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ENJOYING A BIG THANKSGIVING MEAL LOTS OF LEFTOVERS BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING

CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS AND QUEEN SUGAR'S KOFI SIRIBOE COVER ESSENCE DECEMBER ISSUE

Christina Coleman Nov, 14, 2017 Before Maxine Waters (D-CA) ever went viral for reclaiming her time at a congressional hearing this summer, she was advocating for constituents domestically and globally. That’s what makes her rise to popularity within social media feel familiar — she’s been about this life, battling injustice, inequality and systematic silencing for over 40 years. So when she delivered the now-famous line in a House Financial Services committee hearing in August after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin attempted to filibuster her, it was business as usual. “It’s [the] regular order of business,” she told political commentator Angela Rye in ESSENCE’s Dec/Jan issue. “I think it was important for me to let him know that he couldn’t get away with that.” For millennials — who affectionately call the California Congresswoman “Auntie” — that kind of no-nonsense advocacy has inspired memes and movements that position Waters’ words as bible for those looking to stand their ground, organize and activate. Recently, “Reclaiming Our Time” became the theme for the Women’s March Convention in Detroit. For those who remember when Waters took on apartheid in South Africa through divestment in the 1980s, or who are familiar with her creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative in 1998, it’s clear that she has no plans to slow down or to give up on the communities she represents. Maxine Waters isn’t a trending topic. “One of the things I discovered a long time ago was that I make people uncomfortable and that my advocacy goes beyond what politicians normally do,” she told ESSENCE. “I have a strong sense of what’s fair and what’s not fair, and for vulnerable people who are being taken advantage of, or who are being bullied or intimidated, I tend to want to be protective or to fight for them,” she continued. And in all, through her work as a wife, mother, grandmother, organizer and legislator, one thing reigns supreme. “I want to be remembered as a courageous fighter.” Read the full interview in the Dec/Jan issue of ESSENCE, on newsstands this week. Danielle Kwateng-Clark Nov, 14, 2017 To truly know Kofi Siriboe is to love a young man with ambition. Yes, that skin, beard, perfect white teeth and toned stature immediately grab your attention. But behind the 6'2" frame is a deeply conscious 23-year-old man constantly delving deeper into his love of film and heritage. In his second season of OWN's Queen Sugar, the talent plays Ralph Angel, the youngest brother of the Bordelon family reclaiming his birth right as a co-owner of their sugar cane farm. Balancing the process of redemption with fatherhood and business, his character is constantly challenged to step up to something greater than he ever expected. "When I read the description, Ralph Angel was in a hard place," the Ghanaian-American actor told ESSENCE in the Dec 2017/Jan 2018 issue. "He was with his son and about to rob a liquor store, but I didn't see him as aggressive. I just thought he was broken. Even though I have not been incarcerated and don't have a son, I remember a time when I felt broken. I also know what it's like to try so hard and feel as if the world is against you." For Siriboe, he's also trying hard to make his mark in the world with his debut project, Jump. He wrote, produced, directed and starred in the film about mental health. And then there was Girls Trip, the box-office hit he starred in that grossed over $100 million. But near and dear to his journey is fostering a deeper understanding of his African roots. "In first grade I was asked 'What's your favorite food?' I said, 'Fufu,' and everybody laughed. I also remember asking my teacher not to say my full name, Nana-Kofi [Nana means 'son of kings']. Last year I went to Kumasi, in Ghana, for the first time and met the king, whose real name is Nana." "I didn't always understand the roots that are woven into my name, but that realization is happening now." Read the full interview in the December issue of ESSENCE, on newsstands this week.

WEEKEND

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FREEDOM - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL

#Freedomforgirls Global International Day of the Girls. Global goals and International Freedom for all girls.

GRACE AND TRAI BYERS OF EMPIRE ARE THE FACE OF CAYMAN ISLANDS

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) has partnered with Grace Byers, star of the Fox hit series, “Empire,” to shine a light on the Cayman Islands’ endless appeal as a romantic vacation destination through an exclusive print, online and digital ad campaign running now through September 2018. The bespoke collection of photos were shot entirely on-island in Grace’s hometown of Grand Cayman by esteemed local photographer, Rebecca Davidson. They follow her and fellow co-star turned husband, Trai Byers, as they explore Cayman’s most celebrated travel experiences. The experiences are best enjoyed together, from snorkeling on the award-winning Seven Mile Beach to discovering what earns the Cayman Islands the title of “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean” and much more. The specialty romance series will run in select luxury consumer and trade publications and for a limited-time, on digital billboards in New York City’s Time Square. “We can’t imagine a more fitting ambassador to showcase the Cayman Islands’ unmatched wedding and honeymoon offerings than Grand Cayman’s own, Grace Byers,” said Mrs. Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism. “We are so grateful for the opportunity to share a piece of Grace and Trai’s beautiful Caymanian love story with prospective travelers, reinforcing why there’s no better place in the world to host life’s most romantic special occasions than the Cayman Islands.” “Being from the Cayman Islands, my Caymanian roots are extremely important to me, which is why it was a natural fit to team up with my friends at the Department of Tourism to help introduce others to the place I am so proud to call home,” said Byers. “Whether looking to celebrate a special anniversary, occasion or plan a wedding, I promise that couples will fall head over heels for the Cayman Islands.” The campaign launch comes on the heels of the July 2017 premiere of Cayman Vows magazine—a luxury print and digital publication devoted exclusively to the Cayman Islands’ destination wedding and honeymoon services. In addition to featuring never-before-seen photos and planning details from the intimate Grand Cayman nuptials of Grace and Trai Byers, Cayman Vows serves as a comprehensive romance destination guide to the Cayman Islands. It is teeming with real wedding testimonials, high-end fashion shoots, personality spotlights and curated expert advice on everything from décor and venues to must-do experiences island-wide. Home to three unique islands—Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman—the Cayman Islands is the ultimate somewhere special to share with that special someone. Further adding to its appeal for couples, traveling to this sophisticated island trio is easy and convenient with nonstop flights offered from most major U.S. cities through various airline carriers, including Cayman Airways, American Airlines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines. To learn more about the innovative new media platform and find distribution near you, visit caymanvows.com.

SPIKE LEE'S NEWEST SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT.

Spike Lee's free-spirited heroine Nola Darling returns in the new trailer for the series reboot of the filmmaker's 1986 feature-length debut, She's Gotta Have It. The show premieres November 23rd. Like Lee's original film, the new show will chronicle Nola's professional and romantic exploits as she juggles work as an artist and three vastly different lovers: Jamie, Greer and Mars. In the new series, DeWanda Wise stars as Nola, Lyriq Bent plays Jamie, Cleo Anthony plays Greer and Anthony Ramos takes over Lee's classic character, Mars Blackmon. At the start of the trailer, Nola proudly proclaims to her therapist: "As a sex-positive polyamorous pansexual, monogamy never even seemed like a remote possibility." She soon admits such a life isn't necessarily easy to handle. The clip teases the good and bad Nola gets from her three men, while offering a look at her circle of friends and her work as an artist. Despite being pulled in various directions and facing a barrage of cat calls – which Lee presents with his quintessential head-on shots – the trailer ends with Nola delivering a fierce declaration: "I'm not a freak, I'm not a sex addict and I'm damn sure nobody's property."

MY

MY BATH TIME WOULD TAKE ME AWAY TO ENDLESS FUN MY PUPPY IS CUTE AND CUDDLY MY VIEW OUTSIDE THE WINDOW WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO SIT AND RELAX MY STREET IS A BEAUTIFUL AND INVITING PLACE TO COME HOME TO MY PERFECT END OF THE DAY WOULD BE A GLASS OF MY FAVORITE WINE A SWEET BLACKBERRY RED WINE.

LEDISI - HIGH

LEDISI WHAT AN IMPECCABLE VOICE. I AM FEELING THE QUEEN OF LOVE. Hear the full album 'Let Love Rule' now! Official Website: http://smarturl.it/Ledisi_W

Cicely Tyson Covers Elle’s Women In Hollywood Issue At 92

You’re never too old to be a cover girl and Cicely Tyson is proving that with her placement on the front of Elle magazine‘s November 2017 issue. At 92, Tyson is one of eight women to cover the mag’s “Women in Hollywood” issue, in which she discusses the women who’ve influenced her career over the past six decades. “At the very beginning of my career, I had a teacher whose name was Vinnette Carroll,” the iconic actress explained. “She directed a number of Broadway shows. She kept saying to me, ‘You know the problem with beautiful women? They tend to rely on their beauty.’ And I said, How wrong she is! I never think of myself as being beautiful. I thought, What are you talking about? I work so hard. And I did. But I learned from her how important it is to learn your craft. When all else fails, you will land on that, and that alone.”

JANET JACKSON AND JA'NET DUBOIS REUNITE

Forty years after Penny and Willona played the mother-daughter duo on the hit 70s show, Janet Jackson and 71-year-old Ja’net Duobis reunited at Jackson’s State of the World Tour after party on Sunday night. JANET JACKSON AND JA'NET DUBOIS JANET JACKSON AND BROTHER RANDY JACKSON JANET DUBOIS ALSO PLAYS JANET'S MOTHER IN THE CONTROL VIDEO.

BE WHO YOU ARE

ROMAN J. ISRAEL ESQ.

Directed by Oscar-nominated Nightcrawler filmmaker Dan Gilroy, the dramatic thriller unfolds amid the underbelly of the Los Angeles criminal justice system, where the titular defense attorney embarks on an unexpected, turbulent series of events that challenge his notorious activist history that has largely defined his career. The amusing temperament of Washington’s character is of particular note, as the ruthless counselor doesn’t seem to take kindly to his opponents — or much of anyone, really. “Voluntary manslaughter. It’s a good deal,” an associate, referencing a case, tells him during a phone call. He responds: “It’s an enema of sunshine.” Gilroy wrote the character with Washington in mind. “Roman is defined by his belief in something greater than himself. He’s a man of faith. He has this common, universal humanity to him that he believes. Denzel, if you research Denzel, he’s literally a man of faith,” Gilroy told EW earlier this year. “So it was never going to be hard for the audience to buy into the idea that the actor playing the part believes in the things Roman is doing. I think one of the reasons why Denzel dissolves into the character is because they’re so close to each other in so many ways. Denzel embodies the idea of a man living his life on terms that are based on a cause — going toward something. That’s why I really wrote it for him.” Roman J. Israel, Esq. opens in theaters in November.

THE QUEEN OF THE DARK

The Queen of the Dark 24 model Nyakim Gatwech is a South Sudanese model whose deeply pigmented skin is teaching people not to be afraid of the dark. She has no shame about her melanin. "My chocolate is elegant." She states an Uber driver suggested that she bleach her skin and response was only laughter. "Black is bold, black is beautiful, black is gold. Don't let American standards damage your Aftrican Soul."

FAMILY MATTERS REUNION

FAMILY MATTERS CAST FAMILY MATTERS REUNION STEVE URKEL (JALEEL WHITE) LAURA (KELLIE SHANYGNE WILLAMS) HARRIETT (JO MARIE PAYTON) EDDIE (DARIUS MCCRAY) CARL WINSLOW (REGINALD VELJOHNSON) STEVE URKEL (JALEEL WHITE) AND LAURA WISLOW (KELLIE SHANYGNE WILLIAMS) EDDIE, HARRIETTE, CARL AND LAURA WINSLOW WALDO FALDO (SHAWN HARRISON) RACHEL CRAWFORD (THELMA HOPKINS) RITCHIE CRAWFORD (BRYTON JAMES) STEVE URKEL AND LAURA WINSLOW WINSLOW FAMILY To read more from the Family Matters reunion, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly on stands Friday or buy it here. Don’t forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW It’s been nearly 20 years since Reginald VelJohnson, who played Carl Winslow for nine seasons on Family Matters, had a formal reunion with his TV family. “I love these people… Every one of them,” the famous TV dad, 65, said when he and the cast recently got together for the latest issue of EW. “I didn’t realize I was going to see everybody. … To see them now, the way they are, is wonderful. It’s heartwarming. It makes me cry.” There were occasional tears but mainly laughs on the staple of ABC’s TGIF block of family-friendly programming (where it lived before moving to CBS for its ninth and final season). The comedy — which signed off July 17, 1998 after 215 episodes — was a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, on which Jo Marie Payton’s Harriette Winslow was an elevator operator at the building where cousins Larry and Balki (Mark Linn-Baker and Bronson Pinchot) worked. (Both shows, plus other TGIF favorites such as Full House and Step by Step, are available Friday on Hulu.) Harriette and her police-officer husband, Carl, had a full house of their own: Kellie Shanygne Williams, Darius McCrary, and Jaimee Foxworth were their children Laura, Eddie, and Judy (who was written out of the show during season 4); Telma Hopkins played Rachel, Harriette’s widowed live-in sister, and Bryton James was Rachel’s son, Richie; Rosetta LeNoire played Estelle, a.k.a. “Mother Winslow”; Shawn Harrison was Eddie’s dim-witted friend Waldo; and White was their next-door neighbor, Steve Urkel — an iconic TV nerd before The Big Bang Theory gang was even a particle in the pop culture universe. Jaleel and I were talking just a little while ago and he said, ‘You know, we can do this.’ And I said, ‘If they dropped a script at our feet when we walked out of here, we would come back in tomorrow, and the next day we’d have a show shot,” Payton said about how quickly and easily they could fall back into their roles. “Because we all have that rhythm,” Williams chimed in. Added Hopkins: “And we haven’t lost it. As soon as we’re together, it’s back to normal.” VelJohnson admitted he’s curious what scientist and inventor Steve Urkel would be up to today, but more so, he’d like to see the show come back to “give a new perspective on things that are happening today from our point of view.” And Payton, who said everyone is “ready to do it,” knows exactly how the revival should start: “I think the first scene should be Judy coming down those steps and everybody saying, ‘Where you been?'” “There’s just something really magical about this cast and the real feelings that are here. It wasn’t just for the screen,” Hopkins concluded. “Family really did matter and still does.” All nine seasons of Family Matters — plus other ABC comedies and TGIF titles including Full House, Step by Step, and Home Improvement — available now on Hulu.

10TH ANNUAL BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD AWARDS

VIOLA DAVIS - HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER JANELLE MONAE AJA NAOMI KING - HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER GABRIELLE UNION - BEING MARY JANE TRACEE ELLIS ROSS - BLACKISH MEAGAN GOOD