Daily Dose: Positive Thinking

One doesn't have to be concerned or bothered by the thoughts of those that cannot hurt them or do not affect them. Don't let people talking about you negatively affect you.

The tiger represents the fierce and willful person you are while the "sheep" are those who may be mindlessly following and emulating anything that is cool at the time because "everyoe else is doing it" or simply "HATERS" as we like to call them.

Remember this statement in order to empower you to stay true to yourself and refrain from being easily influenced and persuaded, especially based on the opinions of others.View yourself as too important to care about the opinions of those are are thoughtless, and therefore less important

#be YOUnique
#be YOUtiful

Who's that Girl? Sloane Stephens: The Teenage Star Who Beat Serena Williams

Sloane Stephens recently defeated one of the greatest players to lace up tennis shoes, Serena Williams, a tennis player whose poster once adorned Stephens' bedroom wall.

The 19-year-old can now say she is the only American younger than Williams to beat the 31-year-old. Stephens, with a giant white smile from ear to ear, won 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 against Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals last Wednesday.

Off the court, Stephens, originally of Plantation, Fla., but now living in Bel Air, Calif., is a typical teenager. She texts, she tweets, she loves spending time with friends, and she has a serious shopping addiction.

"I said I was going to buy one thing but now I'm going to buy two," she said in an interview just after the big win. "I was begging my mom for these pair of shoes, but I'm sure she'll have them waiting when I get home -- so I have to think of something quick so I can tell her, so she can have it when I get home."

Stephens told ESPN she had 145 text messages after her win. She added she hoped the win would get her more Twitter followers. Her followers shot from 17,000 before the competition to 46,300 and counting.

To read more, click here.

Newsworthy: School tells bullied teen to get a breast reduction

A Missouri mother is furious with her daughter's school for allegedly suggesting that her sixth grader get a breast reduction to avoid chronic bullying. Tammie Jackson tells KTVI that her 13-year-old daughter Gabrielle has been harassed by peers since last semester, particularly for her large breasts.

When she called the Riverview Gardens School District to complain about the problem, the woman on the other end said the girl could be transferred to another school from Central Middle School, or go under the knife. "It makes me feel like now you are telling me it's my fault, it's God's fault the way he made her."

Jackson told KTVI. "[The school should] talk with the kids, let them know, you know, people's bodies are changing, everybody's body is different but God made us all great."

To read more click here.

In every middle or high school class there is that one girl who develops way ahead of the pack. What's next? Telling the overweight girl that she needs to take up an eating disorder or get gastric bypass surgery so people will leave her alone? How would you react if this happened to you?

Malia and Sasha: Growing Up in the Spotlight

Growing up in the White House definitely has its perks, but Malia and Sasha Obama are just a couple of regular kids! Check out how they've grown up since the start of President Obama taking office ... Sasha (l.) and Malia (r.) Obama flash the peace sign and make funny faces as they check their phones during the Presidential Inaugural Parade on Jan. 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C.

Click here to read more.

 I wonder how cool it is to grow up as a teenager in the White House? What are the perks? What are the drawbacks? It's interesting to wonder.... Check out the videos below to see just how much Sasha and Malia have grown up over the last four years. How will they look by 2016?


 

Shapewear Might Be Affecting Teen Health

Do you wear Spanx or some other form of shapewear? It could be affecting your health.

Newsworthy: Girl Scouts fight cookie thief

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We all know how good those Thin Mints and Samoas are but these Girl Scouts are serious about their cookies!!

Newsworthy: Mom makes daughter wear "I'm a thief" T'Shirt

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sooooo.....a mom makes her daughter wear a bright neon green T-Shirt that announces that she's a thief. Do you think the punishment is too harsh or good for her?

We're Back!!

I know we've been gone for a minute but Shenique Magazine's Blog is back with the latest news, entertainment and fashion for girls like you. Visit us daily for updates and don't forget to add us to your Facebook Page.

10 Years of Study Data Finds African American Girls Benefit When They Eat Breakfast

The pathway to better health for teenage girls starts with the first meal of the day and when they make a good-for-me choice their odds of having a healthier body weight and lower cholesterol improve. Based on analysis of the girls’ food diaries, breakfast cereal eaters tended to have lower waist-to-height ratios, an indicator of healthy body weight, lower total cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol.

 One of the healthiest breakfast choices in the 10-year study was fortified ready-to-eat cereal, which helped boost the nutrient content in the girls’ diets. Analyses of the study results found that ’tween and teen girls who regularly ate cereal for breakfast relative to 24 other reported breakfast foods were less likely to be overweight, had healthier body weights and lower cholesterol. A recent report indicates that 24 percent of African-American girls aged 12 to 17 are overweight, compared to 15 percent of white girls.

“Starting the day right with a bowl of cereal topped with fruit, milk and a glass of orange juice is a smart choice and one that more girls need to make,” Palmer said. “I’m asking girls to pledge on Facebook to eat breakfast so they can help themselves and someone in need, too.” Palmer is encouraging girls aged 14 to 17, to visit www.facebook.com/IHEARTBKFST as a step toward better health and to lend a helping hand to girls in need.

 I<3BKFST, translated as I HEART BREAKFAST, is designed to appeal to and help educate teens and their parents and guardians and it borrows its name from the popular text symbol for love <3. Teens may visit Facebook.com/IHEARTBKFST, where they will first like the IHEARTBKFST page and then pledge to eat breakfast

TMI Online?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What you say on Facebook and Twitter may be too much. Even though you may set your privacy settings up to the highest standard, pictures and posts are never 100% private. Make sure you think twice before you post something that may come back to haunt you 5 or 10 years down the road.

15-year-old goes to Harvard after being accepted to 13 colleges

Saheela Ibraheem wasn't sure any college would want to admit a 15-year-old. So the Piscataway teen hedged her bets and filled out applications to 14 schools from New Jersey to California.

"It's the age thing. I wanted to make sure I had options," said Saheela, a senior at the Wardlaw-Hartridge School. In the end, 13 colleges accepted her -- including six of the eight Ivy League schools.

After weeks of debate, Saheela settled on Harvard. She will be among the youngest members of the school's freshman class.

Remembering 9/11...A View from Harlem

As I curled up on my couch last week, flipping through television channels and eager to find something to watch for some sort of Thursday-night entertainment, I realized that I was out of luck. The Office was a repeat, I'm not a big fan of Wipeout and I had stopped watching Degrassi: The Next Generation by the time I was 15. I continued my quest to try and find something worth watching when I came across a documentary about Sept. 11. With the flip of a channel, I was instantly taken back to the most devastating day in my lifetime.

 Ten years ago, on that Tuesday morning, I sat in my sixth-grade homeroom class on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, waiting for my father to pick me up and unsure about what exactly was going on. There was a rumor spreading around school that the World Trade Center had been hit by planes. At first I was skeptical, but the faces of utter disbelief and sadness among my peers and teachers confirmed it for me. We sat in the classroom in silence, listening to the radio, waiting for what would happen next. When my father arrived, I ran into his arms -- an embrace that some of my classmates would never have with their parents again. The car ride back to Harlem was filled with questions. What exactly happened, Daddy? What is a terrorist? Were they going to start hitting random buildings? Would the

Adam Clayton Powell building on 125th Street, located a few blocks from my house, be next? Were we safe? It wasn't until I arrived home and turned on the television that it really hit me. Right before my eyes was footage of the twin towers -- a place where I had once gone for a fourth-grade school trip -- crumbling as soot-covered civilians ran for safety. I saw damage from the plane that crashed into a section of the Pentagon and witnessed a billowing cloud of smoke rising from a field after Flight 93 went down near Shanksville, Pa. To continue please click here:

China Anne McClain Talks About Her New Disney Series A.N.T. FARM

I know I'm not the only one excited to see a brown girl on Disney! In the Disney series A.N.T. FARM, China Anne McClain plays a musical genius who must navigate high school with a bunch of other gifted youngsters as they pursue their passions.

What is A.N.T FARM about? 
China: A.N.T. Farm is a show basically about high school and the A.N.T. program, and A.N.T. stands for Advanced Natural Talent. Everyone in the program is very gifted in whatever it is they do. I’m a musical prodigy. You know, mathematics and arts. So the characters are 11 and 12 and the high schoolers don’t want them there. And my character is China Sparks. She is very complicated. She doesn’t care about what the high schoolers think about her. She is just going to make the most of her high school experience.

Are there any similarities between you and your character Chyna? 
China: There are some similarities. I can play some of the instruments she does. But generally not all of them. I guess I am kind of complicated in a way. Not as much as she is. But I really love her. I see some similarities between us.

In your mind, what would be the one word you would describe your character with — what does she embody? 
China: Confidence. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her. She is who she is and she’s okay with that. I love that about her. She’s not seeking to be liked. She just doesn’t want to be bullied.

For more of China's interview, click here:

Study shows MTV's show "16 and Pregnant" helped to lower teen pregnancy rate...do you believe it?

According to a new government study that shows the U.S. teen birthrate falling dramatically in 2009 after a five percent increase from 2005 to 2007, experts say the network may have redeemed itself with its gritty "16 and Pregnant" documentary series, which many teens credit with opening their eyes to the consequences of unprotected sex and early parenthood.

A report released Tuesday by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy shows that parental influence is the most-cited factor by teens when it comes to avoiding teen pregnancy.

But the report also specifically cites the popular "16 and Pregnant" series, indicating that 82 percent of teens say the show helps them better understand the challenges of teen pregnancy and parenthood — and why they should avoid it.

"Entertainment media is one of the nation's favorite punching bags, but we have to acknowledge that when we're talking about teen pregnancies media can be and often is a force for good, and that is particularly true when it comes to shows like '16 and Pregnant,' '" says Bill Albert, a spokesman for the National Campaign. "Some critics say these shows glamorize teen pregnancy, but our survey data shows that's not the case — that not only do they not glamorize it, but teens who have seen it suggest it makes the realities of teen parenthood more real to them."

Hmmmmmm....what do you think?

Who's That Girl?

It's Willow Smith!!




Willow Smith recently sat for a photoshoot for London Sunday Times and we have behind the scenes photos! Her photoshoot for was shot by Sheryl Nields at Smashbox Studios in Los Angeles, and styled by Brea Stinson. Inside the magazine, mom Jada Pinkett Smith admits that Willow and brother Jaden live rule free saying, “We don’t have rules. We come up with agreements. Kids are little people, and we’re in life to guide them. Trying to rule someone is always an illusion and it’s no different with children.”

Sesame Street teaches black girls to love their hair!

A little Muppet girl has started a sensation. The unnamed puppet with an afro sings a love song to her hair.

Joey Mazzarino, the head writer of Sesame Street, is also a Muppeteer who wrote the song for his daughter. Mazzarino is Italian. He and his wife adopted their 5-year-old daughter, Segi, from Ethiopia when she was a year old.

Mazzarino says he wrote the song after noticing his daughter playing with dolls.

"She wanted to have long blond hair and straight hair, and she wanted to be able to bounce it around," he tells NPR's Melissa Block.

Mazzarino says he began to get worried, but he thought it was only a problem that white parents of African-American children have. Then he realized the problem was much larger.

In writing the song, he wanted to say in song what he says to his daughter: "Your hair is great. You can put it in ponytails. You can put it in cornrows. I wish I had hair like you."

That simple message has caused an outpouring of responses from women. Mazzarino got a call from an African woman who told him the song brought her to tears. "I was amazed, 'cause I sort of wrote this little thing for my daughter, and here this adult woman, it touched her," he says.

Mazzarino says he's happy to report that Segi loves the song — and her hair.

Caressa Cameron ignores skeptics, became Miss America

MISS AMERICA 2010, Caressa Cameron, is more than just pretty, polite and poised. The 23-year-old Virginia native is wise beyond her years. Despite many life challenges, she says she always "looks for the jewels in the journey." For her, giving up is never an option.

Cameron is the eighth African-American woman to win the prestigious title. Amazingly, she competed a dazzling four times before bringing home the Miss Virginia crown. Most less-determined young women would have given up way before then. But Cameron said she took each loss in stride, viewing it as a learning experience. And she had the smarts to apply any cash winnings she received to pay off her college tuition.

The 5-foot-4-inch frugal fashionista told me the pageant experience is valuable, win or lose. She also said that "you don't have to go into debt to participate. My swimsuit, for example, came from Target."

The aspiring broadcast journalist and talented singer was at the King of Prussia Mall to spread the news about phytonutrients and their importance in a healthy diet. She's here on behalf of the Amway nutrition supplement line Nutrilite.

Looking at the lovely Cameron, it is difficult to fathom that she was the proverbial ugly ducking in high school, with self-described "sideburns and a dreaded unibrow." She said her teen years were particularly awkward and difficult, and she had to deal with bullies, too.

But a pivotal moment was the day Miss Virginia 2003 and Miss America competitor Nancy Redd came to Cameron's school and gave an impassioned, encouraging speech that sparked something in her. Redd, also a woman of color, is a Harvard graduate and author of the New York Times best-selling book about women and their bodies, "Body Drama."

"She encouraged us to take the negativity and turn it into something positive," Cameron recalled. And that is just what she did. Ignoring all the naysayers, Cameron took Redd's advice to heart and never looked back.

The loving support of her parents and the inspiration she found in books like "The Giving Tree," "All the Places I Will Go" and "The Five Love Languages of Teenagers" also helped shape her into not just another beauty queen, but a responsible young women worthy of her crown.

Cameron is also on a mission to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, whose harsh impact touched her life at age 8, when her uncle died of the disease.

"I saw and experienced the devastation and the stigma associated with the disease and I want to help spread awareness," she told me.

Cameron was told, many times, that she didn't have what it takes. But she kept going anyway, and she wants all young women to know that they, too, can triumph over adversity and make their dreams come true.


Read more: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/columnists/kimberly_garrison/20100923_Kimberly_Garrison__Cameron_ignores_skeptics__became_Miss_America.html#ixzz10jFdcjX8

Jeggings are hot for this Fall

Last spring we experienced the birth of jeggings (jeans + leggings). With the look of denim and the feel of Spandex, this garment revolutionized the skinny jean. Just when we thought our pants couldn't get any tighter, we were proven wrong. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Beyonce and Sienna Miller embraced this look immediately, and we began lusting after their absurdly high-end versions (like Current/Elliot's shocking $389.40 pair). Now, thanks to a recession-friendly market, there are tons of options (like Walmart's $12 pair).

Since, like the skinny jean, jeggings draw serious attention to your curves, it's important to create a balance when styling an outfit around them. Artful layers and flattering proportions are key here. Whether your look is edgy, classic, or girly, we've got you covered in our click-to-buy section below.

Black Teen Users Dominate Conversations on Twitter

Apparently, black folks use Twitter in a way no one else does -- to such an extent that black users establish trending topics on Twitter. Not only do blacks use more descriptive hashtags, but they form tighter clusters on the network, follow one another more readily and retweet each other more often. Plus, more of their posts are @-replies -- posts directed at other users. It's this behavior, intentional or not, that gives black people -- and, in particular, black teenagers -- the means to dominate the conversation on Twitter. We're not surprised. Young black people drive all types of trends, so why should Twitter be any different?

MTV selects its first-ever Twitter jockey

MTV has named 23-year-old Gabi Gregg its first "Twitter Jockey."

Gregg won the position Sunday night after a nationwide vote.

The TJ position is the updated version of the network's VJ job, and Gregg will report on pop culture news using Twitter, Facebook, blogs and MTV's website.

Gregg graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts in 2008, where she studied international relations and African-American studies. Gregg is the founder of the fashion blog Young, Fat and Fabulous.

She was raised in Detroit and lives in Chicago.

Fashion Find: Those Flashing Lights

The new 3D Stiletto Police high heels, which were designed by Tim Cooper, look absolutely amazing! The Police Woman Heels have been designed with high detail including the bright and colorful police car lights that can make any person’s heart drop. Moreover, there are also the side mirrors and front bumper that make it even more like the normal, police cars we try to avoid. Furthermore, there are the numbering on the side of the shoe, the “Police” sign that flashes strong, the dual mufflers, and even the back grills that add so much to the detail and coolness of this shoe design.

Letoya Luckett is the new face of Luster

Letoya Luckett is the new face of Luster's Pink Hair Lotion. And Luster's and VIBE magazine hosted a launch party last night for the event. She also addressed her ex Slim Thug's recent controversial comments to www.theYBF.com:

On her former boo Slim Thug's comments about black women...

"Black is beautiful baby. It is what it is. I’m so proud to be a black woman; I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I mean nothing. I’m blessed to be black. I’m thankful that l I have an amazing family, black women that raised me. Wonderful friends, I’m like an international girl all day long. But I love the black women in my life. My grandmother, my mom… Even on Slim like he has a great mother, he has a great grandmother...women that raised him. His sister... who if it wasn’t for her you wouldn’t even know who Slim Thug was. Because of how they took care of him... I mean you know, whatever was said, was said. But on my end, Black is Beautiful! "

African girls undergo "breast ironing" to prevent pregnancy

While most pre-teen girls are giddy over their first training bra, the reality for many girls in rural Cameroon girls is grim. On the rise in the Central West African nation is a practice called "breast ironing," which involves placing hot stones on a young girls breasts to prevent them from the growing.

Responding to the country's staggering teen pregnancy rates, mothers in the country have resorted to the age-old practice in hopes that their daughters won't be seen as sexually attractive and become the next statistic. Girls as young as nine years old have been subjected to the practice.

Women in the country say the procedure can lead to physical issues such as burns and deformities.

Read more: http://www.essence.com/news/hot_topics_4/girls_undergo_breast_ironing.php#ixzz0uu7SGU1a

New Video: Nicki Minaj-"Your Love"

Nicki Minaj - New Music - More Music Videos

Serena Williams opens 2nd school in Africa

New Video: Dondria-"Shawty Wus Up" ft. Johnta Austin and Diamond

Dondria - New Music - More Music Videos

Jada explains Willow's unique hairstyle

Jada Pinkett Smith was on George Lopez recently and responded to critics who have slammed her for allowing Willow to shave the sides of her head. She explained that the cut came about because her daughter wanted “hair like her grandmother’s”.

“She decided, ‘I want hair like my grandmother’s.’ I said ‘Willow, grandma has no hair – you have to have some hair.’ And she said, “Mom I’m really tired of the hair. I just really feel I’d like it to get in the pool. I want it to swim. I just don’t want to be bothered with the hair.’” After discussing it with husband Will, Willow was given permission to shave the sides of her head.

According to her hair stylist Marcia Hamilton, the cut represents Willow’s personality:

“Look, it’s 2010. Can’t our little girls move into the future without ruffling feathers? The look is fun, empowering, anti-relaxer and anti-weave. More women need to steer their little girls in this direction. If your child is a forward-thinker, you should guide her instead of smothering her.”


Read more: Jada Pinkett Smith Explains Willow’s Hairstyle | Necole Bitchie.com

It's Official! Welcome to Miami!!!

Lebron's coming to Miami...See you on South Beach!!

Nicki Minaj talks wigs

The Harajuku Barbie who’s been photographed wearing pink, green, blue and purple hair is dishing details on her signature mane.

As previously reported Lil Kim wasn’t too keen on Minaj emulating her extensive wig collection and threw off the faux hair at a concert stating that she was “above this.”

Nicki however has since continued with the colorful hair trend and in an interview with HypeHair she speaks on the multi-colored locks that are making her famous.

She offers advice to readers of HH and suggests that ladies buy human hair wigs. She also adds that her colorful mane, the green bob especially, maker her happy.

“Go for a human hair wig in jet black with a blunt cut China bag…I like the green bob. Everyone seems to like that. People are saying it’s the winner right now…I decided to choose a new look. Color makes me happy. It really excites me. I am a very visual person and when I look in the mirror, and I see green or I see pink, it does something to my attitude. It makes me feel positive.”


Do you girl!!!!

Happy Birthday Malia!

As the nation celebrates Independence Day, one member of the First Family will be celebrating her birthday. Malia Obama turns 12 today! While the country's birthday may overshadow Malia's, the Obama family will surely find time to commemorate her special day. Happy Birthday, Malia!