BEAUTY WITHIN ~ TEEN ESTEEM ™

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Planning Tips for Students   Don’t Be Afraid to Get Help You may not be an expert in all subjects you encounter at school. And that’s part of the reason to go to college to begin with, right? To learn about topics you’re not necessarily interested in, but that are nonetheless important. If you find yourself struggling in a particular subject, ask your academic advisor to recommend tutors.  Many schools offer free tutoring sessions or you can hire a student tutor for a reasonable price. Also, ask students in your class who seem to understand the material to help you. Create study groups with friends and you can crowd-source your study topics as well.

I love, honor, and cherish THAT GIRL. I remind her that she is beautiful when she has forgotten. I support her dreams and validate her struggles. To me, being That Guy means that I unapologetically stand up for what’s right, encourage and celebrate the girls in my life, hold others accountable for doing the same and in doing so, am helping to redefine what it means to be a real man in the 21st century. I AM THAT GIRL isn't just a girl's movement, it's a human movement, and I'm proud to be a part of it. My (sister, mother, wife, girlfriend, daughter, grandmother, aunt, niece) is THAT GIRL and I have her back.  TAKE THE PLEDGE  

Building community that inspires girls to discover their innate worth and purpose  Go Here to take the Pledge  I am perfectly flawed and sublimely beauty FULL. I am a constant work in progress. I recognize that what I admire in others also exists within myself. As a member of this community, I promise to collaborate instead of compete and remind other girls of their worth when they've forgotten. I'm on a mission to turn self-doubt in to self-love, to use my voice, to share my truth, to love others, and to leave this world better than I found it.

Recently, Daniels sat down with Larry King to talk about race, the film, and what it’s like to be Black and gay.

Preparing for Your Next Step The social status of being a senior is good, but it is just one side of it. The side that has the biggest impact is academics. You have been in school 12 and sometimes 13 years. Now you are at the point of matriculating. You are poised. You are about to leave high school and enter the adult world. You have a year to make that transition. The first thing you should do is make sure you are getting all the academic experience necessary to prepare for college or subsequent employment. You need to develop a plan that should include short-term as well as long-term goals. Typically, high school graduates are unprepared for the transition to independence.  Early, ongoing training in the social skills is crucial to establishing successful adult relationships—in college, vocational school, residential living, or on the job—can help. You should be aware of legal, financial, educational, vocational, and community resources that are available after ...

What makes the story of Antoinette Tuff so compelling – but only part of it. Tuff is, of course, the bookkeeper at Ronald McNair Discovery Learning Center in Decatur, Ga., whose work talking shooter Michael Brandon Hill ( pictured below ) into surrendering to police Tuesday was captured live on a stunning 911 tape that’s gone viral. The fascination at the heart of Tuff’s tale, the reason it’s riveting, is the way she used compassion and empathy to disarm a mentally ill man intent on killing. “Was the potential there to have another Sandy Hook? Absolutely,” the local police chief told reporters as he praised Tuff.    In this story, the only thing that stopped a bad guy with a gun was a good woman with a heart. Or to entirely rewrite Wayne LaPierre’s dumb Manichaean NRA propaganda: The only thing that stopped an emotionally damaged, despairing and unloved young man with 500 rounds of ammunition was a compassionate woman sharing her own story of damage and des...

After 29 straight days in the Florida State Capitol, many around the country still do not know about the Dream Defenders . In their latest move, the Dream Defenders have applied major pressure to Florida State lawmakers by creating a poll that forces each state representative to answer “Yes” or “No”. This will publicly expose whether they are FOR or AGAINST holding a special emergency session. - The legislative session will address three major topics plaguing communities of color: 1) Stand Your Ground Law 2) Racial Profiling 3) School to Prison Pipeline.

"Fifty years ago, the march changed people's consciousness about what was going on in this great free country," she said. "It was a real show of strength from people of all races and a real American thing to do." The 1963 March on Washington was a watershed moment in the American civil rights movement because it was attended by 250,000 people, graced by King's speech at the Lincoln Memorial and followed by the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. Several changes are evident 50 years later. For instance, women are playing a more visible role in the march, just as they are in today's world. Also, issues such as immigration reform will be discussed. Activists will use technology and social media to connect people and causes. Myriad concerns are motivating people to demonstrate through the streets of Washington. Some want to see self-defense laws changed after a jury found Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman...

Looking for family-friendly outdoor fun? Look no further… National Wildlife Federation’s Hike & Seek is coming to a town near you! Join us this fall for an outdoor adventure for the whole family that includes:  * A family-friendly hike through a local park  * Exciting activities for kids ages 3-10 * A scavenger hunt  * Live wildlife displays  * A chance to meet and take pictures with Ranger Rick, and so much more!  So mark your calendar and plan to join us for an incredible day of hiking, exploring, and having fun! Just click here for all the details . 

Civil rights activists are gathering in our nation's capital to march -- just as they did 50 years ago, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. looked out from the Lincoln Memorial and called the huge crowd "the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation."

Antoinette Tuff, Elementary School Clerk, Convinced Armed Suspect At Georgia School To Put Down His Weapons

Earlier this year, Governor Brown decided that instead of restoring much needed funding to California's education and safety net programs, he'd put a billion dollars in reserve for a rainy day.California was on a path to begin restoring the devastating cuts that have been made to families, students, and children. This new threat derails that possibility. And it's dumb.

Follow a group of teens through a Los Angeles neighborhood, and see firsthand how difficult it can be to get healthy and affordable produce in a food desert. 

Megabus.com, the popular city-to-city, express bus company with fares from $1.

Think we don’t have to worry about fracking in SoCal? It's estimated that Southern California is sitting on over 15 billion barrels of shale oil – one of the largest shale oil deposits in the world. And fracking is the industry’s method for getting it out.

15 Black Feminist Books Everyone Should Read  

The Root Commemorates the March on Washington The March on Twitter, occurring from  11 a.m. EDT until 4 p.m. EDT , will feature informative discussions and debate on each key issue and will stream live at theroot.com .

Urge Winter Olympics 2014 Sponsors to Condemn Anti-Gay Laws   In Russia, it is basically illegal to say that you are gay. You cannot kiss your partner in public. You can’t have a rainbow flag in public. You can’t even acknowledge that you are gay, or else you face possible imprisonment and fines. Russia is becoming one of the most anti-gay places in the entire world. But it’s also going to hold the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, where the world is supposed to come together in a spirit of community and togetherness. But how could LGBT people and their families be welcome, when they run the risk of being thrown in jail or fined just for being who they are? RUSA LGBT, a Russian-speaking American association for members of the gay community, says that LGBT athletes and spectators will not be safe during the 2014 Olympic games. And given the Russian government’s recent actions toward LGBT people -- including violent crackdowns on gay rights rallies and arresting mem...

MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - SAME LOVE feat. MARY LAMBERT

Every 4 minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone loses their battle. Take 30 seconds to click through and join the fight Click above for your invitation.

UNICEF USA Every day, around the globe, nearly 2,000 children under age five die from diseases directly linked to contaminated water, a lack of sanitation or poor hygiene. These diseases are SO easy to prevent. Simple things like Water Purification Tablets and Oral Rehydration Salts can save lives. And they cost just pennies.

The work is ‘We Are All Trayvon Martin,’ a 50-feet-long, 8-feet-high mural unveiled by Miami artist Huong at the Florida capitol on Friday. - See more at: http://madamenoire.com/290812/we-are-all-trayvon-martin-slain-teens-mural-unveiled-in-floridas-capitol/#sthash.4LZTP9lX.dpuf

In about six weeks, health reform will unveil one of its biggest improvements for Americans in need of health insurance. And if you're a young adult who doesn’t have coverage – either because you are too old to be on your parents’ policy, your job doesn’t offer insurance, you’re in school, or you just think insurance is a drag – we want to specifically hear from you.

With the children going back to school, now is a good time to remember safe driving instructions. Not only do the parents need to remember driving safety, but the teens need to be reminded as well. If you are a parent of a driving teen, you may want to remind them before they start driving back and forth to school, about driving safely and obeying the traffic laws. This is a conversation you cannot have too many times with your teen. Every year there are traffic fatalities involving teenagers going to and from school. The first day of school is always the worst day of school and accidents certainly do not need to be a cause of a bad day. Most wrecks can be avoided with a little caution. The first day of school children are excited about going back to school and seeing their friends. They may forget about caution and safety. Parents need to remind their driving teen to stay focused and watch what they are doing while driving. They need to stay alert for changing dri...

Gabrielle Turnquest pa##ed Britain’s bar exam last week, making the 18-year-old the youngest person to do so in the 600-year history of the exam. “I just really like finishing things before other people do,” she says. “I don’t do well with breaks or vacations,” added the teen, who credits her mother for encouraging her to focus on school while she was growing up.

Orlando Philharmonic Education Programs The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra has expanded its Notes in Your Neighborhood program this year to Florida Hospital for Children. Each hospital visit is a condensed version of the Phil's after-school initiative that introduces students to music through interactive lessons to build character and self-confidence, as well as musical skills. Notes in Your Neighborhood includes an introduction to the orchestra instruments, an instrument "petting zoo," and the opportunity for children to create original music. The Orlando Philharmonic offers education programs throughout the year for children as well as adults, and reaches 60,000 children each year through its Young People's Concerts, Notes In Your Neighborhood program and Tiny Tots preschool residencies. For more information about Orlando Philharmonic education programs, go to   "These visits are a true testament to the 'joy of music,' said Orlando Philh...

"i Am ESTEEM" Day 

Two-time champion Norris Cole’s basketball camp this summer is giving local youth the opportunity to meet and interact with him. At many of the camps that bear the names of professional athletes, participants only get one chance to see them with a quick speech to the group. Norris Cole, however, attends his camp each day and actually spends time running drills with and speaking to those who attend. The camp will be Monday, August 5th – Friday, August 9th at the Ray and Joan Kroc Salvation Army Center, where he played youth basketball. - See more at: http://goblackcentral.com/2013/08/nba-champion-norris-cole-making-real-connections-and-inspiring-youth-at-home-video/#sthash.ZHJ3m4Ul.dpuf Dayton, Ohio  - Two-time champion Norris Cole’s basketball camp this summer is giving local youth the opportunity to meet and interact with him. At many of the camps that bear the names of professional athletes, participants only get one chance to see them with a quick speech to the group...

Misty Copeland Tells Young Black Boys #YourLifeMatters: ‘We Value You & The Generations To Come’  

You can show your support for public safety by clicking here and voting for the Police Historical Society Museum as LA’s most awesome museum. There's nothing like larger-than-life learning and the kind of adventures available to little ones at your local museum. We want to know which of our city's awesome museums is your family's favorite. Where do your kiddos have the most fun? Which museum's name sparks the most excitement in your home? Nominate and pick the best and let them know you think they're totally awesome!

“Why in the hell is Big Freedia opening for Postal Service?  What, are you’re gonna bounce/twerk your ass, then guilty cry about it afterward?”

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