Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among American women. In 2007, more than 200,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 women died from the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the occurrence of breast cancer in African American women is generally lower than that in Caucasian women, black women are more likely to die from the disease than any other racial group

Author Kimberla Lawson Roby never initially considered a career in writing a part of her future. Now, 15 novels later, she is one of the top-selling authors in her lane. Born and raised in Rockford, Ill., Kimberla worked in the areas of government contracts, state public assistance, personal banking, human resources and city community development.

Connie Briscoe has a way with words. Since the successful release of her first novel, Sisters & Lovers, the Washington, D.C. native has been telling the relatable stories of African American women through her eyes. With seven novels, one novella and a nonfiction work under her belt, she continues to be one of the top bestselling authors of today. Read on to see how Connie has persevered despite personal challenges, what she thinks about the publishing world’s current state, and how she developed the main character in her new work, Money Can’t Buy Love.

Fashion has always been considered an outlet through which creative expression reigns. If you study deep enough, you’ll see that the design and look of a piece is the personification of what the creator was feeling at that particular time. This art of creating is what led model and artist Ashley Nicole Fox to found her DYE LYFE Artistic Apparel clothing line.

In an industry overwhelmed by people chasing the same dream, it may be hard to differentiate yourself and prove that what you do is better than the rest. But for these three up-and-coming beauty and fashion aficionados, setting themselves apart comes naturally. Read on to see what these Glossy stars have to say about staying in the game and reaching for new heights.

Actor Laz Alonso is proof that good things come to those who wait. After taking a brief hiatus to focus on obtaining roles that better suited his talents, he landed two that put him on the fast track to leading-man status. The rising A-list actor talked to GlossMagazineOnline (GMO) about how he feels about the state of the black film industry today, making a move from Wall Street to Tinseltown and his perspective on love, relationships and faith.

These days, if an artist wants to be successful, he or she has to be a jack (or Jill) of all trades. And if wearing many hats is the key to fame and fortune, then singer/songwriter Demi Lobo is ready to unlock every door along her journey.

Grammy award-winning singer Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to tell it. On the first season of her hit reality show, What Chilli Wants, Thomas was often pegged as wanting “too much” in a partner and not being realistic in the characteristics she found favorable in a man. But she is resolute and ready to show the nation that having high standards shouldn’t be looked down upon—in fact, it should be the norm.

Aliya S. King has lived almost every journalist’s dream—to write for national publications, win an award for a story featured in one of them and then to write a book—or three.