Photo via CNN.com.

Those were the poignant and wise words uttered by Viola Davis tonight, who was resplendent in Marchesa as she shared the stage with the cast of her film The Help. Alongside her cast mates Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek and the legendary Cicely Tyson, Viola Davis was gorgeous and glorious and spoke so eloquently for her cast and in celebration of the women who helped to inspire The Help.

It was a beautiful moment, and that capped off an epic night at the SAG Awards for The Help. It proved to be an extra special night for Viola Davis. When she won her individual prize for Best Actress, she offered words of inspiration to kids who currently attend the middle school and high school that she did in Rhode Island – “Dream big. And dream fierce.”

Photo via facebook.com/essence

Viola may have won the award for best dress of the night, BTW! She looked GORGEOUS!

Octavia Spencer was visibly, genuinely moved by her victory, which came early on in the awards ceremony. Spencer looked beautiful, elegant, and safe in her lilac/greige dress by Tadashi Shoji. I wanted to see a touch of boldness, a pop of color…but she looked lovely nevertheless!

Photo via facebook.com/essence

She first explained why this was an honor greater than herself by saying “these women represent our mothers and grandmothers. By honoring me, you’re honoring them.” She then dedicated her award to slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, and to women like those she portrayed in the film: “…the downtrodden, the under-served, the underprivileged, the overtaxed — whether emotionally, physically, or financially.”

I haven’t yet seen The Help. I’ve avoided seeing the film in the wake of all of the controversy. But now I am in full on Academy Awards preparation mode, and predictions are already being made for Oscar victory for these incredible actresses. So I’ll be seeing it soon!

What do you think, bellas? Did you love or loathe The Help? How did you feel about the film? How do you feel about the amazing awards for the cast? Do you love Viola’s dress as much as I do??

Yesterday morning bright and early, the President of the Academy and actress Jennifer Lawrence shared the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards. In case you haven’t yet heard, here they are (via Jezebel)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids – Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumulo
Margin Call – J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen
A Separation – Asghar Farhadi

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash
Hugo – John Logan and Brian Selznick
Ides of March – George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon
Moneyball – Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, and Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan

ANIMATED FEATURE
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)

BEST ACTOR
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close, Alfred Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorcese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terence Malik, The Tree of Life

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
Warhorse

A few things occurred to me as I saw the nominees.

1 — Boy oh boy do I need to see some movies with a quickness before the ceremony! Expect to read some film reviews right here on Afrobella.com, and soon.

2 — it would have been so wonderful to see the poignant and moving Pariah get a nod somewhere. Dee Rees for best director, Kim Wayans for supporting actress, or Adepero Oduye for best actress (alongside Meryl Streep who clearly is a fan). I see some Independent Spirit Awards in Pariah’s future but a nod from the Academy would have been so lovely. Review coming soon, but you can already tell how I feel. If you haven’t yet seen Pariah, go see Pariah! Click here to find a theater near you!

3 — I was pleasantly surprised by some of the nominees — Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumulo for Bridesmaids was an unexpected delight, and although I wish the nominees were for different roles, I’m delighted for Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer in The Help, and Rooney Mara for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I was surprised that Shame didn’t get any nominations, and that Leonardo di Caprio didn’t get a nod for his role in J. Edgar. But HOORAY for Gary Oldman getting his first ever Oscar nomination for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Obviously I’ll be watching on February 26! Will you? Who would you like me to try to interview, and what would you like me to ask them? It’s getting closer and closer, and I’m SO EXCITED!!

Photo via Wikipedia.

I’m in Trinidad — the most southerly island of the Caribbean, land of steelpan, calypso, limbo (and Carnival)! I’m not here for the two-day festival of debauchery, alas — I’ll be back in Chicago by then. I’m here to relax, unwind, get some time away from a computer screen for a change, and most importantly, spend time with my family. My two little nieces here are now ages 3 and 6 and we’ve got many games to play, coloring books to color in, and puzzles to put together! They drew me ADORABLE welcome home signs that I got when I came home to my old teenage bedroom.

Of course Mama and Papa Bella have a full schedule of plans for my husband and I. I haven’t been back home to visit my family since 2009, and my husband hasn’t been with me in like 5 years. We’re even going back to Coco Reef, where we had our honeymoon a decade ago. This is SO long overdue!

Throughout the week I plan to post photos of my visit so you too can see Trinidad through my eyes and bask in the beauty of my homeland. Posts will probably be a bit slow this week, but I hope you enjoy my photos!

And if you’re an old friend or blogging buddy who lives in Trinidad, if you see a person with humongous hair who looks like me out and about say HELLO! It’s probably me! I may not be able to meet up in person just because of the hectic timing, but on the next visit I want to attend a tweet up and get to know you all better!

Talk soon!!!

Today, the USA celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the day after what would have been his birthday. Dr. King was assassinated 44 years ago, and in the sands of time it is easy to forget that Dr. King was a real person. A man with a beautiful wife and family. A man who became the public face of a movement. A man who tirelessly worked, marched, got arrested, spoke eloquently on the topics of peace, love, and justice — and ultimately gave his life to the cause of racial equality.

Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Without you, who knows where we would be today.

Click here to support TheKingCenter.org, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, founded by established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King to protect and preserve her husband’s legacy.

Help me choose a dress, bellas!

Tamika Martell-Price is a wardrobe coach and personal stylist, and the executive director of the Dangerous Curves Ahead fashion show. Click here to follow her on Twitter.

I think there is a definite difference between what a correspondent would wear versus what a celeb guest would wear. Since you are working and ‘on duty’ you have to look fab but also be ready for anything like chasing down Halle Berry for an interview Also, everyone unfortunately is fair game to be listed/mentioned on the Fashion Police Show on E! whether they are plus size, tween actor, or seasoned pro.

Comfort & fit are definitely your top priorities in finding your red carpet look as a full figured correspondent. A great option is a jersey gown which is not only comfy but it drapes beautifully. Another stylish yet functional option is an empire or shirred waist chiffon dress that screams elegance while still maintaining comfort.

Here is a dress that would look great on you I would suggest it in Spruce or Earth.

(Sidenote — I found a similar dress in plus size! Love this Adrianna Papell in emerald or eggplant

Aramide Esubi is a fashion stylist and blogger at TheSassyPeach.org. Click here to follow her on Twitter.

For the Oscars I would love to see you in a long gown, flowy at the bottom for some drama and movement. My top 3 color choices are emerald green, purple and red. If I had to pick a celebrity muse it would definitely be Queen Latifah. She always looks beautiful in gowns and dresses and in my opinion it’s when she looks her best. As far as designers go, Pamella Roland and Georges Chakra are who I would call up first on my batphone! The design aesthetic of both Pamella Roland and Georges Chakra are very flattering to a woman’s shape and curves and Queen Latifah has actually worn designs by them both on several occasions!

Hope that sounds good to you! If I styled you, you would look SMASHING! (Not that you wouldn’t anyway, you’re going to look gorg I just know it!)

Charles Wade is a renaissance man and stylist to the stars whose work has been seen on BET, Vibe, Vibe Vixen, and MTV. I’m especially a fan of his work with Solange Knowles. Charles is very versed in red carpet fashion. Click here to follow him on Twitter!

There’s definitely a difference between working the Oscars red-carpet and “working” the Oscar’s red-carpet! Considering it’s LA and you’ll likely be in the sun in the middle of the day, fabric choice is key and then the sIlhouette for your body type. I’m a huge fan of color and length for this event because I think many of those actually working will simply opt for LBDs or standard cocktail dresses in pretty stock colors. A longer dress will give your more options shoe wise to maximize and/or increase your height and increases your options for shapewear to create a seamless silhouette.

Although this Rachel Pally cotton dress for most would read “casual”, cotton Is not only wearable and comfortable but this dress can be merched up and worn again! I’d love to see this dress or something similar (like one of those legendary Monif C convertible numbers) with jade, turquoise (also super wearable again and can be found reasonably) and a little gold jewelry, a discrete vintage clutch, and a killer platform peep-toe like these or these for an overall funky and a lil forward color block moment…

Back to shape wear, one big tip I’d offer in picking a dress is one that creates a seamless, shapely silhouette enhanced by layered undergarments like Spanx. Stylists in the know say: one to tone, two to tighten, and three to transform. So with a dress like this, a great minimizing or if needed, maximizing bra and as close to a full body shaper over that with one additional lighter and smaller shaper will lift and hold everything in place and allow this sort of dress and lighter weight fabric to fall and skim the bodily sexily. Note: when layering shape wear, stay far away from pantyhose! Overkill and you’ll roast and possibly faint… not chic. It’s all about great, lightweight shape wear and knowing your personal limit. I’ve seen as many as five worn on shoots but out and about, two is a safe bet.

Super helpful insider tips that I’ll be using on the big day. Which dress is your favorite, bellas? What do you think I should wear?

Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks are the humble yet excited, focused yet fun-loving women who’ve founded, what is now, a national movement called Black Girls RUN! They were honored when I contacted them about being featured as “Afrobella(s) of the Month” and I couldn’t help but to be excited to talk to two women I consider role models. They’re beautifully natural, love their communities and seem to glow (even through the phone). Their influence is greater than even they can imagine. I made sure Toni and Ashley knew that they weren’t just two ladies who started a blog. They are embraced as go-getters and advocates for the health of Black women.

How it all got started…

If you’ve ever heard any crazy myths about running or walking or exercising in general and what it may do to you, you probably won’t be surprised about what Toni Carey’s mother had to say when she told her she wanted to start running. After breaking up with a boyfriend and trying out vegetarianism for the first time, Toni wanted to really step things up and start running. And if you’re a runner, you know how excited you were to get your new shoes and your gear and just get out there to try it. Well, when Toni called her mother to tell her the news, she was met with skepticism and concern that her uterus would fall out and that Black women don’t run. Crazy right?

“After talking to my mother, I called Ashley and told her story about what my mother said and we were both like, ‘That’s crazy! Black women DO run!” Toni said. Ashley agreed and even started a Nike+ Virtual running group called Black Girls RUN! Both ladies thought it would only be right to start a blog to share their experiences with the sport and also bring awareness that yes, black girls DO run! Ashley couldn’t believe the response they started getting. “Honestly, even in the early days when still on Blogspot and it was really just this generic blog that we’d created, we’d look at emails and just be so happy! Like, “Oh my God, someone’s reading our blog!”

Creating a Movement

I can be honest in saying that before I really started diving into the world of distance running, most of the images I saw were of white people. With the exception of Kenyan runners who run and win marathons, most of the running world, to me, didn’t have a Black presence. Toni and Ashley’s vision has definitely changed that. More and more black women are lacing up their running shoes to get outside and hit the pavement thanks to Black Girls RUN! But Toni and Ashley still haven’t fully grasped the impact their website has made.

“I don’t think we fully understand what we’ve created and how much of an impact we’re making. I still feel like it’s our little pet project and that hopefully black women will run,” Toni says. But even in their humility, Toni and Ashley understand that it has been successful, but still can’t fully grasp how big it is. “The stories that people tell us about getting started with the group and their weight loss. People who’ve never run a day in their life are now running. I don’t think we’ve taken the time to really realize the impact and the scope of it. I’ll go through sometimes and look at the groups (on Facebook) and I’m like ‘wow, I didn’t realize we had this many people or like 12,000 likes on Facebook.’ The sheer numbers surprise me to this day.” (Picture above from the December issue of Runner’s World that featured BGR! in an article entitled “Why is Running So White?” )

Our Health, Our Hair

The stereotype around the fact that black women don’t work out because of their hair is definitely being broken down more and more everyday especially in the community Toni and Ashley have created through the Facebook groups. Ashley says “I think it’s a good time to because we’ve kind of created this forum where people have so many resources to draw. You can post to your individual group and get information on how people are caring for their hair while working out. And I don’t think that network has always been there.” Websites, blogs, YouTube videos, new products – all of these are more accessible to women and provide a wealth of information to those who need to figure out some ideas on what to do with their hair while they workout. Is our hair still a barrier to our health? “I think it’s still an issue, but the conversation around it is different. And I think that just starting the conversation has helped tremendously… the conversation is changing from ‘I can’t work out today, because I just got my hair done’ to ‘well let me figure out how to manage this.’” Toni says.

On Caring for their Own Tresses

We all have our favorite products, hairstyles and quirks about our own hair. Both ladies are natural and embrace their hair with grace. Ashley is a wash-n-go kind of girl whose favorite products are Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk, Hair Rules Curly Whip
and olive oil. “And it just got long enough that I can wear a ponytail, so I’m really excited about that.” Toni’s hair is extremely coarse and she is still trying to nail down her own hair regimen. “(laughing) I probably need to have a consultation with Afrobella after this.” Some of her favorite products are Giovanni’s 50/50 conditioner, Hair Rules Curly Whip, and she uses almond oil and water as a refresher.

Advice for Beginners

Beginning a running routine can be scary, exciting, difficult and sometimes frustrating, so it’s important to try and start off on the right foot (see what I did there?). As women who’ve been running for a few years now, Toni and Ashley have been through it all and offer some great advice for newbies. Ashley says, “ I always tell people to first start with the Couch to 5K program. I think that is the best way to work your way into running. And then on top of doing the program, I tell everyone to go get fitted for running shoes.” Toni encourages beginners to make a commitment to what they want to do by even signing up for a race first. “Now, don’t make a half marathon or a marathon your first race, but start with a 5K and work your way up to a 10K and then maybe start looking at half marathons, but once you make that commitment and make up your mind to do it, it’s going to keep you on track.”

What’s your motivation?

Motivation for Toni and Ashley isn’t just an attempt to show their huge following that they run on a daily basis, it’s a little deeper than that. For both ladies, motivation to run and stay active comes from a desire to better themselves and stay accountable. “Running is really a way for me to meditate and clear my mind, so that really helps motivate me when I have things to think through. I just go for a run or a walk, but really, running helps me do that,” Ashley says. I guess my motivation is when I’m running and eating right and stuff I feel like I’m at my best and I just hate not feeling that way. Because when you know what your best feels like, you always want to be there.” Both ladies are fully aware that they’ve got a nation of runners watching them, counting on them to stay just as committed to running as they are.

What’s next for Black Girls RUN!

Can this amazing organization get any better at rounding up women to take better care of their health? Toni certainly thinks that there is definitely room to grow. “Well we’re definitely going to add more groups, hopefully internationally, which is really exciting. Basically, getting out into the community because we’re sort of doing this at a bird’s eye view and we know that we can make a much larger impact if we were actually in the communities doing things. So hopefully that’s part of the plan. Our website is going to become much bigger and better as well.”
I have no doubt that the movement Toni and Ashley have created will grow and flourish in to something the running world cannot ignore. And as more black women realize how important it is to be active and live a healthy lifestyle, Toni, Ashley and Black Girls RUN! will be there to support those women through every step.

You can find BGR! running gear at their online store: blackgirlsrun.bigcartel.com. To find out if there’s a BGR! running group in your city, go to www.blackgirlsrun.com, and click on “Running Groups”. You can also follow BGR! on Twitter: @BlackGirlsRUN.

When I tell some people that, they gasp or seem surprised by how young I was. But the majority of folks aren’t surprised at all. Because they probably went through the same thing at that age, and now it seems that little girls are getting their hair chemically straightened even earlier than ever before.

Image comes from bell hooks classic children's book Happy To Be Nappy

About a year ago, I saw a little girl at an electronics store with her parents. The first thing I noticed was how long her relaxed hair was — it was midway down her back! The second thing I noticed was how thin and lifeless her hair was, and how I could see the shine of her scalp through her hair. She couldn’t have been more than four. I was horrified then, but a recent conversation with a grade school teacher here in Chicago left me downright depressed. This teacher came up to me at a Christmas party and asked me “how do I talk to the parents at my school?” Why? Because she says every little girl in her third grade class either has a relaxer or a weave already, or wants one more than anything else.

Recently I was interviewed by Karyn Parsons (!!!) on her new MadameNoire.com web series Mommy in Chief, all about kids and natural hair.

Click here to see!

One of the main points I was trying to hammer home there was the importance of self esteem, and how parents can instill that into their kids from such an early age.

But like I said earlier, I’m not a mom yet so I can’t speak from experience. So I turned the question over to Facebook, and got some GREAT responses. Click here to read all of the natural hair tips shared on my Afrobella Facebook wall. And below, I’ll share a few of my own.

This photo comes from Madame Noire’s helpful post Black Hair Tips for Kids.

- Familiarize yourself with natural hair sites dedicated to kids, like Happy Girl Hair and Girls Love Your Curls — great advice and styling tips to be found!

- When you’re ready to begin, choose a sensible time. Don’t wait until an hour before church when you’re gonna be late. Plan a convenient time, well before you need to be somewhere. Now prepare your little one. Has your daughter taken a nap? Had a snack? Had a drink? Gone potty? OK. Then it’s time to begin!

- Make hair combing seem like FUN, not work. Not a challenge. Let her know it’s time to take tender loving care of her crowning glory and there’s no reason to dread doing it.

- Give your little one something to DO. Some parents give their girls a book or a favorite toy. Some parents use a favorite movie or cartoon, or a handheld video game. Some parents include their child in the process and let them detangle their own hair (carefully and under supervision, of course). You have to decide what works best for both of you!

- Watch what you say and how you act. Exasperated sighs, escalating voices, and statements that make your child’s hair seem like a heavy burden and a bother — those things penetrate. Be PATIENT.

- Find the right products. Cara B Naturally is a great company that focuses exclusively on little girl hair and their products are about to be available at Target soon — January 20! Visit www.mycarab.com for details! Shea Moisture is also available at Target and has a great product made for kids.

- Reinforce that her natural hair is beautiful with toys, books and images that let her know there are others who look like her. bell hooks book is a classic, and the trend of making Barbies with natural hair is also a great way to take an existing toy, and making it more relatable to your little girl!

For more advice (from real moms!) click to read.

What’s your best advice for moms dealing with their little girls hair?