Beyoncé Makes Raising $7.1 Billion To End Poverty Look Sexy
Leave it up to Beyoncé to make efforts to eliminate poverty look so fierce.
Many of us have been on our social media feeds wishing that we were in South Africa to witness the slaying she and her husband Jay-Z delivered during the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100. The event took place in Johannesburg, South Africa at the FDN stadium where most of its guests in attendance were those who took the time to assist their community in ways big and small through the Global Citizen organization.
The Carters made an epic 90-minute appearance leading to an influx of donations. At the end of the efforts, Beyoncé excitingly reported that the festival, its performers, and its festival-goers collectively raised $7.1 billion to aid Global Citizen in their efforts to eradicate extreme poverty:
"After settling in at home from a beautiful trip to South Africa and India, I am still in awe that 7.1 BILLION dollars was raised to aid Global Citizen in its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty… Every person in the audience at FNB Stadium earned a seat because they generously donated their time to help their community. Now their efforts and the money raised will help improve education, healthcare, sanitation, women's rights, and countless other causes for millions across the globe."
In addition to raising funds to end poverty and honoring Nelson Mandela's legacy 100 years after his birth, Beyoncé made sure to put the designers of her breathtakingly beautiful costumes that she wore onstage, and the fashion she rocked offstage on the map through shout-outs on Instagram.
This now puts designers like Quiteria & George alongside more globally popular brands like Versace and Balmain. Their visit was filled with great vibes, beautiful and culturally rich fashion, and of course great music. Beyoncé gushed:
"I felt so much positivity and pride in the audience at Global Citizen: Mandela 100. Madiba, Johannesburg, and all of my African sisters and brothers, we hope we made you as proud as you all make us. South Africa was an extraordinary trip for me and my family. God bless."
Although the Carters usually like to leave an air of mystery to their lives, in honor of being in the motherland, Beyoncé also recently took to Instagram to show love to the dope African designers she wore for going "so hard" and keeping her "feeling fresh":
Featured image by Beyonce/Instagram.
- Global Citizen Festival ›
- Beyonce pens letter to Nelson Mandela ahead of Global Citizen ... ›
- Beyonce, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran to Headline Global Citizen Festival ... ›
- She Wore Every Country in Africa: How Beyoncé Slayed Global ... ›
- of Beyoncé's Epic Outfit Changes From the Global Citizen Festival ›
- Beyonce's Global Citizen Outfits Celebrated Africa's Diversity ... ›
- Beyoncé - Formation / Run The World Global Citizens Festival ... ›
- Ahead of the Global Citizen Festival, Beyoncé Remembers Mandela ›
- Beyoncé, JAY-Z, Ed Sheeran, Tiwa Savage, Cassper Nyovest to ... ›
- Beyonce Celebrates Global Citizen Fest Success on Instagram ... ›
New Jersey native creating a life that she loves while living in gratitude. She loves using beauty, and fashion to create a balanced lifestyle while prioritizing wellness. A devoted fur mom, and a full-time lover of laughter. She is out for revenge against the darkness by being light, taking her own advice, traveling the world, and letting you know that you are so lit! Connect with her via IG @iamzaniah and please visit Zaniahsworld.com
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Stress Awareness Month: Sneaky Workplace Triggers Affecting Black Women, And How To Cope
We all know about the major stress triggers of everyday life, from relationship woes to monthly bills to unexpected emergencies, but there are small, subtle triggers that impact Black women in a big way, especially when it comes to work. It’s good to be aware of these sneaky stressors in order to maximize your day and find ways to incorporate solutions into your self-care routines.
Since it’s Stress Awareness Month, we caught up with Keanne Owens, LCSW, founder of Journey To Harmony Therapy Center, to talk about these triggers and what Black women can do to manage and cope.
Owens is an experienced South Florida-based counselor and social worker who offers her services via Grow Therapy, a therapy and medication management platform. She has worked with Black women professionals to unpack issues related to workplace stressors. “One is the pressure to perform–having to meet deadlines and deliverables. And a lot of times, these subtle stressors from performance are put upon ourselves as Black women. We want to make sure we’re doing our best. We don’t want to be critiqued in certain ways.”
Excessive micromanagement leading to fear of overly critical bosses is another subtle trigger that can negatively impact Black women in the workplace.
“Whenever something is done wrong, or we experience some type of injustice and have to report it, it’s the fear of retaliation–[fear that] we won’t be taken seriously or [our words] will be taken out of context because of being deemed as the ‘angry Black woman,’” she said.
Black Women And Workplace Stress Triggers
Her sentiments are backed by research. A recent report by Coqual found that 28% of Black women (compared to 17% of White men) say their supervisor uses “excessive control or attention to detail” when managing them. There’s more: A survey by the National Employment Law Project found that Black workers were “more likely to have concerns (80 percent) and twice as likely as white workers (18 percent) to have unresolved concerns at work, with 39 percent reporting they were “not satisfied with the employer’s response or did not raise concerns for fear of retaliation.”
The survey also found that 14 percent of Black respondents said they “avoided raising concerns to their employer for fear of retaliation—more than twice the average rate of 6 percent for all survey respondents.”
Owens pointed to the fact that these subtle stress triggers can negatively impact our physical health and our career advancement. “A lot of time it’ll affect our productivity,” Owens added. “We start to have negative thoughts of ourselves. The stressors can also cause fatigue. We’re no longer meeting or working up to our desired potential.” Other challenges as a result include insomnia and increased insolation, withdrawal, and lack of motivation to apply for jobs or promotions even when qualified.
valentinrussanov/Getty Images
How To Manage Subtle Stress Triggers
While there are systemic issues at play for Black women at work that has less to do with us and more to do with major overhauls that must be addressed by the powers that be, there are steps we can take for the betterment of ourselves and our mental health. Owens offered the following tips:
Tap into a support system, whether it’s a coworker you trust, a family member, an organization, or an outlet like a hobby.
Create a good work-life balance before burnout even starts. “Having certain boundaries [is the goal] such as, for example, if you get off at 5, you get off at 5. If your job description is this, you don’t go above and beyond because that brings you to a lot of burnout,” Owens said.
Prioritize self-care, whatever that means for you. “If you don’t have a routine, create one. Practice mindfulness and even some meditation,” she added.
Create structure in your life outside of work. “Even if you have a family, applying some structure in your routine helps relieve stress,” she said.
Get into grounding techniques. “Do a real quick square breathing exercise, that’s literally 30 seconds, or you can do a grounding technique that’s less than two minutes, right there where you are. You don’t need any other materials. That’s something you can do with just yourself and your body.”
Ask for help. “As Black women, we don’t ask for help enough,” she said. “Find where you need to ask for help. A lot of times, people think that’s indicative of weakness, but we need to rewrite that narrative. It’s okay to ask for help where you see fit. [If] you’re a mom, [it could be] every Wednesday from 5 to 6, your children are with the dad. You have to carve out that time.”
For more information on Grow Therapy, visit their website. You can also find out more about Keanne Owens, LCSW, via BeginYourJourneyToHarmony.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Charday Penn/Getty Images