The media encourages fashion, beauty, life and more media. This hasn’t just begun and it won’t end any time soon. I remember when TLC (the girl group) first hit the scene and my clothes became a little more colorful and a lot more baggy. Before that I wore my baseball jerseys backwards. Why? Because that’swhat Kris Kross did. With the emergence of Lil Kim, my lipgloss became glittery and my friends started rocking red and green wigs. Wu-Tang made it ok for the rugged look to be cool and all the dudes in the neighborhood took note of that.Today’s generation is no different. How can we judge and ridicule kids for wearing pink wigs, dying their hair red or calling themselves  Barbie’s? Did we not call ourselves Hot Boys and Hot Girls?  How can we get upset if the jeans are skinnier, the shirts are tighter and the clothes are more expensive. That’s all that they see, so for a lot of them, its all they know. None of this is unfamiliar.

The issue is not keeping up with the current trend but knowing that the lifestyles we see in media is purely for entertainment. Its our responsibilities as adults to teach the youth that true self is within and not in the label of their shirt or the color of their hair.One thing that I had was a strong support system. I was taught that it was ok to wear your clothes like your favorite celebrity, but its even better to be knowledgeable. Let’s all make an effort to teach today’s youth that yes, Nicki is entertaining but Nicki is also successful and that they should strive for success. Teach them that behind the music, Lil Wayne is a hardworking man who studies his craft and tries to perfect it.Know yourself, know your worth and strive to succeed. Because at the end of the day when the wigs and clothes fall off, it’s  what you know that’s going to get you by.

Kia Chenelle