Not only am I celebrating 30 Days of Black Joy this June, but it is also Black Music Appreciation Month!!
Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the Black/African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage. In a 2019 official proclamation from the White House they note,
“Throughout American history, African American music has reflected our Nation’s challenges and triumphs and has always enriched our Nation’s culture. During African American Music Appreciation Month, we pay tribute to the talented and inspiring African American artists who have given sound and voice to the full range of human emotions through the blues, jazz, gospel, rock and roll, rap, hip hop, and other genres. This month, we celebrate the countless contributions of African American singers, composers, and musicians, who have influenced and shaped every genre and style of music. They have turned universally shared emotions and experiences of suffering, joy, passion, pain, faith, injustice, and love into art that speaks to the heart and spirit of any American. African American music has the power to encourage, inspire, and affect social change. It transcends time, compelling generation after generation to sing, dance, think, and feel, and it endures in our culture, our history, our spirit, and our collective national soul.”
For me, music has multiple uses. It’s relaxing…it’s therapeutic…I’m always tuned into something to get me through my day!! In the words of President Biden, “We celebrate Black artists who have used their songs to stand up to injustice, fight for equality, and reflect a mirror on society — reminding us all of our enduring obligation to deliver the promise of America for all Americans.” In many ways this is definitely also a reflection of my thoughts!!
Myself enjoying some soul-soothing sounds at the Roots Picnic in Philly…Reppin’ A Tribe Called Quest!!
Today’s #BlackJoy moment, and for each Friday in June, I will share a curated playlist celebrating some of my favorite Black songs and artists! Check out this week’s playlist below:
What are some of your favorite songs and artists?! Feel free to share some of your favorite Black songs and artists, in the comments, and maybe one of your faves might make the list :-)!!
Why Black Joy? Why not? Who doesn’t want to share the joys of life…The things that make you smile or laugh…Or the feel-good moments!! I am super excited about these next few weeks! Over the course of the next 30 days, I will be sharing my moments of Black Joy! These moments may be personal to me, a creative expression, or some sort of acknowledgment or spotlight. Regardless of how big or small, I hope it brings some sort joy, provide some encouragement, or simply put a smile on your face!
Today’s Black Joy moment is an affirmation that I wanted to share…
As I ALWAYS say, “Sharing is Caring!” Why keep that sunshine to yourself, when you can spread it around!
What is Black Joy? Black joy is a celebratory term that has been used to acknowledge and highlight the experiences of happiness, pleasure, and contentment within the Black community. As a powerful and affirming concept, Black Joy incorporates resilience, creativity, and the strength of Black individuals and communities locally, nationally, and globally. In simple terms It’s Happiness…It’s Resistance…It’s Freedom!! Ultimately, Black joy is a counter-narrative to many existing dominant narratives of pain, oppression, and struggle that often define the representation of Black people in media and society.
Every year around this time I am led to share, promote, and celebrate the many ways in which Black Joy is personified and expressed. Over the next 30 days, there will be daily posts (via the BFF website, Instagram, and Facebook) celebrating the various forms and expressions of Black Joy. This is seen through art, music, dance, local/national/global community engagement, personal achievements, storytelling, and soooo much more!!
Now before we dive into our celebration, check out some of these articles to get your mind ready!!
2022-2023 another school has come and made its mark in the universe. You know I have to say it every time I write these reflections, I LOVE WHAT I DO!! However, this year is the beginning of what is going to be a continuous cycle of the floodgate of tears! This year’s class of 2023 is really special as this is the first class of students that I have seen since they were freshmen entering VCU!! Many of these students have been in at least two of my classes…I have watched them grow and mature…I have seen their struggles and their wins…I’ve met their parents, relatives and children…And seeing them walk across the stage and become graduates…It is truly a blessing to see the impact one can make in a matter of a few short years. Just take a look and see below….
Memories from VCU AFAM Graduation-Spring 2023
Not only is this year been special because of the new graduates, but also because I made it through a major career milestone. I made it through the half-way point of my tenure-track process…the third-year review!! Gathering documents, writing professional statements, obtaining references from students, updating my CV, experiencing teaching evaluations, and so much more…talk about an intense process…But I made it!! I will admit not only was this an experience of strength and dedication, but one of reflection. Going back and looking at all the work that I have done in these three years just blows my mind. I know I’m a hard worker, but just looking back and seeing it all documented on paper (physically and digitally) takes it to another level. This review process also showed me how wide and vast my community of support is and the impact they make on me. Shout out to all those who looked over my essays, shared their past experiences with the process, gave insight, gave an encouraging word, served as cheerleaders, calmed my nerves, took me out for a drink, or were just a listening ear. I think some folks do not realize the role they have in either bringing someone down, or elevating them to the highest heights! All in all, and in all honesty I am thankful for both because I know who to continue to take with me on my journey and who to let go.
In addition to my own research endeavors, I was super excited to mentor and advise several of my Capstone students as they presented at the 2023 VCU Undergraduate Research Symposium!! I was thoroughly impressed with their research projects and super proud to see them share it with the VCU community!!
AFAM Capstone Students presenting at the 2023 VCU Poster Symposium for Undergraduate Research and Creativity
2022-2023 as noted in the title has definitely been one for the books! I had three chapters come out in edited collections, a solo article on the role of Black girl storytelling in comic books, served as a keynote for VCU Dentistry school and Culpeper, VA’s first “CulpeperCon”, and to culminate everything I received my universities inaugural “Faculty Champion Award”.
In addition, to witnessing the success of my VCU students and my own, I also got a chance to celebrate one of my mentees and BFF intern Jaya Robinson as she graduated from high school and is headed to Spelman College (AUC Love!!)!
I will say this at the end of every semester and school year, I am always hyped and re-energized. Whatever feelings I had, depending on the type, were further magnified or lessened to make room for the good. So as I prepare for another productive summer, I can’t help but reflect on the highs, stress, joys, and wins!
I know it’s been a minute but I am getting back into the swing of things. Keeping it short and sweet and to the point, check out these hot new television and film trailers!!
Based on a True Story (Streaming June 8th on Peacock)
Surrounded (Streaming June 20th on MGM+)
Season 2-The Bear (Streaming June 22nd on FX/Hulu)
Hijack (Streaming June 28th on Apple TV+)
Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning, Part One (In theaters July 12th)
Graduation Season is in effect! The school year is coming to a close. Travel Plans are being made! And Summer is just around the corner! With that said, it’s time for you to get your summer reading list together! And I am here to help you make some selections so that you can drift into that literary dreamstate!
Check out May’s List Below:
Last Summer on State Street ~Toya Wolfe
What the Fireflies Knew ~Kai Harris
Anywhere You Run ~Wanda M. Morris
The God of Good Looks ~Breanne McIvor
The Three of Us ~Ore Agbaje-Williams
Dances ~Nicole Cuffy
Before I Let Go ~Kennedy Ryan
You Think You Know Me ~Ayaan Mohamud
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.”
Closing out the month with a literary bang!! They say “April Showers bring May Flowers,” well I would like to think that these books are a version of those April Showers. As we prepare to jump into the Spring season why not add a few books to your personal shelves!!
Check out April’s List Below:
Homebodies ~Tembe Denton-Hurst
Summer on Sag Harbor ~Sunny Hostin
The Wreck: A Daughter’s Memoir of Becoming a Mother ~Cassandra Jackson
Blood Scion ~Deborah Falaye
Black Birds in the Sky ~Brandy Colbert
Love Radio ~Ebony LaDelle
The Haunting of Alejandra ~V. Castro
When We Were Sisters ~Fatimah Asghar
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!!” ~Madam C.J. Walker
April 17th, 2003… 20 Years Ago today I became a member of the #1 Sorority in the land…Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
I remember the day like it was yesterday on the campus of Clark Atlanta University!! It was a sea of red marching through the promenade! And I saw the light…and it was Crimson and Cream!!
And on that day not only did I become a Soror of DST, but also a part of the 24 Vibrant Visionaries of Virtue. As part of the 24 VVV, I was the #20 (S/O to the back of the line) and known by many names… “Love Jones,” “Malcolmina X,” “Harlemshake,” “Digable Planets,” and “Bob Marley”!
Check out some of the many memories below:
Through the years SO MUCH has happened, but I will say this we have definitely embodied our name Vibrant, Visionaries of Virtue!! To this day we are doctors, lawyers, business owners, counselors/therapists, educators, nurses, researchers, STEM leaders, entrepreneurs, accountants, bankers, executive directors, court administrators, and just awesome, amazing women!! We About That Business!!
And OHHHHH the stories we could tell!! Never a dull moment with the #24VVV!!
All in all, I would not have it any other way than to cross the burning sands and come into Delta Land with these ladies!
We are rocking and rolling through another list of recommended reads!! This month is dedicated to telling “Her” story as we celebrate Women’s History Month! Much like every month I try to mix it up to include graphic novels, coming-of-age stories, diasporic and world literature, stories of the American dream, romance, and historical fiction. Nothing like adding a few more literary reads to your library!!
Check out March’s List Below:
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts ~Rebecca Hall
Maame ~Jessica George
Queenie: Godmother of Harlem ~Elizabeth Colomba
The Middle Daughter ~Chika Unigwe
Behold the Dreamers ~Imbolo Mbue
The Sun is Also a Star ~Nicola Yoon
Such a Fun Age ~Kiley Reid
Twice As Hard : The Stories of Black Women Who Fought to Become Physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century ~Jasmine Brown
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Where there is a woman there is magic.” — Ntozake Shange
This past weekend I had the great opportunity of serving as the inaugural keynote speaker for the first Culpeper Con (Culpeper, VA)!! I had such a blast presenting my work “Telling Black Girl Stories in Comics and Graphic Novels!”
Huge Shout Out to Andrew DeNicola and the Culpeper County Library!!
Check out some of the pics and the presentation below:
In addition to serving as the keynote, one of the local papers the Star Exponent would do a feature interview, see here!
New Month and a New Set of Hot Topics!! Check them out below :
Living History…Medal of Honor awarded to one of the first Black U.S. Special Forces officers…Nearly 60 years overdue, on March 3rd President Biden awarded retired Army Colonel Paris Davis the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s most prestigious decoration, for Davis’ acts of valor as a commander during the Vietnam War. Now 83 years old, retired Army Colonel Davis was one of the first Black officers to lead a U.S. Special Forces team in combat.
———
Course correcting the history of gynecology…In partnership with the “Under-Told Stories” project at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, Alabama artist Michelle Browder is looking to change the historical narrative around the history of gynecology.
———
For all my Skateboarders!!… This month the U.S. Postal Service is set to launch its latest collection of artistic stamps celebrating the “Art of the Skateboard.” The image below features the work of four skaters-turned-artists on photographs of skateboards, curated by art director Antonio Alcalá. Crystal Worl (Alaska)-Tlingit/Athabascan heritage with a blue-indigo salmon graphic; William James Taylor Junior (Virginia) concocted a red-and-orange abstract design; Di’Orr Greenwood (Arizona) celebrated her Navajo roots with a bright palette depicting eagle feathers, as well as the sun’s rising and setting tones; and lastly, Federico “MasPaz” Frum (Columbia-born/Washington, D.C.) created a stylistic jaguar. The collection will be available for purchase beginning March 24, 2023.
———
Keeping with the theme of Women’s History Month, Marvel just dropped a surprise new TV series on Disney+ MPower about the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s roster of female heroes. The four-part docuseries is now streaming in its entirety on the service. Executive produced by Zoë Saldaña, “the show blends footage from MCU movies and shows with new animation and interviews with Marvel stars to explore some of the franchise’s top stars and their long and complex history.”
The four episodes of MPower are “The Women of Black Panther” (which focuses on Danai Gurira’s Okoye, Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia, Florence Kasumba’s Ayo, and Letitia Wright’s Shuri), “Captain Marvel” (which also features Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau from the upcoming The Marvels movie), “Scarlet Witch” (which also includes Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness and even Kat Dennings’ Darcy Lewis) and “Gamora” of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise (whose story also obviously dovetails with her sister, Nebula, played by Karen Gillan). See the trailer below:
All four episodes of MPower are streaming now on Disney+.
———
Painter Spotlight!! Providing a voice for Black maternal mortality and morbidity through art…Chicago-based artist/painter Ashley January shows her vision and past experiences of the above in her solo exhibit, “Human I Mother I Black”! See some of her work below:
(Photo credit Ashley January, left-COVID Shelter in Place With Baby, 2020; top right-Quinn and Ashley Study #2, 2020; top bottom-Crystal and Dylan Study, 2020)
International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. This year’s 2023 theme is about how we can #EmbraceEquity!!
How will you forge women’s equality and #EmbraceEquity? Check out some available resources and things you can do to celebrate!!
Challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion
See the Google Doodle for the day…The vignettes within each “GOOGLE” letter highlight just a few of the many areas in which women around the world support each other to progress and improve each other’s quality of life. In honor of women across the globe who are supporting each other across all aspects of life — Happy International Women’s Day!
So to jump start Women’s History Month, I wanted to share an event that I will be participating in on March 17th!! Pass My Crown: The Woman’s Voice in Hip Hop-Past, Present & Future!!
This event will be an open discussion/dialogue about women in Hip Hop currently as well as historically. A few of the topics that will be explored include: the subject matter of lyrics, dress, feminism/womanism, culture appropriation (the Black woman aesthetic), the overt and covert misogyny, activism, what’s next for women in Hip Hop, and how a multitude of women’s voices need to be heard.
It’s gonna be a HOT one!! Check out the details below:
March 17th, 2023 (Doors Open at 6:15 pm)
Virginia Commonwealth University- Academic Commons 1107
1000 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA 23284
If you are in the Richmond area you do not want to miss this event!!
March is Women’s History Month!! Each year the National Women’s History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women’s History Month, this year’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”
The 2023 theme recognizes “women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media.” How appropriate and timely!!
Just like that I got another list of literary goodies waiting for you to add to you bookshelves. As always I have a nice mix for you, everything ranging from fantasy fiction to LGBTQ stories to illustrated history, and much more! And as you peruse the list make sure you also support your local bookstores!
Check out February’s List below:
Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People ~Kekla Magoon
Stone and Steel ~Eboni Dunbar
Rootless ~Krystle Zara Appiah
The Trayvon Generation ~Elizabeth Alexander
Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and Unseen ~George McCalman
Decent People ~De’Shawn Charles Winslow
A Ruin of Shadows ~L.D. Lewis
Trouble the Saints ~Alaya Dawn Johnson
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~Harriet Tubman
We are about half-way through February and trailers keep coming in!! This past Sunday during Super Bowl definitely dropped a few treats for us. Check out some of them below:
Final Season-Wu-Tang: An American Saga (Streaming on Hulu February 15th)
Luther: The Fallen Sun (Streaming on Netflix March 10th)
AIR (In theaters April 5th)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (In theaters May 5th)
Happy Valentine’s Day to all my BFF Family and Friends!! As a way of sharing my appreciation, here is a music playlist as well as film list to get you in the spirit!! Enjoy!!
Here is a playlist I created called “Black Love Through Music” on Spotify
And if you need a few suggestions of what to watch while cozied up on the couch, hanging out with that special someone, or with your crew check out this list of films to watch:
Claudine (1974)
Hav Plenty (1997)
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
Brown Sugar (2002)
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Rafiki (2018)
Naz & Maalik (2015)
Purple Rain (1984)
Carmen Jones (1954)
The Photograph (2020)
Breakin’ All The Rules (2004)
Nothing But A Man (1964)
Sylvie’s Love (2020)
Poetic Justice (1993)
Jason’s Lyric (1994)
Moonlight (2016)
Beyond the Lights (2014)
Really Love (2020)
I Will Follow (2010)
I Think I Love My Wife (2007)
Love Jones (1997)
Just a little something to get you in the mood for today and even for the rest of the week and month!! Happy V-Day!! Enjoy and Spread the Love!!
February 6th, 2023– “Expanding the Archive & Classroom: Channeling Blackness, Comics and the Speculative”, UVA Wise-Black History Month Lecture Series (Register to Watch Here)
February 7th, 2023- Suffolk Discovers + Black and Super Live Talks: Afrofuturism with Dr. Grace Gipson [IN-PERSON + LIVE] (Register Here for Zoom)
*March 17-18, 2023-The Past Into The Future: Afrofuturism & Ancient Egypt [Featured Speaker], Berkeley Center for New Media [BCNM]-UC Berkeley (Berkeley, CA), Free to Attend, For More Info
March 25th, 2023- “Imagining a World of Possibilities Through Comics and Graphic Novels” [Keynote Speaker], Friends of the Library Presents-CulpeperCon 2023– Culpeper County Library (Culpeper, VA), Free to Attend
Today marks the first day of Black History Month 2023!!
This year’s theme as designed by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is “Black Resistance”! Oh how appropriate!! As noted on the ASALH website:
African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores. These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond the United States political jurisdiction. The 1950s and 1970s in the United States was defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs, strikes by Black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all sectors of society from employment to education to housing. Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all. Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of our griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and our freedom fighters, like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize. Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics. Black led institutions and affiliations have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested, and achieved success.
And to get your month started check out these few facts about the annual celebration of Black History Month!!
Black History Month recognizes All African American Experiences!!
Check out this video of the man behind this annual celebration, Carter G. Woodson:
Black History Month became nationally recognized officially in 1976
The United States and Canada celebrate Black history in February, while the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands honor it during the month of October.
Before it was established as a month long celebration, Black History Month Began as Negro History Week!
Can we just say Marvel is not playing any games!! Wasting no time pulling the fans into theaters and updating their streaming services!! This week’s trailer alerts are dedicated to all the upcoming Marvel television series and films!! Check them out below:
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Streaming on the Disney Channel February 10th) [Now I’m super siked about this one!!]
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (In theaters February 17th)
Season 2-What If…? (Streaming on Disney+ Early 2023)
Secret Invasion (Streaming Spring 2023 on Disney+)
Guardians of the Galaxy-Vol. 3 (In theaters May 5th)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (In theaters June 2nd)
The Marvels (In theaters July 28th)
Season 2-Loki (Streaming on Disney+ Summer 2023)
Kraven the Hunter (In theaters October 6th)
X-Men ’97 (Streaming on Disney + Fall 2023)
While there are no trailers just yet for these next few we do have a time period for when to be on the lookout!!
Another week of hot topics hot off the press!! Lots of goodies to get your week started!! Check them out below:
A Black Twitter docu-series is headed to Hulu!! Inspired by Jason Parham’s detailed oral history, A People’s History of Black Twitter, comes the story of “the rise, the movements, the voices and the memes that made Black Twitter an influential and dominant force in nearly every aspect of American political and cultural life.” The three-part docu-series is led by showrunner and executive producer Prentice Penny (Insecure) and will be his first project under Onyx Collective . As tweeted by Penny, “For those who know me you know how much love, respect, fear, and admiration I have for #BlackTwitter so I can’t be more excited and scared to a doc about the culture – just remember im doing this in love.”
Brown Twitter birds. Shown top left is the original illustration by Alex Eben Meyer (http://www.eben.com) that appeared in the Slate article, “How Black People Use Twitter”. The remaining birds are parodies by Twitter user @InnyVinny illustrating the diversity of the Black Twitter community. The resulting #browntwitterbird hashtag game went viral, as users adopted or suggested new Twitter birds
According to Crayola Executive James Wells, “creativity is currency” for young children!! And starting on January 23 through January 29th, teachers, children, their families can celebrate “Crayola’s Creativity Week!!” As part of the week-long celebration there will be free-virtual events, resources, and opportunities for kids to earn lots of prizes! Youth will be able to tap into their creative side whether in the classroom or in the comfort of their home.
As we prepare for the Mardi Gras season you gotta make sure you have your King Cake!! Well you are in luck I have a few places where you can order your own special “Fat Tuesday” treat online:
What do Nikki Giovanni and Sundance have in common…well a documentary titled Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project made its debut in Park City on January 20th. Directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson “craft a vision fit for the radical imagination of Nikki Giovanni.” The synopsis reads, through intimate vérité, archival footage, and visually innovative treatments of her poetry, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project pushes the boundaries of biographical documentary film to reveal the enduring influence of one of America’s greatest living artists and social commentators.
And lastly, if you plan to be out in the Bay Area, you should check out the new exhibit at the ICA San Francisco!! Two Black women California artists Tahirah Rasheed and Autumn Breon “are celebrating Black beauty and relaxation ” in the exhibition Resting Our Eyes. As a new institution, the ICA San Francisco will celebrate the work of Rasheed and Breon along with work from Carrie Mae Weems, Derrick Adams, Sadie Barnette, Genevieve Gaignard, and Simone Leigh. “Focusing on the liberation and celebration of Black women through the lens of leisure and physical adornment, Resting Our Eyes features new and existing works from 20 multi-generational Black artists working across sculpture, photography, video, mixed media, painting, and textile.” Resting Our Eyes will be on display from January 21-June 25!
[The images above include Ja’Tovia Gary, Citational Ethics (Saidiya Hartman, 2017), 2020; Curators Tahirah Rasheed and Autumn Breon at “Resting Our Eyes” at the ICA San Francisco (Photo by Vikram Valluri for BFA); and the ICA-SF]
We are back for the new year!! And you know the recommendations don’t stop!! Got a fresh new slate of literary goodies to fill your book shelves!! I’m bringing you all the heat with this list!! Feel free to share with your friends!!
Check out January’s list below:
Boys Come First ~Aaron Foley
Land of Love and Drowning ~Tiphanie Yanique
On the Roof Top ~Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
American Spy ~Lauren Wilkinson
Grace ~Natashia Deón
The Keeper ~Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
The Stars Beneath Our Feet ~David Barclay Moore
Beasts of Prey ~Ayana Gray
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!
“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations…If you adopt their attitudes, then the possibility won’t exist because you’ll have already shut it out…You can hear other people’s wisdom, but you’ve got to re-evaluate the world for yourself.” —Mae Jemison
With all the conversations and reactions surrounding the teaser trailer of the upcoming spring film “The Little Mermaid” myself and another colleague of mine Bethan Jones decided to put digital pen to paper and share some of our thoughts. The piece is titled, “Part of Your World”: Fairy Tales, Race, #BlackGirlMagic, and The Little Mermaid.”
Here are a few excerpts…
In 2016 Disney announced a live-action adaptation of its 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid. Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale, the animation earned critical acclaim, took $84 million at the domestic box office during its initial release, and won two Academy Awards (for Best Original Score and Best Original Song). Given Disney’s recent foray into creating live-action adaptations of some of its most successful animated films, it’s no surprise that The Little Mermaid was added to the list. Yet controversy rose when Black actress Halle Bailey was announced as Ariel in July 2019. Among the critiques was the argument that the adaptation should be as close to the original as possible, and the original featured a white mermaid; that if a Black character was re-cast as white in a remake there would be uproar; and while representation in all forms is important it shouldn’t override the history of the characters…
We even provided some history and background into the significance and importance of Black mermaids.
While the original fairy tale from Hans Christian Andersen does describe Ariel’s character as “her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea” this does not mean that there were no mermaids who were of color. In fact, water spirits and Black mermaids existed even before Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale. It is important to note the global history of mermaids and water spirits due to the fact that the existence of Black characters in fantasy, magical realism, and science-fiction is often non-existent. If we think about this from an Afrofuturistic lens, these early Western tales did not see Black characters as even being a part of these narratives. The waters have always been seen as a sacred space literally and figuratively within African folklore. Housed within many African traditions, the water serves as a bridge between otherworlds, life and the afterlife. And the sea deity Mami Wata or La Sirene (which translates as Mother Water or Mother of Water) serves as the beginnings of many African mythical tales.
Time is truly flying by! I feel like we just started the month of January, and here we are half way through the month! But with each day and week that passes more trailers are being released! Check out some new ones below:
Season 2-Harlem (Streaming February 3 on Amazon Prime Video)
Not Dead Yet (Streaming February 8 on ABC)
Somebody I Used To Know (Streaming February 10 on Amazon Prime Video)
Your Place Or Mine (Streaming February 10 on Netflix)
In celebration of Dr. King’s Birthday I wanted to share some of my favorite speeches from him as well as a few films, documentaries, and television series that feature his life and legacy. I wanted to make sure I shared some hidden gems, along with a few speeches and films that I have learned about through my time as a student and now professor. Check them out below:
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” ~Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Another week, another set of HOT TOPICS!! Let’s see what I got for you this week. Check it out below:
Fresh off of a huge night, Abbott Elementary fans can breathe a sigh of relief know that there WILL be a Season 3!! This news comes after the show and several actors winning big, Tyler James Williams (Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Television Series-Musical or Comedy), Quinta Brunson (Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series-Musical or Comedy), and the show winning Best Television Series-Musical or Comedy.
Looking to change up your meal plan or simply add a little flavor and spice you are in luck! Tabitha Brown has a new limited-edition collection that just launched at Target on January 8th. This is her third collection which includes cookware and vegan/plant-based food options. Brown’s food items feature vegan cream cheese spreads, pastas and plant-based patties and the cookware includes cast iron skillets, utensils and towels.
#BlackWomenMakingMoves … Angela Bassett made history at this year’s Golden Globes!! Bassett won “Best Supporting Actress-Motion Picture” for her as ‘Queen Ramonda’ in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever making her the first to win a Golden Globe for a Marvel movie. If this is in preparation for Bassett winning a long-overdue Oscar, I’m all in!! See her acceptance speech below:
There’s a new “American Girl”-2023 Girl of the Year doll in town and her name is Kavika “Kavi” Sharma. The first South Asian American Girl Doll. As noted by the AG company, “Kavi joins the company’s long line of contemporary characters, introduced more than 20 years ago, that represent a wide range of backgrounds to reflect what it means to be an American girl today.” Here is a tangible product that represents progression and hope!! In addition to the doll to purchasing the doll, various accessories can be purchased alongside the doll: the “Song & Dance Bundle,” that includes a red, blue, and gold lehenga (a traditional form of South Asian clothing), matching South Asian jewelry including a tikka (head piece), necklace, and a pair of bangles. Other accessories also include backstage wardrobe essentials and various sparkly outfits. The doll is available for purchase now!
For all my MCU fans, Phase 5 is going to be a pretty exciting time!! I know I am looking forward to the upcoming line-up!! And just in case you have not seen the latest news, check out what is coming in 2023:
110 years ago today on January 13th, 1913 on the campus of Howard University 22 college-educated, distinctive, devoted, delightful, dedicated women lit the the torch into the eternal Delta light!! They envisioned a new day of more than just a social life, they desired a larger vision, purpose, and vision that laid a foundation to build upon. A strong and solid legacy that remains even today!
As I embark upon 20 YEARS in this AMAZING, ILLUSTRIOUS sisterhood, I just have to give thanks to #The22!! Thank you for paving the way for a young woman like me to be a part of this wonderful sisterhood now and forever more.
May we continue the legacy of our founders of Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service, and Social Action!!
Intelligence is the torch of wisdom.
Oh to be a Delta Girl!! #SigmaMade #SoonToBe20YearsIn
Another year in the books and let me say it is no joke, but I still love it! Black Future Feminist has become an outlet for me to be me in all my different facets. I look forward to each post, I love sharing, and it feels good to put in the work.
I look forward to what comes next, I look forward to continuing established thoughts and ideas and bringing new ones into the fold.
We are back!! Starting out the year with a few goodies for you to either visit, stream, buy from your grocery store, or add to your calendar!! Nothing like a few hot topics to get you through the mid-week hump! Check them out below:
For all my Toni Morrison fans this coming February her papers will be part of an exhibition called, “Toni Morrison: Sites of Memory” at Princeton University in the Millberg Gallery-Firestone Library. Conceived by Autumn Womack, Assistant Professor of African American Studies and English, the exhibition is a multi-faceted, immersive journey into the archives of Toni Morrison. Before she passed away, Morrison gave her archives to Princeton in 2014. The exhibition will consist of essays, speeches, day planners, and letters. The exhibition will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. through June 4, 2023.Looks like I’m gonna need to take a trip to New Jersey!!
Items from the Papers of Toni Morrison, Special Collections, Princeton University Library (PUL)
If you have been keeping up with the latest Netflix movies or series, you will know that the heist-drama Kaleidoscope just dropped on New Years Day! The eight-part series centers around master thief Leo Pap (Giancarlo Esposito) and his crew attempting an epic heist worth $7 billion! However, there is a little twist, the episodes can be watched in any order and it still make sense; the introduction “Black” explains the concept of the show, while the episode “White” is intended to always be the series finale. According to various outlets they have offered some suggestions:
Stars Giancarlo Esposito and Tati Gabrielle recommend no particular order or watch it “in the colour scheme that appeals to you.” When it is all said and done the ball is in your court, choose as you wish!
Award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay is partnering with Ben & Jerry’s to launch its newest flavor, Lights! Caramel! Action! DuVernay, who is the first Black woman to be a featured partner on the Ben & Jerry’s pints, will have a flavor that is an ensemble of vanilla ice cream, salted caramel swirls, graham cracker swirls and chocolate chip cookie dough pieces. MMM Good!! The new flavor will begin shipping out this month!! Proceeds from Lights! Caramel! Action! will benefit DuVernay’s non-profit ARRAY Alliance (a woman-led nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, works to advance social justice through art)! According to DuVernay, “Ice cream is a simple joy of life. A comfort food that I’ve turned to on many days—making sunny ones brighter and dark ones sweeter,”
Sneak peak into the 15th Doctor Who…BBC has released some first looks into the upcoming continuation of the “Doctor Who” series. Ncuti Gatwa (also known for his role in “Sex Education” will star as the 15th doctor. It’s unclear when Gatwa will take on the mantle and pilot the TARDIS, but it looks like he will be featured in the 60th anniversary special in November 2023.
And last, but not least, for all my Black Panther: Wakanda Forever fans, just in case you missed it in the theaters it’s coming to Disney+ on February 1st!! So hang tight only a few more weeks till we can watch it on repeat!!
It’s the first of the month and the first of the new year!! Great thing about film and television is that it never ends! So let’s not waste anytime and get right to these trailers, check them out below ⬇️:
Will Trent (Streaming on ABC January 3rd)
Season 2-Ginny & Georgia (Streaming on Netflix January 5th)
Season 2-BMF (Streaming on STARZ January 6th)
Final Season-Hunters (Streaming on Prime Video January 13th)
The Last of Us (Streaming on HBO Max January 15th)
When You Finish Saving the World (In theaters January 20th)
It’s the last day of 2022, we are almost there folks!! So the pandemic is still real, but somehow we are managing it. Let’s just say this was another unforgettable year!!
Definitely had some moments that shook the nation with such things as abortion no longer being a constitutional right, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the tragedy in Uvalde (TX), banned books, the retirement of a tennis legend Serena Williams, we got the slap of the century when Will Smith cold clocked slapped Chris Rock, and jaw-dropping seasons of Euphoria and Bridgerton.
In sports news, Argentina wins the World Cup, the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl (along with an AMAZING halftime show-Hip Hop and R&B reigning supreme), the Houston Astros win their second World Series title…then you got the suspension of Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka (and his split from Nia Long), Tom Brady retired…back in the game and then divorced, Brittney Griner is released from a Russia prison and returns home to the U.S….and one of my fave moments the Golden State Warriors reclaimed the NBA Title throne!!
Lena Horne became the first Black woman to have a Broadway theater named after her…Two Literary Pioneers were honored with USPS stamps, Toni Morrison and Ernest J. Gaines!
In politics, for the first time in history the four largest U.S. cities New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston will all have Black mayors after this year’s midterm elections…Karen Bass sealed the deal with her historic win! And THANK GOD Georgia did not elect Herschel Walker into the U.S. Senate, we can all breathe a sigh of relief!
The elements are still having their way whether its the frigid winter storm in Buffalo, Hurricane Ian and Fiona, and heat waves coming in July, August and October!!
The Little Mermaid teaser trailer…Just wow!! I’m so ready!!…Also, definitely gotta shout out some good friends for putting me on to Billions and Yellowstone, talk about some good tv!!
Speaking of good tv let me just drop a few more nuggets:
Riches (Amazon Prime Video)
Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Blood & Water (Netflix)
Dahmer: Monster-The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Wednesday (Netflix)
P-Valley (STARZ)
Raising Kanan: Power Book III (STARZ)
Final season of OWN Network Queen Sugar and FX Atlanta
Cherish the Day (OWN)
The Bear (Hulu)
Let’s Go To The Movies… I was so glad that the theaters have opened back up again, feels good to sit back and relax at my local AMC!!
The Woman King: Finally these stories are being told!!
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Brilliant movie that definitely did not get the pub it should have…such a good movie!!
Top Gun: Maverick: Now that was a fun ride!!
Descendant (Netflix): Gotta love history, especially when they speak the truth!
Confess, Fletch: Pure laughs!!
Bullet Train: Who knew you could enjoy a movie that is set on a bullet train…
Nope: Layered and complex!!
Prey (Hulu definitely knows how to drop those gems!!)
Devotion: A piece of history that I didn’t know about but glad I do now!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Not a dry eye!! Ryan Coogler & Ruth E. Carter you did it again!! Angela Bassett proved once again why she is that one!!
Remembering those we lost in 2022…Folks that definitely made some sort of impact on my 41 years of life!!
Sidney Poitier (January 6th): The epitome of elegance and stage presence!
Lani Guinier (January 7th)
Bob Saget (January 9th)
André Leon Talley (January 18th)
Charles McGee (January 23rd): One of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen!
Cheslie Kyrst (January 30th): Mental Health is real!!
Ivan Reitman (February 13th): Ghostbusters!!
Johnny Brown (March 2nd): Ohhhhh “Good Times”
Traci Braxton (March 12th)
William Hurt (March 13th)
Madeleine Albright (March 23rd)
Gilbert Gottfried (April 12th)
DJ Kay Slay (April 18th): Ahhhh takes me back to my undergrad days
Naomi Judd (April 30th)
Bob Lanier (May 10th)
Ray Liotta (May 26th)
Sam Gilliam (June 25th)
Paul Sorvino (July 25th)
Nichelle Nichols (July 30th): SO Grateful and Thankful for the barriers she broke and the history made!
Bill Russell (July 31st): A legend in every sense of the word!!
Roger E. Mosely (August 7th): I will always remember those days of watching Magnum, P.I. (the original)
Olivia Newton-John (August 8th): Such a sweet soul taken from this earth!
Hanae Mori (August 11th): Haute Couture at its finest!!
Denise Dowse (August 13th)
Mikhail Gorbachev (August 30th)
Queen Elizabeth II (September 8th)
Ramsey Lewis (September 12th)
Pharoah Sanders (September 24th)
Coolio (September 28th): One more “Fantastic Voyage”
Charles Fuller (October 3rd)
Loretta Lynn (October 4th)
Angela Lansbury (October 11th): Murder Mysteries will never be the same!!
Leslie Jordan (October 24th)
Rev. Calvin O. Butts III (October 28th)
Takeoff (November 1st)
John Aniston (November 14th): Soap opera’s will never be the same!
Irene Cara (November 26th): I just wanna dance forever!!
Dorothy Pitman Hughes (December 1st): Co-founder of the prominent feminist publication Ms. Magazine
Kirstie Alley (December 5th)
Paul Silas (December 11th)
Stephen “tWitch” Boss (December 14th)
Franco Harris (December 21st): There will never be another “Immaculate Reception” … One for the books!!
Pelé and Vivienne Westwood (December 29th)
Barbara Walters (December 30th)
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (December 31st): The longest-living pope, having surpassed Pope Leo XIII in September 2020, known as “God’s Rottweiler”.
Beyoncé gave us her 7th studio album, Renaissance...Afrobeats continues to rise and I’m here for all of it! Usher’s Las Vegas show makes huge waves…Ari Lennox brought us Age/Sex/Location…And another bomb soundtrack from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever!!
The housing market was a win for sellers, but it looks like that is taking turn back for buyers (I hope so, cause your girls will definitely be looking in 2023). Twitter was bought by Elon Musk…We witnessed our first Black woman Supreme Court Justice, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (RBG is definitely smiling)…and soooooo much more!!
For me 2022, was all about roller coaster rides of life. I had many valley lows and just as many high moments. Sold my house in ATL (the end of an era)…I dealt with with anxiety, some depression, some trauma, and deep loss. Losing my Uncle Oscar hit me deep in my core! And if I am being honest, I am still grieving and probably will for some time. He meant so much to me, he will never be forgotten. There is not a day that doesn’t go by where I just want to shoot him a ring and ask for him to pray with and for me. But when it is all said and done I know he is watching over me, smiling, and having a good laugh with my Grandma!! I definitely got a chance to travel and collect some more passport stamps. I went to New Mexico for the first time, tried real Belgium waffles IN Belgium (Twice)!! Presented at Wonder-Con (Anaheim, CA), gave a keynote lecture at Ghent University (Ghent, Belgium). Got to celebrate Black History Month twice once in the US and in London!! Went to the Roots Picnic in Philly…Celebrated many of my friends 40th Birthday’s….that was fun!
Even got me a new ride…a Christmas gift to myself!!
This year I got to spend a lot of time on several beaches and oh was that therapeutic (Thank you Turks and Caicos and Playa del Carmen)…Lord knows I love the water!!
…It was good to be back in the classroom for another semester with some AMAZING students!! I am truly grateful to have this job/career. I look forward to completing 2023 as I will (I’m claiming) get through my Third-Year Review and become another step closer towards Tenure!! Oh and I got boosted again! I launched a new project, Black Girl Magic in Media (BGMM) and let me tell you I am very excited about what is in store! Be on the lookout for what is in store!
I continue to learn more about myself…grow…find balance…navigate all the moving parts of my life…and taking one day at a time!
Let me just say I am also very thankful for my BFF family and friends!! I look forward to bringing you more good news and culture in 2023!!
Today, we celebrate one of my favorite principals of Kwanzaa….Nia (Purpose). Through Nia, the principal seeks “to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.”
Examine your ability to put your own skills and talent to use through service to your family and community at large. When we take time to reflect on our expectations from life, we can take the opportunity to discuss one’s desires and hopes with family and friends. On today, try to determine your purpose and how it will result in positive achievements for family and community.
In thinking about how you can reflect on Nia, consider these few practices:
Reflect on finding your purpose in life outside of your career
Add some books and movies that educate you about your ancestry and your history
Set short term and long term goals that will set you and your community on a path towards a more intentional and purpose-driven life.
What’s your purpose in life for today and in the future?
On this day we celebrate Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics),“to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.“ As noted on the official Kwanzaa website, Ujamaa embodies shared work and wealth, economic self-reliance, and obligation of generosity. Karenga notes, “To share wealth and work, then, is to share concern, care and responsibility for a new, more human and fulfilling future”.
It’s about working together, making a change, and creating legacies!!
In that spirit, here are a few ways in which you can practice Ujamaa:
Organize a buying club in your neighborhood, housing co-op or apartment building. Items such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, socks, sanitizing wipes, water, and a variety of non-perishable goods can be purchased in bulk and the cost shared so that everyone gets these items cheaper than what they would pay buying them retail.
Support black and local and independent small businesses or businesspersons, cooperatives, artists, practitioners and others who are community- and environmentally-minded.
Join a city and/or community garden in your local neighborhood
Shop at your local farmers’ markets (National Farmers Market Directory)
As each of our families celebrate Kwanzaa and richness of African-American culture this year and every year, let us all find inspiration in the principle of Ujamaa in the development of a new global economy built through communal values and cooperatives.
Keeping up with my tradition from 2020 and 2021 I have compiled my ‘Top 22’ books from this year!! I feel like I always have an endless supply of books, you can never have too many! Plus I love seeing my library grow!!
This year I added a few graphic novels that caught my attention during one of my many travels this year!!
All in all, I love sharing some of my top reading faves!! As I always say, ‘sharing is caring.’
So in no particular order, here is my Top 22 List of Books for 2022!!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever the Courage to Dream ~Frederick Joseph
The Keeper ~Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes
Take My Hand ~Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Red Lip Theology: For Church Girls Who’ve Considered Tithing to the Beauty Supply Store When Sunday Morning Isn’t Enough ~Candice Marie Benbow
The Silent Twins ~Marjorie Wallace
The Light We Carry ~Michelle Obama
Black Disability Politics ~Sami Schalk
Riding Jane Crow:African American Women on the American Railroad ~Miriam Thaggert
Finding Me ~Viola Davis
Walking in My Joy In These Streets ~Jenifer Lewis
Surviving Southampton: African American Women and Resistance in Nat Turner’s Community ~Vanessa M. Holden
Happy Holidays!! As we close out another year, I have one more list of recommendations to close out!! This month’s list is split with a little holiday flair!
So your girl got a chance to share a few of her comic book faves with the Chicago Humanities Festival! Always love the chance to geek out and share!! Check it out below!!
After the program, we spoke to Dr. Gipson about some of her favorite comic book series, characters, and authors.
CHF: In your CHF program, you mentioned comic books and characters (like Dark Horse’s Martha Washington, who grew up in Chicago). Can you talk a little bit more about the history and significance of some of your favorite series, characters, and authors?
1) Storm (X-Men, Marvel Comics)
Gipson: When it comes to selecting my favorite comic book characters, I have a pretty solid line-up. While my introduction into comics was through the funny papers, there would be one character that truly drew me into the genre: Marvel Comics’s Storm from the X-Men.
As a Black woman who not only served as a leader of the X-Men, but also a goddess that controlled the weather elements, Storm as a fictional character provided an example of progressive representation and a fantastical escape.
Her presence in the comic book world made a significant impression on me as a young, Black girl from the Midwest. I was able to see myself, at the center and not on the fringes, within this popular medium that had been dominated primarily by white and male characters. Storm also opened the door for me to discover more Black female characters, as well as Black female comic book writers and artists.
2) Martha Washington (Dark Horse Comics)
Gipson: Another character who would have a significant impact on me personally and professionally is that of Dark Horse Comics’s Martha Washington. Created in the early 1990s, Martha Washington resonated with me in a very close way, considering her character was based in Chicago, IL. As a Champaign, IL native her story literally and figuratively felt close to home.
Martha Washington’s narrative as explored through The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the Twenty-First Century comic book series sought to showcase a “regular” relatable character that, despite her circumstances, becomes a heroine for her local community and ultimately the world.
Set in the urban space of the Cabrini-Green projects, Martha Washington’s beginnings (which are told in the first issue Give Me Liberty) explore, from a dystopian perspective, a current and relevant story of public housing, crime, poverty, Black youth, adulthood, womanhood, and even patriotism. Uniquely, her story offers a rare opportunity to explore American patriotism from a Black woman’s point of view. This is especially noteworthy considering the lack of Black female leads in comics, during the 1990s.
When it comes to comics, one can never underestimate the power of a diverse story and the impact it can have on all types of readers. These next two characters not only contribute diverse storylines but also have the impact of reaching a young audience. When looking at the landscape of comic book characters, most of them are adults, so it is refreshing to see a Black female youth presence.
3) Raquel “Rocket” Ervin (Milestone Comics)
Gipson: Raquel “Rocket” Ervin from Milestone Comics (a Black publishing company) is one of the earliest examples of a Black teen character that I have encountered. Also, Rocket’s storyline is one of the first comics to deal with complex and practical issues such as teen pregnancy, balancing motherhood, Black mentorship, and community access. And it was done in a way that avoided stereotypes, while providing hope.
As a character influenced by notable figures like Toni Morrison and W.E.B. Du Bois, Rocket provides an existing reality and a story of dedication and perseverance. Although she is deemed as a superhero, for Rocket her true superpower and strength is her ability to inspire.
4) RiRi “Ironheart” Williams (Marvel Comics)
Gipson: Another character that humanizes the Black girl experience is that of Marvel Comics RiRi “Ironheart” Williams. Through RiRi/Ironheart, as a fictional character, she personifies what it means to be a young, gifted, Black teen in today’s society. Her character also shares another look into the STEM world by encouraging Black girls to embrace one’s giftedness and intelligence.
This is a comic that I wish existed when I was a teenager, but nonetheless grateful that young Black girls and the world are able to appreciate it now. What is also significant about the Ironheart story is that it is written by a Black woman and Chicago-native, Eve L. Ewing, this is key as most stories in past comic book history have been written and drawn by white men (thankfully there is a growing landscape of representation).
To know that I am represented on the page and behind the panel inspires and further confirms that Black women and girls deserve to take up space in this popular medium. Ultimately, both Rocket and Ironheart are perfect examples of how comics can rewrite the script regarding Black girlhood and the importance of why “Representation Matters!!”
5) Torchy Brown (created by Jackie Ormes)
Gipson: Lastly, I felt it was important to not just recognize the importance of some of my favorite characters, but also one of my favorite writers/artists. Before there was even a Storm, Martha Washington, Rocket, or Ironheart there was a Black female lead named Torchy Brown created by cartoonist and writer Jackie Ormes. Similar to the Martha Washington character, Jackie Ormes legacy and work would find a home in Chicago.
As the first Black female cartoonist, Ormes was instrumental in resetting the standard in cartooning and comic strips. She did this by creating her own lane of telling stories that primarily featured Black voices, while also challenging the stereotypes and caricatures often presented in mainstream press. With readers from coast-to-coast, Ormes used her comic strip series and panels to discuss unapologetic commentary on such issues as racism, labor and taxes, U.S. Foreign policy, violence against women, unfair housing, segregated schools, and environmental injustice. She was able to use her talents to not only inform but also showcase (while entertain), in full color, the existence of intelligent, stylish and fashionable Black characters (particularly Black women). With Chicago as an honorary character, much of Ormes cartoon and comic strip work mirrored her real life as she was a community advocate and mentor, fundraiser, and trendsetter.
(Snapshot of a few of my faves!! Image Credit: Grace D. Gipson)
Just in case you may have missed last week’s episode of Conversations with Beloved and Kindred, I got you covered!!
In this episode, Dr. Robinson and I break down episodes 7 and 8 of Lovecraft Country. Much like the previous episodes, these episodes were very much imaginative, personal and focused on a particular moment. However, what really sets these episodes a part from the earlier ones were their centering, specifically, on the Black woman and Black girl experiences. As two Black women who have experienced various perspectives of Black girlhood (southern and midwestern) to currently navigating Black womanhood both episodes are very relatable.
Being able to not only acknowledge and focus on the many layers of their experiences (trauma, resistance, joy, naming, anger, etc.) is essential because it allows for their stories to be seen as real made visible to a large audience.
To hear more about what we thought, check it out below:
On next time, we will discuss the 2018 supernatural/sci-fi/superhero/drama film Fast Colors from director Julia Hart and starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, and Saniyya Sidney. Here in this film we get to see #BlackGirlMagic, Black Female Star Power and the Black Female Imaginary on full display!!
Black Future Feminist 