What We Can Learn From Keke Palmer About Bossing Up
The art of bossing up isn't something that can be taught or learned. Truly becoming the master of your own destiny is a lifestyle that can only be earned through experience, and Keke Palmer's wildly impressive resume proves that with the right work ethic, the American Dream is attainable for everyone; even a brown-skinned girl from Chicago who would one day become the youngest talk show host in television history.
At only nine years old, Keke auditioned for her first major role, and only a few years shy of 20 years later, she's still securing bags all up and through the entertainment world, and her latest endeavor may be her most versatile, yet. Along with starring along in Hustlers alongside Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu the actress will also be securing a permanent place on the small screen.
And our morning coffee just got a little more melanated with the official announcement that Keke Palmer will be joining Micheal Strahan and Sara Haines as the third co-host on the Good Morning America spinoff, Strahan and Sara.
Keke is newly 26 this month and she hasn't wasted any time when it comes to building a legacy for herself. She may be young, but she's ready for a check; here's 4 things we can learn from Keke Palmer about bossing up:
Versatility Is Key
We all like boxes. They're safe, they carry the hundreds of items we order on Amazon each year, and they somehow evoke a sense of comfort. Although boxes are predictable, you have to get out of it to secure the bag, and Keke Palmer is living proof of this fact.
If you want to have something you've never had, you have to find the courage to do something you've never done, and Keke is no stranger to this philosophy. The entertainer said that every chance she gets, she challenges herself because it keeps her on her toes and ready to adapt at all times. Although she got a good deal of backlash from her 2018 collaboration with Lee Daniels where she played a lesbian street hustler, Keke told Pride Source that she took the role because it challenged her:
"I started developing this project right after ‘True Jackson,’ like a year after kind of doing the same thing. I think TV naturally can be a little bit repetitive, and when you're doing a children's network, it can really only go so far (with) subjects and content matter and what you can talk about. So, for me, I was really just looking for something that would allow me a challenge as an actor."
Find Power In Your Pain
A true boss doesn't just secure a check, they use that check to help those who haven't. Along with acting, singing, and dancing, Keke has also used her platform for philanthropy. Her partnerships with The Boys and Girls Club, World Young Women's Christian Association, and Saving Our Daughters have brought to light a number of issues facing young people today and she's even used social media to get real about her own trauma.
In 2016, she revealed that she was molested by a family member and earlier this year, Keke took to Twitter to voice her opinion about restrictive women's rights, revealing that she also had an abortion earlier in her life and encouraged women to keep fighting. The actress proves that sometimes your pain can be powerful in the healing of others, use it wisely.
Don't Take "No" For An Answer
In 2014, Keke Palmer partnered with Kenya Barris and BET to become the youngest talk show host in the history of television when she debuted her show, JustKeke. Although the show was greenlit for nationwide syndication in 2015, the show stopped airing after 20 episodes, and seemingly putting Keke's dreams of being a host on hold.
But when God closes one door, a window opens. If Keke had stopped pursuing her dreams because one network said "no," we would never get the yasss-worthy content we will now see her serving up every day on the Strahan and Sara (and Keke)Show.
Bossing up isn't really about a check, it's about your mindset. Secure the bag sis, but you're the bag. Secure you, first.
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
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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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy