From Clutch:

We've all seen her - the young black girl at the bus stop with a couple kids at her heels, one in a stroller, and another on the way. We want to know why she keeps having kids she can't afford.

If I leave the office on my lunch break, I'm apt to see all kinds of people roaming the streets. It's the middle of the day, why aren't you at work? I wonder.

From Clutch:

Contrary to popular belief, all women do not want to have children. Shocking, I know.

I was watching the Today Show this morning, when they profiled Lilit Marcus, a woman who proudly does not want to have children. Although she is fairly certain in her decision, many have told her that she'll probably change her mind...eventually.

Any father who doubts that his absence isn't having a damaging effect on his children should listen to the telling letters in the new documentary 'Dear Daddy.' The film explores the long-term effects of absentee fathers on eight young women in Washington, D.C., and aims to bring awareness to the epidemic of single-parenting in the black community.

"82.3% is the number of African-American children born since 1990 that will not live in the same home as their biological fathers before graduating High School," according to iYAGO Entertainment Group.

In the film, director Janks Morton attempts to locate the girls' fathers to show them their daughters' heartfelt letters and ultimately to reunite the fathers and daughters. Watch the preview to get a glimpse of 'Dear Daddy's' emotional reunions.

Since the 1960s, women have been afforded the convenience of taking oral contraceptives,but soon it may be men who take the pills. Researchers are getting closer and closer to a viable product -- but will it catch on?

From Frugivore: In a move that - if one pays attention to The Obama Administration's economic polices - shouldn't surprise anyone. First Lady Michelle Obama announced yesterday that she will be supporting an initiative that will allow the largest retailer in the world - along with other national chains - to bring their services to "food deserts."

This declaration comes on the heels of a groundbreaking study, which suggested supermarkets do not help low income families battle obesity and other food-related illnesses effectively. By bringing in retail heavyweights like Wal-Mart and SuperVal-U, they are essentially creating larger fast-food depots.

Read more here.

Medical professionals are in talks about the state of obese children because the nation as a whole is facing an epidemic, with Mississippians in the worse shape, but the youngest Americans are also in dire condition. It's no surprise that First Lady Michelle Obama is on a crusade to combat childhood obesity. Obese children become obese adults at risk for cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, so Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard-affiliated Children's Hospital Boston is advocating to get out the root of the problem with parents.

From Madame Noire

I never understood what it meant to smell like cigarette smoke until I spent my first night away from home at college for undergrad. As I hung my clothes in the campus provided chifferobe, I noticed that everything from my favorite denim jacket to the duffel bag I carried it in smelled like I had been hanging in a back alley pool hall. Now I understood why past boyfriends had always suspected that I had been in a bar all night or why classmates in high school would always assume I had a lighter. I never could smell it until I actually moved out of my house. The problem is that I didn't even smoke, but I did live in a house with parents who had smoked all of my life.

When you're on your "Kanye workout plan," do you find a side glance from men distracting or does it inspire you to put more pep in your step?

The annual Essence Music Festival attracts large crowds each year and this year's lineup with Chaka Khan, Boyz II Men, Jill Scott, Kanye West and Mary J. Blige and Usher will continue the tradition. Aside from the great music, the three day festival, which runs July 1-3, also features an empowerment series with speakers like Iyanla VanZant and numerous sponsors and vendors promoting wellness. This year Planned Parenthood is teaming up with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and the Black AIDS Institute to offer free HIV testing to the crowds.

From the Washington Post:

Washington has one of the the highest AIDS diagnosis rates in the nation, with higher numbers among African Americans than among the white population. Access to health care is another major dividing line. Roughly nine of 10 whites report having private health insurance, compared with fewer than half of African Americans in the District.

Read more here.

From HamptonRoads:

Bad report from the doctor // And my bills aren't paid on time // All these things come rushin' at me // But I ain't got time to whine // Lord I need your mighty wisdom // 'cause my situation is unclear // Don't know where to turn // God's word came to my ear // I say speak to that mountain of cancer // And cast down that spirit of fear // Pack your bags, you silly demon // I say you're not welcome here. Lynne Young wrote those lyrics when her situation was cancer. But the Chesapeake woman hopes her song will inspire others to persevere through their hardships, whether they are related to health, family, finances or what she calls "the other speed bumps of life." Young, named Survivor of the Year by the Tidewater affiliate of the Susan B. Komen Foundation, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. That is only part of her story.

Read more here.

As the sweltering heat begins to roll into the nation's weather forecast, some men may find it rather difficult to stay fly and self-sufficient during the summer months. Or better yet, not give a damn about their personal appearance.

Well gentleman, no need to fret, Nivea for Men's latest campaign, 'Look Like You Give a Damn,' serves as the cornerstone for any man vying to achieve success on a everyday basis. Let's be honest, as men when we take pride in our appearance, or look like we 'give a damn,' we act like it, too. Adding an overall higher quality of life, and ultimately inspiring others to become more prosperous in their own respective lives.

The global skin and body care company teamed up with Esquire magazine during the weekend of June 3 in Las Vegas to officially launch their new initiative. The three-day celebration attracted guests to the city's Aria Resort & Casino for various VIP events, including invitation-only parties, gifts and activities, in addition to a concert experience at Haze Nightclub headlined by world-renowned DJ and musician, Mark Ronson.

From The Root:

From headstands to "Namaste," these yogis have taken the ancient discipline and made it an integral part of their lives.



Russell Simmons:
Co-founder of the legendary hip-hop label Def Jam and the clothing line Phat Farm, and producer of many movies and TV series, Simmons is the archetypal multiformat black entertainment mogul. Since 2000 he's also added "devout yogi" to his résumé. Simmons meditates each day and has a vigorous, 90-minute daily yoga regimen. His studies at the famous Jivamukti Yoga Center inspired him to adopt a vegan diet. He is eager to spread the word via DVDs and a yoga scholarship through his endeavor Global Grind.