Stars of Sochi

I can't wait for the Winter Olympics in Sochi to start on February 6! There are few things I love more than cuddling up in front of the TV and watching all different kinds of sports - from obscure ones like curling to more popular ones like figure skating.

(via Asla Travel Group)

This is Sochi, where the Winter Olympics are starting next week.

Here are some of the American athletes I'll be cheering for:

(via Teen Vogue)

Name: 

Mikaela Shiffrin

Age: 

18

Sport: 

Alpine skiing

Fun fact: 

Mikaela is the youngest American ever to be a World Cup champion in skiing!

(via Teen Vogue)

Name: 

Gracie Gold

Age: 

18

Sport: 

Figure skating

Fun fact: 

Not only is Gracie a top contender for a gold medal in figure skating, she's also an amazing juggler!

(via Teen Vogue)

Name: 

Arielle Gold

Age: 

17

Sport: 

Snowboarding

Fun fact: 

Arielle's brother Taylor is also competing in snowboarding in Sochi!

What events are you going to watch? Which athletes do you support?

Daily Inspiration

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Celebrities Overcoming Obstacles: Jennifer Hudson

via blogspot

       Academy Award and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson is a force to be reckoned with amongst the Hollywood elite. This extremely talented woman started showing significant talent at a very young age and by the age of 7, she began performing at local theaters and signing in her church choir. Not too long after, she signed her first record contract with a small Chicago label where she devoted herself to a rigorous routine hoping to one day make it big.

      Though now it may seem that Jennifer Hudson always had the secret to success, the reality is very different. While working at Burger King and singing part-time on a Disney Cruise Line, Jennifer auditioned for American Idol. Even though she was a promising contestant, Jennifer was eliminated at 7th place from the show. However, not only was she eliminated but she was ridiculed and laughed at by Simon Cowell and many of the American Idol producers after she lost. Soon thereafter her career picked up and she slowly started rising to fame. Though she was amazingly talented, the media was brutal and would always rather focus on her weight than her talent. Regarding her weight, Jennifer Hudson while on the Today Show stated, "I didn't define myself that way so it was, like, it was a shocking moment for me. Actually when I started on the red carpet doing 'Idol,' I had already lost 60 pounds then. By then, I was, like, a size 12. This is every woman's size. The average size. I was, like, what are you talking about? Here it is again: image, image, image, image. To me, it's talent, talent, talent, talent. At least where I come from." (Watch the Full Interview Here)

      Nonetheless, Jennifer kept strong and continued on to chase her dream. Finally, she gained major success after her performance in the movie Dreamgirls in 2006. For the immediate years following Dreamgirls, Jennifer Hudson seemed to have everything going for her. All was great for Jennifer until October 2008 when her mother, her brother, and her nephew were shot and killed by Jennifer's brother-in-law. Instead of allowing this major obstacle to break her, Jennifer instead established the Hudson-King Foundation for Families of Slain Victims to aid other families who have had similar experiences.

       Jennifer Hudson is an example that nobody has a perfect life. All that matters is that you keep a positive outlook and never give up. Many of those who have made it big have also experienced the worst hardships. Though their lives may be glamorous, celebrities are people and they hurt, cry, and fail like we do. Next time things don't go as you plan, think of Jennifer Hudson and remember the popular lyrics by Kelly Clarkson which remind us:

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, Stand a little taller, Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone"

Thoughts about Hudson or any other celebs? Comment below!

Amidst Award Season, We Can't Forget SELF's "Women Doing Good" Honorees

for the women who don't just look good, but DO good

By: Nicole

via

Between the Grammy's and the Golden Globes, it's easy to get sucked into the glamour of Hollywood. And that's okay. Enjoy the fashion reviews, the "who wore what" columns, and baby bump speculations. But when you're tired of the same old stuff, don't forget there are other awards being given out there in the world.

Back in September, SELF magazine held their 6th annual "Women Doing Good" banquet to honor those women who embrace their celebrity power and use it to help others. 2013's honorees ranged across the board in areas of health, humanitarian interest, education, and female empowerment. 

However, the big name of the year is that of "The Educator," known to the world as SHAKIRA.

I thought Shakira was a singer? 
While the majority of Americans know Shakira as a singer and dancer, her home country's youth know her as a warm person who fights to improve education. Born and raised in Colombia, Shakira has built schools and campaigned to change education policies so that more children have access to schooling. To date, she has opened six schools in the poorest areas of Colombia where up to 1/3 of the population is deemed to be below the poverty line. The seventh is currently being built in Cartagena.

Why does she do all of this? 
After growing up in one of the poorest areas of Colombia, she realized how much needed to be done. When Shakira became successful, she vowed to help those who couldn't help themselves.

As she has said:
" Investing in education is the most efficient tool to fight violence. Investing in our kids really is our only hope. They're our world's greatest resource. Not oil, not gas. It's the children of the world."

What are her causes? 
After releasing her third album at age 18, she began the Pies Descalzos Foundation in Colombia, opening a US counterpart named The Barefoot Foundation just a few years later. She currently serves on President Obama's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics and is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador!

Did you know about Shakira's foundations? Or can you think of another Celebrity that has done work to help the poor? Let us know in the comments section! 


Full story at: SELF MAGAZINE

Daily Inspiration

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Kate Middleton to Attend the Portrait Gala 2014!

       Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, will attend the Portrait Gala on February 11, 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Kate and her husband Prince William will view pen portraits and mystery potrait postcards designed by prominent artists. The gala seeks to raises funds that, according to the Palace, will be used to "support the Gallery's daily work of delivering inspirational exhibitions and displays, offering unique learning opportunities and undertaking world class research."

 

via: E! Online

       As the Duchess of Cambridge,  Kate Middleton cannot take any official political action: she may not vote, run for office or endorse candidates. She is not allowed to make political statements so as to avoid interfering with the Democratic process that exists in Great Britain. However, Kate Middleton sits in a public position, thus she is able to make highly influential statements through the organizations she chooses to support and the events she chooses to attend.
       Kate supports the charity: Place2Be . Kate is patron of the organization, which addresses mental health issues such as cyber bullying and self-harm.  Mental health is a particularly controversial issue currently because of the potential role mental illnesses may play in tragic shootings such as Sandy Hook (click here for more information on Sandy Hook). As a result of Sandy Hook, US Vice President Joe Biden pledged $100 million towards bettering US mental health services. 
      Kate is also a patron of the East Anglia's Children's Hospices, which supports children with life threatening illnesses and their families.  Kate is involved with the organization Action on Addiction, which supports research, prevention and treatment for addicts. Kate decided to be patron of this organization according to a palace rep who spoke to PEOPLE magazine because "addicition lay at the source of many of the social issues she was looking at."

Are you interested in the same social issues as Kate? What are your favorite organizations?

-Olivia O

Our favorite blogs!

Check out some of our favorite blogs!

Tune In keeps us up to date on our favorite TV shows. A must-read for anyone who spends time on Netflix.

We can't help but laugh every time we read Fabulously Funny Females! Read about some of the funniest women in the world. 

We love checking in on The Places We're Going to learn more about college. They have great tips on everything from choosing classes to how to organize your room.

Our absolute favorite travel blog is Oh! The Places You'll Go! Start planning your trips to Iceland, New Zealand, France, and more with this blog!

Happy browsing!

The Obama girls are growing up! “The First Daughters” take charge andset the agenda for their teenage years, including career & fashionchoices!

Spotlight on 12 year-old Style-Icon Sasha Obama and 

 15 year-old Student-Athlete Malia Obama

Sasha Obama via  Daily Mail UK            Malia Obama via Essence

      Sasha Obama, has been dubbed a “budding style-icon"  by the media after many of the alternative and unique clothing items she’s worn in public immediately sell out after a photo of her hits the web, such as the green “dancing Pandas” sweater from Urban Outfitters pictured above. Sasha drew accolades for her outfit to the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Pardoning this past November, where she paired a green knit sweater featuring cute dancing pandas from Urban Outfitters with red skinny jeans, a purple scarf,  punk-rock 90s-inspired Dr Martens boots and polished the look off with an elegant navy coat.   

Sasha is pushing the boundaries on what is considered “elite” fashion and making quite the impact in her affordable and alternative fashion sense.   The now infamous $18 “unicorn motif sweater” from ASOS, pictured below, forced the company to reissue the sweater after being floaded with “requests from shoppers keen to replicate the youngster’s look,” according to The Daily Mail UK. Sasha’s style has drawn a large response from the fashion community on Twitter and the blogosphere. 

via Daily Mail UK

     Malia Obama is now 15 years old, a tennis star and excellent student at her prestigious high school. Malia, described as “lawyerly,” by her father to People Magazine seems to be leading the way to bright future as she excels academically and on the tennis court while balancing preparing to apply to college. The President did admit that she has even begun to date but joked that if anything goes wrong, “[he] has men with guns following them around all the time," according to Time. 

     It’s clear that the Obama daughters are setting the agenda for the future and leading the way in keeping their parents in the loop.  President Obama admitted that he and Michelle listen to their daughters when it comes to knowing what’s new and progressive, including introducing her father to alternative social media sites such as, Instagram and Vine. 

       “They have tons of opinions,” Michelle Obama told People. “And it’s a joy to hear them think out loud about life. They’re growing into really interesting individuals.”

Do you like Sasha’s style? Would you rock the unicorn or Panda sweater?
Comment below!
xo Steph You

 

Daily Inspiration: this is YOUR world

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"This is your world. Shape it or someone else will."

Gary Lew

Angelina Jolie's incredible humanitarian work!

 

image via blogspot

  
     Few actors have accomplished as much off the screen as on the screen as Angelina Jolie.  The highest paid actress, as well as one of the most beautiful women in the world, Jolie has had a remarkable acting career.  She began acting alongside her father (Jon Voight) as a child, but her own career took off with roles in Hackers (1995) and Girl, Interrupted (1999).  She achieved worldwide fame and recognition in the 2000's with lead roles in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Salt, and Changeling, among many others.
     Jolie has emerged from a troubled past as a strong leader and role model for women everywhere.  A mother of six children, three of whom were adopted internationally, she has become deeply involved in international humanitarian projects, with a particular focus on women and children.  When filming Lara Croft, Tomb Raider in 2001 in Cambodia, she became very aware of the detrimental effect of war on the Cambodian people, and began visiting refugee camps and working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  Her efforts focus around spreading awareness, for bringing back into the spotlight the "forgotten emergencies" that media has shifted away from.
     Back in the United States, she has worked tirelessly to lobby politicians in Washington to work harder towards combating sexual violence, and has spearheaded multiple initiatives aimed at providing children caught in war zones, or affected by disaster, with continuing education.  Jolie has won multiple awards for her humanitarian efforts, and is as decorated for her work off the screen as for her work on the screen!

Daily Inspiration

via Pinterest

"He offered her the world; She said she had her own."

Anonymous

Happy Sunday!

Daily Inspiration: Marilyn Monroe

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        "A girl knows her limits, but a wise girl know she has none"

Marilyn Monroe

Empower yourself this weekend, ladies! Take some time to rest and rejuvenate for the upcoming week.  

Remember that your life is yours to create and navigate without limits! 

Further Proof that Beyoncé is Incredible

...as if any of us still need to be convinced. Beyoncé recently penned an essay for the Shriver Report entitled "Gender Equality is a Myth!" This is a complete 180 from her "girl power" persona that we sometimes see (think "Who Run the World (Girls)"). The essay demonstrates a viewpoint that is more realistic than saying that women run the world.

via upworthy.tumblr.com

Beyoncé uses two interesting figures to back up her argument.

1. Women make up half the workforce, yet earn only 77 percent of what men earn. 
2. If women were paid equal wages to men, household income in the U.S. would increase by $447.6 billion. 

After reading these two facts alone, it's difficult to argue against Beyoncé's point that gender equality is not yet reality. But that is not all she is trying to prove through this article; she wants to address the systems that keep women in a disadvantaged position. Beyoncé moves past the economical and straight to the social causes of this inequality:

"These old attitudes are drilled into us from the very beginning. We have to teach our boys the rules of equality and respect, so that as they grow up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life. And we have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible."

Maybe she's right; maybe if every parent teaches their child that gender equality is a reality, it will become one. But perhaps gender inequality is too much a part of our culture to be taken down by good parenting. I know that my parents told me the sky was the limit, yet I still may not earn the wages I deserve simply because I'm a woman. 

Of course, the question of how to end gender inequality hasn't been answered yet, and it would be unfair to expect Beyoncé to answer it for us. Although she may have not given us the solution, Beyoncé does take a stand through her article. She sees this injustice, and is announcing to the world that she is not okay with it. Through the article, Beyoncé continues her great work as a female role model. 

You can read the full article here.

Jennette McCurdy Takes a Stand Against Body Shaming

via CMT

Wow! Jennette McCurdy, star of Nickelodeon's hit comedy shows "iCarly" and "Sam and Cat," has bravely spoken out against the issue of negative body image. In an article in the Wall Street Journal, Jennette talks about how we live in a world of impossibly high standards for beauty. Every day, we're surrounded by photoshopped pictures of celebrities with lots of makeup - totally impossible in the real world.

Jennette says that even she has felt ashamed about how she looks, especially when she sees pictures of herself post-photoshop and makeup:

"Last week, I was at the bookstore when I saw a magazine with a girl on the cover who looked a lot like me. The reason the girl looked a lot like me is because she was me… just with poutier lips, a smoother complexion, and a thinner face."

Does this cover look realistic?

via Monitoracao Nick

It's amazing for a famous celeb like Jennette to speak out against the impossibly high beauty standards women face everyday. Telling us that we always need to look like stars on the cover of Teen Vogue (who probably were photoshopped anyways) isn't fair or realistic.

Like Jennette points out, worrying too much about how we look takes up a lot of time and effort that could be used to do some really amazing things! Why spend an hour straightening your hair or touching up your makeup when you could be hanging out with friends, watching a Jennette's shows, learning to play guitar, planning a party, reading, playing sports, or anything!

If you don't think your photos of your favorite celebrities should be photoshopped, do something about it! Talk to your friends and your family to see what they think about the issue. You can even write to some of your favorite magazines and ask that they stop photoshopping pictures. Two years ago, a middle school student named Julia started a petition demanding that Seventeen stop overusing photoshop. Over 80,000 people signed the letter! Since then, Seventeen has promised not to photoshop photos of women to change their body sizes. (Read more about it here!).

Thanks to courageous gals like Jennette and Julia, we're starting to see progress on the issue of negative body image. What are you going to do to keep the movement going?

The Most Interesting Woman in the World

Celebrity Profile: Lupita Nyong'o

Image via The Grio

Seven Things You Wouldn't Believe about Lupita Nyong'o

1) As a child, she had a terrible skin disorder

2) She graduated from Yale

3) She was born in Mexico City but grew up in Kenya with her five siblings

4) Her cousin was recently named one of Africa's most powerful women by Forbes

5) Her father was the former Kenyan Minister for Medical Services

6) She hates shopping and gets anxiety whenever she enters a store

7) As a child, her pet was a dead snake

     Like you all know, the SAG awards are given to those who gave outstanding performances in either a film or television series each year. Basically, it's a yearly list of the "who's who" of Hollywood. One movie that literally rocked all of Hollywood this year was 12 Years A Slave which is set in the pre-Civil war era about an African American man from New York who is free but abducted and forced into slavery. 

          Nonetheless, I must be honest and admit that I typically don't really pay attention to who wins which award. However, one particular winner caught my eye when she was awarded the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Support Role. With all the buzz about Lupita Nyong'o, especially since 12 Years A Slave is her first performance in a feature film, I became interested and decided to look her up and find out more. After my research, I must say that she just may be the most interesting person in the world. Could there be a more interesting female? 

Follow the blog to find out!

College Celebs! Class of 2013-2014

Celebrities in School! Class of 2013-2014

          These young women not only have jobs that require them to travel and work odd hours, but also are hitting the books. Let it be said that these women know how to balance their time and work hard as they embark on the tricky road of navigating Hollywood and some of the most elite educational institutions in the world. Take notes.

   

Miranda Cosgrove

via Business Insider

A sophomore at the University of Southern California. 

Dakota Fanning

via Business Insider

A junior at New York University  

 

Emma Watson

via Business Insider

A Junior at Brown University after spending a year at Oxford University. 

Reign Returns on Thursday January 23rd at 9.8c

via The CW

History knows her as Mary Queen of Scots.

Her country knew her as the sole and powerful monarch.

Europe knew her as a threat to hierarchal power.

     Tune in tomorrow night to see what Mary, played by Adelaide Kane does next as she learns to  navigate and rule French court with her fiancee, Prince Francis. Make sure you catch up on the first half of the season!

Ariana Grande Dazzles on the Cover of Teen Vogue Febuary 2014!

via Teen Vogue

     Ariana, the 20-year old emerging pop-sensation talks about her "break-out year" in this issue of Teen Vogue. Ariana's hit single "Yours Truly" from her debut album opened at #1 on Billboard. That hasn't been accomplished by an female artist since Ke$ha's 2010 album Animal! And if that isn't impressive enough Katy Perry recently described Ariana as "the best female vocal in pop music today."

New #aeriereal campaign is a big step in the right direction!

 

via buzzfeed

Aerie, the lingerie brand of American Eagle Outfitters, has a new campaign featuring un-photoshopped models.  This is a bold and necessary step taken by a popular brand!  Check out the Buzzfeed article here.

In Case You MIssed It...

...here's Lea Michele's new video for her single "Cannonball". This emotional ballad has helped the single to cope with the loss of her boyfriend, Cory Monteith.

via  Just Jared Jr.

Check out the video here!

One Reason Why You Should be the First Lady:

GIF via Sports Illustrated

When else can you dunk a basketball in front of a portrait of George Washington in the White House while interrupting an interview between the Miami Heat and NOT get into trouble?

Modern Family Stars Shine at the SAG Awards

Ariel Winter and Sarah Hyland, stars of the hit series Modern Family, looked absolutely stunning at this week's SAG Awards.

via Teen Vogue

Ariel dazzled in Badgley Mischka.

via Teen Vogue

Sarah wore my favorite dress of the night, by Pamella Roland.

The cast of Modern Family snagged a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Congrats!

Beyoncé to Perform at the Grammys

Coming off of her smash visual album and her birthday performance for Michelle Obama, Queen Bey's next big move is a Grammy performance!

via billboard.com

Other performers at the Jan. 26th awards include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Jay-Z. It's not yet known whether or not the power couple will perform together, but as Bey says in her hit "Flawless", "Don't think I'm just his little wife". Whether or not they appear together onstage, it's safe to say that both Jay-Z and Beyoncé will be show-stoppers.

Did You Know of the Week

Did you know....

Picture From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17598677

that Rihanna was actually trained by the Barbadian military and served as an army cadet? Obviously this was all before hitting it big on the big screen and behind the microphone. Perhaps her role in the movie Battleship (pictured above) was a way to live out a fantasy that she never got a chance to live out in real life... 

#Rihanna'sDarkTwistedFantasy

(Rihanna - 4th from left)

Picture From: http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj207/ybf08/August%2008/2a10e20b.jpg 

Happy 50th to Michelle Obama!

 

(via eurweb.com) 

Happy 50th birthday to the brilliant and hilarious First Lady!  A Princeton and Harvard Law grad, she has advocated for LGBT rights, lead the "Let's Move" initiative to combat obesity, promoted arts education, and supported and advocated on behalf of military families.  A role model to women everywhere, she is confident and poised, but never misses an opportunity to bust a move. (Evolution of Mom Dancing w/ Michelle Obama & Jimmy Fallon) (Michelle Obama dances 'The Dougie') (Michelle Obama dances with Ellen DeGeneres)
Happy birthday to this leading lady!  Now, if only Beyonce would sing at my birthday party...