Articles by: Jenisha Watts

Today is the 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. On August 28, 1963, tens of thousands marched for civil rights in an orderly rally in Washington D.C. As people from all over the country marched for jobs and freedom, President John F. Kennedy waited in the White House to see how things would pan out. The crowd grew to about 250,000...

10 Things You Should Know About New Orleans10 Things You Should Know About New OrleansFive years ago, Hurricane Katrina landed on New Orleans. News of the deadly storm splashed national headlines as natives of the Crescent City either evacuated or stayed hoping to brave the strong hurricane. Hitting the anniversary mark this Sunday, some are asking what does New Orleans look now? Here are 10 things you should know about New Orleans.The StormA fierce Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29, 2005, with 135 mph winds and a 14 foot storm surge, reports Nielsen.com. It was the sixth strongest hurricane on record and the deadliest since 1928.MigratingThe New Orleans area lost nearly 595,205 people who relocated to nearby counties in the north Louisiana or to Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas, reports CNN.com.Health CareIn 2007, the New York Times reported the reasons for New Orleans shaky health care system: the city's poorest and newly uninsured were hit the hardest, but doctors and patients, politicians and entrepreneurs were also affected. Twenty-two percent of Louisiana's populations is uninsured, according to research from the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2009. On August 25, 2010, New Orleans officials had a meeting with the board that will now oversee a new $1.2 billion, 424-bed teaching hospital in Mid-City New Orleans, reports the Times-Picayune.EducationBefore Hurricane Katrina hit the state's education system was under tough scrutiny and schools were in need of major repairs. Today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan is calling Hurricane Katrina, "the best thing that happened to the education system." He continued, "it took the devastating tragedy of the hurricane to wake up the community to demand more and expect better for their children." He made the comments last January.ChildrenFive years later, children are still affected by the storm. About 37 percent of children who survived Hurricane Katrina "have received a clinical mental health diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or behavior disorder," according to a study by Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness.SeniorsThe Times-Picayune have had difficulty determining how many displaced senior citizens have returned to New Orleans since Katrina, because some may have been taken in by extended family and counted as a larger household. Reports show that elders returning to New Orleans face barriers, such as fewer services assisting them and sketchy health care aid. In March, a $43 million structure with 200 apartments called, "Terraces on Tulane," was opened for senior citizens. The fresh complex served as the new replacement for Forest Towers East, a previous elderly community that never reopened after Hurricane Katrina.HousingMany middle-class neighborhoods are scrambling for money to repair their homes. The only option for the owners who are short on cash is to tear them down, reports CNN.com. The poorest areas such as, the 9th Wards and St. Bernard Parish have the biggest challenges.CrimeCrime is a huge problem in the Crescent City and the police department is having a hard time keeping the peace. These days, officers are being asked to accept a 10 percent pay cut and most cannot take their police cars home without paying for that privilege, according to CNN.com.Demographics NowOn August 24, 2010, Nielsen research center released its own snapshot of the city post-Katrina, surprisingly, NOLA is now older, wealthier, and less diverse.Obama AdministrationThe Obama administration announced on August 24 that they will give out $25 million for rebuilding projects to help the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricanes Kartrina and Rita.

We all like to believe our favorite celebrities are perfect, but singer Beyonce shares a few flaws with Self Magazine. The gifted star says she "needs to work on becoming a tidier person..."

What happened to Mitrice Richardson? That's the question many are asking after the missing 24-year-old's skull and bones were discovered last week in a Malibu Canyon ravine. Richardson vanished after she was released from a sheriff's station in California after failing to pay her bill at a Malibu restaurant last September. In an exclusive interview with ESSENCE.com, Latice Sutton talks about her daughter's mental illness, the importance of the Black community addressing mental health issues, her hope for law officials, and how she will continue to seek justice for Mitrice, even after her death. View a photo gallery of friends and family members remembering Mitrice Richardson Here's what you had to say: Valerie commented via Facebook: "Mitrice is with the Lord now, no more tears for her." Aliya wrote via Facebook: "I pray for her family's peace and comfort."

The Obamas headed to Panama City Beach in Florida this weekend for a family vacation. Here, is a photo gallery to see what they were doing, from enjoying a boat ride in St. Andrews Bay to playing miniature golf at Pirate's Island golf course.

Gifted jazz singer, Abbey Lincoln, died on Saturday in New York City, reports the New York Times. Lincoln's death was announced by her brother David Wooldrige. The Michigan native is known for her singing, but also remembered for her bold outspoken stance on civil rights. Her songs were often laced with emotional revelations to deep philosophical reflections. She looked to a lot of the great Jazz artists for inspiration, such as, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington...

Maia Campbell, the actress who starred alongside LL Cool J in the sitcom "In the House," has been arrested, reports hiphopwired.com. No word yet on why Campbell is behind bars but the daughter of the late novelist and journalist Bebe Moore Campbell, has had a rocky road lately... Here's what you had to say: Anonymous commented: "Bipolar disorder is a tragic illness. Maia needs our prayers more than she will ever need our judgement." Jakki wrote: "I'm praying for a healing on her mind and heart. God Bless her and family"

This is refreshing: a study at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center shows that people in a good, supportive relationship actually live longer and better lives, reports the Huffington Post...

Rihanna is feeling a little stressed these days. Her BFF Katy Perry is jumping the broom soon and RiRi is responsible for planning the bachelorette party. The pop star wants her friends' pre-wedding celebration to be just as elaborate as her wedding day, reports PerezHilton.com...

Isiah Thomas is back at work with the New York Knicks as a part-time consultant, reports the NY Daily News. Thomas' new gig is causing quite a stir after the messy sexual harassment suit that preceded his departure as team coach...

The NAACP kicked off its 101st annual convention this weekend in Kansas City. The nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization will touch on a variety of topics such as the impact of racial disparities in the criminal justice system, proposed courses of action for the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and more. First lady Michelle Obama spoke about obesity on Monday. Here is what she said, along with other speakers from the convention...

10 Things You Should Know About Detroit Public High SchoolsDetroit Public Schools 1973On February 19, 1973, TIME magazine penned an article on the nation’s public schools. In the piece, it highlighted Detroit public education system, saying it was in a crisis. The magazine wrote “to put bluntly, Detroit’s public education system is close to collapse.”State of Detroit High Schools 2010Now, fast-foward to 2010, and the city of Detroit is still struggling with the similar issues. MSNBC reported, one of Detroit’s oldest high schools, Cooley High will shut down this year. In fact, 32 schools will shut down by the end of the year, and 13 more will close over the next two years. The reason: budget crises.Drop Out RatesIn 2009, TIME.com reports, Detroit leads the nation for high-school dropouts.Plan of ActionSome Detroit High School officials have not lost hope. At Osborne Preparatory Academy it is a redesigned high school were the faculty focuses on graduating 80 percent of their students. Their principal Thomas Parker, shares, “The students don’t like to hear the negative news in the media and they really want somebody to illuminant the positive things that are happening.”LiteracyStill, some students graduate from Detroit Public High Schools, but are unable to read.What MattersGEAR UP, a federal program in Detroit partners with public universities for failing high schools, and have workshops with student to help prepare them for college. “We fundamentally believe that literacy is the key to freedom and success in our society,” says, Lumas J. Helaire, an Assistant Director Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, GEAR UP Director University of Michigan.

Steve Harvey is giving back and helping young men rethink their future. The comedian and relationships expert hosted his second annual Mentoring Weekend at his Dallas ranch on Father's Day. Two young African-American boys who participated in the inspiring program shared their experiences with ESSENCE.com...

10 Things You Should Know About FacebookDataThe Economist, points out that Facebook shares detailed customer data with some external sites.Personalized PagesYou ever wonder, how in the world does the Internet know I am looking for a black leather jacket. Well, Facebook is taking part, some select sites may access your information to personalize your experience as you arrive on their site.MoneyFacebook generates most of its revenue from targeted advertisements bases on users’ demography and interests, so the more data users share publicly the more money it can get from ads.Privacy SettingIn case it’s hard to discover, look for your privacy settings under the “Account” tab.Mark ZuckerbergMark Zuckerberg, Facebook co-founder and CEO, told TIME Magazine that most people want to share more about themselves online. He added that the way people think about privacy is changing a bit. Concluding, “what people want isn’t complete privacy. It isn’t that they want secrecy. It’s that they want control over what they share and what they don’t.”The Like ButtonThe use of the Like button allows Facebook to track people as they switch from certain websites, according to CNN.com. However, this only applies to the sites that use this feature.MarketersYour social activity on the site gives marketers permission to target you.New Privacy SettingsIn a gradual process, Facebook will soon be giving users more control over their information, according to the New York Times.Facebook PartnersFacebook's current partners are Microsoft Docs, Pandora and Yelp. Unless you turn the application off, these companies can obtain your information based on being partners with Facebook.ApplicationsAll your data is shared with applications that you install on Facebook.FacebookAfter a few weeks of politicians threatening to examine Facebook thoroughly and privacy activists calling for a formal investigation, Facebook finally made a few tweets with their privacy application that will user will see gradually change. Here are ten things you might not know about Facebook.

Today is a national day of observance and a time to honor America's fallen soldiers. ESSENCE.com hit the streets of New York City to find out how real people are celebrating Memorial Day. Read what they had to say now...

On May 24, Jamaica declared a state of emergency due to supporters of alleged drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke protesting the government's decision to extradite him to the United States to face drug trafficking and gun charges. Now, more than four days later, the violence is growing. Here are ten things you should know about Jamaica.

On April 20, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig sent hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, more than a month later, everyone is demanding answers. How did this happen? Here are ten things you should know about the oil spill.