activism
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'Billie Holiday Is Probably One of Our First Civil Rights Leaders': Lee Daniels Discusses His Upcoming Biopic at The Root Institute
It’s been nearly 50 years since the debut of Lady Sings the Blues, which was a huge inspiration for writer-director-producer Lee Daniels—so much so, that he is now directing his own biographical drama about the iconic Billie Holiday, The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Through her art—especially her stirring song, “Strange Fruit”—Holiday became pivotal in…
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Lee Daniels Discusses How He Juxtaposes Art With Activism at The Root Institute
Lee Daniels has something to say. Known for the dramatic flair sprinkled throughout his art, the writer-director-producer never shies away from controversial and emotional topics as has been displayed in his works such as Empire, Star and Precious. Daniels has routinely prioritized the importance of telling real and gritty stories within the Black community, especially…
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Activism Now: British Vogue's September Issue Stars Several Black American Heroes—and a Message of Hope
August has only just begun, but the 2020 September issues are beginning to debut; each with its own approach to our newly socially distant, racially reawakened reality. (At this point, last September feels like another lifetime, doesn’t it?). Case in point: While a few August covers may have sparked controversy over the way their Black…
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Atlanta Dream Co-Owner Asks WNBA to Sideline Its Support of Black Lives Matter. League Replies: ‘Uh, Nah’
Ah, the return of the old, familiar refrain: “Stick to sports.” The WNBA’s players, to their credit, have always defied the mantra. This has been true in previous seasons, like in 2016, when teams had media blackouts and players wore black “I can’t breathe” shirts (even as the league fined them for doing so) following…
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After a Very Public Parting, Munroe Bergdorf Rejoins L'Oréal in an Advisory Role
America’s chickens are arguably coming home to roost—a centuries-old phrase famously used by Malcolm X as he predicted a reckoning with this country’s deeply ingrained and institutional racism. And in a moment that echoes the impact of the advent of the #MeToo movement, the fashion and beauty industries are not immune. Amid accusations of performative solidarity,…
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Lauren London and Activist Erica Ford Discuss How Gun Violence Affects Women on Red Table Talk
Jada Pinkett Smith’s Facebook Watch series Red Table Talk had a very important discussion about gun violence and the trauma it places on the women who lose the special men in their lives to it. The episode aired on the social media platofrm on Tuesday. “Very rarely do we talk about the women who are…
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Celebrities: Sometimes You Have the Range to Speak Out and Sometimes You Have Philanthropy
Unrest—it’s a word I’ve read and heard used to describe the emotional state of protestors around the country right now. To the people who are sitting in their homes self-isolating with a sense of helplessness on how to support, I’d wager that word would fit in describing that situation, as well. While we’ve been at…
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How 'Spoon Theory' Can Help You Monitor and Manage Your Mental Wellbeing During Turbulent Times
The news about the state of the nation’s mental health was alarming even before the traumatic events of this past week—when news cycles and social media timelines were flooded with news about racists, deadly, and un-redressed assaults on black people. On Tuesday (which, somehow, wasn’t three years ago) a Census Bureau report showed a third…