Jada once said in an interview:

We always have people that we’re attracted to that we talk about. That don’t stop just because your married. Somebody’s always gonna catch your eye. That’s real. Somebody’s gonna always be prettier than me, and somebody’s always gonna be more in awe of him than me, and he gonna be like *in Will’s voice* ‘yo she really like me’ (laughter) but as far as somebody being right for us… is there somebody right for a nice night? Maybe. But somebody that can sustain our life and sustain what we’ve built together, absolutely not!

The couple who have been married for 13 years first met in 1995 when she auditioned for the role of Smith’s girlfriend on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” show. She was turned down because she was considered to be too short for the part. Will said that Jada didn’t think he was funny when they first met.

Will said:

“We were together for two years before she even laughed at something I said! She thinks I’m hilarious now, it just took her some time to work into it, but we connected intellectually … We connected intellectually and worked into the comedic side.”

Will proposed to Jada in November 1997, and were married on December 31, 1997. Their secret New Year’s Eve wedding was held in Baltimore at the Cloisters Mansion.

Take a look at the couple throughout their marriage:

We threw out the question: Why are lasting marriages becoming extinct? Our supporters responded with their meaningful thoughts and experiences:

Shayla Marie Anderson said that “Sometimes your marriage is going to blissful and then some days… [it] will make u crazy!.. but you’re a team you work it out and move a head.”

Towanda Cotman noted that “HELLO BEAUTIFUL I’m old school and I [believe] women don’t take the time to know what the men really need. Men…If we learn each other and earn each other… it will be a better outcome… it’s not all about sex… Look at him and her and say is he/she whom I want to grow old with have children with travel the world with.What can he bring out in me that I didn’t no exist.” Towanda got a ton of “likes” from our audience on that comment! She even gave a personal story to our audience and said discussed her marriage experience: “I tried to salvage my marriage after the storm but he talked as if he wanted us to make it but his reaction and counter reactions showed me [different].” Our team was sure to give her lots of love.

Natasha Brown put it well when she said “Simple …. no communication, no respect, no trust, no effort , and plain selfishness!” Team Beautiful gave her a lot of love for that one also!

Simone Natalie Whiteman-Lynch agreed and said that “Different people…different reasons. I think that people don’t understand [marriage] takes constant upkeep. A woman will pay to get her hair done on the regular but won’t connect with her husband for free. We let the world get in the way of our marriage.”

Ronda Williams was sorry to note that “Two people may think they know each other but it takes more than just sex, kisses and hand holding. Like starting on a new job, it’s a learning process until you have all together. It takes patience, communication, trust, respect, understanding, love but most of all GOD in your life.”

People definitely backed up Lorretta Denise Sirmans when she said “[People] are forgetting why [they] got [together] in the 1st place. What  you did to get them, is what you and to do to keep them. Communicate, laugh at their jokes, even if dare not funny, b romantic n [spontaneous], kid around like u did when u 1st got 2gether. Make him/her your best friend and share everything…. But the most important thing is never go 2 bed angry always [forgive] each other and say you love them, [because] [they] might [not] wake up 2morrow.”

Thanks for all of these incredible responses, Team Beautiful! We look forward to hearing more about what you think and sharing it with the rest of our audience.

Do you want to get in on these conversations? Like us on Facebook and Follow us @HelloBeautiful on Twitter: we love hearing your opinions!

Let’s Stay Together: Why Are Lasting Marriages Becoming Extinct?

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4 Love Lessons You Learned In Elementary School

Samuel Walsham Chapman, 58, a pastor at Riverdale Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Jonesboro, was arrested after a 15-year-old boy alleged that Chapman took him to a parking lot and performed a sexual act in front of him.

Read more at YourBlackWorld.com

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Can Men & Women Really Be ‘Just Friends’?

At the same time, I’m not exactly a guy’s gal. I enjoy sports, but I prefer to watch glistening bodies from the bench while chatting it up with other girlfriends and wives. At the age of 28 I haven’t quite figured out why I enjoy hanging around men so much, but I do.

I can also say that with most of my exes I have remained friends and even become closer to some of them gaining a different level of respect as a result. I often wonder if this is somewhat of a plague, that I can be the go-to-girl, go to as in the friend who listens and gives valued advice but not the woman who is the one he needs advice on.

I observe that the girly girl who hangs in her tight-knit flock of female friends is the one who is most desired. She’s a lot easier to figure out, to deal with and in most ways she is the epitome of the feminine.

“I Think My Girl’s Male Friend Is More Than A Friend”

Women like me are almost too close for comfort, I’m practically one of the boys figuratively speaking. So what’s a gal to do? I can’t see myself giving up on friendships with any of my man friends because I may appear as un-dateable; I’m at a point in my life where these friendships sustain me and make me happy. If it takes a little longer for me to navigate through the dating world then so be it, but I can’t help but think, are these relationships in fact hindering my growth? Are we eventually supposed to let go of friends of the opposite sex that we’ve accumulated over the years to make room for a relationship? Sounds silly, I know, but the thought has lingered at the back of my head for a minute and I would love to know what your thoughts are!

About The Author:

Telisha Ng is a freelance writer and author of the Goddess Intellect blog from Toronto, Canada. Follow her on twitter @goddess_I

When the allegations against Long became public, Jakes publicly addressed the case before his own congregation, The Potter’s House in Dallas, saying, “Christians should just pray.” He also told his flock during the Sunday service, “When all this is over, one thing is for sure – somebody, if not everybody in it, is going to need the blood [of Jesus Christ].”

Speaking in a recent interview with The Christian Post, Jakes reiterated that “we should still pray” for New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

“We have no other authority but to pray,” said the prominent megachurch pastor before he took the stage at McDonald’s Gospelfest event Saturday in Newark, N.J

You may read the rest of this interesting interview here.

NEW YORK – Supporters and opponents of gay marriage made 11th-hour appeals on Sunday as state lawmakers weighed a vote on making New York the sixth state — and the most populous — to legalize same-sex marriage.

The measure that would make gay marriage legal, introduced by Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat and strong advocate, is currently one vote shy of passage in the state Senate.

The state Assembly approved the bill by a wide margin last week, and Monday is the last day of the legislative session before summer recess.

New York’s Archbishop, Timothy Dolan, reiterated his and the Catholic Church’s opposition to gay marriage on Sunday, vowing to oppose “any radical bill to redefine the very essence of marriage.”

“One has to wonder why the proponents of this radical redefinition, who claim overwhelming popular support, would not consider” a referendum “on such a drastic departure from traditional values?” he wrote on his blog.

Recent polls show statewide support for gay marriage.

Dolan wrote that the “government presumes to redefine” such sacred words as father, mother, husband and wife “at the peril of the common good.”

In Albany, Senate Majority Leader Republican Dean Skelos has said the bill as written has prompted concerns over its religious clauses and exemptions.

The bill does not compel any member of the clergy to conduct same-sex marriages, but some Republican lawmakers are concerned the legal protection is not strong enough.

Skelos said Cuomo has indicated he was open to including more specific exemptions for religious groups.

The governor has lobbied for passage and said he remains cautiously optimistic the bill will come to a vote and pass.

Meanwhile gay marriage advocates, including Latinos United for Marriage Equality, rallied on Sunday.

“Our demand today is simple and reasonable: bring Marriage Equality to a vote on Monday,” said Jake Goodman of the group Queer Rising, in a statement.

The group held a “Last Day of Marriage Inequality” rally in Manhattan’s Union Square, where supporters carried signs that read “‘I do’” support marriage equality” and “Be a leader: introduce the bill.”

New Yorkers United for Marriage also held rallies around the state.

The stakes are especially high because New York would become the most populous U.S. state to allow gay marriage approved by lawmakers, spelling a huge gay rights victory.

The state-by-state battle over gay marriage has become a contentious U.S. social issue ahead of the 2012 presidential and congressional elections.

Five states — Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire and Vermont — and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage, while four states have civil unions. Gay marriage is specifically banned in 39 states.

RELATED:

History Upon Us? Gay Marriage Bill One Vote Away In NY

Is Today’s Generation Lost? [OPINION]

June serves as the grim anniversary of legalized abortion in California through the Therapeutic Abortion Act of 1967. That year, there were 518 legal abortions. Today, California is the nation’s abortion capital with over 214,190 abortions performed each year among its 522 abortion “providers.” The CDC reports that the Black abortion rate is over 3 times that of the majority population – differences which cannot be explained by “health care disparities.”

Walter B. Hoye II, President of the Issues4Life Foundation, a Black American leader committed to ending abortion, has raised awareness nationwide. “The impact of abortion in the Black Community is the Darfur of America,” Hoye declares, citing the 15 million Black American lives that have been aborted since 1973.

from: elev8.com

Dr. Alveda King Talks About 16 and Pregnant

The Radiance Foundation’s co-founder, Ryan Bomberger, created the TooManyAborted.Com campaign and is an adoptee and adoptive father. “Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion chain, is a failure. They haven’t budged the national unintended pregnancy rate since 1995 but are relentlessly dedicated to increasing their annual share of abortions. They heavily advocate a singular ‘choice’ that feeds their $1 billion dollar tax-payer subsidized budget,” Bomberger says.

5. “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neal Hurston: this classic tells the story of Janie Crawford and her search for love as she pushes through after a few failed marriages during the 20th century.

4. “Shyt List” by Reign: Unlike so many other African American fiction novels, “Shyt List” is not just about some drug dealing dope boys and paper chasing chicks.”Shyt List” tells the raw and cut throat story of Yvonna Harris, who is a very disturbed woman suffering from severe Schizophrenia that developed as a defense mechanism as a result of a troubled childhood. This is a woman you do NOT want to cross unless you have plans to make it on her “Shyt List.” “Shyt List” is a 5 part book series by Author, T. Styles also known under the pseudonym, Reign.

3. “Justify My Thug” by Wahida Clark. “Justify My Thug”, also a book series, is about our favorite black couples in Thug Fiction, Kaylin and Angel Santos, Tash and Trae Macklin and it tells more about what happened in Tash and Trae’s marriage after Tash decides to try and play a game of “get back” but cheats too close to home and Trae finds out about Tash’s infidelity and possible love child. Meanwhile Kaylin and Angel’s marriage is on the rocks after Kaylin is under the impression that Angel knew of Tash’s affair with Kaylin’s brother, Kyron. Can these two marriages remain standing after the ultimate betrayal?

2. “Pleasure” by Eric Jerome Dickey. This erotic tale is set in Atlanta and is the story and Nia Simone and her insatiable appetite for more than one man. Lucky her, she happens to meet twins and she can’t pick just one. The book is filled with eroticism for your ever wandering mind.

1. “Getting To Happy” by Terri McMillan. Ms. McMillan is back and with the sequel to every black woman scorned tale, “Waiting To Exhale.” This tale fast forwards to fifteen years later, Savannah is getting a divorce at age 51, Bernadine is onto failed marriage number 2 and is taking prescription pills to mask the pain. Meanwhile Robin is becoming a shopaholic as her wedding aspirations goes unnoticed and Gloria realizes she has taken her happiness and security for granted. See what is next for the ladies of “Getting To Happy.”

Already read some of the books listed, feel free to comment or leave suggestions.

Best-Selling Author, Terrance Dean, Heads Off-Broadway With His New Novel, “MOGUL”

Best-Selling Author, Danielle Santiago Concludes Her Trilogy With, “Allure Of The Game”

Author Jumata Emill Jones Debuts With His Suspenseful Thriller, “NEVER DEAD”

Gil Scott-Heron, 62, a poet and musician best known for spoken-word songs such as “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” died May 27 at a New York City hospital. The Associated Press reported that he became sick upon returning from a European trip.

Cristian Salazar of the Associated Press writes, “ Mr. Scott-Heron was known for work that reflected the fury of black America in the post-civil rights era and also spoke to the social and political disparities in the country. His songs often had incendiary titles – “Home Is Where the Hatred Is,” or “Whitey on the Moon,” and through spoken word and song, he tapped the frustration of the masses.”

He is sometimes called “the Godfather of Rap,” but rejected the title, even though rappers such as Kanye West, Common, and Tupac have sampled his works.

Common’s Controversy: White House Celebration Of Poetry

Salazar also notes a 2008 interview with New York Magazine , in which Scott-Heron said that he had been living with HIV for years and continued to battle an addiction to crack cocaine.

Minority Infants More Likely To Get HIV

In 2008, Marcus Baram of New York Magazine wrote, “Now out on parole again, he says he’s trying to stay clean (“I’m doing my best”), but he remains unrepentant.”

Baram also noted his influence on academia. “His example has been a profound inspiration to me and so many others,” says Princeton University’s Cornel West in the New York Magazine interview. “In terms of fusing the musical with the prophetic and being willing to take a risk or pay a cost in order to lay bare some unsettling truths with such artistic sophistication.”

In December 2010, Scott-Heron was in Washington for a performance at Blues Alley in Georgetown. He performed and toured until his death, releasing a new album in 2010 entitled “I’m New Here,” his first album after a 16-year break from recording.

LINK: 2 Men Accuse Bishop Eddie Long Of Sexual Abuse

“You can interpret that any way you want, but usually people do not settle cases unless there is some reason to do so,” said Morgan.

The former prosecutor says he is familiar with cases like this one.

VIDEO:

Laywer: Settlement Reached in Bishop Eddie Long Case: MyFoxATLANTA.com

LINK: Bishop Eddie Long Pictures Released By Plaintiff’s Attorney

“They had to reach a settlement if they did not want any statement by the Bishop on record,” said Morgan.

Long most likely have paid the accusers millions, but no one can talk about it as part of the agreement, says Morgan.

Read more at CBSatlanta.com

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LINK: Bishop Eddie Long Tells Accusers “You Ain’t Messin With Me”