Kathleen Cross, Author at Rolling Out - Page 2 of 14

Tyler Perry knows well the risks and rewards associated with making films that feature an all-black cast. Though Perry has made a successful career of producing all-black movies, he knows firsthand Hollywood’s resistance when it comes to funding and distributing projects they fear will not be financially viable. Perry recently published an open letter on…

GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney’s membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon faith, has resulted in the church receiving increased interest from the media, as well as increased criticism from other Christian denominations who often denounce the Mormon teachings as “a cult.” According to a recent study…

When it comes to facing and fighting life-threatening health issues, black men and women are often at the top of the hit list for America’s most lethal diseases. Due to a number of factors, including environmental pollutants, diet, lifestyle, genetics, access to health care, and even some cultural hurdles that impede those with access to health…

The Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, Fox News darling and ultra-conservative black tea party member, said he agrees “100 percent” with GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s assertion that black children should work as janitors at school to build a “work ethic.” Peterson took Newt’s idea a step further by proclaiming that he would “take all black…

From the moment Oprah Winfrey announced her intention to build a leadership academy for impoverished girls on the African continent, critics were vehement and vocal about why it was the wrong thing to do. When scandal rocked the school, not once, but repeatedly, the critics’ voices were amplified in the media, and their negative opinions…

“My b—- needs some hair extensions, which are the best ones?” –Armed Robber Benitra Jackson said she was preparing to close up for the night when a man wearing a mask burst into the Main Beauty Supply store in Dallas and demanded at gunpoint that she and the store’s manager get down on the floor.…

Jakadrien Turner was 14 years old in May 2010, when the U.S. government mistakenly deported her to Columbia, South America. Now 15, and reportedly pregnant, the teen arrived in Dallas on Jan. 6, and was reunited with her family. The teen’s family has criticized the U.S. officials responsible for sending a minor child who does…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration announced it will expand the FBI’s antiquated definition of rape to reflect an evolved understanding of the crime, and to broaden protections. The new definition includes men as victims for the first time, and no longer requires that victims must have physically resisted their attackers. Vice President Joe Biden,…

The last time Shelly Hilliard was seen alive, a cab driver dropped her off at her home where three men were said to have been waiting for her. She was found burned to death a few hours later. Police have filed murder charges against Qasim Raqib, a man previously arrested in a drug sting in…

A white Iraq war vet was beaten up by a group of black youths who didn’t like being reprimanded about their unruly behavior on a city bus. Jim Hardie of Lacey, Wash., was riding the bus after a long day of searching for employment when a group of teens seated near him began referring to…

Jakadrien turner ran away from her Dallas home at the age of 14 after her grandfather died and her parents divorced. Traumatized and troubled, Jakadrien made her way to Houston, where she was arrested for theft. She gave officers a fake name — a name that coincidentally was the same…

The list of women Drake is rumored to have hooked up with is probably much longer than it is true, but Drake hasn’t been shy about announcing his feelings for a select list of women who managed to make a lasting impression on him. New to that list is video model Dollicia Bryant, who has…

Nick Cannon suffered “mild” kidney failure while vacationing with his wife Mariah Carey in Aspen, Colo, and Mariah tweeted her followers just after 3 a.m. on Jan. 4 asking for prayers on her husband’s behalf. At her website, MariahCarey.com, the songstress let fans in on what’s going on with Nick’s condition, sounding as if she’s…

Selah Marley is the beautiful princess of entertainment royalty. She is one of the six children of music legend Bob Marley’s son Rohan and the multitalented singer, rapper, songwriter, actress and model, Lauryn Hill. And, if this up-and-coming stunner has her way, the name Selah Marley will some day be as recognizable as those of…

In attempt to measure the degree to which Mexican children are affected by the legacy of European colonialism and the present day images they are bombarded with via the media, researchers in Mexico conducted an experiment modeled after the famous 1940’s Clark study that was designed to measure skin color preference in black American children. Mexico’s National…

When Cee Lo Green performed at NBC’s televised New Year’s Eve party, he offered his own rendition of the classic John Lennon song, “Imagine.” It would seem that the Lennon song would make a great choice for a diverse crowd celebrating together and looking forward to beginning a new year — since the lyrics are…

According to The New York Post, a Missouri infant stricken by the cronobacter sakazakii bacteria has died, while another from Illinois and a third, from Oklahoma, are recovering after being sickened by the same bacteria. Confirmation by federal authorities Dec. 28 that a third infant was sick from the deadly bacteria prompted Wal-mart, Walgreens and…

We can’t preach community control when we aren’t practicing self-control.” – Rev. Al Sharpton The Rev. Al Sharpton has announced that he no longer eats meat and has joined the growing ranks of former carnivores who believe the vegetarian lifestyle is a healthier choice. Sharpton announced his new vegetarian status on a blog published by the People for…

Ever on the hunt for something disparaging to say about the first family, conservative bloggers have criticized President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for various aspects of their 17-day vacation in Hawaii–including the first lady’s fashion choices. “While Obama sits back…

Singer Jennifer Hudson is featured in a creative commercial for Weight Watchers in which she belts out a duet alongside her former, “American Idol”-sized self. Using footage from a 2004 Idol performance, the Weight Watchers commercial stands the old Hudson up next to her slim new self to perform the Whitney Houston classic “I Believe…