This is it. You have the ball with 10 seconds to shoot. You are at the final stretch of a marathon. You have the chance to be a part of a history-making moment.
The final countdown to the 2018 Midterm Elections have officially begun.
There is so much at stake during the upcoming midterm elections cycle – immigration, gun control, affirmative action, reproductive health, police accountability, environmental protection, and more. If you don't vote, particularly in elections impacting your local communities, you are leaving your future and the future of those around you in the hands of those who may not have your best interest at heart. Take your power back. VOTE!
Related: Why It's Important To Use Our Voices To Vote
Amplified by initiatives like Michelle Obama's When We All Vote and Yara Shahidi's EighteenX18, Black women are coming together to encourage midterm voting and supporting a number of candidates, specifically the unprecedented number of Black women running for local and statewide positions across the country.
There are 57 Black women running for office in the 2018 midterm elections but to make sure you know any and every one that is running for office during the midterm elections, do your research by clicking here. Out of those 57 women, we've compiled a list of some influential names to look out for in the 2018 midterm elections. From Stacey Abrams (Georgia) to Maxine Waters (California), Black women – our mothers, sisters, aunties, and neighbors – are depending on us to be more than party supporters and organizers, but to take #BlackGirlMagic all the way to the polls.
These are the candidates to watch and rock your vote for:
Dr. Stephany Rose Spaulding
via Pantsuit Politics
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress In Colorado's 5th District
Why She's Running:
Dr. Stephany Rose Spaulding is both a pastor and a professor, but perhaps her biggest title will be the one she rocks as the first Black person to rep for the state of Colorado in Congress. According to Harper's Bazaar, her interest in running for elected office first sparked at the Women's March and as a result she's running because "Congress is overwhelmingly white and male, as an institution, it can't possibly grasp the challenges and aspirations of a nation that is significantly more female, and ethnically and culturally diverse. Our people deserve leaders in Washington who truly represent them because they come from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Governor of Georgia
Why She's Running:
Stacey Abrams is a name that has been making waves in the headlines in the past year and has only intensified in recent months. And it's largely because she is a force to be reckoned with. The multi-hyphenate will go on to become the first Black female governor to ever hold that title in the United States, as well as the first Black woman to be nominated for governor by a major party for any state. Think about that. "We need a variety of perspectives at the decision-making table to ensure that no one is left out and left behind in our political system. I grew up in a working poor family, and my parents raised their six children with the values of faith, family, service, and responsibility. Those same beliefs guided me as I began my career in politics and guide me now as I run to become governor of Georgia," she told Harper's Bazaar, "I know that our beginnings do not dictate who we will become in the future. That is why I am running for governor of Georgia—to give those who do not see themselves represented in politics the opportunity to live up to their highest potential."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Lauren Underwood
Lauren Underwood
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Illinois' 14th District
Why She's Running:
At 31, Lauren Underwood is the youngest Black woman that's running for Congress this year, reigning supreme in her win for nomination over six mostly white candidates. She's also the first woman in her district to ever earn a Democratic nomination. The former Obama administration appointee and registered nurse said to Refinery29, "I decided to run for Congress when our congressman Randy Hultgren voted to take healthcare away from folks like me, people with pre-existing conditions."
For her, the erasure of basic human rights was enough to light the fire of her purpose. She continued, "The opportunity this year is to elect a Congress that better represents the experiences of the American people. Real lives, real families who for so long have not had a voice in the decision-making process in Washington."
Go Black Girl Magic, go!
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Jeannine Lee Lake
Jeannine Lee Lake
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Indiana's 6th District
Why She's Running:
Jeannine Lee Lake is yet another Black woman making history as a "first" this election season. She is the first Black woman to win a nom for a major party to run for Congress. For her, the decision to run had a lot to do with her four children, all of whom she adopted. Like most parents, she wants them to live their best lives. And that's rooted in politics. "My daughter asked me one day if the President of the United States hated Black people. I did not feel comfortable telling her that the President did not hate Black people," she admitted to Harper's Bazaar. "As I looked around the heartland I realized that this country and my beloved Indiana had become divided. Under the current leadership we had not seen the change that had been promised: better healthcare, no worry if a pre-existing condition exists, higher wages, and inclusiveness for all."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Ayanna Pressley
Ayanna Pressley
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Massachusetts' 7th District
Why She's Running:
Ayanna Pressley is no stranger to politics. In fact, back in 2009, she became the first woman of color to ever be elected to have a seat at the table in the Boston City Council. More recently, in 2016, the New York Times noted her as one of 14 democrats to watch. And in 2018, she is showing us why by running for Congress in Massachusetts' 7th District, which will make her the first Black woman to represent the state in the House of Representatives. She has often been heard arguing that "the people closest to the pain should be the closest to the power." And in a recent debate, she said, "I'm not going to pretend that representation doesn't matter. But, it doesn't matter in how inclusive and represented we are. It matters because it informs the issues that are spotlighted and emphasized, and it leads to more innovative and enduring solutions. That's why it matters. You cannot have a government for and by the people if it is not represented by all of the people."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Melanie Levesque
Melanie Levesque
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Senate in New Hampshire
Why She's Running:
Women are running the world for New Hampshire, as they sent their historical first-ever all-female delegation to Congress. On par with that theme, Melanie Levesque is in the running to be the state's first-ever Black senator. And she believes she's more than qualified to be the woman for the job, boiling it down to the intersectionality of her identity, as well as empathy. She told Harper's Bazaar, "I wear many hats. I am a wife, mother, small business owner, and volunteer in my community. I am a woman of color who understands what it is like to be a minority. I bring many different perspectives to the table, but mostly the ability to listen, empathize and find common ground with the people I meet."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Erika Stotts Pearson
Erika Stotts Pearson
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in Tennessee's 8th District
Why She's Running:
Erika Stotts Pearson will be the first Black woman to hold a seat in Congress from Tennessee if she wins this election day. She draws inspiration and gains drive from influential trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm, who was notably the first Black woman to ever run for President. She told Harper's Bazaar, "'You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines. You make progress by getting in the race and implementing ideas.' That quote sums up why I am running for Congress. I want to inspire people—especially women—to work hard and work together, because our goal is to bring opportunities back to our communities. There has never been a time better than now. Women want our voices at the table."
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
Maxine Waters
Jason Bell/Glamour
Political Party:
Democrat
What Office She's Running For:
Congress in California's 43rd District
Why She's Running:
I'm sure by now we are all privy to Auntie Maxine's "reclaiming my time" mantra, as well as the icon she's developed into for Liberals everywhere. Aside from her public disdain for Number 45 and never mincing her words, what the politician is using her influence for the most is as her status as Congresswoman for California's 43rd District. This year, Maxine was named one of TIME Magazine's Most Influential People and in a bio written by Yara Shahidi, this was said: "You would think that 41 years of public service would make Congresswoman Waters tired, but her laser focus is unmatched. When other policymakers criminalize protests, she is there, verbalizing our pain. She fights for funding to support neglected communities. And she takes to Twitter to raise her voice on our behalf, regardless if Congress is in session. In this time of sociopolitical unrest, Congresswoman Waters has been the brilliant, tenacious representative of the people that we all need."
In the 2018 Midterm election, Maxine Waters is once again running for Congress and we the people who identify with her unapologetic nature and her devotion to advocating for marginalized communities, definitely say she has our vote.
Learn more about her stance on the issues here.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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And so, since this is the time of year when catching a cold (and/or the flu) is common, let’s talk about the impact that sleep (and again, a lack thereof) has on your immune system. That way, you can remain as healthy as possible during the fall and winter seasons.
1. Less Sleep Means More Colds
GiphyLike I stated in the intro, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard somewhere that the fall and winter are the seasons when people are most susceptible to catching a cold or coming down with the flu. And that’s exactly why I thought I would start this all off by sharing the fact that some studies reveal that if you get less than six hours of sleep, on a consistent basis, you end up making yourself more vulnerable to coming down with both. In fact, some research says that only 18 percent of people who get six-plus hours of rest caught a cold while almost 40 percent who got less than that did.
The logic behind it all is sleep gives your body time to build up the proteins and cells (like cytokines and T-cells) that you need to fight off certain viruses. So, if nothing bothers you more than having a stuffy nose or stubborn cough when it’s cold outside, getting more sleep is one way to prevent that from happening to you.
2. Less Sleep Means More Allergy Symptoms
GiphyAt the end of the day, an allergy is basically what transpires whenever your immune system “overreacts” to something that other people’s systems do not. And since sleep is what helps to keep your immune system nice and strong — well, I’m sure you get how less allergy-related symptoms and more sleep go hand in hand. Also, since sleep helps to decrease bodily inflammation (more on that in a bit) and inflammation can also intensify allergy symptoms, that’s just one more reason to get as much shut-eye as possible.
3. Less Sleep Means Potential Diabetes and Heart Disease
GiphyDid you know that in 2024, Black women were diagnosed with diabetes 24 percent more than any other adult demographic. Also, it continues to be a reality that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women. These two sobering statistics alone should be enough of an incentive to do whatever you can to keep the risk of diabetes and heart disease way down.
One way to do that is by getting more sleep. Aside from the fact that sleep strengthens your immune system to where it is easier for you to fight off illness and diseases, sleep can keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy space; plus, when it comes to your heart, it gives it, along with your arteries and blood vessels a break.
4. Less Sleep Means Less Time for Your Body to Push “Reset”
GiphyIf you really stopped to consider all that your body goes through during the day (you can read some about that here), you definitely would respect it enough to do your best to thank it by giving it no less than six hours of sleep, each and every night. Sleep is what helps to slow your brain and body down so they are able to “refuel” for the next day. After all, how can your body prevent you from getting sick if your immune system is too worn out to fight ailments off? Exactly.
5. More Sleep Helps You to Fight Off Infections
GiphySpeaking of, in order for your body to fight off infections, there are certain cells and antibodies within you that need to be healthy and strong — one way that they get and stay that way is by you getting a good amount of sleep. For instance, remember when I touched on cytokines earlier? Well, the same way that they help to prevent colds, they also help to prevent infections too. And since sleep lowers your cortisol (stress) levels, rest gives your body the time and space to build up an army that can fight off free radicals and other health-related challenges while you are awake.
6. More Sleep Lowers Bodily Inflammation
GiphyWhenever a health-related issue is mentioned on this platform, inflammation is something that is mentioned quite a bit. Probably the easiest way to explain inflammation is it’s how your body responds/reacts whenever something is happening to your body that shouldn’t be, whether it’s an illness, an injury, a germ or something that you may be allergic to.
If you happen to have chronic inflammation, some symptoms that are associated with that include fatigue, stiff joints, skin rashes, weight gain and moodiness.
The interesting thing about all of this is if you aren’t getting enough rest, you could be triggering inflammation in your body. That’s because studies reveal that a lack of sleep can elevate molecules that are associated with inflammation. So, if you don’t want inflammation to increase within your system, you should definitely catch more zzz’s.
7. More Sleep Regulates Hormones
GiphyWhen it comes to hormones like serotonin, estrogen and cortisol, believe it or not, they play a role in how your immune system acts and overreacts. That’s because, if your hormones are out of balance, that can cause your immune system to work harder than it actually should and that can make you more vulnerable to sickness. One way to keep your hormones leveled out? SLEEP.
That’s because sleep gives your body the opportunity to rest, repair and restore your hormone levels. On the other hand, when you are sleep deprived, that can put/keep your hormones on the ultimate roller coaster ride. #notgood
8. More Sleep Strengthens Vaccines
flu shot GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphyIf you’re someone who is good for getting some sort of vaccine around this time of the year, make sure that you rest up before and after getting your shots. Not only does adequate rest before a vaccination help your immune system to be better receptive to your shots but sleep also helps your body to build up enough antibodies to make your vaccinations effective after getting them. Because if you’re gonna get pricked, shouldn’t it be worth it? My thoughts exactly.
Get some freakin’ sleep! Your immune system depends on it.
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