Ten years ago, Adobe premiered the first modernized version of what we now call “photoshop”. Its Creative Suite package included software that allowed for a state-of-the-art experience in digital creation and editing, from fashion photography to newspaper design. In 2013, after countless updates and improvements to the software, it continues to reign supreme. Industry professionals and leisure users utilize it for a wide variety of things—including the exaggerated enhancement of butts, particularly on non-Black women.

Sophistiratchet. It's the term du jour for women with degrees and good jobs who like to do bad things with their friends on the weekends. Women like me who enjoy delving into books and foolishness equally adopt such monikers to resist the social expectations of ideal womanhood. Some of us don't care if you think we're "ladies" because we're defining ourselves and setting our own rules. But while my fellow sophistiratchets engage in, what we deem, mindless fun, it's easy to forget that the "ratchet" has consequences.

Originally posted at  '83 To Infinity

I’ve been feeling very womanly lately. I’m not sure if it’s the double-dose of Venus I have in my natal chart via my Taurus sun and Libra rising signs, or if it’s the fact that I’m almost 30, or if it’s the fact that my music choice du jour is anything where I can bust out a fierce, lusty body roll. I caught myself saying “Now, THIS is some grown music!” while listening to Justin Timberlake’s new album The 20/20 Experience, and immediately worried that I was turning into one of those old, crotchety women who yell at kids to get off her lawn – but then I remembered that just a week before, I was in the club hollering 3-6 Mafia and 2 Chainz lyrics and dutty wining for my life. I knew I hadn’t lost much of my youthful joie de vivre, but I’ve just been feeling…different lately.

"Don't hold yourself accountable to your bio. Your platform may far exceed it." ~ Lisa Nichols

This article was inspired by my very diverse facebook community. I had a contest on my page, asking people to select between three quotes and choose the one that resonated with them the strongest. The one that got the highest number of votes would be the inspiration for my weekly article her on ForHarriet.com. The three options were:

As much as some folks invest themselves in saying Black women hate to see Black men marry/date/procreate with white women, I don't concern myself with anyone else's partner until I see a Black man telling anyone who will listen why he doesn't desire Black women. At that point, I'm inclined to believe that their "preference" is actually a self-hating pathology. But I digress.

Though the relationships don't bother me, I am often dismayed by how little non-black women with black partners care to know about the realities of life as a Black person in the world. Their Black significant others never seem to get around to that, particular, discussion, and it emboldens them in their claims to post-racialism.

Even as African-American attitudes evolve on formerly taboo issues like gay marriage, atheism remains a taboo. After the overwhelming response to "Yes, I'm Black, No I'm Not Christian" on black non-religious women, we reached out to Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson to get her take on what it means to hold no faith as a woman of the African Diaspora. She explores the topic in depth in her book Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars. Our writer, Briana Gunter, asked Dr. Hutchinson about life, work, and insight into what it means to be a black woman atheist.

African-American women are now less likely to go to prison than in 2000 but are still three times more likely to be sentenced to jail time than Caucasian counterparts according to a report released by The Sentencing Project.

I, like many of my friends and counterparts, would consider myself a well-rounded Black person. I grew up in a working class Black neighborhood, graduated from college, constantly engage in intelligent banter, in person and with online communities, yet know when and how to turn my ratchet on. A few years ago, “Boughetto” would have been the perfect term to describe people like us, but it appears that new terminology of “sophistiratchet” is on the rise.

While SendGrid developer evangelist Adria Richards attended PyCon 2013 two men seated behind her made a crass sexual joke which violated the code of conduct for conference attendees. Bothered, Richards snapped their picture and tweeted it at the conference staff, asking that someone speak to the men about their conduct.

“Cause a real man, knows a real woman when he sees her

And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her” – Alicia Keys

Yes, it was Miss Keys who taught me the meaning of self-worth at the tender age of 13. Songs in A Minor had to be one of the best investments I made with my adolescent allowance. To this day, I refuse to waste much of my time or sweat my edges out over men who are too dense to realize just how worthy and magnificent I am.

Originally posted at Vibin' Courtside

We witnessed it back in 2009 when 18 year-old Caster Semenya dominated the 800 meters at the World Championships and was subsequently subjected to having her gender questioned and tested. Semenya’s masculine physique and “lack of feminity” prompted the IAAF to administer the test. The press got a hold of it and the whispers about Semenya that had been floating around on social outlets became screams.

I have always had an immense fascination with Lena Horne and Diahann Carroll. Watching them perform, respectively, immediately transports me to a nostalgic time where possessing class, glamour, beauty and amazing talent was a world all unto itself. These two women exuded a flawless grace in everything they committed their lives to whether it be their craft or to their community.

Black women have led incredible lives. Despite the odds, many have risen to remarkable heights. There's much to be learned from their struggles and triumphs. Pick up one of these biographies, and get inspired.

There is an increase in the presence of Black Christian families on mainstream television. From Braxton Family Values and Mary Mary to the upcoming series The Sheards, Black Christian women and their families are allowing the intrusive cameras of reality television into their homes, introducing the world to their personal lives and careers on and off the stage.

African-American teenagers are more than twice as likely to get an abortion than the national average. This statistic prompts the discussion as to whether or not if abortion in teenage years has any connection with the infertility issues or diseases African-American women suffer from later on in life.

Michael Baisden, Roland Martin, Soledad O’Brien and Constance White have all either been fired or stepped down from their respective positions in the communications field. With their departures the future of African-Americans in mainstream media is uncertain.

The tech community may be less than hospitable to women of color, but Black women continue to make inroads in the tech world. This group of women are at the forefront of innovation. They write. They code. They create. Check them out, and support the work that each of them are doing.

(PRWeek) In Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg writes: "Authentic communication is not always easy, but it is the basis for successful relationships at home and real effectiveness at work. Yet people constantly back away from honesty to protect themselves and others. We are so rarely brave enough to tell the truth."

Playwright Katori Hall
Being featured on New York’s famous Broadway Theaters is a great and difficult accomplishment for any actor, musician, playwright or director. Over the years many black women have worked hard to achieve the highest success in commercial theater by being featured on Broadway, yet their success is little know and little celebrated. Black women have faced and are still facing challenges when it comes to landing on Broadway, but many women have overcome these obstacles to see their names in light on Broadway.

Last July, the beautiful Nia Long graced the cover of Essence Magazine along with her handsome young sons. In the issue she proclaimed her happiness in being a single mother to which tons of online backlash was received. The perceived issues of having a child out of wedlock and the socio-economic stigma towards single Black mothers were amongst some of the topics in the disgruntled commentary regarding Long's feature.

I've always set goals aggressively. By the time I was 12, I had a meticulous plan to get into the college of my dreams and go on to immediate, phenomenal success in my chosen career field. But the time I was old enough to drink, I discovered sometimes your plans aren't worth the moleskin notebook your scratched them in. Life happens. Priorities change. Desires wane.

For most us, marriage constitutes a sacred union between two people. Some would even say that we have been socialized to believe this. Attaining a healthy and loving marriage lies within the "pursuit of happiness" that we as Americans chase after. Unfortunately, in today's world the odds of keeping marriages intact are much lower than previous generations. Among some of the top reasons for divorce are infidelity and issues involving sex and intimacy.

Lack of diversity in the ivory tower is not a new phenomenon; in fact, unless you decide to attend an HBCU, (Historically Black College and University), you are guaranteed to only encounter as many as you can count on your hands (well, maybe a few toes too). Though college and university officials alike have created grandiose plans and programs to improve faculty diversity, rarely are they ever fully implemented, and when done so do they achieve the level of statistical improvement as promised on the manifesto.

Even though it may not feel like it as I'm writing this article, here on the East Coast, Spring is right around the corner. As the seasons shift many of us will start to prepare our wardrobes and even our homes for the climate change that comes with spring. We'll move the heavy clothing to storage and start to transition our wardrobe to reflect the warmer temperatures that can also serve to uplift our spirits.

The financial futures of young, Black women look dim. Last week, the New York Times put it plainly "Younger Generations Lag Parents in Wealth-Building." But you probably already knew that. Many of us face the burden of student loan debt, stagnant wages, and a collapsing housing market. Though many these factors are outside of our personal control, we can make changes we in our lifestyle and thinking that might improve our personal financial situation. Over the years, quite a few women have offered their thoughts on money management here. Take a look at our features on financial literacy and wealth building.

It is Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate than to showcase the lives of our own beautiful, dynamic, bold, Black female activists. Each step of the way these women have transformed society—striking national and international blows against socio-political and economic systems that would have otherwise shut our voices out! Holding fast to their unwavering principles they have uniquely molded new forms of consciousness-raising narratives that continue to transform thousands of individuals daily.

Whole Foods Market is one of the great success stories of green innovation through out America. Whole Foods Market is one of the biggest grocery chains that primarily offers natural and organic products, though its success is due to primarily serving middle to upper class white people. Whole Foods Market’s recent openings in more racially and socioeconomically diverse communities such as Detroit, Harlem and Jamaica Plain, has raised the question, can Whole Foods Market bring healthy, nutritious foods to minority and under served markets?

I cannot count on my fingers and toes how many times I have heard a white person say, “I’m not racist.” It’s normally a declaration expressed in my presence, following a questionable, potentially racist statement. While there are dictionary definitions of racism, I think a missing group in the classification of inferior and superior are the liberal, pseudo-racists; people with the values of racism that while not overt, is so embedded in their DNA, that they can’t recognize when they are offending minority cultures.

.@asiabrown No, thanks and bye. It ain't 13.
— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) March 15, 2013

It happened in the midst of a late discussion yesterday evening, on the popular social networking site Twitter. Upon tuning in after class, I noticed chatter on my timeline surrounding the arrest of three 19-year-old men charged with child molestation of a 13-year-old girl, after their admittances of having sex with her.

I learned the hard way that when it comes to purchasing a home, you need a whole lot more than a dream. The lessons I learned ten years ago when I was positioned to purchase a home but didn't, are lessons that I've been able to apply to pretty much all of the goals I set going forward from there.

A large part of our history as Black women has been using our voices to speak up for ourselves and our people. We have given speeches, marched in rallies and even exercised our voices through artistry. There is an undying need many of us have to speak up for one another but where do we draw the line between speaking up for some of us and speaking for all of us?

With the prevalence of social media in our day and age, it seems that everyone has an opinion they want to be heard, a critique they must give and a point they must get across. We find it necessary—dire even, to use our first amendment rights and map our ideas and beliefs onto anyone that will listen.

While speaking out is necessary when trying to engage minds or promote change, it is important for us to question whether or not our claims are as astute as we think they are. People (myself included) are quick to refute opinions they disagree with and at times, will take offense to them if they are not properly backed up with facts or if they are expressed in a way that generalizes an entire group of people.

I don’t know what it is about my generation in particular, but we Millennials seem to have a penchant for simultaneously trying to impress and outdo one another all at once. We’re quick to spend our money on things that we really don’t need most of the time, rather than saving our money, investing it, or putting it toward a more productive end goal.

Walking down the streets as of late, I cannot help but notice the increase in the number of Black women I see pushing the strollers of white children. There had always been a few familiar faces in the area, but now I hardly recognize any of them. Coming from every direction imaginable, they line the streets of my neighborhood like dutiful soldiers. It is quite a sight to see believe me. Women whose faces look like my very own displaying the same nurturing and caring affection as my mother had once did when I was child, but to their white charges. I will admit that it is hard to control the intense feelings that come upon me at the sight of these women. I become angry, frustrated and then confused.

If you are Black and an avid Twitter user, chances are you belong to the subgroup known as “Black Twitter.” Black Twitter has evolved into a virtual subculture, consisting of opinionated African-American tweeters, discussing a plethora of subjects amongst one another. Some have thousands of followers and fans while others have a more modest following.  Whatever the case may be, these individuals come together, as a community, with one common objective: to unabashedly express thoughts and opinions on all things related to Black culture.

Constance White disclosed recently that she left ESSENCE magazine involuntarily. This admission from White, with no response from ESSENCE has left the future of the magazine in question.

After six years of teaching middle school English, writer Britni Danielle decided she wanted more.

In her new book, Break Out of Your Box, Britni Danielle details how changing her mindset literally changed her life.

Two years ago, Britni stepped out on faith, traded in her unfulfilling teaching career, and followed her passion. These days she is an in-demand writer whose work has been featured in Essence.com, JET magazine, CLUTCH, GOOD magazine, Hear & Soul, Vibe Vixen, and The Grio, and is dedicated to inspiring others to follow their dreams.

In Break Out of Your Box, Britni shares five steps that will help readers overcome their fears, and finally begin living the life they desire.

Check out an exclusive excerpt of Break Out of Your Box:

I don’t think my weekday mornings are any different than other parents of teenagers. After pressing the snooze button at least once, it’s a blurry mix of showers, the morning news and half eaten scrambled eggs. A request for money (him), a request for an explanation as to what happened to all the money given to him the day before (me), the never ending search for his keys, my never ending search for an extra 15 minutes, and wishing I had washed that extra load of clothes the night before because have nothing to wear to work. You know, the usual.

When the great Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) was just a kid, a woman by the name of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti was in the frontlines of a movement for gender equality and political independence half a world away.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (FRK) was a pivotal Nigerian feminist and nationalist leader who organized women and the disenfranchised against injustice.

She was the mother of Fela Kuti, a man often regarded as a prophet and the great aunt of one of Nigeria’s most illustrious writers, Nobel Prize Laureate Wole Soyinka. For many Nigerians Funmilyao was like Gloria Steinem, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman and MLK rolled into one.

Originally posted at Ashleigh, not Ashley
Progressive commentator Zerlina Maxwell got wrapped up in the hellfire of internet trolls after she made the oh so crazy suggestion that women aren’t responsible for rape prevention and that we should actually hold rapist accountable during a guest spot on Sean Hannity:

“I think that the entire conversation is wrong. I don’t want anybody to be telling women anything. I don’t want men to be telling me what to wear and how to act, not to drink. And I don’t, honestly, want you to tell me that I needed a gun in order to prevent my rape. In my case, don’t tell me if I’d only had a gun, I wouldn’t have been raped. Don’t put it on me to prevent the rape.”

Black women have come a long way, but through it all we've kept fighting. Remember that spirit with these 12 quotes that will motivate you and make you think.
 
"Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them." -Mahalia Jackson Tweet This

Keturah, Takiya, Kelli, Grace, Rashanay, Naiyah, Monique, Jordan, Stephanie, Tayler, Camilla, Briana, Bryneisha, Lakiya, Trinity, Marie, Erin, Naomi, LaRika, Keshawn, Flaxine, Keara, Crystal, Ebony, Phyllis, Kelia, Amiyah, Nia, Janae’, and Tay’on.

These are beautiful young Black girls entrusted to my care as Youth Minister and some of my baby cousins—all of whose pretty little faces completely light up my world. I write this post thinking primarily of them, but of Black women everywhere—particularly, the future of our sisterhood. I love Black women. (Thank you Alice Walker for teaching us to say that so openly.) I love who we are. What we’re made of. Our talents. Our sass. Our beauty. Our heart. Our love. Our work ethic. Our history. Our legacy. Our style. I just love us. Like really. As far as I am concerned we are nothing short of spectacular. Agree? Yes? Good.

Infertility has now been added to the long list of diseases that African-American Women are at higher risk for than their racial counterparts. The list also includes heart disease.


“The Infertility Cure” written by Robin D. Stone for the March 2013 Issue of ESSENCE reported that “Black Women Are More Likely to Have Trouble Conceiving a Baby and Less Likely to Pursue Infertility Treatment”.

It’s always interesting to learn the diverse events that occurred years ago on the same date that you are alive. This time, it’s the anniversary of Harriet Tubman‘s death 100 hundred years ago on March 8, 1913. In the state of New York, in Auburn, where she is buried, and in Maryland and Canada, where she led hundreds to freedom, dozens of events will be held to mark her contribution to American history, not just Black history.

(WBEZ) Olivia Pope wears a lot of white. She wears white dresses to inauguration ceremonies or lush white coats while running to and from one fire to the next.

She even wears long white gloves that she plucks from her body, finger by finger, to touch her great and complicated love, President Fitzgerald Grant, as he recovers from a gunshot wound in the hospital.

Now’s about the time of year where many people start to drop off from their new year’s resolutions. Those familiar refrains of  “I’m gonna lose this weight! I’m gonna eat better! I’m gonna actually save up for some real Louboutins & stop painting my Payless soles red!” (whoops, lost some of y’all on that last one…) have been replaced by the old but comfortable habits that are all too familiar.

As a young girl it bothered me a great deal to listen to my minster preach about the justice that Jesus had reclaimed for African Americans when he died on the cross, but only speak of the heroism of the men featured in the Bible and of the Black men who had courageously fought for our civil liberties. Sitting in church surrounded by a multitude of women who I knew had long ties to the community, who volunteered countless hours at the church, who prepared food and clothing for those in need, acted as secret confidants/counselors to both men and women, and who prayed daily for God’s wisdom, grace and mercy over their lives—I wondered how this “Man of God” could so easily forget them.

As youth, I was never taught about the importance of financial security. Sure, I learned how to balance a check book in the 4th grade. I even established my first savings account at the age of 16 (although my teenage shopping habits did not allow for much contribution to it). However, it was not until I actually had to take care of myself that I learned how much money does matter, even if it isn’t everything.

I, like many of my fellow recent college graduates, begrudgingly moved back home after graduation. While it is a common move, especially in today's economy, it was unexpected and forced me to reevaluate my life and some of my future goals.