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Why Meghan Markle Matters (Whether We Like It or Not)
Representation matters. We’ve both heard and said it repeatedly: Our visibility and presence—in every arena—is vital to our perception of ourselves and what spaces we believe we deserve to occupy, both in the world and in the scope of the human imagination. And yet, as The Root covered the marriage of Meghan Markle into the…
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Serena’s Grand Slam: How the GOAT Switched It Up for the Royal Reception
All eyes were understandably on the bride at Saturday’s royal wedding, but as the British royal family uncomfortably shifted in their seats welcomed Meghan Markle into its fold, our gaze inevitably kept coming to rest on tennis phenom Serena Williams, who wowed royal-watchers by wearing blush-colored Versace to watch Markle become the duchess of Sussex.…
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The French Connection: The Cannes Film Festival Closes on a High Note
While several of the entertainment industry’s elite flocked to England on Saturday to celebrate the royal wedding, other members of Hollywood royalty concluded their takeover of the French Riviera for the closing events of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. This year’s festival had a strong streak of activist energy, marked by multiple festival-endorsed demonstrations and…
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Something Blue: The New Duke and Duchess of Sussex Ride Off Into the Sunset in Style
Give me fashion, but make it British: We were hoping to have a full second round of stylish moments to share with you as guests assembled at Britain’s Frogmore House to attend an evening wedding reception for the new duke and duchess of Sussex. But alas, there was only one—though it was the most important…
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Fashion and Fascinators: The High Style of Britain’s Blackest Royal Wedding (to Date)
It was a day seemingly made for happily ever after. On Saturday, Meghan Markle’s fairy tale came true when, at last, she married her Prince Charming Harry. The traditionally drizzly English skies gave way to dazzling sunshine, and as many anticipated, the ceremony was as refreshingly unexpected as the pairing of the biracial American actress…
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Will the Real Meghan Markle Please Stand Up?
Ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry, sixth-in-line to the British throne, on Saturday, much has been said about the now-former actress soon to be also formerly known as Meghan Markle. She’s been called a social climber, a “pushy princess,” any number of racial epithets, a stain on the royal bloodline and undeserving of a…
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The Glow Up Anthem of the Week: Ivy Sole’s ‘Life’
Life is short, life is simpleLife is joy, life is painLife is wonderful, and terribleBut it’s beautiful, and love’s the same This week has been a special one at The Root, as several members of our staff—myself included—have revealed our very personal struggles with mental health in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. In keeping…
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#ThrowbackThursday: The Legend of Zelda (Wynn Valdes)
“What becomes a legend most?” That was the tagline of now-vintage ads for Blackglama mink. But if you were a black female entertainer at the height of your fame between the 1940s and 1960s, chances were you found your most legendary looks courtesy of designer Zelda Wynn Valdes. Born in 1905, Wynn Valdes was the…
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The Iconoclast: How Lezli Levene Harvell Is Redefining ‘Having It All’
Doctor. Wife. Mother—of five. Entrepreneur. Food enthusiast. Event curator. Philanthropist. Lezli Levene Harvell wears so many hats, it’s exhausting just to consider what a typical day in her life must be like. Inevitably, the clichéd phrase “I don’t know how she does it” comes to mind. On the evening she speaks with The Glow Up,…
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Just an Ordinary Pain: Living With Persistent Depressive Disorder
Editor’s note: Until recently, mental health and illness were taboo subjects in the black community. But thanks to the efforts of those brave enough to speak on it, that’s changing. In that vein, The Root team is taking this week during Mental Health Awareness Month to write about how mental health has touched our lives.…
