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The Holidays Are Coming, So Naturally, Rihanna Wants All Our Money
As I write this, snow is (prematurely) falling upon Chicago, a pointed reminder that tomorrow, Nov. 1, kicks off the holiday season (in other words, cue the gift guides). And since it’s now the season of spending, it should come as no surprise that Rihanna expects us bitches to have her money, as evidenced by…
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So, Let's Talk About That Time Elle Germany Reduced Black Models to a Fashion Trend…
With that headline and Elle Germany’s proclamation that we’re going “Back to Black” this season, you might be wondering why you’re looking at a cover featuring Danish model Gertrud Hegelund—likely a lovely person, but by no means a black one. Or perhaps you’re wondering why we’re making a fuss, since Elle must’ve been talking about…
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Does Kanye Have a Plan B? Because He Seems Confused About Contraception (and Civics)
While on the whole, we’re all set on Kanye West, we understand that his return to religion has compelled yet another passionate round of revelations about the world, morality, and politics—and hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day. But as Ye has been making the rounds promoting his new gospel album, Jesus…
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In a Rare Show of Solidarity, 72 Female British MPs Sign an Open Letter in Support of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
The United Kingdom might still be torn on Brexit, but there is one issue that has bridged party lines; the media’s abuse of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex was condemned for its “outdated, colonial undertones” in an open letter signed by 72 female MPs of all political persuasions on Tuesday. The letter, addressed to Meghan, read,…
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All We Want This Halloween Is to Age Like Missy Elliott
Yeah, yeah…we know there’s no such thing as Halloween wishes (or the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown), but if we could cash in all the fun-sized candy for one wish this spooky holiday, it’d be to age as effortlessly as Missy Elliott seems to be doing (or Gabrielle Union, but we digress). The legendary rapper and…
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California Love: Gabrielle Union's Costumed Birthday Bash Took Us to Our Happy Place
California knows how to party—and when your birthday falls two days before Halloween, it’s bound to be a costume party. In celebration of her family’s recent relocation of their primary residence to Los Angeles, Gabrielle Union jumped in the way-back machine to bring us back to a happier time and place, California-style. Yes, we know…
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All Bets on Pink: With Its 2019 Gala, Susan G. Komen Chicago Put the Focus on Black Women’s Survival
It was a gamble for good at Chicago’s historic Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel on Saturday night, where local luminaries, socialites, breast cancer survivors and advocates gathered in support of Susan G. Komen Chicago at its annual Breast Cancer Action Month Gala, themed “All Bets on Pink.” Harkening back to the Roaring Twenties—a golden era…
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The Johnsons, Untethered: Black-ish Is Putting a Terrifying Twist on Halloween 2019
No, we don’t mean a reprisal of their genius Jackson 5 family costume (above). This year, the fictional family we know and love as the Johnsons are taking an eerily familiar approach to the group costume, revisiting perhaps the most terrifying film of the year—and one of the blackest. That’s right: the Black-ish clan is…
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For Flyboys, Lil Mamas and Us: Hebru Brantley's Nevermore Park Imagines a Chicago Made for Dreamers
A pair of goggle-wearing kids from the South Side of Chicago may seem an unlikely set of superheroes, but artist Hebru Brantley’s “Fly Boy” and “Lil Mama” are exactly that. Chicagoans have become increasingly familiar with the comic-like duo in recent years as they’ve had a recurrent presence in Brantley’s art, which has appeared in…
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Polish & Purpose: With a New Studio, Pear Nova Nails the Perfect Beauty Day—and Creates a Safe Space for Survivors
“She’s a Sagittarius,” jokes Rachel James when speaking about Pear Nova, the award-winning, cruelty-free, cult-favorite nail polish brand she created in 2012. The Chicago-based CEO, creative director, mom and Black Ink Chicago alum refers to her nearly 7-year-old brand as her baby—that is, of course, after her two sons. We’re sitting in James’ new home…
