SHANEEN KNOWS

Hey Now! 👋 It's been a minute but I'm back! Since I last wrote, my city (Chicago) has had two mayoral elections... the schools I last spoke about are still closed, and migrants are now here. My, my, my how time flies... 😩don't judge me! Anywhoo, I'm back to chat about what's new with me and more. It's Pinktober! I want to send many virtual blessings to all breast cancer survivors and to the families of those who have been affected by breast cancer. Special blessings to the survivors in my life Aunt Charlotte, Bestie Tiff Martina, Cuz Tiff Yvonne. 🎀 It's also Q4! In fact, there are only 73 days left before January 1, 2024, arrives!! What a year it has been so far! The sisters are killing the game in tennis, track and field, gymnastics, and the WNBA! Congratulations are in order to some of the greatest female athletes to ever do it. First let's get into the youngest American to win the U.S. Open, Coco Gauff! The teenage star took down a 25-year-old seas...

*** This article was written 8/2018 *** It's the third week of school for Chicago Public School students. I've seen a lot of dads walking their kids to and from school which is a beautiful sight. However, it's  still disheartening to think   about  the massive  school closures that took place this summer , coupled with all  t he  violence  that is going on  in the Chicago  area.  Going back to school should've been an exciting time for both parents and students but with fewer schools open in the city this school year, there was more of a concern than a relief. I can't help but wonder why  millions of dollars is  going towards the re-beautification of Navy Pier, one of the city's main tourist attractions, but no money has gone towards the beautificat ion of C hicago Public Schools or keeping them open. No money has gone towards making Chicago a safer place to live. If you ask me, Navy Pier looks fine just the way it is. Over th...

It seems as though Beyoncé isn't exactly hoppy about the idea of having a beer named after her. New York City beer maker, Lineup Brewery, found out the hard way after creating an unauthorized German-style beer called Bïeryoncé . The brewery owner, Katarina Martinez, is a huge Beyoncé fan and after missing the star's concert she thought it would be a cool idea to create a beer in her honor but little did she know, the Drunk In Love singer would clap back with a cease and desist letter.  Martinez said the refreshing pilsner was originally made for an Oktoberfest event and soon became so popular it was sold to several bars around NYC and gained a large following on the brewery's social media sites. I'm guessing the name of this special brew isn't the only issue here. The beer can's label looks very similar to the lettering on Queen Bey's 2013 self-titled album, Beyoncé. What do you think? After receiving the cease and desist letter on Monday, Ma...

  Fans of the iconic Lena Horne will soon be able to see her face on postage stamps everywhere. In 2018, the United States Postal Service will honor the legendary singer, actress, and civil rights activist with her very own postage stamp in the Black Heritage Series.   The USPS Black Heritage series started in 1978 to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans and their vital role in U.S. history. The first stamp in the Black Heritage series featured Harriet Tubman (1820 - 1913) and next year, Lena Horne (1917 - 2010) will mark the 41st issuance of the Black Heritage series stamp. Other notable Black history makers who have been featured on the Black Heritage series stamp include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 -1968), Malcolm X (1925 - 1965), John H. Johnson (1918 - 2005), Shirley Chisholm (1924 - 2005), Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable (1745 - 1818), and last year's honoree Dor...

  Ladies, have you ever found yourself carrying more in your purse than you should? Do you carry an oversized purse the size of a duffle bag? What about carrying both a purse and a second bag such as a tote? I see this every day going to and from work... women with an excessive amount of items draping from their shoulders, and I'm not referring to mothers who must carry diaper bags and additional items in their purse, but women with no children in tow. It's nothing wrong with carrying a stylishly oversized handbag or a cute tote, or both... the problem is the bigger the bag, the more you put in it, and before you know it you've got your whole life stashed away in your purse! So what's really in a purse that women feel they must have with them everywhere they go? Well, being a woman isn't easy, we require a lot more than men do. I'll just get straight to it... for example, feminine products. Women need those dreadful it...

If you haven't heard about this story by now then you've been hiding underneath a pretty big rock. On August 26, 2016 San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, made a power move on the field when he refused to stand up during the national anthem in protest for racial injustice and minority oppression. Although this wasn't the first time Kaepernick protested (he sat during the anthem in the first two preseason games) it was highly noticed because this time he was in uniform. Kaepernick told NFL media in an exclusive interview I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color... To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder. For anyone who thought Colin Kaepernick's actions were just preseason shenanigans, guess again. Kaepernick continued to ...

    Does the woman in the picture remind you of yourself? If so, Houston we have a problem!   I am a firm believer in enjoying life and seizing the moment... Work hard and play harder is the name of the game! I know how important it is to live a fulfilling life, to me, I'm not living if I'm not fulfilled. On work days, I choose to leave the office and go outside for lunch, especially during the summer months even if I pack a lunch... There's something about breathing in the fresh air, it gives me new life. Haven't you heard the saying stop and smell the roses ? Well, I really do, I stop and smell flowers whenever I see them... Or like the closing line from the talk show The View, take a little time to enjoy the view , and I always do! At some point we have to stop and relax our minds, not just when we are sleeping. It's ok to get distracted sometimes and enjoy a good laugh or have a little fun, it's good for the soul. Some even say those are the thing...

Earlier this week, basketball superstar Michael Jordan, spoke out in an open letter about the gun violence that has been taking place across the U.S. specifically amongst African-Americans killed by police officers. In the letter, Jordan simply stated I can no longer stay silent , he also offered to donate $2 million dollars to help fight the cause, $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and $1 million to the International Association of Chief's of Police's Institute for Community-Police Relations. While this is a very noble act, many are wondering what took His Airness so long to speak out against something that has been happening for years. Even some of Jordan's biggest fans took to their social media pages to react to him breaking his silence. It was just a short time ago when the youth were killing each other over a pair of his Air Jordan sneakers and never once did the basketball icon utter a word publicly about it. I oftentimes heard cries...

After reading Kobe Bryant's open letter to his 17 year-old self, it made me think about all of the things I wish I had known then, that I know now. I think about all of the mistakes I could've avoided and all of the things that I could've done better. I also think about everything that happened when I was 17 years-old that shaped me into the person I am today and all of the hard lessons that I had to endure, which have ultimately given me valuable life experiences that I will take with me for the rest of my days, and pass them on to my children, nieces and nephews. You see, when I was a teenager, I didn't really have anyone offering up sound advice. My parents were still pretty young themselves... late 30's, early 40's so they were living their lives plus I was raised as an only child. My friends provided me with advice which is laughable because we were experiencing the same exact things. Their advice was no better than the advice I could offer them. We ...

Last night, as Donald Trump accepted his nomination for the presidency of the United States, he gave a compelling speech about how he could save the world. He started out by assuring us that if he were to become our president We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order . That sure would be nice considering everything that's going on today. But then as he got deeper into his speech, he did it the trusty Trump way and expressed his views about immigrants and ISIS terrorists. You can tell that his blood pressure was starting to boil as his voice elevated and his beady eyes began to squint. Same ole Trump rhetoric, we already know who and what he doesn't like.   When referring to the people, Trump never once mentioned anything about him wanting to bring us all TOGETHER, but instead, singling out groups- the Muslims, the immigrants, the LGBTQ community, the police... never once mentioning Blacks.   I don't kn...

Kobe Bryant newly signed to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996     Just a few short months after NBA superstar Kobe Bryant's retirement he pens and open letter to none other than his 17 year old self. Bryant opens the letter by advising his younger self to figure out a way to invest in the future of your family and friends , and he made it crystal clear, reiterating, I said INVEST. I did not say GIVE. Bryant went on to discuss how easy it is to think you are helping someone out by simplifying their life - paying all of the bills, buying them lavish cars, homes, and more but in reality by doing that you are only causing them more harm, Kobe says the day will come when you realize that as much as you believed you were doing the right thing, you were actually holding them back. In his open letter, Kobe Bryant also warns his younger self to make sure his parents remain parents instead of becoming his managers. Kobe gave his younger self some very importan...

In light of the Melania Trump/Michelle Obama speech faux pas, I have to say First Lady Michelle Obama is truly an inspiration and it's no wonder why Melania Trump chose to draw from her speech. I mean seriously, our first lady is smart and beautiful and she's taken the role of a first lady to another level, a level that will be very hard to top. From the moment she stepped onto the scene, her presence has been felt. With her memorable Democratic Convention speech in 2008 to the many initiatives she has put in place today. Michelle Obama has without a doubt made her mark and will go down as one of the greatest first ladies in history.   When I was growing up, with the exception of a select few, I didn't hear too much about past first ladies.  Sure there was Nancy Reagan but she wasn't the one everyone talked about or admired. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is the first lady I grew up hearing about and she was long gone ...

Melania Trump, wife of Donald Trump, gave a speech at the Republican National Convention the other day that sent cyberspace into an uproar, causing her to become the butt of many hashtags and jokes, as well as the new face of memes everywhere. Mrs. Trump was accused of plagiarism, stealing pieces from a speech First Lady Michelle Obama gave during the Democratic National Convention in 2008.   As it turns out Meredith McIver, a longtime employee of the Trump organization, spoke out on the faux pas today stating it was an innocent mistake. Like a loyal employee, McIver took the wrap for it all saying that during a phone conversation Mrs. Trump discussed people who inspired her noting a person she has always liked is Michelle Obama. McIver said Mrs. Trump gave her some examples of messages she wanted to share during her speech... apparently messages like the ones First Lady Michelle Obama conveyed in her 2008 speech. McIver said she wrote the examples down and even included t...

Becoming friends with your colleagues can be beneficial to your work environment for various reasons such as great office morale, positive communication, and friendly vibes. After all, many of us spend 40 hours a week or more around our colleagues, that's almost more time spent with them than time spent with our loved ones. Once in a while you'll find that one person or that group of people you call your work family . This group celebrates birthdays, hosts potlucks and you even do things with these people outside of work. I'm not just talking the after work group cocktail outings where everyone is invited, BUT the personal invites to hang out on the weekend and the after business hours phone calls to talk about what  REALLY happened in the meeting. Friendships are born and lifelong bonds are made. That's when work friendships are like finding the golden ticket! Wonderful idea right?   But what happens when a colleague is rubbed the wrong way by somethi...

What's up World!   So, by now I know everyone is fully aware of #OscarsSoWhite and all the hoopla that went on over the Oscars and the lack of diversity, not one Black actor was nominated for an Academy Award for the second year in a row. Many celebs spoke out and chose to boycott the awards ceremony like Jada Pinkett-Smith and Spike Lee. I noticed a lot of my peers on Facebook also made the decision to boycott by not watching the show. Honestly, I didn't see how my not watching would make a difference in Hollywood. I didn't think Jada or Spike would notice if I tuned in to the Oscars or not. Now don't get me wrong, I certainly applaud them for speaking up on behalf of all Black actors and actresses. I believe it is important that we stand up for what we believe in. Jada's voice was heard by everyone and her words lit a fire and put pressure on some folks, even if only for that moment... Although, some think her words were a reaction to ...