HOW TO HAVE A GUILT FREE HOLIDAY SEASON AND WIN
PROMINENCE It’s more than a way of living; it’s a state of mind.
HEAVY D THE MAN Carlos Watson THE LEGACY OUR TRIBUTE
COLLINS PENNIE THE NEXT LEADING MAN
SYESHA MERCADO LIVING HER DREAM HOLIDAY 2011 USA $4.99 CANADA $5.99
The Perfect Timepiece
Happy Holidays
PROMINENCE HOLIDAY 2011 :: NO. 4 :: PROMINENCEMAGAZINE.COM
FEATURES 22
HEAVY D A Hip Hop Legend who paved the way and left a mark on our society will forever be remembered as a man who loved music and sharing his voice with the world.
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COLLINS PENNIE Hollywood’s next leading man is on the rise and his name is Collins Pennie . He is one to watch out for as he prepares to take over the big and small screen
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GUILT-FREE HOLIDAYS Want to make this Christmas holiday as guilt-free as possible? We share with you tips for releasing the stress and having fun.
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SYESHA MERCADO Beauty, brains, talent, and a giving heart are just a few words to describe singer and actress, Syesha Mercado. She’s bold enough to live her dreams and she’s taking us along for the ride.
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YOUR VOICE EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS PROMINENTLY KNOWN WHAT’S RELEVANT THE GREAT ESCAPE
Knowthis.tv
CONTENTS VOLUME 2 :: NUMBER 4
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25 THE 411 25
ON STAGE Ashley Everett is one of the most talented dancers in the industry today. At twenty-three year old is only just beginning.
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BOOKS The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a women who’s unknowingly helped shaped medical history. Scandalicious, a debut novel, is sure to leave you edge with the turn of every page.
48 HEALTH & WELLNESS
SPORTS
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UNDERSTANDING STRESS With the holidays in full force,we help you identify the sings so that you may take a step back and relax.
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AVOIDING HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN Knowing what to do to avoid overeating during the holiday, can help you shed and prevent those unwanted pounds.
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45 MUSIC Lalah Hathaway gives us what we’ve been missing.
HE/SHE 31
HOLIDAY ATTIRE Holiday attire that will turn heads and gain attention.
FINDING YOUR PASSION Unsure of what it is you are supposed to be doing with your life? Discover five ways to find your passion and happiness. TURNING PASSION INTO PROFIT Kantis Simmons turns his affliction of being born with extra fingers in to a powerful series by using the 7.25 method to help school aged children reach their full potential.
THE NBA LOCKOUT The NBA Lockout proved players have rights and want them exercised. What will this mean for the future of the NBA.
RELATIONSHIPS 51
SO…WHAT THE LOVE COLUMN Coach Steph helps answers your relationship questions and provide answers to your most common questions.
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PERSPETIVE Open your mind, heart, and spirit to the guidance that awaits.
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SPOTLIGHT Malcom X stood up for what he believed in and helped shaped our country as we know it.
WORK & WEALTH
Ever wondered what books have helped influenced your favorite celebrities? We list a few that have made a difference in the lives of those we love to watch. 29
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ON THE COVER Syehsa Mercado, third finalist on the seventh season of American Idol, photographed by Angela Talley in Los Angeles.
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HIT YOUR TARGET
PROMINENCE MAGAZINE
Zora Neale Hurston
THE LITERARY SPIRIT
PROMINENCE
PROMINENCE It’s more than a way of living; it’s a state of mind.
FOUNDER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Glenys C. Colclough INTERN Shirlanna Little FASHION EDITOR Afyia Winford ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Shannon Edwards SPORTS EDITOR Gyasmine George RELATIONSHIPS EDITOR Stephanie McKenzie PHOTOGRAPHY Damien Jackson PUBLICITY Keyia Stanton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bonita Days Ashlee Stephens Larry Lyons PUBLISHER Evolve Media, a subsidiary of Glenys Clarice Inc.
PROMINENCE Magazine is published bi-monthly by Evolve Media. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in any kind of retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the publisher.
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YOUR VOICE
Our Year - 2011
Spring 2011
I enjoyed reading your Fall issue with makeup artist, Karen Dupiche on the cover. I frequently watch The View and had no idea she was the behind the beautiful faces on stage.
Summer 2011
Carol Mays New York, NY I like seeing a positive publication making it their business to represent the African American voice in a powerful way. You have my support. Richard Williams New York, NY Happy Holidays Prominence Magazine! Looking forward to what the New Year has in store for you. Tiffany Brown Charlotte, NC
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Fall 2011
PROMINENCE a : readily noticeable : CONSPICUOUS b : widely and popularly known : LEADING
EDITOR’S LETTER
Living Fabulous
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iving fabulous could mean a number of things to you, but ultimately it requires making a choice and having the right attitude about your life and where
you would like to see it. Making the choice to place yourself as a priority, positions you in the direction of allowing yourself to explore whom you are and what you truly desire for your life. The worst thing you can do is talk yourself into believing you are not worthy of living the life of your dreams and not put forth the work required to make them happen. Our feature on singer and actor, Syesha Mercado is proof of what can happen if only you believe. Ask yourself, who are you not to allow yourself the experience of living fabulous? Do not rob yourself of being a top priority, because within is a beautiful person with so much to share with the world, and to keep that from occurring, you are not only shortchanging yourself, but God.
“There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”
As we approach the end of 2011, I hope it was a glorious ride for you. Throughout the ups and downs of this year, I’m sure we have all grown to become better people and are proud of our growth. I can only pray that your days and nights are filled with peace and joy and your heart is filled with love. Let’s celebrate the end of this year as we anticipate what’s next.
Happy Holidays! See you in 2012.
Glenys
-Napoleon Hill Follow me on Twitter! @glenysclarice
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BOHEMIAN SPIRIT JEWLERY www.bohemianspiritjewelry.com
Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. -Washington Irving
PROMINENCE TV
A NEW WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES
PROMINENCE Is Style & Class
Nedari Photography “Life…one image at a time.”
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Debbie Allen Debbie Allen is a woman full of fascination, commitment, and dedication. Taking the world by storm in her breakout role, as Lydia Grant, on the widely popular 1980’s film and television series, Fame, Allen has carved a niche for herself in television and dance history. Born January 16, 1950 in Houston, Texas, to an orthodontist father and poet mother, Allen, the youngest of three, stepped on to the scene with her Broadway debut in the chorus of Purlie. She would then move on to appear in the musical Raisin and Westside Story which earned her a Tony Award nomination and Drama Desk Award. With dancing and acting being a huge part of her life, she decided to shift her career into a different direction. She took a seat in the Director’s chair with the popular Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World. The ratings were remarkable until it came to an end in 1993, after which she moved on to direct The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Parkers, The Jamie Foxx Show, That’s So Raven, All of Us, Everybody Hates Chris, Girlfriends, and Grey’s Anatomy to name a few. Always striving for a better tomorrow, she shares her positive gift of light with those less fortunate. Her biggest achievement her Debbie Allen School of Dance located in Los Angeles, California. It opens the door for students ranging in age from four to 18, no matter their financial status to learn all facets of dance. A strong woman who turned her circumstances growing up into blessings, a loving mother of two and an adored wife, Debbie Allen has become a role model and an inspiration to many proving that what you desire can be achieved. -SL www.prominencemagazine.com l HOLIDAY 2011 I 18
W H A T ’ S
R E L E V A N T
What We’re Talking About
KALE
CONRAD MURRAY As one of the most recognizable faces in one of the most talked about trials of 2011, Conrad Murray’s fate was placed in the hands of jurors who after a six week trial found the cardiologist guilty of involuntary manslaughter. His unethical behavior in administrating a surgical anesthetic in which Michael Jackson called “milk”, not only ended the King of Pop’s life, but Murray’s medical career.
The green leafy cabbage known as kale, has taken over and has become a favorite on the plates of many health conscious individuals. High in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and calcium, kale is also rich in anti-cancer properties. With various ways to prepare and serve the tasty vegetable, steaming or stir frying will help keep the nutrients intact.
NBA LOCKOUT The NBA lockout has many fans and players sitting on edge as hopes of an NBA season are wearing thin after the league called for the cancellation of games through November 30th. But is there hope? NBA Commissioner, David Stern states there is nothing left to negotiate and that he expects the players not to like every aspect of the revised proposal. If all is well in the land of basketball, we just may see our favorite teams suit up and take to the hardwood floors for a shortened NBA season beginning December 25th.
OCCUPY WALL STREET Since its inception, Occupy Wall Street has created a movement that is gaining the attention it deserves from around the country, as the 99% take a stand against the greed and corruption of the 1%, proving that real people create real change from the bottom up and that we do not need Wall Street or politicians to build a better society.
HERMAN CAIN Herman Cain, the presidential hopeful, is in the midst of a media firestorm with alleged claims that he sexually harassed former employees. Will he overcome or be condemned?
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