Elite Daily

Marquaysa Battle

Marquaysa is a dog mom, music junkie and lover of all things #BlackGirlMagic. She can be found shamelessly live-tweeting Ratchet TV Mondays or gazing at puppies on Insta. She has a Master's degree in journalism from NYU.

10 Affordable And Super Chic Things You Deserve To Have In Your Dorm Room

By Marquaysa Battle
Heading back to school marks the end of summer, but it also means you're about to head to dorm life. Whether you're going off to college for the first time, or returning to your old haunt with a roomie you're closer with, it's time for you to start…

A Brand Tried To Turn The Swastika Into A Peaceful Sign, It Didn't Go Over Well

By Marquaysa Battle
Usage of an offensive, anti-Semitic symbol has been attempted once again. A European design company called KA Design set out to introduce "The New Swastika" as a symbol of "peace," "respect," and "freedom" on their t-shirts and sweatshirts, as…

10 Ways To Handle The College Roommate From Actual Hell

By Marquaysa Battle
College life is about getting a great education, but let's be real: It's also about the overall experience. You'll be enjoying the social activities, cafeteria food (if you're lucky), and of course, dorm life. In fact, dorm life will be the biggest…

Meet Bria Paige, One Of The Winners Of Beyoncé's Formation Scholarship

By Marquaysa Battle
This Beyoncé fan just got the ultimate Beyoncé treatment. 19-year-old Bria Paige is one of the four winners of Yoncé's Formation Scholarship, and a self-proclaimed member of the BeyHive, which means her 2017 back-to-school experience is about to be…

How The 'Atomic Blonde' Movie Disappointed Me As A Feminist In 2017

By Marquaysa Battle
I went to see Atomic Blonde with a purse full of pre-bought snacks and high hopes for the movie, which stars Charlize Theron, an actress I've adored since Mighty Joe Young. Quite honestly, me and my snacks probably would have showed up to theaters…

Why People Hating Tasha On 'Insecure' Shows We Still Blame Women For Men's Mess

By Marquaysa Battle
Insecure came back on Sunday evening with more drama and way more laughs, but the situation fans can't stop talking about is the fact that Lawrence and his rebound girl, Tasha, are finally on the outs. Lawrence skipped out on Tasha's family barbecue…

New York Now Has A State Council On Women And Girls, Here’s Why It’s So Important

By Marquaysa Battle
A state "Council on Women and Girls" might sound like an organization that's been around all along, wielding its women's rights sword and slashing things like the gendered wage gap and limited reproductive rights, but it hasn't. New York's Council…

You Won't Believe What Women Have Started Wearing To Avoid Street Harassment

By Marquaysa Battle
That street harassment reign just won't let up, huh? Apparently not. Women have begun to go to some nuptial-centered measures to get guys to take that not-so-god-awful word "no" more seriously. The "I have a boyfriend" excuse used to be a go-to…

10 Inspiring Women Who Have Taken A Stand For Our Equality

By Marquaysa Battle
Women are constantly working their butts off to have their contributions to the world recognized and respected. We are also continuously working to fight for our body autonomy and general safety. Luckily, plenty of women everywhere are using social…

Zendaya Has A Message For Trump And People Who Joke About Police Brutality

By Marquaysa Battle
Donald Trump is the President of the United States of America, but he's also the President of Saying Extremely Inappropriate Sh*t. Because Donald Trump is always on a Donald Trump roll, he made a pretty eyebrow-raising statement to police in New…

This Fitness Blogger Wants People To Embrace How Their Bellies Look After Eating

By Marquaysa Battle
Belly love is in, people! Haven't you heard? Fitness blogger Sara Puhto — who gained a following for sharing before and after photos of her workout journey to debunk Instagram body myths — posted a set of photos to highlight how her body changes…

People Of Color Are Sharing The First Time They Saw Themselves In Media

By Marquaysa Battle
Diversity is the permanent wave when it comes to what people want to see in movies and films. Twitter users of color are now sharing stories about the first time they saw themselves represented in the media with the hashtag #FirstTimeISawMe, and…

A Survey Says Black Women Are The Most Confident, But We Still Have Struggles

By Marquaysa Battle
Black women are the most confident female group according to a study conducted by Glamour magazine and L'Oreal Paris. The study surveyed 2,000 white, black, and Hispanic women from all 50 of the United States. Findings showed that black women find…

A Survivor Of LGBTQ+ Conversion Therapy Shares The Horrific Details Of The Practice

By Marquaysa Battle
Samuel Brinton, a nuclear engineer and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, has spent many years of their life trying to get the conversion shock therapy banned in the United States. Brinton is not only an advocate, but also a survivor of conversion therapy. At…

Serena Williams Shared How She Fights The Wage Gap For #BlackWomensEqualPayDay

By Marquaysa Battle
Serena Williams is a force on and off of the tennis court, and she's making it known with her latest statements about the wage gap. For Black Women's Equal Pay Day, Serena Williams shared an essay with Fortune magazine about not just her hopes for…

Rihanna Thinks Anything You Have To Say About Her Body Is Hilarious

By Marquaysa Battle
Rihanna already proved to us that when it comes to her body, her very last concern is about what people think about her size. She's busy doing Rihanna things like killing red carpets with queen levels of cleavage, pool-dipping with a rich bae, and…

Molly And Issa Prove A Real Bestie Will Stalk Your Ex On Last Night's 'Insecure'

By Marquaysa Battle
Ah, Molly and Issa continue to prove that their best friend relationship is the one that really matters on the instant cult classic that is HBO's Insecure. Sure, Issa is pining to make up with her now ex-boyfriend Lawrence-- and sure, they had an…

This Company Seriously Used White Models To Sell "Black Girl Magic" T-Shirts

By Marquaysa Battle
No, this is not some satirical episode of Dear White People. Online retailer, Zazzle, seriously used white models to sell "Black Girl Magic" T-shirts on their website, among other items clearly created to celebrate women of color. The photos are,…

Michelle Obama Opens Up About How Racism Affected Her Time As First Lady

By Marquaysa Battle
Michelle Obama might have handled her time as the First Lady of the United States like a real-life version of superwoman, thanks to her kick-ass speeches, dresses, and humanitarian causes. But that doesn't mean she never felt down during the eight…

#DiARMy Is the Latest Hashtag To Promote Body Positivity, And We Are Here For It

By Marquaysa Battle
Summer 2017 is full of heat, fun, and body positivity, thanks to hoards of women coming together to celebrate every part of their bodies and to step out of the shame that mainstream beauty standards can cause in women who don't fit the faux physical…