Anifa Mvuemba is the visionary behind Hanifa, a contemporary fashion line that takes a bold and innovative approach to women’s apparel. The self-taught Maryland-based designer is known for her daring collections, experimenting with vibrant colors and accentuating a woman’s silhouette. “Made for women without limits,” countless celebrities have been adorned in Hanifa dresses, including Zendaya, Tracee Ellis-Ross, Lizzo, and Megan Thee Stallion, since its launch in 2011.
During the pandemic, Mvuemba made headlines when she debuted her 2020 collection in a virtual fashion show using 3D models on Instagram Live. In addition to its trend-setting luxury dresses, the barrier-breaking luxury brand has recently expanded into bridal attire in Fall 2023 and handbags this past summer. From education for girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo to supporting Black women entrepreneurs, Mvuemba remains committed to aiding women and young girls across the diaspora. Through her charitable arm, Hanifa Dream, she donates a percentage of Hanifa proceeds to nonprofits selected by customers.
At 31 years old, Thank God Its Natural (tgin) CEO Aris Singleton is one of the youngest Black executives to run a textured haircare line sold in major retailers like Target, Walmart, and CVS. The HBCU alum began serving in the role following the passing of the company’s founder (and her late aunt), Chris-Tia Donaldson, in 2021. Under Singleton’s leadership, tgin has scaled up to generate nearly $17 million in annual revenue in 2023, per Growjo.
Singleton began working for her aunt in 2009 while still in high school during the early stages of tgin. After completing her B.A. in Finance from Texas Southern University, she rejoined tgin as a rotational employee in 2017. Since then, she has worked in multiple roles and departments at the company, from the social media department to an administrative assistant and the company’s marketing, operations, and human resources departments. In addition to building the business, Singleton has taken a holistic approach to creating a tgin community through initiatives surrounding mental health, self-care, and wellness.
Abby Philip is the anchor of CNN’s NewsNight With Abby Phillip, making her one of just two women of color who currently host a primetime weekly show on a cable news network. At one of the most crucial times in American politics, the 36-year-old Harvard alum keeps people honest through her hard-hitting interviews while offering nuance to the complexity of current affairs. She delivers sharp political commentary on her show and moderates debates on hot-topic issues centering race, politics, and gender.
Since joining CNN in 2017, Phillip has served in various roles at the network, including senior political correspondent and as a White House correspondent during the Trump administration. In 2020, she co-moderated the Democratic presidential debate in Iowa.
Prior to CNN, Phillip reported for The Washington Post, ABC News, and Politico, covering multiple presidents, campaign finance, lobbying, and presidential campaigns.
Emmy Award-winning journalist Monica McNutt is making an indelible mark in sports media. Following her stint as a standout collegiate basketball player at Georgetown University, she began her career reporting at local stations, including WJLA ABC7/News Channel 8 in Washington, D.C., The American Sports Network, and NBC Sports Washington.
Today, McNutt is an accomplished ESPN sports reporter, host, and basketball analyst. Her versatility and deep understanding of the sports landscape are showcased across ESPN flagship programs like SportsCenter and First Take. A fierce advocate for women’s sports, McNutt also holds key roles as a host and analyst for ESPN’s WNBA and Women’s College Basketball studio coverage.
Breaking new ground, MSG Networks announced her as the primary New York Knicks radio analyst for the 2023-24 season, making her the first woman to serve in this position. Furthermore, she was named one of the NBA announcers for ESPN’s Christmas Day telecast in 2022 and 2023 and made her Olympic debut during the summer of 2021.
Beyond noting points and rebounds, McNutt works with various organizations, including the NYC-based nonprofit Grow Our Game and Up2Us Sports, to encourage young girls to explore their passions in sports.
Known as “Black Twitter’s” unofficial go-to source for breaking news, Philip ‘Phil’ Lewis has established himself as a formidable, trustworthy voice in media and a trailblazer in digital news.
In the era of fake news and misinformation, the Huffington Post deputy editor has steadfastly committed to journalistic integrity and accuracy when sharing daily news with his 415,000 X followers. His reporting showcases the Black experience in America, HBCUs, and Black voters.
At 33 years old, the Detroit native also engages a diverse readership through his award-winning newsletter titled “What I’m Reading,” which boasts over 28,000 subscribers and a Webby nomination. In 2018, Lewis co-authored the book Schoolhouse Wreck: The Betsy DeVos Story, an inside look into the life of the former U.S. Secretary of Education. He was also a 2017 recipient of the prestigious Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship.
Outside of reporting, Lewis works with nonprofits to help youth in his hometown attend college.
‘Wrong Black Guy’: ‘Thursday Night Football’ Gets Called Out After Misidentifying 49ers Star Trent Williams
Williams was misidentified toward the end of the first quarter of action by the broadcast.
A glaring error by the “Thursday Night Football on Prime” production team, on-air broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit, or a combination of both sparked backlash on social media after San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams was misidentified during the broadcast.
As reported by Awful Announcing, the incident occurred late in the first quarter when a nametag identifying Williams, who has been sidelined for nearly a month, appeared under a different Black, bearded 49ers lineman who was also inactive for the Dec. 12 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
Social media users and NFL media members recognized that lineman as the wrong person in real-time. Some used humor to criticize Prime’s production of the game as the production team couldn’t identify such a well-known player correctly on-screen.
Fans wasted no time taking to their keyboards to call out the mistake, with former NFL player Emmanuel Acho commenting, “Ummmm Thursday night football, that Black man is NOT Trent Williams.”
He added, “I repeat, wrong Black guy.”
Ummmm Thursday night football, that black man is NOT Trent Williams.
The player they showed initially, before later finding Williams during the second quarter, as the offensive lineman sat in a box suite, was second-year defensive lineman Nesta Jade Silvera, who signed with the team’s practice squad in October.
Williams is listed on the 49ers’ injury report with a left ankle injury. He is also grieving the loss of his son, Trenton Williams Jr, who was delivered stillborn on Nov. 24, and Trenton’s twin, who was lost earlier in Sondra Williams’ pregnancy due to Trisomy 13.
“It’s hard as a coach,” Shanahan said on a call with reporters. “It’s hard as a friend, it’s hard as a family member…You can never escape that full grief, but I do think it’s nice for those guys to have another avenue to get out on the football field, to get around teammates and things like that.”
Some have speculated that, given the 49ers’ current record and impending elimination from playoff contention, it would be wise for Williams to remain sidelined at this point in the season, even if, theoretically, he could play.
Over the off-season, Williams, long considered the best player at his position in the league, sought advice from another player who has extended his playing days well past his prime, Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James.
“I’m not oblivious to the fact that if I retire today, I’d probably have a good chance of having the gold jacket,” Williams told ESPN in November. “My mind frame right now is I want to finish this career as strong as I opened it up.”
La La Anthony Hosts 7th Annual Winter Wonderland Charity Event
La La Anthony partnered with sponsor Delsym to make this event happen.
La La Anthony is closing out this year by getting into the giving spirit. On Dec. 11, the “BMF” star hosted her 7th annual Winter Wonderland Charity event in the Bronx, New York. The event focused on giving underprivileged children a festive holiday packed with performances, dance competitions, photo booths, giveaways, and hot chocolate stations.
Anthony’s Winter Wonderland Charity event was sponsored by Delsym this year, a cough suppressant medication company.
Anthony said of the partnership, “This is my second year working with Delsym because I really feel like they understood my vision and what it is to give back and what that means.”
She told Forbes, “Delsym is about helping people. It’s the holidays. You get flu and cough season and Delsym is the number one doctor- cough suppressant for 12 hours day or night. But it’s about helping people. And that’s what I feel like a huge part of my brand is.”
The charity event was held at New York’s Gauchos Gym and hosted by TV personality Paris Phillips, but the location was sentimental for Anthony.
She explained, “It’s at the Gauchos Gym, which means a lot to me because that’s the gym my son first started playing basketball at and really started learning the fundamentals of basketball.”
The day’s performance came from artists like Bumbaa and Cash Cobain.
In addition to the big charity event that Anthony organized, the 42-year-old actress also opened up about her friendship with media personality Kim Kardashian during her interview with Forbes.
She revealed exciting news about the two businesswomen’s next endeavor. She told the outlet that they had recently signed and closed a deal with the streaming service Hulu to start a show called “Group Chat,” which will feature their successful friend group.
“Kim Kardashian and I just signed a deal with Hulu to produce an all-star show called ‘Group Chat,’ which is based on our group chat,” Anthony said. “It’s fun and really speaks to women at this stage in their lives, whether they’re dealing with relationships, being a mom, friendships, or whatever else. All of these topics are discussed in the group chat, and we’re bringing those stories to life.”
Despite her busy year ahead, which includes the new seasons of television shows “The Chi” and “BMF” and her new start with “Group Chat,” Anthony assured Forbes that she would continue to be entrenched in charity work through 2025.
Woman Who Accused Jay-Z, Diddy Of Rape Admits Inconsistencies But Stands By Lawsuit
The woman claims she was 13 at the time of the incident.
The Jane Doe who came forward to accuse both Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her at what she described as a “catastrophic event” when she was 13 years old, has acknowledged that there are inconsistencies regarding details but stood by her account overall in a Dec. 13 interview with NBC News.
According to NBC News, what inconsistency there is in her recollection of what happened the night she alleges the sexual assault occurred does not mean that she is lying about what she says happened to her, a distinction that some on social media have taken issue with.
In response to the lawsuit, Carter asserted his innocence in a statement to NBC News on Dec. 13. “This incident didn’t happen,” Carter told the outlet in a statement, “and yet he (the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee) filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True Justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon.”
Among the inconsistencies in the woman’s account are a disagreement with her father about whether he picked her up after the alleged sexual assault, a celebrity she claims to have spoken with stating they were on tour in the Midwest at the time, and photographs showing both Carter and Combs at a location different from the one described by Jane Doe.
“Our client remains fiercely adamant that what she has stated is true, to the best of her memory,” Buzbee related to NBC News via email. “We will continue to vet her claims and collect corroborating data to the extent it exists. Because we have interrogated her intensely, she has even agreed to submit to a polygraph. I’ve never had a client suggest that before.”
Carter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, responded to Buzbee’s assertions: “It is stunning that a lawyer would not only file such a serious complaint without proper vetting, but would make things worse by further peddling this false story in the press. We are asking the Court to dismiss this frivolous case today, and will take up the matter of additional discipline for Mr. Buzbee and all the lawyers that filed the complaint.”
The woman stands firm in her decision to sue, telling NBC News, “You should always fight for what happened to you.”
She added, “You should always advocate for yourself and be a voice for yourself. You should never let what somebody else did ruin or run your life. I just hope I can give others the strength to come forward like I came forward.”
According to the woman’s account, she snuck out of her parents’ home to attend the VMAs at Radio City Music Hall. After the event, she says she chatted up limo drivers to get into an after-party to meet a celebrity. One driver told her she “fit what Diddy was looking for” and later drove her to a “large, white residence with a gated U-shaped driveway.” She also claims she signed a document that she never read.
Once inside the home, she said she talked to celebs Fred Durst and Benji Madden before accepting a drink from a waitress, which she claims was spiked.
“I started feeling funny. Tried to start looking for a place to lay down,” she told NBC News.
Once she found a room to lie down in, the woman said that Combs, Carter, and an unnamed woman entered shortly after. She alleges that she heard Combs say, “You are ready to party!”
According to her account given to NBC News, “Jay-Z comes over, holds me down. I start trying to push away. He puts his hand over my mouth, tells me to stop it, to cut the shit, and then he rapes me like he had me overpowered.”
She said she managed to flee and run to a gas station, where she called her father.
“I was upset, and the person at the gas station could tell that I was obviously upset, and she let me use the phone. I called my dad because he was the only person I trusted at that time. I told him I messed up and I needed a ride home. We rode home in silence. He didn’t ask me what happened. He didn’t ask me what I did or where I was.”
She continued, “Honestly, what is the clearest is what happened to me and [the] route that I took to what happened to me. Not all of the faces there are as clear. So I have made some mistakes. I may have made a mistake in identifying. I didn’t know exactly where we were going or even how long it took.”
Carter has called the claims in the lawsuit “idiotic” and “heinous in nature.”
Paula Abdul And Nigel Lythgoe Settle Sexual Assault Lawsuit
In the suit, Abdul accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her several times during the early 2000s.
“Opposites Attract” singer Paula Abdul has agreed to settle her lawsuit against former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe. In the suit, she alleged that Lythgoe sexually assaulted her when she was a judge on the show in the early 2000s.
As reported by NPR, Abdul filed a notice of settlement for the initial case in Los Angeles Superior Court on Dec. 12 and is waiting for a judge’s approval to make it official.
Abdul released a statement on Dec. 13 explaining her decision to settle with Lythgoe. She said of the lawsuit, “I am grateful that this chapter has successfully come to a close and is now something I can put behind me. This has been a long and hard-fought personal battle. I hope my experience can inspire other women facing similar struggles to overcome their challenges with dignity and respect so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives.”
The settlement terms between Lythgoe and Abdul have not yet been revealed, but Abdul’s attorney, Melissa Eubanks, confirmed that the court filing was unconditional.
The original lawsuit against 75-year-old Lythgoe was filed almost a year ago, and the 62-year-old singer accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her after she left “American Idol” to become a judge on Lythgoe’s other popular competition show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”
She recounted multiple instances of sexual assault, some of which included Lythgoe allegedly forcing himself on her in an elevator and even at a dinner at his home. She disclosed both assaults to a third party at the time.
When the lawsuit was initially filed, Lythgoe stated that the accusations were “an appalling smear” that left him feeling “shocked and saddened.” He claimed at the time, “While Paula’s history of erratic behavior is well known, I can’t pretend to understand exactly why she would file a lawsuit that she must know is untrue.”
Lythgoe eventually resigned from his position as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” at the beginning of this year due to the allegations.
The English-born producer has been involved in the television production industry both here and overseas for decades, notably working on reality television and competition shows.
Grammy and Emmy-winning singer and dancer Abdul explained that she initially didn’t go public with the instances of the alleged sexual assault because she was afraid of Lythgoe’s reach. She said she feared retaliation from “one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows.”
Simone I. Smith Launches National SISMAS Day, Now Officially Recognized To Celebrate Sisterhood In December
The second Saturday of December is now National SISMAS Day.
Ladies, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate every second Saturday of December as Simone I. Smith has officially declared it National SISMAS Day.
Smith, a jewelry designer and wife of hip-hop legend LL Cool J, created National SISMAS Day—a new national day centered around honoring sisterhood and friendship during the festive season. The newly recognized day, focused on celebrating sisterhood, is a heartfelt tribute to the unbreakable bonds between women and will fall on the second Saturday of December, with the first being on Saturday, Dec. 14, a press release states.
Now recognized as a national day, SISMAS is dedicated to bringing people together for festive gatherings, sharing unforgettable moments, and creating lasting memories filled with joy and connection. Smith started it as a beloved occasion where a close-knit group of friends, mostly women, gathered to celebrate their bond during the holiday season.
Recognizing the value of these relationships, the certified queen of hoop earrings and co-founder and designer of Simone I. Smith Jewelry, wanted to create a special occasion for her closest friends and family to reunite, reconnect, and enjoy each other’s company. SISMAS stands as a tribute to the importance of these bonds and the joy that comes from nurturing them.
Legendary rapper Roxanne Shante posted on Instagram on Dec. 12 to express her excitement about Smith’s declaration of SISMAS a national day.
“Merry SISMAS ❤️🍷🙌🏽🎊December 14 is the national Holiday called SISMAS @sislovespurple has officially started a day when we as Sisters get together and enjoy and celebrate each other. As we get ready to do everything for everyone else it’s a day for us. Merry SISMAS!!!!” Shante captioned her post.
Suggestions for celebrating the national day include hosting a festive gathering with close friends and family, all coming together to share in the joy. Participants can embrace the spirit of the holiday by wearing themed outfits, enjoying comforting foods, and participating in fun activities like music, dancing, and talent shows.
Including thoughtful traditions like gift exchanges or meaningful conversations can deepen bonds of friendship and sisterhood, perfectly aligning with the spirit of the holiday season. Ultimately, SISMAS is about making lasting memories, building deeper connections, and celebrating the joy of companionship.
