Melissa Noel

1 week ago | essence.com | Melissa Noel

Toronto’s CN Tower lit up in purple, gold and green on April 13—a glowing beacon of remembrance and hope marking the inaugural Toronto Black Maternal Health Week. For Jenelle Ambrose Dash, watching the landmark shine in those colors represented something deeply personal: a tribute to the daughter she lost when she was seven months pregnant, and a symbol of hope that other Black women might be spared similar heartbreak.

1 week ago | essence.com | Melissa Noel

Blue Origin Instagram Gayle King and Aisha Bowe officially made history on Monday, blasting off into space as part of Blue Origin’s first-ever all-female spaceflight aboard the New Shepard rocket. The diverse crew also included pop star Katy Perry, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn and journalist Lauren Sánchez.

1 week ago | essence.com | Melissa Noel

Kyren Lacy, a former standout wide receiver at Lousiana State University (LSU) who had just declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, died over the weekend in Texas. He was 24. According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Lacy died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a police chase on Saturday night, CNN reports. Authorities say it began with a weapons disturbance call involving Lacy and a family member.

1 week ago | essence.com | Melissa Noel

Photo Courtesy: Aisha Bowe In a world where dreams often remain just that, Aisha Bowe defies expectations. From struggling in high school to becoming a rocket scientist, NASA veteran and now poised to make history as part of the first all-female crew launched by Blue Origin, the space exploration company founded by Jeff Bezos.

2 weeks ago | essence.com | Melissa Noel

A night that began with music and celebration quickly turned into one of the Dominican Republic’s deadliest disasters. As of Thursday morning, at least 218 people were confirmed dead after the roof of the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed early Tuesday, officials said. Another 155 people were rushed to local hospitals — some in ambulances carrying multiple victims at once.