actor award. He apologized for the altercation during his acceptance speech while referencing his role as the Williams sisters’ father in the film while stating, “Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. In this time in my life, in this moment, I am overwhelmed by what God is calling on me to do and be in this world. […] I’m being called on in my life to love people. And to protect people. And to be a river to my people.”

He continued by thanking his fellow nominee Denzel Washington who came to his side after the dispute occurred, recalling his words when stating, “He said [to me], ‘At your highest moment, that’s when the devil comes for you.’”

Smith continued to apologize and stated, “I want to apologize to the Academy, I want to apologize to my fellow nominees, […] This is a beautiful moment. I’m not crying for winning an award. It’s not about winning an award for me. It’s about being able to shine a light on all the people. […] I hope the Academy invites me back.”

The night commenced when “CODA” historically won Best Picture. The film celebrates both Deaf culture and actors while becoming the first movie from a streaming service to be awarded an Academy Award.

Apple TV+’s “CODA” triumphed over Netflix’s “The Power of the Dog” for the esteemed award, though we still saw Netflix’s Jane Campion take home the Best Director award for the film. “CODA,” too, saw their very own Troy Kostur take home Best Supporting Actor as Frank Rossi and director Sian Heder win Best Adapted Screenplay.

Check out the full list of 2022 Oscar winners below.

Best Supporting Actress

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Best Costume Design

“Cruella”

Best Sound

“Dune”

Best Original Score

“Dune”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“CODA” (Sian Heder)

Best Original Screenplay

“Belfast” (Kenneth Branagh)

Best Animated Short

“The Windshield Wiper”

Best Live Action Short

“The Long Goodbye”

Best Supporting Actor

Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)

Best Film Editing

“Dune”

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

Best Animated Feature

“Encanto”

Best Documentary Feature

“Summer of Soul”

Best Documentary Short

“The Queen of Basketball”

Best Original Song

“No Time to Die” (“No Time to Die”)

Best Cinematography

“Dune”

Best International Feature

“Drive My Car”

Best Production Design

“Dune”

Best Visual Effects

“Dune”

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)

Best Actor

Will Smith (“King Richard”)

Best Director

Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”)

Best Picture

“CODA”

NFL Players Top Highest-Paid Athletes Ranking

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The world’s best athletes have plenty of opportunities to bank on their popularity. Besides lucrative sports contracts, most of them earn even more significant profits from heavy endorsement deals.

Although the MMA fighter Conor McGregor grasps the top of this list, most of the world’s highest-paid athletes come from another sport.

According to data presented by SafeBettingSites.com, NFL players top the ranking of the highest-paid athletes with combined earnings of over $837 million.

18 NFL Players Among the Highest-Paid Athletes, Basketball Follows with 13 Players on the List

In 2021, Conor McGregor racked up on and off-field earnings of around $180 million. However, the fighter was the only athlete from his discipline to make it into the Forbes` Top 50 highest-paid athletes list.

Statistics show the National Football League convincingly leads in this ranking with 18 NFL stars who made it into the top 50. However, Dak Prescott, as the highest-paid NFL player and fourth highest-paid athlete globally, earned much more than other NFL stars. In 2021, the famous quarterback racked up $107.5 million, 40% more than Tom Brady as the next NFL name on the list.

Basketball ranked as the second-highest-paid sport globally, with 13 players on the Forbes list. As the highest-paid basketball player and fifth highest-paid athlete globally, LeBron James made $96.5 million in on and off-field earnings this year. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry followed with $75 million and $74.5 million, respectively.

Although soccer represents the third highest-paid sport with eight players who made it to the list, Lionel Messi ranked as the second-highest-paid athlete globally with $130 million in this year’s earnings.

Roger Federer, Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, and Novak Djokovic were the only tennis players who made it to the top 50 list, with $90 million, $60 million, $41.5 million, and $34.5 million in earnings, respectively.

18 NFL Stars Earned Over $837 Million in 2021

As the highest-paid golf player and twelfth highest-paid athlete globally, Tiger Woods racked up $60 million in 2021, much more than Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson as the other two golf stars on this list.

The Formula 1 driver, Lewis Hamilton, made $82 million in on and off-field earnings in 2021, ranking eight among the highest-paid athletes. Max Verstappen, who arrived in Formula 1 at the age of 17 as the youngest driver ever to have competed in the series, was the second name from the auto racing world to enter the Forbes list with $42.5 million in this year’s earnings.

Statistics show the combined earnings of the 18 NFL stars from the Forbes list hit more than $837 million this year. Basketball players who made it to the list racked up $683.5 million in 2021. Soccer players followed with $527 million in combined earnings.

Read the full story here.

Naomi Osaka × Mental Health Advocacy

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Naomi Osaka, the highest paid female athlete to date, recently withdrew from the French Open and announced on Monday that she will also withdraw from the Berlin WTA 500 tournament. Osaka is 23 and is currently ranked number one by the Women’s Tennis Association in singles and number two in doubles, and is the first Asian player to hold the top rank in singles. Osaka has defeated long time tennis star Serena Williams and made over 37 million in endorsement deals last year.

Making enormous strides as a young, non-white female athlete and especially so in an underappreciated women’s sport, it was very shocking to hear of her depart from the French Open and subsequently from the Berlin 500 tournament. Doing what was best for her mental health, most were understanding and many of her competitors gave their praise and support for her decision. Osaka tweeted announcing her initial decision to not speak to the press on Twitter stating, “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for an athlete’s mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.” After her announcement began to garner a lot of attention, she released another tweet explaining her leave from current play, “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players, and my well-being is I withdraw from the tournament so everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.”

Serena Williams responded to Osaka’s decision by saying “I feel for Naomi. I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it’s like… You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to, in the best way she thinks she can.” While many agreed with Williams and shared similar sentiments, Osaka did receive a fair amount of backlash from her decision. Many criticized her for not being mentally tough and encouraged her to just talk to the press. Borris Becker, another tennis star, had a slightly different opinion, stating he was scared how Osaka’s career would fare after this decision and if she could not learn to handle the stress of a professional sports career.

Osaka told the press that she had too much anxiety over post-game press conferences; having dealt with anxiety and depression for a while and feels that interacting with the press increases her anxiety. When Osaka refused to speak to the press after her first French Open match, she was fined $15,000 and could have faced more severe punishment if she continued to ignore the press. Osaka later withdrew from the tournament after and announced her mental health was more important than her playing at this moment.

Many of you may remember a similar situation with the Seattle Seahawks running back, Marshawn Lynch, who would refuse to speak at press conferences. While it was included in his contract that he attends press conferences he told the press in a 2015 press conference that he did not appreciate the media constantly in his face hounding him, and that he felt the media was mad at him whether he spoke or not so he would prefer to say nothing at all. Called to be in compliance with his contract he would show up at every press conference and sit there not speaking or saying no comment. It came to be a joke to everyone and later clips of him at press conferences were turned into viral memes. We can see the comparison here and I wonder if the difference in reaction is because of the difference in sport or the difference in gender of the player. Both players are highly praised in their respective sports, they are top performing athletes and are both old and mature enough to make their own decisions as for what is best for them and their mental health.

Mental health struggles, although not new, have become newly accepted in society and it is a relatively new idea that celebrities, professionals and professional athletes can openly talk about their mental health struggles and hope to not to be put down for them. Although many still are, it is a sad thing to witness someone receive negative comments after claiming they are doing what they believe is in their best interests. We all struggle with mental health in one way or another and if Osaka believes it is best for her to not talk to the press, that should be a respected opinion by the community.

There will always be players, whether that is newbies who want to get their name out there and enjoy the spotlight, captains such as Megan Rapinoe and LeBron James who enjoy speaking on behalf of their team and feel it is in their duties as captains and team members to speak, or just someone who enjoys talking and doesn’t mind speaking to the press, there will never be a shortage of players, coaches, and staff members who are willing to give their opinion and comment at press conferences. All players should not be mandated to speak to the press if it is something they are not comfortable with.

With the negative reaction Osaka received, the fine and the additional media coverage she received after announcing she wanted very little, Osaka was forced to drop out from two major tournaments. Osaka discussed how she feels the tennis community, and higher ups could do a better job of supporting players and ensuring that they have good mental health. She and many others hope this starts the process of bettering all athletes’ mental health and changing outdated rules; hopefully this change does not come at the cost of a young star’s tennis career.

Men’s vs. Women’s UEFA Champions League Finals

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While sports in the United States are slowly beginning to return to normal, the Champions League in Europe has been in full swing since August, and next Sunday Manchester City will play Chelsea in the UEFA Men’s Champions League Final. What most of you probably don’t know, and what even most soccer players don’t know is that last Sunday the Women’s Champions League Final was held, and Barcelona’s Womens team beat Chelsea’s Women’s team 4-0.

Barcelona has a very impressive record in the Women’s Champions League with 26 games played and 26 games won. This is Barcelona’s first Champions League win, and it is well deserved. Barcelona’s Womens team went all regular season without losing a single game. An achievement like this would be on the front-page news if it were Barcelona’s men’s team, rather than its women’s. There is an evident disparity in the advertisement of the men’s and women’s championship game, the commentating and reporting of the game, and most obviously the viewership.

The 2020 Men’s Champions League Final featuring Bayern Munich vs. Paris Saint-Germain had an astounding 2.05 million American viewers, the highest viewership in 5 years. In comparison, 1.7 million viewers tuned in to watch the 2020 Women’s final where Olympique Lyonnais won over Wolfsburg, the highest viewership a UEFA Women’s final had ever seen. The 2013 Men’s Champions League Final had the most fans watching with over 21.6 million people tuning in to watch Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid. That is more than twelve times the viewership for the most watched UEFA Women’s final. The 2013 Champions League final was broadcasted on Fox and streamed free for all fans while the women’s game was shown on DAZN and through select paid streaming programs. With a more popular network boosting the viewership and the ease of access offered for the men’s championship, it is no wonder the women’s game received substantially less viewers.

The 2013 Men’s final included live game commentary and updates with famous reporters such as Warren Barton, Brad Friedel, Eric Wynalda, Stuart Holden, and Alexi Lalas. All of whom are former professional players with years of experience reporting soccer matches and established esteemed reputations. The women’s champions final was hosted by television sportscaster Clive Tyldesley, who is not a player but has been reporting on soccer matches for years. Despite Tyldesley’s knowledge and experience, five voices reporting the men’s final is a huge different from one, and it seems more emphasis and effort were put into the commentating and reporting of the Men’s Champions League final.

There is also a major difference in the pre- and post-game reporting by outside sources and news outlets. News stations, soccer websites, fans and fan accounts, papers and sports magazines are all responsible for spreading awareness of up-coming matches and high stakes games. When a game is reposted on social media by friends and family, included in the daily news report, or even scrolled across while surfing channels you are more likely to tune into the match. The women’s final received much less pre-game exposure on social media, news sites and sports pages in comparison to the men’s games. A simple Google or Wikipedia search of “Men’s Champions League final” and “Women’s Champions League final” will demonstrate the obvious difference in coverage and reporting.

The main reason for the disparity in commentating, after game reporting on news sites, and in papers and the actual televising of the game is based on money. With more viewers comes more in game advertisements and more revenue, which leads to more games televised and more exposure for male athletes. The male athletes thus increase in popularity and earn more sponsorships, subsequently earning more money. As these male athletes become more popular and receive more airtime, the cycle continues leaving women’s sports in the dust. Unable to compete with the popularity male sports and male athletes have, coupled with the stigmatization that female sports are “boring” to watch and feature far less athleticism and strategy, women’s sports have a few hurdles to overcome before it receives the recognition it deserves.

However, this negative perception of women’s sports is beginning to change, the U.S. Women’s National Team is one of the more popular sports teams in the world and even more so within the United States. Having won four World Cup trophies (1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019) and four Olympic Gold medals (1996, 2004, 2008, and 2012) the women’s team regularly outperforms the U.S. Men’s National Team which has participated in 10 FIFA World Cups and four Olympics, and yet to take home a trophy or gold medal. The Women’s National Team is a rare example of a women’s professional game that receives higher praise and fan involvement than a men’s professional team and shows how far women’s sports have come. The sports world is filled with powerful, successful female athletes and professional women’s teams: Serena Williams, Mia Ham, Abby Wambach the Brazilian Women’s National Team, and many more. These athletes are less recognized than their male counterparts in most scenarios and when prompted to name 10 male athletes and 10 female athletes most would struggle to complete the second part of the task. To continue to build the female sports world there needs to be an increase in the fanbase, viewership and sponsorship of female athletes and female athletic teams.

With more networks and streaming platforms streaming women’s professional sports matches, the games will be more accessible to the public and the viewership rates will increase. This will increase the advertising dollars earned from women’s games and help to expand their programming. With more viewers supporting women’s teams the teams and athletes will make more money minimizing the wage gap that exists between female and male athletes. With more reporting of the game and increased exposure before the match begins, we can maximize the awareness of the game and ensure viewership is high. As the popularity of female athletes and female professional sports teams increases, we will begin to see equity in all aspects of the sports world when it comes to men’s and women’s sports.

So, the next time you see a women’s professional sports game on TV, WATCH IT.

To watch game highlights visit UEFA’s website.

To watch the Men’s Champions League Final on May 29, tune in to CBS or TUDN live, or watch the live stream on Paramount+. All area available with fuboTV’s 7 day free trial.

Instacart × Feeding America

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Instacart, the North American leader in online grocery, today announced the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge, a giving campaign to benefit Feeding America® and fight rising hunger in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The #GiveFromTheCart Challenge invites consumers to turn their grocery carts into good by donating the value of their last grocery cart to Feeding America to help support communities struggling with growing food insecurity. From today until August 14, 2020, every dollar raised will go to help fight hunger and Instacart will match each donation, up to 1 million meals* to Feeding America’s member food banks in support of the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge. To kick off the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge, professional athlete, businesswoman and activist Serena Williams and her family have teamed up with Instacart to make the first donation of the campaign, donating 50,000 meals* to Feeding America.

“Our mission is to create a world where everyone has access to the food they love and more time to enjoy it together. We’re proud to partner with Feeding America on the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge to help increase access to food at a time when more people than ever before are grappling with food insecurity in the wake of COVID-19,” said Apoorva Mehta, Founder and CEO, Instacart. “We believe that groceries are more than just food – they’re an expression of warmth and connection. We invite people everywhere to turn their groceries into good and #GiveFromTheCart to donate the value of their last grocery cart to help a family in need.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put an incredible strain on the Feeding America network food bank as we work to address the increased demand for food assistance in communities we serve,” said Casey Marsh, Chief Development Officer at Feeding America. “We are thankful to Instacart and their customers for helping to support our neighbors in need. Donations from the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge will help food banks provide more meals to people who need them most.”

“I’m so grateful to be partnering with Instacart and Feeding America for the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge — together we are working to fight rising food insecurity,” said Serena Williams. “I am kicking off the challenge by donating 50,000 meals, and I hope you’ll join me in supporting the communities that need our help the most right now.”

How to Join The #GiveFromTheCart Challenge

Joining the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge is simple:

Donate and Instacart will match: Consumers can visit the GiveFromTheCart website HERE to donate the value of their last grocery cart – or any amount they choose – to Feeding America. Every dollar raised will go to help fight hunger and Instacart will match each donation, up to 1 million meals* to the Feeding America network of food banks in support of the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge.

Create and share a grocery heart: Next, we’re inviting consumers to help raise awareness of rising hunger by gathering groceries from their fridges and pantries, forming them into the shape of a heart, taking a photo, and sharing it across their social channels. This heart-shaped grocery photo is the social symbol of the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge and, once posted across social channels, will help encourage friends and family to turn their groceries into good to help families in need. When sharing their grocery hearts on social channels, we encourage customers to tag @Instacart, @FeedingAmerica, #GiveFromTheCart, and share the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge donation page.

Instacart has been a Feeding America Supporting Partner since 2018, and supports the organization via its Instacart Serves social impact program. Instacart Serves aims to nourish its communities by helping to remove barriers to food access and enriching the lives of communities facing hunger. Instacart supports these communities through an annual volunteer week of service, grocery donations, disaster relief, and giving campaigns.

In June 2020, Instacart donated 2 million meals* to the Feeding America member food banks that support the ten counties with the highest food insecurity rates in the nation. Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by hunger, and the ten counties with the highest food insecurity rates in the nation are at least 60% African American.

*$1 helps to provide at least ten meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks

About Instacart

Instacart is the North American leader in online groceries and one of the fastest-growing companies in e-commerce. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with more than 350 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including Albertsons, ALDI, Costco, Kroger, Loblaw, Publix, Sam’s Club, Sprouts, Walmart Canada, and Wegmans, among others, to deliver from more than 25,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart’s delivery service is available to more than 85% of U.S. households and 70% of Canadian households. The company’s cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the e-commerce platforms of some of the world’s biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications, and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership for unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information or to start shopping, visit the Instacart website HERE. For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, click HERE for more information.

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.

Follow Feeding America: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Cotton Incorporated’s “Cotton Style House Collection” Delivers Influencer Inspired Fashion

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Cotton Incorporated, the not-for-profit research and promotion company representing U.S. cotton, proudly announces the launch of its new limited-time online shop, Cotton Style House Collection, available on Amazon. Now through August 31, Amazon shoppers can purchase a variety of on-trend cotton apparel for every occasion – and from an assortment of brands. Inspired by the Hamptons’ beach-washed summer, the collectionis evocative of eight fashion, fitness, and lifestyle influencers from across the U.S and curated by internationally-recognized celebrity stylist, Irma Martínez. The Cotton Style House Collection is now available at Amazon.com/ShopCotton.

“Last Fall, Cotton Incorporated collaborated with Amazon to create an Amazon Fashion Show broadcast via Amazon Live,” says Marissa Barlin, director of strategic alliances for Cotton Incorporated. “This season, the Cotton Style House Collection lets you easily purchase the summer’s hottest looks with just a couple clicks. Whether you’re on the go, working out, hitting the town at night, or jetting off on your next vacation, it’s cotton’s breathability and versatility that can take you through your day.”

Cotton Style House Collection Celebrity Stylist

Each individual piece of the Cotton Style House Collection, which has been inspired by some of the most sought-after fashion, travel, and lifestyle influencers, exhibits the versatility and comfort of cotton. The collection was curated by celebrity stylist Irma Martínez, founder of the styling and creative concept firm Trendy, Inc., is recognized for her work with celebrities such as Maluma, Sofia Vergara, Serena Williams, and Pitbull, among many others.

“For the Cotton Style House Collection, I’ve drawn inspiration from influencers with amazing style that are really making an impact in the fashion world,” expressed Martinez. “The best thing about the collection is that – much like the fabric that is its center-piece – every apparel category is versatile, offering shoppers an opportunity to see themselves in the unique pieces from a diverse set of versatile brands and designers.”

Cotton Style House Collection Influencer Partners & Apparel Categories

The Cotton Style House Collection showcases cotton’s ability to bridge lifestyles and includes a variety of everyday pieces that can be worn in multiple ways ranging from “The On-The-Go Getter” casual looks, “The Jetsetter” resort-wear, “The Show Stopper” dressier styles and “The Wellness Warrior,” highlighting sporty athleisure pieces. Brands featured in the collection include, Adidas, AG Adriano Goldschmied, American Apparel, ASTR the label, A|X Armani Exchange, BCBGMAXAZRIA, For Love & Lemons, J.Crew, MINKPINK, Perry Ellis, PUMA x Selena Gomez, Show Me Your Mumu.

Each Cotton Style House Collection influencer partner worked alongside Cotton Incorporated and Martínez curating unique looks that are representative of their lifestyle and personalities. The influencer partners and the collection’s apparel categories they represent are:

ON-THE-GO-GETTER

Becky Hillyard – @cellajaneblog

Pam Hetlinger – @pamhetlinger

SHOW STOPPER

Jill Wallace – @littleblackboots

Steven Onoja – @stevenonoja

JETSETTER

Marissa Fuchs – @fashionambitionis

Patrick Van Negri – @patrickvannegri

WELLNESS WARRIOR

Gregory Dava – @gregorydava

Melody Acevedo – @melodyslife

About Cotton Incorporated

Cotton Incorporated, funded by U.S. cotton producers and importers of cotton and cotton textile products, conducts worldwide research and promotion activities to increase the demand for and profitability of cotton. For more information about Cotton Incorporated, visit CottonInc.com.

Homecoming

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Netflix released Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, which presents an intimate look at her historic 2018 Coachella performance that paid homage to America’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Interspersed with candid footage and interviews detailing the preparation and powerful intent behind her vision, Homecoming gives a peek into the process and emotional physical sacrifices it took to conceptualize and execute a performance of that magnitude that became a cultural movement. This stand-alone Netflix original is now available globally on Netflix.

As the first black woman to headline Coachella, Homecoming recognizes the African American visionaries who inspired Beyoncé, including HBCU alums Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, activist Marian Wright Edelman, and scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, in addition to cultural luminaries such as Nina Simone, Maya Angelou, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Audre Lorde. Beyoncé’s personal knowledge of the relevance and celebration of HBCUs started with her father, Mathew Knowles, an alumnus of Fisk University.
Shot over eight months, the film follows the global entertainer as she returns to the stage after the birth of her twins, highlighting the comprehensive preparation involved in creating her groundbreaking performance, which included four months of band rehearsals followed by four months of dance rehearsals with over 150 musicians, dancers, and other creatives, — all of whom were hand-picked by the artist herself.
In juggling dual roles as both the director of her live performance and the film that captured the process of making it, Beyoncé says, “It was one of the hardest jobs I have taken on but I knew that I had to push myself and my team to go beyond great to legendary. We knew nothing like this was ever done on a festival level before and it needed to be iconic beyond compare. The performance was an homage to an important part of African American culture. It had to be true to those who know and entertaining and enlightening to those who needed to learn. In making the film and re-telling the story, the purpose remained the same.”
Many in the cast; band, singers, dancers and steppers are former HBCU students, immersed in the HBCU marching band tradition. They joined Beyoncé’s own group of performers, some who have toured with her for years. Viewers not only get to see the intense dance rehearsals and talent of these amazing artists, but hear their personal journey from HBCU student to artist and the lifelong impact that comes with performing alongside Beyoncé in this historic concert.
“So many people who are culturally aware and intellectually sound are graduates from historically black colleges and universities, including my father,” she says in the film. “There is something incredibly important about the HBCU experience that must be celebrated and protected.”
As a treat to her fans, the film also includes, in the end credits, her remake of “Before I Let Go” by Frankie Beverly and Maze, a 1981 R&B classic that’s commonly performed at HBCU games. The single will be available on the film’s soundtrack, Homecoming: The Live Album, available today from Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. smarturl.it/BH9102
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé was directed and produced by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Longtime collaborator Ed Burke served as co-director. Steve Pamon and Erinn Williams are executive producers.
Set List

“Crazy In Love”

“Freedom”

“Lift Ev’ry Voice And Sing”

“Formation”

“Sorry”/”Me, Myself and I”

“Kitty Kat”

“Bow Down”

“I Been On”

“Drunk In Love”

“Diva”

“Flawless” (Remix)

“Feeling Myself”

“Top Off”

“7/11”

“Don’t Hurt Yourself”

“I Care”

“Partition”

“Yoncé”

“Mi Gente (Remix)”

“Mine”

“Baby Boy”

“You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)”

“Hold Up”

“Countdown”

“Check On It”

“Déjà Vu”(featuring JAY-Z)

“Run the World (Girls)”

“Lose My Breath” (featuring Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams)

“Say My Name” (featuring Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams)

“Soldier” (featuring Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams)

“Get Me Bodied” (With Solange Knowles dancing)

“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”

“Love On Top”

About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading internet entertainment service with over 148 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.
About Parkwood Entertainment
Parkwood Entertainment is an entertainment and management company founded by entertainer and entrepreneur, Beyoncé in 2010. With headquarters in New York City the company houses departments in music and video production, management, marketing, digital, creative, philanthropy, fashion, publicity and a record label. Under its original name, Parkwood Pictures, in 2008, the company released the film Cadillac Records (2008), in which Beyoncé starred and co-produced. The company also released the film, Obsessed (2009), with Beyoncé as star and executive producer. Parkwood Entertainment produced The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013-2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016), and co-produced the ON THE RUN TOUR (2014) and ON THE RUN II (2018).

Beyoncé’s Homecoming

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Writers: Vaughn Lowery, Tara McDonough, Stella Iman Dugall

Every once in a while pop culture encounters a rip in its continuum. The latest breach comes from one of the most effervescent entertainers of all time, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter, as the first Black female to headline one of the most prolific festivals since the iconic Woodstock. Introspective yet intimate, Homecoming is positioned to be one of the most immersive concert series in the history of music and streaming services. Beyoncé, the Director and Executive Producer of the film, creates a visually captivating story from the beginning to end. The documentary answers a plethora of questions, at which the infamous Beyhive has had about the historical moment.

With intermittent quick cuts of her family before, during and after the epic performance, Beyoncé gives herself permission to exhibit her vulnerability. After all, she planned to take the stage at Coachella in 2017 before she was pregnant with her twins. The tour was postponed and we fast forward to ‘Mrs. Carter’ having to deal with the aftermath of a complicated pregnancy, which ultimately ends in a c-section. Similar to friend, and professional tennis superstar, Serena Williams, Beyoncé bounced back harder than ever after her tough pregnancy. Throughout the piece she digs deep and pummels through some of the most difficult days she has ever encountered. She even speaks to her weighing 218 lbs and how she was only able to zip her costume up after months of hard work alongside of a dedicated clean/raw food diet – no meats, carbs, sugars. The director of photography expertly captured an extremely intimate and vulnerable side to the strong and flawless Queen Bey.

Inspiration

Having family members as graduates of some of the prominent HBCU (historically black colleges and universities), Beyoncé was able to tap into the most celebrated moments of their collegiate life. Her full show not only highlighted the history of these schools but also their social networks and fraternal organizations; transforming the stage into one of the most dynamic Black Southern spaces of cultural legacy and pride. Much of it was enunciated with their boot dancing, a traditional dance style for HBCU called J-Setting, in between transitions. These dance formations visually anchored the performance. Contortionists contributed an urban Cirque du Soleil vibe to the display which can be more accurately described as an infused gumbo of Chicago (the musical), Moulin Rouge! and the Off-Broadway play Stomp. To date, the pyramid stage has been persevered onsite at this year’s Coachella as an art installation.

A group of 200 people shared the stage with Queen Bey including Jay Z, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and Solange Knowles. The expansive crew that Beyonce worked and practiced with for 8 months is featured in the documentary, as each individual had their own part in making the event a success. The dancing in her set is not technical, but emotional. The crowd, as well as audiences watching the documentary at home, are meant to feel something from just the way Beyoncé and her dancers, who she handpicked herself, move with each other. The concert experience not only exhibits the immense talent of HBCU musicians but works towards using this heightened exposure to aid these institutions that have been struggling with little resources and grants since their establishment.

After the the release of Homecoming, Netflix will more than likely notice a spike in downloads/subscriptions; Beyonce will notice an increase in her fan base and HBCU enrollment rates will most likely skyrocket. Overall, most audience members will be thrashed into a world of black honor, history and preservation. While the Pew Report notes that there is a varying “black/white digital divide” concerning internet usage, (87% whites, 80% blacks), there is little divide when it comes to mobile platforms. The growth of black presence in media, such as on social media, in streaming services and more, will only continue due to the imminent success of Beyoncé’s partnership with Netflix. Her myriad of success as a dominant Black woman breaks down barriers in the same way Jordan Peele has done for young Black filmmakers across the diaspora. This will become one of the most treasured pieces of mass media and should offer encouragement to both women and minorities to bust through the glass ceiling on all fronts especially digitization and technology.

Illustrator: Alejandra Villagra

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David Axelrod & Karl Rove

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MasterClass, the online education company that enables anyone to learn from the best in the world, announced today that David Axelrod and Karl Rove, two of the most esteemed political strategists best known for respectively orchestrating winning presidential campaigns for Barack Obama and George W. Bush, are setting aside party affiliations to come together to teach the first MasterClass on campaign strategy and messaging. In this class, Axelrod and Rove will demystify the political campaign process and break down their philosophies on what it takes to plan and execute a winning campaign. The class is now available at www.masterclass.com/dakr. Enrollment for the class is $90 for lifetime access, or $180 per year for the All-Access Pass, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes.

“It has never been more important to understand how this world of politics works and how to win the hearts and minds of voters,” said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. “The class isn’t about being a Democrat or Republican — it’s about two of the best political minds of our generation teaching how to win elections. David and Karl break down their respective campaign strategies and debate what is happening in the country today, and how we got here.”

In their MasterClass, Axelrod and Rove will provide perspectives from their professional experiences, as they share their passion for their work and for democracy. They will dive into successful communication and planning strategies from past presidential campaigns, covering the full scope of campaigning — from developing messages and mobilizing voters, to planning, fundraising and budgeting, as well as preparation tactics for debates. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the state of politics today and feel empowered to find their unique voice and place in the political process to help make an impact.

“Ronald Reagan used to say that our American experiment, our American democracy was always one generation away from extinction,” said Rove. “I hope that our MasterClass not only provides a better understanding of the inner workings of elections and politics, but also inspires students to get involved.”

“This is a confusing time in politics. On the one hand, there’s an enormous amount of rancor, with a president who very consciously plays base politics. On the other hand, I’ve seen a renewed sense of citizenship in response, with peoplerealizing the importance of getting involved,” said Axelrod. “As more people are getting engaged in politics, running for office and volunteering for candidates, we’ve designed this class to break down the campaign process.”

Axelrod served as chief strategist for Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 successful presidential bids and is credited with crafting the message of “change” that helped secure Obama’s historic victory. He later served as senior advisor in the Obama White House. Over the course of his career, Axelrod worked on nearly 150 campaigns that he chronicled in The New York Timesbestseller “Believer, My Forty Years in Politics.” He is currently a senior political commentator for CNN, host of the “The Axe Files” podcast, and founding director of the non-partisan Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago.

Rove, the deft political operative and fundraiser credited as “The Architect” by President George W. Bush of his victorious campaigns in 2000 and 2004, served as senior advisor and deputy chief of staff for the Bush administration. He is now a Fox News contributor, writes a weekly column forThe Wall Street Journal, and is the author of two books, “The Triumph of William McKinley” andThe New York Times bestseller “Courage and Consequence.”

Politics is the fifth new category MasterClass will launch this year as it continues to expand its catalogue across a range of subjects to offer educational, inspiring, and engaging classes taught by the world’s greatest minds. With more than 40 classes that dive into processes, techniques and philosophies, MasterClass helps students progress more rapidly towards their own mastery, explore a new passion, or learn a new skill. It offers a unique learning experience, including video lessons, interactive exercises, course materials, peer interaction, and more. All classes are available as part of an annual subscription for $180, or for individual purchase at $90 for lifetime access to the class, and can be accessed online at www.masterclass.com or on the MasterClass mobile app for iOS and Android.

View the trailer for David Axelrod and Karl Rove’s MasterClass below: http://youtu.be/E_jPAd0L3IA

ABOUT MASTERCLASS

Founded in 2015, MasterClass started with the idea that everyone should have “access to genius.” The premier online education platform provides affordable, engaging, and inspirational online classes taught by world-renowned instructors, making it possible for anyone to learn from the best.

MasterClass’ current roster of courses includes:

Culinary Arts: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking techniques), Wolfgang Puck (cooking)

Film and Television: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Helen Mirren (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Judd Apatow (comedy), Spike Lee (filmmaking), Ken Burns (documentary filmmaking)

Music and Entertainment: Armin van Buuren (dance music), Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Hans Zimmer (film scoring), Steve Martin (comedy), Tom Morello (guitar)

Writing: James Patterson (writing), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Judy Blume (writing), Malcolm Gladwell (writing), RL Stine (writing for young audiences), Margaret Atwood (creative writing)

Design, Photography and Fashion: Annie Leibovitz (photography), Frank Gehry (architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)

Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess), Daniel Negreanu (poker)

Politics and Society: Jane Goodall (conservation), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism), David Axelrod and Karl Rove (campaign strategy)

Science: Chris Hadfield (space exploration)

For more information, please visit www.masterclass.com.

Follow MasterClass:

Twitter @masterclass

Instagram @masterclass

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/masterclassofficial

Follow David Axelrod:

Twitter @davidaxelrod

Follow Karl Rove:

Twitter @KarlRove

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/karlrove/

Instagram karlrove

Website www.rove.com

Royal Wedding

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Below is an exclusive first-hand commentary from royal wedding expert and British bridal designer, Caroline Castigliano, who was on-site at Windsor Castle covering the royal wedding. She has included commentary on her thoughts of Meghan’s wedding dress and how it compares to past Royal wedding gowns.

What do you think of the outfit overall – dress, veil/tiara, shoes etc?

We have been counting down the days speculating the Royal dress designer and Meghan has made her moment in history wearing Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller…

Meghan has made her entrance in a minimal gown and have certainly differentiated herself from Kate who did it all in lace! Meghan has brought the splendor here with a long veil…

Meghan looks thoroughly modern with her choice of gown and has given her nod to the Royal family and Queen by following the Royal tradition of covering her shoulders and a long sleeve! She entered St Georges Chapel – a moment of history in a simplistic style…

The dress is a boat neck wedding dress is a wonderful style. It’s a wide neckline that follows the curve of the collarbone and ends at the shoulders.

Her hair is gorgeous in a low swept bun!

Meghan is a fresh young American with a million dollar smile the cameras love and she looks fantastic entering the British establishment in a fantastic gown.

Meghan is going into a family that has been seen in the public eye for 1,000 years and has definitely made her mark with this wedding gown…which is quite remarkable in the way it’s so simplistic compared to other dressed we have seen on Diana and Kate!

Meghan has had the World in suspense with what she will wear, and with such high expectations on her she has not failed to disappoint…

Meghan has certainly created a name for herself fashion wise – she is following in the footsteps of Diana who was a fashion icon in the public eye for 16 years… and has done a fabulous modern job!

Royal brides are normally expected to support British designers in the UK rather than choosing designer abroad but Meghan has gone with a French luxury design house here which is a different choice from other Royal brides…

The whole wedding is picture perfect and fairytale like with all of the bridesmaids looking fabulous!

Is it what you expected/predicated?

I believed the gown would be a very straight, fitted dress, with a big 9-foot train coming off the dress from the side to create the drama. I did think she would have a bit of lace and there is some lace detailing on the veils.

I predicted Meghan would have some kind of edge to her wedding dress, but I was certain Meghan’s dress would be classic, elegant with traditional features. I predicted Meghan would give a big nod to the Queen and Royal family with covered shoulders, a long sleeve and high back. But I was expecting Meghan would show her personality by wearing a fitted dress and we haven’t seen a Royal wearing a fitted gown for a long while… I thought a fitted gown would be the way Meghan showed her personality alongside respecting Royal tradition when it comes to Royal gowns. The gown is certainly more fitted than other brides we have seen!

Initially we thought the gown would be Ralph & Russo, but the brand has been in the press a great deal ahead of the wedding, which is an unusual move if they were actually the designer. Ralph & Russo gowns are super expensive so wearing a 100k gown may have seemed ostentations to the public.

Yesterday, our bets were on Stella McCartney, but as Oprah and Amal Clooney both arrived wearing Stella, that was a surprise to us and we thought it must be a different designer if they are wearing Stella… I thought Stella was such a perfect for Meghan as Stella used organic fabrics and her ethos is very much the same as Meghan!

Meghan has totally surprised us wearing Claire Waight, Givenchy! This was totally not talked about in the press at all and they kept it all top secret!

How does it compare to the Duchess of Cambridge’s dress?

The Duchess of Cambridge’s dress was one of lace decorum – she looked super elegant as a bride and Kate gave us a Royal dress to remember.

Meghan has totally differentiated her style here by wearing a plain gown rather than lace and the shaping is totally different as well!

Meghan has a totally different style to Kate when it comes to her hair, Kate loves a good blow dry whereas Meghan prefers wearing her hair up!

Is the dress similar to any other royal wedding gowns? (eg Kate’s was compared to Princess Grace of Monaco’s.)

Kate Middleton’s gown took a style lead from Grace Kelly’s dress, the intricate applique bodice and sleeves of Catherine’s mirrored the wedding. The similarities don’t end there, both gowns shared a high-waist, full-skirt and a long dramatic train and both wore a sheer veil and diamond tiara!

I would say that Meghan has gone quite, Wallis Simpson (almost royalty) – Wallis dress was designed by Mainbocher, it was very modern in its time, much like the look Meghan has gone for. The gown was made of a crepe silk and featured a long slim skirt much like Meghan has gone for here! Wallis was known has a fashion weapon and was a super glamorous art deco women!

How does Meghan’s dress compare to the one she wore in Suits and the dress at her first wedding?

This is the first time we’ve seen a Royal bride very publicly in a wedding gown – since Meghan’s on screen character Rachel on Suits got married. Meghan’s gown is totally the opposite to what we saw in Suits, which was a v-neck gown by Anne Barge, an Atlanta based designer. Her wedding look in Suits was quite bohemian and Princess like compared with Meghan’s demure look today! In complete contrast the wedding gown on Suits was beaded and accessorized with a black belt and Meghan has gone the total opposite today with a minimal accessories and a plain look! Her gown in Suits was certainly sassy but she has had to please the Queen and country today and opt for tradition!