E. Ayisi

​Erin Carpenter grew up bending, turning, and leaping across a dance studio, wearing a black ballet leotard and stretchy pink tights. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 

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.”

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. 

“It's not only Europeans surfing. We are surfing in Africa and right here in Ghana too.”

“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.”

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 

"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

"As a woman I cannot be numb to such an inhumane aspect of history.  The smell won't let me."

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.

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.

"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

Mayor Aja Brown is making history as the youngest person to ever hold the position of Mayor in Compton, California.

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.

"Peeps" Easter candy turns 60 years old this year, and the story of the sugary treat has been one of sweet success. NBC's Katie Tur reports.

"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."

"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

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.