here’s some news stories that made me laugh, excited and shed a tear over the past two weeks:
1. lupita nyong’o won the critic’s choice award for best supporting actress and her speech was per-fec-tion. i’ve watched it at least three times (and shamefully cried each time) because it was so heartfelt and sincere until i’m convinced we won the award together. she’s making history, and it’s more inspiring than i can bear.
2. michelle obama turns 50 and is as amazing ever. i love her because despite being one of the most recognizable women in the world, she shops at target, is a very hands-on parent, can be seen around town at r&b concerts and restaurants, is always fierce and has a mean side-eye that cannot be touched. happy birthday flotus, i hope i’m as fabulous as you at 50!
3.
obama picks staci michelle yandle, an attorney in private practice, as the first black, lesbian federal judge. she’ll hear federal cases in the southern district which covers illinois, indiana and wisconsin. future judge yandle has spoken about discrimination in the legal field, stating:
when i first started practicing, for a while i did not feel comfortable acknowledging my sexual orientation because i didn’t want it to cost me my job,” she said. “i wanted to be judged on my merit and my merit alone. many members of the LGBT community still have that fear. we are a traditional profession that is conservative in many ways.
i’m happy that president obama has made a commitment to increasing race, gender and sexual orientation diversity on the federal court.
4. 
keep calm, season 4 of the boondocks airs on april 21st at 10:30 pm. the best cartoon since jem and the holograms (yes, i’m an 80s baby), the boondocks is pure genius and centers around the antics of a young revolutionary, huey freeman, his younger brother riley and their grandfather. the satire and allusions are spot on, and i suggest investing in the first three seasons for your viewing pleasure. it’s effing hilarious.
5. erykah badu is a vision for givenchy’s 2014 spring campaign. i still feel like we’re being teased with only two images being released, but at least we have yet another reason to love ms. badu.
