In the face of a world that is quick to co-opt our style why shouldn’t women of color say to themselves and one another “I appreciate you”? Once referred to by Zora Neale Hurston as “the mule of the world” the expectation of the black woman to be perpetually courageous, solid and strong can be infuriating. But the celebration of the strength, stability, courageousness, and beauty of black women should inspire and not offend.
Much has been said about the phrase “black girl magic” – some of it whimsical, some of it trite, and some of it willfully ignorant, but none of it has struck me more than Linda Chaver’s scathing rejection of the term. Her description of it as “smothering, and stunting” and “restricting rather than freeing” totally missed the mark. While I respect Chaver’s experiences as a woman of color, her insinuation that the term deprived black women and girls of their humanity by drawing connections to police misconduct, violence, and depravity attempted to diminish a movement so large it spans economic backgrounds, religious beliefs, and educational levels. This phrase expresses a simple yet remarkable sentiment that is appreciated just as much by the nineteen year old single mother in Irvington, New Jersey as it is by the Ivy League graduate from P.G. County, Maryland. Black girls are magic not because the world does not see us as equal but because we sparkle in spite of it.
Read more about why I support black girl magic and movements like #mobilizingcolor below.
Similar to the much- lauded “Girl Power” movement of the 1990s, “black girl magic” is a means for black women to support and celebrate themselves and each other. Who wouldn’t want to be apart of that?
Recently I had a chance to sit in a room full of beautiful black women working together to exalt their collective magic by using their influence to inform and empower consumers by connecting them with brands that value them as well as their money.
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The Mobilizing Color organization, founded by marketing VP Charlene Dance, brought together women of color in media, editorial and other various industries to discuss changes that could be made to help influence purchase decisions of people of color and to mandate the importance of the black dollar with large companies. As I looked around the table at these women like the smartly accessorized Kela Walker of KelasKloset, the glowing skin of Ty Alexander of GorgeousInGrey, and the vibrant curls of image activist Michaela Angela Davis. I knew that this was where I was supposed to be, among women who are making a difference everyday, challenging stereotypes and exemplifying black girl magic.
Celebrating black girl magic is about more than stampeding to get in formation with Beyonce’ or greeting Zendaya with a “yassss” every time she opens her Covergirl coated lips. It’s about more than racking up more degrees than our male counterparts or making a dollar out of fifteen cents. It’s not solely defined by resilience, persistence, beauty or any of the other amazing traits we possess and it doesn’t stop when the newsstands are no longer proudly sporting the “Body Brigade” a la EBONY’s March 2016 issue.
“Mainstream” culture is slowly but surely working towards totally embracing the undeniable magic that is black girls. Deshauna Barber has recently been crowned as Miss USA, Nomzamo Mbatha is proudly sporting coily curls on the cover of June’s Cosmopolitan South Africa, Serena Williams is wielding her strength on the cover of this month’s of Glamour, and Elle is providing proof that everyone else is realizing what we’ve always known about the ball of laughs that is Leslie Jones. Still being provided with (warranted) recognition for the amazing things we’re accomplishing is no reason for us to stop uplifting ourselves.
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Black girl magic isn’t about seeking validation from outside voices. It’s about the way that a new hire at your job instantly relaxes because she knows she won’t be judged by you for what is her natural speaking voice. It’s about the woman running up to you in Target to ask what you put on your natural hair. These are the little moments that form the sense of community that movements like #mobilizingcolor, which is dedicated to endorsing corporations that seek to serve our needs, are all about. Black girl magic is intrinsic. It’s euphoric. It’s real -and it’s ours.
Do you think Black Girls are magic? Join the conversation with us on social media!
Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece penned in June of 2016. Sentiments below are my own and do not reflect the sentiments of any brands or entities LoveBrownSugar is affiliated with.