The Seventh and Final Day of Kwanzaa is January 1st, New Year's Day and Imani (Faith) is the Principle for Kwanzaa's Final Day

On this day, everyone pledges to focus their minds and hearts on the greater good for the entire community in the following year. After the last candle is lit and the period of discussion and reflection is complete, families enjoy a meal, open presents, and celebrate the new year together.

http://enlightenme.com/days-of-kwanzaa/

#Kwanzaa2014 #ImaniFaith

The sixth day of Kwanzaa is December 31 and the Sixth Principle of Kwanzaa is Kuumba

Kuumba means creativity and sets the tone for the sixth day of Kwanzaa. This day occurs on New Year’s Eve and considered special. There is often a celebration or feast that accompanies the ritual lighting of the candles (for this day, the last of the red ones). The eldest member present will also read the Tamishi La Tutaonana, a farewell statement to the old year.

http://enlightenme.com/days-of-kwanzaa/

#Kwanzaa2014  #Kuumba

The Fifth Day of Kwanzaa is December 30th

On the fifth day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, the farthest right green, the next red and then the next green candle. This represents the 5th principle of Kwanzaa -  Nia (NEE-ah). :  Purpose . The fifth principle is discussed. The family shares the Unity cup and the candles are extinguished.

http://www.holidays.net/kwanzaa/7days.htm

#Kwanzaa2014 #NiaPurpose

The Fourth Day of Kwanzaa Is December 29th

On the fourth day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, the farthest right green. And then the next red candle on the left. This represents the 4th principle of Kwanzaa -  Ujamaa (oo-jah-MAH) :  Collective economics . The fourth principle is discussed. The family shares the Unity cup and the candles are extinguished.

http://www.holidays.net/kwanzaa/7days.htm

#Kwanzaa2014  # Ujamaa

The Third Day of Kwanzaa is December 28th.

This is the time to emphasize the 3rd principle of  Kwanzaa , Ujima or collective work and responsibility. On the third day, the lighting of candles starts again with the  black one , then the farthest left red one and them the utmost right green one are lit.

Read more at http://www.theholidayspot.com/kwanzaa/sevendays.htm#X0wK6G8LGdVZbfjV.99

#Kwanzaa2014

The Second Day of Kwanzaa is Today December 27th

To represent the second doctrine or principle the left most red candle is lit after the  black one. This principle represents Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-goo-LEE-ah) or Self- Determination.
The process goes on in the same way as the first day of Kwanzaa. The person who lights the candle on 2nd day makes a  statement  which is related to the second principle. He or she also continues with a passage or a poem on that particular principle and explains how this doctrine is related to the meaning of their lives. The Unity cup is again shared between the members and the candles are extinguished.

Read more at http://www.theholidayspot.com/kwanzaa/sevendays.htm#X0wK6G8LGdVZbfjV.99

#Kwanzaa2014

Today December 26th, Is the First Day of Kwanzaa

The black candle, placed right in the middle of red and green candles in Kinara, is lit on the very first day of the festival. It marks the commencement of the festive season. The person who takes the responsibility to light the candle makes a  statement  about the first principle i.e. Umoja (oo-MOH-jah) or unity. All  the family  members should listen to the  statement  and understand it in a way that all of them can explain the doctrine and its meaning. At times that particular member shares a passage or poem which is related to their lives and the principle in some way or the other. 
The Umoja (Unity cup) filled with fruit juice is passed to all the members present in that congregating spot.
Some of  the families  use a Unity cup for every member present where as some just like to keep a Unity cup in the centre of the  Kwanzaa table . After the ceremony of sharing fruit juice is over, the candles are turned off till the very next day.

Read more at http://www.theholidayspot.com/kwanzaa/sevendays.htm#X0wK6G8LGdVZbfjV.99

The problem with spooning is that it can lead to forking.-Unknown

Spare the Rod Spoil The Child:Disciplinary Method or Child Abuse?

In light of the Adrian Peterson child abuse case the subject of corporal punishment has become a hot topic of discussion recently. Has corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool outlived it’s usefulness? If so, what are the effective alternative methods of discipline? If not, when does corporal punishment cross the line into child abuse?

"Aspirin Between Your Knees: Birth Control for Peeps with Nothing Between Their Ears.”—PoliticalLoudMouth.com

Remember Foster Fries in 2012 with the” aspirin between the knees” comment, the “legitimate rape”, and “the body has a way to stop pregnancies caused by rape” stupid comments by elected officials and politicians. What doosies have they came out of their ignorant faces with this year and will continue to come out with before the mid-term election this November?

"The fact that you can’t sell your daughter for three goats and a cow means we’ve already redefined marriage."—Ken O’Neill, author of THE MARRYING KIND

What do have to say about marriage equality?

Speed Date RVA : The LGBT Edition -18 July 2014 06:00 PM till 09:00 PM

Gratitude Rising Foundation and Speed Date RVA present:

LGBT Speed Dating @The Dining Room at The Berkeley Hotel

Guys and gals, join us for an upscale speed dating + social mixer event! Experience the ultimate opportunity for single professionals in the LGBT community to connect or potentially meet a new companion. Our city tour has joined The Berkeley Hotel in an effort to raise funds for Gratitude Rising Foundation*!  

Featuring performances by Be Steadwell and hosted by international comedian Mimi Gonzalez.  Mimi is a featured Olivia performer and has been featured on Logo’s “One Night Stand Up”, “The Today Show”, “Ellen” and the “Latino Laugh Festival”.  Join us for the unforgettable fun on Friday, July 18th from 6pm to 9pm.

Romantically attached? Only interested in seeing how it works? Looking to network? Have a business venture you’d like to promote? Join us in the dining room and bar during our Social Mixer - don’t forget your business cards! A welcoming atmosphere, like minded business individuals, live art + music will ensure you an enjoyable evening on us!

Social Mixer: 25+

Speed Dating: 30+

Slots are limited. You must register to speed date prior to the event.

Both ticket types (speed dating + social mixer) are available at: www.speeddaterva.eventzilla.net

CLICK TO SEE HOW SPEED DATING WORKS

Dress Code: Dressy Casual | First impressions are lasting.

*50% of proceeds will be donated to Gratitude Rising Foundation. A non-profit foundation providing financial assistance to LGBT women undergoing treatment for cancer

This event was created for entertainment purposes only. We are not a dating or match-making service. Please enjoy responsibly

http://www.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2139042128

Happy mother's day! As I say every year, the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world!!!

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: On April 5, 1856, educator and reformer Booker T.Washington was born in Franklin County,VA

On ABC’s Scandal what is Mama Maya Lewis-Pope up to now?

#ScandalWhatsMamaMayaDoing

In Scandal Episode 316 The Fluffer, is Mellie going to drop the bomb and tell Fitz the truth about what her father-in-law did so many years ago that changed everything?

#CanFitzHandleTheTruth?

Martha Stewart...American Businesswoman,Writer,Television Personality,Former Fashion Model

Martha Stewart was born Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Stewart rose to prominence as the author of books on cooking, entertaining and decorating. She then expanded her brand to include a magazine and television program, serving as CEO of Martha Stewart Omnimedia. Stewart resigned her post in 2002, following charges of insider trading of which she was subsequently convicted

Lifestyle guru and businesswoman Martha Stewart was born Martha Kostyra, on August 3, 1941, in New Jersey. The second of six children, Stewart grew up in Nutley, New Jersey, a working-class community near New York City. She worked as a model from the age of 13, appearing in fashion shows as well as television and print advertisements.

Stewart attended Barnard College in Manhattan, where she earned a degree in European and architectural history in 1962. While at Barnard, she met Andy Stewart, a Yale law student, and the two married in 1961. Six years later, after the birth of their daughter, Alexis, Stewart went to work as a stockbroker for the boutique firm of Monness, Williams, and Sidel. She worked on Wall Street until 1972, when the family moved to Westport, Connecticut.

After the Stewarts restored the 19th century farmhouse they had bought, Martha decided to focus her energy on gourmet cooking, having trained herself by reading Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She started a catering business in the late 1970s, and soon became known for her gourmet menus and unique, creative presentation. Within a decade, Martha Stewart, Inc., had grown into a $1 million business serving a number of corporate and celebrity clients.

Stewart expanded into the world of publishing with her first book, Entertaining, which became a bestseller and was followed in quick succession by such publications as Martha Stewart's Quick Cook Menus, Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres, Martha Stewart's Christmas and Martha Stewart's Wedding Planner. Her newfound fame took its toll on her personal life, as her marriage to Andy Stewart ended in divorce in 1990, after a bitter three-year separation.

In 1991, Martha Stewart, Inc., became Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc., with the release of her magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Stewart's lifestyle empire soon grew to include two magazines, a checkout-size recipe publication, a popular cable television show, a syndicated newspaper column, a series of how-to books, a radio show, an Internet site and $763 million in annual retail sales.
On October 19, 1999, America's most famous homemaker returned to Wall Street to see her company through its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. At the end of the day, the price of each of 72 million shares in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. had jumped more than 95 percent and raised almost $130 million. Stewart herself controls 96 percent of the voting shares in her company and is worth $1.2 billion.

In June 2002, Stewart again made financial headlines, this time for rumors of insider trading. Stewart was under investigation for selling hundreds of shares of ImClone Systems just prior to the Food and Drug Administration's refusal to approve the company's new cancer drug. The value of the stock dropped markedly after the FDA's announcement. Due to the investigation, Stewart resigned from the board of directors of the New York Stock Exchange in October, just four months after she had joined.
In June 2003, a 41-page indictment charged Stewart with securities fraud, obstruction of justice,conspiracy and making false statements to prosecutors and the FBI. She pleaded innocent to all charges and stepped down as chair and CEO of her Omnimedia empire. In February 2004, a judge dismissed the securities fraud charge, but a jury found her guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements. Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison and fined $30,000 that July. She served the first part of her sentence at a minimum-security prison in Alderson, West Virginia, in October 2004.

Stewart was released from prison on March 4, 2005, just after NBC announced she would host two new shows: a daytime talk and how-to show and a spin-off of the reality show The Apprentice produced by Mark Burnett and Donald Trump. Stewart finished her sentence by serving five months of house arrest at her home in Bedford, New York.

While Martha Stewart's version of The Apprentice failed to attract enough viewers, her self-titled syndicated daytime program has been on the air since 2005. The company she established, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, continued to grow in new directions. The business added several non-Martha Stewart publications, including Everyday Food and Body + Soul.

Stewart's syndicated show moved to the Hallmark Channel in 2010, but it failed to develop enough of an audience to sustain the expensive-to-produce program. Hallmark canceled the show in 2012 because of low ratings. That fall, Stewart launched a new series on PBS called Martha Stewart's Cooking School.
In 2013, Stewart found herself inside a courtroom once again. Her company was engaged in a lawsuit with the department store chain Macy's over a contract dispute. Macy's sued Stewart and its retail rival J.C. Penney over Stewart's plan to open Martha Stewart brand boutiques inside Penney's stores.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart

http://www.biography.com/people/martha-stewart-9542234

12 Romantic Ideas for Lovers by Rita Watson in With Love and Gratitude From Psychology Today

I am still not booed up again yet, but I'm still a hopeless romantic. So, here are some amorous inspirations for having a great weekend.

Love thoughts heat up romance.  And romance fires up love. Here are 12 suggestions:

1.   Say to your love when you awake in the morning:  "What can I do for you today that will make your life easier and less stressful?"  Then do it.

2.   Leave a love note on the bathroom mirror.

3.   Write a love note - a real love note and send it via the US Mail.  Here's a simple start:  "I love you for a million reasons, here are the top three."

4.   Send flowers to his or her office for no reason other than to say "I love you."

5.   Set aside time to give the gift of listening. Make a date if you must, in your own home or at a quiet little place in the neighborhood for coffee or a drink and just listen to each others thoughts.

6.   Remember when he or she says, "I wish I had one of those" and then, if it's affordable - buy it for no reason other than to say, "I love you."

7.   Find a picture of the two of you smiling happily, frame it or put it up on the frig with a note that says, "I love to see us happy."

8.   Serve breakfast in bed - champagne, crumpets, and strawberry jam.

9.   Leave a single rose on the bed or chocolates under the pillows - as they do in grand hotels.

10.  Find a funny - laugh out loud - card and mail it.

11.  Jump in puddles after a rainstorm - it will trigger those love hormones!

12.  Go to a mushy movie, sit in the back row and touch each other and kiss wildly

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/love-and-gratitude/201203/13-romantic-ideas-lovers

Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Porsha Stewart, Kenya Moore Brawl at Reunion Taping - Us Weekly

Queens shouldn't swing if you know what I mean but Kenya had it coming for a long time from so many people….Maybe she’ll learn to act now or she will get her butt whipped again by a different person next time.
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/real-housewives-of-atlanta-stars-porsha-stewart-and-kenya-moore-get-in-scary-brawl-during-reunion-taping-2014273

Serena Williams...Author,Fashionista,American Professional Tennis Player,Holder of 29 Grand Slam Titles,Olympic Gold Medal Winner

Serena Jameka Williams was born on September 26, 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan. illiams began playing tennis at an early age, enduring daily two-hour practices with her father at age three. In 1995, Serena turned pro, and, along with her sister Venus, enjoyed a run of high-profile victories. In 2009, Serena was fined and placed on probation for allegedly threatening a lineswoman, but she quickly moved past the incident. After a series of health scares in 2011, Williams beat Agnieszka Radwanska at Wimbledon 2012, claiming her fifth Wimbledon singles title. At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, she won two gold medals, in women's doubles and women's singles—her first singles gold medal. In June 2013, Williams won her second French Open title against defending champion Maria Sharapova. She picked up another U.S. Open title that September.

The youngest of Richard and Oracene Williams's five daughters, Serena Williams, along with her sister Venus, would eventually dominate the sport at various times throughout her career, capturing 15 Grand Slam singles and 13 Grand Slam doubles titles.

Serena's father—a former sharecropper from Louisiana determined to see his two youngest girls succeed—used what he'd gleaned from tennis books and videos to instruct Serena and Venus on how to play the game. At the age of 3, practicing on a court not far from the family's new Compton, California, home, Serena withstood the rigors of daily two-hour practices from her father.

The fact that the family had relocated to Compton was no accident. With its high rate of gang activity, Richard Williams wanted to expose his daughters to the ugly possibilities of life "if they did not work hard and get an education." In this setting, on courts that were riddled with potholes and sometimes missing nets, Serena and Venus cut their teeth on the game of tennis and the requirements for persevering in a tough climate.

By 1991, Serena was 46-3 on the junior United States Tennis Association tour, and ranked first in the 10-and-under division. Sensing his girls needed better instruction to become successful professionals, he moved his family again—this time to Florida. There, Richard let go of some of his coaching responsibilities, but not the management of Serena's and Venus's career. Wary of his daughters burning out too quickly, he scaled back their junior tournament schedule.

In 1995, Serena turned pro. Two years later, she was already No. 99 in the world rankings—up from 304 just 12 months before. A year later, she graduated high school, and almost immediately inked a $12 million shoe deal with Puma. In 1999, she beat out her sister in their race to the family's first Grand Slam win, when she captured the U.S. Open title.

It set the stage for a run of high-powered, high profile victories for both Williams sisters. Over the next decade, Serena alone would win 23 Grand Slam titles—including 10 doubles championships with her sister, Venus Williams.

With their signature style and play, Venus and Serena changed the look of their sport as well. Their sheer power and athletic ability overwhelmed opponents, and their sense of style and presence made them stand-out celebrities on the court.

Proving to have much more than just tennis clout, Serena expanded her brand into film, television, and fashion. She developed her own "Aneres" line of clothing, and in 2002 People magazine selected her as one of its 25 Most Intriguing People. Essencemagazine later called her one of the country's 50 Most Inspiring African-Americans. She's also made television appearances, and lent her voice to shows such as The Simpsons.

In 2002, she won the French Open, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon, defeating Venus in the finals of each tournament. She captured her first Australian Open in 2003, making her one of only five women players to have complete grand slam sets. The win also fulfilled her desire to finish off what she'd dubbed "The Serena Slam." In 2008, she won the U.S. Open and teamed with Venus to capture a second women's doubles Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Games.

But Serena has had her scrapes and losses. In 2003, her sister Yetunde Price was murdered in Los Angeles, California. Three years later, Serena seemed burned out. Bitten by injuries, and just a general lack of motivation to stay fit or compete at the same level she once had, Serena saw her tennis ranking slump to 139.

Serena credits her faith as a Jehovah's Witness, as well as a life-changing journey she made to West Africa for renewing her pride and competitive fire. By 2009, Williams had released a new autobiography, Queen of the Court, and won her place back atop the world's rankings, winning both the 2009 Australian Open singles (for the fourth time) and Wimbledon 2009 singles (for the third time). She also won the doubles matches at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon that year.

But not everything went smoothly. Williams made headlines in September of that year, when she blasted a lineswomen for a foot-fault called near the end of a semi-final loss to eventual champion Kim Clijsters at the U.S. Open. The profanity-laced outburst included finger pointing and, according to the lineswoman, an alleged threat from Serena against her life.

Williams downplayed what happened, refuting the allegation that she'd threatened the woman. But the incident did not go over well with the tennis viewing public, nor the U.S. Tennis Association, which fined her $10,000 on the spot. Two months later, she was placed on two-year probation and ordered to pay another $82,500 to the Grand Slam committee for the episode&mdashthe largest punishment ever levied against a tennis player.

By early 2010, however, Serena was doing her best to move past the incident, gearing up for the upcoming Australian Open. Sure enough, in 2010, she won the Australian Open singles and doubles matches, as well as her fourth Wimbledon singles championship.

In 2011, Williams suffered a series of health scares, after doctors found a blood clot in one of her lungs, which kept her away from tennis for several months. Following several procedures, including one to remove a hematoma, speculation rose as to whether Williams would retire from the sport. Her health had improved by September 2011, however, and Williams competed at the U.S. Open, beating Victoria Azarenka to place second overall in the singles tournament.

Several months later, Williams beat Victoria Azarenka again in the Wimbledon 2012 semfinals, 

and went on to defeat 23-year-old Agnieszka Radwanska in an emotional three sets at Wimbledon 2012, claiming her fifth Wimbledon singles title. Following the win, Williams rushed to her family in the stands, with tears in her eyes, and hugged them for several seconds. In a post-Wimbledon interview with ESPN, she was asked whether she thought she could top the win, and answered: "Are you kidding? The [2012] U.S. Open, the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon 2013."

Williams continued her winning streak to her next Grand Slam event. In September 2012, she beat out rival Victoria Azarenka to take the singles title at the U.S. Open. According to USA Today, Williams wasn't sure that she'd emerge victorious. "I honestly can't believe I won. I was really reparing my runner-up speech, because I thought, 'Man, she's playing so great.'"

By this time, Williams had captured 15 Grand Slam singles titles—surpassing tennis star Pete Sampras's record of 14 titles—as well as 13 Grand Slam doubles titles. "I would like to leave a mark," Williams once said about her standing in the tennis world. "I think obviously I will, due to the fact that I'm doing something different in tennis. But I don't think I could ever reach something like a Martina Navratilova—I don't think I'd ever play that long—but who knows? I think I'll leave a mark regardless."

In August 2012, at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Williams defeated Maria Sharapova to take her first gold medal in women's singles. The next day, she and sister Venus won gold in women's doubles, against Czech Republic tennis stars Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka. Williams is now a four-time Olympic gold medalist.

In June 2013, Williams took her second French Open title—as well as her 16th Grand Slam singles title—in a 6-4, 6-4 victory over defending champion Sharapova. "I'm still a little bit upset about that loss last year," Williams said in an interview with ESPN following the match. "But it's all about, for me, how you recover. I think I've always said a champion isn't about how much they win, but it's about how they recover from their downs, whether it's an injury or whether it's a loss."

Nearly one month later, Williams competed at Wimbledon, where she suffered a shocking loss (6-2, 1-6, 6-4) in the fourth round against German player Sabine Lisicki on July 1, 2013. The upset marked the end of a 34-match winning streak by Williams, a five-time champion. Of the defeat, Williams told Sports Illustrated, "I don't think it's a huge shock. [Lisicki] is a great player. Her ranking has no effect on what she should be. She should be ranked higher. 

She just has a super, super game to play well on grass."

At the U.S. Open, Williams made a strong showing. She knocked out her younger rival Sloane Stephens in the fourth round to advance to the quarterfinals. Williams had lost to Stephens earlier in the year at the Australian Open. Continuing her winning streak,she defeated Victoria Azarenka to clinch the U.S. Open title. It was the second year in a row that the pair had faced off in the finals.

http://serenawilliams.com/about/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/157634.Serena_Williams?from_search=true

http://www.biography.com/people/serena-williams-9532901

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serena_Williams

Florence Delorez Griffith Joyner...Author,Considered the Fastest Woman of All Time,Sports Magazine Editor and Contributor

Florence Griffith Joyner 1959-1998 was not alone among athletes in burning herself into public memory. But she was alone in her sport. In 1988 she burst into the spotlight, having transformed herself from the workaday sprinter who had won silver in the 200 meters at the boycott-thinned 1984 Olympics into the fastest woman in history. She ran the 100 in 10.49 seconds in '88, a world record that wasn't even approached for a decade. The sister-in-law of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Flo-Jo won three gold medals at the '88 Games and set a world record of 21.34 in the 200. A decade later, long retired but still a vital personality, she died of a heart seizure. It wasn't simply speed that formed Flo-Jo's legend, but also style. She wore one-legged unitards and lace attachments when other women wore shorts, melding athleticism and glamour like no one else. Sprint coach John Smith recalls watching her run in '88: "That year she had the outfits and the nails and the name, and she was in the best shape of her life. Suddenly, she had everything figured out. It was beautiful to watch.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/11/

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Griffith_Joyner#cite_note-2

http://www.florencegriffithjoyner.com/

Jackie Joyner-Kersee...Philanthropist,Author,Retired American Athlete, Ranked Among the All-Time Greatest Athletes in the Women's Heptathlon as Well as in the Women's Long Jump

Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee was born on March 3, 1962 in East St. Louis, Illinois, and was named after Jackie Kennedy. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those two events at four different Olympic Games. Sports Illustrated for Women magazine voted Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century, just ahead of Babe Didrikson Zaharias.  Joyner-Kersee's childhood was set in the dark ages of women's sport, when athletic girls spent their time racing boys and playing on their teams. The second oldest of Mary and Alfred Joyner's four children, raised in the south-end slums of East St. Louis, Ill., she was first a dancer, then a cheerleader. When she discovered track and field at age nine, she and her friends would carry sand in potato-chip bags they found in a nearby playground and spread it in front of the Joyners' porch, creating a makeshift long jump pit. There were none of the elite travel teams that nurture the athletic careers of talented girls in the '90s. There was, instead, a man named Nino Fennoy, who coached a junior track team called the East St. Louis Railers and who gave Joyner-Kersee the means to learn about herself. (It is telling of Joyner-Kersee's generation that one of the most important moments in her life came at the age of 14, when she beat her older brother, Al, in a race. "He still says he won," says Jackie, "but he didn't.")

Joyner-Kersee was one of the first children of Title IX. She was 10 years old when the groundbreaking legislation was passed in 1972, mandating equal access to sports for men and women across the country. A brilliant athlete, she also became a surrogate parent to the later offspring of Title IX, her career beginning in one era of women's sport and ending in another. "When I was little, a lot of women's sports heroes were gymnasts and figure skaters, and I just could not relate to those sports," says Julie Foudy, Hamm's U.S. soccer teammate and, like Hamm, a teenager during Joyner-Kersee's finest days. "Jackie I could relate to."

In 2007,Joyner-Kersee helped establish Athletes for Hope along with such sports heroes as Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali and Mia Hamm. This organization supports and encourages athletes "to make a difference in the world," according to its website.She Co-wrote her autobiography with Sonja Steptoe,A Kind of Grace: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest Female Athlete,in 1997. Joyner-Kersee joined the board of the USA Track & Field organization in 2012.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Joyner-Kersee

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/1/

http://www.biography.com/people/jackie-joyner-kersee-9358710?page=2

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235044.A_Kind_of_Grace

http://www.athletesforhope.org/

Peggy Gail Fleming...American Figure Skater,1968 Olympic Champion in Ladies' Singles,Three-Time World Champion,Breast Cancer Survivor,Painter,Visual Artist,Winemaker,Author

Peggy Fleming's gold-medal-winning free-skate program at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, lasted just four minutes, but that was enough time, it turned out, to change everything. By bringing her new and captivating combination of athleticism and artistic expression to an international TV audience -- Grenoble was the first Winter Games to be televised live and in color -- the 19-year-old achieved a remarkable trifecta: She returned glory to a U.S. team that had been wiped out by a 1961 plane crash, turned a once staid sport into the Games' glamour event and set figure skating on a course of growing popularity in the U.S. that now rivals the NFL's.

Most important, perhaps, Fleming established a new standard for artistic elegance on the ice. Delicate and subtle yet unmistakably athletic -- she had played baseball and surfed in her youth -- Fleming flowed seamlessly through her elements, making even the most demanding maneuvers look easy.

In 1998, Peggy celebrated another victory: surviving Breast Cancer. Peggy’s cancer was detected early and she underwent surgery and radiation. She is a grateful survivor who became a spokesperson for Breast Cancer Awareness. After her recovery, she retired from the spotlight and ventured into winemaking, launching Fleming Jenkins Wines with her husband, Dr. Greg Jenkins. Together they ran a tasting room in their hometown of Los Gatos, California. Both retired from winemaking in 2011 to enjoy their own schedule and make time for painting, friends and family.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/19/

http://peggyfleming.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggy_Fleming

Wilma Glodean Rudolph...American Athlete,Author,Activist,Humanitarian,Olympic Champion

Long before becoming the world's fastest female, Wilma Rudolph 1940-1994 beat her greatest odds by learning to walk on her own. As a child, Rudolph (the 17th of 21 children) was afflicted with polio, scarlet fever and double pneumonia and grew up wearing a brace on her right leg. To her doctor's shock, she removed the brace and walked unassisted at age nine. By 13 she was outracing neighborhood kids. By 16 she had qualified for the 1956 Olympics (she won bronze in the 4x100-meter relay). In Rome four years later she became a beloved figure when she won the 100 and 200 meters and in the 4x100. She never shied from a cause. She participated in sit-ins at whites-only restaurants, ran a community center and established the Wilma Rudolph Foundation, which sends schools tutors and books about American heroes, a category that surely includes Rudolph.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/top_100/8/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilma_Rudolph