July 2016 issue by Sista's Keeper Magazine

Sista’s Keeper

I AM my Sista’s Keeper

July 2016 Vol. 4, Issue 6

Brave Issue

Spotlight: Simone Biles & Gabrielle Douglas* Plus: What Being Brave Means* Be Your OWN Hero*

Class of 2016* Sistas To Watch in the 2016 Olympics* Social Wellness Month

This issue is INTERACTIVE!!!!! (Just click on pictures & titles with a * )

Skai Jackson This 14-year-old actress is NOT afraid to defend herself

In This Issue

Spotlight: Olympic sistas Gabrielle Jordan & Simone Biles Entertainment

Brave Characters We LOVE

Sistas In the Olympics 38

College Bound: Class of 2016

In this feature, we highlight sistas who have graduated high school

College Prep Timeline 40

On The Cover (left) Disney actress Skai Jackson started has been in the entertainment business all her life and is learning to handle growing up in the spotlight and dealing with what that comes with. July 2016

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Promotions/Giveaways “Like” us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter for more info!

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Sista’s Keeper Vol. 3, Issue 3 Owner/Founding Editor/Publisher LaPorsha Lowry Managing Editor Erik Veal Editor At Large Tanisha Fordham Editorial Assistant Taylor Means Programs/Events Assistant Day’Quan Crawford Contributing Editors Alexis Knight Ife Presswood De’Shauna Selby Jamiya Turns Special Thanks Kim Sexton-Lewter Herb & Felicia Gray Cheryl Richardson Randi Blakeney Brandy Boyce Fox Kelly Leonardt-Phoenix Thelma Sanders Stacie Bailey Ashley Reid Chukwuemeka Anazia Brittany Salter Jesse Lowry (Jr.) Trumaine McCaskill Evan Summerville Greg E. Hill Daniel Lee Lowry Dottie Benjamin Terri Long Darie Wilson Antionette Cody

I AM my Sista’s Keeper

In Every Issue

Health

Promotions & Giveaways

Beauty Beauty Olympics Relationships

Beauty Fight The Frizz

Spend Time With Dad

Furaha

18 20

Entertainment Brave Women in Entertainment Fashion Go For The Fashion GOLD

Health Social Wellness

What does being “brave” mean?

Ndege

Be Your OWN Hero

Black Women In History 44 Harriet Tubman July 2016

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July/

Calendar

August 2016

What’s going on and what to do this month

Meet Our Staff Tanisha Fordham

TaNisha is a wife, daughter, friend, sun-child, cycling enthusiast, teacher, smoothie lover, artist, free spirit and starting player on Team Jesus. As the Founder and Creative Director of The Light Space and Enlightened Visions, Inc. she enjoys creating original, edgy, Christian inspired content across nearly every creative platform: films, plays, music, books and any other medium she can put her hands on. To her, “Only what we do for Christ will last.” And that which we do for Christ should

Ife Michelle

Event: At The Well Young Women’s Leadership Academy Date: July 24-August 5, 2016 Place: The Friend Center, Princeton University Princeton, NJ At The Well Young Women’s Leadership Academy (ATW) was created to equip young minority women with the essential tools required to aid them in becoming successful leaders. ATW serves scholars entering the 11th and 12th grades. Sista’s Keeper Magazine will be covering the conference for a special “At The Well” section of the upcoming September 2016 4-Year Anniversary issue. Our owner, LaPorsha Lowry, will also be teaching the conference’s writing course as well as writing workshops where girls will be able to contribute content for the issue. For more information, visit: http://www.atthewellconferences.org/

Ife is a 22 year old native of Charlotte. A graduate of the illustrious Fayetteville State University, with a degree in Marketing and a minor degree in dance, Ife has used her degree to start her own company “Thickems Closet”: an online hub for plus size apparel. In addition to running her company, Ife enjoys dancing for two local companies: SHAE Movement African Arts and 4Thirty-Two, writing, spending time with family and friends, and traveling.

Alexis Knight

Alexis is a Greensboro, NC native and is the fashion contributing editor for Sista’s Keeper Magazine. She is talented in putting together fashion looks that are both stylish and age-appropriate for our teen girl readers.

De’Shauna Selby

De’Shauna is a native of Philadelphia, PA but currently resides in Danville, VA. She is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Writing for the magazine for two years, her biggest joy is having the opportunity to write to her younger self. “Every young girl who has read Sista’s Keeper, I was her. I wish I had something so intriguing and educational like this magazine! I can’t look back and change it but I can give back and every article I submit gives me that opportunity”.

Jamiya Turns

Jamiya is a 2016 graduate of Johnson C. Smith University. She began writing for Sista’s Keeper Magazine in 2014 because writing is her passion. She met the editorin-chief and loved what she was doing for young girls. She decided to become a contributing writer. Jamiya also graduated Dean’s List and is a part of the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society.

Taylor Means

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Taylor is a Charlotte, NC native and a graduate of North Carolina A&T’s journalism program. She enjoys traveling, reading and it is no understatement that she enjoys writing about everything from the Carolina Panthers to current events. Nothing makes Taylor prouder than to see the unity of young girls and women going beyond themselves and acheiving great things collectively.

Hyou:

...and the Home of the BRAVE

Editor’s Letter

’ey sistas! I want to share something with

I struggled and failed to complete this issue by the deadline that I set because of all of the things that have happened this recently in our society. For some reason, these events have affected me more than others and I had to take some time to myself. I was confused about why this keeps happening & what I can do to prevent it from happening to myself and those who I love and care about. I want you to know that no matter what it seems like in our society or in the media that your lives DO MATTER! Our 4-year anniversary is right around the corner in September & we have some EXCITING things planned for it. Stay tuned for more information. This is issue that is all about being BRAVE and this is the perfect time to talk about this. When you see or hear things that you do not agree with, it is brave to speak up against it. Skai Jackson (pg. 30) spoke up for what was right on social media. While she got into a Twitter war, she still stood up. This is a special time for the Class of 2016 (pg. 34) who will be brave when they begin the next stage of their lives and education in college. This summer will also be special for the sistas in the 2016 Olympics (pg. 38) who will be representing the United States, which is the “home of the brave”. July is Social Wellness Month so we wanted to give you some information about developing healthy relationships and communicate effectively.

Tell us what you think! Join the conversation... #SistasKeeper

As always, if you want to contact me of have any questions about the magazine, email me at: laporsha@sistaskeepermagazine.com or visit our website: www.sistaskeepermagazine.com Remember the purpose of Sista’s Keeper: to build you up as young women so you can be comfortable enough in yourself to help your sisters, cousins, friends, etc. I hope that you enjoy this issue and remember: “I AM my Sista’s Keeper”

July 2016

Founding Editor/Publisher @SistasKeeperMag Sista’s Keeper

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Spotlight

Gabrielle & Simone

Gabrielle Douglas took the gynastics world by storm when she won the Women’s allaround gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. Now she is preparing to defend her gold medal with one new addition. Simone Biles, who is just as talented as Douglas and has had her own period of dominance since the last Olympic Games. But don’t think that this puts the two against each other personally. In fact, they will be teammates in Rio for the 2016 Olympics US gymnastics team. They have their eye on the prize and no matter what, the girls have each other’s backs. “She’s amazing,” Douglas told USA Today of Biles. “Me and Simone, we really wanted to go out here and just have fun. We’re like, ‘Let’s crush it! Let’s break the events!’ We just really wanted to enjoy it because it goes by so fast.”

Go For GOLD Douglas said in a recent interview that it took a while for her to realize her own potential. “Finally something clicked and I knew I could be one of the best. It was a game changer. Now I’m like, ‘I am going for this. I’m going for it all.’” Biles’ road to the Olympics is a little bit different than she planned or expected. “Never in a million years would I think that I would come this far,” Biles says. “One of my dreams was just to do college gymnastics, and then I ended up in the elite world.” The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5th to 21st. For more information on Rio 2016 or for Olympic sports, athletes and schedule, visit: https://www.rio2016.com/en

July 2016

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Beauty

By: Ife Michelle Beauty

In this issue, we give out “medals” to the best & Nothing like the summertime; the weather is great, days are longer, laughs are frequent, and of course skin is showing and glowing! With all of constant outings with friends and vacations with the family, maintaining your hair and beauty regimens is a must to make sure you are always looking your best. Aren’t sure which products to use to keep you flawless? No worries! Just grab your pen and paper and get ready to take notes, because here are your summer ‘16 beauty products and hairstyles to help you go for the gold this summer!

Hairstyles

Gold: Cornrows Quick, easy, fun and sleek, cornrows are a protective style that allows you hair to take a break from constant combing and brushing. The braids protect your hair while numerous parts make it easy for you to moisturize your scalp as needed.

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Olympics

Beauty

some of our favorite beauty products

Silver: Crochet Braids Crochet braids are great because they are simple and versatile. Starting with simple cornrows, you simply crochet in the hair that brings your look to life including, braids, havana twists, or marley hair. There is slight maintainence to keep looks fresh and some styles can be heavy, straining you natural hair.

Bronze: Buns Buns are great because they are fast and easy to dress up. You can rock a top bun, two side buns, a faux bun and never have to worry about to taking much time or going wrong, however be careful of constant combing and brushing as well as tension on the hair from being in a bun for too long!

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Hair Products Pantene Relaxed or Natural Leave-In Conditioner A personal favorite, Pantene keeps hair moisturized without weighing it down or leaving a greasy film on your hair!

Cantu Leave-In Conditioning Cream Cantu is a great brand and works as well as Pantene but is heavier and has more oils which can weigh your hair down

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Another favorite that is great for dry hair and scalp, however it is not a conditioner.

Gold: Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy This long lasting polish is like a gel set which prevents chipping, which is perfect because when you’re on the move who has time to fix a chipped nail? Silver: Revlon Chip Defiant Similar to the Colorstay, this polish is chip resistant but doesn’t have that gellike finish Bronze: Covergirl Outlast Amazing color variety, but only average in terms of being chip-resistant 12

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Nails

Skincare Products Gold: Clean and Clear Deep Action Formula An amazing product! Deep; down clean with a nice tingly finish. Diminishes pore size and leaves skin feeling light and fresh! Silver: Simple Moisturizing Face Wash Great for those with sensitive skin. This product uses only natural ingredients and doesn’t leave a greasy film on your face! Bronze: Aveeno Positively Radiant Facial Scrub A great product that really cleans your face and pores, however, it can be harsh and leave skin semi-dry.

Download the Sista’s Keeper Magazine Mobile App • View the INTERACTIVE July 2016 issue • Get notifications from the magazine For download instructions, go to our MOBILE APP page: www.sistaskeepermagazine.com July 2016

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Fight The FRIZZ

Beauty

During the summer, one of the biggest hair hassles is frizziness. It’s the quickest way to disturb a clean or put-together style but here are some tips to help fight it. Frizz can be caused by many different factors. It’s mainly caused when the hair cuticle is trying to get moisture into the hair shaft. If your hair is dry, the hair attempts to get the moisture from the air, causing it to stand up. It’s one of the reasons you can especially see the frizziness during summer months or if you have dry hair. It can be frustrating when you have the perfect hairstyle and notice that your hair is frizzy. Here are some tips that can help you combat frizzy hair:

Deep Condition Your Hair After washing your hair, condition it for at least 5 minutes before rinsing it out. And try not to use a towel to twist or rub it as you dry your hair; blot it instead.

Use An Ionic Blow Dryer If you don’t have time to let your hair dry naturally, an ionic blow dryer is the best option in blow dryers. Ionic blow dryers reduce frizz by compressing the cuticle, which helps stop extra moisture from getting in the hair.

Make Sure You Dry Your Hair Completely When using blow dryers and anti-frizz products, your hair can’t be damp. Most people assume that the longer you use heat on your hair, the more damage that it will do but if you are using an anti-frizz product damp hair will not allow for the best results.

Use An Anti-Frizz Product There are products that are designed specifically that fight the frizz. Products like John Frieda Frizz Ease Weather Works Conditioner (there is also a shampoo that accompanies it to help stop frizz in the shampooing process), and Living Proof Wave Shaping, Curl Deﬁning, No Frizz Styling Treatment are just a few of them.

Allow Your Hair To Dry Naturally The more heat you apply from a blow dryer, the more damage you can do to your hair. You can use a towel to help speed up the processes. The professionals recommend a microfiber towel since they cause less breakage. But don’t brush your hair or run your fingers through it until it has completely dried. July 2016

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Don’t SWEAT It!!!!!

Beauty

As the summer continues and the weather gets warmer, we spend more time in the sun, which can cause sweating. Sweat is a natural way that our bodies regulates our internal temperature and cools itself, but sweat is far from attractive.

Sweating excessively is a common problem. But you don’t have to suffer or be embarrassed. There are ways that you can reduce and control sweating. Here are a few ways you can stop the extra sweat:

Facial Scrubs Facial scrubs can be used on your back or on your face or on any area of your skin where you sweat. Facial scrubs help because they are an exfoliate that gets rid of the dead skin and unclog your pores. This will initially cause you to sweat more, but soon you will notice a decrease in the excess sweat.

Use An Antiperspirant Most people don’t realize that all deodorants are not antiperspirants. Deodorant is made to mask the odor caused from sweating while antiperspirant actually controls and reduces the amount of sweat. Make sure to check the label closely to see if the product you are using is in fact an antiperspirant. Doctors also advise putting a thin layer of antiperspirant on at night before going to bed and adding another thin layer in the morning for best results.

Shave Your Underarms Everyone with underarm hair doesn’t experience excess sweating, but for people who do sweat easily, underarm hair can make the situation worse. Hair causes bacteria growth and bacteria is what causes the odor.

Watch What You Eat (And Drink) Certain foods, such as caffeine can worsen sweating and should be avoided. Spicy foods can also lead to excess sweating and should be reduced or avoided. On the flip side, you should try to increase your water intake. Water can help rehydrate your body and it can also wash away the toxins that can clog pores and cause body odor.

Practice Good Hygiene

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Make sure to take daily baths or showers and to wash your underarms. If you shave, avoid putting on deodorant (or antiperspirant) immediately. Wait until your underarm is completely dry. Moisture can help harbor bacteria growth on your deodorant so it’s important to dry your underarms before applying.

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Brave Characters We LOVE

Entertainment

There are some BRAVE, BOLD & BRAZEN women on TV & we love that they are flawed but FABULOUS!

Olivia Pope Played by Kerry Washington on Scandal, this “fixer” has to be brave in order to wear the “white hat” and do what’s right (& not always popular). She had looked danger in the face several times and endured many obstacles and walks away from it in her signature stride with her head held high.

Annalise Keating Viola Davis plays this fearless leader of a law firm who takes on clients that any regular lawyer would say was too much to handle...talk about BRAVE! Although some of her clients face problems that she had a hand in creating, she always does whatever it takes to get the outcome that she wants...whether it’s best for the client or not.

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Cookie Lyon Not only does she help run an entertainment “Empire” but she also is loyal and brave by going to jail for someone she loves. She sacrified her freedom and years of not being there to raise her three sons but endured years of prison. Taraji P. Henson also brings a fierce attitude to her.

Jessica Pearson On Suits, Jessica (Gina Torres) is the BOSS with her name on the door & it takes nothing but bravery to run one of the most prestigeous law firms. Jessica has to make hard decisions that affect not only her or her partners but the entire law firm. However, she is always behind them as the head.

Tiana (The Princess & the Frog) Before she took a detour into frogdom, this Disney princess showed us the value of bravery and hard work. She worked two jobs and dreamed of starting her own restaurant. She never took her eye off the prize, even when the situation seemed hopeless. Now that is bravery and she goes down in history as just that: BRAVE! July 2016

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By: Alexis Knight Fashion

Light Some Fashion Help bring in this special Holiday using many In these five outfits I will help you coordinate your formal gowns down to your casual, everyday looks. In these included many different accessories and make up looks to help make this outfit pop!

Simple Sparkle* Everything about this outfit screams simplisitc with a bold touch of class. This outfit is made by the classic touches of texture from sequence to sparkle.

Bold & Bright* This look that gives a bright and bold twist to cliché. It is for our more unique ladies who’d prefer to play the part with their most fierce fashion picks and prints. 20

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Fireworks

Fashion

different expressions of Patriotic colors!

I Love the USA* This outfit has a very flirty flare that screams I love the USA! This look has a comfortable touch with a hint of sassiness starting with the bold necklace and lip to make a fierce statement.

Fire Red* A fire red ball gown topped with a pop of royal blue and accessorized with a vintage pin and clutch.

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Play With Patterns This look has a very youthful touch to it that allows you to play with the most chic and modern touches including fun patterns and prints.

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Sistas, Your lives DO matter despite how it seems right now in our society & in the media. Continue to love each other, follow your dreams & be your sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keeper. -Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper Magazine

Health

Summer Is Great For Look around us! The world is filled with all types of social wellness. But mainly it’s how you handle it without letting it handle you! It’s also about connecting with the environment and your surroundings with a positive source and network.

Put yourself in a place where you can relax and feel appreciated without feeling stressed. Social wellness is about developing those positive vibes and healthy relationships where you can be free and be yourself without having to change who you are as a person. Here are some signs of social wellness: • Balancing personal and social time • Being who you are in all situations • Having a supportive network of family and friends • Valuing diversity and treating others with respect • Becoming engaged with others in your community • Having fun • Development of assertiveness skills • The ability to create boundaries within relationship boundaries that encourages communication, trust and conflict management

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Being interactive in the community is a big plus because there are many different types of activities you could get involved in and to meet positive people. The more you get out and develop healthy relationships; you will become stress-free! So get out in the community and interact! Social wellness is a very important aspect of your health because your body is immune to censors that are caused by emotional feelings and feelings of stress. When you are in an environment, make sure you keep it clean by filling your support system with positive energy rather than polluting it with negativity and bad relationships. So it is very, very important to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. When you notice relationships not working or certain situations that are making you feel uneasy, remove yourself from the situation and regroup your thoughts into positive ones. Another great way to keep your mind focused is to

Social Wellness meditate. Every time you run into a “bad bump,” just meditate and fill your mind with positive reflections of life. The world is made up of two types of people. The “positive poppers” and the “evil destroyers.” To create a positive space, hang out with the “positive poppers”; the ones that will try to live a stress-free life-style and to create mutual friendships everywhere you go. No one is perfect when being social, but life is about creating new opportunities. Here are some important steps when creating social wellness.

Know Your Needs Learn to identify what your needs are so you won’t have to feel pressured to perform an environment you aren’t comfortable around.

Reach Out Offering friendships. You can do so by joining a club or volunteering at an organization that shares some of your interests.

Choose Your Relationships A lot of people has been traumatized or dealt with people in different relationships, so some people may take longer to develop relationships because of past ones. So just be careful to choose good relationships that are healthy and good for you.

Learn To Build And Stay In Healthy Relationships To remain stress-free! Then surround yourself with positive and successful people! Everyone doesn’t have your best interest at heart!

Health

Don’t Feel The Pressure To Conform “Never change for anybody!” If you feel the need to conform, make sure it is for the right reasons and also make sure that it is a healthy conformation.

Learn To Communicate Effectively Holding your feelings and thoughts inside isn’t very healthy. Develop friendships where you are able to trust people and share how you are feeling. Communication is a very important ingredient to social wellness and relationships. Get out of your comfort zone and take part in your community by volunteering. This is a very important ant step to branching out your social skills. Volunteering will definitely teach you all about communication skills and developing positive relationships. Here are some places that you may consider volunteering at:

●Your church ●School ●A non-profit organization ●Hospital ●Library ●Nursing home So I challenge you to become more active in a club or organization to develop social skills, develop new friendships outside your family, or calling/writing a friend that lives far away. Creating a healthy relationship will have increased psychological effects such as being in a good mood, enhanced self-esteem and having a better handle on stress. So let’s get social! Be happy! Live stress-free! Be positive! July 2016

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Relationships

Take Some Time To Spend They’re loving. They’re caring. They’re fun. They’re strict.

Dads are always there, but it seems like they’re only truly celebrated on Father’s Day. We should show our dads that we love them everyday. Spending time with your dad is special because it is a bond that everyone doesn’t have the chance to experience. There are a ton of activities that daughters can do with their fathers. Spending time with your dad, and doing various activities can go a long way. It will teach you so much, and make you really appreciate your dad. Some fun-filled and learning activities that you could do include:

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Work On A Car Dads know a lot about cars; how to change a tire, how to change oil, etc. This is a great way to do something that your dad enjoys, but you also learn how to work on your car in case you ever need a tire change or an oil change. This activity gives your time to bond and learn a life lesson.

Exercise Everyone could use a workout partner. Why not make it your dad? He is strong and hard working, so he’ll make one of the best workout partners.

With Your Father They can be our ATMs. They’re our dads. Exercising with your dad could be beneficial, not only because you’re spending time with your dad, but because you both are trying to live a healthy lifestyle.

Shop! We all love shopping.Outfit shopping. Shoe shopping. School shopping. We all love it all. This is a great activity to do with your day. He’ll enjoy seeing his little girl do something that she enjoys. This could also be beneficial because he’ll be there to help you pick things out and he may even pay for the items that you want.

Cook It is normal for our mother’s to cook, but it is ok and normal for our dad’s to cook dinner every once in a while. Whether he is master chef or just a great PB&J sandwich maker, this activity is wonderful for dads and daughters to do. You can make a full course meal, or just simple bake cookies or cupcakes. Making a mess, getting your hands dirty and throwing down in the kitchen is extremely fun.

Relationships

to bond with someone. You both get to learn something new, and it could be pretty funny to see what you guys come up with. Taking a class will guarantee a time full of laughter, learning and maybe even a funny mess.

Daddy-Daughter Dance They could be held at a church, held at school, or any other place, but DaddyDaughter Dances are fun. Daddy-Daughter Dances allows you to party with your dad. You can get down on the dance floor or slowly dance the night away. Dancing all night with your dad may seem boring, but you could be surprised that your old man can throw down. Let’s spend more time with our dads, and show him how much we truly love him!

Take A Class There are so many classes for people to sign up for. There are cooking classes, dance classes, pottery classes, and painting classes. Taking classes such as these are a great way

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The DNA of Black Women: Furaha Bravery!!!!! By: De’Shauna Selby Bravery for our African American woman has never been an option but surely an expectation. We are all familiar with the stories about the greats such a Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Angela Davis, etc. But let us not forget about ordinary people with extraordinary strides in history such as Hattie McDaniel, the first black actress to win an academy award for her supporting role in Gone with the Wind or Fanny Lou Farmer, a self-proclaimed civil rights activist that mentored and fostered other great activist throughout our history. All of the choices make throughout their life stories may have reflected an “option” but the revolution for change required it. What would we be like if black people didn’t go into the heart and didn’t try to change things? We would have made no progress in the country. Bravery is the engine of change (Aisha Tyler). Thanks to their courageous choices which has enriched our history and forever shaped our lives, bravery for our black woman is an expectation and one to be proud of! Since those strides, we have come a long way. The Women of color in this generation are making just as many strides as our history reflects. From climbing the corporate ladder to becoming CEO’s to leading in entrepreneurship. This is what the #BlackGirlMagic is about. But, the road to these successes for the betterment of our history still, even decades later, come with a price. The fight is still on against racism, equal rights, etc. In many cases, particularly for our black women. For example, the wage gap. Black women make 11% less than Black men, 14% less than White Women and an astonishing 36% less than white men working in the same position. These numbers may seem shocking considering how our women are embarking on opportunities that were once considered impossible but numbers do not lie! Yet, even with those statistics Black women are continuously taking on more responsibility, challenging themselves both academically and professionally. And now, motivating and encouraging themselves socially. 28

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Our favorite hashtag #BlackGirlMagic socially sponsors the movement of bravery in our Black women. Just browsing the hashtag, it displays a variation of images that highlight the uniqueness of our being. For years our women have been belittled, degraded and made to feel less than. Now we are fighting back and taking over! Our once ‘nappy” heads are now an Au natural movement. Our ‘too dark’ skin is the melanin you wish you had and we have redefined our curvy full figured women from ‘fat’ to BBW (Big Beautiful Women). If that makes no sense, just ask Drake! We as Black women will always have to fight and go above the grain because society does not understand our worth. Even after countless times of proving what we can offer, we are still not enough. So the question stands, why would our women continue to take opportunities that does not compensate their worth? Why do we continue to fight a fight that we may never win? It is for the same reason all those great women of our history sacrificed their lives: Change! Like Aisha Tyler said, Bravery is the engine of change. We may not change the mindset of society and their perception of the ‘Black Woman’ but we can change how they have defined us by continuing to progress and make those historic strides that will eventually make them fold under our #BlackGirlMagic.

Ndege

Be Your OWN Hero I went to a predominantly white elementary school and many of the kids didn’t understand or hadn’t been exposed to the, “black thing.” I’ll never forget coming into school, one fall afternoon, with fresh, popping, shiny, brand new cornrows. I’m telling you – I was it! As per usual my mom had done her thing. But, “Rob,” didn’t think so. We all have so much to give. IT’S CRAZY. Like, when God created us He packed as much love and light and juice and good stuff in us, as was humanly possible to handle. Like you, yes you reading this, maybe you’re an epic public speaker. Maybe you’re breathtakingly beautiful. Maybe you’re a math wiz. Just maybe you’re really good at accruing a following on social media platforms. Maybe you’re just really great at finding the best shows and movies on Netflix. Maybe this and maybe that; the possibilities are endless. Still, whatsoever your particular epic inclination might be – God gave it to you. God gave each and every one of us something phenomenal. Wait! Something great. No! Something that shimmers and glistens, has spark and sass. We all have some–magical–thing, and that – my friends – is the good news. The bad news is that we spend 99.9% of our lives fighting against other people who don’t understand our magical gifts and therefore fighting, for obvious reasons, the self-doubt that always follows. I’m pretty cool. I mean, it’s self-proclaimed but, I’ve always considered myself one of the, “cool kids.” And really, who’s to say otherwise? I love clothes. I love shoes. I love hats and jewelry and funky socks. In my mind: I am cool kid. In my mind: cool kid is me. Unfortunately, some of my earliest memories of style and fashion as a child are negative. I went to a predominantly white elementary school and many of the kids didn’t understand or hadn’t been exposed to the, “black thing.” I’ll never forget coming into school, one fall afternoon, with fresh, popping, shiny, brand new cornrows. I’m telling you – I was it! As per usual my mom had done her thing. But, “Rob,” didn’t think so. “Ew.”Rob said.

By: Tanisha Fordham

“Looks like you’ve got spiders crawling over train tracks on your head.” 20 years later, I still remember that insult because a good insult last almost eternally. Good insults often stop us from shining. Good insults will make us question what we know is popping or cool or lit. And Rob hasn’t been the only bully in my life. I’ve faced all kinds of insults and hate. I’ve experienced back stabbing and bullying. I’ve been the underdog and know what it feels like to be the least likely candidate. But, suddenly, at 28 I realize something that has given me the power to stand up to the doubt from others but more importantly the self doubt; YO! We all have something to give. IT’S CRAZY. Like, when God created us He packed as much love and light and juice and good stuff in us, as was humanly possible to handle. Like me, YES ME, God created me. Like you, YES YOU, God created you. And, God never makes any mistakes. And, you will always fail at attempting to be someone else so the only way that you can slay is to say, “It’s me.” It’s you. It’s you, friends. So the next time someone has something to say about that you just look them in the eyes and say, “You wouldn’t understand because you don’t have the capacity to be me.” POW! Take that Rob. Take that!

July 2016

Sista’s Keeper

Taking It To the Skai

Disney actress Skai Jackson started has been in the entertainment business all her life and is learning to handle growing up in the spotlight and dealing with what that comes with.

kai Jackson is a Disney Channel star who starred in the hit show Jessie and currently stars in BUNKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D. However, the 14-year-old has been in the spotlight and a major topic on social media in recent months. Whether it was a meme of her that went viral to a Twitter feud, she shows that she is brave by standing up for herself and defending what she believes in. July 2016

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

Being Social

the pictures, which had gone viral, and I didn’t understand why it was happening, I was like, ‘Why are people making fun of me?’” However, after she saw some of the memes, she knew it was just for fun and not personal.

Jackson has been in the entertainment industry since she was 1 year old but began using social media when she was 9 as she became more famous. She recently talked to Broadly and said that Embracing Natural Beauty she didn’t know to handle it at first. “Social media was a little hard for me when Jackson feels a responsibility as a black I was nine,” Jackson says. actress whose Disney shows appeal to young “I have a lot of followers, but that came with girls. a lot of people I didn’t know bullying me.” She promotes natural hair and is against the whitewashing of beauty standards and pressures on black women from society to Gone Viral straighten their hair chemically. “When I was little I only had a few friends In April, Jackson went on Good Day New York to promote Bunk’d. After getting her hair who had natural hair,” she says. “My motivation for that post is to tell and makeup done, her mother took a picture of her sitting in a chair, waiting to go on-camera. women to keep their hair natural and love it. Everyone is going to go through that phase The look on her face was thought to be of not liking their hair, but at the end of the shady but she says that she was just tired. Before she knew it, the picture went viral and day you’re going to regret that you ever put relaxer or anything in your hair.” became a meme. At first, Jackson says that she was upset. “I started seeing all these different captions for

Be Brave & Speak Up

In May, Jackson was in the spotlight after she confronted rapper Azealia Banks for using racial slurs against singer Zayn Malik, formerly of One Direction. “She was saying so many nasty things, which I thought weren’t cool, especially since she was targeting someone’s race and color,” she says. “So I had to tweet and speak out!” Jackson encourages her fans and other young people to fight bullying by being brave and standing up for what you believe in. ‘Speak up for yourself! If you see something that’s not cool, call it out. That’s what I did and that’s what you should do too. 32

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About Skai

Connect w/ Skai

Name: Skai Syed Jackson Age: 14 Birthday: April 8, 2002 Hometown: New York, NY Favorite Food: Pizza Favorite Color: Purple

@skaijackson

July 2016

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

College Bound: Tori Turner (left) International High School of New Orleans New Orleans, LA Past cover girl Tori will be attending our owner’s alma mater NC A&T to study in the same program, Journalism and Mass Communications (JOMC).

Je’la Lewter (right) A. L. Brown High School Kannapolis, NC Je’la is our first “Sista’s Keeper Scholar” and will attend American University in Washington, DC to study journalism.

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July 2016

Class of 2016 Imani Mallard (right) Long Reach High School Columbia, Maryland Imani will be attending Howard University to major in biology in hopes of becoming an OB/GYN.

Jada Banks (left) Mount Tabor High School Winston-Salem, NC Jada plans to join the Air Force.

Kiyra Roberts (right) Northwestern High School Rock Hill, SC Kiyra will be attending Claflin Univeristy in the fall to study education. July 2016

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

Shamerah Norman (left) St.Anthony Village High School Minneapolis, Minnesota Shamerah plans to attend Xavier University of Louisiana and major in Biology/ Pre-med. She wants to become an Anesthesiologist and be active in the US Army. Elisia McKnight (right) Harding University High School Charlotte, NC

Malia Obama (above) Sidwell Friends School Washington, DC The First Daughter will take a year off before attending Harvard University in the fall of 2017.

Elisia will be attending Wake Forest University to study Mass Communications.

Jasmine McIver (left) Vance High School Charlotte, NC

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

Jasmine is a 4-year student/athlete who graduated with a 4.3 GPA! She was also vice president of the student council as well as a mentor in The Dream Team program. She will be attending UNCG Greensboro to double major in nutrition and biology to become a veterinarian.

July 2016

April Horne (right) Taft Technology Information High School Cincinnati, OH

Kaela King (above) Roosevelt High School Roosevelt, NY

April plans to attend the University of Cincinnati in the fall.

Atiya Akil (left) Richmond Community High School Richmond, VA

Kaela was the Salutatorian of her class and has already earned 28 college credits! She will be attending SUNY Old Westbury to study biology. She aspires to be a pediatrician and open her own practice.

Atiya plans to attend NC A&T and major in Architectural Engineering.

(l to r) Simone L., Tiona W., McKenzie K., Alicia T. & Courtney W. Mallard Creek High School Charlotte, NC Simone will be attending Howard University to study Mass Communications. Tiona plans to attend UNC Charlotte to study Public Relations. McKenzie will also be attending UNCC and major in business. Alicia plans to attend UNC Greensboro to study obstetrics. Courtney will attend UNCC to study business. July 2016

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

Sistas To Watch in the Here are a few sistas to keep your eye on as your watching the

Returning Olympians Clarissa Shields Clarissa became the first U.S. woman to win a boxing gold medal at the 2012 Olympic games in London, England and will go for a second in Rio.

Lia Neal Lia won a bronze medal in London as a member of the US swim team’s 400 free relay. She is a rising senior at Stanford University and a member of the school’s swim team. 38

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2016 Summer Olympics 2016 Summer Olympics next month in Rio.

First-Time Olympian Simone Manuel As Lia Nealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teammate at Stanford, she will be used to standing beside her as the first AfricanAmerican duo to make the US swim team.

On Her Way Candace Hill Candace holds the world record for being the youngest to run the 100-meter dash in less than 11 seconds She is a favorite to make the US track team. July 2016

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

Getting Ready

Education Feature

This college prep timeline provided by Minnesota Oﬃce of Higher Education

7th & 8th Grade • Begin thinking about the high school classes that will prepare you for college. Take the most difficult classes you can handle. • Ask your parents or teachers to help you develop good study habits. • Practice setting and reaching goals. • Volunteer in your community. • Take interest and skills assessments to help you think about possible career options. • Talk with your school counselor and parents about careers that interest you want to explore. • Create a tentative high school class plan. • Enroll in a summer enrichment program. 40

Sista’s Keeper

In 9th & 10th Grade • Take interest and skills assessments to help you explore careers options.

extracurricular activities.

• Review your high school class plan. Take the most difficult classes you can • Talk with your school handle. Stay focused on counselor about career your schoolwork. options and the education required for those careers. • Sign up for classes that will earn college credit • Talk with your parents during your junior year about saving and paying through Advanced for college. Placement, International Baccalaureate, • Talk with friends, Postsecondary teachers, counselors Enrollment Options or and your parents about College in the Schools. college. • Check if your school requires 10th graders to take the PLAN to prepare for the ACT. • Participate in

• Explore internships and apprenticeships. • Enroll in a summer enrichment program.

Want to go to college? It’s never too late to prepare... For more information, visit: https://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg. cfm?pageID=1176

July 2016

For College

Education Feature

will show you what you need to do to get ready for college.

In 11th Grade • Attend college and financial aid events. • Mentor others and have a mentor for yourself. • Take the PSAT in the fall to prepare for the SAT, and to identify areas where you need improvement. • Consider possible career options and investigate the type of education that is needed. • Request materials from schools that interest you and visit their websites. • Arrange campus visits to those schools that interest you. • Participate in extracurricular activities. • Request admissions and financial aid forms. • Sign up for classes that will earn college credit during your senior year through Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Postsecondary Enrollment Options or College in the Schools. • Register for and take the ACT and/or SAT in the spring. • Review your high school class plan. Take the most difficult classes you can handle. Stay focused on your schoolwork. Make sure you are meeting your high school graduation requirements. • Enroll in a summer enrichment program. • Get a job to earn and save money for college, or explore your skills through an internship or apprenticeship. • Research private scholarship options.

In 12th Grade • Stay focused on your schoolwork and take the most difficult classes you can handle. • Take career interest assessments and determine the education needed for careers that interest you. • Participate in extracurricular activities. • Volunteer in the community. Summer • Get a job to earn money for college. • Review orientation materials from the college you selected. • If living on campus, check with the college for a list of what’s provided by the school and what the school expects the student to provide. • Contact your roommate.

July 2016

Sista’s Keeper

Sista’s Keeper Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS 2 First-time Olympic swimmer Simone _____ 4 This is the “_____” issue 6 Gymnast _____ Biles will compete in gymnastics in Rio 7 Lia & Simone swim for this university 8 Olympic boxer Clarissa _____ will defend her boxing gold medal in Rio 9 In “Don’t Sweat It” on pg. 16, it says to

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July 2016

make sure this is in your deodorant 10 July is Social _____ Month DOWN 1 _____ Douglas will be defending her gymnastics gold medal in Rio 3 “Jessie” actress & cover girl Skai _____ 5 In “Fight the Frizz” on pg. 15, it says to deep _____ your hair

Like this issue????? Let us know what you think...

•

• Email us your comments to: info@sistaskeepermagazine.com

By: Jamiya Turns

Harriet Tubman

Black Women In History

American abolitionist, humanitarian and spy for the US Army during the American Civil War; led over 300 slaves to freedom in the North

Harriet Tubman was a woman on a mission. Born Araminta Ross in Dorchester, Maryland in 1822, she was an American abolitionist, humanitarian and spy for the US Army during the American Civil War. Harriet was born into slavery but escaped and made 13 missions back to help lead 70 people out of slavery using the Underground Railroad. Harriet helped John Brown recruit for his raid on Harpers Ferry. She was a devout Christian and she even experienced premonitions and strange visions from God. In 1849, she went back to Philadelphia to rescue her family by slowly removing one group at a time. She traveled by night and in secrecy. She was deemed “Moses” because she never lost a person. After the Fugitive Act of 1850 was passed, she helped guide fugitives north to British North America and helped freed slaves find work. During the Civil War, Harriet worked as a cook, nurse, armed scout and spy for the Army. Tubman was also the first woman to lead an armed expedition to war. She lead the raid at Combahee Ferry that liberated 700 slaves. After the war, Harriet decided to settle in Auburn, New York and cared for her aging parents. She was also active in the Women’s Suffrage Movement until sickness took over and she was admitted in to an elderly home. On March 10, 1913, Harriet died. After Harriet’s death, she became a world symbol and testament of bravery for everyone who heard

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July 2016

her story. She really came from nothing and made something out of her life. She was born a slave and became an American icon for woman and AfricanAmerican people. On April 16, 2016, her bravery was recognized when she was chosen to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Talk about going from nothing and making something: that is an incredible accomplishment. Her honor would not be what it is if it was not met with some controversy. Just as she was praised, there were also negative comments. There are people who do not believe she is a good fit to be on the $20 bill. According to Feminista Jones’s essay that went viral, she states: “Harriet Tubman did not fight for capitalism, free trade, or competitive markets. She repeatedly put herself in the line of fire to free people who were treated as currency themselves. She risked her life to ensure that enslaved black people would know they were worth more than the blood money that exchanged hands to buy and sell them. I do not believe Tubman, who died impoverished in 1913, would accept the “honor,”. Not everyone opinion is as strong as Feminista Jones’s. Presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton posted on her Twitter feed that she thought it was a great thing and it was well-deserved. Harriet Tubman has a great story and she is one brave individual. She is also an inspiration to every young woman out there who has ever gone through anything. Whether you believe she should be on the $20 bill or she shouldn’t be but there is no way you can’t deny her credit where credit is due, she went through a lot and she came back every time, and what she had accomplished in her years here on earth were phenomenal. Way to go Harriet Tubman! You were truly your Sista’s Keeper.

Click HERE for more information on Harriet Tubman July 2016

Sistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keeper

By eighth grade, only half as many girls as boys are interested in math, science, and engineering careers. If each of us gives a girl our time and support today, she can find the courage, confidence, and character sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to build a better tomorrow.