Michelle Williams takes a step to battle depression, a step that many evade or ignore

Recently, designer Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef and cultural curator, both committed suicide.

Michelle Williams, of Destiny’s Child fame, is choosing life and is taking another approach. For years, Williams has been coping with depression and with this current bout with the disease, she decided to check herself into a mental health facility to get help.

If you live in New York City and you or someone you know needs help with depression or any other mental illness, help is available through the Mental Health Hotline; call 1-888-NYC-Well.

UPDATE:

On Saturday, July 28, 2018, Williams took to Instagram to thank her fans, friends, and supporters:

Thank you ALL sooooooooooooooo much for every message of love and support sent! My family, friends and fiancé have been AWESOME! Sitting here reflecting on the past two weeks. I had no plans of what I was going through being public BUT now that it is I have a made an even BIGGER commitment to the mental health awareness area. So many people are suffering, hurting, hopeless, lost and don’t see a way out but there is. Depression sucks, but my faith in God and my commitment to doing the work to stay well is my way out! You have to do the work even when you’re tired and feel the heaviness. Take one step at a time! Don’t overwhelm yourself. If you can just get up out the bed and brush your teeth and shower.....DO IT. For people dealing with depression , that is a HUGE step! Now don’t be depressed AND stinky.....pick a struggle! ? (y’all know I had to add some humor) Anyhoo.....I love you all very much! Talk soon! ❤️ (yes I need a fill and my roots need to be flat ironed....bye.....I haven’t lost my humor) ❤️ Oh......Miss Tina cooked a HUGE meal for me the other night too, I just wanted to make y’all jealous! ??♀️

Shonda Rhimes Lists 8 New Shows for Netflix; Living while Black; family of Duchess Meghan (Markle) trying to cash in; and Michelle Williams coping with mental illness

In this video, journalist Kizzy Cox, and comedian Onika McLean are discussing relevant stories of the week.

In Quick Takes, the duo is giving a rundown of the following news stories:

• Kim Kardashian’s latest round of Kimoji fragrances—Kimoji Cherry, Kimoji Peach, and Kimoji Vibes—made $5 million in just five minutes. There’s no verification, but it’s Kim, so nearly anything is possible.

• Talking about the Black Girl Magic of Pat McGrath, we have learned that Black-owned cosmetics line, Pat McGrath Labs, which is a staple at Sephora, was recently valued at $1 Billion.

• ‘Love & Hip Hop’s’ Jessica Dime recently posted a photo of her 3-month-old daughter, Blessing Briel’ Williams, on Instagram for the first time, and she is beautiful.

• Showrunner, Shonda Rhimes, just released a list of eight shows to the NY Times, which includes The Warmth of Other Suns, and Pico & Sepulveda, a series set in Mexican California at the start of the Gold Rush in the 1840s.

• Comedian Shiggy, who came to fame impersonating, ESPN’s star host, Stephen A. Smith on Instagram, is back in the news in another video showing him pushing aside, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback at that, so he can take a photo with Ciara at the ESPYs. And, in case you don't know, Ciara is Russell Wilson's wife.

• Gospel singer Cissy Houston, is battling dementia, according to sources close to the Grammy winner. Cissy Houston is the mother of the late pop singer, Whitney Houston. We send our best wishes to the Houston family.

WHAT’S POPPIN – HEALTH

Recently, designer Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef and cultural curator, both committed suicide. Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child, is choosing life and is taking another approach. For years, Williams has been coping with mental illness and decided to check herself into a mental health facility to get help.

Q. What do you think it will take for Americans, and particularly, Black Americans, to embrace mental health in the way that we embrace physical health?

WHAT’S POPPIN – POLITICS

Jeanine Pirro, a former Westchester County District Attorney, and now a Fox News host was on The View to promote her new book, Liars, Leakers and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy and things went left when Pirro told The View's host, Whoopi Goldberg, that she is suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.

Q. Why do conservatives feel the need to call people names when they have a legitimate issue with Trump?

WHAT’S POPPIN – CULTURE

Rolling Out reported that a white woman in Berkeley, CA. started harassing a group of Black people, yelling at them saying you don’t belong here. When the police arrived, a white female witness backed up the black family’s account of the story. The police arrested the white woman not because she was harassing people, but because she had a parole violation.

Q. What is it going to take for law enforcement to take these complaints more seriously and for there to be more consequences?

WHAT’S POPPIN – FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

The family of the Duchess of Sussex, better known as, Meghan Markle, is doing everything to extend its 15 minutes of fame. According to Page Six, Markle’s half-sister, Samantha Grant, is reportedly being lined up to appear on the British version of Celebrity Big Brother. The network is theming this summer’s reality hit as The Eye of The Storm and is expected to introduce housemates that have all been caught up in their own media controversies. Even her father is turning up on various television shows.

Q. Should Meghan Markle's family be in the business of trying to cash in on her royal status?

Mentoring in Medicine creates an online platform that shows middle school students how to write, publish, and sell their books during summer vacation

What did you do for summer vacation?

Well, for eons, that has been the first question students get asked when they return to school in the fall. And, thanks to Mentoring in Medicine, a nonprofit organization that provides young people in urban areas with exposure to medical careers, this summer many middle and high school students (and even their parents) will learn how to write and sell their own books without leaving home.

In the WRITE YOUR BOOK ONLINE SUMMER CAMP, Mentoring in Medicine will show students various techniques to create books in a variety of styles, whether it’s an interview-based, Top Tips, visual, interactive, and more, and the book can be fiction or, nonfiction.

According to Andrew Morrison, Mentoring in Medicine’s chief operating officer, the program will attract students from around the world who are interested in pursuing health-related or science careers in the future. Even some parents plan to participate along with their children.

Think about the competitive edge you or your child will have as a published author when applying to college or your next job or, for speaking engagements.

For more information about the Write Your Book Online Summer Camp, check out the Mentor in Medicine website. 

Taraji P. Henson gets engaged; Rita Ora sounds off on hip-hop; Jordan Craig weighs in on Kardashian/Thompson

Join journalist, Kizzy Cox, and comedian, Onika McLean, as they talk about Khloe Kardashian, Tristan Thompson, Blac Chyna, 2 Chainz, Winnie Harlow, Oprah Winfrey, James Comey, Eric Holder, Taraji P. Henson, Emile Wickham, and more!