“You want to be a black woman right?”, we ask the internet of black fishers who haven't the slightest inkling of a clue what it takes, and the privilege it is to walk in our shoes. You want this deep chocolate or golden bronze look, that Michelle Obama intellectual flyness, that Cleopatra woman of the nile beauty. Well, you’ve manufactured a watered down version of this untamed elegance in the digital world, but here's a tip: You cannot afford the down payment on the cost of being a black woman. Apparently what we suffer and endure on a daily basis is the price we pay for being who God created us to be on this earth.
Black women have largely been left out of important conversations and been put on the back burner of feminist movements for millennium while doing most of the grunt work and lending huge success to these areas. We are often undervalued and overlooked for acknowledgement of our contributions, and on top of that, the dominant culture feels the need to dictate our identity while quieting our influential voice.
This is the era of commoditization, and for the black woman that means our bodies are on the market. Today, as we reclaim our culture and our image, let's remember that we are visionary forces and have the capacity to shape the culture and create our own lane. We’re asking all those that ignored our unique plight as Black Women to keep that same energy while we flourish ALL 2019 and beyond.
Black women are dominating across various industries regardless of the shackles forced onto us. We will no-longer ignore our mental health, or starve while the entire world rides our glory. We will continue learning ancient methods of healing, launching brands and platforms to speak against false ideals, and addressing our own health deficits and wellness needs. This is ‘me-time’ on steroids, and it’s well overdue.
Let’s glorify the Black Women of our time leading the way in their respective industries. We fought so hard, and continue to do so in the name of respect. Whether it's Entrepreneurship, venture capitalism, media, entertainment, or education, we are doing the damn thing and we deserve the utmost respect for it.
In November 2018, The Beauty Mogul, Raynell Steward, made 1 million in 90 minutes with her Cyber Monday sale of The Crayon Case Cosmetics. Like Cardi B, she is the Queen of “Keeping-it-real” with a very down to earth social media presence as ‘Supacent” on Instagram. Her fans were able to connect with her on a more personal level, and because of that, she was able to leverage that as substantial buying power. When an excellent product meets impeccable brand awareness, you have a gold-mine for success.
The young Star Marsai Martin is shooting her way to the top of the entertainment industry, dripping in black girl magic. When they say representation matters, they mean that young black girls need to see themselves achieving great things in the face of adversity in order to know and believe that anything is possible. For the next gen, Marsai Martin is becoming that face, among many other shining examples of beautiful black girlhood. I think it's also important to note that this young Queen is brown skin, which makes a huge difference in showing young black girls that your complexion is just as beautiful, and you do not need to hate the skin you’re in. She co-stars in a grammy award winning T.V. show Blackish and is set to become the youngest Executive producer in Hollywood for “Little”, starring Taraji P. Henson. We see you Marsai!
These are two black females amongst thousands that are leading the way for black women and girls to know who they are and what they deserve. The pendulum is swinging back in our direction at a velocity of an alarming rate as we elevate our lifestyles with such grace and an untouchable work ethic. Black women are not begging for a seat at the table, we’re building our own despite our adversities.
Contributor, Her Image
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