

Never take for granted the power of a good motivational wordto speak life into your mind and spirit. I know things can get a bit corny and cliche when you see motivational speakers or quotes on social, and maybe you're on that de-motivation train. But sis, it's good to pour into ourselves with positive words, affirmations, and truths.
While I'm not too keen on self-help or the hell-fire preaching type of motivational speeches, I absolutely love wise, encouraging, and thought-provoking insights from women based on their experiences, education, training, relatability, or life stories. For me, it's all about who the message is coming from, the context and energy behind it, and the actual impact the women have made on the world. Here are a few motivational quotes that I often reference when I'm feeling that mid-week slump:
"I don't ever see myself in a position of controlling how other people think or how other people view me... What's most important is how I see myself." —Actress and Educator Phylicia Rashad
"That's how I go into every situation. I treat it as if nothing is impossible, so I don't let anything limit me, let anything stop me, let anything scare me." —Rapper and Producer Megan Thee Stallion
"I hate to lose, but I think losing is what brought me here today...And some of them are extremely painful, but I wouldn't take any of them away because every time I lose, it takes a long time for me to lose again because I learn so much from it. If you lose, learn from it. Don't live in the past. Live in the present. And don't make the same mistakes in the future." —Tennis champion Serena Williams
"We all have an idea of our plan, like, 'This is how it's going to work out.' And then we all see that the plan is not always what we think it will be. ... Never more have I learned to bet on myself. You have to bet on yourself." —TV Host and Journalist, Tamron Hall
"I believe that nobody can be the best you but you. So you might as well show up and show out." —Author, Host and Actress, Bevy Smith
"How I choose to affect change is by speaking up, by being a first, and by being a domino. ... Being the domino for me looks like speaking up and doing the things that are really difficult, especially when they're really needed, with the hope that others will follow suit." —Author and Entrepreneur, Luvvie Ajayi Jones
"And finally I said, 'God loves me.' It still humbles me that this force, which made leaves and fleas and stars and rivers and you, loves me—me, Maya Angelou. It's amazing. I can do anything and I can do it well...any good thing... because God loves me." —Author, Actress and Poet, Maya Angelou
"Give yourself a thousand second chances. Realize that you've got a thousand times to get it right. Life is about practicing and replaying... Life is not about perfection." —Author and Speaker, Lisa Nichols
"Don't hate on yourself. Don't speak negatively about yourself. Don't be your own worst enemy. It's about just having the courage and knowing who you are ... This is a gift. Have the courage. Just do it." —Singer, Author, and Actress, Mary J. Blige
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Originally published on May 10, 2023
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Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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A Celebration Of Black Voices: What You Missed At The 3rd Annual Black Effect Podcast Festival
Over the weekend, iHeart Radio held its third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival in Atlanta, attracting a star-studded lineup of personalities and shows. Charlamagne tha God, founder of the Black Effect podcast network was in attendance along with other notable personalities like Mandii B and Weezy WTF, the hosts of the popular Decisions, Decisions podcast, who also served as the festival's hosts.
Sarah Jakes Roberts, the esteemed pastor and host of Woman Evolve podcast, singers and co-hosts of the R&B Money podcast, Tank and J. Valentine, former NFL star and Funky Friday host Cam Newton and many more further rounded out the festivals' lineup.
The festival hosted panels that focused on mental health and the future of podcasting as well as many live shows. Good Moms, Bad Choices hosts, Erica and Milah, welcomed Dreka Gates and held a live dating show that was nothing short of hilarious. Naked Sports host Cari Champion sat down with Iman Shumpert and they discussed sports and dating.
Tank and J. Valentine surprised the audience with Jacquees, Cam had a live conversation with Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams, and Sarah closed out the festival with reality star Toya Johnson. Check out photos from the festival below:
(L-R) Shawn Bethea, Jay Barnett, Devi Brown, Charlamagne tha God and Amber Grimes
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Jamilah Mapp, Dreka Gates and Erica Dickerson
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Mandii B and Weezy WTF
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Porsha Williams and Cam Newton
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Iman Shumpert and Cari Champion
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
Tank, Jacquees and J. Valentine
Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network
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Feature image by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartMedia and The Black Effect Podcast Network