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The Top 10 Blog Posts and or Magazine Articles for Black Christian Women in April 2021…

Hello World,

I’m back with my monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine articles for black Christian women! Below is my Top 10 monthly roundup of blog posts and or magazine/newspaper articles for black Christian women for April, but you don’t have be a black Christian woman to to check them out. As usual, let me know if you like my list! Enjoy and share!

1. “FAMU Alumna Kimberly Godwin Named ABC News President” by Andrew Skerritt

Excerpt: Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumna Kimberly Godwin has been named president of ABC News, the Disney company announced Wednesday. Godwin, who has been executive vice president of news at CBS News since 2019, will oversee editorial and business operations for broadcast, digital, streaming and audio news across the network, which includes trusted and iconic franchises “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight,” “20/20,” “Nightline,” “The View,”  “This Week,” and FiveThirtyEight. See more at: famunews.com

2. “Meet The Black Women Hair Team Who Made Oscar History” by Jazmine A. Ortiz

Excerpt: Neal created over 100 wigs for the film, including two worn by Davis. One of these was a custom-made wig she crafted with European-imported horsehair. The story behind the process that took the actual horsehair strands to Hollywood-level hair perfection is all too real. First, the bundles had to be rid of inactive lice eggs and manure. She explained in an interview with Vulture, that in order to not lose control of the hair, she had to build the wig before she cleaned it. Neal used a single-strand ventilation method to manipulate the thick horsehair and each time she pulled a strand through, manure and lice eggs were scraped off. See more at: xonecole.com

3. “My Win As The First Disabled Black Woman On The Oscars Red Carpet” by Andraéa LaVant 

Excerpt: Sunday evening, when my rhinestone-lined wheelchair tires rolled onto the iconic Oscars red carpet, I inhaled deeply, embracing the fact that I was making history as the first visibly disabled Black woman at the Academy Awards. It’s rare that I entered a space and felt like I could bring all of me without rejection and exclusion. At my Black church, I was the disabled girl. At my all-disabled summer camp, I was the Black girl. I never saw anyone who even remotely resembled me in the media. See more at: essence.com

4. “Sherri Shepherd Celebrates Her 54th Birthday After Losing 20 Lbs.: ‘This Is the Best I’ve Ever Felt’” by  Julie Mazziotta & Jason Sheeler

Excerpt: Shepherd is celebrating her weight loss — and her 54th birthday, on April 22 — with a fun photoshoot “influenced by some of the powerful and trailblazing women that paved the way for women of color in Hollywood,” she says. The classic Hollywood-themed shoot is “in the spirit of Dorothy Dandridge, Hattie McDaniel, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll and so many others.” “I’ve been blessed to not only reach 54, but to also have years in this industry with a body of work and accomplishments that I’m proud of,” she says. “I’m strong, intelligent, sexy, talented and pretty funny.” See more at: people.com

5. “Harriet Tubman’s Father’s Home Discovered by Archeologists in Maryland” by Elisha Fieldstadt

Excerpt: The artifacts on the site date back to the early and mid-1800s. Ross acquired the 10 acres in the early 1840s from a slave owner who wrote in his will that Ross should be freed five years after his death and inherit the land. Tubman was born Araminta Ross in the early 1820s. “For several years we believe that Mr. Ross harvested trees on the property and sold the timber, and the timber was then transported to shipyards by free Black mariners to use to make ships in Baltimore,” Rutherford explained. See more at: nbcnews.com

6. “Nina Parker Makes History With Macy’s First Black-Owned Plus-Size Clothing Line” by Jeroslyn Johnson

Excerpt: E! News host Nina Parker has just made history after getting her plus-size clothing line on display at Macy’s. After designing her own looks for the 2020 Oscars and the 2021 Golden Globes, Parker is set to debut The Nina Parker Collection for Macy’s next month, E! News reports. The line is the department store’s first time ever displaying a plus-size line created by a Black woman. See more at: blackenterprise.com

7. “10 Notable Black Female Preachers You Should Know” by Jasmine Grant 

Excerpt: No list of noteworthy Black female preachers would be complete without including the late Reverend Prathia Hall, a theologian who is widely remembered for her role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Philadelphia native came from a lineage of preachers, as her father, the Rev. Berkeley Hall, was a Baptist minister. After graduating from Temple University, Hall joined the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and was one of the first Black women to become a field leader in southwest Georgia. She went on to receive a doctorate in theology from Princeton University, and eventually became pastor of Mount Sharon Baptist Church in Philadelphia, her father’s church. Hall is widely credited for inspiring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. Dr. King had been in the audience at Mt. Olive Baptist Church during a prayer led by Hall where she used the phrase “I have a dream.” Hall passed away on August 12, 2002. See more at: newsone.com

8. “Meet the New Jersey Woman Who Owns Over $200 Million in Real Estate and Several IHOP Franchises” by Charlene Rhinehart

Excerpt: Bayoh came to the United States at the age of 13. She escaped the civil war in Liberia and set out on a mission to create a better life for herself. She’s exceeded expectations, becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs in New Jersey. “For me, passion is a key ingredient for success in business,” Bayoh shared in an interview with Black Enterprise. “I am also a very hard worker, and once I make up my mind to do something, I immerse myself in it and figure out how to succeed. Also, having gone through so much in my life, I understand the value of taking a risk, and I am not afraid to take risks.” See more at: blackenterprise.com

9. “Meet Ayesha McGowan, the first Black American Woman in Pro Cycling” by Sana Noor Haq

Excerpt: McGowan says it’s her stubbornness that has pushed her to become the first Black American woman in pro cycling. She comes from a long line of matriarchs, inheriting tenacity and grit from her grandmother, mother and older sister. “I set my sights on something and wasn’t willing to stop until I got it,” she says as she remembers cycling on her grandparents’ expansive land in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, following her grandmother as she rode on a Red Cruiser. See more at: wfsb.com

10. “Kerry Washington Curates ‘Powerful’ Mother’s Day Jewelry Capsule — and Enlists Her Mom to Model” by  Brittany Talarico

Excerpt: Debuting on April 26 ahead of Mother’s Day, the “Birth Of Mother” collection is inspired by Italian artist Botticelli’s famous painting, The Birth of Venus, and “is a nod to women being born of nature and their sensuality, strength and allure.” The nine-piece capsule —  ranging in price from $120 to $480 — includes earrings, rings and necklaces featuring delicate organic pearls and set in sustainable 14k gold vermeil. See more at: people.com

If you know of any black Christian women bloggers and or writers, please e-mail me at jacqueline@afterthealtarcall.com as I’m always interested in expanding my community of black Christian women blog, magazines and websites. As I noted before, while this is a roundup of interesting blog posts and or magazine and newspaper articles for black Christian women, you don’t have to be one to appreciate these pieces  🙂.

Any thoughts?

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‘The Water Man,’ a Film by David Oyelowo, Hits Theaters Sat. May 7th!

Hello World,

Watch an All-New Adventure Drama THE WATER MAN in theaters only on Friday, May 7! THE WATER MAN, a new film by David Oyelowo, stars David Oyelowo, Rosario Dawson, Lonnie Chavis, Amiah Miller, Alfred Molina and Mario Bello.

Below is the synopsis:

In THE WATER MAN, Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) and his mother (Rosario Dawson) share a special bond, but when his mom’s illness worsens, he disappears into stacks of books on both science and the supernatural in search of possible cures. After learning about the mythic Water Man, who may carry the secret to everlasting life, Gunner and his rebellious friend Jo (Amiah Miller) go on a quest into the Water Man’s mysterious forest. Facing challenges and dangers they never imagined, the friends’ hope for rescue lies with Gunner’s father (David Oyelowo), who must immerse himself in his son’s world to follow the clues that will lead him to the kids and put his family back together.
Check out the trailer:

I interviewed David Oyelowo when he starred in the movie Captive. If you’re interested in the interview, check it out HERE (audio & written).

Any thoughts?

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Iyanla, Fix My Life, Season 8, Episode 4: ‘Taking Care of Business, Losing in Love’ Recap

Hello World,

Nearly twelve years ago, December 2009 to be exact, I saw an ABC News Nightline report “Single, Black, Female–and Plenty of Company” that rendered me, a single black female at the time, hopeless although I didn’t want to admit it at first.  Firstly, Linsey Davis reported that 42 percent of black women have never been married. She added that black women outnumber black men by 1.8 million. Finally, due to lack of a high school education, unemployment and incarceration, out of 100 black men, only 54 would be acceptable partners for black women. And then to demonstrate the difficulties of dating for black women, Davis interviewed four successful and beautiful black women living in metro Atlanta.

This report rendered me so hopeless, it took me about two weeks to respond. And when I did respond, in a post I angrily titled “Alert: Black Men Are Officially On the Endangered Species List and other useless propaganda…,” I wrote these words:

I had composed what I thought was an eloquent, sociological diatribe of a post about the ABC Nightline piece that aired last month about black women, particularly those living in Atlanta, and their inability to find mates due to the shortage of black men…But since this is the Internet and in the interest of self-preservation, I thought better of it…

And now I don’t feel like sugar coating what I originally said…

Babay, thankfully 36-year-old Jackie was smart enough to know that she didn’t need to unleash her avalanche of emotions in a response on the everlasting Internet. But I eventually did, 10 years later, in December 2019 in the format of a novel. Below is short version of the synopsis of Destination Wedding:

Successful best friends in Atlanta believe they are thriving. But when an ABC News Nightline report reveals that 42% of black women have never been married, the friends resolve to defy the sad statistic and marry in a year: project Destination Wedding is born. Only love is not an experiment easily confined to a timetable.

Although my novel was released 10 years after the original air date, I knew the premise of the report was still relevant, and the latest Atlanta-based episode of Iyanla, Fix My Life is proof of that. Here is a summary of last night’s episode “Taking Care of Business, Losing in Love.”

Four female friends who are at the top of their game in their careers seek Iyanla’s help to figure out why their romantic relationships always seem to fail. They soon discover that old wounds from the past are creating blocks for the future.

Below is an excerpt of the Rolling Out article “Iyanla Vanzant offers a reality check for sistas getting the bag but no love” which provided a preview of the episode:

There is an ongoing narrative that successful Black women often come up short in matters of the heart. Atlanta is legendary for its excess supply of beautiful, successful, single women and its deficit of equally successful single Black men. Radio personality Shyneka Richardson is an industry staple with one of the most recognizable brands in urban radio. While her career continued to elevate, Richardson realized her love life was the exact opposite. After ending a particularly toxic relationship, she decided she needed help. She reached out to three successful media colleagues experiencing similar difficulties in relation to their love lives. Rolling out‘s Christal Jordan, DJ Traci Steele and radio personality Erin Rae, joined Richardson for a therapeutic weekend with OWN’s bestselling author, life coach and relational guru Iyanla Vanzant. 

Although the episode didn’t delve into the shortage of black men, which is a very real factor, similarly to the ABC News Nightline report, the personal lives of the women were shared. And since this episode spanned two hours, rather than a minutes-long report, it was done in a much deeper way.  Before I get into this recap, I want to commend these four women for sharing so much themselves, I believe that what Iyanla said is true. Their testimonies will be helpful to women who share their struggles, but I sure couldn’t have done it! (That’s why I shared my business in the form of fiction. Some of the story is very true, but you have to figure what is true for yourself. LOL)

The first thing Iyanla did was ask them to pick personas, descriptions written on placards, they believe represent who they are in their professional lives and corresponding wigs. Shyneka picked “The Power Broker,” Christal picked “The Boss Lady,” Traci picked “The Boss Lady” and Erin picked “The Media Mogul.”

She also asked them why they were there. Shyneka said, “I’m tired of making the same mistakes over and over again…The reason I’m here is because I’m tired of being used. I’m lost at what it is I’m doing wrong.” Erin said, “I want to take accountability for my actions, but I’m not sure what to do.” Christal said, “I fail at relationships…I failed at relationships so I stopped.” Traci said, “I’ve never been in a healthy relationship.”

Iyanla then held up cards with words on them that may be used to describe them including “b&!ch,” “diva,” “demanding, “man eater.” She explained to them these kind of descriptions make it difficult to be in relationships, even with themselves. After arranging them in age order to demonstrate how black women should be modeling professionally and personally for those who come after us, Iyanla explained that she is not “is not my sister’s keeper. I am my sister.”

Each of them shared about previous relationships that impact who they are today. Shyneka’s parents were married when they moved to Georgia to pursue their dreams, and when their dreams started to be realized, their relationship fell apart. Iyanla noted that Shyneka likely came away from that experience believing to be powerful in the world means your relationship will fall apart. Additionally, she just came out of a seven-year relationship that didn’t result in marriage although they got engaged after their first year together. Additionally, she was responsible for his child although she doesn’t want children. And she suffered through an ectopic pregnancy as well. Later on in the show, she shared that she had been sexually abused. Iyanla referred to her as a “power broker that gets taken advantage of.”

Christal told Iyanla that she was divorced following an 11-year-marriage that dissolved after she became ill with ovarian cancer and her ex-husband lost his job. Following the divorce, she put everything into her children and career. She shared that her father was absent for much of her childhood. She saw him when she was 12 years old after not having seen him since she was four. Prior to seeing him as a preteen, she worked on her skin and made straight A’s to be on honor roll to earn his affection. But her efforts weren’t enough to keep him in her life.

Traci, who shares my Jamaican heritage, unfortunately has no relationship with her Jamaican mother. Iyanla noted that Caribbean people are known for not showing emotion which is true. Caribbean people, while we are known for our celebratory music such as reggae, are stoic when it comes to showing sadness. She explained that her mother’s husband just left one day, and his absence was never truly explained to her. In Traci’s last relationship, she lived with a man for two years and kicked him out when he cheated on her with a stripper. She also told Iyanla doesn’t mind fighting physically and otherwise although inside she’s a “scared little girl.” According to her, her mother brought in various men into the household and that she wasn’t protected. As a result, she’s been “fighting ever since.”

Erin said she’s never seen her mother, who had her at 15 years old, in a relationship. Additionally, they are estranged at the moment. Erin met her last boyfriend on Instagram. They were together for almost two years, but the relationship was unstable as he didn’t hesitate to kick her out of his apartment. And she would move back in with him when he changed his mind.

Iyanla took them through various exercises including having a tea party, wearing boxing gloves and more in which they explored how their past personal lives impact their current personal lives. She said the four women are actually the same woman with “different manifestations of the same issue.” She explained that in order for their romantic lives to be different, they have to be different because they are broken women with broken hearts who actually don’t know how to be women. “We know how to be men in skirts.” She told them they attracted men “who followed their light.” “If you are barely lit and dimly glowing at the time you brought him home, don’t get upset with him. Up your wattage.”

At the conclusion of the episode, Iyanla held a retirement party for their previous personas and gave them different personas that she feels describes who they should be going forward. “The Healer” was given to Christal, who was the oldest in the group. Traci, the next oldest, was given “The Warrior.” Shyneka was given “The Mentor” while Erin was given “The Princess.” Since the episode, Christal is now in a “healthy and happy relationship” that is leading to wedding bells. In fact, she shared a couple of photos of her and her fiancé on her Facebook page, and they are to be married on October 4, 2021! Traci is focusing on her inner warrior and is not ready to date right now. Shyneka is in new relationship with an old friend.  And Erin admits she is still dating the wrong guys but is trying to manifest better men in her life.

Again, I applaud them for their honesty and vulnerability especially when you consider these poignant statements by Iyanla: “One of the things that I know as an Alpha woman because I’m an Alpha woman, I really am, but I’m in touch with the woman part, not just the Alpha part…Black women can be a lot of things, but we can’t be weak. We can be fat. We can be ashy. We can be broke. We can be a lot of things. But we cannot be weak. That’s our kryptonite. We’ve been taught that our feminine side, our soft side, our vulnerable side, our receptive side, our open side. We’ve been taught that that’s weakness.”

While I do believe there is a black male shortage in addition to socioeconomic issues that impact relationship prospects for black women, I also believe that we can take personal responsibility for inner issues that likely impact how we navigate relationships as well. And I find it gratifying that two of my Destination Wedding main characters Jarena, an entertainment publicist, and Mimi, a radio deejay, were similar to these women in how they had to unpack their inner issues in order to impact their personal lives. This episode “Taking Care of Business, Losing in Love” of Iyanla, Fix My Life lets me know that what I wrote can be helpful to women in similar situations…

Below is a snippet from the show:

Any thoughts?