explore the black diaspora through #strollingseries

i’ve never felt more american or isolated than while watching strolling series. created by cecile emeke, the short films explore the black diaspora through complex topics such as feminism, afro-futurism, capitalism, music and immigration. what’s most interesting is uncovering the ways race and nationality are shaped by physical location.

while we have a long way to go in america by way of representation and inclusion, strolling series reminded me that black-american art influences the international black experience. there’s privilege in living at what some might consider the epicenter of black life.

one thing’s for sure — black womanhood is lit no matter the location, and these young sisters’ analysis is so sharp until i beamed with pride.

celebrate ori inu: in search of self

ori inu is a film about a young woman’s painful conflict with spirituality. written, directed and produced by chelsea odufu and her brother emann odufu, the movie explores the fractures between afro-brazilian religion and christianity.

chelsea calls herself an art activist who challenges the boundaries of gender, beauty and individuality. after watching her short film “the love below,” i’m definitely a fan. make sure to support black women filmmakers like chesea and the magic they produce.

5 reasons why #blackoutday won

black folks took to the internet yesterday to remind ourselves and the world just what beauty looks like.  from different hues, genders, sexual orientations and physical abilities, our melanin shut social media down. here are five reasons why unapologetically black spaces like #blackoutday are important:

viola davis’s moving sag awards acceptance speech

“less classically beautiful” my ass! not only did viola look stunning in all white with an afro of glory, her acceptance speech for best actress in a drama reminded us all why visibility matters.

dear lesley mcspadden

after watching lesley mcspadden’s reactions to the grand jury’s decision not to indict her son’s murderer, darren wilson, i cried with her, sharing pain that only black women know for our born and un-born sons. melissa harris-perry addresses lesley in an open letter on sunday’s show that captured my sentiments exactly (check out the video here):

Dear Ms. McSpadden,

It’s me, Melissa.

Like you, I am the mother of black children. Like so many other black moms I wanted to say something to comfort you this week. But here I stand, still unsure of what to say. For months we have watched you navigate the treacherous, agonizing, and now all too familiar role of a grieving black mother seeking justice for your slain child.

Along with the stoic and extraordinary Sybrina Fulton, we endured the not-guilty verdict for George Zimmerman who killed her son, Trayvon Martin. Along with the undaunted Lucia McBath, we felt some sense of fairness with the retrial conviction of Michael Dunn who killed her son, Jordan Davis. Along with determined Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, we were stunned by the senseless motivations of gang rivalry espoused by the alleged killers of her daughter, Hadiya Pendleton.

This week, along with you we were broken as we learned that a grand jury found no crime in the killing of your son-Michael. I cannot speak for all black mothers, but I want you to know that many of us felt your anguish through the screen, felt it penetrate our core and break our hearts as we bore witness to your shock and torment.

I want you to know: your son’s life did matter. No decision by any jury, anywhere, can ever change that truth.

glamour magazine honors lupita n’yongo and laverne cox

“we plant the seed of possibility.” –lupita n’yongo

the 24th annual glamour magazine women of the year awards were held last night at carnegie hall, and our darlings lupita n’yongo and laverene cox are two of this year’s honorees.   lupita was STUNNING per usual wearing an all-white dress from chanel. in her interview with glamour, the actress shared these thoughts on standards of beauty:

glamour: you’ve received lots of attention for your looks. did you grow up feeling beautiful?

lupita: european standards of beauty are something that plague the entire world—the idea that darker skin is not beautiful, that light skin is the key to success and love. africa is no exception. when i was in the second grade, one of my teachers said, “where are you going to find a husband? how are you going to find someone darker than you?” i was mortified.

i’m so amazed and impressed by her effortless candor.  lupita disrupts the beauty matrix when she criticizes european standards of beauty directly to a mainstream magazine that upholds such values. her presence threatens the power imbalance and tells women of color “there’s room in this world for beauty to be diverse.”

glamour called emmy-nominated actress laverne cox, “the face of one of the biggest equality stories in 2014.” always armed with statistics and stories of an oppressed community, cox used her spotlight with glamour to cast light on the injustices perpetrated against the trans people. read her interview here and witness an true activist at work.

 

the face of domestic violence

popular model and blogger danii phae bravely shared images of her alleged abuse by ex-boyfriend j$tash.  in a tumblr post, she described him as someone who abused her “verbally, mentally and emotionally.”  according to danii he became physically violent on september 15th after she confronted him regarding his infidelity.

my heart goes out to this young sister who is facing such a difficult struggle.  her courage is beyond commendable, especially because her popularity gives her every reason to hide her abuse.  instead, she’s using the very platform that helped make her famous, the internet, to empower others and “speak up against domestic violence for those who can’t due to the manipulative acts [their] abusers inflict.”

viola davis defines herself

according to a new york times article critiquing television writer/producer shonda rhimes, viola davis is less “classically beautiful than kerry washington.”  the star of rhimes’ new show, how to get away with murder, stopped by the view to respond to the negative comment:

“I’m glad that Shonda Rhimes “SAW” me and said “Why Not.” That’s what makes her a visionary.  That’s what makes her iconic.  I think that beauty is subjective. I’ve heard that statement  (less classically beautiful) my entire life.  Being a dark skinned Black woman, you heard it from the womb.  And “classically not beautiful” is a fancy term for saying ugly.  And denouncing you. And erasing you.  Now…it worked when I was younger.  It no longer works for me now.  It’s about teaching a culture how to treat you. Because at the end of the day, you define you.”

clearly, one of the most beautiful things about viola davis is not just her physical appearance, but her eloquence.  watch how to get away with murder after scandal on thursday nights at 10 pm.

 

columbusing alert: gelled edges & big butts

just as christopher columbus “discovered” the new world, high fashion magazines and celebrities continue to appropriate black culture, naming things like big butts and gelled edges the newest trends.

despite vogue’s article titled ‘we’re officially in the era of the big booty‘ and gelled edges being spotted on this season’s runway shows, neither round backsides nor prominent baby hair is “new.” in fact, black folks kinda invented both.  while we appreciate the rare occasions when mainstream society recognizes our contribution to this country’s very existence, especially pop culture, the kind of appropriation pictured above is offensive. why? because it involves failing to recognize the history of an act, as if its originators are invisible.  this fact is especially problematic for black people who are often denigrated for the very things that white americans can espouse as displays of “coolness”.  using black vernacular, rocking gold grills, twerking — and now gelled edges and big butts — breed street cred for whites and limited socioeconomic opportunities for blacks.  this skewed dichotomy is emblematic of larger society and goes far beyond the fashion and entertainment industries.

despite columbusing’s macro origins, one chip in cultural appropriation’s armor could be having more black models, writers and bloggers to fact check these egregious claims and ensure a more responsible cultural exchange. however, until that happens, i’ll continue to feel mocked and exploited by katy perry’s braids and vogue’s recent “discovery” of the beauty of big butts.

crush of the week: chargaux

charly and margaux, known as chargaux, are two sisters killing the violin and viola. their music is the perfect mix of jazz and r&b with hip hop influences — AND their style is impeccable. i’m head over heels in love with their music.

all pics via the chargaux website