Couture lifestyle magazine july 2015

COUTURELIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE, FASHION, FINANCE, HEALTH.

JUNE/JULY 2015

COUTURE

FASHION SHOOTING IN CHARLESTON

SUPREME COURT RULING YES YOU CAN MARRY

BET AWARDS

Images and Diddy Falls!

TEXAS MINISTER SUICIDE OR MARTYR?

OBAMA

PASTOR IN CHIEF

4420 Cypress Creek Parkway, Suite 122 Houston TX 77068 or Shop online at www.bb-sexy-couture.myshopify.com

GREETINGS COUTURE LIFESTYLE READERS, Summer is here Couture Readers!

There have been so many items happening in our world, so in this issue we make space for the items of the day that need to be addressed. First, before we go any further, let us all take a moment to mourn and celebrate the lives of the nine murdered victims in Charleston South Carolina: Reverend Clementa Pinckney, Cynthia Hurd, Rev. Sharonda Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lance, Myra Thompson, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, and Reverend Daniel Simmons. The loss of their lives was tragic, but from tragedy we can find hope. Race related incidents and police brutality has been escalating in recent years. The subjects are often treated as taboo, and sensationalist. Here today, gone tomorrow when the next big storm blows in. Yet the white establishment chooses to condemn and crucify those who tackle it head on. COUTURE LIFESTYLE is here to address the difficult issues and not run away. Though we always try to be politically correct, there is a time for absolute unapologetic brutal honesty, and that time is now my friends. Take down the Confederate Flag as it is a symbol of oppression, murder, confinement, rape of an entire race, and yes slavery.

It’s also time to celebrate for our alternative lifestyle brothers and sisters. The Supreme Court ruling makes it legal for them to marry.

Like it or not they are humans with the right to love and live their lives the way they want. Perhaps it’s contrary to your belief system, but turn the clock back to 1967 and it was illegal for interracial couples to marry as well. Times change, laws change and people evolve. Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. (Matthew 7:1-3).

Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner is quickly evolving into more than just a cross dressing transgender bending rich person. She is becoming the face of the transgender movement, and subsequently the LBGT community. Fair or not fair on calling her a hero? You decide.

Music. In this issue we shed a little light on the BET Awards. As we look at deteriorating race relations in this county BET (Black Entertainment Television) has a greater responsibility provide positive images and influences. A good start would be to bring back the BET Awards at the level Mr. Johnson once had them at instead of casual day in the park.

Fashion. Photography. Models, and much more! As always we want to evolve and share with you. Likewise we always want you to share with us. Feel free to drop us a note on Facebook at Couture Lifestyle Magazine, or email us at couturelifestylemagazine2014@ gmail.com.

Betty Driver

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CONTENTS

05

BRUCE JENNER’S EVOLUTION INTO CAITLYN

07

FASHION FORWARD LADIES

09

RACHEL DOLEZAL

02

TEXAS MINISTER SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE

15

EXAMINING WHO AMERICA IS...

17

JULY’S COVER FEATURES

23

A LA CARTE MODELS

32

PRESIDENT OBAMA, PASTOR IN CHIEF

34

PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT: FERRELL PHELPS

35

MAKEUP BY MAGO

36

TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL DEFIES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE RULING

38

BET AWARDS

THE COUTURE TEAM

NOTE FROM EDITOR

Tammy Thompson Creative Director

Betty Driver Editor in Chief

BRUCE JENNER’S EVOLUTION INTO CAITLYN,

GENDER REASSIGNMENT IN MAINSTREAM AMERICA

At this stage we all know and most don’t care that Bruce Jenner has Transformed into Caitlyn Jenner Over the course of the last month there have been so many newsworthy events that have superceeded our obsession with the subject of Bruce/Cait but it’s apparent that she isn’t going anywhere and the images of her will only continue. Caitlynn Jenner has a new show that will air on E! titled Call me Cait.

Jenner recently spoke with Vanity Fair about his journey into “Cait”.

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Vanity Fair released new quotes and video from its interview with Caitlyn Jenner, in which she describes how her life as Bruce was hell.

In the new excerpts, Jenner also talks about people liking Caitlyn more than they like Bruce, the importance she placed on her presentation when she came out as Caitlyn, and reaching out to her transgender fans.

Here are some highlights.

On the relief in finally becoming her authentic self: “Bruce would wear, you know, sweatshirts with hoods on them so paparazzi can’t get pictures and all that kind of crap, and I didn’t want them to see if my fingernails were polished or, you know, on and on and on. It was just hell. To be able to wake up in the morning, be yourself,

get dressed, get ready to go out, and just be like a normal person. That’s a wonderful feeling to go through life.

I’ve never been able to do that; it’s always been confusion, it’s always been, you know, I’ve got one side [with] boy clothes, the other side’s women’s clothes. It’s like I cleaned the whole closet out—the boys stuff is gone, O.K.?”

On people liking Caitlyn more than Bruce: “[My mother and I] had a conversation the other day, we were talking about a lot of things, and, you know, she goes, ‘You know what, I think I can have a better relationship with Caitlyn than I can with Bruce,’ because we’ve always had a little tension in our relationship throughout

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the years.... Even Mark, who is the producer on [Diane Sawyer’s] piece, says, ‘Well, I had breakfast with Reese Witherspoon this morning and she couldn’t stop talking about you.

All she wants to do is meet you.’ She never wanted to meet Bruce, you know, but Caitlyn it is.”

On the importance she placed on her presentation: “I was always worried—you never wanted to look like a guy in drag, you never wanted to look like a guy in a dress, O.K. If you’re going to do that, come out, you really have to look the part. You have to look very feminine, you have to be able to, what I call my presentation is extremely important because it puts people at ease. And if you can

do that, O.K., people are at ease, they’re just comfortable being around you.”

Well Cait-Yes you are far more interesting than Bruce! America is interested in this because of the star status our former Olympian and Wheaties Box worthy athlete garnered years ago. It is important for America-Black America especially to remember that Bruce/ Cait is not the first gender reassignment in history. Quite honestly, the transformation is quite remarkable as many thought Caitlyn would be less attractive. In the months to come, I’m sure America will continue to watch what Caitlyn does next.

On the minds of most…Who will she date?!

FASHION FORWARD LADIES

Rhianna

Naomi Campbell

Michelle Obama

Kim Kardashian

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Rachel Dolezal

Serial Liar But Most People Don’t Seem to Care Rachel Dolezal’s story made a big splash a couple of weeks ago, but now in the wake of several other racial injustices, her choice to be black just doesn’t seem important.

• In an interview from earlier this year, Rachel Dolezal repeatedly lies about her family • She claims her father is a black man who was forced to flee the Deep South after assaulting a police officer • She also claims he was in the Marines for 24 years and there were three attempts on his life by white subordinates

BY CHRIS SPARGO FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

A newly uncovered Rachel Dolezal interview shows just how far the NAACP leader went in deceiving people into believing she was a black woman.

The interview, from earlier this year, has Dolezal sharing stories about her black family, including one in which she details her father’s ‘exodus’ from the Deep South after he assaulted a police officer.

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She goes on to claim he became a cop himself in San Diego after also serving in the Marines.

‘My dad’s exodus, the great migration to the North from the Deep South where they left on the midnight train because a white officer harassed and threatened to, was about ready to, beat his dad with a billy club and he whipped around and actually slapped

the officer to his knees,’ Dolezal said while being interviewed by Taylor Weech for a podcast of her father’s journey.’

‘They got out of town on the midnight train because as a black family in the deep south if you had any kind of a negative altercation with a white cop where you stood up for yourself it was gonna go badly for you.’

Speaking for myself, as an AfricanAmerican woman, I know how important it is to my students -- even though it is not my intention -- that I am a role model, again whether I want to be or not,”said Nyasha Junior, an assistant professor of religious studies at Temple University who’s been following the Dolezal case.

“People want to hear my story and celebrate my success because they see an African-American woman in the front of the classroom, which is something you don’t see very often, certainly not in a university setting.”

So for someone to be pretending to be a black woman in the way that Dolezal appears to have done -- changing her hair and darkening her skin to adopt a number of “stereotypical” features of African-American women -- Junior said, “from an educational perspective, it feels like mimicry. Not what you would expect from an educator having a certain level of appreciation and respect for her subject matter or material or her students, even.”

Leslie Bow, a professor of English and Asian-American studies at the University of Wisconsin at Madison who has written about transracialism, said Dolezal didn’t seem to be transracial -- a concept she said has

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been most commonly invoked in terms of adoption, such as when white parents adopt children of color -- as some have claimed. (Bow also has argued that transracialism indicates a kind of “social betweenness,” such as Asians being treated as black or white under segregation.) Rather, Dolezal was “passing” as black, she said. And while the issue is highly complex, Dolezal’s actions amounted to “misrepresentation, particularly to her students.”

Bow called that an “ethical lapse.”

Moreover, she said, Dolezal’s “taking the place of faculty of color by allowing her colleagues to assume that she’s black. With [faculty diversity figures] being as they are in academia, that’s an issue to me.”

Dolezal’s narrative -- apparently that she is part black, white and

Native American -- began to unravel following local police and journalism investigations into several hate crimes she reported against her. Soon, Dolezal’s parents -- from whom she is reportedly estranged, and whom she has accused of physical abuse -- were giving national media interviews, saying their daughter was in fact white. As proof, they produced a birth certificate and photographs of their daughter with straight, blond hair.

That conflicted with Dolezal’s previous claims that her father was black.

On to more pressing matters: Who Cares!! If this woman wants to be black..Let her! Wendy Williams is quoted as saying she finds her fascinating…So does the editor of Couture Lifestyle Magazine!

POLITICS AND RELIGION

TEXAS MINISTER SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE A Texas minister set himself on fire and died to ‘inspire’ justice…

Martyr or Disturbed Mental Case?

By Lindsey Bever

79-year-old Charles Moore, a retired United Methodist minister, drove to Grand Saline, Tex., his childhood home town some 70 miles east of Dallas. He pulled into a strip mall parking lot, knelt down on a small piece of foam and doused himself with gasoline.

Then, witnesses said, he set himself on fire.

Bystanders rushed to help, splashing him with bottled water and beating the blaze with shirts. Finally, someone found a fire extinguisher. Unconscious, he was flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where JFK died.

Moore died that night, June 23.

Moore’s death seemed a mystery. He put a note on his car and left behind letters explaining his act, said a former colleague and relative by marriage, the Rev. Bill Renfro, but his writings were

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not released for nearly a week.

His thoughts are now becoming public.

The Tyler Morning Telegraph obtained a copy of the suicide note from Grand Saline police.

In it, Moore lamented past racism in Grand Saline and beyond.

He called on the community to repent and said he was “giving my body to be burned, with love in my heart” for those who were lynched in his home town as well as for those who did the lynching, hoping to address lingering racism.

In his letters, obtained by The Washington Post, he called his death an act of protest. He said he felt that after a lifetime of fighting for social justice, he needed to do more.

“I would much prefer to go on living and enjoy my beloved wife and grandchildren and

others,” he wrote, “but I have come to believe that only my self-immolation will get the attention of anybody and perhaps inspire some to higher service.”

Those who knew him call it a tragedy.

“It would have been nice to have had some sort of counseling, somebody to point out that his life had mattered, that he hadn’t failed,” Renfro told theUnited Methodist News Service. “He had done plenty.”

Moore had gone on a two-week hunger strike in the 1990s to move the United Methodist Church to remove discriminatory language against homosexuals. While working with the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, he stood vigil in front of George W. Bush’s governor’s mansion to protest more than 100 executions. He served

in the slums of India, Africa and the Middle East.

Moore had “a conviction that if the Bible stood for anything, it stood for radical inclusiveness,” the Rev. Sid Hall, a former colleague, told the Dallas Morning News. “If you ever were on the side of powerlessness, if you were ever on the margins yourself and were looking for someone to help you, Charles was the person.”

But for Moore, it wasn’t enough.

“I have no significant achievements to offer from that period so that my influence on contemporary issues might have a significant impact,” he wrote, “so I am laying down my life here today, in order to call attention to issues of great human concern.”

He seemed particularly disturbed by capital punishment, racial discrimination, prejudice against the LGBT community.

Since his death, some news accounts described him as a man who seemed troubled. One asked if he was a “madman or a martyr.”

But Moore seemed to anticipate the response.

“There is one thing I have absolute control over: that is, the manner of my death,” he wrote.

“History will decide whether my offering is worthy.”

Moore explained that his death was not an impulsive act, but one to which he had given great thought. Renfro told The Post

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that Moore left behind a copy of a New Yorker article entitled “Aflame.” It was about the Tibetan Buddhist monks’ protest of China’s domination of Tibet.

They, too, set themselves on fire.

“I’m not sure an act like that is as meaningful to other people as he thought it would be,” Renfro said. “I think he became convinced it was an act that would be essential to get the word out.

I wish I could have talked him out of it. … I just accept what he did and his reasons and, hopefully, they will have meaning and effect change.”

Moore grew up in Grand Saline, a town he said dripped with racial discrimination — a town the Ku Klux Klan called home.

In his letter, he seemed haunted by the past: “When I was about 10 years old, some friends and I were walking down the road toward the creek to catch some fish, when a man called ‘Uncle Billy’ stopped us and called us into his home for a drink of water — but his real purpose was to cheerily tell us about helping to kill ‘n—–s’ and put their heads up on a pole. A section of Grande Saline was (maybe still is) called ‘pole town,’ where the heads were displayed. It was years later before I knew what the name meant.”

It was this type of racial discrimination that Moore said haunted him.

“I will soon be eighty years old, and my heart is broken over this,” he wrote. “America (and

Grand Saline prominently) have never really repented for the atrocities of slavery and its aftermath. What my hometown needs to do is open its heart and its doors to black people, as a sign of the rejection of past sins. … So, at this late date, I have decided to join them by giving my body to be burned, with love in my heart not only for them but also for the perpetrators of such horror.”

Angi McPherson, who witnessed the self-immolation, told the Telegraph she has lived in the town all of her life and she knew there was still a racial divide.

“It’s not as big as it used to be, but it is here. It is everywhere,” she told the newspaper.

The town’s police chief, Larry Compton, told the Telegraph that the preacher’s death disturbed him in many ways.

Grand Saline “might have been that way in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s like a lot of places, but today we are a community of different ethnicities and racial makeups.”

Moore, of Allen, Tex., had a degree from Southern Methodist University and from the Perkins School of Theology at SMU. He served as a minister for half a century. When he retired, he received awards from Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, according to a biography provided by his family.

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EXAMINING WHO AMERICA IS...

THE TRAGEDY IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE DISCUSSION ON REMOVING THE CONFEDERATE FLAG

By Betty Driver, Editor in Chief

Bishop James Dixon on Community of Faith Church is quoted as saying “the tragedy in South Carolina has caused the nation to stand still. A young man 21 years old was filled with hate and is the product of their environment. We would not hang a flag in honor Sadaam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, or Adolph Hitler. Kill the banner because it is offensive, degrading, and represents oppression. Is the heritage of killings, raping, and oppression a history we really want to hold on to? The horrifying actions of the past week have been going on for years; it is time to address it correct it, and move on”.

The country’s history is more than the confederate flag. Innocent blood shed touches people of consciousness. On the evening of June 17, 2015, a mass shooting took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Nine people were shot and killed,

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including the Senior Pastor, State Senator Clementa Pinckney; a tenth person was shot and survived. The church is one of the United States’ oldest black churches and has long been a site for community organization around civil rights.

Police arrested a suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Dylann Roof, in Shelby, North Carolina the morning after the attack. The United States Department of Justice is investigating the possibility that the shooting was a hate crime or an act of domestic terrorism, among other motives.

Roof has been charged with nine counts of murder by the State of South Carolina. The state has a single degree of murder, and, if convicted, Roof would face a sentence of either death or thirty years to life in prison.

The 199-year-old church has played an important role in the history of South Carolina, including the slavery era, the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, The church was found-

ed in 1816 and it is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in the South, often referred to as “Mother Emanuel”. It is the oldest historically black congregation south of Baltimore. The current building dates from 1891.

The church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, had held rallies after the shooting of Walter Scott by a white police officer on April 4, 2015, in nearby North Charleston, and as a state senator, he pushed for legislation requiring police to wear body cameras Several observers noted a similarity between the massacre at Emanuel AME and the 1963 bombing of a politically active African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama, where the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) killed four black girls and injured fourteen others, an attack that galvanized the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

At around 9:05 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, the Charleston Police Department responded to calls of a shooting at Emanuel AME Church.

A man described as white, with sandy-blond hair, around 21 years old and 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) in height, wearing a gray sweatshirt and jeans, opened fire with a .45-caliber handgun on a group of people inside the church at a Bible study attended by Pinckney. The shooter then fled. The shooting was the largest mass murder at an American place of worship, alongside a 1991 mass shooting at a Buddhist temple in Waddell, Arizona.

For nearly an hour prior to the attack, the shooter had been present and participating in the Bible study. A total of thirteen people attended the Bible study, including the shooter. According to the accounts of people who talked to survivors, the shooter asked for Pinckney and sat down next to him, initially listening to others during the study.

He started to disagree when they began discussing Scripture. Eventually he stood up and pulled a gun from a fanny pack, aiming it at 87-year-old Susie Jackson. Jackson’s nephew, 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders, tried to talk him down and asked him why he was attacking churchgoers. The shooter responded, “I have to do it. You rape our women

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and you’re taking over our country. And you have to go.” When he expressed his intention to shoot everyone, Sanders dove in front of Jackson and was shot first. The suspect then shot the other victims, all the while shouting racial epithets. He also reportedly said, “Y’all want something to pray about? I’ll give you something to pray about.” He reloaded his gun five times. Sanders’ mother and his five-year-old niece, both attending the study, survived the shooting by pretending to be dead.

Dot Scott, president of the local branch of the NAACP, said she had heard from victims’ relatives that the shooter spared one woman so she could, according to him, tell other people what happened. He asked her, “Did I shoot you?” She replied, “No.” Then, he said, “Good, ‘cause we need someone to survive, because I’m gonna shoot myself, and you’ll be the only survivor.” According to the son of one of the victims, who spoke to that survivor, the shooter allegedly turned the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger, but only then discovered he was out of ammunition.

Before leaving the church, he reportedly “uttered a racially inflammatory statement” over the victims’ bodies.

The dead, six women and three men, were all African American. Eight died at the scene; the ninth, Daniel Simmons, died at a local hospital. They were all killed by multiple gunshots fired at close range.

One unidentified person was wounded but survived. Five individuals survived the shooting unharmed, including Felicia Sanders, mother of slain victim Tywanza Sanders, and her granddaughter, along with Polly Sheppard, a Bible study member.

Pinckney’s wife and daughter were also inside the building during the shooting.

The days and weeks following the shooting have been emotionally charged and have led to discussions on gun control, removal of the confederate flag from South Carolina’s state grounds, and race relations across the United States. America is in yet another state of evolution, it will be interesting to see where we go from here.

July’s Cover features 5 uniquely different ladies. Each woman has a different background and an individual story to match. Allow Couture Lifestyle to introduce you to all 5 of them. Photography Courtesy of Ferrell Phelps Photography, Fashions Courtesy of BB Sexy Couture. Makeup by Mago, Margarita Alejo. Set Design courtesy of Tammy Thompson,

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Meet Super-Mom Melody Blackwood If there is a such thing as balancing it all this super mom and Super Model has it down packed! Melody is 31 years of age, and stands at 5ft 11inches. She is a mother of 3 that’s been married for nearly 5 years. Her body is outstanding, and she defies the idea that motherhood damages a woman’s body.

Melody is a certified teacher of Algebra 1, is the assistant director of a childcare center, owns a commercial trucking company with her husband, and is co-owner of a real estate and property management company. She’s also taken the time to author two books: Finding Her and Finding Him. Perhaps Melodie’s time management skills come from her background mechanical and bio-engineering. Melodie’s undergraduate studies were in mechanical engineering, and her graduate degree is in Bio Engineering. Both degrees were earned from Leigh High University in Bethlehem, PA. Her hobbies include reading, youth outreach, sports, modeling, and writing. She is definitely a “Couture Woman of distinction”.

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Meet Aspiring Model and Student Jenna Marie Bracewell.

Jenna was the youngest on our set at only 16 year of age. Despite her age, Jenna’s maturity level is that of an old soul. She’s professional and carries herself well. Jenna is a junior in school, that has spent some time in Los Angeles doing acting. Modeling is her passion, and she does it exceptionally well. She’s versatile on the runway and in print. Jenna aspires to have a career in fashion design and merchandising. This young woman’s dedication to her craft is obvious; she’s already in her 3rd year of fashion design school.

Her hobbies include competitive swimming, and percussion. For bookings contact Global 1 models of Los Angeles (213) 217-4450.

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Meet C. Cressy Ms. Cressy is 24 years of age and stands 5feet 7 inches tall. Ms. Cressy graduated high school in Tempe Arizona and is currently pursuing a career as a pharmacy tech. Ms. Cressy has an eclectic since of style that transcends into her choices in music and fashion. Her interests include modeling and alternative music. Her goal upon completion of her studies is to pursue a career with an alternative band! Her thoughts on the current state of the music industry is that it lacks true artistic creativity. “Everyone sounds like everybody else”. She has the potential to be a triple threat! Runway, Print, and song! Her feelings on current social issues is that we are all one, so let’s act like it! She is signed with A La Carte Modeling Agency. For bookings call 832-951-7423.

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Meet Jessica Renee Best Jessica is a powerhouse! At age 23 Jessica stands 5feet 10inches. Jessica’s story is unique and we find her fascinating. She was born to a drug addicted mother and has been on her own since the age of 16. She’s lived in a car, in and out of hotels, and worked multiple jobs to support her-self. Yet her integrity remains intact. Jessica took dual credit classes in High School and played soft ball. She’s currently enrolled Lone Star College pursuing her associates on Arts in Pre-School Education. After completing her studies, Jessica will pursue a career in Acting in California. She has some interesting thoughts on the industry: Natural looks and Natural beauty are preferred to plastic. For that reason she will not be doing any types of plastic surgeries. Her thoughts on many of the issues plaguing society are liberal, but with a conservative edge. She is signed with A La Carte Models of Houston TX. For bookings call D. Lewis at 832-951-7423

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Meet Shaniqua Martin Shaniqua is 23 years old, is the mother of 1 and stands at 5 feet 11 inches tall. Ms. Martin is also the talent coordinator for A La Carte Models. Ms. Martin has been modeling for the last 4 years and has appeared in several runway shows and completed multiple print media ads. Shaniqua’s versatile and unusual looks make her an icon of style in the making.

Her long lines and slender physique have earned her a recurring spot in many fashion shows. Her aspiration is to continue modeling and advance up the ranks into talent scouting, show production, and agency management. Her strong faith in God and belief in humanity towards others keeps her grounded. She also believes that true beauty comes from within. With regards to some of the “drama” that surrounds the industry, Ms. Martin stays clear of it and continues to strive harder for the next opportunity.

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A LA CARTE MODELS

A La Carte Modeling and Staffing Agency features a menu of models to fit any organizations needs. Our roster of models is always expanding, which helps us to meet our clients needs. We represent talent from all ethnicities, sizes, gender, and children. Our areas of specialty promotional work, print, branding, commercial, acting or runway. All of our models are have been trained, certified and possess the utmost professionalism, with a “diamond in the rough quality�. Beauty is portrayed from the inside out, and as long as you have passion and can empower others you can be successful. A La Carte is conveniently located at 507 N Sam Houston Prkwy E Houston TX 77060 Co-founder: Donna Lewis Scouting and Booking Director: Shaniqua Martin Business Phone: 832-951-7423 Facebook: A La Carte Models & Designers Staffing Facebook: Donna Lewis

Facebook: Shaniqua Martin Instagram: @a_la_carte_model Instagram: @shaniqua_vs_shaniqua Photographers: Roderick Lightfoot, Bruce Bell Media Kids photography: Gerrale Anthony Photography

Paula Dunn

CeCe

Brandi Harris 23 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

phirethadiva@gmail.com Instagram: @phirethadiva

Lenton Allen

Savanah Kiser

CeCe

Chirena Coleman 24 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Eric Lee

phirethadiva@gmail.com Instagram: @phirethadiva

Essence Hughes Berry

Victoria Gnbenjo

CeCe

Courtney Singleterry 25 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Roxanne Smith

phirethadiva@gmail.com Instagram: @phirethadiva

Zoe McCledon

Ma`Kyah Price 26 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Brooke Byrne

Taleka Anderson

Solomon Joshua

Andre Notice

Jackson Graham

Cherilee Davis 27 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Asahele Benford

Brittany Dougal 28 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Olivia Johnson

CC Sutton

Deon Byrnes

Janeze Murray

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Doris Asumu

Jessica Best

Kirk Fitshugh

Noemi Obono-Esono 30 | COUTURE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Leininey Mills

Shaniqua Martin

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President Obama

THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AND PASTOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama delivered a touching eulogy, a rousing political speech and a thoughtful meditation on race in America when he traveled to Charleston, South Carolina to speak at the funeral of the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was gunned down last week by a racist terrorist during Bible study.

But the President’s speech will be remembered for a moment at the end when he launched into a solo of “Amazing Grace,” that at first stunned the mourners and then brought them to their feet as they joined him in song.

REMEMBERING SEN. CLEMENTA PINCKNEY “As a nation out of this terrible tragedy, God has visited grace upon us for he has allowed us to see where we’ve been blind,” Obama said. “He’s given us the chance where we’ve been lost to find our best selves.”

The President’s remarks at times felt like a sermon, with organ chords backing him during some of the most impassioned passages. The mostly African-American crowd was, at the end of the eulogy, on its feet, clapping and cheering Obama as he named each victim of the church shooting and declaring each “had grace.”

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The President, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, a bipartisan host of high-level members of Congress and Hillary Clinton all attended the memorial service at TD Arena in downtown Charleston. A 21-year-old man opened fire at a Bible study inside Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, killing nine.

The shooter declared he was there to “kill black people,” and an online manifesto attributed to him contained white supremacist screeds.

Obama, in his eulogy, said the killer likely assumed he “would deepen divisions that trace back to our nation’s original sin.”

“But God works in mysterious ways,” Obama said. “God had different ideas. He didn’t know he was being used by God.” “The alleged killer could have never anticipated the way the families of the fallen would respond when they saw him in court in the midst of unspeakable grief, with words of forgiveness,” Obama said.

He declared the Confederate flag a symbol of racial oppression, and praised the renewed urgency in removing it from the South Carolina State Capitol.

wasn’t the first time Obama delivered a high-profile eulogy, and with a year and a half remaining in office, it may not be the last.

The country, he argued, has responded to the church shooting “with a thoughtful introspection and self-examination that we so rarely see in public life.”

The funeral service for Pinckney

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Obama’s speech moved beyond just grief for the victims -- the President stepped directly into a national conversation about race in which he plays a central role.

He declared the Confederate flag a symbol of racial oppression, and praised the renewed urgency in removing it from the South Carolina State Capitol.

“Removing the flag from this state’s capital would not be an act of political correctness,” he said.

“It would not an insult to the valor of Confederate soldiers. It would simply be acknowledgment that the cause for which they fought, the cause of slavery, was wrong.”

The moving Eulogy, the rendition of Amazing Grace and the Supreme Court ruling on Same Sex Marriage all in the same week will undoubtedly go down as one of the defining weeks of his entire Presidency.

PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT

Ferrell Phelps A walk into the studio of Ferrell Phelps is like walking into a magical whimsical escapade of photography, literary works, and film. Ferrell’s Photography has been in business for over 20 years. Gazing upon Ferrell’s walls is like a who’s who of local and national celebrity. Ferrell has photographed many legends of sports, music, art, religion, and film. What’s more interesting are his catalogues of everyday individuals and models he has photographed over his long career. His creative art is museum worthy; and some pieces have been featured in art galleries and exhibitions. Born a native Houstonian and traveling the United States, Phelps has had the pleasure of working with music legends such as

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Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams, Kelly Price and a Young Beyonce Knowles and the group Destiny’s Child just to name a few.

In Fact, some of Destiny’s Child Gold CD’s and plaques are on display in the studio. Images of a young Beyonce, Kelly, LaTavia, and Latoya can be spotted around the studio. There is far more to Mr. Phelps than meets the eye. He’s also the host of Let’s Talk It, The Ferrell Phelps Show an author, and is currently working on a project to restore and maintain a historical area of Houston. For more information on Ferrell’s Photography please visit www.ferrellphelps. com or call 281-586-0600.

Meet Couture Lifestyle Magazine Makeup Artist Margarita Alejal

MAKEUP BY MAGO Margarita is 34 years old and is a self taught make-up artist that’s been in the industry for more than 5 years. Margarita is a graduate of Lamar High School in Rosenberg TX. Her credits are long. Her make-up looks have appeared in Michael Jefferson’s Fashion is Everything shows, Diva Day ,2013, 2014, 2015, BB Sexy Couture’s Spring Show 2015, Mercedes Benz North Fashion show with Young Houston Magazine 2015, The International Bridal Show 2014, Beauty and Courage Fashion Show, Jam Source Magazine Covers and many more! Margarita comes out on location and is affordably priced. She uses a plethora of cosmetic choices including LAMIK cosmetics and has a color palette that will compliment any pigmentation and hues. If you have an event or just need a girls night out or in call Margarita and she will come out to beat your face!

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Texas Attorney General Defies Same-Sex Marriage Ruling COUNTY CLERKS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO ISSUE MARRIAGE LICENSES TO SAME-SEX COUPLES In defiance of the Supreme Court decision guaranteeing same-sex couples the right to wed nationwide, Texas’ attorney general recently said that county clerks can refuse to issue marriage licenses to samesex couples if they object on religious grounds.

Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in his own landmark decision struck down state laws that forbid marriage between same-sex couples.

The “right to marry” is a fundamental freedom, Kennedy said.

Only the barest majority on the court agreed, however.

The case was decided 5 to 4, and Kennedy’s opinion drew a stinging retort from the current chief justice, who accused the court of “stealing this issue from the people.”

“Just who do we think we are?”

John G. Roberts Jr. demanded.

By 2013, when the Supreme Court took up a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, about half of the Americans surveyed said they supported same-sex marriage.

Again, Kennedy spoke for a

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5-4 majority to strike down the federal ban on benefits for same-sex couples, but he did not say there was a constitutional right to marry.

When the issue returned this spring, judges across the country had struck down bans on same-sex marriage, and more than 60% of the public voiced support.

The court remains closely divided. Along with Roberts, Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. said the court had no business deciding the issue.

The question is “not about whether, in my judgment, the institution of marriage should be changed to include samesex couples. It is instead about whether, in our democratic republic, that decision should rest with the people acting through their elected representatives, or with the five lawyers” who serve on the high court, Roberts said.

“Friday, the United States Supreme Court again ignored the text and spirit of the Con-

stitution to manufacture a right that simply does not exist,” Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a formal opionion. “Texas must speak with one voice against this lawlessness.”

Paxton said that religious freedom clauses in state and federal constitutions and statues would protect clerks who refuse to issue marriage licenses. He pointed to the majority opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges case decided on Friday that recognizes there may be some religious liberty protections.

Clerks who refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples could be sued, Paxton said, but “numerous lawyers stand ready to assist clerks defending their religious beliefs,” often without charge.

Texas and several other southern states and counties will most likely continue to fight the supreme court ruling. Harris County in particular will most likely uphold the ruling as Houston’s current may Anise Parker is openly gay.

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BET Awards WHEN DID THE SHOW BECOME THE CASUAL FRIDAY OF AWARDS SHOWS BET, you are the Mecca of Music and pop culture, so it is time to step up your game! Far too many of the night’s brightest stars performances and fashion seemed lackluster at best.

Brief Recap: Tamar..Really? K Michelle…Did a stylist work with you? If yes, fire them!

Rihanna you were OK but we expected much more. You dress better than that going to the club.

fell over while performing. One more note on Diddy…When you are in the presence of an icon, a living legend in your industry you hold his or her award with dignity and grace. Tweeting and Instagramming that you felt like your were holding your mama’s purse was crass and downright disrespectful.

(Diddy Held Smokey Robinson’s Award and later made comments on Instagram)

Since we are on the subject, Diddy! What happened…Calm yourself down…you’ve aged a bit and can’t move around as much! In all seriousness though, the return was otherwise very good!

Hosts Anthony Anderson and Tracie Ellis-Ross scored a 2 out of 10. Not funny at all! Tracie Ellis-Ross You are a direct descendant of Diana Ross. Your mother is a major style icon of African American Fashion, and International Fashion. She would never be seen, or photographed as you were. What happened to your diva points? Your exodus from Girlfriends seems to have made you lose your concept of style!

P Diddy’s first awards appearance since his arrest for assault last week was made memorable for the wrong reasons when he

And Finally Nicki Minaj…You were clearly not feeling yourself on the red carpet or your performance gear! Your red carpet

Lil Kim..Your red carpet look sucked but your performance was on point when you emerged from the same hole Diddy fell in.

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look was OK at best, but your performance clothing looked very “simple” You’ve done much better. Furthermore, your attitude, lack of preparation and disrespect for the viewers who are responsible for you receiving the award is vile. Perhaps your publicist and stylist teams should be reprimanded, but you as the artist simply need to step your game up.

Now on the positive side, Smokey Robinson, Tom Joyner, Ciara, and Janet Jackson were full of grace, sophistication, style and elegance that fit the occasion. Breezy (aka Chris Brown) delivered an outstanding performance full of energy that engaged the crowd. It was obvious he put a lot of preparation into the performance.

For future shows, Ms. Debra Lee and the BET management team might suggest that the “stars” do a better job and the show producers may want to take notes from the producers of other award shows. Just my thoughts.

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COUTURE LIFESTYLE MEMBERSHIP PACKAGE Welcome to Couture Lifestyle Magazine!

The mission of Couture Lifestyle Magazine is to empower the readers and participants by giving a voice to up and coming business owners who may have otherwise been overlooked. The magazine’s aim is also to strengthen the community through the economic growth of those businesses. Core areas of focus are fashion, finance, travel, art, and healthcare. The preview issue will feature 7 upcoming women in Houston, and some of the hottest venues including restaurants, clubs, and hotels.

The magazine will be printed quarterly and online monthly.

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Requirements for Couture Memberships • We are a group of collective business owners and professionals, and as such let’s protect each other’s brands • Demonstrate moral and ethical standards in public • Demonstrate leadership skills • Empowering and helping others • Participation in events • Support group members events when possible • When possible refer potential clients to the group for services offered by yourself or other members of the group

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