This January 2021 marked the year of Authenticity for the Black Woman. It is an interesting time for us in America, right now. While most things seem to be at a stand-still, black women are forging ahead in all industries, delivering a clear message to the world that says: “We are here”.
January 20th, 2021 marked a monumental moment in American History. Kamala Harris ( a graduate from the historically black college Howard University, and an member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority ) became the first black woman to be voted Vice-President of America. Ironically, after President Trump made a mess of the country, they sent a black woman in to clean up the mess.
With her unapologetic confidence, Harris made it very clear that she would not shrink herself to pacify the American public, and quickly became a beacon of inspiration for black girls all around the country. But this would only be the beginning for us.
As a response to police brutality and the growing oppression of white supremacy, many black consumers started “buying black”, pouring money into black industries and businesses, truly recognizing, and finally giving credit to the work of black creatives in all fields. Black creativity has become the theme of this Black History Month, with the notion that this world simply cannot exist without it.
Black women: This is the year where we strip away the layers that no longer serve us and we show the world who we truly are. Black women are not a monolith. We come in many shapes and forms. We as individuals are able to shape-shift all throughout our lives. We are ghetto, and we are boujie. We are submissive but we are also leaders. We can twerk and we can code. I bet you somewhere out there, is a black girl who can twerk while coding!
Whether it’s by chopping off your perm, or simply choosing not to code-switch at work, this is the time for black women to step into their power by stepping into their truth. And the truth is: We are reclaiming our position at the head of modern society.
