BEAUTY WITHIN ~ TEEN ESTEEM ™

Wishing  you good health and happiness in 2015! Happy 2015 from Beauty Within~Teen Esteem

             While spending the holidays with my loved ones this last week, I’ve been reflecting on our incredible Beauty Within~Teen Esteem family. And as we look toward the new year, I can’t help thinking about how much can be achieved when a community of passionate and courageous people like you band together to save and improve lives.  4 years ago, when I founded Beauty Within~Teen Esteem, I chose the word "Esteem" to stand for the power of what we accomplish together. Because when we all stand together, we move mountains. 2014 is proof of that. Thanks to supporters like you, in the past year we’ve worked to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing our children: childhood poverty, neighborhood revitalization, high-quality early childhood programs, high-quality affordable child care and stamping out widespread hunger. The scale of humanitarian need is truly staggering. And with your help, Beauty Wi...

It's #GivingTuesday! Today only - your tax-deductible donation to #beautywithinteenesteem will be doubled: Give today

Dear Beauty Within~Teen Esteem family: I wanted to let you know how much you are appreciated, and it’s probably more than you’ll ever know. Friends and supporters of my work like you have  helped to make an incredible impact on our community. You have given hope to those who had none and you have changed lives for the better. You helped Sara and Joey,  two homeless teens living on the streets of L.A., find a safe, warm, welcoming place. Your support helped both teens get off the street and on the path to a better life. DONATE As you spend time with the ones you love and reflect on all you’re grateful for this Thanksgiving, I hope you will remember the people you have helped through Beauty Within~Teen Esteem organization. And I also hope you will consider making a special donation right now in honor of this season of giving. Your gift today will go to work immediately to ensure the health, safety and well-being of at risk teens in our community.

As we enjoy our Thanksgiving turkey this year, we are grateful for the progress that's been made to preserve the effectiveness of anti-bulling. Parents teachers, schools and government agencies have taken important steps this year to curb bullying against our youth.   For some children, the scariest thing they will do all day is go to school. Each day, over 100,000 students miss school because they are afraid to tell their caregivers, “I’m the target of bully, and I don’t know what to do.” Educators and parents must unite and teach them the skills necessary to know when to stand up for themselves, and when to ask for help. Although there are severe cases of bullying, most situations can be remedied by gentle but persistent adult intervention.

Join us in donating colorful children's bandages at donation bins located at each area in the front lobby.We are collecting Bandages from 11/1/2014 to 12/1/2014 #LAPDBadgesforBandages  See flyer - Link Join the community in Supporting LAPD West Valley!

Have you moved since Election Day 2013? Make sure you're registered to vote at your new address! http://goo.gl/e07Li3 #CelebrateNVRD 

If you've experienced sexual assault, please visit: www.notalone.gov for resources. THE PLEDGE This pledge is a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault. It is a promise not to be a bystander to the problem, but to be a part of the solution. I PLEDGE To recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault. To identify situations in which sexual assault may occur. To intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given. To create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported. Take the Pledge  "Perhaps most important, we need to keep saying to anyone out there who has ever been assaulted: you are not alone. We have your back. I’ve got your back." -President Barack Obama  More info: Not Alone

#ItsOnUs to stop sexual assault. Take the pledge and be part of the solution at http://ItsOnUs.org 

NASA is seeking applications from U.S. graduate students for the agency's Space Technology Research Fellowships. Apply Here

  Take responsibility for mistakes you’ve made in your relationships with your kids. Reflect on how your own bad choices about how to relate to your kids in the past may have contributed to the difficult relationship you have with them right now. Have you neglected to spend enough time with your kids, or to pay enough attention to the details of their lives? Have you been too lenient when you should have provided more guidance and boundaries? Have you failed to communicate your love to them in ways they can understand? Whatever you may have done to contribute to current relationship problems between you and your kids, know that you can redeem your mistakes if you honestly acknowledge them and seek to learn from them. Be sure to apologize to your kids for your mistakes, too, because doing so will help strengthen your relationships with them and make them better people.

Tomorrow, the Feminist Majority and our allies are rallying for women's rights and calling for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Will you join us?

Have an inspiring story to share? We're looking for great stories! Tell us here: bwte@att.net

Calling all youth and college students---We are marching for justice tomorrow, Saturday Aug. 23 1pm - Buzz Westfall Shopping Ctr. 8037 West Florissant Avenue St Louis MO 63136. #JusticeIsBlind #Ferguson — with Khadijah Hassan .

See the full list of winners on our facebook page:

To participate, you must complete the following steps: 1. Submit ONE photo by June 10, 2014  to  BWTE@att.net  along with your name + your kid’s first name. Your photo will be posted on our Facebook page as soon as it is received via email. 2. Like us on Facebook! Beauty Within~Teen Esteem 3. Click the links below to vote for the photos (Please use laptop or PC.) Beauty WithinTeen Esteem Back-to-School Photo Contest 4. Now, click on the photo of your kid and share it on your timeline in order to get maximum likes. 10 LUCKY KIDDOS will be chosen based on the total number of likes. Winners will be announced on June 16. Gifts will be shipped within 2-3 days. Get excited! Submit a photo now! Good luck! You might also like: Party Disneyland Themed Birthday Party Likes are greatly appreciated. And a comment would be nice, too!

Keven Stonewall (pictured), 19, is on a serious mission: he hopes to one day create a vaccine that will eradicate colon cancer. The Chicago South Side youth has already started working on a potential cancer cure at a Rush University laboratory, reports DNAInfo Chicago . The teens love of science began back in fifth grade, when he became fascinated by the appearance of cells under a microscope. Stonewall’s love of the sciences grew to such extremes that one Christmas he was gifted four microscopes by his parents who are educators. It was during his freshman year at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences that Kevin Stonewall began focusing on the need for the eradication of colon cancer.  He watched not only a dear friend’s uncle succumb to the disease but witnessed first hand how the illness negatively impacted his school mate, telling DNAInfo Chicago, “Cancer has taken over a whole bunch of lives, and I felt like I needed to step up and do something...

The decision of the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education sixty years ago made a substantial impact on our nation’s history. As an Albanian student who moved to America four years ago, I can speak to how diversity and integration contribute to better educational outcomes and why it’s critical for us not to just name the importance of integration, but to commit to it for the sake of all students. Read more

Sohn is following in the steps of “The Wire” characters Dennis “Cutty” Wise and Howard “Bunny” Colvin and is working with disadvantaged youth in Baltimore to help them lead positive lives. Read more

  Passport to Healthy Skin - LA | POPSUGAR Beauty

Starting in the preteen years, there is a shift in focus; for girls, their appearance and their changing bodies too often become an all consuming barometer of worth. For an overwhelming majority of girls, self-esteem becomes too closely tied to how they look and their physical attributes; girls feel they can't measure up to unrealistic society standards.  Okay all of you girls out there, let's talk confidence . There is no doubt that there is a gigantic amount of pressure on women today to look their best by being skinny and beautiful. Today we live in a world that makes us think that we have to be perfect... but the real truth is, its a bunch of bull crap! Being a teen, I know some of you have looked at yourself in the mirror and said "Oh My! Look at those thunder-thighs... they're so HUGE" We've all done this to ourselves, but why? ... Truth is that when we say this to ourselves no one else has ever thought this about us. We only bash our ...

More and more teens will find at least one whitehead or blackhead on their face before they turn 17. Here are a few tips for how to treat teen acne: Better Medicine

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Barack Obama delivers remarks about his My Brother’s Keeper initiative with students from the Hyde Park Academy in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 27, 2014.   Stop Writing Letters and Do the Work

Black is as beautiful as the bright rising sun.   Black is as beautiful as standing up for what is right.  Black is as beautiful as trying on grandmother's classy hats. Black is as beautiful as lilies on Easter morning. Black is as beautiful as calling your mother on her birthday. Black is as beautiful as going golfing with your dad. Black is as beautiful as you holding your baby for the very first time. Black is me and I AM BEAUTIFUL. The distinct identity of African-American culture is rooted in the historical experience of the African-American people, including the Middle Passage. The culture is both distinct and enormously influential to American culture as a whole.                                              ...

Shout out to all the real father’s out there.  Whether you have your own kids, take care of someone else’s kids or make a difference in some child’s life, we honor you today.  Stay blessed and keep being a true role model. As we express love to our family members, we are channels for the love of God. Today we love and honor our fathers and the father figures in our lives. Happy Father’s Day    

  Body Image When 18-year-old tennis sensation Taylor Townsend beat 21st-ranked Alize Cornet in the French Open on Wednesday, she did more than simply extend her thrilling Grand Slam debut by advancing to the third round. The 205th-ranked Townsend's feat -- it made her the youngest U.S. woman to advance to the third round at the French Open since 2003 -- is even more impressive considering just two years ago, the U.S. Tennis Association attempted to keep her out of competition at the U.S. Open. It was suggested they would not restore their support until the teen, then the top-ranked junior player in the world, lost weight. "Our concern is her long-term health, number one, and her long-term development as a player," Patrick McEnroe, general manager of the USTA's player development program, told the Wall Street Journal's Tom Perrotta at the time. Townsend say her negative experience with the USTA over her weight and fitness level have helped her ...

Witness the human spirit on full display as more than 1,200 Special Olympics athletes from Southern California and 12 countries compete at the 2014 SOSC Summer Games Invitational. The athletes will compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals and ribbons in six sports — aquatics, athletics (track & field), basketball, bocce, golf, and gymnastics. Don't miss this free and inspiring competition from June 6 - 8 at USC. Learn more about the Summer Games Invitational.

  Register to Vote Here    

Upcoming Summits - time4thinkers

The Power to Change the Future is in Your Hands. The 2014 365Black ® Awards: Nominate a Youth Today Please join us in promoting and uplifting our young people by nominating someone in your community today. For more information and to nominate an exceptional young candidate, please click button below. You will be guided to download the nomination form and submit it to 365blackyouthawards@365black.com . Submissions are due no later than May 31st by Midnight CST.

T he Lorraine Motel represents a watershed moment in the civil rights movement. On April 4, 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated after stepping onto a second-floor balcony at the motel in Memphis, Tenn. It’s taken several months; millions of dollars and a lot of plans, but the National Civil Rights Museum is now open to the public after a major renovation. Read more

LA’S LARGEST VEG MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH ECO MARKET PLA CE AND GLOBAL FOOD COURT. Come For The Fun. Leave Inspired. WORLDFEST, MAY 18, 2014 WHAT: Now in its 13 th exciting year, WorldFest is L.A.’s premier solar-p owered, family-friendly event. The festival offers over 120 exhibitors, a tantalizing global vegan food court, 20 popular bands performin g live on three stages, celebrity and expert speakers on five stages, child ren’s entertainment areas, and animal adoptions. This year WorldFest al so features FixFest , a low cost spay or neuter clinic for local pets by li censed veterinarians in professionally outfitted mobile units. WorldFest is an entertaining, inspirational, day-long celebration of health, comp assion and sustainability. Make it a WorldFest weekend by att ending the LA Vegan Beer Fest the day before and by attending a Pre-Wor ldFest celebration the night before. Details at www.WorldFestevents.com

How will YOU Light it up blue in April?!  #LIUB   Join Beauty Within~Teen Esteem on World Autism Awareness Day April 2nd, and throughout April Get involved here 

Barack Obama calls for National Holiday for Cesar E. Chavez April 1, 2008 Washington DC--Evelina Alarcon, Executive Director of Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday welcomed the backing for a Cesar Chavez national holiday from Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama who issued a statement on Cesar Chavez’s birthday Monday, March 31, 2008. "Chavez left a legacy as an educator, environmentalist, and a civil rights leader. And his cause lives on. As farmworkers and laborers across America continue to struggle for fair treatment and fair wages, we find strength in what Cesar Chavez accomplished so many years ago. And we should honor him for what he's taught us about making America a stronger, more just, and more prosperous nation. That's why I support the call to make Cesar Chavez's birthday a national holiday. It's time to recognize the contributions of this American icon to the ongoing efforts to perfect our union." -Senator Barack Obama Marc...

Beauty Within | Teen Esteem And “Are You A Fashionista?” | What's Haute In The Streets

Scholarships shouldn’t be overlooked. They can make a difference, especially when the money starts to add up. Never turn your nose at a $200 or $500 scholarship because they add up to many thousands of dollars and can offset your whole expense of going to school.

It’s no secret that college tuition has increased astronomically. A recent National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education report reveals that college tuition and fees have gone up a whopping 570 percent over the last 30 years.

 5 Reasons You Should Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Hey students: Take the first step toward success in college by filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid →  http://go.wh.gov/fopUQh  If you will be attending college between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015, you should complete the FAFSA. Here are some reasons why: Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward getting financial aid for college, career school, or graduate school. The FAFSA not only gives you access to the $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds that the federal government has available, but many states, schools, and private scholarships require you to submit the FAFSA before they will consider you for any financial aid they offer. That’s why it’s important that every college-bound student complete the FAFSA, even if you haven’t qualified in the past. You’ll never know what you get unless you apply. It’s FREE! It takes ...

ONLINE TICKET PURCHASES MUST BE PICKED UP AT THE WILL CALL BOOTH ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT - BRING YOUR RECEIPT AND ID TO WILL CALL BOOTH AT THE  EVENT. Los Angeles Black College Expo - Feb 22, 2014. Location: Los Angeles Convention Center Expo: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Seminars: 10:30 am - 3:00 pm Scholarship Ceremony and After Show: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Admission Cost: $10.00 Online Purchase: $8.00 Groups of 15 or more $7.00 Ages 11 & under FREE

  Teen years are a period of crucial brain development subject to a host of environmental and genetic factors. They are prone to risky behaviors and some of these behaviors have lifelong consequences. Adolescent drinkers, for example, develop profound changes on the genetic expression of releasing stress hormones. They are not able to get used to stressors and have exaggerated response to mild stress.

Read more. But before you go here are: A Few Reasons Why Reading Is Important (for kids AND adults) 1 . Kids who read often and widely get better at it. This is pretty much just common sense. After all, practice makes perfect in almost everything we humans do and reading is no different. 2 . Reading exercises our brains. Reading is a much more complex task for the human brain than, say, watching TV is. Reading strengthens brain connections and actually builds new connections. 3 . Reading improves concentration. Again, this is a bit of a no-brainer. Children have to sit still and quietly so they can focus on the story when they’re reading. If they read regularly as they grow up, they develop the ability to do this for. 4 . Reading teaches children about the world around them. Through reading, they learn about people, places and events outside their own experience. They are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from tho...

BEAUTY WITHIN ~ TEEN ESTEEM ™ presented by Devezin Cosmetics : How Do We Keep Our Kids Safe?

Despite awareness and preparedness school shootings are once again live and very active! There's been no real reduction in the number of U.S. school shootings despite increased security put in place after the rampage at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. Last August, for example, a gun discharged in a 5-year-old's backpack while students were waiting for the opening bell in the cafeteria at Westside Elementary School in Memphis. No one was hurt. Finding factors to blame, rightfully or not, is almost the easy part: bad parenting, easy access to guns, less value for the sanctity of life, violent video games, a broken mental health system. The recent budget deal in Congress provides $140 million to support safe school environments, and is a $29 million increase, according to the office of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Many schools now have elaborate school saf...