Elaine Welteroth’s Life After Leaving 'Teen Vogue' Is The Pivot We All Deserve
Elaine Welteroth is a gem to the culture--for reasons that surpass what we can physically imagine.
Elaine is best known for her work at Teen Vogue from 2012 to 2018, where, at age 29, she held the title of Editor, then Editor-in-Chief–the youngest person ever appointed the title, and second black person in its history. Her extremely relatable, outspoken, and unapologetic intuition and judgement calls of inclusivity and diversity, made her a global phenom that she has evolved into.
But what's most impressive about Welteroth, is her ability to scale in the art of leveling up.
Notorious for her ever-evolving career, and a constant aim for upstaging whatever's next, she has managed to not only progress in her happiness, but to seek out moves that places her within a vibration that was higher than the one before. And the past two years, since her exit from Teen Vogue, have been no different, as her pivot game has proven insurmountable, time and time again.
Another interesting page from Elaine's story, is each of her power moves weren't only manifested, they were challenged, thanks to a push from Ava Duvernay. In an excerpt from her book, More Than Enough, she revealed that when Teen Vogue decided to dissolve their print issues, she discussed what was next with the iconic director who seemed unimpressed with Elaine's decision to stick it out with Conde Naste.
"You know what I think the better ending is... Elaine Wetheroth leaves Conde Naste. That's the story I want to read. That's powerful and decisive. You should be a little fearful. That's good. It's a motivator. We all feel fear when we're about to do something great. I think the universe is calling you to be a little bit braver right now."
If we had all day, we would list all the ways she's changed the landscape as a fierce trailblazer since she's left the popular publication. But in the meantime, here's just a few:
Elaine released a New York Time's Best Seller 'More Than Enough'.
Welteroth's career has been one move after another climbing the ranks of the beauty and fashion world. In 2019, she decided to release a memoir, full of direct advice for how her journey has unfolded.
Her story of following her passions--and the struggles that come with it--especially as a woman of color, was honest, inspiring, and entertaining. Her narration was perfect, and I loved that her parents' narrated things they said. Definitely pick this one up if you love a good memoir.
She said:
"For generations women have been made to feel like we're not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough, too old, too young, too loud, too quiet. I mean, there are so many messages that are threatening to keep us small. If I am going to be held up as a trailblazer in my career for the things that I've been able to do and the opportunities I've had, well I better be doing everything in my power to make sure that I am leaving that trail with some signposts along the way that make it easier and less daunting and less confusing for the next generation of young leaders and female leaders of color who are coming up behind me."
Queen.
Elaine had a beautifully viral wedding with her tribe...and then threw a virtual block party!
At the head of the height of the pandemic, Welteroth and her husband, Johnathan, set Al Gore's internet ablaze as they got married on the stoop of their Brooklyn home. And set to the tone of Snoh Aalegra's "Find Someone Like You", she released a video on her Instagram, to commemorate the news, for those of us who weren't in attendance.
She toldVogue:
"Whether it was jumping in to DJ or donating a piece from their own closet to help us pull our wedding looks together, everyone in our tribe contributed something special to the celebration. It was humbling to see how our community showed up for us in big and small ways at every step in this process."
She moved cross country to Los Angeles and purchased a bomb home during the pandemic.
She tells Elle:
"I couldn't have asked for a better backdrop than Brooklyn."
And sis is a new host on 'The Talk'.
It's officially been announced that, beginning in January, Welteroth will be replacing Eve, and joining current hosts Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood and Carrie Ann Inaba, on The Talk.
She told People:
"I am thrilled and honored to join this incredible cast and crew. From the very first time I guest co-hosted on The Talk, I knew I was among a very special group of people. I look forward to starting off the new year with honest and thought-provoking discussions, mixed with plenty of fun and laughter too."
We cannot wait for to see the conversations she brings to the table!
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Featured image via Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
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.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images