(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The first black couple in the history of Olympic pairs skating competed this week at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur of France began skating together in 2007.

Every now and then, I get discouraged. I let my fears get the best of me. I worry about things that I should leave in God’s hands. When I’m feeling like this, I’m not my best, and my attitude which is usually positive easily turns sour.

My family and friends can tell when I’m feeling low. It’s usually written all over my face or it’s evident in the tone of my voice. I don’t look or sound like myself. In times like this, it’s best to have a little talk with God. No one knows you like He does. During church today, my minister said you should never go a day without talking to God.

One of the things that helps me stay positive and motivated is hearing God’s word. Whenever you’re feeling alone or as if no one understands what you’re going through, remember that He is always there for you. You are never alone. We can’t let life’s challenges keep us down. God never gives you more than you can handle.  Through any difficulty you face, keep a positive attitude. If you smile in the face of adversity, you will rise above all odds.

Keep shining,

Ashley

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron, a 22-year-old broadcast journalism student at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been crowned Miss America. Cameron, a native of Fredricksburg, VA, beat out 52 other contestants to win the title and a $50,000 scholarship.

This year Haven Magazine is honoring Dr. King by posting a few videos and photos. Please take a moment to remember the legacy of Dr. King and the ongoing fight for equality.

]]> http://havengirls.com/2010/01/17/celebrate-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/feed/ 0 http://havengirls.com/2010/01/13/help-haiti/ http://havengirls.com/2010/01/13/help-haiti/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:38:27 +0000 Haven http://havengirls.com/?p=1397

In the aftermath of the tragedy in Haiti, please remember that you can HELP. Please visit the links below for more information.

-Make an automatic $5 donation by texting the word “yele” to the number 501501 (visit yele.org for more info)

-Text “Haiti” to the number 90999 and donate $10 to the Red Cross

www.cleanwaterforhaiti.org

www.haitiwater.org

www.wflhaiti.com

Actress Gabrielle Union recently wrote about self-esteem on her celebrity blog at GlobalGrind.com. She also talked about the importance of youth such as her teenage niece having a mentor since January is National Mentoring Month. Gabrielle’s blog post is called “You Don’t Generally Share These Stories,” and it was published online on Friday, January 8. Read below to see what she shared on her blog.

“If you ask my parents they would say I was a perfect child, a model child, because I did everything that was asked of me. I got great grades, I was a great athlete, I was a student leader, the police were never called, there were never any major scandals on our cul-de-sac…but what was going on inside, and what I was dealing with individually and as a group of girls, was absolute turmoil. Emotionally, physically, spiritually, we were forced to deal with a lot of adult issues and situations as a collective, and often times we wouldn’t turn to each other, we would internalize everything, we didn’t have an outlet. So, I was going through MAJOR low self esteem.

“I was a black girl in an all white school in an all white community, never feeling good enough, but always being encouraged by my parents to be bigger, badder and better.

“And perfect is the standard. That’s an immense amount of pressure to put on a child. Then I’m starting to like guys. And in my own town, with me being THE black girl, the white guys weren’t really checking for me in that way. When I got to go to basketball camp and I got be around black boys, I was like cool…until I got dumped…for a light skinned girl. And then that whole thing started. My hair isn’t straight enough. My nose isn’t pointy enough. My lips are too big. My boobs aren’t big enough. And you start going through all of that. And I realize as I’ve gotten older a lot of issues that I was dealing with at 15, I am still dealing with today. My niece is a teenager and is dealing with her skin, she’s dealing with her hair, she’s dealing with what clothes to wear, the music she listens to…I would love to say a lot has changed, but I certainly believe that there is a lot more work to do be done.”

The story of a teen girl who lives a troubling and challenging life in the film, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” received eight nominations from the NAACP Image Awards.

Many stars of “Precious” earned nominations, including newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz. The movie also received nominations for best director and best film. Other films nominated for best movie include Michael Jackson’s “This Is It,” Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”, “Invictus” and “The Blind Side.” The NAACP Image Awards will air live on Feb. 26 on FOX television.

Best Actress Nominees

Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”

Anika Noni Rose, “The Princessa and the Frog”

Taraji P. Henson,  “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself”

Sophie Okonedo, “Skin”

Top Music Nominees

Rapper Jay-Z received five nominations from the NAACP Image Awards. Alicia Keys earned three nominations.

Top TV Nominees

“Grey’s Anatomy” got six nominations, including one for best drama. Comedies “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” earned four.

The cool and classy Queen Latifah hosted the People's Choice Awards on Jan. 6, 2010 in Los Angeles.

Mary J. Blige performed her new single, "I Am," at the awards show. Love that dress!

Taraji P. Henson looked stunning on the red carpet. She also presented an award during the show.

Brittany Franklin, 16, moved from her home in Chicago to Galesburg, Illinois with her mother to attend a better school and live in a safer area. But now Brittany feels isolated. (Photo by KENT KRIEGSHAUSER/The Register-Mail)

Sixteen-year-old Brittany Franklin doesn’t like being the only black girl in her math class at Galesburg High School in Galesburg, Ill., about three hours from Chicago.

“Nobody offers to be my partner,” Brittany told The Register-Mail newspaper in Galesburg. “I’m the only black girl in the class — all the other kids are white. Sometimes, kids will whisper things like ‘Eww, she’s black’ and they won’t sit next to me.”

Her latest report card showed that she has a “D” in math.

“There are times when I don’t want to go to math class. I feel weird there, sometimes,” she said. “I know that it is better to work with white students and get to know them. And I know it’s good for them to work with people different from them. But that doesn’t happen in math class.

“I have to be honest — there are some times when I just don’t want to go to math class. I don’t want to go because of how I feel.”

Brittany tries to stay focused, but it isn’t easy especially when black students at her school graduate at a lower rate than white students. Brittany, whose mother never finished high school, said her goal is to graduate from high school and attend college afterward. Her mother had her first child at the age of 15 and often talks to Brittany about getting pregnant young and how that affected her education.

Her mother was responsible for their move to Galeburg from Chicago. She wanted Brittany to attend a better school and live in a safer area.

Outside of school,  Brittany has black and white friends who she connected with in her neighborhood or church. Like her, Brittany said some of her black friends at her school feel isolated. She said they are called names and picked on because of their skin color.

“They all deal with it in different ways,” Brittany said. “Some kids will yell back at someone who calls them names. One of my friends just breaks down and cries. I just ignore what people say about me. I don’t judge all white people by what some white people say to me.”