Oprah’s success hasn’t followed her to OWN. According to Forbes and Bloomberg the deal increases Discovery’s stake in OWN to 95%, but Winfrey will hold on to her CEO and chief creative officer positions.
The writing was on the wall, when OWN pulled the plug on one of its biggest and most
expensive bets — an evening talk show starring Rosie O’Donnell. Following in the mist of it all constant internal power struggle, that led OWN to fired 20% of its work force, also the lost of many directors and departure of more than a dozen senior executives led to Winfrey, assuming the title of
chief executive, following the move Discovery, invested $312 million in the channel, to keep the network afloat, a move seen as an attempt to stabilize the
channel.
The faith of OWN channel stumbles suggest, at the least, that even in celebrity-obsessed America, fame alone doesn’t guarantee success, sustaining an entire network proved difficult.
The news came after earlier this year Hearst Magazines reported planning to lay off 60 staffers from Winfrey’s publication, The Oprah Magazine. The news came as Oprah signed on for a multi-year deal with Apple TV + in 2018.
Pics via oprah.com
“A queen is not afraid to fail,” Oprah Winfrey once said. “Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
Naomi stunning on the Vogue cover issue of January 2021 photographed by Annie Leibovitz, looked in complete possession of her talents, her natural curls
lifted by a gentle breeze, her makeup
minimal apprise her natural beauty. Osaka is wearing an asymmetrical striped Louis Vuitton dress, Osaka looks like the true peoples champion.
In the two short years since Osaka became an international tennis phenomenon by defeating her longtime idol Serena Williams in the now famous 2018.US Open. Has Since then been leading by example, her platform becomes wider, as evidenced in her latest debut as a
cover girl for American Vogue. Osaka has wielded
her voice with intention and care.
“I used to think that everything depended on the game, and now I sort of
understand that you have to find balance,” she says. “I want to become
knowledgeable, to have a vast understanding of things, or even lots of
tiny things that amount to one big thing. I want to be a nice person to
everyone I meet. This is putting it in video-game terms, but I think the
me right now is sort of at the level 50 of tennis, and everything else
in my life is at level five or six. I want to even out my levels.”
But what has made Osaka special this year is her emergence as tennis’ foremost voice on racial justice issues.
The
23-year-old spoke about her interest in racial justice, which
began when she was just a teenager living in Florida. She was 14 and living in Boca Raton, just three hours north of where
Trayvon was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, an aggressive neighborhood
vigilante.
“I feel like this is something that was building up in me for a while,”
Osaka told the magazine. “I watched the Trayvon stuff go down. For me
that was super-scary.”
Osaka participated in the Black Lives Matter protests alongside her
boyfriend, rapper Cordae, in Minneapolis in the days following Floyd’s
death at the hands of local police. She told Vogue it was the first
rally of any kind she had ever attended.
She spoke on being perceived as shy and reserved.
That’s not true. I think that the pandemic gave me the chance to go into
the real world and do things that I wouldn’t have done without it.”
“That shy label has stuck with me through the ups and downs of my career, I’m Black, and I live in America, and I personally didn’t think it was
too far-fetched when I started talking about things that were happening
here”
Osaka has been vocal about the need to protect Black lives
on social media and on the court. Following the Milwaukee Bucks’boycott during the NBA playoffs, she postponed her
appearance at a tournament in support of the athletes. When she won this
year’s U.S. Open tournament, she did so while acknowledging victims of
racial violence. Each time she stepped out for a match, Osaka honored a
different person by wearing their names printed on a black facemask.
This grants her a unique perspective—and an opportunity to talk about
racism directly to audiences who normally don’t spend much time
considering it. But while she has been attacked for her stances, Osaka
is at ease with her role—even if who she is and what she stands for
confuses people.
“Some people label me, and they expect me to stick to that label,” she
told Vogue. “Since I represent Japan, some people just expect me to be
quiet and maybe only speak about Japanese topics. I consider myself
Japanese-Haitian-American. I always grew up with a little bit more
Japanese heritage and culture, but I’m Black, and I live in America, and
I personally didn’t think it was too far-fetched when I started talking
about things that were happening here. There are things going on here
that really scare me.”
This nice ad featuring Naomi Osaka for Beats by Dre @beatsbydre./ Pub en vedette avec Naomi Osaka for the Beats by De @beatsbydre. #NaomiOsaka#beatsbydre
Absolutely heartbreaking news this week: YouTube star
Nicole Thea, has died at the age of
24 along with her unborn son. Nicole’s family confirmed the heartbreaking news Sunday with an
emotional tribute via an Instagram post to her followers.
Pics from @nicoletheatv
A statement and tribute by her mother share on instagram wrote, “RIP My beautiful baby girl
Nicnac and my grandson Reign, I will miss you for the rest of my life
until we meet again in eternal heaven.”
The
dancer and influencer, who was U.K.-based, lived in London announced her pregnancy back in April with an Instagram video showing off her baby bump while dancing beside Boga, had kept fans up-to-date on
her pregnancy, regularly posting videos on her YouTube channel and
Instagram page. The 24-year-old, who was eight months pregnant, had named her child Reign with her partner Boga.
A statement from the family reveal she suffered suspected massive heart
attack, though an official autopsy report is still pending.
The news has hit the internet and many media have reported on the story, from the Daily Mail to BBC, CTV, WomensHealth and Essence recounted on it.
Her death comes at a time when many black women like Amber Isaac suffered similar faith and has died in the same condition, likewise Sha-Asia Washington her death sparked the debate about negligence when it comes to black women health.
Please keep her family and those of black women who suffer medical negligence and whose death could have been prevented in your thoughts and prayers.
Zindzi Mandela, the South African ambassador to Denmark and the daughter of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and of South African
anti-apartheid leaders Nelson Mandela has died, she was 59 years old.
The devastating news was announced by South African state television but did not provide
further details on the cause
of her death and reported only that Zindzi Mandela died at a hospital early Monday morning. Confirmed also by the
South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation the same day.
Life & Legacy
Zindzi Mandela, daughter of Nelson
Mandela, arrives for the London premiere of the movie “Mandela: Long
Walk to Freedom” in 2013.
(Matt Dunham / Associated Press)
Zindzi was the younger sister of Zenani Mandela and the third of Nelson Mandela’s three daughters,
She had been South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark since 2015.
Like her parents, Zindzi Mandela was involved in the liberation struggle and was an
active member of the African National Congress (ANC) youth movement.
Zindzi Mandela with her parents in 1961, and with Nelson after his release (AP Photo/Star, Alf Kumalo; Peter Turnley/Corbis)
One of her most prominent moments
of The Mandelas’ daughter was in 1985, she came to international prominence
when PW Botha, the then apartheid president of the white minority
government offered to release Nelson Mandela from prison if he denounced
violence perpetrated by his movement, the African
National Congress, against apartheid, the brutal system of racial
discrimination enforced in South Africa.
She read out - in front of a
huge crowd of ANC supporters at Soweto's Jabulani stadium a letter in
which her father rejected the offer.
Zindzi Mandela reads his letter rejecting the offer at a packed public meeting that was broadcast around the world.
Zindzi was not only the daughter of Africa freedom fighters, she is the daughter and beloved sister of the nation, but also a Leader in Her Own Right'.
In 1985, Zindzi holds a sign reading, "Release all our
comrades now!!" at the Cape Town university campus as she and other
students stage a demonstration requesting the release of ANC activists.
Next to her, another student holds a picture of her father, Nelson
Mandela.- AFPGetty Images
Still in the fighting spirit instilled in her by her parents particularly Winnie. Last
year, Zindzi Mandela called in a tweet for the return of the
white-owned land to South Africa’s dispossessed Black majority.
“Dear
Apartheid Apologists, your time is over. You will not rule again. We do
not fear you. Finally #TheLandIsOurs,” she tweeted in June last year #OurLand.
Zindzi Mandela spent many years involved
in South Africa’s freedom struggle and embraced roles in the arts,
philanthropy and business.
Nelson Mandela escorts Zindzi Mandela on her wedding day.Louise GubbGetty Image
The news comes just days before the anniversary of the former South
African president's birthday.We expressed our condolences to the Mandela
family and friends
She is survived by her husband and four children: Zwelabo, Zondwa, Bambatha, and Zoleka Mandela..
According to her son, her funeral, is scheduled for Friday, a day before
the annual Nelson Mandela Day on July 18, an annual celebration of his
birthday.
Mother and daugther Zindzi and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela | Image: Twitter @zindzimandela
Messages and tribute are pouring from dignitaries of the country
“Zindzi will not only be remembered as a daughter
of our struggle heroes, Tata Nelson and Mama Winnie Mandela, but as a
struggle heroine in her own right. She served South Africa well,” Pandor
said.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his
regards. “I offer my deep condolences to the Mandela family as we mourn
the passing of a fearless political activist who was a leader in her
own right,” Ramaphosa said.
Zindzi will not only be remembered as a
daughter of our struggle heroes, Tata Nelson and Mama Winnie Mandela,
but as a struggle heroine in her own right," Pandor said in her own
statement. "She served South Africa well."
"I offer my deep condolences to the Mandela family as we mourn the
passing of a fearless political activist who was a leader in her own
right," Ramaphosa said. "Our sadness is compounded by this loss being
visited upon us just days before the world marks the birthday of the
great Nelson Mandela."
The Nelson Mandela Foundation described her as a "special soul" who "will be remembered for a rich and extraordinary life".
Pics via @Oprah Twitter
