A vocal activist for minority and women’s rights, Beauparlant sits on several boards, including the International Women’s Media Foundation and the National Association of Black Journalists, and counts herself as a member of Columbia Journalism School’s Board of Visitors. She is a graduate of Columbia University and has one child, a daughter.
Tips:
Never forget where you come from
Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions—even of yourself
Work hard, but also be sure to live
Always keep things in perspective
Take care of yourself
Remember: the people who look up to you see the best version of themselves in you
Wednesday, December 2
From: Sister Samantha Bridgewater
To: College Prep Seminar List-Serv
Subject: Special Announcement from Celeste Beauparlant
Greetings students,
As you all know, Career Day is quickly approaching. In preparation for this momentous occasion, Celeste Beauparlant has sent our class a message. You can find her note below.
Many blessings,
Sister Samantha Bridgewater
———
Hello Sister Bridgewater,
Please have your students watch Sunday Politicos this Sunday, December 6. There will be questions and a discussion as part of my presentation based on the interview that I will be conducting with Senator Andres Venegas.
I’m looking forward to Career Day,
C
Sunday, December 6
From: Alaine Beauparlant
To: Estelle Dubois
Subject: MOM’S SHOW
Did. You. See. That? What was that? Did I just imagine what went down on my television screen???
IN SHOCK,
ALAINE
BREAKING:
Video Footage and Transcript of Explosive and Baffling Moment Between Journalist Celeste Beauparlant and Florida Senator Andres Venegas on ‘Sunday Politicos’
By Colt Rivers, The Capitol Post
CP reporters are working actively to determine what sparked the violent clash between GNN Sunday talk show host Celeste Beauparlant and Florida senator Andres Venegas this morning. If pictures are worth a thousand words, this video is worth a million. Here is the rushed transcript of the conversation excerpt leading up to what many are already calling “Slap-Gate”:
CELESTE BEAUPARLANT: You’re facing serious accusations, Senator.
SEN. ANDRES VENEGAS: Celeste. This is me we’re talking about. I’m as honest as they come. You know, growing up, I’d get in trouble for being too truthful. So, when I tell you that I did not do anything improper, I mean it.
BEAUPARLANT: [leans forward with hand under chin] Those party-issued credit cards. You can say unequivocally that following the money will lead us to nothing...untoward?
VENEGAS: Not a thing.
BEAUPARLANT: Then why the delay in releasing the records? We have our FOIAs out all over the place, waiting.
VENEGAS: Celeste. Celeste. I assure you, I’m just following protocol. My constituents know of the liberal media bias that has been against me since I set foot in DC—
[cross talk]
BEAUPARLANT: ...sir, it was your constituents that raised the issue. We report what we find and what concerns the public.
VENEGAS: Nothing personal, right?
[pause]
BEAUPARLANT: Exactly. So, when the public hears rumors of expensive dinners at Zuma and courtside Miami Heat seats on their dime, let alone claims of foreign vacations to Singapore...it leads me to wonder what you’ll do to regain their trust. Your profile only continues to rise, and the scrutiny of a potential pres—
[cross talk]
VENEGAS: I’ve been blessed with a vision since I was a kid, Celeste. I was the youngest elected member to my state’s House of Representatives and served there diligently before I felt my work would be best continued in Washington. My time in Congress only cemented my dream of representing all of Florida in the Senate—
[cross talk]
BEAUPARLANT: Your accomplishments are very impressive, Senator, and we mentioned them in our segment intro, but with the growing calls for your receipts or resignation, where do you realistically go from here?
VENEGAS: [reaches toward Beauparlant, places hand on her forearm] Well, Celeste, here’s what I can promise you and the American people—I’m not going anywhere.
BEAUPARLANT: LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!
VENEGAS: What? What’d I do?
BEAUPARLANT: [shrugs off Venegas, leaps from seat] STOP IT! [smacks Venegas across the face and pushes him off chair]
VENEGAS: WHAT THE F—[feedback from microphone]
[unintelligible cross talk]
[show cuts to commercial]
THIS JUST IN:
SELECT TOPICS TRENDING ON TWITTER
THE DAY OF SLAP-GATE
United States Trends
#SlapGate
@nytimes, @ABCNews, and 10,000 more are Tweeting about this
#CelesteBeauparlant
35.2K Tweets
Andres Venegas
12.5K Tweets
#DamnGina
Just started trending
Monday, December 7
The Life and Times of Alaine Beauparlant
The concluding years of adolescence mark the heightening of your maturity. As time progresses, you’ll learn more and more about yourself along the way. High school in particular is a time of exploration, self-growth, and—
What a load of crap.
I folded the pamphlet that my dad had snuck into my lunch bag in half as Tatiana settled into the seat beside me in the cafeteria. He was notorious for giving me developmental handouts whenever he needed more time to get his thoughts together around a certain topic before discussing it with me. My dad thought he did a good job of masking it, but he cared about my mother. A lot more than he would ever admit to me (or her, for that matter). And with Mom now hiding in Haiti to wait out the media sharks, he was focusing all of his attention on me. I knew there was a larger conversation just looming around the corner. I could already hear him clearing his throat before looking deeply into my eyes and asking about my feelings on Slap-Gate.
It was now over twenty-four hours since Mom’s on-air outburst and all Dad had done was ask me 856 times if I was doing okay and wanted to talk. Clips from what some were calling the “anchor altercation of the century” were inescapable. The evening news. The morning news. Late night shows. My classmates’ cell phones. With each news alert, my dad would send another “just checking in” text, and it was driving me as Mad as the Hatter.