New York, U.S.A. — WAT-AAH!, a line of functional water for kids and teens, announces “Move Your Body 2013″  in celebration of the 3rd year anniversary of Let’s Move!. This year with the support of professional athletes and celebrities, thousands of children from over 600 schools across the United States will come together to move and dance in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to combat childhood obesity.

In 2011, WAT-AAH! joined NABEF, who teamed up with Beyonce as she debuted “Move Your Body” for the Let’s Move! Flash Workout event. The song and music video instructed a pre-choreographed dance routine re-recorded from her hit single “Get Me Bodied.” It was performed simultaneously by thousands of school children on May 3rd. The event gained global recognition as Beyonce surprised students at Harlem’s P.S.161 and First Lady Michelle Obama surprised students at Alice Deal Middle School in Washington, D.C. to participate in the initiative.

With the success of this initiative, in 2012, WAT-AAH! decided to continue to spread the message and spearheaded an even bigger event involving thousands of kids and NFL and NBA athletes with its nationwide “Move Your Body 2012″ event.

“The success of the last two years proved this event is not only worthwhile, but that it is also very meaningful to the children and to those involved,” says Rose Cameron, CEO and Founder of WAT-AAH! “As a brand and a company, we are more than thrilled to facilitate ‘Move Your Body 2013,’ providing the children a significant venue to stand up once again and support Let’s Move!, the fight for their health and their future,” she adds.

Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are even higher in African American and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40% of the children are overweight or obese. Studies have shown that chronic obesity-related health problems can cause such diseases as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma among children.

This year, WAT-AAH! looks to encourage even more schools to take part in the campaign and spread the message of healthy hydration and physical activity to even more students. To resonate with kids and teens, WAT-AAH! uses fun and contemporary approaches in its initiatives, and believes that celebrities can play an important role. Some of its major partnerships have included young celebrities such as OMG Girlz, Diggy Simmons, Willow Smith, Nick Cannon, Ryan Beatty, Cody Simpson, along with NFL athletes such as Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints and Pat Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals, who have come together to take a stand for kid’s health.

Image Courtesy : U.S. Army IMCOM

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New York, U.S.A. — NewsOne.com, an urban digital media company, Interactive One’s African-American news website, published on October 23, an exclusive op-Ed penned by First Lady Michelle Obama that speaks directly to the country’s nearly 39 million Black Americans. The op-Ed addresses the importance of every vote in this November’s presidential election and Mrs. Obama encourages those who can, to vote early this year for her husband President Barack Obama.

“Now that so many states have early vote—including Ohio, North Carolina, Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida, New Mexico, and Iowa—we can make our voices heard well before Election Day,” explains First Lady Michelle Obama. “So, if you live in a state with early voting, pledge to cast your ballot early—and then reach out to everyone you know and make sure they vote by November 6, too.”

Before reminding voters of the close results of the 2008 presidential election, the first lady recalls the long strides previous generations made to ensure the civil liberties all Americans enjoy today. She makes clear, however, that it “doesn’t mean our work is finished.” Mrs. Obama states, “Make no mistake, here in our time, it’s more important than ever that we show up to vote, not just this year, but every year and in every election. Every voice must be heard and every vote must be counted.”

Mrs. Obama’s op-Ed comes on the heels of an exclusive story published by NewsOne on October 11 where the first lady addressed issues affecting Black female voters. In the story she discusses President Obama’s latest debate performance, what’s at stake in this year’s presidential election, and whether the president has the support of Black women.

“NewsOne.com is the definitive source for news most relevant to the African-American community and our recent exclusives with First Lady Michelle Obama demonstrate that fact,” said Tom Newman, President, Interactive One. “The importance of Mrs. Obama’s message cannot be overstated. All of us at Interactive One eagerly encourage our readers to make their voices heard by voting and encouraging others to vote in next month’s election.”

To read First Lady Michelle Obama’s op-Ed, and for more information about NewsOne.com, visit their website.

Image Courtesy of Joyce N. Boghosian, White House photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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