ColorComm is Preparing The Next Generation of Women for Leadership

For nearly nine years, ColorComm has helped women of color within the communications industry level up in their careers. Through the network, members are able to participate in monthly programs, webinars, and conferences. And, no matter where women are on the corporate latter, the organization offers opportunities for upward mobility.

Last week, one of those opportunities presented itself as the 2nd Annual C2 NextGen Summit held at Chelsea Piers in New York City where 300 professionals gathered. The summit was designed by some of the industry’s leading ladies for women ages 35 and under. As a part of the initiative, 57 ColorComm Fellows from around the country gathered to learn from industry leaders and network.

The fellowship program is an exclusive program committed to cultivating the next generation of leaders in communications, public relations, advertising, marketing, media, and digital. The extensive program sponsors young multicultural talent, recent college graduates and entry-level professionals to attend the ColorComm NextGen Summit, to join the ColorComm Network, and to learn from professional mentorship and training.

This year’s C2 NextGen Summit focused on wealth creation, diversity in the workplace, marketing, and negotiation.

Attendees were able to hear and gain insight from Lauren Wesley Wilson, CEO of ColorComm; Shawn Outler, EVP, Chief Diversity Officer at Macy’s, Inc.; Angela Yee, Nationally Syndicated Radio Host and Business Owner, iHeart Media; Syeedah Smith, Financial Professional Associate at Prudential Insurance Co. of America; Alicia Rodgers-Alston, Vice President, Global Communications, Prudential Financial; Sallie Krawcheck, Co-Founder and CEO Ellevest; Bonin Bough, Founder, Bonin Ventures; Nadine Blackburn, Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Outreach, EA; and many more.

Angela Yee, Syeedah Smith, Financial Professional Associate at Prudential Insurance Company of America; Alicia Rodgers-Alston, Vice President, Global Communications, Prudential

 

Here are some of the key takeaways from the event:

Wealth Building Advice from Sallie Krawcheck, Co-Founder and CEO, Ellevest

1. Make more money.
2. Take care of yourself while you make more money.
3. Work towards living by the 50, 20, 30 rule. 50% of your income goes to your needs, 30% to fun, and 20% goes to future you.

Advice from Women Under 35 to Young Professionals

We’ve never looked so good – Our panel imparting knowledge during our #C2NextGen summit. pic.twitter.com/rWZXh4Ko1z

— ColorComm (@ColorCommntwk) November 20, 2019

 Advice to their younger-selves

“It’s OK to ask for help.” –Zara Rahim, Senior Director of Strategic Communications, The Wing

“It’s OK for your plan to go a little off of the rails.”  –Nikki Ogunnaike, Deputy Fashion Director, GQ

“You have to get rid of your game plan – be rooted in the convictions of what your dreams are.” –Alencia Johnson, Director of Public Engagement, Presidential Campaign for Senator Elizabeth Warren

“Don’t take everyone’s advice. In the words of Michelle Obama, ‘A lot of people who you want to impress are not as smart as you think you are.’” –Erica Lovett, Director, Inclusion & Diversity, Conde Nast

“Have a side hustle, own your side hustle, and let people know about it.” –Brooke Devard Ozaydinli, Product Marketing Manager, Partner Marketing, Instagram

“Don’t wait for permission. Fill in the blanks where you can.” –Daniella Pierre-Bravo, Booking Producer, MSNBC

On taking risks:

“You have to be in tune with yourself to be able to follow your gut. You have to go for it, but, you have to do an internal gut check first.” –Zara Rahim, Senior Director of Strategic Communications, The Wing

On learning:

“Your experience is your expertise. Don’t let people second guess yourself.” –Alencia Johnson, Director of Public Engagement, Presidential Campaign for Senator Elizabeth Warren

“When you feel like you’ve stopped learning then it’s most likely time to go.” –Nikki Ogunnaike, Deputy Fashion Director, GQ

On managing up in the workplace:

“You are in charge of your own career, know when to speak up, know when you’re not happy.”

Be vocal and learn how to communicate effectively in a way that you feel comfortable.” –Brooke Devard Ozaydinli, Product Marketing Manager, Partner Marketing, Instagram

Negotiation Tips from the Top

“If the first time you’re advocating for yourself is at the negotiating table then it’s too late. Don’t wait until you’re talking about money to let people know what you’re doing.” – Daniella Pierre-Bravo, Booking Producer, MSNBC

“It’s not a negotiation if you’re not willing to walk away from the table.” –Zara Rahim, Senior Director of Strategic Communications, The Wing

“Find a recruiter that’s a friend who will help lead you in the right direction.” –Erica Lovett, Director, Inclusion & Diversity, Conde Nast

I’ve never witnessed a main stage with these many executives dripping in Brown & Black Girl Magic. @ariannagdavis @soonmeekim @ShawnOutler @shona_pinnock Josie Thomas of @CBS @jackiegagne10 @Lwesleywilson Only at @ColorCommntwk #C2NextGen pic.twitter.com/8JuzfgjhpT

— Angie B. (@AngieB_tv) November 15, 2019

The day ended with a highly anticipated keynote on how to negotiate everything with body language expert, Linda Clemmons.

As the day wrapped up, Wesley Wilson, encouraged all of the young women to pursue their dreams as she once did at the age of 25 when she founded ColorComm while in search of the very support she has been able to create for women.

“I really want to encourage you all to take what you’ve learned today and share with a colleague or with a friend. Continue this opportunity to advance yourself and to open up the doors for more opportunities,” said Wesley Wilson.

She went on to say, “I too encourage all of you to start somewhere if you have an idea. You don’t have to wait until you have a really big title at a really big company. You don’t have to wait until your 40s or 50s. You can start right now. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to have all the money in the world. You just have to start.”

As ColorComm approaches its ninth year as an organization, excellence remains the standard.

 

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Sierra Leone's Mohamed Buya Turay is recovering from 'juju injury'

Sierra Leone striker Mohamed Buya Turay says he is recovering from an injury that he claims was caused by 'black magic/juju'.

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Ben Carson and Maxine Waters have a war of words about manners

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson learned the hard way to respect his elders, when he tried to diss House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) in a scathing letter… and she clapped back.

READ MORE: Maxine Waters skips SOTU and drags President Trump: “He doesn’t know the rules of the game”

Carson took aim at Waters, writing that she lacked “basic manners” when addressing President Donald Trump about homelessness.

“My mother always taught me that people shouldn’t throw rocks, especially while they live in a glass house,” Carson wrote, according POLITICO, which obtained the note.

“Because of that wise lesson, I was a little surprised to read your hostile letter to President Trump regarding the record number of homeless Americans in California, particularly in your district.”

Waters, an outspoken Trump adversary, wrote the letter last month criticizing the Trump administration over its ideas to sweep homeless people off the street in California.

“Your shamelessness knows no bounds,” Waters wrote to Trump.

Carson entered the fray and added his two cents writing, “Shamelessness is a career politician of 30 years laying blame.”

“Shamelessness is allowing more than 55,000 Americans to live on the very streets they represent,” Carson added.

“To me, the most compassionate, obvious, and logical solution would be to get as many homeless Americans off the streets — with a roof over their heads — as soon as humanly possible,” he said.

“I have sent multiple letters to your office and requested numerous meetings, but each time you’ve refused,” Carson wrote. “Basic manners elude you, and it seems that instead of producing results, you’re more interested in producing cheap headlines at the President’s expense — like a true career politician.”

Waters hit back with a few choice words of her own. She responded to Carson on Wednesday, advising him that he should keep his outbursts under control.

READ MORE: Ben Carson’s hires staffer who wrote he had no problem with whites using the N-word

“Ben Carson is like a duck out of water and has been a complete failure at HUD. His basic philosophy is antithetical to his duties and HUD’s mission,” Waters told the Washington Examiner.

“If he is sincere in wanting to have a constructive, bipartisan conversation with me, he can start by providing substantive answers to the numerous questions posed in my Oct. 28 letter and public support for the Ending Homelessness Act.”

She added, “In the meantime, he should contain his tantrums and leave his mother out of this.”

Mother has spoken.

The post Ben Carson and Maxine Waters have a war of words about manners appeared first on theGrio.

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Wydad coach Zoran Manojlovic thrilled to work in Morocco

The normally reticent Serbian coach of Wydad Casablanca, Zoran Manojlovic, is thrilled to be working in Morocco.

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The Eight-Hour Workday Is a Counterproductive Lie

What was once a socialist dream has become every knowledge worker’s nightmare. It's time to unmake the modern myth of productivity.

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Hey Surgeon, Is That a HoloLens on Your Head?

Mixed reality displays are entering the operating room, first as surgical planning tools and soon as real-time guides to help doctors zap tumors.

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20 Best Pre-Black Friday Outdoors Deals: REI, Huckberry, MooseJaw, Etc

Consumerism can be wasteful, but getting outside is great. Take a hike with our favorite pre-Black Friday outdoor deals.

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More Powerful Batteries Make This a True Electric Car Race

Drivers in the 2019-2020 Formula E series now have enough juice to avoid swapping cars midway through a race.

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Radhi Jaidi hopes coaching in the USA could lead to European jobs

The former Tunisia captain Radhi Jaidi wants to use a job in the USA as a stepping stone to becoming a first team coach in Europe.

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WATCH: Melina Matsoukas on casting British leads in ‘Queen & Slim’: “All they see is Blackness”

Queen & Slim hits theaters this week and theGrio sat down with director, Melina Matsoukas to find out how she approached this fabulous film.

Prior to Queen & Slim, the Grammy-winning director was best-known for helming stunning, shorter projects like Beyonce‘s “Formation” video. She also directed Insecure and the episode of Master of None that earned Lena Waithe her first Emmy.

Written by Lena Waithe, the film stars Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya in roles that highlight what it means to be Black in America today.

“I think I’m the most proud of the reaction from my community. With how it’s resonating with people and how they can really see themselves as a reflection of both Queen and Slim and how they see themselves in this film,” she says.

To some folks’ surprise, both of the leads are played by British-born actors. Since so many people have had major issues with Black, British actors nabbing high-profile roles in the U.S., we couldn’t help but wonder what informed this particular casting decision.

“I won’t take away her American-ness because she is British but she grew up here since she was 7 so it’s kind of unfair to not consider her American because she’s an immigrant and that’s so many of us,” she says of Jodie Turner-Smith. “Police brutality and racism in this country is not something that only African Americans experience. Once you’re in America, if you’re Black in America, the police are blind about it. That’s all they see is Blackness.”

WATCH: Daniel Kaluuya is on the run in ‘Queen & Slim’ trailer

According to Matsoukas, who makes her feature film directorial debut with the powerful project, Jodie Turner-Smith was the perfect person to portray Queen.

“She’s incredible. Her talent is immense. She was everything. She is Queen. She is royalty. She has this incredible sense of strength and confidence but also a vulnerability and a joy and a laughter that she brings to the character that I hadn’t seen in anybody else,” she explains. “When I first watched her first tape I knew she was our Queen.”

Check out the full interview above.

Queen & Slim hits theaters November 27.

The post WATCH: Melina Matsoukas on casting British leads in ‘Queen & Slim’: “All they see is Blackness” appeared first on theGrio.

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Robot details

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Exploring the human side of health care

For over 100 hours per semester, Adedoyin Olateru-Olagbegi can be found wearing a navy blue polo, black pants, boots, and a radio over her shoulder. She’s on the alert; if someone calls the emergency line, she’s ready to drive an ambulance to the scene.

Olateru-Olagbegi, an MIT senior, is a certified emergency medical technician. She is one of about 40 MIT community members to participate in the student-run Emergency Medical Services program, which she has been involved with since her first Independent Activities Period at MIT.

“I’ve always been a people person, and I think that has carried over to EMS,” she says. “My favorite part is being able to interact with different types of people. It’s a scary thing to ride in an ambulance, and I understand that I can be a friend to them in that moment.”

Olateru-Olagbegi is also a friend to the kids at Camp Kesem, a summer camp for children who have been affected by a parent’s cancer, where she has been a counselor and is now a co-director. In all of these roles, and during a formative trip to South Africa to learn about efforts to empower patients affected by HIV/AIDs, Olateru-Olagbegi has seen firsthand the importance of human interactions in caring for people experiencing medical crises. Ultimately, she hopes to use her formidable people skills as well as the analytical skills she has honed while majoring in computer science, economics, and data science, to work in global public health, helping to address inequities that lead to preventable deaths.

Ready at the sound of a siren

Olateru-Olagbegi is sitting in her Sigma Kappa sorority house when, in the middle of the interview, she hears ambulance sirens. She stops mid-sentence to look out the window.

“I always look outside to see if its our ambulance,” she laughs. “A lot of the hospitals are down the street, so a lot of the ambulances drive down here.”

When Olateru-Olagbegi is on EMS duty, she waits in the basement of the Stata Center with a group of fellow EMS-certified volunteers. When they get a call, they hurry to the truck and then drive to the location. MIT EMS responds to both on-campus calls and mutual-aid calls in Boston and Cambridge.

Olateru-Olagbegi is an EMS crew chief, which can mean that she’s either driving or in the back of the ambulance with the patient.

“I’ll be thinking big-picture about the call — about how quickly we need to be moving, about if we need to be calling anyone else for help, about making sure that everyone is doing the right thing. But ultimately, I ensure that the patient is safe and is getting to care as quickly as they need to,” she says.

She was also a HeartSafe Officer for MIT EMS during her first and second years at MIT. Project HeartSafe runs much of the CPR/First Aid training on MIT’s campus, including a free annual event called MassCPR, where students, faculty, and staff learn CPR and other life-saving skills. Olateru-Olagbegi and her HeartSafe colleagues have trained hundreds of MIT community members in CPR.

They have also conducted outreach to make CPR training more accessible, including partnering with independent living groups for trainings and conducting other trainings in public places on campus.

“I’m super proud of our initiative to use existing MIT infrastructure to make CPR training more accessible,” she says.

Shaving cream, fake mud, and friendship

While Olateru-Olagbegi, who grew up in suburban Maryland, never went to a sleepaway summer camp, she has been volunteering for MIT’s chapter of Camp Kesem since her first year at MIT. The free camp gives over 200 children a fun week in a community of other campers who understand what they’re going through.

One way the children let loose is during “messy wars.” There’s shaving cream, mud-like substances, slime, and more. No one is spared.

“I often try to avoid getting messy, but it’s inevitable. Someone always finds me,” Olateru-Olagbegi laughs.

Her favorite part of each year, however, is seeing how shy new campers become comfortable and gain confidence as the week progresses.

“There’s just a really true desire to support and be supported. It’s a really special environment,” she says. “I think the camp environment is super special in that campers often feel at home so quickly, even if they’ve never been to camp before, and it really is a family in that sense.”

Olateru-Olagbegi has co-directed the program since last year, heading the volunteer committee, which recruits, supports, and trains 140 counselors throughout the year, and the teen committee, which runs Kesem for the teen campers. She devotes most of her free time to planning Camp Kesem and loves being able to create this experience for the campers.

Olateru-Olagbegi has also participated in a variety of other extracurricular activities at MIT, including serving as secretary of the Black Students’ Union and as a student representative on the MIT presidential advisory committee, among other things.

“A lot of what has defined my time at MIT has been the different things that I’ve been able to get involved in,” she says.

Global impact

For two consecutive Independent Activities Periods, Olateru-Olagbegi decided to avail herself of MIT’s opportunities to travel abroad.

Her first year, she went to South Africa and learned about the HIV/AIDS crisis directly from the people being affected. She had never been to South Africa before, but she was instantly surrounded by a welcoming community and began creating new relationships. She and her classmates interacted with villagers, traditional healers, researchers, and HIV-positive women — some of whom were approximately her age.

“That was hugely impactful for me to experience as far as understanding how I, as someone who wants to work in public health, might work with those communities,” she says.

She decided to go to Colombia for her next IAP. The focus of this class was designing technologies with coffee farmers and directly engaging with the farmers throughout the whole process. The students did market research on coffee in Colombia, facilitated community conversations about the research and a future strategy, and taught the community members how to make and use a website to sell their products.

These two experiences solidified her desire to go into global public health, with a focus on removing barriers to equity. A career is a researcher in a laboratory has never had much appeal to Olateru-Olagbegi anyway; she would prefer to be out in the field, helping to affect change by working with people directly.

“As we think about system-wide change in health care, we must keep in mind the human aspect of it all,” she says.

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A third of tropical African plants face extinction

An assessment shows rapid loss of trees, shrubs and herbs in countries such as Ethiopia and Tanzania.

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Why Seychelles has world's worst heroin problem

The Indian Ocean archipelago suffers from the highest rate of heroin abuse in the world, but policy makers are hopeful that rehabilitation will curb addiction.

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Cam Newton Launches Luxury Travel Bag with Vinta for Stylish Travelers

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is taking his entrepreneur spirit to new heights with the launch of a travel bag. Although an injury has him sidelined from playing football this season, the 30-year-old NFL star is still putting in work. Newton has become an equity and creative partner of Vinta Supply Co., a premium travel accessories brand. His first product is a limited edition premium backpack, the TYPE-II C1N, with a fashion-forward, modular design. It is specifically created for style-conscious travelers and busy city living. The TYPE-II C1N is on sale for $250 and currently available for preorder on the Vinta website. The fashionable quarterback made the announcement via Twitter last week.

I’m excited to announce the launch of my first limited edition backpack, The TYPE-II C1N with @VintaSupplyCo. I collaborated on the design to make it super functional, stylish and perfect for travel. Launches today at https://t.co/YTZX1ib3I3 pic.twitter.com/qkao10HIOQ

— Cameron Newton (@CameronNewton) November 12, 2019

“I’m excited to be working with Vinta and putting my first bag out into the world. It’s called the TYPE-II C1N, and it’s designed for a person like me, with a constant schedule, who doesn’t stop and wants a fashionable, high-quality bag that’s functional for everyday life,” Newton said in a statement. “It’s customizable, stylish, and every feature has been so well thought out and designed. That’s what Vinta embodies: travel made easy. I know they’ve done it for me, and I know they’re going to do it for everyone who buys one.”

“Cam bought one of our bags, saw all the compartments and said he wanted to be involved with us.” With that, Newton contacted Vinta and eventually was brought on board as an investor and creative partner, Douglas Larsen, co-founder and lead designer of Vinta told WWD.

“We met him in Atlanta during the off-season and he wanted the bag to be more functional so some details were added,” Larsen said, adding that the team was careful to retain its fashionable tone as well.

VINTA Supply Co. was founded in New York City in 2015 by photographer, animator, and graphic designer Victor Soto. Through collaboration with lead designer Larsen, VINTA has grown from manufacturing a singular backpack model to a line of premium travel products that cater not only to photographers but all style-conscious commuters and travelers who take devices, cables, and technical equipment on the road.

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'Trump's Notes' Photographer Explains How He Got the Shot

For Getty Images photographer Mark Wilson, it was just another day at the office.

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Studio execs allegedly wanted Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman in new film

Harriet Tubman was an African-American woman born in the early 1800s.

The operative word is “African-American.”

So, when it was announced that Cynthia Erivo, British woman of African descent, would play the iconic Underground Railroad conductor, many were outraged. The arguments still persist, leaving many in the Black community in helpless debate. However, no one is in debate about another name that director Kasi Lemmons says that the studio suggested to her.

READ MORE: British actress Cynthia Erivo faces ‘Harriet’ backlash due to past tweets mocking Black Americans

According to Entertainment Weekly, they wanted “Miss Pretty Woman” aka Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman.

That’s as confusing as it sounds, but it reportedly was an actual suggestion that rolled off the tongue of a white executive.

Tone deaf much?

“I was told how one studio head said in a meeting, ‘This script is fantastic. Let’s get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman,’” the film’s screenwriter and producer, Gregory Allen Howard, explained to the LA Times. “When someone pointed out that Roberts couldn’t be Harriet, the executive responded, ‘It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference.'” Howard said the conversation happened back in 1994, but it still raised eyebrows.

Luckily somebody came to their senses and did NOT to cast Roberts, a white woman, as the legendary BLACK abolitionist.

The script took 25 years to come to fruition. During that time, there were many other films with slave narratives that Howard believed only helped to prove that such movies could be box office profitable.

“When 12 Years a Slave became a hit and did a couple hundred million dollars worldwide, I told my agent, ‘You can’t say this kind of story won’t make money now.’ Then Black Panther really blew the doors open,” Allen said.

READ MORE: OPINION: Antonio Moore on how ‘Harriet’ feeds into America’s disturbing stereotypes of Black men

Howard also defended the casting choice of Erivo, an African-British actress, who was criticized for her views on African-Americans.

Efforts to make a movie about Tubman have been going on for several years, with Viola Davis (who Erivo co-starred with in Steve McQueen’s “Widows”) once in line to play the part. But the project came together around Erivo, a casting choice some have criticized because she isn’t American.

“I first saw her when the other producers flew me to New York to see her in The Color Purple,” Howard said. “As soon as she opened her mouth, I thought, ‘Yes, that’s Harriet.’ Afterwards I emailed the other producers, ‘That’s Harriet. She’s a little stick of dynamite.’”

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Nigeria federation boss Pinnick blames investigations for failures

Football federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick says corruption investigations are behind Nigeria's international failures at various levels.

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New acts rule Grammys as Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Eilish lead in nominations

By MESFIN FEKADU AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The Grammys are screaming “Cuz I Love You” to Lizzo: The breakthrough singer-rapper scored a whopping eight nominations, including bids for the top four awards, making her the show’s top-nominated act.
Lizzo picked up nominations for album of the year with her major-label debut, “Cuz I Love You”; song and record of the year with her anthemic No. 1 hit, “Truth Hurts”; and best new artist.

Like Lizzo, other new artists dominated with Grammy nominations on Wednesday: Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X earned six nominations apiece.

Eilish also scored nominations in the top four categories, making the 17-year-old the youngest artist in the history of the Grammys to achieve the feat. Lil Nas X, 20, is up for three of the top four awards, including album and record of the year for “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus.

Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You,” Eilish’s “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” and Lil Nas X’s “7” — an 8-song EP — will compete for album of the year along with Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next,” Bon Iver’s “I,I,” Vampire Weekend’s “Father of the Bride,” H.E.R.’s “I Used to Know Her” and Lana Del Rey’s “Norman (Expletive) Rockwell!”

Nominees for record of the year include songs that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this year, including “Old Town Road,” “Truth Hurts,” Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” Grande’s “7 Rings” and Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower.” H.E.R.’s “Hard Place,” Bon Iver’s “Hey, Ma” and Khalid’s “Talk,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100, round out the eight nominees.
While Taylor Swift was shut out of album of the year with “Lover,” the album’s title track earned a nomination for song of the year, a songwriter’s award. It will compete with “Truth Hurts,” “Bad Guy,” “Hard Place,” Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way” from “A Star Is Born,” Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved,” Lana Del Rey’s “Norman (Expletive) Rockwell” and Tanya Tucker’s “Bring My Flowers Now,” co-written by Brandi Carlile.

Swift earned three nominations, while Beyoncé — who was shut out of the top three categories — scored four. While her groundbreaking “Homecoming” documentary earned a nomination for best music film, its album version didn’t pick up any nominations. Instead her “The Lion King: The Gift” project — which features songs inspired by “The Lion King,” for which she voiced the character Nala — is up for best pop vocal album, competing with projects from Ed Sheeran, Swift, Eilish and Grande. Beyoncé’s “Spirit,” from “The Lion King” which is being pushed for Oscar consideration, is up for best pop solo performance along with Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down,” “Truth Hurts,” “Bad Guy” and “7 Rings.”
Overall, female acts out-performed their male counterparts in the top four categories: Five of the eight album-of-the-year contenders are women, while seven of the eight song-of-the-year nominees are by women. Female musicians also rule in the best new artist category, though record of the year is evenly split.

Grande, who won her first Grammy earlier this year, scored five nominations, as did H.E.R. and Finneas, Eilish’s older brother who co-wrote, co-produced and engineered her debut album. Finneas’ nominations include producer of the year (non-classical) and best engineered album (non-classical).

Several acts picked up four nominations, including J. Cole, Gary Clark Jr., Lucky Daye, Thom Yorke, Bob Ludwig and Tanya Tucker, who in August released her first album of new songs in 17 years.

British country-soul performer Yola also scored four bids, including best new artist, pitting her against Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Eilish, pop singer Maggie Rogers, New Orleans group Tank and the Bangas, the Austin-based duo Black Pumas and Spanish singer Rosalía, who won album of the year at last week’s Latin Grammys.

Lizzo’s road to the Grammys has been a long one: The 31-year-old, who performed with Prince on his “Plectrumelectrum” album, grinded as an independent and touring artist for years before signing a major-label deal, releasing her first album in 2013. But this year marked her major breakthrough: Her song “Truth Hurts” topped the charts for seven weeks; she’s wowed audiences with her live performances — including her twerking while playing the flute. She’s also graced several magazine covers, earning praise for promoting body positivity and denouncing fat shaming.

But Lizzo has also had her fair share of critics: Some felt she shouldn’t qualify for best new artist at the Grammys since she’s been on the music scene for years. Others thought since “Truth Hurts” was originally released in 2017, it shouldn’t qualify for the 2020 Grammys. The Recording Academy said “Truth Hurts” qualified because the song was never submitted for contention in the Grammys process and it appears on an album released during the eligibility period for the upcoming show.

“Truth Hurts” was co-written by Tele, Jesse Saint John and Ricky Reed, who is nominated for producer of the year (non-classical). Mina Lioness, the British singer who Lizzo gave writing credit to after using some of her viral tweet in the hit song, didn’t appear on the list of writers nominated for song of the year for “Truth Hurts.” Lizzo’s label, Atlantic Records, told The Associated Press last week it was in the process of adding Lioness to the song’s credits.

Lizzo’s other nominations include best urban contemporary album, best pop solo performance for “Truth Hurts,” best traditional R&B performance for “Jerome” and best R&B performance for “Exactly How I Am,” which features Gucci Mane and marks the rapper’s first Grammy nomination.

Another first-time nominee: former first lady Michelle Obama, who is nominated for best spoken word album for “Becoming” (Barack Obama has won two Grammys in the same category).

Nipsey Hussle, who died in March and was nominated for best rap album earlier this year, scored three nominations: His song “Racks In the Middle” is up for best rap performance and best rap song, while “Higher” — a collaboration with DJ Khaled and John Legend that was one of the last songs Hussle recorded — is nominated for best rap/sung performance.
The Cranberries picked up a nomination for best rock album for their eighth and final album, “In the End,” which the surviving members of the Irish band created using unfinished vocals from singer Dolores O’Riordan, who died last year.

The 2020 Grammys will hand out awards in its 84 categories live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26. Nominees were selected from more than 20,000 submissions, and the final round of voting runs from Dec. 9 until Jan. 3.

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New journal based on Michelle Obama’s memoir ‘Becoming’ on sale now

Over the last few months, Michelle Obama’s best-selling memoir has been such a big hit with readers, that the former First Lady was inspired to penned a guided journal to help people become their best selves.

On Tuesday, Obama’s Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice was released nationwide. The new work offers inspirational quotes from the former First Lady, along with writing prompts for an interactive and proactive way to help people work toward improving their lives, The IBTimes reports.

READ MORE: Michelle Obama’s next project is a companion to ‘Becoming’

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there’s grace in being willing to know and hear others. This, for me, is how we become,” Obama says according to the journal’s description.

The journal offers more than 150 inspirational tidbits like:

“If there’s is one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s the power of using your own voice. Write about a time when you spoke your truth to others. How did it make you feel? What did you learn?” and “Write about a specific experience when someone dislodged a dream of yours by trying to lower your expectations. How did it make you feel? How did you try to become that obstacle?”

The best-selling author told USA Today that she wanted people to be inspired.

“We don’t have to remember everything. But everything we remember has value.”

The journal is available now and is reasonably priced, ranging between $12.27 and $19.99 based on where you purchase it.

READ MORE: Michelle Obama honored with ‘Caregiver Champion’ award

The book is not the only exciting thing going on in our “Forever First Lady’s” life.

Obama also recently got emotional last month when she accepted the Tom Hanks Caregiver Champion award for the compassion she has shown towards wounded soldiers.

Obama attended the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes gala in Washington D.C. and shared during her speech the eye-opening difficulties that members of military vets endure, PEOPLE reports.

She learned a lot about their issues during her husband Barack Obama’s two-term presidency.

“You all changed me forever,” she said. “You have changed the way I see service, you’ve changed the way I see war, you’ve changed the way I see this entire country. Whether we simply talk about the values we like to pride ourselves on, values like duty and honor and patriotism, or if we actually live them out.”

“I was like most Americans, sadly, I had absolutely no idea what the life of a military family member was like,” Obama admitted.

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