Welcome to Skool News Picks, a roundup of news stories that caught our attention during the week…
Alert! Alert! Alert! Voter Registration Deadline Is Tomorrow…
The good news is those of you who are 16 and above are able to vote in this year’s elections.
Bad news is, some of you still have not registered.
I ain’t here to preach at you, but voter registration is tomorrow at midnight.
If you would like to register you can do so online or by post.
If you don’t vote, you don’t have a voice. #ThatIsAll
Actress Amandla Stenberg Speaks Out About Cultural Appropriation
You probably recognise her as Rue from The Hunger Games but this 16-year-old is wise beyond her years.
In a compelling YouTube video Stenberg schools viewers on the history of black hairstyles and hip-hop, their merger with mainstream music and how this has led to the (mis)appropriation of black culture.
In her video, “Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows” Stenberg asks “What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?”
She also explains: “Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool or funny when the privileged take it for themselves,”
The actress also calls out artists like Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus as examples of white mainstream musicians whose music videos are proof that cultural appropriation runs rampant.
She then points to black artists like Azealia Banks who have been vocal about these issues but often received backlash.
Amandla you are too Skool for Kool…Girl you know you need to take a bow for this video right? Sips tea.
Ozwald Boateng Gives Birmingham Designer Shara Johnson A Thumbs Up For Her Gown at The Asian Awards
It seems like there is always a reason to keep #Birmingham trending these days…
Shara Johnson, 24 has been given the ultimate fashion approval by Ozwald Boateng who liked her red carpet design at the fifth annual Asian Awards on Friday.
The gown was worn by BBC Radio Presenter Shay Grewal.
Fans via social media said she looked “absolutuely stunning.”
Johnson, a London College of Fashion Graduate tweeted: “OMG! Wow! I feel so honoured that @Ozwald_Boateng liked the dress! Words can’t even express how excited and proud I am of my first ever red carpet dress, I almost feel like its my real introduction to the world as a designer.”
The gown had it’s first potential buyer within minutes of it being posted on Twitter and is worth over £1,000.
Zoella and Alfie Deyes Get Their Own WaxWork At Madame Tussauds
Just when you thought this level of fame was for Oprah Winfrey alone…But hey I ain’t mad at them!
YouTube stars Zoella and Alfie Deyes will be joining London‘s iconic tourist attraction later this year.
Their wax doubles will be displayed lounging on the bed uploading videos in a mock-up of the couple’s spare bedroom in their Brighton flat.
Zoella tweeted: “So @PointlessBlog & I have been asked to be made into wax figures for Madame Tussaudes! BEYOND EXCITED. Such a cool opportunity 
.”
Alfie tweeted: “ZOE & I ARE GOING TO BE WAX FIGURES IN MADAME TUSSAUDS!!”
The pair had their first sitting for sculptors on Monday. In the four-hour meeting, they agreed to donate their own clothes for their waxworks to wear.
Source: BBC Newsbeat
The first woman to appear in a Google search for ‘CEO’ is BARBIE?
So apparently when you type the term ’CEO’ into Google images the result is a grid of smiling men in suits, a few snaps of Steve Jobs, oh and scroll down…You’ll eventually find your first female face: none other than Barbie.
The‘CEO Barbie’doll dressed in a miniskirt and clutching a briefcase first appeared in the Eighties.
The image is the 96th result on the page and comes from a 2005-spoof article courtesy of The Onion that states ’women don’t run companies.’
A new study from the University of Washington recently found that results like these are contributing to gender bias, and perpetuating outdated views on women in the workplace.
The study concluded: ‘Manipulated image search results could determine, on average, seven per cent of a study participant’s subsequent opinion about how many men and women work in a particular field.’
Source: The Daily Mail
Feature images: Zalfie via tumblr / CEO Barbie via flickr
