Posts tagged "NYU"

Meet Tai Beauchamp!

Stylish, smart + business savvy  are all of the qualities of veteran journalist + editor Tai Beauchamp! Known for her savvy sense of style and ability to deliver inspiring and aspirational insights, women of all ages recognize her as the voice of stylish living.

Hailing from NYC Beauchamp earned a B.A. in English literature from Spelman College and attended New York University’s Television Production program.

Beauchamp launched her editorial career interning at Good Housekeeping and Harper’s Bazaar magazines and went on to work as a beauty editor at O, The Oprah Magazine, Suede, and Seventeen. She later served as the deputy editor of VIBE Vixen and style contributor to www.ivillage.com.

Today, Beauchamp is Style Ambassador of InStyle, a lauded host, beauty and style authority, and CEO of Tai Life Media, LLC. Tai has partnered with some of the most reputable consumer and retail brands including Dior Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Tacori, Target, and Proctor & Gamble where she served as spokesperson of P&G’s My Black is Beautiful Movement. She appears regularly as a correspondent on network and cable television for the likes of ABC, CBS, BET, TV One and shows including “The Today Show,” “Good Day New York,” “Entertainment Tonight”, “The Talk”, “Bethenny” and the “The Wendy Williams Show.” Tai has also hosted The Grammy and Academy Awards red carpets and is a powerful public speaker.

She is also a social entrepreneur and champion for causes, most of them aimed toward youth and education and empowering women through fashion and beauty.

Let’s get to know Tai a little better…

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You’re an amazing journalist and editor who has worked with a variety of top media outlets! How did you first dive into your career?

Interning is the most critical experience a young person can have when pursuing any industry or career. And not just for the obvious reasons. Sometimes you are fortunate as I was to find something and an industry I loved but sometimes interning can be about learning what you don’t want to do–it can be a process of elimination. Interning is also about building relationships and meeting people in your industry who might be future bosses, colleagues, mentors, etc. Internships also help individuals understand how to operate in a professional environment. My first internship in publishing was a full summer internship at Good Housekeeping. At the time Hearst Magazines had an organized summer internship program for about 30 young people. I worked really hard and built solid relationships during that internship that I still have today. I interned the following summer at Harper’s Bazaar. And when I graduated the following year, O, The Oprah Magazine was just launching and that’s where I began working officially in publishing as the fashion/beauty assistant.

Having an extensive background in style & beauty what is one fashion & beauty tip that you live by?

True style is individual…there is no set formula for style. Use your style to say something fabulous to the world.

Life can become stressful specially when you’re achieving your dream, how do you regroup & stay focus?

This is a tough one because I believe that no matter how perfectly wrapped things may seem on the outside, nothing is perfect! It’s certainly challenging for everyone, no matter where you are in life. Whether you are a company CEO, a manager, or an intern, there are and will be challenges. There are a few things I do to recharge and stay focused.

1) I pray and meditate daily.

2) I workout at least 4-6 x a week.

3) I surround myself with people who believe, champion, and support me and my dreams. These are my “riders”! When I don’t have the strength or vision on a day, they remind and ultimately rally me.

4.)I take inventory and stock of my goals at least quarterly. This is a good way to not only evaluate your progress but to determine if there are other avenues I should consider.

5) I get out of dodge! I love and know how to check out. I can’t do it often but I’m a big believer in taking time away from it all! And I do it as often as possible.

6) I mentor. People think that to be a mentor is all about giving. Truly, mentoring is as much about giving as it is receiving. I learn so much from the young people that I mentor. And at the end of it, however, these young people are also my inspiration to keep going.

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What is your ultimate goal you would like to achieve in this lifetime?

There are so many things I want to achieve…spiritually, personally, and professionally. All my goals for the most part, center around touching as many lives as meaningfully as possible. I do look forward to being a wife and mother…it’s about that time.

Being a teen can be tough when you’re growing up, what was the most vital lesson as a teen you learned that carried into your adult life?

The most critical lesson I learned as a teen that I didn’t necessarily believe at the time but know it is true today is cliche that so many parents still stay “you are the company that you keep”. I’m still best friends with two of my childhood best friends. But even more than that, I know that the people I surround myself with are a reflection of who I am andmy style. Keep good people around you!

We tend to pull characteristics from others in our lives or from people we admire, who inspires you and why?

I don’t know if I “pull characteristics” from others as much as there are qualities I respect and admire in others. Some of the people who inspire me are my grandmom, Oprah, Ryan Seacrest, a dear friend who is like a little sister to me, Clementine Wamariya and so many of my friends that are truly too many to write. They all inspire me for different reasons. My grandmom inspires me because she has always been a beautiful spirit with a warm heart. She’s also the strongest and most resilient person I know! Oprah because I so admire her as a business woman, philanthropist, champion of women and brilliance. He has redefined what it means to be a super producer. Clementine is like the Buddha come to real life…she exudes peace, love and grace and makes me to want to be more peaceful, loving, and gracious. And I’d also say my godchildren because their happiness is contagious.

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Time for the Faves! Celeb Crush? Artist? Food? Movie?

Celeb…hmmm Brad Pitt, I think. I can be a bit fickle…after “Happy” came out, it was Pharrell…I’m sure it will change again.

Favorite artist, I’m blasting Beyonce, Jay Z, Stevie Wonder, and Pharrell right now…I wish I could get them to put something out together…all four of them.Sushi, I could each sushi everyday!

The Bourne Series is my favorite movie…

TV Show…Scandal.

Check out more +  follow Tai here:

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Meet Arnelle “Elly” Nonon!

A fresh + innovative sound is exactly what Arnelle “Elly” Nonon is bringing to the music industry!  A born and raised New Yorker with nothing more than a passion, a voice and a dream, Arnelle “Elly” Nonon has risen to music notoriety. She wowed Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson with her sultry serenade during American Idol Season 10, landing her a ticket to Hollywood. A year later she took on the fun, quickly spreading genre of K-Pop, performing at New York’s K-POP Festival held at NYU’s Performing Arts Center. Her awe-inspiring rendition of 1,2,3,4 by Lee Hi provided her next opportunity to be a contestant at the K-Pop World Festival held in Changwon, Korea, where she once again took the Grand Prize home with her. Now she continues the journey on a road less traveled, continuously being inspired Korean artists abroad and traveling back and forth from New York to Seoul!

Let’s get to know Arnelle “Elly” Nonon a little better…

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You have a beautiful voice, what motivated you to jump into music?
Thank you so much for the compliment! Music has been a part of my life ever since I was a little girl. From church Christmas play musicals casted as “Young Mary” to singing to Luther Vandross’ “Love is On the Way” on Sunday clean-up day with my mom, music has always coated my everyday life, so it was a pretty natural path becoming a musician myself.

Style is a way to describe yourself with out speaking, how would you describe your fashion + music style?
My fashion sense is pretty eclectic, just as my music taste is! One of the things that are very apparent when comparing my fashion sense and music sense though, is the fact that I love to make statements. When putting together an outfit, the finished ensemble usually isn’t one that will easily go unnoticed in a crowd, and I think many would agree that the music I listen to most stands out in any playlist too, being that my music library is filled most with Korean pop music, a.k.a, K-Pop!

We tend to pull characteristics from others in our lives or from people we admire, who inspires you and why?

Honestly the list of people who inspire me goes on and on, but the two who I’ll mention today are Beyonce and CL of 2NE1. When I perform, I want to make statements. I want to feel powerful, and I want to have beautiful concepts and sets and costumes. These two women embody all those things to me. Impact! Power! Glamour! To watch them deliver those three things consistently makes me starry-eyed and motivates me to work harder so I can become a master at my skill.

Chasing + creating your dream can get a little tough at times, how do you regroup and motivate yourself when you’re feeling a little defeated?
The most important thing for me is the encouragement I get from my family, friends and fans. I tend to keep every fan sent message of encouragement to read on “rainy days”. I read through the loving comments sent to me on my youtube videos and emails and it helps me get back on my feet. Love is what keeps me going!

What advice would you give girls who want to follow their dreams and passions?
JUST DO IT!!! Ahahaha, I know I sound like a Nike ad, but for those of you who are scared or hesitant, you have to “Just Do It”! Be confident. Nobody will be confident in you if you aren’t confident in yourself. Be smart about the decisions you make, trust your gut and be the best you can be!

We are all about female empowerment, What does EMPOWERMENT mean to you?
Female empowerment is EVERYTHING to me! I revel in the fact that I’m a woman and being from a family of mostly females who I look up to and respect so much, I never felt that I was unable to do something just because I’m a girl. I hope that now and in the future I can encourage other girls to do whatever it is that they desire, knowing that their gender doesn’t have anything to do with the amount of success they are capable of obtaining. I am 100% a feminist, and I feel empowered every time I take a step in the direction of trying to create an equal playing field for women and men.

Time for the Faves! Celeb Crush? Artist? Food? Movie?
My celebrity crush (of the moment…lol!) is DANIEL HENNEY!!!! I love him to bits!!! Beautiful and tall. Can’t get enough. I think my favorite American artist right now is Nicki Minaj and my favorite Korean artists right now are Zion. T, Bang Yongguk, and Giriboy, each and every one of them are so gifted and inspire me to no end. My fave movies of ALL TIME are “Moulin Rouge”, a Japanese movie titled “Helter Skelter”, “Life Size” starring Tyra Banks, and “Cinderella” (the Rodgers and Hammerstein version), and my favorite food at the moment is 닭갈비 or “Dak Galbi”, a stir-fried chicken Korean dish that I literally cannot get enough of!!!

Check out more of Arnelle “Elly” Nonon here…

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You rock, Elly!