AS RISING SEAS DESTROY GHANA'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES, RESEARCHERS WARN AGAINST A SEAWALL-ONLY SOLUTION (MONGABAY)
In November 2021, nearly 4,000 people in Ghana’s coastal Keta district were displaced by an early morning storm-related ocean surge, causing water to seep into homes, soaking residents’ belongings and beds as they slept.
ANN-MARIE VAZ IS POISED TO MAKE HISTORY IN EAST PORTLAND, JAMAICA (ESSENCE)
I care zero about class, race, creed. Only thing that matters to me as a human being is having a good heart, nothing else.
HOW BLACK LIVES MATTER CO-FOUNDER PATRISSE CULLORS PRACTICES SELF-CARE & FINDS BALANCE (xoNecole)
We spoke with Patrisse on how she finds balance as a college professor who still works to let the world know that 'Black Lives Matter.'
JAMAICA’S ANN-MARIE VAZ ON HER HISTORIC WIN (ESSENCE)
The earth literally shook on April 4, when Ann-Marie Vaz made history in Jamaica as the first woman elected to be a Member of Parliament for East Portland.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS ENDING. ACTIVISTS SAY IT’S NO REASON TO STOP HIGHLIGHTING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE U.S. (NBC NEWS)
As Black History Month comes to a close, community leaders are hoping to continue sending a message to President Donald Trump about the countries he dismissed with his recent comments about Haiti and African nations.
RECY TAYLOR FAMILY TALKS ABOUT HER LEGACY AND OPRAH’S SPEECH (NBC NEWS)
The great-granddaughter of the late Recy Taylor was home Sunday evening, being warmed by her beloved recently deceased relative's Snuggie and browsing Instagram when a friend messaged her that Oprah Winfrey was telling Taylor's story at the Golden Globe awards.
LYNCHING MEMORIAL: GHANAIAN ARTIST HOPES SCULPTURE CAPTURES SHARED PAIN BETWEEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND THE MOTHERLAND (THE ROOT)
Kwame Akoto-Bamfo was invited by the Equal Justice Initiative to build sculptures of African slaves at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which is dedicated to the victims of lynching in America.
'JUICES FOR LIFE': ANGELA YEE BRINGS HER FRUIT INFUSIONS TO BROOKLYN (NBC NEWS)
The vibrating sounds of a blender faintly take over music, playing inside a quaint juice bar in Brooklyn, New York. It’s called Juices For Life, situated in the Bedford-Stuyvesant or ‘Bed-Stuy’ area of the city. Owner Angela Yee says “juicing is a social thing.”
SURF’S UP! A LOOK AT GHANA’S EMERGING SURFING COMMUNITY (NBC NEWS)
“It's not only Europeans surfing. We are surfing in Africa and right here in Ghana too.”
HEALING FOR MENTAL ILLNESS CAN TAKE MORE THAN FAITH (NBC NEWS)
Addressing mental illness within the African-American community has, at times, been a taboo topic. Yet, it is a medical condition that impacts every day life and should not be ignored. -Erica Ayisi
ELMINA CASTLE, SLAVE TRADE HOUSE OF HORROR (NBC NEWS)
"As a woman I cannot be numb to such an inhumane aspect of history. The smell won't let me."
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! SEASON 2 OF ‘AN AFRICAN CITY’ IS HERE (AFROELLE)
The Ladies of “An African City” are back and AfroElle’s Erica Ayisi chats it up with Nicole Amarteifio, creator of “An African City” about the success of season 1 and what’s next for Accra’s five fabulous single ladies.
STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON: 31 YEAR OLD MAYOR AJA BROWN HOLDS HER OWN (THE GRIO)
Mayor Aja Brown is making history as the youngest person to ever hold the position of Mayor in Compton, California.
FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT PEEPS (NBC NEWS)
"Peeps" Easter candy turns 60 years old this year, and the story of the sugary treat has been one of sweet success. NBC's Katy Tur & Erica Ayisi reports
REMEMBERING THE LA RIOTS: A TEACHABLE MOMENT (NBC NEWS)
"This weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots and the first time I heard race being discussed on television. I was 10."-Erica Ayisi
MADE IN CAMBODIA: HOW WOMEN IN POVERTY ARE SUPPLYING AMERICA’S MARKET FOR HAIR (NBC NEWS)
Sreyvy, 39, explains that her hair used to be down to her waist. That was before hair traders offered her $15 to sell it.
SPACE AT THE BARRE: NIGERIA’S LEAP INTO BALLET (GHANAIAN AMERICAN JOURNAL)
Daniel Ajala is the owner and teacher of Leap of Dance Academy whose mission is to offer ‘dance education to children that cannot afford the luxury of dance education.
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LONELY PLANET’S GLOBAL CHOCOLATE TOUR (LONELY PLANET)
Packed with 150 of the world’s best chocolate experiences across six continents, this globetrotting guide features master chocolatiers, artisan producers, exotic cocoa plantations, must-visit shops and lots more, as well as photos from all around the globe.
HOW A PROFESSIONAL DANCER TURNED A NUDE PANTYHOSE PROBLEM INTO A MELANIN BASED SOLUTION (xoNecole)
Erin Carpenter grew up bending, turning, and leaping across a dance studio, wearing a black ballet leotard and stretchy pink tights.
‘WHEN THEY CALL YOU A TERRORIST’: BLACK LIVES MATTER FOUNDER PATRISEE KHAN-CULLORS TALKS MEMOIR (NBC NEWS)
Patrisse Khan-Cullors, a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter group, said although she and the groups supporters are viewed as an extension of the Civil Rights Movement, they are also viewed as “terrorists” in the eyes of others.
MAKE WAKANDA REAL BY EMBRACING YOUR AFRICAN ROOTS (THE ROOT)
I spoke with Linda Heywood, a professor of African-American studies and history at Boston University, and Gina Paige, president and co-founder of African Ancestry, for historical context and action steps that African Americans can take toward living their best Wakanda lives from the inside out.
RECY TAYLOR, ALABAMA WOMAN RAPED BY SIX WHITE MEN, DIES AT 97 (NBC NEWS)
The six suspects reportedly were willing to pay $600 to Taylor — a payment for her to “forget” her gang rape. One of the suspects admitted to raping Taylor. -Erica Ayisi
NYC FIRST LADY CHIRLANE MCCRAY CREATES 'SISTERS THRIVE' TO FIGHT MENTAL ILLNESS (NBC NEWS)
Sisters Thrive will train 10,000 African-American New Yorkers in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and develop a professional mental health pipeline to encourage a more diverse workforce.
'57 CHOCOLATE IS A ‘SWEET’ HOMAGE TO GHANA (NBC NEWS)
“Chocolate, it’s been a very sort of Western thing,” Kim said. “We wanted to bring a Ghanaian and African touch to it so that it’s truly African.”
LONDON GROUP SAFE SPACE FOR BLACK ATHEISTS (NBC NEWS)
"There's this idea that all black people are religious and we want to actually show people that there's an alternative. Not all black people are religious.” - Clive Aruede
A RASTAFARIAN WOMAN TALKS ABOUT ‘GOING NATURAL' (NBC NEWS)
After years of applying chemical relaxers, hot comb pressing and other artificial straighteners, Black women across the country have been adopting a more natural way of trending to their tresses.
FIVE YEARS AFTER HAITI’S EARTHQUAKE, NEW ORPHANAGE IS VICTIM’S FINAL LEGACY (NBC NEWS)
"They love us so much and everyone is so happy. They love what they have and they work so hard to get nowhere, yet they are all so appreciative. I want to move here and start an orphanage myself." - Britney Gengel, January 12, 2010
BRIMMING WITH ENERGY AFTER $20K STEM CELL TREATMENT (NBC NEWS)
Jennifer Vasilakos got the shocking surprise of her life after helping a man who stopped to ask her for directions. That man happened to be the billionaire founder of the Beanie Baby company and what he did may have saved her life. NBC's Kristen Dahlgren reports.
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE? (AFROELLE)
"I came home and gave my mom my degree and said that's what you wanted now let me do what I want to do. I sort of did it my own way."
SCHOOLS RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON INCLUDING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN SPORTS (NBC NEWS)
The Department of Education released new guidelines on how to integrate students with disabilities into sports —which has been a struggle for cash-strapped schools.
