For the month of May Teampretty has chosen Jacqueline Aviles for Woman of the Month. Here is her story:

“Married with kids, Jacqueline or Jackie as her friends and family would call her, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on January 21, 2012. Taken by complete shock she took the bull by the horns and fought as hard as she could. When in time of need, everyone that adored her took full affect in helping as much as they could. The mayor of Camden New Jersey did a prayer with her. Her job donated a year of leave so she she would get paid while she was out and still keeps all of her health benefits. Her son’s football team had a ceremony and decided to dedicate their season in her honor.

Back in October, her oldest daughter created a team for the Breast Cancer Walk. Her team walked along her side, cheering her on! Jackie’s team raised a total of $555. The list of support and donations continued to grow over time. A day after the walk, on her husband’s birthday, Jackie was told that she was BREAST CANCER FREE! Everyone was so happy and relieved. Her family knew that she was going to beat it, and continue to live her life.

On November 28, 2012 Jackie was diagnosed with Leukemia. Jackie had to go back to the hospital to get treated. While she was in the hospital the donations didn’t stop. Her husband’s best friend came up with the idea of selling chocolate bars to raise money for her and her family. Boxes were disputed between family and friends and were able to collect up to $6,000 in 2 weeks! A lot of the money was just given to us without caring to take the chocolates, because people were told her story and they wanted to help.

Even though Jackie was tired and wasn’t feeling well, she managed to stay the Jackie that everyone loved. With high hopes and people fighting with and for her, we are proud to say that Jackie is CANCER FREE! It’s amazing how everyone came together and showed so much love and support to an amazing and beautiful person.”

This story is amazing! With the right support from family and friends Jackie became the definition of a true fighter! Jackie you were brave in a time when you could have given up, not just once but twice. You defeated Cancer twice and continued to have faith to fight for yourself. You are beautiful and genuine, and for that you are TEAMPRETTY’S Woman of the Month for May!

Dove posted on Monday a three-minute ad on YouTube that teaches a vital lesson about how we view ourselves compared to how others see us. Trust us, it’s worth your time.

A former forensic artist for the San Jose police department met a series of women and asked each to describe the way they look. He had no way of seeing them behind a curtain. He prompted them to detail everything: hair length, facial structure, their most prominent features. He then sketched each participant from their self-description.

Each woman was asked before the study to get to know one of the other participants. The forensic artist then prompted each woman to describe the other’s face.

At the end of the video, the artist reveals two sketches — one from the participant itself, one from their partner. The differences are remarkable.

We won’t ruin the effect for you, but we’ll leave you with this comment from Dove posted below the video:

“Women are their own worst beauty critics,” Dove says. “Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful … we decided to conduct a compelling social experiment that explores how women view their own beauty in contrast to what others see.”

This is such a great experiment tell us how you feel about this Below!

Hello Ladies,

This month column is about color, not just any color BOLD/BRIGHT color. No matter if you’re in
an office or a cashier you can do a patch of color, full head, half head, it’s your choice.

1) Pick a Colour (Follow Instructions)
a) Matrix
b) Goldwell
c) Loreal

2) Use products that protect colour
a) Shampoo
b) Conditioner
c) Leave-In
d) Heat protectant
e) Hair oil

3) Keep up Style
a) Use a scarf to protect it from drying out (satin)
b) Light Oil (once a week) to leave hair soft and full of body
c) No tight ponytails (NO rubber bands)
d) Keep away from cotton(pillowcases, sheets, hats, scarfs) and dirty hands

Now ladies you can keep colouring or let it grow out its our choice…#GlamHair #TeamPretty If
you have any questions please feel free to contact me in the comments below!!! Leave Email…

As you know Teampretty are always involved in projects that help give back to the community or different charities. It only made sense to select Sandy Murray for Woman of the Month in April. Sandy is a RN of West Seattle.  She is deeply respected in the emergency- and flight-nursing community in Seattle. Sandy has been doing some great work supporting girls and young women in The Gambia, West Africa. She has helped sponsor projects aimed at helping get girls to school in this overwhelmingly Muslim country. She is a really great woman with tons of energy.

Her friend David felt that her work should be recognized and nominated her and for that she is Teampretty’s Woman of the Month.

“I first met Sandy in 2006 when I was a volunteer physician running the emergency department at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in Banjul, The Gambia. Sandy was working with a non-profit, helping bring supplies to poor villages. I was impressed with her positive energy. She split with that particular group, but over the years she has kept on doing work to benefit the people, especially girls and young women.

She helped raise funds and deliver well over 200 bicycles specifically designed for tough African conditions. The idea was to help students (especially girls) get to school. A lot of responsibility is put on the girls (more than the boys!) to do work for their families, and they are the first to be withdrawn from school when funds get tight.

To this end she also helped deliver 6 treadle-operated water pumps to villages in The Gambia. If the girls didn’t have to spend so much time gardening they’d have a better shot at getting time to go to school. The increased gardening capacity would also generate more funds and food for their family and give them a better shot at being able to afford and stay in school.

Since 2006, I’ve run a  charity over there and Sandy has been a friend, a colleague, a source of inspiration. We often get together just to brainstorm ideas and network. She has turned me on to some excellent donors who have helped get things done over there.

On top of that, she’s a nursing administrator at a major medical facility and has been widely respected and loved in the nursing community here.”

Sandy you’ve given back to many people in the last few years and now it’s your time to be recognized.  It’s women like you who help others keep going and inspire others to have a role model. Congrats on being TEAMPRETTY’S Woman of the Month for April!!! <3
Written By Jazy F

The WOTM for March is La’Shae Fox. She is a young entrepreneur, wife & mother. She is such an inspire to young women. I’ve seen all the great things she’s been accomplishing and said what better to show her some respect than honoring her as #TEAMPRETTY’S Woman of the Month for march! Here is her story written by her!

“You never know how your life will turn out until you live it. When you’re young, you imagine your life to be one way, but somehow it ends up another. I am a prime example of that, going with the flow of life allowing things to unfold on its own. I am La’Shae, I am a 24 year old mother and wife. I own a Bachelor from Montclair State, however, that was not fulfilling so I slowly strayed away.

Hi I’m WillieB, I love my career as a Cosmetologist. My column for #Teampretty will

be about trending hairstyles and how to achieve them the BEST way possible. I am  focused

on making the world a Pretty place one shampoo at a time. If you are unsure of your outcome consult

a stylist nearby if you don’t feel comfortable doing the process that I provide…

much Love ~xoxo Stay tune xoxo~

“A French magazine has come under fire after it darkened the skin of a white U.S. model and photographed her for an editorial spread titled “African Queen.”

The magazine in question is Numéro, and the model in the spread from the March issue was Ondria Hardin.”

As an African American model when I 1st heard about this I wasn’t bothered. I typically don’t really get too worked up when it comes to race and modeling. I don’t allow it to cloud my drive if I’m going to go hard I’m going to go hard and do whatever it takes to arrive where I desire. But after actually looking into the situation I cannot deny that it began to bother me. As an African American model we have to work 10 times as hard to even book a gig but then when they actually do decide to pay homage to an African Queen during black history month they use a white girl? What part of the game is this? All of the amazing BLACK Fashion models and they couldn’t hire one of them to pay homage to US? The message this sends to me is we aren’t good enough to even represent ourselves to the point they have to go through extensive measures to paint a white model black and put her in african attire and title the spread African Queen. I began to come confused what have we done to deserve this kind of treatment in the industry? The other thing I thought was it was to stir up controversy get people talking get their magazine name buzzing get the magazine to fly off the shelf because in the industry all publicity is good. But I stand her to say this we are no ones free ride do not use us to stir up controversy  disrespecting us. This spread is like a parody where is the african queen next time hire us we are just as good as any other race of models. Black is beautiful REAL black is beautiful.
By: Joeline Bennett

Touching Story Via CBS/YouTube:

Via Huffington Post

Honesty really is the best policy for a kind homeless man whose life has been completely turned around.

Billy Ray Harris, a panhandler in Missouri, grabbed the nation’s attention earlier this month after he returned a diamond ring that was mistakenly dropped in his change cup, KCTV reported. The inspiring story quickly went viral and Sarah Darling, the grateful owner of the ring, set up a fundraiser for Harris with her husband to show her appreciation. They collected more than $86,000 since Feb. 14 as of press time and will be personally giving the funds to Harris.

“I’m not sure of how you ended up in your situation, but after what I witnessed you do, I am most definitely sure that you are a honest man with a good heart,” Volanda Shields, a donor who gave $1,000, wrote on Harris’ GiveForward page. “Watching you on the news the other day brought tears to my eyes because I thought of what so many others would have done.”

Darling and her husband, Bill Krejci, remain in close contact with Harris and continue to share just how inspired they are by him and the way others have responded to the story.

“Words cannot express how it feels to be a part of something like this,” Krejci wrote on the GiveForward fundraising page.

But Harris, who was raised by his reverend grandfather, told KCTV that the decision to return the ring was an obvious one, and that he doesn’t actually think his actions warrant so much attention.

“What I actually feel like is,” Harris told KCTV, “what has the world come to when a person who returns something that doesn’t belong to him and all this happens?”

See what doing the right thing can get you??!!! Wow this is inspirational story to say the least.