Amy Nicole – Page 6 – The Double Scoop

WHAT COLLEGE DIDN’T TEACH ME

Remember when your parents told you that going to college was the key to a successful career and life? Well today that advice certainly doesn’t apply to most millennials. According to research many millennials over the age of 25 with a college degree are burdened with student loan debt and working jobs that don’t require a degree.

A few months ago I went out to eat with some of my friends and we were all talking about the benefits of going to college. All of my friends are college grads and most of us, including myself have two degrees. We often complain about how much student loan debt we have and how much life would be easier if we didn’t even go to college. I’ve had this conversation with many people my age and a lot of us feel like college didn’t prepare us too much for our experiences today. Many people who go to college end up working jobs that are not in their fields. A lot of us have thousands of dollars of student loan debt which most of us can barely afford to pay back with the jobs that we obtained after graduating. If college is supposed to prepare you for the real world, why doesn’t it teach you basic concepts like doing taxes, how to manage your finances, or even how to communicate or negotiate well which is imperative in the workforce? For the most part college pretty much teaches you how to work for somebody else when in actuality we should all be working for ourselves and building our own empire.

If I could go back I wish I would have taken the time out to find out what I wanted out of life before going to college or grad school. I always felt this pressure by my parents to go to school and I never really established what exactly I wanted to do for myself. I think people should take at least 1-2 years off after finishing high school before going to college just to find out what they really want to do career wise.

A year and ½ ago I quit my job and started on a new career path in writing. I know that making a living out of a writing career is going to be challenging but writing is my passion and working for someone else for the rest of my life is not an option.

Going to college does not equate to a successful career and I think we should stop feeding people this false sense of hope. Don’t get me wrong for some people college is beneficial but it’s definitely not the best path for everyone.

INCIDENTS IN MISSOURI MIRROR CIVIL RIGHTS ERA

Several black students walk hand and hand amongst a crowd of white parade goers at the homecoming parade for the University of Missouri. They each step out of line one by one speaking into a megaphone to the now former university president Tim Wolfe about the incidents of racism and discrimination that they have encountered while attending the school. The students are a part of the organization Concerned Student 1950, which was named after the year the first African American graduate student was admitted to the university.

If you were reading about this situation in a book you would think that the time period was during the civil rights era not in the year 2015! I admit due to my busy schedule I haven’t been keeping up with the story as much as I should have but today I finally got a chance to read up on all that has been going on at the university. I was surprised to learn about a lot of the racial encounters that many of the black students faced so frequently on the campus such as being called a nigger or seeing racial acts of vandalism around the campus.

I’ve read comments where some people have actually said that the students should have just gone to an HBCU where incidents like this would not have taken place. I strongly disagree with statements like these. I actually attended a PWI and I enjoyed my college experience without encountering any type of discrimination or racism. Students should be able to attend the college of their choice whether it be an HBCU or a PWI.

I think what irks me the most about this situation are the insensitive comments made by people who have no idea what it feels like to be discriminated against or to have experienced racism. I read one comment where a guy said that blacks are always protesting about something. People are so quick to dismiss the race card when it doesn’t affect them specifically.

People born after 1992 are sometimes referred to as “the lost” or misguided generation but after seeing these students stand up for their rights I have no doubt in my mind that the future is in great hands.

It seems as though the worse of the campus situation is over. Arrests have been made for students who posted death threats to black students, and Mike Middleton has been appointed as interim UM System president since Tim Wolfe resigned from his position. Incidents like these go to show that we still have a long way to go regarding race relations in this country.

Source: Missourian

Photo Credits: The Final Call; State of HBCUS

CANDICE J: THE UNFADING BEAUTY

At only 24 years old Candice J. was diagnosed with ovarian cancer which is very rare for young women. She had to endure months of chemotherapy and lost so much weight that she weighed only 89 pounds. Now almost four years later Candice is a proud cancer survivor who uses her blog “The Unfading Beauty” to inform and educate women about ovarian cancer. In our interview she shares her story on how her experience brought her closer to God and family.

Amy Nicole: Cancer is not something that most young people have to worry about but you were diagnosed with cancer at only 24 years old! What were your initial thoughts when the doctor’s informed you about your diagnosis?

Candice J: Initially all I could think about was what had I done to cause it or not done to prevent it. It was one of the first things I discussed with my doctor. His response: it was “luck of the draw.” However, I can’t say I agree. I have always been a firm believer that every thing happens for a reason. So it wasn’t “luck of the draw” for me. Although the form of cancer is very rare in young women and girls, I’ve realized that there was purpose in that journey. Lessons to be learned and a testimony that needs to be shared.

Amy Nicole: You were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which is a very rare form of cancer. What is some advice you can share with young women about getting cancer screenings and taking care of their health?

Candice J: Unfortunately, because the disease is so rare in younger women, there are no cancer screenings right now that detect ovarian cancer. Unlike cervical cancer, which women have a pap smear to dectect, ovarian cancer is not detected in the cells of the cervix. Therefore that test would be inadequate to dectect ovarian cancer in your annual checkups. Ovarian cancer can be detected by a specific blood test (CA-125) and by transvaginal ultrasound. These tests however are usually only conducted if certain symptoms of ovarian cancer are persistent. Many of which can be confused for normal female reproductive woes and are still only slightly recognizable in the late stages of the disease. The key is really in knowing your body, paying close attention to certain issues that are persistent, and knowing the symptoms of ovarian caner. Some of the symptoms are consant bloating, eating habits changing (loss of appetite), too frequent urination, and constant discomfort of the abdomen.

Amy Nicole: After reading about your story on your blog you seemed so upbeat and positive throughout your battle with cancer. How did you manage to keep such a positive attitude throughout the process?

Candice J: Lol. I wish I could say that was true! Positive? Maybe. On most days. Upbeat? Not at all. Having to go through chemo is something I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemy. I was very sick the entire time and often very weak. But I had a positive outlook and faith! In the back of my mind I knew I would get throught it and my doctor gave me a great prognosis. In addition, I had a great support team! With God, great family, friends and prayer we can get through anything.

Amy Nicole: Did you ever get angry or question God about why this happened to you?

Candice J: Oooh you bet I did question God! At times I thought it was pay back for my rebellious streak and living outside of his will. But thats how you think when you dont fully understand that God is in control and our lives are planned for us. While we may take detours from the path he has for us (with all our crazy antics and shenanigans), God will put us back on the right track. Sometimes it takes something drastic. And for me it was cancer.

Amy Nicole: You launched your blog “The Unfading Beauty” over a year ago which discusses a lot about your battle with cancer. Discuss the name of your blog and your ultimate purpose for creating it.

Candice J: I launched my blog during the month of September last year which is the month of Ovarian Cancer Awareness. I wanted to dedicate that month to informing people about ovarian cancer and sharing my testimony. Up until that point, I didn’t speak in detail about it. I felt I needed to though and figured my blog would be the perfect outlet. The name of my blog, “The Unfading Beauty” was actually inspired by one of my favorite Bible verses. 1 Peter 3: 3-4. I knew for a few years that I wanted to blog. I just hadn’t figured out at the time what I wanted to blog about and the name. It wasn’t until I went through a rather painful break up that it all came to me! I went through a small state of depression after the break up. Like most women, i was left wondering what I had done wrong and was I good enough. The only thing that made me feel better was running to God about it. One night I was led to 1 Peter 3 and when I read through verse 3 & 4, something hit me! That was it! It helped me realize that validation from a relationship didn’t matter. What I did or did not do in that relationship didnt take away anything from the woman God was making me. He used that situation to grow me and and further prepare me to be a woman that was precious in his sight. From that moment forward I started my journey to becoming an Unfading Beauty. I wanted to produce something for women to know that in a society that “LIKES” us based on the pictures we post, how we dress, how beat our faces are, the relationships we so perfectly portray, and the jobs we have, we don’t have to be validated by any that. The purpose of my blog is to encourage women to work on and refine their inner beauty just as much as the outer beauty. I would love to see more woman who operate in Light and self-love rather than those willing to do anything for love, fame and a few LIKES.

Amy Nicole: How has your life changed/how have you changed after surviving cancer?

Candice J: Omg! I have a closer connection to God and my family. I learned the importance of both. I’m overall a more positive person and one less concerned about material things. It’s caused me to relinquish control of my life and walk in his will. After surviving cancer I learned that the things we go through are often not for us. Many times we are given a battle because we are strong enough to handle it. And our strength is needed to be seen by others so they they can know they can make it through too! Our stories encourage others. And I strive to encourage others daily!

Amy Nicole: Do you have any upcoming projects in the work and how can people contact you?

Candice J: I am currently in the works of revamping my blog. I have the desire to turn it from a hobby to a business. I have taken a hiatus from it in order to do a little more research and regain focus on the type of content I want to put out. In the meantime I can be contacted through my social media. Facebook Page : The Unfading Beauty; IG: @unfadingbeautyc

I really enjoyed learning about Candice’s story. Her perseverance and positivity is so admirable and we hope that her story inspires someone else who is currently enduring hardships.

BAD BOYS III & IV CONFIRMED

It looks like the prayers of Bad Boys fans have been answered! Sonny has officially announced the release dates for the sequels Bad Boys III and IV. Bad Boys III is set to hit theaters in February of 2017 and Bad Boys IV in July of 2019. As of now the original director Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have not been confirmed to work on the two films.

Martin Lawrence has signed on to reprise his role as detective Marcus Burnett but Will Smith hasn’t confirmed whether or not he will be returning as the charming Mike Lowrey which will definitely be a disappointment to female fans. Earlier last year Martin Lawrence called out Smith on Facebook to do a follow up to Bad Boys II. He captioned a picture from the movie with the following statement, “11 years ago today, Bad Boys II was released in theaters. Feelin’ it’s about time for number 3… what do you think Will Smith?”.

Some fans are skeptical about the sequels and believe that producers may have waited too late for the follow up films as Smith is now in his late 40s and Lawrence is now 50.

I am very excited about the two sequels as I was a huge fan of both Bad Boys I and II. What do you guys think about the forthcoming sequels?!

Photo Credit: ComicBook

Source: Film

How Many Dating Partners Should A Person Have?

We have all heard the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” and I believe this same phrase should be applied to the number of dating partners that a person should have. Now before you give me the “side eye” I’m not saying that you should have sex with everyone that you date but I do think that it is okay to casually date several people at one time.

I will use a personal experience as an example. A few years ago when I was in school I was casually dating a guy and I started developing strong feelings for him. He was the only guy that I was dating at the time but he on the other hand was dating other women. He ended up pursuing a relationship with one of the other females that he was dating which led to me getting hurt. Now I couldn’t be upset with him because I knew he was dating other people. My mistake was not clearly relaying to him my feelings and what my future relationship goals were.

When I asked other men and women about this topic it seemed as though the views from both sexes slightly differed. Most men who said they were seriously pursuing a woman said they usually tried to date one woman at a time because dating tended to get pretty expensive. As a female I never looked at dating from a man’s point of view. Most men pay for the expenses as far as going to a movie and out to dinner so I could see how that would add up for a man dating more than one woman. To solve that problem people who are dating could opt for free events like day festivals or even try going to a park to just talk. Women on the other hand seemed to be more open to dating more than one person as long as sex wasn’t involved for each partner that they dated.

I think as far as dating goes as long as the walls of communication are open between both people and everyone is honest and upfront about their intentions, dating multiple people is perfectly fine.

Photo Credit: Busted Halo

This article is also featured on Confessions of an Ambitious Girl.

FERGUSON COVER-UP: A DOCUMENTARY

It has been over a year since the shooting death of Michael Brown by police office Darren Wilson and as of today there still haven’t been any charges brought against him. Many people have become desensitized to this repetitive cycle by our judicial system and have accepted the fact that nothing can be done about it.

Director Jason Pollock refuses to let the voice of Michael Brown grow silent. Last week he announced that he would be directing a film about Brown’s case which will help clear up misunderstandings surrounding the case and that will reveal the truth about his death.

Pollock had the following to say about the upcoming film:

“My new film is going to take a deep dive into how an unarmed boy in sandals and shorts with his hands up, according to killer himself, could be executed in the street without any repercussions. This event has haunted me, as I know it has haunted many others. I needed to find out the truth! So I set out on a yearlong investigation of the facts, and what I have found needs to be seen and heard by the world.”

The film is said to reveal how key evidence was withheld and leaked, will expose corrupt witnesses and will highlight the racist history of the city of Ferguson. Pollock has set up an Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign to help raise money for the film and has also created a trailer to help support the film.

You can watch the trailer and donate here.

Ni’cola Mitchell

As any aspiring writer will tell you, trying to make a full time career out of writing seems almost next to impossible. My sister and I left our unfulfilling careers over a year ago to pursue our love for writing and we have definitely encountered many obstacles on our path to success. We came across the profile of Ni’cola Mitchell, a published author of several best-selling novels, a blogger, and founder of the independent publishing company NCM Publishing. Much of her work revolves around complex relationship issues and Mitchell’s compulsive desire to see women overcome challenges.

I was able to get a brief interview with Ni’cola as she prepares to promote her latest novel “Pum Pum”. In our interview she discusses her love for writing, shares how she overcame obstacles, and gives advice to aspiring writers.

Check out our interview below:

Amy Nicole: Did you always have a passion for writing and how long have you been writing professionally?

Ni’cola: Why Yes!!! I have always had a passion for writing! Ever since I was little girl, I would write poems, stories, and my thoughts down on paper. I never knew though that I would be able to make a living off of writing growing up. It was not until I was preparing for graduation for my Bachelor’s degree, that I was dared to write my first novel and the rest was history.

Amy Nicole: The focus of most of your books is about relationships; why do you choose to focus on this particular topic?

Ni’cola: I write about relationships because it is about everyday life. Everyone can relate to the good and bad of relationships, and I use how I feel and people around me and create masterpieces.

Amy Nicole: What obstacles did you face as an aspiring writer and how did you overcome these obstacles? Would you say your race/sex played a factor in any of these obstacles?

Ni’cola: The obstacles that I faced when I started off was trying to get my books into new stores and getting the word out about me and my book. I mimicked how major publishers were doing their campaigns and recreated the same thing just with my twist. Race was not really a factor, but sex has been. When you are a woman and have a pretty face, it is a challenge for people to take you seriously in a man dominated field. You have to stand your ground and make it clear that you deserve to be here.

Amy Nicole: My sister and I both quit our jobs over a year ago to pursue a writing career and we have definitely faced many challenges. What advice would you give women trying to pursue a writing career but facing obstacles along the road to success?

Ni’cola: The advice that I would give you both is to not give up. As long as you give the same tenacity to your craft as you would for a “day job,” you will have tremendous results. Also remember an average overnight success is 10 years. Some have been blessed to become rich overnight but the money comes with your hard work.

Amy Nicole: You have several published novels, what would you say is your favorite novel and why?

Ni’cola: “Pum Pum” as of date is currently my favorite because it has so many different social issues inside of it.

Amy Nicole: You are currently promoting your new book called “Pum Pum”. Can you tell us what this book is about and about the title choice?

Ni’cola: My new book “Pum Pum” is a story about a girl that was framed for a drug charge and was deported back to Jamaica. She meets someone that teaches her to become self-sufficient on the island and to become a dancehall queen. I chose the title because it is a world play of many situations that a lot of women face when their back is against the wall. You know the phrase, “you have to use what you got to get what you want”? Well, in “Pum Pum”, instead of selling her body to survive, she is dancing.

Amy Nicole: Where can readers purchase your books?

Ni’cola: Readers can purchase my books on Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles, and Books a Million. You can also find me on Google Play, Nook, and I-Books.

At a time when it seems that the doors for African American female authors seems slim, Ni’cola Mitchell is proof that with hard work and consistency female writers can have a successful career. It was great getting to know more about Ni’cola and we look forward to reading her novels. To find out more about Ni’cola you can visit her website at http://www.nicolacmitchell.com/.

The Matrimony

I think growing up most girls fantasize about their perfect wedding day. I can remember being in elementary school and discussing with my friends what color my bridesmaids dresses were going to be and how I would wear my hair on my special day. Now that I’m at the age where most of my peers are starting to get married or are already married I question if marriage is something that I really even want or am capable of.

Divorce rates seem to be on the rise and the idea of living happily ever after seems to just be an unrealistic fantasy. Now I do know some couples who are making marriage work and who seem to be happily married but there are many others who just couldn’t make their relationships last. When I talk to people who are married most of them say “make sure you’re ready!” or “please don’t rush!” Many married couples that I’ve encountered talk about how much work it is going to be. The hard work part scares me because usually when I have dated guys in the past I will cut them off with a quickness if they did something that I didn’t like or if they started to annoy me. Even my mom who has been married to my dad for over 30 years has told me that she and my dad aren’t in love anymore and that the best part of the marriage was raising me and my siblings. That type of relationship doesn’t appeal to me. I know marriage is going to have its ups and downs but if I’m going to be committed to someone for the rest of my life then I want to be happy at the least. I think another myth about marriage is that marriage equates to happiness. I’ve met some people who have said that their life was much better before starting a family.

What most people don’t realize about marriage is that it’s supposed to be a lifetime commitment. I come from a get rich quick generation where most people my age don’t want to put in the time and effort to make relationships last. Is it realistic to believe that you can stay committed to just one person for your entire life? I personally like to be to myself a lot of times so the thought of another person invading my personal space every second of the day gives me anxiety.

I guess the biggest question regarding marriage is, what is your reason for wanting to get married? I grew up in a Christian household so I was taught that marriage was the right thing to do for adults who wanted to start a family. Now that I’m questioning if I even want to get married let alone have kids what is my alternative? Being alone forever? LOL maybe I can have an Oprah and Stedman type of relationship and have a long term partnership; you’re there for me when I need you but at the end of the day we can go our separate ways without the contract agreement. But even that type of relationship after a while would get old. Who really wants to be in their senior years still playing the dating field.

So will I get married? Only time will tell, but I’m definitely not one of those women who make marriage and kids their top priority. I think if a person decides that they want to get married they need to make sure they can truly commit to someone during the good times and the bad. On the other hand I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people who decide not to get married. Marriage isn’t for everyone and it’s probably one of the hardest jobs that most people will ever have in their lives. It should be a personal preference whether or not you want to take on that type of commitment.

Photo Credit: Black Enterprise

This article was also featured on Confessions of an Ambitious Girl Blog.

Actress Sanaa Lathan Drops New Track Emotional

Gorgeous actress Sanaa Lathan is mostly known for her movie roles on the big screen but this past weekend she shocked all of her fans when she dropped a music track called “Emotional”. The song was inspired by her latest film “The Perfect Guy” which was released this weekend. The actress stated that her love interest in the movie, played by actor Michael Ealy was a very emotional character . The track was produced by Detail, who has also produced music for Beyonce, and it also features rapper Dej Loaf. In my opinion the single sounds pretty good! Check out the track here.

Photo Credit: EurWeb

Straight Outta Compton Touches On Issues Still Relevant Today

With Straight Outta Compton bringing in over 60.2 million dollars at the box office in its opening weekend, there is no denying that it will go down as one of the top movies of the summer for 2015. The movie chronicles the lives of rap group NWA, known as one of the most controversial rap groups of all time.

Although the movie focuses on the group’s controversial music, it also touches on the issue of police brutality which is very prominent in society today. Several black men have died at the hands of white police officers this past year along with many of the officers being acquitted of the crimes. The movie briefly touches on the 1991 beaten of Rodney King. King was beaten by four white police officers who were all acquitted of charges. The film reveals just how much times have not changed because even today black men feel their life isn’t valued by society and they have to constantly deal with being stereotyped and seen as a threat just based off of their appearance.

The film does a good job of explaining why the group chose to rap about certain topics that many would consider controversial. In one part of the film Ice Cube(who is portrayed by his son O’shea Jackson Jr.) justifies the groups music when he tells a reporter that the group raps about the reality that they see, which for many young black men back in the late 80s and early 90s was drugs, violence, and racism. The casting for the film was great as many of the actors embodied the essence of the characters that they portrayed.

Although most NWA fans are now in their 40s and 50s, people of all ages can appreciate the film. The biopic combines comedy, drama and music and gives viewers an in-depth look into the men behind one of the world’s most dynamic hip hop groups.

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures