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If you’re anything like me, I get incredibly attached and invested in fictional characters. To this day, I cannot watch “The Mountain” and the “Viper” episode of Game of Thrones in its entirety because of the outcome. (Curse you, arrogant Oberyn!). To that end, I am tortured of memories, both wistful and bitter, about how so many characters never got to truly shine from a show being cancelled, or the character being killed off, or because writers had their head up their asses, or those same silly scribes might have had powdered noses from having too much fun in the Riverdale writer’s room. In any case, I decided I needed to rant a bit about some of my favorite characters whom I believe deserved so much more. Don’t be fooled though! My list is way longer than just these 5, trust me. Never doubt a nerd’s ability to hold on to many, many grudges.

Helga Sinclair – Atlantis: The Lost Empire

This sassy woman is one of my favorite animated characters of all time. Introduced to us as a militaristic personal assistant/lieutenant of deception, Helga represents what happens when you underestimate a gorgeous femme fatale. She was strong, self-assured, and had half a teaspoon of empathy more than the main big bad of the movie. (Which doesn’t say that much, but I LOVE HER OKAY?!) That kick she gave Roark aboard that hot air balloon at the end of the movie lives in my mind forever. I wish she returned in the sequel or at least had some kind of satisfying closure to her story. Along with Shego from Kim Possible, I’m pretty sure the Lieutenant was a part of many people’s queer awakening.

Anna Fang – Mortal Engines

”I don’t really do subtle.”-Anna Fang

Played by the gorgeous Jihae, Anna Fang was an unknown name to me until I watched the 2018 Mortal Engines movie. Now, the movie is garbage, but the one shining beacon within the bleak action film was the pilot and leader of a rebellion, Anna Fang. She ruled the skies on her plane, the Jenny Haniver, and terrorized slavers and imperialists alike. I would say the film is worth the watch, only to see how badass the renegade pilot is. Anna Fang’s characterization was so impactful to me that I wrote a whole article on just her. Read more here.

Saffron/Yolanda/Bridget – Firefly

Firefly is one of my favorite sci-fi shows, and I loved the plethora of guests actors we got from the ill-fated and short series. One of them was the incomparable Christina Hendricks. I don’t want to get too much into spoilers, but I highly recommend watching episode 6, “Our Mrs. Reynolds.” From the moment her duplicity was revealed, I found Saff/Yo/Bridge to be a compelling character. I would have loved it if the writers had time to dive more into her past. She was enigmatic, sure, but she was capable, ruthless, and quick to anger. She managed to incapacitate the crew of the Firefly before *almost* getting away with it. Getting punched in the face by Nathan Fillion’s character may have pricked her pride, but it’s better than a brutal death that she would have swiftly deserved. QTNA: Did she train as a companion? What is her real name? I NEED TO KNOW.

Ariel Eberhart – Grimm

Now, this character is a very niche reference. Back when I was in high school/undergrad, I really enjoyed the earlier seasons of the fairytale cop show, Grimm. One episode introduced a belly dancing snake lady. Portrayed by goodie-two shoes Disney kid actress, Danielle Panabaker, I remembered her being cool and WAYYYYYY better than Nick’s other love interests. Her story ended on a cliffhanger, and they never acknowledged her later due to my knowledge, which was a HUGE missed opportunity for an epic enemies-to-lovers plot line/Selina Kyle + Batman kind of vibe. It really is too bad; the steam and chemistry between Nick and Ariel was way hotter than what we got with anyone else. 

Katerina Solensan – Cowboy Bebop

“Asteroid Blues” (the first episode of Cowboy Bebop) is devastating; a haunting ode to tragic love. It’s made morbidly complete by Katerina Solensan, the solemn beauty brought to God by her love for a doomed man. We follow Spike Spiegel, bounty hunter, try and capture Katerina and her drug-addicted partner, Asimov, before they’re killed by gang members they stole from. Hearing about Katerina’s hopes and dreams, even in the middle of a bloody, doomed landscape set the tone for the series. Is it a heart-wrenching episode? Hell yes. But Katerina showed us what happens when you choose to allow love to blind you until it’s too late.

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The post Characters Who Deserved More Screen Time appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

Confident young African American female entrepreneur standing with arms crossed. She is against brown background. By Jasmine Browley ·Updated February 15, 2024

Women are standing on business in more ways than one according to a new report from lending company Clarify Capital.

Of the 1,000 people that were surveyed, it was found that women were 88% more likely to prioritize business success over relationships — over twice as likely as men.

The report deep dove into the challenges that business owners and those close to them experience regarding romance, intimacy and business. Clarify Capital spoke to 800 people who were involved romantically business owner along with 200 entrepreneurs and revealed some enlightening insights about values and priorities among the ambitious. Mainly, it suggested that women found more fulfillment in business-building than dating and relationships.

In the report, nearly half (46%) of the female business owners surveyed reported being unsatisfied with their sex life.

This isn’t that farfetched, particularly for Black women, as recent data from GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative suggests that the group is still the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, and subsequently are leading the charge in closing the racial wage gap.

As ESSENCE previously reported, the rate at which Black women have launched new businesses have more than doubled since August 2019. According to the research, Black women make up 10% of total entrepreneurs GoDaddy spoke to, representing a 70% increase in the number of Black women-owned businesses started prior to the pandemic.

Data also suggests that in cis-het relationships, women outearn their male romantic partners.

“Nearly one-third of wives earn roughly the same amount as their husbands, while the woman is the primary or sole breadwinner in 16% of marriages,” GoDaddy’s report said. “In egalitarian and breadwinner wife marriages, husbands spend considerably more time on leisure activities than wives. Husbands in egalitarian marriages spend about 3.5 hours more per week on leisure activities than wives do. Wives in these marriages spend roughly 2 hours more per week on caregiving than husbands do and about 2.5 hours more on housework. In marriages where wives are the primary earners, husbands’ leisure time increases significantly (compared with egalitarian marriages), while the time they spend on caregiving and housework stays about the same.”

The post Women Are Twice As Likely Than Men To Put Business Over Romance appeared first on Essence.

San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images By Rayna Reid Rayford ·Updated February 14, 2024

Next year, California’s 12th congressional district will have a new representative after being represented by Congresswoman Barbara Lee for the past 25 years. Lee is pursuing a seat in the U.S. Senate and has just formally endorsed Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) board member Lateefah Simon’s campaign to succeed her in representing the 12th district.

Per the press release, “[t]he Twelfth Congressional District has long been a progressive, multiracial, enlightened beacon for California and the country — we lead with an example of a progressive, people-centered approach to challenges and show what democracy is truly about.”

“Our district’s strength is a distinct reminder of the late, great warrior for peace and justice Ron Dellums, my predecessor, and who I consider to be the father of coalition politics. After his 27 years of service, he passed the baton to me — and now, I am excited and proud to endorse Lateefah Simon, my former student and true fighter for peace and justice, to run this next lap of the race,” Lee continued.

“Lateefah is from the community, and for the community…From her teenage years working to support young women and trans youth, to fighting to make public transit more affordable and accessible, she is a fierce advocate and proven leader,” Lee added. “It’s my honor to pass the blue baton to Lateefah, who I trust to stand up for the values of the 12th District, and continue building the broad coalition working together for a better world.”

 “For the last 25 years, she has been a voice for moral clarity in Congress and she has boldly represented the progressive values of this district,” said Simon. “It is not hyperbole to say Congresswoman Lee is one of the most respected legislators of our time and someone who broke ceilings and blazed trails for Black women in politics. I am deeply humbled and honored to have earned her endorsement in this race.”

And the endorsements for Simon keep coming in— in addition to Lee, Simon has also earned endorsements from the California Democratic Party, Reproductive Justice for All, SEIU, and over 60+ organizations, elected officials, and labor unions.

California Governor Gavin Newsom also endorsed Simon at the end of last year. In the past Newsom and Simon worked together representing District 7 on BART’s board of directors.

As Newsom told Politico “Lateefah is a visionary. But more than a visionary, she is a proven leader who effects the kind of change that makes her vision a reality…From working closely with Lateefah and watching her deliver real, progressive change in her community, I have come to understand her as a true force of nature. She is a dedicated and honorable public servant, a devoted community woman, and a role model to many.”

Most of the district encompasses Oakland, and also “stretches from Albany to San Leandro” and is currently dealing with a marked increase in violent crime. This has caused corporations like In-N-Out to announce the closing of the city’s only outpost because of “pervasive car break-ins and armed robberies.” In addition, Kaiser Permanente, the largest employer in Oakland also advised their employees to avoid leaving the office during their lunch break and Clorox is having security officers escort their workers “to and from the office.”

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “[o]f the nine candidates running to replace Lee — seven Democrats and two Republicans — Simon was the lone standout.” The editorial board believes that Simon will be well-positioned to handle these challenges, given her track record on BART and as “a California State University trustee and a longtime nonprofit executive and civil justice advocate who received Lee’s endorsement.”

The post Outgoing Congresswoman Barbara Lee Endorses Lateefah Simon As Her Successor appeared first on Essence.

If you’ve heard of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses book series, then you are possibly (likely?) a rabid fan. Frequently abbreviated to ACOTAR, the fantasy series tells the story of Feyre Archeron, a young mortal huntress who gets swept into a journey in the faerie lands of Prythian. With a sprawling world, deeply flawed and intriguing characters, and a whole lot of steamy love scenes, the ACOTAR series has attracted legions of fans since Maas published the first book in 2015. And while Hulu had planned to develop a TV series based on the beloved books, that has changed. TVLine reports the Court of Thorns and Roses TV series is not moving forward .

In 2021, Maas first shared the news about the TV series via a now-deleted Instagram post. But that post let us know she was working with Ron Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) to adapt A Court of Thorns and Roses for Hulu. Since then, we didn’t hear any updates for a while, but Moore shared in November 2023 that Hulu was still game for the ACOTAR series. He noted, “It’s still in development… We’ve written some scripts, and we’re just sort of waiting. I think the whole town is kind of waiting to see if we have actors before things really move forward, but it’s still in development.”

But that appears to no longer be the case. During the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour, Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich didn’t have any updates about the Court of Thorns and Roses TV series. Sources have told TVLine the project is no longer moving forward and that Hulu is not looking to shop it to other streamers.

Bloomsbury Publishing

It’s too bad. Maas has a massive fan base, hungry to immerse themselves in her worlds. A Court of Thorns and Roses TV series would have had a vast playground to explore. And given Moore’s experience in telling epic stories, he seemed like an excellent choice to work with Maas—especially given his role in bringing Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander to the screen.

Originally published on March 26, 2021.

The post A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES Hulu TV Series Is No Longer Happening appeared first on Nerdist.