2017

Written by: Megan Maher “You’re out of the woods, you’re out of the dark, you’re out of the night, step into the sun, step into the light! Keep straight ahead for the most glorious place on the face of the earth or the sky. Hold on to your breath, hold onto your heart, hold onto [...]

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After a jury declared Bill Cosby’s sexual assault case a mistrial, his publicist promptly announced that Cosby was going to be going on tour to teach men about how to avoid rape and sexual assault accusations.

A representative of Cosby said, “A brush against the shoulder, anything at this point could be considered sexual assault and it’s a good thing to be educated about the laws.”

A statement that made me throw up a bit in my mouth.

I had no intention of writing about the statement but then Shonda Rhimes gave us the perfect response.

From Shonda’s Town Hall on Avoiding Sexual Assault Charges: 1)Do not sexually assault anyone. 2)Shut up-this attention belongs to survivors.

— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) June 23, 2017

I mean, really. What type of person beats this type of charge and then immediately makes it about him? When we all know that the number of sexual assault victims, regardless of Cosby’s guilt or innocence, is staggering.

I don’t know if Cosby’s people were responding to Shonda specifically but afterward, they issued a statement to clarify the intentions of the forthcoming town hall.

“When we initially talked about the town hall meetings, it was about restoration of legacy. Much of what Mrs. Cosby spoke on in her statement is the sensationalism brought on by the media. This is another example of that. To take something meant to talk about restoration of a man’s legacy that was destroyed by the media before he even had a chance to step into the courtroom. That’s what this is about.”

The post Shonda Rhimes Has The Perfect Response For Bill Cosby’s Town Hall Meetings appeared first on MadameNoire.

Before embarking on the detailed world of Malika Warrior Queen, it is important to mention I am a movie nerd. Born and raised, action and adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, cartoon enthusiast, and aficionado. The last comic I read was probably in middle school and it was an Archie comic, (and yes, I have watched all of Riverdale)…

Our wonderful editors seek to challenge me and gave me this beautiful graphic novel, Black Nerd Problems, am I right?. At first, I was hesitant, I can be pretty judgmental, especially when it comes to movies, acting and things of that sort. This is a whole different world – and you know I’m going to take it on. Looking at Malika Warrior Queen, I immediately was taken back to my days reading Lord of the Rings. Viewing the well-established maps and origins of the land, intricacies of the separate provinces and kingdoms, I definitely felt in my element. It even gave me what LOTR couldn’t…Black people!

We begin with Malika as a young child practicing her knife-wielding technique as her mother, the queen, approaches inquiring where she has learned these skills. We quickly see Malika is a warrior prodigy and capable of joining a regime at an early age. The scene is set informing us Malika is not next in line as heir of the kingdom Azzaz, her older sister Nadia is slotted to be queen. As we cut to the present day we see the once young warrior is now queen, leaving us wondering how she had acquired the throne.

Malika is a great warrior and Queen, whose rule is tried and questioned after uniting the lands in one unified kingdom. The series is beautifully illustrated showing an elegant and strong depiction of the characters and rich lands. Reading on, it is clear the writers and creators have extensive knowledge of African and Asian history, as well as detailed knowledge of war and battle tactics. The novel is not only an intriguing fantasy but a learning experience for the reader.

The story weaves in a number of components including, wartime heroes and villains, governing politics, strategy and elemental power. It’s like reading a cross between Black Panther, Game of Thrones, and Avatar: The Last Airbender (cartoon of course!) I enjoyed the folklore behind the mystical relics which bestow the ability to control the elements, it really brought a certain life to the piece. The complicated past between the provinces and the queen’s occupancy as ruler creates an investment in the story that goes deeper than simply picking a side. You find yourself trying to find the right or just decision as you see Malika struggle with the same. With the underlying story of love and being torn between perceived weakness and ruling with compassion, the novel builds a human story.

The love story within the piece is truly a beautiful surprise, with illustrations that bring out the magnificence in brown bodies, I found myself feeling so proud of black love. On top of that, having bad ass women of color lead is always everything for me.

I would recommend this as a read for anyone from the avid comic reader to newbies like me.

See more of Malika and the other projects from YOUNEEK STUDIOS here. See the incredible Kickstarter campaign that helped bring this project to life here.

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Diabetes doesn’t discriminate. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new public education campaign targeting the 86 million American adults with what’s known as prediabetes.

More than one in three adults in the United States has prediabetes, a serious health condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke. If you have prediabetes, your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with full-blown diabetes.

“Awareness is crucial in the effort to stop type 2 diabetes,” said David Marrero, director of the Diabetes Translation Research Center at Indiana University School of Medicine, when the campaign kicked off.

To learn your risk, take this short online test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org.

“This is a very simple and quick tool that will allow people to see if they are at risk for prediabetes or diabetes,” said Mary Vouyiouklis Kellis, M.D., an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. “If they are at higher risk, this will hopefully prompt them to seek medical attention sooner.”

Most people with prediabetes don’t know they have it. Left untreated, up to 30 percent of those with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years, according to the CDC. “One of the problems with prediabetes and diabetes is that people sometimes don’t feel sick until it’s too late,” Dr. Vouyiouklis Kellis said.

Simple lifestyle changes—diet and exercise—can prevent diabetes.

“Losing 5 percent to 7 percent of body weight can significantly reduce your risk, as well as making lifestyle changes, which include portion control, reducing foods with refined sugars and exercising regularly,” Dr. Vouyiouklis Kellis said. “Exercising just 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can also help reduce this risk.”

The CDC, the American Diabetes Association and the American Medical Association (AMA) joined forces to launch the campaign because prediabetes is considered one of the biggest public health crises in this country.

Knowing you have prediabetes is just the first step in preventing type 2 diabetes, AMA President-Elect Andrew Gurman, M.D., said in a CDC news release. “As soon as someone discovers they may be at risk of prediabetes, they should talk with their physician about further testing to confirm their diagnosis and discuss the necessary lifestyle changes needed to help prevent type 2 diabetes,” he said.

About 29 million people in the U.S.—more than 9 percent of the population—have diabetes, mostly type 2, according to the CDC, placing the disease at epidemic levels. And African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and we are at increased risk of developing complications of the disease, including amputations, heart disease and kidney failure.