W hat happens when your husband is just like your father? In June of 2003, Beyonce broke the internet/television/radio/album sales/etc with the release of her first solo album, Dangerously In Love. I just turned 20 years old when the album dropped, and as the saying goes, it gave me life. Here was this unabashedly beautiful,… Continue reading My Daddy Said Shoot
Category: Black Women
This, Too, Shall Pass
“The continued existence of our species is predicated on the fact that women are designed to withstand pain.” I’m not usually vain enough to quote myself, but I said that one night while otherwise inebriated and reeling from heartache, both personal and societal. But let me take a step back from that and paint a… Continue reading This, Too, Shall Pass
Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” Wasn’t For Me… And That’s Okay
Like most of Black Twitter, I was glued to my television set on Saturday for the world premiere of Beyoncé’s Lemonade. I wasn’t sure what it was going to be. I was sure that I needed to be somewhere where it was going to be. My partner made sure of that. As a fan of… Continue reading Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” Wasn’t For Me… And That’s Okay
Black Girl Free: Unleashing the Wild
M y daughter is six and she likes to twerk. I watch these movements; her hands perched on her knees, back slightly arched as she sways from side to side. I am not compelled to stop her. I watch in amazement at the confidence she spews as her hair, big and wild, sway in concert… Continue reading Black Girl Free: Unleashing the Wild
Perception is Everything
My little black girl is three years old, and I’m probably hyper concerned [1] about images of black womaness and their impact on her emotional and physical growth. For as long as I possibly can, I want some say over the representations that flood her developing psyche. That being said, my husband and I surround… Continue reading Perception is Everything
The Perfect Woman
I want to be the perfect woman. At first glance, this might seem ambitious, but it has been repeatedly proven this is actually quite attainable. I know it, because there is an entire industry made of men who’ve created a career and commissioned quite a bit of money from telling women how to be women.… Continue reading The Perfect Woman
Searching For Identity In the Realm of Black Hair
A few weeks ago, I stepped away from the kinky/curly hair community for a basic haircut. I’d re-entered the space with an understanding of how I revel in the fragmentation of the African-American community. While I question what it means to be united with other African-Americans, I used my hair to play up my self-worth.… Continue reading Searching For Identity In the Realm of Black Hair
A League of Their Own
When I left Haiti in 1964, I was certainly aware of social and economic inequalities, as well as of those between men and women. I do remember, for instance, the enthusiasm of young people of my generation for projects of assistance and support to the needy, visits to the sick, and help in evangelization and… Continue reading A League of Their Own
My Mother and Me
One of the best parts of my adult life is the camaraderie I’ve developed with my mother. It’s a fruitful and engaging friendship filled with jokes, laughs, and playful pokes by the two of us. If a couple of weeks go by without us speaking, my phone will ring and “Mommy” will flash. The minute… Continue reading My Mother and Me
A Loving Letter to Black Men Who Mean Well
We try and fail. And we’ve been conditioned to look for black women to help us get up. After all, they always have. But if what we have tried and failed at doing is addressing our own sexism, we must resist this conditioned response. Part of rooting out the patriarchy within ourselves is withholding expectation… Continue reading A Loving Letter to Black Men Who Mean Well