These Books Are Giving All The Goods On Career Fulfillment, Success, And The Glow Up
Y'all know we love a good book list over here at xoNecole (as if you don't already have dozens on your bookshelves that you have yet to finish. We're with you, sis.)
Well, the next time you're lounging by the pool, waiting on that last dryer cycle to finish, or simply needing something enlightening to listen to during a session on the cycling machine, you'll be glad you added these inspiring books to your cart. They're all by ambitious and smart Black women giving all the goods on career advancement, life fulfillment, and professional glow-ups.
You're welcome.
'Choosing to Prosper' by Bola Sokunbi
Written by the mind behind Clever Girl Finance, an empowering online platform and community centered on financial literacy, this book gets into Sokunbi's Nigerian background and upbringing, finding financial freedom, and guidance into the self-awareness and confidence to take on your lifestyle goals.
'Manifesto: On Never Giving Up' by Bernardine Evaristo
This author and scholar's bold memoir will definitely spark introspection and self-exploration, especially for all the ambitious baes out there who aren't afraid to push the envelope and fight the status quo.
'I Am Debra Lee' by Debra Lee
Serving as BET's CEO for more than a decade definitely gives Lee the cred to share just what it means to be a Black woman leading one of the most iconic, bankable TV networks of all time. It's no small feat to break glass ceilings and stomp with the big dogs in corporate America, so there's a lot to be learned from the life of a true boss.
You've Been Chosen: Thriving Through the Unexpected
Written by the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks---the first Black woman to hold such a role in the NBA---this book features elements of perseverance, hard work, faith, and positivity that are sure to get you pumped up to achieve your own greatness.
'Agent You: Show Up, Do the Work, and Succeed on Your Own Terms' by Nicole Lynn
This one is especially for those who are struggling with purpose and fulfillment and offers easy-to-read tips and advice on how to become clear on just what you want out of your work, life, and legacy. An added plus: Lynn's record-breaking boss moves in the NFL and her pivot into becoming an agent and sports operator.
'The Fear-Fighter Manual: Lessons From A Professional Troublemaker' by Luvvi Ajayi Jones
If you're into a candid insightful read about being unapologetically you, this is perfect, and Jones is one who knows more than a thing or two about that since paying her dues and becoming a successful podcast host, digital strategist, entrepreneur, and speaker. Sis just knows how to bring out the best in folk through honesty, humor, and smarts.
'I'm Not Yelling: A Black Women's Guide to Navigating the Workplace' by Elizabeth Leiba
This is a love letter to any Black woman who has felt misunderstood, misrepresented, and stifled in the workplace and includes insights on ways to be your full authentic self and achieve success without wearing a mask or code-switching.
'We Should All Be Millionaires' by Rachel Rodgers
If the title alone doesn't move you, the fact that the author is a 7-figure business owner, attorney, and mother should. She's all about empowering people to make more money and think bigger about the possibilities in life, and this book does not disappoint in that area.
'Make Money Move: A Guide to Financial Wellness' by Lauren Simmons
Her story of becoming the youngest woman to serve as a full-time trader on the New York Stock Exchange went viral, and this book is one that gets to the core of investing in sustainable wealth, which in turn can exponentially change your life for the better.
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For Us, By Us: How HBCU Alumni Are Building Legacies Through Entrepreneurship
Homecoming season is here, and alumni are returning to the yard to celebrate with their friends and family at the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that have changed their lives forever.
No matter where their life journeys have taken them, for HBCU students from near and far, returning to where it all started can invoke feelings of nostalgia, appreciation for the past, and inspiration for the future.
The seeds for these entrepreneurs were planted during their time as students at schools like Spelman, North Carolina A&T, and more, which is why xoNecole caught up with Look Good Live Well’s Ariane Turner, HBCU Buzz’s Luke Lawal and Morehouse Senior Director of Marketing and Comms and Press Secretary Jasmine Gurley to highlight the role their HBCU roots play in their work as entrepreneurs, the legacy they aim to leave behind through the work that they do, and more as a part of Hyundai’s Best In Class initiative.
On Honoring HBCU Roots To Create Something That Is For Us, By Us
Ariane Turner
Courtesy
When Ariane Turner launched Look Good, Live Well, she created it with Black and brown people in mind, especially those with sensitive skin more prone to dryness and skin conditions like acne and eczema.
The Florida A&M University graduate launched her business to create something that addressed topical skin care needs and was intentional about its approach without negative terminology.
Turner shared that it is important to steer clear of language often adopted by more prominent brands, such as “banishing breakouts” or “correcting the skin,” because, in reality, Turner says there is nothing wrong with the way that our skin and bodies react to various life changes.
“I think what I have taken with me regarding my HBCU experience and translated to my entrepreneurial experience is the importance of not just networking,” Turner, the founder and CEO of Look Good, Live Well, tellls xoNecole.
“We hear that in business all the time, your network is your net worth, but family, there’s a thing at FAMU that we call FAMU-lee instead of family, and it’s very much a thing. What that taught me is the importance of not just making relationships and not just making that connection, but truly working on deepening them, and so being intentional about connecting with people initially, but staying connected and building and deepening those relationships, and that has served me tremendously in business, whether it’s being able to reach back to other classmates who I went to school with, or just networking in general.”
She adds, “I don’t come from a business background. As soon as I finished school, I continued with my entrepreneurial journey, and so there’s a lot of that traditional business act and the networking, those soft skills that I just don’t have, but I will say that just understanding how to leverage and network community and to build intentional relationships is something that has taken me far and I definitely got those roots while attending FAMU.”
On Solving A Very Specific Need For The Community
Luke Lawal Jr.
Courtesy
When Luke Lawal Jr. launched HBCU Buzz, his main focus was to represent his community, using the platform to lift as they climbed by creating an outlet dedicated to celebrating the achievements and positive news affecting the 107 historically HBCUs nationwide.
By spotlighting the wonderful things that come from the HBCU community and coupling it with what he learned during his time at Bowie State University, Lawal used that knowledge to propel himself as an entrepreneur while also providing his people with accurate representation across the internet.
“The specific problem in 2011 when I started HBCU Buzz was more so around the fact that mainstream media always depict HBCUs as negative,” Lawal says. “You would only see HBCUs in the mainstream media when someone died, or the university president or someone was stepping down. It was always bad news, but they never shed light on all the wonderful things from our community."
So, I started HBCU Buzz to ensure the world saw the good things that come from our space. And they knew that HBCUs grew some of the brightest people in the world, and just trying to figure out ways to make sure our platform was a pedestal for all the students that come through our institutions.”
“The biggest goal is to continue to solve problems, continue to create brands that solve the problems of our communities, and make sure that our products, our brands, our companies, and institutions are of value and they’re helping our community,” he continues. “That they’re solving problems that propel our space forward.”
On How Being An HBCU Alum Impacts The Way One Shows Up In The World
Jasmine Gurley
Courtesy
Jasmine Gurley is a proud North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alum. She is even more delighted with her current role, which enables her to give back to current HBCU students as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing and Communications and official press secretary at Morehouse College.
“It was a formative experience where I really was able to come into my own and say yes to all the opportunities that were presented to me, and because of that, it’s been able to open the doors later in life too,” says Gurley of her experience at North Carolina A&T. “One thing I love about many HBCUs is that we are required to learn way more about African American history than you do in your typical K through 12 or even at the higher ed level."
She adds, “It allowed us to have a better understanding of where we came from, and so for me, because I’m a storyteller, I’m a history person, I’m very sensitive to life in general, being able to listen to the stories and the trials that our ancestors overcame, put the battery pack in my back to say, ‘Oh nothing can stop me. Absolutely nothing can stop me. I know where I came from, so I can overcome something and try anything. And I have an obligation to be my ancestors’ wildest dreams. Simultaneously, I also have a responsibility to help others realize that greatness.
Gurley does not take her position at an HBCU, now as a leader, lightly.
“People think I’m joking when I say I’m living the dream, but I really am,” she notes. “So I wake up every day and know that the work that I do matters, no matter how hard it might be, how frustrating it may be, and challenging it. I know the ripple effect of my work, my team, and what this institution does also matter. The trajectory of Black male experiences, community, history, and then just American advancement just in general.”
On the other hand, through her business, Sankofa Public Relations, Gurley is also on a mission to uplift brands in their quest to help their respective communities. Since its inception in 2017, Sankofa PR has been on a mission to “reach back and reclaim local, national, and global communities by helping those actively working to move” various areas of the world, focusing on pushing things forward for the better.
“Through Sankofa, we’ve worked with all different types of organizational brands and individuals in several different industries, but I would think of them as mission-based,” says Gurley.
“So with that, it’s an opportunity to help people who are trying to do good in the world, and they are passionate about what they’re doing. They just need help with marketing issues, storytelling, and branding, and that’s when my expertise can come into play. Help them get to that moment where they can tell their story through me or another platform, and that’s been super fulfilling.”
Join us in celebrating HBCU excellence! Check out our Best In Class hub for inspiring stories, empowering resources, and everything you need to embrace the HBCU experience.
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The Best Celebrity Halloween Costumes Of 2024 So Far
Every year, the best celebrity Halloween costumes downplay the spooky aspect of the season and turn up the creative drip with throwback homages to pop culture moments. This year is no different, with us scrolling through their uploads of THE Halloween photoshoot pics, nodding our heads in collective unison at the way their homages and transformations prove why Black culture is the blueprint in every sense.
Who could forget when Beyoncé gave us her flawless Lil’ Kim looks that were so on point, even the Queen Bee herself gave her props? Or the time Ciara and Russell Wilson shut it down as Beyoncé and Jay-Z from the “Apeshit” video? And we can’t talk about Halloween greatness without mentioning when Saweetie gave us her iconic take on the X-Men character Mystique—sis ate and she left no crumbs!
This year, our faves are back and still bringing all that energy. So, let’s get into the most memorable celebrity costumes of Halloween 2024...so far.
1.Ciara as Naomi Campbell
"Do the Naomi Campbell walk, the Naomi Campbell walk." Ciara undoubtedly understood the assignment. One thing about Cici is she can nail a tribute, chile. We have no notes!
2.Lizzo as Lizzo, the weight-loss drug from 'South Park'
Show us you don't take yourself too seriously by not taking yourself too seriously. Lizzo did exactly that when she popped out on the Halloween scene dressed as the Ozempic-parody drug featured in a South Park special.
3.Chloe Bailey as Jessica Rabbit
@chloebaileywashere i present to you… Jessica Rabbit 💋
Chloe Bailey was nothing short of sultry as she channeled the infamous Who Framed Roger Rabbit animated character Jessica Rabbit. The costume is a common one for Halloween but we can't think of an artist that embodies this energy more than the curves-for-days "Body Do" songstress.
4.Keke Palmer and family as Milli Vanilli
Name a more iconic duo, we'll wait. Keke Palmer and her family decided to pay homage this Halloween to German duo Milli Vanilli.
5.Keke Palmer as Cersei Lannister from 'Games of Thrones'
For her second costume, Keke Palmer tapped her son to get in on the Halloween fun in her turn as Games of Thrones' Cersei Lannister. "I, Cersei Lannister, introduce YOU to the heir of the throne!" she captioned a set of photos.
6.Tyla as Sharon Stone in 'The Flintstones'
@tyla_ The finest flinstone @Halle Berry
In a turn that couldn't have been executed any more perfectly, singer Tyla decided to take it back to the Mesozoic Era with her costume as Sharon Stone, originally played by Halle Berry in the 1994 movie, The Flintstones.
7.Halle Berry as a witch
Speaking of Halle Berry, the actress traded her Storm and Catwoman garb to portray a classic witch this Halloween.
8.China Anne McClain as 'Mrs.' Freddy Kreuger
Actress China Anne McClain showed her hand and then some in her gender-swapping take of the fictional Wes Craven character Freddy Kreuger. She also sported another costume as Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider franchise.
9.Ice Spice as Leeloo from 'The Fifth Element'
Ice Spice switched up her signature style while still embracing a similar color shared by The Fifth Element character she dressed up as for Halloween, Leelo. Spot on!
10.Saweetie as the Joker
Saweetie gave us a Halloween costume classic in her take on Heath Ledger's Joker featured in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.
11.Ciara as GloRilla
By now, we've all seen the clip circulating of host Speedy Morman's reaction to rapper GloRilla's Memphis accent. In her second Halloween costume, Ciara recreated the viral moment, embodying Glo's infectious energy and we live.
12.North West as Tyler, the Creator
@kimandnorth running out of time to Halloween
Kanye's mini-me North West decided to pay homage to two artists for Halloween, the first being Tyler, the Creator, and his "Running Out of Time" look where he donned a blonde bob and a blue suit. North also wore a second costume as R&B singer H.E.R., a tribute to her surprise appearance in this year's Super Bowl with Usher.
13.Sevyn Streeter as Anck-su-namun from 'The Mummy'
Sevyn Streeter popped out as Anck-su-namun from the 90s classic, The Mummy. All we gotta say is, the body is tea.
14.That Chick Angel & Marcus Tanksley as Common & His Girlfriends
Talk about a rich dating history, Common is someone who has had a plethora of high-profile relationships over the years and That Chick Angel chose to pay homage to his track record by hilariously transforming into all of his exes, from Tiffany Haddish to Erykah Badu.
15.Princeton Perez as Michael Jackson and Loren Sharice as Naomi Campbell
@princetonperez Happy Halloween ;) #michaeljackson #naomicampbell #keepitinthecloset #musicvideo 🩶 @LorenSharice
What would a 'best Halloween costumes' list be without a tribute to the King of Pop? Princeton Perez and Loren Sharice recreated the iconic "In the Closet" music video from Michael Jackson as Michael and Naomi Campbell respectively.
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