In this clip from the latest episode of Behind the Byline, I’m joined by Sharine Taylor, the award-winning writer, filmmaker, and production designer who wrote that unforgettable Apartment Therapy piece we featured last month: “I Finally Bought a Green Velvet Couch — Then, I Found a Commun…

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The Wakeful in the News

The Wakeful was recently featured in two pieces about Black women-founded newsletters:

Fallon Brannon of Essence GU—Essence Magazine’s sister publication— spoke with me about when, why and how I started the Wakeful, the Substack newsletter economy, and where I see the future of media heading.

Aaricka Washington of AfroLA, a Black woman-founded local news publication (currently celebrating its third anniversary!), interviewed me in her love letter to Black journalist-written newsletters. (You’ll learn about the Toni Morrison-related origins of the newsletter’s name in that one.)

New Behind the Byline

The Black Sisterhood of the Green Velvet Couches, featuring Sharine Taylor

In this clip from the latest episode of Behind the Byline, I’m joined by Sharine Taylor, the award-winning writer, filmmaker, and production designer who wrote that unforgettable Apartment Therapy piece we featured last month: “I Finally Bought a Green Velvet Couch — Then, I Found a Community of Black Women Just Like Me.”

We talk about how the story came to be (like, how did she even discover that green velvet couches were a thing for Black women?), how her set design background shaped her reporting process, and why something as seemingly simple as a couch can hold so much emotional weight, especially for Black women making home in a world that often doesn’t make space for us. Sharine’s reflections on interiority, Black womanhood, and creating intentional spaces, both physically and on the page, are rich, generous, and full of gems.

To hear the full episode, become a paid subscriber and get exclusive access to Behind the Byline, the new Wakeful podcast where I go deep with the brilliant minds behind some of the most-read stories in the newsletter. You’ll also help make this work sustainable and accessible for the long haul.

Paid subscribers, please scroll to the bottom of the newsletter to watch the full episode below the paywall.

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ICYMI, I reserve 5 annual comped spots each quarter for anyone who wants one. Just reply to this email, no questions asked! And if you’re able to gift a subscription to someone else, that support is always welcome.

Trending News

A quick scroll through the top trending stories and social moments lighting up the timeline.

Keke Palmer under fire for hosting Jonathan Majors on podcast about ‘accountability’, Daily Dot

Keke Palmer’s latest podcast guest is raising eyebrows. Former Marvel actor Jonathan Majors, recently convicted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, will reportedly appear on her show “Baby, This is Keke Palmer” to talk about accountability.

In 2023, Majors was found guilty of reckless assault and harassment, leading to Hollywood studios dropping him. Given Palmer’s own history with domestic abuse, many were shocked she’d give Majors a platform so soon after his conviction. Now, people are asking: why him, why now, and what exactly does accountability mean in this context?

Cultural Reset

The stories and voices reshaping what it means to be a Black woman today.

From first lady to everyday life, artist Amy Sherald captures the beauty of Black America, NBC News

Amy Sherald doesn’t paint likenesses. She paints legacies. Her portraits, including the instantly iconic image of Michelle Obama, center Black subjects in bold color and quiet dignity. In her upcoming Whitney Museum exhibition American Sublime, Sherald brings more than 40 paintings to New York that reflect the richness of everyday Black life. Whether it’s a vintage-car-collecting couple in Brooklyn or a solitary figure deep in thought, Sherald’s work pushes back against erasure. The show, which also marks her first solo exhibition at a New York museum, opens on April 9.

Viola Davis: ‘Play the president? Hell yeah!, The Times
Viola Davis isn’t waiting for permission to have fun on screen anymore. In the new action flick G20, she takes on the role of U.S. President Danielle Sutton—an ass-kicking leader caught in a global hostage crisis at a G20 summit. It’s loud, outrageous, and exactly the kind of escapism Davis says she’s earned after decades of heavy, dramatic roles.

“I needed some levity in my life,” she admits in this Times interview. Now 59, the Oscar winner is flipping the script on who gets to lead a blockbuster action film. Even if the plot is wild, Davis’s powerhouse presence makes it make sense.

Rachel Chinouriri Shares Moving Post About Being a Black Woman in Indie Pop Music: 'Deserve to Feel Like I Have a Chance', People

What does it take for a Black woman to thrive in a genre that rarely centers her? After a fan claimed she wouldn’t “make it” like her white peers, British singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri went online with a vulnerable, unfiltered response: “You can open for the biggest popstar in the world and the internet will still remind you daily that simply being black will make it twice as hard to be a indie pop star 💔,” she wrote in a recent post (she’s currently opening for Sabrina Carpenter on the European leg of her tour). By speaking out, Chinouriri hopes to inspire other young Black women in indie music to keep going despite the biases.

7 Black Woman ESPN Basketball Reporters To Know, 21!Ninety

From sideline reporting to anchoring NBA Today, Black women are making undeniable moves in a space still lacking in diversity. This roundup introduces seven of the sharpest voices covering the game, from veterans like LaChina Robinson to multi-hyphenates like Chiney Ogwumike. If you’re looking for analysts who bring insight, presence, and perspective to the sports desk, this list is a must-read.

Power Moves

From the boardroom to the ballot box, Black women are shaping the future.

Black-Owned Makeup Brand LYS Beauty Secures 8-Figure Series A Funding, Fashionista

Like Bayoh, LYS Beauty founder Tisha Thompson just made history again. Launched in 2021 by the industry veteran, the brand quickly became the first Black-owned clean beauty line at Sephora. Now, Thompson has secured an eight-figure Series A investment, a major win in an industry where even seven-figure funding for Black women–led startups remains dismally low. In this interview, Thompson breaks down how she scaled the brand during a pandemic, what the funding means for its future, and why LYS is reshaping both clean beauty and consumer expectations.

Reality star Ts Madison opens re-entry home for formerly incarcerated Black trans women, NBC News

Ts Madison is turning her advocacy into infrastructure. This week in Atlanta, the reality TV personality and LGBTQ advocate opened The TS Madison Starter House, a re-entry program specifically for formerly incarcerated Black trans women. The 90-day initiative offers not only a place to stay, but job training, mental health support, nutrition guidance, and gender-affirming care, too. Launched on Trans Day of Visibility (March 31), the home is deeply personal for Madison, who’s spoken openly about her own struggles with housing insecurity.

“I wanted to make space for these girls,” she told NBC News. “I wanted to teach them how to be successful without relying on their bodies but on their other gifts.”

Meet the 1st Black woman to win a N.J. tax credit to build affordable housing, NJ.com

Adenah Bayoh is making history and making housing equitable. After fleeing war in Liberia and resettling in Newark as a teen, Bayoh has become one of New Jersey’s most prominent developers. Now, she’s the first Black woman in the state to receive a competitive tax credit to build affordable housing. Bayoh’s vision for housing is rooted in dignity, education, and opportunity. Her new Newark development will reportedly also offer tutoring for kids and free laptops for every child who moves in.

Under the Radar

The stand-out stories flying below the national spotlight

Locked and loaded: Black pistol instructor redefines women's empowerment, khsb

In a space long dominated by white men, Jeri Persley is creating something different. The Kansas City–based pistol instructor teaches firearm safety through a lens of empowerment, building a welcoming space for Black women to gain confidence, skill, and control. Her classes with Be Empowered Tactical go beyond just hitting a target, focusing on confronting fear, setting boundaries, and challenging assumptions about who gun ownership is for.

Black trans leaders turn to inspiration and joy amid Trump’s ‘coordinated attacks’ on transgender rights, The Grio

As Trump’s campaign doubles down on anti-trans and anti-DEI policies, Black trans leaders are choosing visibility and community over fear. From banning trans athletes to erasing identities from government websites, the former president’s efforts aim to push trans people, especially those of color, out of public life. But advocates like Tori Cooper of the Human Rights Campaign say the attacks are only sharpening their resolve.

“It’s even more fuel for us,” she says. In other words, joy is the strategy and a refusal to disappear is the resistance.

The Fashion Industry And Its Fraught Relationship With Black Women Creative Directors, ESSENCE

Black women shape fashion culture, but rarely lead its biggest houses. While legacy brands like Dior and Gucci reshuffle white male designers at will, “like interchangeable Monopoly pieces,” writes Kadean Smith, Black women like Grace Wales Bonner and Martine Rose are creating globally influential work without institutional power and resources.

Despite all the DEI talk, these women remain excluded from the top. Their talent? Undeniable. Their impact? Everywhere. Their absence from high fashion’s inner circle? Still glaring. So why are Black women still not leading the houses that profit from their vision? Smith’s piece explores the industry’s long-standing barriers, the weight of performative inclusion, and straight-forward solutions.

In Memphis, Kayla Gore is building homes — and a future — for Black trans people, The Advocate

Kayla Gore is also focused on solutions. Through her nonprofit My Sistah’s House, she’s creating a neighborhood of tiny homes in Memphis for Black trans and nonbinary people experiencing housing instability. Her mission goes beyond providing shelter, drafting a blueprint for safety, autonomy, and community. Gore is featured in the GLAAD-nominated documentary American Problems, Trans Solutions, alongside other trans leaders building what the system won’t.

“It really helps people who would never, ever in their wildest dreams think they could own a home,” she says in the documentary.

Missing Persons

Kadejiah Henderson, Early, TX

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram and their website to view more flyers. Email newsletters have a character limit, so we cannot include them all and there are, unfortunately, far too many missing Black girls and women.

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Take the Reader Survey and help shape what’s coming!

This week’s Wakeful is a little lighter than usual because I’m asking something of you: I’ve put together a short reader survey, and I’d really love your input. Whether you’ve been reading since day one or just subscribed last week, your thoughts will help shape what’s next.

The Wakeful started as a side project, but the vision has grown. With every headline I write and story I feature, I’m reminded that this newsletter isn’t just a roundup, but a multimedia platform in the making. One that centers Black women, built with care and intention.

As I pour more into it, I want to make sure it’s serving you, too! If you’re reading this, you’re an early supporter (maybe even a Day Oner, when we were a completely different newsletter!), and that means you’ve seen the grit, the growth, and maybe even a few fumbles. Thank you for being here. Let’s keep building together.

Take the survey and let me know what’s working, what’s not, and what you'd love to see next.

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Wakeful Voices

“…The Wakeful newsletter is an outlet where we are prioritized. There are often stories that I’ve not heard of…Black women I never knew existed. But because The Wakeful newsletter exists I know that these Black women are out here in the world doing really great things.” — Jac’leen, subscriber

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The Rundown

The Tightrope of Mia Love’s Political Legacy

Editor’s Note: This was the only piece I came across on Love’s passing that didn’t default to praising her for being a “first,” while glossing over the contradictions and complexities of her career and politics as a Black woman Republican leader.

Ludmya “Mia” Love, the first Black Republican woman elected to Congress, passed away at 49 from glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. In an essay for Good Authority, Georgetown professor Nadia E. Brown examines Love's complex political journey, highlighting the challenges she faced navigating identity within the GOP. Brown notes, “Love’s political life reminds us that we tend to conceptualize identity politics in a narrow way that leaves little room for Black women to fully enter the political arena as their full selves.”

Inside a New Exhibit on Police Trauma and Black Women’s Survival
Anjanette Young’s “I Am Her,” now open at Chicago’s DuSable Museum, uses visual art to process the trauma of police violence. Young, who survived a wrongful police raid in 2019, asked artists to watch bodycam footage and create from their emotional response. “This is me fighting back,” she told The TRiiBE. “I know that I am now the voice for [women like Breonna Taylor and Sandra Bland] because they no longer can speak for their experience.”

Why Black Women Are Still Being Ignored in Endometriosis Care
Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis and more likely to have their pain dismissed, a disparity we recently unpacked in a Wakeful Instagram Reel. In an Unbothered UK feature, Dr. Elizabeth Egbase points to structural racism and the “strong Black woman” trope: “Certain healthcare systems are set up to prioritize efficiency over equity.” She also advises Black women on using the ICE framework—Ideas, Concerns, Expectations—when advocating for care.

A Second Look at the H&M Breakup
Yes, we already covered Buy From A Black Woman ending its partnership with H&M in last week’s newsletter. But this deeper dive from The Grio is worth your time. In her own words, founder Nikki Porcher said she chose to “walk away on my terms” rather than continue being used as a “DEI placeholder.” She’s now calling for real consequences: “The era of feel-good diversity statements is over.”

Patrice’s Pick

Each week, I sift through dozens of stories about Black women, many from the U.S., but I’m always hunting for those from the broader Black Diaspora. They’re much harder to find. Western world news rarely centers Black women unless war or another brutal tragedy is involved. And even then, it’s filtered through a detached lens. Add language barriers, unfamiliar media landscapes, and editorial blind spots, and it’s no wonder so many powerful stories slip through.

Which is why this week’s pick—a moving feature from The Guardian—hit me hard in the very best way. “Manchester’s radical Black female activists: ‘We didn’t define ourselves as feminists,’” tells the story of the Abasindi Co-operative, a trailblazing, Black women-led organization founded in 1980 that helped transform Manchester’s Black communities. Journalist Chris Osuh captures not just what Abasindi did, but who they were, naming the women, their work, and the legacies they built across generations.

“With the uprisings, people’s eyes were opened … they began to see the value of organisations such as Abasindi,” said Diane Watt, who co-authored a book documenting Black women’s activism in the UK. “Those who were young people then… have not forgotten us because we didn’t close the door against them then.”

Whether it's arts collectives, housing associations, or NHS centers, if it was built for Manchester’s Black community in the ’80s, ’90s, or ’00s, there’s likely an Abasindi connection. Osuh’s reporting weaves in Caribbean and African identities, everyday testimony, and cultural memory: proof that Abasindi didn’t just build safe spaces, they shaped modern day Manchester as integrally as their enslaved predecessors who bolstered the cities historic industrial growth.

As a first gen American journalist with deep Jamaican and British roots, stories like these remind me why The Wakeful exists. Black women are not footnotes. We’ve always been the main story, even when the world fails to see it. Plus, we can learn a lot from the resourceful ways in which Abasindi—an all-volunteer initiative—sustained their efforts amid sociopolitical unrest and marginalization, relying on their own cultures and skillsets like hair braiding services to fund the co-operative.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: As a Black woman journalist—one of many fighting to report truthfully in a country where the current administration and its puppeteers are trying to erase our progress and rewrite our histories—I’m deeply aware of what’s at stake in this moment. Journalist and professor Nicole Carr lays it out powerfully in a recent must-read issue of her newsletter Fortify (h/t What I’m Reading). Our stories, our voices, and our right to be documented as we are, not as revision, must be protected. That’s what makes “Cotton Capital,” the larger Guardian ongoing series this piece belongs to, so vital. It examines the UK’s legacy of slavery (including the Guardian’s own ties to it) with rare clarity and care. For me, it’s a model of what legacy outlets can—and should—be doing.

Cultural Reset

Black Women, Firearms, and Self-Defense in Memphis
In Tennessee, a chapter of the National African American Gun Association is reshaping who gets to be seen as a responsible gun owner. Retired police officer Bennie Cobb launched the Memphis chapter after noticing a gap in firearm education, especially among women. Today, most members are Black women learning how to protect themselves and their families. “If I’m not telling my grandbabies about safety, I don’t even bring [my firearm] out around them,” member Katina Davis told The Guardian US.

What Happens to Black Love Without a Village?
For Unbothered, Dontaira Terrell explores how the erosion of community networks is shifting the dating landscape for Black women. The piece reflects on how career-focused ambition is often misinterpreted as emotional unavailability, and how, despite the optics, many Black women still want, and deserve, both a thriving career and a fulfilling love life. “We shouldn’t have to choose,” Terrell insists.

Nannie Helen Burroughs: Labor Icon and Educator
A new book by Rutgers professor Dr. Danielle Phillips-Cunningham celebrates the legacy of Nannie Helen Burroughs, a pioneering Black labor activist and educator. Phillips-Cunningham speaks with WABE to discuss how the trailblazer fought for Black women’s economic advancement long before the civil rights movement, founding the National Training School for Women and the National Association of Wage Earners.

Shaniqwa Jarvis Taps Into Memory and Scent in New Exhibition
Acclaimed photographer Shaniqwa Jarvis’ latest Chicago exhibition, “If You Can See My Thoughts, You Would See Your Faces,” blends archival footage, fine art, and scent to explore memory, identity, and creative evolution. As Harper’s Bazaar reports, her new scent line, Whiffworld—co-created with Opening Ceremony founder and best friend Carol Lim—adds an immersive layer to the experience.

Power Moves

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Stacey Abrams Calls for Policy Powered by Black Women
At Clark Atlanta’s second annual Black Women Public Policy in the South symposium, Stacey Abrams (who is currently being targeted by the current administration—see above) delivered a galvanizing 20-minute speech on the urgent need for policy that prioritizes Black women. Touching on everything from poverty to environmental justice, she reminded attendees of their frontline positioning.

“There is no pathology, there is no harm that does not visit us first and stay with us longer,” she said, Atlanta Voice reports. “And therefore, in this moment, we cannot be quelled into silence because we think we are insufficient for the moment.”

Doechii Accepts Billboard’s Woman of the Year Award
Receiving the Billboard Woman of the Year award was a full-circle moment for Doechii, who accepted her first Rising Star award on the same stage just two years prior. She called the annual event “a necessity,” pointing to how it created space for women in a business that often overlooks them. As she says in her acceptance speech: “We are the creators, we are the executives, we are the innovators…Clock it.”

Beauty Is Big Business at HBCUs
Across HBCU campuses, students are turning hair and makeup skills into thriving side hustles, Fallon Brannon reports for Essence GU. From viral braid pages to makeup appointments with Miss Spelman, Homecoming season brings both chaos and serious cash. One student stylist put it this way: “There’s like a thousand appointments.” Another said her income triples during peak season.

Under the Radar

Inside a Health Center Built for and by Black Women
When nurse midwife Dána Langford saw her hometown ranked near the bottom for Black women’s health outcomes, she founded Village of Healing. Since opening its first clinic in 2022, it’s expanded into two locations, offering mental health, primary care, pediatrics, and OB-GYN services. 90% of its patients are Black, and many say it’s the first time they’ve been treated by a Black provider. Despite surging demand—over 2,800 visits last year—the nonprofit struggles to stay afloat financially. We’re entering into an unpredictable time, and a lot of funding is being frozen, especially if you mention the word ‘Black,’” medical director Lanford told Healthcare Brew.

Scientist Finds AI Tools Fail Black Women Patients
A new analysis shows the AI model CheXzero missed half of all diagnoses for Black women in chest x-rays, despite being trained on nearly 400,000 scans, according to Science. Researchers say these blind spots in medical AI tools can perpetuate real harm. “There is so much variation in populations and their biology,” one expert noted. “It’s hard to believe we’ll ever have one model to rule them all.”

DC Landlord to Pay for Ignoring Black Women’s Safety
After tenants at a Southwest D.C. apartment reported repeated racial and sexual harassment, including threats, slurs, and physical attacks, from a white neighbor, property managers did nothing. Now, UDR, Inc. must pay $50,000 in penalties for maintaining a hostile housing environment, WUSA9 reports. The women “begged for help” multiple times,” officials said. The property managers “refused to take action.”

Missing Persons

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram and their website to view more flyers. Email newsletters have a character limit, so we cannot include them all and there are, unfortunately, far too many missing Black girls and women.

Keimani Latigue, 13, has been missing from Toledo, OH since March 17, 2025

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Save the Dates

You can now find the full Save the Dates calendar here. Please contact us if you have an item you’d like to share with The Wakeful audience.

Black Women Radicals Talk with Jana Smith
Thursday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST on Instagram Live (@blackwomenradicals)
Join writer and director Jana Smith (whom I interviewed for The Persistent) to discuss Red for Revolution, her star-studded audio drama centering intergenerational stories of Black women, queer love, and liberation.

Learn more »

Black Love is Black Wealth: A Celebration of the Life and Works of Nikki Giovanni
Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m. at Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, VA
Virginia Tech honors the legendary poet and professor with a celebration of her life, love, and literary legacy.

Learn more »

The very first episode of The Wakeful podcast is here, and I’m so proud to share this preview clip with you. This debut conversation is available exclusively to paid subscribers, who make this work possible and sustainable. (And if you’re not one yet, no pressure, but I’d love to have you join.)

In this episode, I sit down with supernova food journalist Korsha Wilson to go behind the story of her recent New York Times feature “4 Black Women Who Mixed Fine Dining, Fashion and Art in New York.” It’s smart, moving, and full of gems for anyone curious about the craft of storytelling and the power of Black women in food and hospitality.

The Wakeful is one of my jobs (aside from freelance writing), and I put a lot into this multi-hyphenate role. As a Black woman journalist navigating an increasingly precarious media industry, I believe deeply in being paid for our labor, especially when it centers, uplifts, and informs our communities. If The Wakeful brings you value, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

P.S. I reserve 5 annual comped spots each quarter for anyone who wants one—just reply to this email. And if you’re able to gift a subscription to someone else, that support is always welcome.

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Wakeful Voices

“Your coverage is searing and much-needed.” — Lisa D., subscriber and fellow Substacker writing about tech, race, and gender

Want to be featured? Have thoughts on a story? Hit “Reply” and tell us what The Wakeful and these stories mean to you or leave a comment below.

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The Rundown

@blackbeltbabeICE detained a Black Woman activist and now she is being held in a Louisiana detention facility. Source: stabroeknews

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ICE Detains Guyanese Activist Amid Mass Deportation Crackdown

Amid President Trump’s renewed mass deportation push, activist Melissa “Melly Mel” Atwell Holder has reportedly been detained by ICE, according to Caribbean National Weekly. The 31-year-old social media activist and vocal critic of the Guyanese government is being held in ICE custody in Louisiana. While she reportedly traveled to the U.S. on a visitor visa, details about her immigration status remain unclear. No deportation ruling has been issued yet, but a master hearing is scheduled for March 28. Holder’s detainment sends an unmistakable message amid the administration’s sweeping efforts to silence dissent and displace activists.

[Editor’s note: Since publication, I’ve updated the news source to a more detailed source, Caribbean National Weekly. This item previously sourced and linked to a Black Information News article. I also wanted to highlight an opinion essay I recently came across by Guyanese journalist Verian Mentis-Barker, who raises sharp questions about whether ICE is being used as a tool for politically motivated targeting, especially when foreign governments are involved in this case. She also calls out the troubling silence from both U.S. and Guyanese officials, while unpacking the layered misogynoir fueling the public takedown of a Black woman who dared to speak out.]

Over 100 Black Women Lead Costco ‘Buycott’ & Buy From a Black Woman Ends H&M Partnership

In Arlington, Virginia, over 100 members of the Black Women’s Roundtable staged a “buycott” at Costco to reward the retailer’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, an act of resistance against DEI rollbacks sweeping the nation. “Corporations and businesses should not ask for Black patrons while failing to support employees of color,” said Melanie L. Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, told AFRO News.

Meanwhile, Buy From a Black Woman has ended its years-long partnership with H&M. The collaboration, once a robust model for corporate-activist partnership, began to fray after the company scaled down a key summer event. Founder Nikki Porcher told WWD the decision reflects a broader trend. “There will be a lot more Black-owned business owners who will have this [type of thing] happen to them, but maybe not on such a grand scale,” Porcher said. “I want them to know that they are not by themselves.”

Rhode Beauty Praised for Inclusive Response to Product Backlash

And after backlash over Rhode Beauty’s blushes not working on darker skin tones, the brand brought in TikTok creator Golloria and chemist Ron Robinson to help reformulate the line. “This is why you advocate for yourself,” Golloria said, praising the revamped products now inclusive of Black skin tones. The updated blushes mark a rare example of beauty accountability actually followed by change.

Patrice’s Pick

Every week, there’s one piece that lingers—whether it’s groundbreaking, heartfelt, or just too good to miss. This is the one I’d hand-deliver to you.

[Editor's note: I didn’t realize until after reading this that it was published in 2022. While this won’t be the norm, I’ll occasionally make space for older pieces that still feel deeply timely, because unfortunately, our stories are often missed the first time around.]

Week after week, I’m reading and curating stories about Black women’s lives, from historic wins to devastating disparities. Health reporting in particular can weigh heavy. The statistics are often bleak, the stories far too familiar: medical racism, delayed diagnoses, trauma—or even death—during childbirth. And yet, we keep going. We keep finding ways to heal each other, to build something better.

That’s why this multimedia piece from Good Morning America really struck me: “Black women find solutions to end racial health care disparity.” Not because it rehashed what we already know, but because it honored what too often goes unseen: Black women creating the solutions we’ve been waiting for.

The story spotlights platforms like Health In Her HUE, Culture Care, and (the seemingly defunct) Black Doctors of South Florida—all founded by Black women who turned personal pain into collective empowerment. Their stories are compelling on their own, but what struck me most was how thoughtfully this piece was put together. The art direction and design? Perfection. (Please check out the full story to see for yourself.) Nothing about this package felt rushed or like a diversity checkbox. It felt like care. And when’s the last time you felt that from a health system?

As Eddwina Bright of Health In Her HUE put it, "The demand we've been seeing has been really reassuring. Users are saying, 'This is a solution that we want. It's something we've been looking for.'" These women aren’t just responding to disparities. They’re reimagining the system from the inside out. That’s the kind of health care and storytelling we need more of.

Too often, mainstream media leaves us with the trauma and none of the tools. But this story reminds us that we’ve always been architects of our own care. That the fight for health equity isn’t only about confronting what’s wrong. It’s about spotlighting and amplifying what’s already working.

Cultural Reset

Black Women Deserve Luxury Travel, Too
In The White Lotus, Natasha Rothwell’s character locks eyes with another Black woman at a luxury Thai resort and no words are needed. It’s a subtle reminder of how rare it is to see Black women traveling in luxury, on-screen or IRL. “If anyone needs deep restoration, it’s us,” writes Shelli Nicole for Pop Sugar.

Green Velvet Couches Are the New Soft Life Signal
Far from a simple design choice, a green velvet couch has become a quiet declaration of joy, grounding, and luxury among many Black women. “Green is representative of nature” and a sense of feeling grounded, said artist Stephanie C. Nnamani, explaining why the color hits so deeply. Apartment Therapy explores how one furniture piece sparked a movement and a global sisterhood.

Kerry Washington Is Walking in Her Purpose
“I felt like I was sprinting toward a finish line we never got to,” Washington said of Kamala Harris’s loss. Now, she’s focused on creating space for other Black women on-screen, in politics, and in venture funding through her company Simpson Street. In a cover story by Sylvia Obell, Ebony calls it “The Power of Purpose.”

The Black Women Preserving Miami’s Diasporic Legacy
Across generations, archivists Dr. Dorothy Fields and Nadege Green are documenting Black Miami’s untold stories, from restoring the 112-year-old Lyric Theater to launching the Black Miami Dade archive. “She introduced me to real Black history,” Green says of Fields, her longtime mentor.

Why Black Women’s Disordered Eating Often Goes Unseen
Despite suffering for years, therapist Alishia McCullough didn’t realize she had an eating disorder. “I was praised for being thin,” she told WUNC’s Embodied podcast. Now with her book “Reclaiming the Black Body: Nourishing the Home Within” and her counseling and consulting company Black and Embodied, McCullough’s helping Black women unlearn food shame and heal their relationships with their bodies.

The Case for Professionalism in Black Hair Salons
What happened to the safe haven of the Black hair salon? Late appointments, unclear policies, and poor communication are driving some clients like away. In a Refinery29 reported essay, Mitti Hicks argues it’s time to restore respect—for stylists and clients alike—with real accountability on both sides.

In “The Residence,” Black Women Are the Smartest Ones in the Room
According to EBONY, in Netflix’s new White House murder mystery “The Residence,” Uzo Aduba plays Detective Cordelia Cupp, a stylish, quick-witter lead who, as she puts it, “is not intimidated by anything or any person.” Finally, a whodunit where the sharpest mind is a Black woman.

Power Moves

Michigan’s Most Powerful Recognized for Leading with Purpose
From financial execs to environmental justice leaders, 50 Black women were honored at the Michigan Chronicle’s 2025 Women of Excellence Awards. Two honorees—Bank of America VP Meaghan Madison and Michigan’s environmental justice lead Regina Strong—spoke with Stephen Henderson on “American Black Journal” about the impact of their work and what the recognition means to them.

Center 1968 Is Training the Next Wave of Black Policy Leaders
After helping elect Philadelphia’s first woman mayor, Jasmine Sessoms launched Center 1968 to train Black women not just to run for office, but to also shape policy behind the scenes, she tells The Grio. Named for the year Shirley Chisholm made history, the program places grads in roles from legislative staffers to political strategists, with fellowships honoring political icons like Barbara Jordan and Valerie Jarrett.

Inside the Fight to Protect Voting Rights
From Texas to Michigan to D.C., the 15 women recognized by ESSENCE and the Lawyers’ Committee’s Ojo Asé campaign are fighting voter suppression where it hits hardest. Whether staffing election hotlines, mobilizing first-time voters, or crafting new policy, they’re protecting democracy from the ground up and pushing for a system that truly represents us.

A Growing Wave of Black Women College Coaches
This year’s NCAA women’s tournament features a record 16 Black women head coaches, up from just nine in 2019. One of them, Arkansas State’s Destinee Rogers, still carries a piece of net from South Carolina’s 2017 championship, sent to her by Dawn Staley as a symbol of solidarity and legacy. “We’re opening the doors,” Rogers tells Andscape.

Radically Redefining Politics Beyond the Ballot

A new episode of “Undisciplined” explores how the radical imagination shaping Black women’s political power has made a lasting impact, not just by holding office, but through community organizing, cultural leadership, and collective action. From historic campaigns to viral grassroots fundraisers—like the 45,000-member Zoom call that raised over $1.5 million for Kamala Harris—our political power is rooted in vision, connection, and care.

Haircare Heir Calls for Industry Accountability
The granddaughter of Pro-Line’s founder and daughter of the woman behind Just For Me relaxers, Autumn Yarbrough is confronting the harms linked to her family’s legacy—products now under scrutiny for health risks—and paving a new path with Nu Standard, a science-backed, transparent beauty brand rooted in accountability and holistic care.

Reclaiming Black History in Bronze
The Rhode Island Slave History Medallions project just tapped sculptor Vinnie Bagwell to create a statue of 19th-century Black entrepreneur, abolitionist and activist abolitionist George T. Downing, which will be the first-ever statue of a person of color in Newport, Rhode Island’s history.

Under the Radar

Headwear Takes Center Stage in New Jersey Exhibit
At the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, “The Head That Wears the Crown” celebrates the cultural power of Black women’s church hats. Curator Kyra March calls it an “adornment practice” rooted in both resistance and reverence, The Montgomery News reports: “Women have used headwear to express their sense of style, a sense of freedom, and also as an expression of their faith.”

Nona Faustine Remembered for Making the Unseen Visible
The pioneering photographer widely known for her provocative "White Shoes" series, which spotlighted sites of enslavement and the legacy of Black women’s strength, has died at 48. “We are very special,” she once said. “Not just because of our suffering but because of our beauty and strength.”

Fanny Barrier Williams’ Legacy Reemerges
A force in Chicago’s Black civics movement, Fanny Barrier Williams called out racism at the 1893 World’s Fair, helped shape the founding of the NAACP, co-ghostwrote Booker T. Washington's biography of Frederick Douglass, and became the first Black woman in the Chicago Woman’s Club. Yet her name is rarely remembered. A new WBEZ segment on the Black women’s club movement is helping change that.

Cheerleading Coach Says She Was Fired for Being an Advocate
Siobhan St. John, former assistant cheerleading coach at Ohio State, is suing the university for racial and gender discrimination, alleging retaliation for her advocacy and a biased internal investigation. St. John says she was pushed out for speaking up about inequities and that her efforts to support Black women athletes were met with hostility, not support.

Who Gets a Landmark? In Boston, Black Women Fight to Be Seen
As city streets and parks largely honor white men, a new Boston Herald piece by Ed Gaskin highlights the Black women whose names and legacies are hidden in plain sight across Boston’s public spaces. “When something is named after a woman, especially a Black woman, you’d expect the city would keep an official list,” writes Gaskin. “But they don’t.” [Editor’s note: I’d love to see a national version of this with some sort of virtual visual/map component!]

Missing Persons

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram and their website to view more flyers. Email newsletters have a character limit, so we cannot include them all and there are, unfortunately, far too many missing Black girls and women.

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Save the Dates

Black Women and Climate Change with Dr. Monica White
Join Bennett College’s Green Team on March 28 at 11 a.m. for a free talk on race, gender, and environmental justice featuring Dr. Monica White, author of Freedom Farmers. Held at Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel in Greensboro, NC.
Learn more »

$5,000 Grant from Flickr x Black Women Photographers
Flickr and SmugMug are teaming up with BWP to offer a $5,000 grant, pro subscriptions, and more to support emerging talent. Apply by April 14.
Learn more »

Queens March Celebrates Black Women in the Arts
On March 26 at 5 p.m., the Bechtler Museum in Charlotte hosts Queens March, an immersive Women’s History Month celebration spotlighting Black women artists, with live performances and a silent auction.
Learn more »

We See You! Black Women Writers Workshop
On April 28 at 6 p.m., join poet and educator Michelle Rankins for a free, hands-on literary workshop at the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Berea, OH. Registration required.
Learn more »

You can now find the full Save the Dates calendar here. Please contact us if you have an item you’d like to share with The Wakeful audience.

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When I first came across food writer Korsha Wilson’s recent New York Times piece, “4 Black Women Who Mixed Fine Dining, Fashion and Art in New York,” (which was also featured in The Wakeful) I instantly knew it would be one of those articles I’d come back to again and again. It touched on …

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“I feel very lucky to have found Wakeful! I have learned so much from your writings over the years…These are difficult times, but I am hopeful that solidarity can show us a better way.” — Maria, paid subscriber

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The Rundown

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Jordan Chiles’ Hard-Won Comeback & Brie Clark Makes History With Simone Biles’ Iconic Move

Jordan Chiles has been through it all: Olympic heartbreak, relentless criticism, self-doubt, and the weight of expectations. Amid her ongoing battle to reclaim the bronze medal stripped from her at the Paris Olympics, the 23-year-old sank into a deep, private depression, she revealed in a recent Athletic profile. But she’s found her rhythm again, leading the UCLA Bruins to a championship (her viral Prince medley floor routine received a perfect 10). “I am still that girl and will forever be that girl. Period.” TIME Magazine agrees, having dubbed the 23-year-old one of their “Women of the Year.”

Fellow flipper Brie Clark has made history in her own right, becoming the first college gymnast to land the Biles I, a feat that earned the direct stamp of approval from Simone Biles herself. “I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT,” Biles wrote on Instagram, hyping up Clark’s record-breaking performance. “& closing out black history month! YES MA’AM”

Black Women on the Ballot

In New York, New York City Council speaker Adrienne Adams is making history with her mayoral bid, aiming to become the first woman to lead the country’s largest city. Though she only has $200,000 in her campaign account—far behind her opponents—the city’s attorney general, Letitia James, and other prominent leaders have already thrown their support behind Adams, signaling a powerful base of allies. Meanwhile, over in Virginia, as Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears sets her sights on the governor’s seat, she faces a Republican primary dominated by Trump’s MAGA faction and a general election where she’ll need to court moderate and independent voters wary of his influence. With Washington politics already rippling through Northern Virginia, the Jamaican immigrant and Marine veteran is confident that her particular brand of conservative leadership can defy the odds.

Five Years After Breonna Taylor

Breonna Taylor’s name became a global rallying cry for justice in 2020, after police killed the 26-year-old EMT in her home during a botched “no-knock” raid. Five years later, Taylor’s family and activists in Louisville, Kentucky are still demanding more. Metro Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright is leading a renewed push for The People’s Consent Decree, calling for accountability and transparency from the Louisville Metro Police Department. “If you’re working on those things, great,” Parrish-Wright said, according to ESSENCE. “Give us an update on what you’re working on and what you’ve done.” Because for many, justice for Breonna Taylor remains unfinished business.

Patrice’s Pick

Tia Hamilton’s story grabbed my attention this week—not just because of what she endured, but because of how her community responded. A Brooklyn native who put down roots in Baltimore, Hamilton founded Urban Reads Bookstore in 2019 as a space of empowerment, offering literature, resources, and a hub for advocacy. But recently, both Urban Reads and her magazine, State vs. Us, which amplifies stories of the wrongly convicted and formerly incarcerated, became targets of an online racist harassment campaign. “It’s like they had a Klan rally just for me,” she told The Baltimore Banner. “The gates of hell opened up.”

The attacks started online, flooding her social media with vile racist cartoons, slurs, and threats, including calls to destroy the store. Then came an unsettling in-person moment: three masked white men on dirt bikes circling past her store. Instead of retreating, Hamilton took her fight public, calling on her community—especially men—to show up. And they did. Members of the local grassroots group Tendea Family, known for their work in self-defense and conflict resolution, stepped in, alongside other neighbors and supporters. “You know how they say, ‘Protect Black women?’ That’s real for me,” Hamilton said. “This just shows me I’m not alone.”

Her fight isn’t an anomaly, but part of a pattern. Just look at Miracle Boyd, the activist whose TRiiBE story appears in this week’s “Under the Radar” section (below). A day after securing a settlement for being assaulted by a Chicago police officer in 2020, Boyd received a racist death threat. The letter’s opening line? “Miracle Boyd deserves to be knocked unconscious and be hanged from a tree.” These incidents aren’t happening in a vacuum. As the current administration continues to gut DEI initiatives and other constitutional protections—as seen with the detainment of activist Mahmoud Khalil, Black women are left with even fewer protections against systemic and individual acts of racial violence.

And yet, Hamilton’s story stands as proof of what’s possible when support isn’t just theoretical but tangible. The strong Black woman narrative has conditioned so many of us to endure alone, but she rejected that, publicly calling for help. The response she received is a model for how communities should rally for Black women: on our terms, without co-opting or diluting our fight.

Cultural Reset

Shutting Down Doechii Industry Plant Accusations

Doechii’s meteoric rise has been met with accusations that her success was manufactured, but as Carly Lewis-Oduntan notes for Unbothered, the term has lost all meaning in the age of social media. “Are people so affronted that she’s been able to thrive so freely in spite of her individuality, which in another lifetime could have easily worked against her?” Lewis-Oduntan asks. Doechii’s talent, boundary-pushing artistry, and refusal to conform have made her a target, but also an undeniable force.

Meghan Markle and the Question of Relatability

While some critics have slammed Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle show “Love, Meghan” as out of touch (some, even before it even aired), Black women have countered with their own show of support in op-eds at ESSENCE, Unbothered, and beyond. In response to criticism of the Duchess’ Le Creuset cookware, many posted their own collections online, questioning why Martha Stewart and Ina Garten aren’t subjected to the same scrutiny. “Why is anyone surprised or disturbed that she would have beautiful color-coordinated cookware?” MSNBC’s Michele Norris asked, as reported by Today.

Natasha Rothwell, Naomi Ackie, and the Fight for Unconventional Roles

Scene-stealers Natasha Rothwell and Naomi Ackie are expanding the kinds of roles Black women get to play. Rothwell’s return to “The White Lotus” comes with mixed emotions, as her own series, “How to Die Alone,” was recently canceled after one season. “What do I have to do to be worthy of airtime?” she asks in her Vulture profile.

Meanwhile, Ackie gets to embrace the weird and “unhinged” in “Mickey 17,” a sci-fi film where her character, Nasha, is a security agent with a wild streak (“Parasite” filmmaker Bong Joon Ho reportedly sought out the actress directly). “I love pieces of work that feel complicated,” she says in an interview, celebrating the rare opportunity to be a love interest who isn’t just kick-ass, but unpredictable, flawed, and deeply human.

Power Moves

Black Women Mobilize on Capitol Hill to Defend Democracy

The Grio reports on a coalition of Black women activists and leaders that gathered in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to challenge Trump’s MAGA agenda and call out policies that disproportionately harm Black communities. Joined by “Sister Senators” Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks, they made it clear: they won’t stand by as voting rights, education, and healthcare are rolled back.

Angel Reese Speaks Out on Potential WNBA Strike

WNBA players are considering a strike if their demands for better pay and benefits remain unmet, Angel Reese revealed on her Unapologetically Angel podcast. Joined by fellow WNBA player and union rep Dijonai Carrington, she discussed how many players struggle financially despite their contributions to the league. As Blavity reports, the WNBPA has pushed for higher salaries, expanded health benefits, and long-term investments, emphasizing that the current business model undervalues them.

Building Black Futures in the Face of DEI Rollbacks

As corporate DEI initiatives disappear, Black leaders like Krishan Trotman, Dr. Lia Knox, and Rachel Noerdlinger are proving that Black ownership is the real path forward. From publishing to mental health advocacy, they’re investing in their communities and pioneering their futures on self-determined paths, Brea Baker writes.

Under the Radar

Miracle Boyd Faces Death Threat After Settlement Win

A day after securing a $280,000 settlement for being assaulted at 18 by a Chicago police officer in 2020, activist Miracle Boyd received a racist death threat at her organization’s headquarters, TRiiBE Chicago reports. The first line of the letter read, “Miracle Boyd deserves to be knocked unconscious and be hanged from a tree.” Boyd, who is expecting her first child, says she’s being targeted for her advocacy of victims and survivors of police violence through GoodKids MadCity.

YouTuber Alysha Burney Dies During Birthday Trip

Social media personality Alysha Burney tragically passed away while celebrating her 25th birthday with in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She suffered a fatal asthma attack in her sleep, according to her brother Charles Burney, who was also on the trip. Known for her viral Bad Girls Club parodies, Alysha built a massive following with 2.5 million TikTok fans and 1.27 million YouTube subscribers.

Pauli Murray’s Legacy Scrubbed from National Park Service Website

The National Park Service is under fire for allegedly erasing references to the LGBTQ+ identity of Rev. Pauli Murray—the first black female Episcopal Church priest—from its website. The Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice condemned the move, stating that the federal government “disabled” at least one webpage and altered language acknowledging Murray’s queer and transgender identities.

A Hidden Skin Disease That Disproportionately Affects Black Women

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), an autoimmune skin disease, is often misdiagnosed—especially in Black women, a group at higher risk—leading to severe complications, Fox5 Atlanta reports. The painful condition, which causes boil-like lumps and abscesses, is frequently mistaken for infections or STDs, delaying crucial treatment. Dermatologists warn that without proper care, HS can lead to permanent scarring and, in rare cases, skin cancer.

Black Women’s Forgotten Fight for Fair Wages During the Great Depression

In the 1930s, various groups of Black women workers throughout Memphis risked everything to demand fair wages, striking without support from labor unions, which that prioritized skilled trades and overlooked their jobs. Nut shellers at the Memphis Pecan and Walnut Company, for instance, walked off the job to protest exploitative wages paid on a piecework (per nut shelled) basis rather than hourly, MLK 50 recalled. Largely unrecognized in history books, their life-risking resistance helped spark broader labor movements across the city.

Taylour Paige Opens Up About Her Battle With “Violent” Endometriosis

Actress Taylour Paige shared an intimate look at her struggles with endometriosis, a condition that left her in debilitating pain for years. In a candid Instagram post reported by The Grio, she revealed she underwent a four-hour surgery in 2023 on her colon, bladder, and rectum, reflecting on the toll the disease took on her body and mental health. "The worst is how much you gaslight yourself," she wrote. "It’s almost like there’s no way you’re hurting this much."

Missing Persons

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram and their website to view more flyers. Email newsletters have a character limit, so we cannot include them all and there are, unfortunately, far too many missing Black girls and women.

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Save the Dates

Essential events, opportunities, and deadlines you need to know. Got something to share? Send it our way!

Camp Lucky Girl 2025
Hosted by Lucky Girl Rose founder Akilah Releford-Gould at her family’s Bloom Ranch in Acton, this year’s retreat blends brand-building, relationship insights, and industry connections, all over great rosé. (I recently featured Akilah in an ESSENCE essay on Black women in home and lifestyle.)

Learn more and purchase tickets

Studio Symoné Residency at Sip & Sonder
Beauty media platform Studio Symoné, founded by journalist and artist Darian Symoné Harvin, teams up with Black women-owned coffee house Sip & Sonder in L.A. for a multidisciplinary residency. Expect co-working sessions, DJ sets, and exclusive Studio Symoné beauty newspapers. Oh, and try the Symoné Sip!

Learn more

The Persistent—a journalism platform amplifying women’s voices, founded by Francesca Donner (formerly of The New York Times, where I worked with her on the defunct “In Her Words” section)—just published my interview with filmmaker and writer Jana Naomi Smith. Smith co-created, co-executive produced, and wrote “Red for Revolution,” a star-studded scripted audio drama starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“Nickle Boys,” “Caste”), S. Epatha Merkerson (“Law & Order,” “Chicago Med”), Loretta Devine (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Dreamgirls”), Jennifer Beals (“Flashdance,” “The L Word”), and Danny Glover (“Lethal Weapon,” “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”). We talked about why she made radical revolution—not family or romance—the core of her protagonist’s love story (a narrative usually reserved for men), the ways audio storytelling lets Black women create in ways film and TV don’t, and how her childhood obsession with Lena Horne and other Black women icons helped shape the series.

Also this Saturday, March 8, Red for Revolution is hosting an International Women’s Day panel on Instagram Live, where Smith and her collaborators will talk about the stories and perspectives that influenced the series. Join the conversation over at @redforrevolution at 2:00 p.m. PST/5:00 p.m. EST.

—Patrice, The Wakeful founder

Wakeful Voices

“I appreciate that The Wakeful is a space where Black women are centered. I look forward to reading not only about our potential, but also about what we’ve accomplished in a society that doesn’t always support us.” — Houreidja T.

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The Rundown

“Sister Senators” reflect on their historic win and the road ahead

For the first time in U.S. history, two Black women are serving in the Senate simultaneously. In a joint interview, “Sister Senators” Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester discussed the significance of this milestone and their priorities. As the Senate faces key legislative challenges, both senators have highlighted their focus on policies aimed at addressing economic equity, healthcare access, and community development.

New report finds harmful chemicals in synthetic hair

A Consumer Reports investigation found carcinogens and lead in 10 synthetic hair products frequently used in braids, wigs, and extensions and marketed specifically to Black women. Magic Fingers, Sensationnel, and Shake-N-Go were among the companies flagged. While some brands dispute the testing methodology, the findings raise urgent concerns about the hidden risks in beauty products that Black women have few alternatives to avoid. The report adds to a growing body of research exposing the disproportionate exposure Black women face to toxic chemicals in everyday products, from hair relaxers to makeup and skincare.

60 years since Bloody Sunday: Honoring the Black women who powered the Selma-Montgomery Marches

Sixty years after Bloody Sunday, the stories of the Black women who made the Selma marches possible are being recognized. The National Council of Negro Women, led by Dorothy Height, mobilized local members to provide shelter to activists and partner with Black sororities to feed demonstrators. The Dallas County Voters League, led primarily by Black women, did the unglamorous yet essential work of organizing voter drives and building the trust that made the movement possible. “You may see the flashy protest,” historian and professor Hasan Ashley D. Farmer told The 19th, “but below the surface is a strong collective of people, Black women usually, that are creating the networks, trust, community-building, and organizational literacy for something [like this] to be able to take place.”

A Particular Pain as Prestige at the Oscars

In an Oscars post-mortem, Janell Hobson points to the continued pattern of the award show’s rewarding actresses—especially Black women—who package their pain into digestible, vulnerable roles while overlooking those who channel their rage or complexity in less palatable ways. Whether it’s historical dramas, harrowing biographies, or roles steeped in trauma, the industry remains fixated on a particular kind of feminine suffering, she argues.

Patrice’s Pick

How we rest: thoughts on a National Day of Rest for Black Women

One of the best parts of writing this newsletter is feeling that spark of discovery—when a story intrigues, inspires, and pulls me in. By no means do I know everything about Black women, still after reporting across almost every news vertical for over a decade, I’ve come across a lot. So I was surprised to learn there’s a National Day of Rest for Black Women, which falls on Monday, March 10 this year.

I first saw the day mentioned in a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed by columnist Jenice Armstrong, titled “Kamala Harris deserves time to rest. We all do.” Then I came across a WUSA9 interview where anchor Lesli Foster spoke about the significance of the day with Jalina Porter, the former principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department under President Biden. Armstrong, a fellow Black woman journalist, shared that she’s planning to unplug completely. No work emails, no social media, just rest. “Zero plans” is the plan. She ties her need for rest to what she calls an “ugly time in American politics.” Armstrong’s op-ed also reflects on former Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing that her recent presidential run—and the overwhelming 92% of Black women who voted for her—exemplifies how Black women consistently go above and beyond for the collective, often at the expense of their own well-being.

If you follow me on YouTube or Instagram, you know that I spent the past two months in Mexico City. The stars aligned: a friend let me sublet her place while another needed a sublet from me. After the 2024 election and an exhausting year, I embraced the change—not just in location, but in habits. I prioritized morning meditation, daily stretching, full eight-hour sleep cycles, fresh produce, strength training, and, most importantly, standing still—ie. not distracting or numbing myself with excessive partying, Netflix binges, alcohol, etc.—to gain clarity and self-knowledge (I talk a bit about that in a recent vlog).

Don’t get it twisted: I know self-care discourse is played out. I won’t pretend we can wellness our way out of systemic oppression and I recognize the privilege of having space and resources to prioritize them. At the same time, it seemed like these practices have helped me in very noticeable ways. I returned to Los Angeles feeling more refreshed than I have in years, and it took me a few days to understand why. Then I listened to entrepreneur and coach Myleik Teele break down the difference between rest and recovery in a recent episode of her eponymous podcast. “To recover is to actively replenish what has been depleted,” she explained. “Rest stops the exhaustion, recovery restores your energy. You need both.” That distinction clicked. I hadn’t just rested in Mexico City. I had unknowingly prioritized recovery.

And that’s what made the difference for me, at least in this season of my life. It’s something to consider as we think about what we, as Black women, want and need from rest. Will our approach truly restore us, or will it just press pause on exhaustion until it inevitably resumes? Taking the day off is important, but so is making intentional moves toward replenishment. Because real rest is about more than stopping. It’s about rebuilding.

Cultural Reset

Reimagining Black love and sex on TV

Mara Brock Akil is bringing a fresh perspective to Judy Blume’s “Forever,” reimagining the classic (and once controversial) teen romance through a Black lens for Netflix. The series, premiering in May, follows Keisha and Justin as they navigate young love, exploring how race, gender, and societal expectations shape their journey. As she tells Harper’s Bazaar, Brock Akil sees this adaptation as an opportunity to expand the portrayal of Black relationships in media, moving beyond trauma-centered narratives to embrace the joy, complexity, and self-discovery of first love. Meanwhile, over in the “Bridgerton” universe with Season 4 in production, fans are eager to see how Will and Alice Mondrich’s storyline unfolds, offering a rare depiction of Black love thriving in a period drama. Will their characters finally get the steamy, intense lovemaking treatment that the series is known for? “I don't think you'll be too disappointed,” actress Emma Naomi, who plays Alice Mondrich, teased to Unbothered. “That's all I can say."

Poets and Plays Reshaping Cultural Spaces and History

A new What I’m Reading podcast episode reveals how Jewel Rodgers, Nebraska’s first Black state poet, is on a mission to make poetry accessible to all. Since her appointment in January, she’s taken her work beyond traditional literary spaces, bringing poetry readings to dive bars, community centers, and unexpected venues across the state. Across the Atlantic, a new South African play is spotlighting the untold stories of women who fought apartheid, not only on the front lines, but in their homes and communities, too. “Winnie and the Forgotten Women” explores the complex lives of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and other South African Black women who held families together while their husbands were in exile or prison, challenging the idea that the struggle for freedom was fought only by men.

Reclaiming our flowers: Black Women and horticulture

A new movement is blossoming as Black women reclaim their place in horticulture, reviving an industry with deep historical roots in their communities. An in-depth feature explores how today’s Black florists, gardeners, and agriculturalists are using their craft as a tool for healing, self-sufficiency, and economic empowerment, disrupting an industry that has often sidelined them. One initiative, the Los Angeles-based Flowers for First Responders, is launching wellness events aimed at community volunteers, firefighters, and disaster relief workers in the aftermath of the L.A. fires.

Honoring Culinary Icons and Sports Pioneers

A feature spotlights four pioneering Black women restaurateurs—Alberta Wright of Jezebel, Toukie Smith of Toukie’s, Pamela Strobel of Little Kitchen, and B. Smith of B. Smith’s—whose New York City restaurants blended food, fashion, and art, creating spaces that weren’t just dining experiences but cultural statements. Another roundup by Word in Black highlights Black women athletes, coaches, and pioneers who have redefined sports. The feature celebrates history-makers in basketball, gymnastics, racing, and more, including Coach Dawn Staley, sprinter Tara Davis, and NASCAR’s Tia Norfleet.

Power Moves

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At ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood, former MSNBC host Joy Reid spoke about embracing the love and support of her community since “The ReidOut” ended and made one thing clear: this isn’t a loss; it’s a transition. That same energy of reinvention fuels Issa Rae, who recently discussed her remarkable come-up and booming business empire. The “Insecure” creator-turned-beauty investor just secured a major win: her clean haircare brand, Sienna Naturals, is now available at Sephora.

Filling Critical Gaps in Medical Access, Hygiene, and Reproductive Care

In a world where access to and knowledge of healthcare is often limited, Kyndred is rewriting the rules. An Elle feature unpacks how the telehealth platform, founded by Kimberly Huggins, Brittany Brathwaite, and Tesiah Coleman, bridges the gap in sexual and reproductive education and care for Black women.

Artist and activist Michelle Browder is tackling Alabama’s maternal mortality crisis head-on. Her mobile medical resource center crisscrosses the Black Belt, providing essential health screenings to pregnant women in communities where 34% of counties lack reproductive care providers. Ricki Fairley is also pushing for a life-saving shift. Black women have the highest mortality rates for several cancers, yet make up only 2% of clinical trial participants. Through Fairley’s organization TOUCH: The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, the When We Trial initiative is ensuring that Black women have access to research opportunities that could change—and save—their lives.

Access to basic hygiene shouldn’t be a barrier to education. Tennessean Claressa Ham recognized this issue firsthand at her alma mater and took action. After overhearing high students struggling to afford period products, she installed free vending machines stocked with essentials like pads, deodorant, and soap. What started in one school has now expanded to 10, ensuring that local students have what they need to show up for class with confidence.

How Laila Edwards and Purple Are Redefining Hockey and Personal Finance

Laila Edwards is carving out a new path in hockey, becoming the first Black woman to play for Team USA’s Women’s National Hockey Team. “I’m becoming a role model for so many people,” the 19-year-old college junior said. On the financial front, anonymous blogger Purple is rewriting the rules of wealth-building. She retired at 30, challenging the perception that financial independence is “just for white guys.” By blogging about her journey—strategic job hopping, meticulous budgeting, and frugal living—she’s showing other Black women that early retirement isn’t just possible, it’s within reach.

Under the Radar

For decades, the image of "Rosie the Riveter" has symbolized the women who kept the country running during World War II. But behind the iconic poster, countless Black women were also on the front lines of the war effort, yet their contributions have largely gone unrecognized. A critically acclaimed documentary is finally changing that, highlighting the stories of African American women like Ruth Wilson (not pictured above), a Philadelphia native who worked at the Naval Shipyard in the 1940s and passed away last October at 102.

Maria W. Stewart, a name also too often left out of history books, was the first Black woman to deliver public speeches to mixed-gender audiences, boldly calling for racial and gender equality in the 1830s. Through essays and lectures, she challenged oppression and laid the foundation for generations of activists. Historians recognize her rhetorical techniques as a clear precursor to orators like Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. Read more about her in the New York Times obituary series, Overlooked No More.

Save the Dates

The 10th Annual Black Women Film Network Summit

The Black Women Film Network Summit returns on March 22 at the Loudermilk Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Celebrating its tenth year, the event highlights Black women shaping the entertainment industry under the theme “Plot Twist: The Art of The Pivot.” Honorees include “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” star Aja Naomi King, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, and Tyler Perry Studios executive Angi Bones. Learn more and purchase tickets

Apply for a 19th News Fellowship

The 19th News is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Fellowship, a yearlong, salaried program with full benefits for HBCU graduates and mid-career alums and former students. Fellows will gain experience in reporting, audience engagement, and news product management. Applications are due by March 31 at 5:00 p.m. PST. Learn more

Grants for Women Entrepreneurs in Michigan
The Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation is accepting applications for its latest round of business grants, supporting women entrepreneurs in Michigan. Launched in honor of Olga’s Kitchen founder Olga Loizon, the grants provide financial assistance to women actively building businesses in the state. Applications are open through March 29, and eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need and submit a formal business plan. Learn more

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I’m excited to share my latest for Essence Magazine, titled “Black Women Have Always Been The Blueprint In Home And Lifestyle.” You can read it here. And if you're curious about the thought process on writing the story, I’ve shared a video on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

~Patrice

Wakeful Voices

“All of these topics are so important for me to hear as an Asian American women…I look forward to [The Wakeful] everytime it hits my inbox.” — Carrie, paid subscriber

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The Rundown

Black Women-Owned Businesses Surge Amid Economic Challenges

A new study reports a striking 22% rise in Black-owned businesses, which are more likely to be led by women. And while women run just 22.3% of businesses nationwide, they lead a staggering 39.1% of Black-owned businesses—nearly twice the national average. This boom comes despite persistent barriers like limited access to capital and systemic bias in lending.

Study Finds Toxic Beauty Products Targeting Black Women

A staggering 80% of beauty products marketed to Black women contain hazardous ingredients, a new study reveals. While unsafe chemicals plague the industry at large—74% of all tested products ranked as moderate to high hazard—the added six-percentage-point “is something that should be considered,” said Environmental Working Group's Alexa Friedman, who co-authored the study. Products labeled for "melanated skin" or "textured hair" often come packed with harmful substances, reinforcing a beauty industry that profits off Black consumers while neglecting their health.

Issa & Shonda Reject Trump’s Kennedy Center and $10M Settlement in Sonya Massey Case

Hollywood moguls Issa Rae and Shonda Rhimes have cut ties with the Kennedy Center following Donald Trump’s appointment as chairman, citing concerns over the institution’s values under his leadership. Rhimes resigned from the board, while Rae canceled a sold-out event, both citing concerns over the institution’s direction under Trump’s leadership.

Nearly a year after sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson shot and killed Sonya Massey in her own home, her family has reached a $10 million settlement with Sangamon County, Illinois. Massey, a 36-year-old mother of two, had called for help when Grayson entered and fired. Now facing first-degree murder charges, the former deputy’s case remains ongoing.

Patrice’s Pick

As the daughter of a mother who is the primary caregiver for my grandmother, this story about The Binti Circle—a Baltimore-based support group for Black women caring for their aging parents—hit home. Founded by Dawnita Brown, the nonprofit gathers monthly in a living room, offering space for Black women to vent, share, and lean on one another.

"To have this group, first of all, they allow me to vent, and I can vent without anybody judging what I have to say, and that is freeing, very freeing," Binti Circle member Kalin Thomas told CBS’ Nicky Zizaza. She described the stress of caregiving as overwhelming, sometimes leading to depression. "You want all their days to feel as pleasant and comfortable as possible," she added.

That stress isn’t just personal; it’s structural. Caregiving isn’t just about tending to elderly loved ones; it’s about looking after family members of all ages, from disabled relatives to young children, often with little to no support. And in most cases, the responsibility falls squarely on the women of the family. This isn’t lost on policymakers. Last October, then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris proposed a Medicare plan that would cover at-home health aides and other long-term care services, aiming to ease the financial and emotional burden placed on caregivers. There’s also the home care workers’ union, SEIU Healthcare, as mentioned in this Essence article. But for now, homegrown resources like The Binti Circle are one of the few places where Black women can find immediate support and relief.

Brown called the group “a lifeline,” and I don’t doubt that for a second. I won’t put too much of my family’s business out there, but I will say this: I’ve seen firsthand how caregiving can be both a privilege and a psychological, mental, and physical burden, especially when access to financial resources is limited. My mother has told me as much. She wouldn’t trade the opportunity to care for her own mother, but I know she’d benefit from a space like this. Somewhere to release, to be heard, to share the weight of it all.

I’ve written extensively about the Strong Black Woman trope—how it conditions us to endure, to bear it all without complaint, to sacrifice until we break. Whether it’s the disproportionate rates of suicide risks and self-inflicted injury among Black women or how severe uterine fibroids symptoms uniquely impacts us emotionally, the pattern is the same: we carry and carry and carry, stoic and silent, often without help. And as the Black senior population is projected to more than double by 2060, this issue will only intensify.

The Binti Circle is yet another example of how Black women continue to be the architects of our own survival. When systems fail us, when caregiving is dismissed as invisible labor, we find ways to hold each other up. It gives me hope in a time when many are struggling to find it.

Cultural Reset

Designing the Future, Rewriting the Past

A 2020 report found that just 0.4% of licensed architects in the U.S. are Black women, and only 1.5% of interior designers identify as Black. But that hasn’t stopped trailblazers from reshaping the industry. A new feature spotlights 27 architects and designers leading the charge, proving that diversity in design isn’t just about inclusion—it’s about innovation. In Los Angeles, the Hammer Museum celebrates Alice Coltrane, jazz virtuoso, spiritual leader, and longtime muse for contemporary visual artists. “Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal” showcases her influence beyond music, featuring artists like Rashid Johnson and Cauleen Smith who translate her sonic vision into visual form.

At the Heart of the Soundtrack

This Black History Month, a retrospective dives into how artists like TLC and Destiny’s Child shaped the ‘90s and changed music forever. And in Brooklyn, DJs like Honey Bun and Bodegaparty are reclaiming dance floors, blending house, techno, and Jersey Club with a deep understanding of the genres’ Black roots. They’re not just spinning records. They’re reviving history and making space for the future.

The Burden of Survival in Horror & Hollywood

Black women in horror films often bear the weight of saving everyone else, only to have their own stories erased. From “Candyman”’s Brianna Cartwright to “His House”’s Rial, these characters embody a reality that extends beyond fiction, where Black women are expected to heal, endure, and protect, even at their own expense. A refreshing critique unpacks this “savior trope,” revealing how the genre mirrors the very real erasure of Black women’s labor. Meanwhile, “The White Lotus” flips the script, bringing back Natasha Rothwell’s fan favorite Belinda. This time, she’s a guest, not a worker. “I’ll be there,” Rothwell recalls, in a great interview, telling the show’s creator Mike White.

A Different Kind of Black Besties Narrative

Hollywood keeps trying to recreate Sex and the City for Black audiences, but maybe that’s not the story Black women want. A new essay questions why a true Black counterpart hasn’t emerged, pointing out that characters like “Insecure”’s Issa Dee and “High Fidelity”’s Rob Brooks resonate because they reflect real, messy, evolving Black womanhood, not a forced remake of a white classic. And while multifaceted representations of Black girls also remain sidelined in mainstream media, author Aria S. Halliday is calling for a change. Her book, “Black Girls and How We Fail Them,” examines how society limits Black girls’ narratives and how Black women can reclaim their stories.

Writing a New Chapter

A new generation of Black women is rewriting publishing. Kiedra Taylor, a UConn doctoral student, launched “Write On, Black Girl” to amplify young Black girls' voices, and now she’s partnered with a publishing house to expand the platform. “I noticed that people were talking about Black girls, but no one was talking to them,” she explains. Meanwhile, Zakiya Dalila Harris reflects on adapting her bestselling novel, “The Other Black Girl,” for TV, discussing the challenges of translating speculative satire about race in publishing to the screen. And in the beauty world, influencer Phaith Montoya is calling out the industry’s erasure of monoracial (ie. belonging to or identifying as a single race) Black women. Light-skinned with looser curls, she acknowledges her privilege in securing brand deals while darker-skinned Black women with 4C hair are sidelined.

Power Moves

From the Sidelines to the Owner’s Box

Autumn Lockwood made history as the first Black woman coach to win a Super Bowl ring, securing her place in the NFL’s record books with the Philadelphia Eagles. Meanwhile, Kelsey Koelzer became the first Black woman to lead an NCAA hockey program, a first that underscores a reported rise in Black women student’s participation.

In another arena, Morgan Price just became the first HBCU gymnast to score a perfect 10, a milestone for Fisk University’s trailblazing program. And while Price is soaring in gymnastics, Kamora Freeland, the youngest Black woman to earn a pilot’s license at 17, is also charting a new path at Spelman College.

Outside of competition, Issa Rae and Tems are stepping into sports ownership, joining the ownership group for San Diego FC. Rae sees it as a way to invest in the community, while Tems calls soccer a “universal language” that unites people globally.

Rewriting the Rules in Art, Fashion, Beauty & Beyond

Anne Collins Smith just shattered barriers as the first Black chief curator at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Meanwhile, Chrissy Bales has redefined luxury wigs with her handcrafted pieces becoming a global standard.

Debbie Nash-King, the first Black woman mayor of Killeen, Texas, is no stranger to obstacles. "Kings don’t quit," she says, pushing back against the challenges that come with being a Black woman in leadership. Last but not least, TIME’s Closers 2025 list just dropped, highlighting 25 leaders working to close the racial equity gap. Among them: Rachel Scott, Elaine Welteroth, Sara Sidner, and Danessa Myricks, all recognized for their groundbreaking contributions in fashion, health, news media, and beauty.

Under the Radar

Authorities in Los Angeles are investigating the tragic discovery of an unidentified Black girl, estimated to be between 8 and 13 years old, whose body was found partially stuffed inside a duffle bag near a hiking trail. Dressed in panda-print pants and a pink long-sleeved shirt reading "future princess hero," she was discarded down an embankment with no visible signs of trauma. In Houston, 14-year-old Kamiah Perryman remains missing, prompting urgent calls for public assistance in locating her.

South Africa is mourning the loss of Senamile Masango, the country's first Black female nuclear scientist, according to BBC, who passed away at just 37. Known as "the queen of science," Masango made history as the first African woman to join an African-led research team at CERN, the world’s leading particle physics lab. Her relentless advocacy for science education, particularly among young women in underserved communities, leaves behind a lasting legacy.

Save the Dates

We Gather at the Edge: Contemporary Quilts by Black Women Artists
Opening February 21 at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in D.C., this exhibition presents thirty-five quilts from Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi’s collection. It celebrates Black women artists and their powerful storytelling through quilting, highlighting the Women of Color Quilters Network and Black textile traditions. Learn more

ArtLeadHer Presents: Roots and Realms
Rugiyatou Ylva Jallow’s first solo exhibition opens on February 21 at NeueHouse Venice Beach in Los Angeles, with the opening night starting at 6:30 PM. Running through May 1st, Roots and Realms explores the intersection of identity, heritage, and personal discovery through the experiences of biracial women. Jallow’s work invites viewers to delve into the layers of culture, mythology, and self-awareness. Learn more

Spend the Summer at Spelman University Researching Audre Lorde
The Spelman Archives is offering two $2,500 travel grants to PhD students who will conduct in-person research in the Audre Lorde Papers during Summer 2025. Applications are due by March 1st. These grants aim to support scholarship focused on Black queer women and to promote public engagement with Lorde’s powerful legacy. Learn more

Wakeful Voices

“I support your work because we need more loud and clear black women’s voices in the struggle to make our democracy far more democratic.” — Tollie M.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Tollie. We aim to center and AMPLIFY those voices with this newsletter, so thank you again for becoming a paid subscriber! Your support helps us dedicate the time and effort to do just that.

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The Rundown

Beyoncé Eyes Long-Withheld Grammy Win & Over 10,000 Black Women Thank Kamala Harris

Beyoncé is no stranger to Grammy controversy, but this year feels like the breaking point. With 32 wins under her belt, she holds the record for most Grammys ever. Yet, she’s still without an Album of the Year trophy. This Sunday, she’s up for her fifth shot at the prize with her eighth solo album, Cowboy Carter. Despite critical acclaim and global impact, Beyoncé remains snubbed in this category, and fans and non-fans alike are left wondering why. As scholar Farah Griffin points out in an excellent New York Times piece, Black women like Beyoncé are often “perceived as mere vocalists” instead of multidimensional artists, a bias that could be at the root of this Grammy blindspot.

Meanwhile, in the political arena, a collective of over 10,000 Black women have come together to pen an open letter thanking Vice President Kamala Harris for her leadership. The Win With Black Women collective, which has been a strong force in amplifying Black women in politics, is sending a clear message: despite the current political climate that seeks to undermine their progress, they are united. Jotaka Eaddy, founder of Win With Black Women, put it best: “We will continue to work together and vow to never give up.”

A Cervical Cancer Crisis & A Bold New Cancer Study

Black women are dying from cervical cancer at far higher rates than other groups. St. Jude’s HPV Cancer Prevention Program reports that Black women over 70 are three times more likely to die from the disease than their counterparts. Mistrust in the medical system, compounded by implicit bias and lack of follow-up care, contributes to this heartbreaking reality. Dr. Idehen urges women to keep up with Pap smears and get vaccinated if needed, and encourages men to get vaccinated as well. “Prevention is key, and it’s never too late to make these health changes,” she writes for BlackDoctor.org.

And in related news, researchers are launching an ambitious new cancer study. The American Cancer Society is looking to enroll 100,000 Black women in a groundbreaking 30-year cancer study. With cancer being one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., and Black women facing the highest mortality rates, this study hopes to illuminate the unique risks Black women face and provide critical insights to save lives.

Patrice’s Pick

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The DEI rollbacks at Target, Walmart, and other mega corporate retailers—along with the pushback at Costco—made major headlines this week. Black women entrepreneurs are particularly impacted, as we’re not only the fastest growing demographic of entrepreneurs in the U.S. with nearly 2.7 million businesses nationwide, but also face systemic barriers to funding and support.

When I heard about Target’s DEI rollback, Tabitha Brown (above) immediately came to mind. She rose to fame with her warm, empowering TikToks on vegan cooking, natural hair, and affirming life advice, building a massive multihyphenate empire. Her line of beauty, fashion, food, and lifestyle products are famously sold and celebrated at Target, Walmart, and Amazon. But now, the real question is not whether Black women should protest this corporate move, but how? Is it possible to protect individual Black businesses and entrepreneurs while also ensuring the broader well-being of the Black community? The challenge is clear: businesses may have to take a hit and our community must strategize and organize effective ways to support one another through this struggle.

A press conference was recently held at Target’s headquarters in Minneapolis, where local activists are calling for a nationwide boycott. "For decades, Target has benefitted from nearly unfettered support from Minnesota residents, families and consumers all around the country,” said civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, according to CBS News. “In the past, Target was known for its diversity initiatives and reputation for supporting diverse communities. Now Target has shown its true face by deciding to roll back its focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion by putting profits and politics over people."

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Yet, in the face of this push, many Black business owners—mostly, Black women—sold at these retailers have suggested boycott alternatives, like selling out their products to send a message of solidarity and financial power. Tabitha Brown shared a heartfelt message on Instagram. “This is bigger than me,” she said. “It’s for everyone who is a woman-owned business, minority-owned business, and Black-owned business.” Some criticized her response in the comment section, feeling she was prioritizing her personal success over the larger fight. Similarly, Melissa Butler, founder of The Lip Bar, the “largest Black-owned makeup company in Target”, expressed disappointment but wasn’t surprised, pointing to the Trump administration’s role in emboldening these corporate moves. Eunique Jones-Gibson, founder of Culture Tags, emphasized being mindful of where we spend our dollars, urging a thoughtful response to the boycott calls. She said, “We should be intentional with our dollars while being cognizant of the unintentional harm we may cause by completely withdrawing support.”

This is just the start of a bigger conversation about how we, as a community, respond to these rollbacks and the waves of disenfranchisement coming down the line. In 2025, as we face a landscape more divided and complex than anything we saw during the Civil Rights Movement, the fight for Black businesses, civil rights, and social justice will look a lot different. Unlike the solidarity of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (which keeps popping up in many arguments making as case for the boycotts), today’s struggle is tangled up in deeper divisions of class, cultures, and identity and a lack of prominent, verifiable Black-owned and operated information sources. What’s needed now is radical thinking, bold moves, selfless sacrifice, and a kind of cross-class unity that may feel unfamiliar but is essential if we’re going to push back against this new era of homogeneity, inequity, and exclusion.

Cultural Reset

Entertainment:

Lencia Kebede makes history as the first Black actress to play Elphaba in Wicked, following in the footsteps of Brittney Johnson, who became the first Black Glinda in 2022. With roles in Hamilton and Rent, Kebede now tackles one of Broadway’s most iconic characters, breaking barriers with each performance.

At the box office, the Keke Palmer and SZA-led One of Them Days defies expectations, earning over $25 million (on a $14 million budget) after weekend two, while Hard Truth’s Marianne Jean-Baptiste speaks out about the “dearth of great multilayered roles for Black women” in both the US and UK, admitting, “I’ve always had to compromise.”

Sundance Film Festival kicked off last week, featuring the world premiere of A24’s Opus, led by The Bear star Ayo Edebiri. Black Girl Nerds reviewed the horror thriller, noting, Edebiri’s “smart, relatable, and grounded” character feels authentic in a genre full of clichés, offering “a refreshing subversion of common horror tropes.” As for stale takes…SNL faces backlash for a segment that many say perpetuates harmful stereotypes. Michael Che and Ego Nwodim’s Weekend Update bit about Black women and hair extensions has sparked outrage.

Sports & Fitness:

Bianca Belair, Mercedes Moné, and Jade Cargill are shifting the landscape of wrestling, proving Black women are not just participants but headliners. Belair's historic WrestleMania 37 victory over Sasha Banks marked a turning point, as it was the first time two Black women battled at that level.

While wrestling redefines its own boundaries, over 100 Black women in Georgia are reshaping wellness through Soul Sistahs Hike Too. What started as a birthday hike between two friends, Sawanda Spinks and Magalie Remy, is now a thriving community focused on self-care and sisterhood.

Back in the spotlight, Temple University gymnast Kyrstin Johnson makes a bold statement with her viral routine set to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” (while wearing her natural curls unbound). "I want to show little girls you can do the same thing as well,” said Johnson.

Personal Essay:

At 38, one Black woman shattered the stereotype that Black people can’t swim, overcoming physical and emotional barriers with determination and her daughter’s encouragement. “There was no turning back,” she writes. In another powerful piece, a woman who says she looks white reveals the racist remarks white people casually make to her during everyday encounters. “They are doctors, judges, lawyers, social workers and politicians,” she reflects. “That’s frightening.”

Literature:

In her review of Charmaine Wilkerson’s Good Dirt, author Deesha Philyaw highlights the novel's exploration of grief and legacy in a Black family’s history. Unlike traditional slavery narratives, Wilkerson’s characters come from a lineage of landowners, not defined by proximity to whiteness but by resilience in adversity. Imani Perry’s latest title In Black in Blues uncovers the profound history of the color blue, from its ties to the brutalities of the Transatlantic slave trade to its modern-day symbolism.

A nuanced Sunday read, Scott W. Stern’s LitHub essay revisits the mixed reception of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings to examine how Maya Angelou's impact and success as a Black woman author was framed as groundbreaking yet dismissive of other Black writers.

Power Moves

Roxanne Shanté, a pioneering figure in hip-hop, is receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This moment of recognition comes as Jennifer King makes history of her own, becoming the first full-time Black female coach in the NFL with the Washington Redskins. Over at Fisk University, the gymnastics team is breaking barriers as the first HBCU to compete in NCAA women’s gymnastics, proving their place alongside top competitors.

Across the country, Maria Elena Cruz is appointed the first Latina and Black justice on the Arizona Supreme Court, while Kyra Harris Bolden is sworn in as Michigan’s first Black woman Supreme Court justice. Meanwhile, Janelle Bynum just became Oregon’s first Black congresswoman. In Tennessee, Kimberly Diei won a $250,000 settlement after suing her university over a First Amendment violation. Norma Jennings made history as New York’s first Black LGBTQ+ Civil Court judge, and Kimberly Bizor Tolbert was appointed Dallas’s first Black city manager, continuing the momentum of change across the nation (h/t What I’m Reading, a Substack sharing Black news).

Under the Radar

Tensions over transgender rights are escalating after Trump’s executive order limiting gender identity recognition, forcing transgender women into male prisons. Critics in Georgia fear the implications for the trans community in the state’s federal prisons, where violence is already reportedly “rampant.”

The search for Ke’Yazlin Martin, missing from Cedartown, Georgia, continues. The 16-year-old was last seen wearing a gray hoodie and black jeans. In London, 12-year-old Mia St Hilaire died after drinking a contaminated milkshake and two Black women, Marianne Kilonzi and Jamelatu Tsiwah, were found dead in their homes, with one victim’s murder linked to a known suspect (h/t The Source, a Substack sharing Black UK news). And Civil rights attorney and incoming Howard University law professor Kiah Duggins, 30, was among the 67 victims of a deadly midair collision involving a passenger jet and Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C.

Research from social epidemiology professor Shawnita Sealy-Jefferson shows nearly half of evictions experienced by Black women and families in metro Detroit are unlawful, adding to the strain on communities. Finally, as HIV cases among Black women rise, advocates continue to push for greater access to PrEP, which remains difficult to obtain.

Save the Dates

Red For Revolution Podcast Premiere
Loretta Devine, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, S. Epatha Merkerson, Rutina Wesley, Jennifer Beals, Vanessa E. Williams, adrienne maree brown, and more star in Red For Revolution, a new six-part audio drama series created by writer/filmmaker Jana Naomi Smith about Black women, queer love, and liberation, debuting February 4 on Radiotopia. Learn more

Oscar-Qualifying Shorts from Reel Sisters
On March 6, BAM presents An Evening of Oscar-Qualifying Shorts curated by the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival. This evening of powerful films by women of color celebrates family, faith, and resilience. Learn more

The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish Premieres
Hazel, a young Black girl, joins Cosmo and Wanda in The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. The premiere airs May 20 on Nickelodeon. Learn more

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A quick hello before we get into the news below…

It’s been a while, and I want to thank you for sticking with me. Balancing this newsletter with freelance journalism and new entrepreneurial pursuits required some rest and recalibration. (FYI—Before going on my sabbatical, I changed all paid subscribers to free subscribers.)

Since my last issue, so much has unfolded: VP Kamala Harris’s historic nomination as a Black and South Asian woman presidential candidate, Trump’s reelection and inauguration, a precarious ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, a U.S. TikTok ban, and wildfires ravaging Los Angeles—a city I now call home and where I’ve cultivated a beautiful community.

The parents of my friend Jonathan Lewis lost their place of worship Altadena Fountain of Life Church of the Nazarene, where they’ve served the community for over 30 years. Please considering supporting their GoFundMe to secure a temporary worship space and support those affected by the Eaton fire. Additional local fundraising efforts include Walk Good LA’s Black Displaced Families GoFundMe Directory and Ashley Taylor’s Amazon Wish List for essential hygiene, beauty, and hair goods for Black girls in Pasadena and Altadena.

In 2025, I resolve to make The Wakeful consistent—on my terms. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber [HERE] to support my work. Thank you for rocking with me!

Cheers,
Patrice

P.S. During my break, I published stories on Black women voters (NYT), natural hair in gaming (High Snobiety, branded), a Black woman cosmetic chemist’s career (Byrdie), Black women changing the face of pilates (ESSENCE), and more. I also started a YouTube channel, which has been an extremely humbling, but fun ~experiment~ in figuring out another storytelling style and medium, so feel free to subscribe here.

Wakeful Voices

Moving forward, here’s where we’ll share insights, feedback, or personal stories from Wakeful subscribers. Want to be featured? Hit “Reply” and tell us what The Wakeful means to you or leave a comment below.

The Rundown

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The LA Wildfires, Mayor Karen Bass, and Octavia Butler’s Warnings

The wildfires in Los Angeles have destroyed over 40,000 acres, displacing families and devastating Altadena, a historically Black community. Women in Altadena shared stories of grief and resilience, leaning on one another to rebuild after losing homes, schools, and churches.

Celebrities, politicians, and others criticized Mayor Karen Bass for her response to the fires, while some Black women in across various industries defended her, citing double standards Black women leaders face in times of crisis.

The crisis feels eerily similar to Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. Its young Black protagonist Lauren witnesses her California neighborhood consumed by wildfires, a vision of climate change and inequality that echoes today. As Brooke Obie writes in her razor-sharp newsletter, “Let’s build and rely on community, and shape another possible world.”

Reproductive Rights, Chronic Disparities, and Breaking Free from Burdens

Another Trump administration forces many Black women to confront difficult questions about their futures. With maternal mortality rates disproportionately high for Black women, some have chosen to reconsider motherhood altogether, Taylor Adigun reports.

It’s not just fear. Trump-era policies, as outlined by Sughnen Yongo, threaten progress in reproductive rights, healthcare access, workplace equity, and civil rights. A new report reveals that young Black women face the starkest breast cancer disparities, with a 41% higher death rate despite fewer diagnoses. These inequities, driven by unequal access to detection and care, could worsen under policies that erode healthcare protections. In response, Black women are turning frustration into advocacy, fighting for systemic change while also shedding the burdens of being expected to save everyone else.

For decades, society has cast Black women as saviors, democracy’s backbone and the unsung heroes of movements. But as NPR calls it, “savior syndrome” exacts a steep cost. (I made a similar case in a 2024 NYT opinion essay.) Many, like Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris, now prioritize personal well-being over carrying the world. Leslie Gray Streeter writes about how Black women—Michelle Obama included—are choosing to say, “Not today.”

Patrice’s Pick

Na’Ziyah Harris and the Neglected Lives of Black Girls and Women

On January 9, 2024, 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris disappeared after stepping off her school bus in Detroit. But I only learned about her story last Friday, when Jarvis Butts, the 42-year-old charged with her murder, pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege Butts groomed the young girl (the niece of his children’s mother), impregnated her, and killed her to hide his abuse. Her body has not been found.

Delays defined Harris’s case. Although her family reported her missing immediately, the school district waited a month to involve police, and it took six more months for law enforcement to request a warrant. Last week, one year after her disappearance, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to send Butts to trial, describing his actions as “monstrous.”

As Kenyatta Victoria underscores in her newsletter Chronically Online, Harris’s story highlights the adultification of Black girls—the false perception that they are older, less innocent, and undeserving of protection. This bias fuels systemic neglect. Last week, police in Syracuse handcuffed an 11-year-old Black girl, reportedly mistaking her for a car theft suspect. A viral video shows her crying on a snowy sidewalk, stripped of her childhood in real time. Similarly, in Austin, police reopened the case of a 14-year-old Black girl’s death initially ruled an accident after new evidence suggested a vehicle was involved.

This systemic neglect and bias follows Black girls into adulthood. In the U.K., 48-year-old Fiona Holm, an autistic Black woman, disappeared in 2023. Her ex-boyfriend was convicted of her murder in 2024, as well as the murder of Naomi Hunte, 41, also a Black woman with a mental health condition. Yet Holm’s body remains missing, leaving her family without closure, Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff reports. These cases echo the same patterns: delays in action, inadequate investigations, and the consistent devaluation of Black women’s lives.

Cultural Reset

Suzi Analogue transforms the narrative of electronic music with her latest project, celebrating the Black women who shaped the genre. Through striking visuals and soundscapes, she demands the recognition they deserve.

In Hollywood, Keke Palmer takes control of her story. Reflecting on the limited opportunities she faced as the “Black girl on the network” compared to Disney peers like Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez, Palmer moves the needle forward with Just One of Them Days. Her box-office buddy comedy with SZA has sparked calls for more films that highlight the humor, depth, and complexity of Black women’s friendships. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, another actor dominating headlines, spoke with Morgan Jerkins about her gripping performance in The Nickel Boys.

These stories trace back to trailblazers like Diahann Carroll. A new excerpt from A More Perfect Party uncovers her collaboration with Shirley Chisholm, a meeting of Hollywood and politics that redefined leadership and left a lasting imprint on American history.

In the U.K., a writer confronts the financial and emotional burden of beauty standards imposed on Black women, rejecting the grind of monthly upkeep to redefine self-care. Meanwhile, Essence explores the lives of Black women who’ve moved abroad, sharing stories of freedom, fulfillment, and reinvention far from home. And Wendy Williams’s fight against her controversial guardianship raises urgent questions about autonomy and justice. As the public watches her case unfold, many wonder if it will ignite a broader #FreeWendy movement.

POWER MOVES

In recent interviews, second-term congresswoman and Democratic powerhouse Jasmine Crockett opens up about her plans to challenge the Trump administration and how she stays grounded amidst the chaos, while Shalanda Young, the first Black woman to run the U.S. budget, reflects on the end of her groundbreaking tenure and how she set a new standard for inclusive policymaking and fiscal decisions. As for local government, South Jersey’s Nicole Roberts becomes Pennsauken Township’s first Black woman mayor, while former Pittsburgh mayor Shanelle Scales-Preston takes her seat as the first Black woman on Contra Costa County’s Board of Supervisors. Over in Georgia, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson became the first Black woman to hold the office of DeKalb County’s Chief Executive Officer.

In health, Dr. Renia Dotson breaks barriers as Mississippi’s first Black woman state epidemiologist and Black Girl Vitamins launches an initiative to combat vitamin D deficiencies among Black women. And in honor of Black History Month, J.Dow Fitness and Jolie Noire—Black women-owned brands centering physical health and mental wellness—now shine on Target shelves.

Under the Radar

On January 16, More than 200 Black women leaders recently converged at the Georgia State Capitol to unveil the Georgia Black Women’s Agenda. This powerful report calls out the systemic issues Black families face, demanding action from policymakers and amplifying the collective voice of Black women in the state.

Michigan State University professor of history Dr. LaShawn D. Harris is set to release Tell Her Story: Eleanor Bumpers, Police Violence & The Crime That Galvanized New York City, shedding light on the life of Eleanor Bumpers, a Black woman killed by police in 1984. Harris moves beyond the public activism sparked by Eleanor’s death, focusing instead on the woman herself, her life before the tragedy and the profound impact her killing had on her family.

In North Philadelphia, the Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative (P.A.S.H.I.) is making real, tangible change. Every week, a group of Black women come together to sew reusable, washable period pads for girls in Africa and the Caribbean.

Save the Dates

• Pitch Your Stories to The Emancipator
  The Emancipator is accepting pitches for their March theme: Femininity and the Revolutionary Power of Humor. Learn more

• Join the Free Black Women’s Library Reading Challenge
  If you’re ready to tackle your reading list in 2025, the Free Black Women’s Library Reading Challenge invites you to read 24 books by Black women and Black non-binary writers by December 31, 2025. Sign up

• Celebrate Black Womanhood through Art in Brooklyn
  Running from February 1 to March 8, Tanya Weddemire Gallery’s I Got a Story to Tell features work by Blu Murphy, Brittney S. Price, Kaylyn Webster, and Lex Marie. Learn more

THIS WEEK IN BLACK WOMEN NEWS

22 stories across global and national news, culture, sports, health, politics, lifestyle, and more.

Sports

The NCAA women’s tournament is better than the racist, misogynistic press coverage it receives

Andscape

“The column previously stated, ‘Do you prefer America’s sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?’ That line has since been removed. The author asked these questions: The team that wants to grow women’s basketball or the one seemingly hell-bent on dividing it? The tender star player or the one who taunts? He wasn’t finished: The UCLA-LSU game represented good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Inclusive versus divisive.”

More Sports

“Players from first all-Black All-American women’s basketball team reflect on making history in 1984,” Andscape

Global

Thousands of pregnant women at risk in Haiti's paralysed capital, UN says

The Strait Times

“The U.N.'s Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said if the situation continues some 450 women out of those 3,000 are at risk of potentially fatal obstetric complications, while more than 500 sexual violence survivors could be left without medical care by late March. […] In neighboring Dominican Republic, U.N. experts have warned of pregnant or post-partum Haitians being allegedly arrested during medical check-ups and deported. Infants born there to Haitian parents do not receive Dominican citizenship.”

More Global

“Women in the DRC are pushing for land rights, and curbing gender-based violence in the process,” Positive News

“French parliament backs bill against hair discrimination affecting black women,” France24

“Biggest Tory donor said looking at Diane Abbott makes you ‘want to hate all black women’,’ The Guardian

“Gazan and Sudanese women share harrowing stories of escaping from war into Egypt,” The National

Health

Number of Black women who say they are scared of having children rises

The Hill

“Nearly 40 percent of Black women of reproductive age said they feel less safe and think about the risk of death if they become pregnant in the new poll from In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda with PerryUndem, published Monday. Among people living in restrictive states, 1 in 3 said they have thought about the risk of being arrested due to something related to pregnancy.”

More Health

“Ingham County has a new effort to help stop Black women from dying from pregnancy-related issues,” WILX10

“Louisiana’s toxic air is linked to low-weight and pre-term births,” 19th News

“I Spoke To Chat GPT’s “Black Female Therapist.” Will AI Save Our Mental Health?,” Refinery 29 Unbothered

“For months, doctors said her bleeding was ‘normal.’ But it was cervical cancer,” 19th News

Culture & Lifestyle

'I'm Spiritual': Navigating Black Women’s Complex Relationship With Religion, Spirituality And Labeling Our Faith

Essence

“I grew up reading Vanzant’s work, but I had never thought of myself as a religious pluralist. I was raised in church and hold a deep respect for God’s word as I was taught it from the Bible. Christianity is the foundation of my faith. However, something deep within me shifted and awakened after my mother’s sudden passing in 2022. I was in search of divine intimacy and I needed more in my spiritual toolbox to carry me through that grief season.”

More Culture & Lifestyle

“Giselle Byrd on the ongoing fight for trans visibility in the arts,” Out

“The Legacy of Black Cowgirls,” Capital B

“Beyond Beyoncé: Black Women of Country, Past and Present,” The New York Times

“Book Review: Short story anthology 'The Black Girl Survives in This One' challenges the horror canon,” AP

“The Women Who Run Harlem,” The Cut

“The Mentorship Journey Of Shirley Chisholm Guiding Barbara Lee In 'Shirley' Biopic,” Essence

Business, Career & Money

A Georgia basic income program is giving Black women $850 a month. They say it helps them pay bills and reduce debt.

Business Insider

“C. Harper, one of the recipients, told Georgia Public Radio that she was struggling to pay for rent when she enrolled in the program in 2022. After joining, she said she found permanent housing for herself and her children and used the money to help get a teaching certificate. ‘The end result was I was able to get a better job,’ Harper told GPR.”

More Business, Career & Money

“Black Women In DEI Are Under Attack,” Forbes

“Girls Rock Wings inspiring young Black women to become pilots,” CBS News

“Why Black women face mistreatment, discrimination in higher education,” PBS

“How Gyrl Wonder Became A Safe Haven For Collegiate Black Women,” Forbes

“Paris Woods wants to help Black women take control of their labor and their funds,” NPR

Politics & Legal

Judge clears Black woman sentenced to 5 years after ineligible vote

The Washington Post

“A Texas appeals court reversed the conviction of a Black woman who had been sentenced to five years in prison on a charge of illegally voting in the 2016 presidential election, acquitting her in a nationally watched case that civil rights attorneys cast as part of a broader fight for voting rights. Crystal Mason voted with a provisional ballot in 2016 but, she has said, did not know she was ineligible to do so at the time. The ballot was not counted, but she was convicted of illegal voting in 2018.”

More Politics

“Group created by Shirley Chisholm to lift up Black women is roiled by lawsuit,” The Washington Post

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram and the BAMF website to view these and other missing persons posters.

THIS WEEK IN BLACK WOMEN NEWS

29 stories across global and national news, entertainment, sports, health, politics, legal, finance, and more.

POLITICAL & LEGAL

Why the Case Against Fani Willis Feels Familiar to Black Women

The New York Times, Clyde McGrady and Katie Glueck

“To many, there is something galling about watching Mr. Trump and his allies attack Ms. Willis over a consensual romantic relationship when he has faced accusations of sexual misconduct and assault. […]

Some lamented Ms. Willis’s conduct as a mistake, but not one that should remove her from the case against Mr. Trump. Others, thinking about their own experiences in the workplace, suggested another concern: They feel that Black women are held to a different standard and that Ms. Willis should have known that her identity, along with the enormous political stakes of the case, would create a white-hot spotlight on her personal conduct.”

MORE IN POLITICAL & LEGAL

“Who will replace George Santos? New York could elect the second Black Republican woman to Congress," The 19th News, Darreonna Davis

“Congress reintroduces ‘Protect Black Women and Girls Act’ after push from Black sororities,” The Grio, Ashlee Banks

"Notorious conservative activist’s lawsuit threatens grant program for Black women amid anti-DEI push," Salon, Tatyana Tandanpolie

"City of Cleveland launches Black Women and Girls Commission," News 5 Cleveland, Maya Lockett

“Who Speaks for the President? Depends on Whom You Ask.,” The New York Times, Michael M. Grynbaum

CULTURE & ARTS

Beyoncé Has Always Been Country

TIME, Taylor Crumpton

“The greatest influence in a girl’s life is her mother. Knowles-Carter’s mother, Tina Knowles, was born in Galveston, the birthplace of Juneteenth. By birth, she is connected to the first generation of Black people in Texas who were freed by General Gordon Granger’s orders on June 19, 1865. That is an unique experience that cannot be manufactured by a songwriting camp in Nashville. Or can be replicated by a white country music star born above the Mason-Dixon Line or outside of the United States.  

When Knowles-Carter adorns herself in Western gear, it is not a virtue signal to the gatekeepers in Nashville to let her in. It is not a white flag to indicate her surrender, an acknowledgement that in order to be received in the country music industry that she must abject herself to their will. It is her trumpet. A trumpet that must be blown, for the walls of Nashville’s Music Row to fall down, so the rightful heirs of country music may come in.”

MORE IN CULTURE & ARTS

“Zero Black Women Have Won BAFTAs’ Best Actress Category in 76 Years, So When Will They?,” Variety, Clayton Davis

“The Lost Story of New York’s Most Powerful Black Woman,” The New York Times, Brent Staples

“Why the marriage rate is falling faster for some,” Vox, Jonquilyn Hill

“A house divided: These couples rep rival Black colleges, and it’s all love (except on game day),” Andscape, Mia Berry

"How to stay friends for 50 years? Ask the women of Sugar Hill.," The Washington Post, Kelyn Soong and Maya Valentine

"Shining a light on overlooked Black women photographers," CNN, Suyin Haynes

HEALTH & WELLNESS

5 Black women on the frontlines of reproductive rights (and what they say about the next phase of abortion rights)

Reckon, Annabel Rocha

”This movement, birthed by Black individuals, continues to mobilize to counter the attacks on abortion access and equitable sexual and reproductive health for birthing people and families. Reproductive justice intends to ensure the rights to more than what Roe protected – examining these issues from an all-encompassing human rights lens.

‘For Black women, and women of color in particular, that legal protection was, and still is, only one piece. Now, of course, it’s always jolting and devastating to have that taken away,’ said Regina Davis Moss, president and CEO of In Our Own Voice. ‘Roe represented the floor, not the ceiling.’”

MORE IN HEALTH & WELLNESS

“'I was terrified': Black women may prefer Black OB-GYNs due to fear of discrimination, dying during pregnancy,” NBC News, Claretta Bellamy

“New Study Urges Black Women to Avoid Hair Extensions For Fear of Hair Loss,” Essence, Sabrina R. Perkins

"When strength, resilience and #BlackGirlMagic is a burden," Chicago Tribune, Darcel Rockett

“Black Health & Wellness Pioneers: Dr. Jane Cooke Wright, A Progressive Surgeon And Oncologist," Essence, Dominique Fluker

“A 'Spritz Of Armor': How Fragrance Is A Self-Care Tool For Black Women,” HuffPost, Brittney Oliver

SPORTS

The Women’s Playbook

Essence, Shelby Stewart

“Meet the trailblazers who are smashing through barriers and lighting the way for other women to follow. The power players who appear here possess an innate knowledge of how to shape the world by infusing it with their tenacity and brilliance. They have not just redefined the game, but they’ve also become iconic leaders, role models and catalysts for change. From ball courts that pulse with energy to sprawling fields of dreams; from the grand stages of the Olympics to the hallowed halls of sports management, these women are rewriting the rule book and making the realm of sports better each day. For our ESENCE Black Women In Sports Leadership list, we’ve highlighted the MVPs who have reinvented the game in ways that are anything but ordinary.”

MORE SPORTS

“Meet The Basketball Analyst Breaking Barriers And Creating A Path For Women In Sports Media,” Essence, Melissa Noel

“Canadian trailblazers Sarah Nurse, Saroya Tinker reflect on experiences of being Black women in hockey,” CBC Sports, Zack Smart

“At Georgetown, Tasha Butts lives on,” Andscape, Sean Hurd

“How Black Women Elevated Sports Merch Fashion," Essence GU, Kenyatta Victoria

WORLD

As catastrophe grips Sudan, heroic midwives help women deliver babies in a warzone

UNFPA

“For women and girls, including the estimated 219,000 who are currently pregnant in Khartoum alone, not receiving essential health services could prove life threatening: Access to midwives is the single most important factor in stopping preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Some 24,000 women are expected to give birth in the coming weeks, in the throes of chaos and bloodshed, making it extremely hazardous for them to seek essential antenatal care, safe delivery services, or postnatal support.”

MORE WORLD

“Congo-Kinshasa: Women Hold Protest Against Fighting in Eastern Democratic,” AllAfrica, Republic of the Congo Melissa Chemam

“Rise of the ‘mother boss’: how female miners are taking control in DRC," The Guardian, Mélanie Gouby

“Rio Carnival: Tribute to black women crowned winner," BBC

"The Black ‘Banker Ladies’ Bringing Alternative Finance to Toronto," Next City, Likam Kyanzaire

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

THIS WEEK IN BLACK WOMEN NEWS

17 stories across global and national news, entertainment, education, health, politics, business, and more.

Black and Latina women helped propel gains for unions in 2023, finds a new study

NPR, Juliana Kim

“Being part of a union can make a major difference in a woman's paycheck and quality of life, according to Majumder. The NPWF found that among full-time Latina workers, union members made almost $14,000 more per year than their non-union counterpart in 2023. Among Black women, union members make about 20% more per week than non-union workers. For Asian American women, the difference between union and non-union members is about 7% per week. ‘Unions can really help reshape the workplace in a way that works for women,’ she said.”

Black women under 35 with high blood pressure may have triple the risk of stroke, study says

NBC News, Claretta Bellamy

“They found that compared to women who didn’t have high blood pressure, Black women who developed high blood pressure before 35 had 3.1 times the risk of having a stroke by middle age. Those who developed high blood pressure before 45 had 2.2 times the risk of stroke, and high blood pressure from ages 45 to 64 was tied to a 1.69 times higher risk of stroke.”

RELATED:

Cardiovascular disease kills more Black women ‘than all cancers combined,’ CDC reports, Atlanta News First, Staff and Talgat Almanov

For the first time, Black women are leading Democrats in early primary states

The 19th, Candice Norwood, Grace Panetta

“And for the first time, Black women are leading all three of these Democratic state parties as polls offer warning signs of Biden’s standing among Black voters. Christale Spain in South Carolina, Daniele Monroe-Moreno in Nevada and Lavora Barnes in Michigan are all the first Black women to be party chairs in their states — raising money and serving as the Democrats’ public face.”

RELATED:

In milestones, Black women from South Carolina and Indiana confirmed as federal judges, Indiana Capital Chronicle, Ariana Figueroa

Black women are less likely to receive epidurals during labor. Here’s why.

Yahoo, Taayoo Murray

“Dr. Stephanie Hack, ob-gyn and founder of Lady Parts Doctor, tells Yahoo Life that ‘while access is part of the problem since the number of maternity care deserts is steadily growing, especially post Roe v. Wade, there are racial dynamics at play as well.’ For example, research shows that Black Americans are frequently undertreated for pain compared to white patients. […]

The preference for labor pain management is also influenced by cultural and religious beliefs, a lack of prenatal patient education, language barriers, fears and for some Black Americans, historical distrust in the field of medicine stemming from years of mistreatment. ‘Anecdotally, many of my Black patients are hesitant to have ‘that needle in my back,’’ says Gaither.”

RELATED:

Chicago doctor on a medical mission to improve care for Black women, CBS News, Mugo Odigwe

Colorado OB-GYN breaks down alarming study for Black women who are pregnant, CBS News

Is It Time Beyoncé & Jay-Z Stopped “Showing Up” To The Grammys?

Refinery29 Unbothered, Kathleen Newman-Bremang

“Beyoncé has lost Album of the Year four times: to Beck, Taylor Swift, Adele, and most recently, Harry Styles. Beyoncé has more Grammys than all of these artists. She has more cultural impact, more innovation, more creativity, and legendary iconography than all of them combined (Adele would agree). During the commercial breaks at the Grammys, there was a line to get photos with Beyoncé consisting of all of the other biggest artists in music. She is the celebrity’s celebrity. She is the standard, the blueprint, the bar. The Grammys know how great she is or else they wouldn’t have awarded her the most awards in history. But, and Black women know this story all too well, our greatness will never stand a chance against white mediocrity.”

RELATED:

Why SZA's Grammys Snub Shows Once Again How Outstanding Black Girls Lose To White Mediocrity, The Root, Candace McDuffie

Uncovering Britain’s Groundbreaking Black-British Women Photographers

Another Magazine, Elodie Saint-Louis

“‘Blackness at that particular time in the UK was very different from the American version or even the British idea of Black today,’ says Gregory. In the words of Paul Gilroy – whose writings shaped how many of these Black women thought about and approached their artistic practice – Blackness was not ‘a phenotype or a physical description’ but instead an identity ‘collectively assembled in adverse circumstances and conditioned by the effects of systematic racism.’ Shining Lights reveals the ways in which these women embodied intersectionality before the phrase came to be.”

Black Woman-owned Vontélle Eyewear Secures Huge, 900+ Retail Store Deal

Blavity, Jahaura Michelle

“The names of the frames within the collection draw inspiration from influential African American figures who have made substantial contributions across a wide range of fields, including civil rights, literature, science, politics, law, innovation and public service, per Black News.

Vontélle co-founders Nancey Harris and Tracy Green are HBCU graduates. They initially met while attending Morgan State University in Baltimore. Additionally, the frame line also pays homage to some sororities and fraternities by including the popular color patterns of the organizations.”

Grant program for Black women comes under tough questioning in key anti-DEI lawsuit

AP, Alexandra Olson and David Fischer

“Judge Kevin Newsom, a Trump appointee, pushed back against the Fearless Fund’s argument that the grants are protected by the First Amendment because they are charitable donations. He asked the Fearless Fund’s attorneys whether the same protection would apply to a contest open only to white applicants. That’s a question frequently raised by Edward Blum, the conservative activist who leads the American Alliance for Equal Rights and who was behind the Supreme Court case that ended affirmative action in college admissions.”

Black women suffer disproportionately from 'superwoman schema'

Good Morning America, Tesfaye Negussie, Cameron Harrison, Dhanika Pineda, and Alex Ederson

“Glenda Boone said that her daughters suggested she find support by scheduling her first meeting with a mental health therapist. If she didn’t, Glenda knew she was at risk of losing Lauren, too. She said it took a while to find the right therapist, and to let her guard down during therapy sessions. But once she did, Glenda said she felt a freedom that she had never before experienced. ‘I learned how to remove the mask,’ she said. ‘I was allowed to free myself, release myself. The mask of superwoman was mine. I could be all things to all people …. But my daughters let me know, and Lauren in particular … ‘You were there. But you weren’t present.’”

RELATED:

Suicide Rates Have Risen Steadily for Black Girls and Women, Health Day, Ernie Mundell

Stefflon Don & Jada Kingdom’s Clash Is A Win For Dancehall Culture—Like It Or

TRENCH, Nadine White

“While legions of fans lapped up the passa, with many hailing the affair as “exciting”, some patrons implored the ladies to abandon their differences and make peace while accusing them of giving dancehall a poor showing. Other critics suggested that Jada and Steff were behaving in a manner unbecoming of women, apparently holding them to different standards to their male counterparts who—by and large—are often free to lyrically battle without being policed in the same way."

Black Women: This Is What You Can Do If You Were Passed Over For A Raise Or Promotion At Work

Forbes, Janice Gassam Asare

“‘Don’t let your job application process be the last time you review your job description...bucket your tasks based on each bullet of your role and responsibilities that way you are able to clearly view anything outside of the scope of your role. Documenting your work in this way will showcase growth and add value to your role which in turn you can utilize as leverage when discussing your promotional opportunities. The key to advancement...is not waiting for the midyear [or] end-of-year review to hear from your employer on whether or not you will be promoted...you must begin this process from the moment you are hired.’”

Nicki Minaj Isn’t Afraid of Setting Fires — But Her Legacy Might Get Scorched, Too

Rolling Stone, Larisha Paul

“Gold, in its purest form, doesn’t tarnish. When mixed with lesser metals, however, it loses both shine and value. Minaj earned her title as a trailblazer over a decade ago, built a throne and has been relentlessly defending her crown ever since. But when a queen spends night after night running through the halls paranoid about being dethroned, questioning the security of the palace, and hiding behind villainous alter egos, she risks coming across as an unfit leader — one with a broken moral compass who doesn’t know when to call it quits.”

Stop policing Black women’s comportment

The Boston Globe, Renée Graham

“After Democratic Representative Cori Bush of Missouri defended her use of campaign funds, including hiring her now-husband, for security services, Republican Representative Troy Nehls of Texas quickly dove into his bag of racist tropes. He insulted her husband and blamed Bush’s temperament for the death threats she receives. […]

When pressed by a reporter as to whether he believed Bush deserved the threats, Nehls ignored an opportunity to bail himself out. ‘No, what I’m saying is, is that when you’re out there talking the way she does I’m not surprised people are pretty upset because she’s pretty radical. And maybe she should tone it down a little bit.’”

Is Academia Safe for Black Women? How Bias and Racism Affect Faculty Mental Health

Ms. Magazine, Natasha Crooks

“My journey as a Black woman in academia, focusing on researching sexual disparities among Black girls and women, has been marked by success but also overwhelming fatigue. The importance of my work has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health, and I will be going up for tenure early. Still, academia has robbed me of my joy and almost broken me.”

RELATED:

Black women at Harvard say Claudine Gay’s ouster reflects a system that wasn’t built for them, NBC News, Char Adams

How Trauma Impacts the Well-Being of Black Women Educators, EdSurge, Sarah Wright and Mi Aniefuna

Why are Black women only 2% of tenured professors?, NBC 4Washington

Platoonmates Killed in Jordan Saw Army Service as a Life Ladder

The New York Times, Dave Philipps and Sean Keenan

“Black women account for about 36 percent of all enlisted women in the Army, compared with just 14 percent of the civilian female population, and they have an outsize presence in the highest enlisted ranks: More than half of the Army’s female sergeant majors are Black. […]

The reasons are simple, she said. The Army was one of the first large employers to strip structural racism from its organization. Though other forms of racism persisted, the military in the Civil Rights era was one of the few places where Black women could find open doors and equal opportunity. Military service comes with benefits that can be rare in civilian blue-collar jobs, and recruits do not need to know someone or have a degree to be hired.”

We Need To Talk About Ziwe

HuffPost, Ruth Etiesit Samuel

“With the invite to Minaj, she attempted to capitalize on the public ridicule of a Black female gun violence survivor by another Black woman for the sake of viewership. Apart from the fact that Minaj does not need a broader audience to spew misogynoir, invoke Megan Thee Stallion’s late mother and embolden her crazed fan base, Fumudoh’s invitation raises questions about her integrity and utility. The fact that she entertained the idea points to an over-reliance on shock value in her interviews and undermines her talent.”

Meet the woman creating community for Black women in film (Click link to view)

Good Morning America

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

THANK YOU to all 3,000+ of you for subscribing to The Wakeful and for opening, reading, sharing, liking, and commenting on each of this year’s newsletters and social media posts! I’ve got some exciting new things in the work for 2024, so see you all on the other side.

—Patrice Peck, founder

P.S. Feel free to drop a note in the comment section and/or reply to this email to share your thoughts on The Wakeful newsletter so far! I’d love to hear from you.

THIS WEEK IN BLACK WOMEN NEWS

18 stories across global and national news, entertainment, crime, health, politics, sports, literature, and more.

Police killed Niani Finlayson seconds after responding to her 911 call, video shows

The Guardian, Sam Levin

“The Los Angeles sheriff’s department (LASD) released body-camera footage on Friday of an officer fatally shooting Niani Finlayson, 27, who had called 911 for help during a domestic violence incident.

The footage from the 4 December encounter showed that deputy Ty Shelton shot Finlayson four times within roughly three seconds of entering her home.

The killing in Lancaster, a city in north Los Angeles county, sparked national outrage last week, with civil rights activists questioning why deputies failed to de-escalate the conflict and instead used fatal force against a woman who had sought their assistance and was a victim of abuse.”

When you stop trying to get pregnant: ‘I’m not willing to put my body through any more’

The Guardian, Christina Coleman Mullen

“I had long ago convinced myself that my worth as a woman wasn’t in my ability to procreate; I valued my career, independence, and autonomy above all. And yet, when faced with what I believed to be a betrayal of my own body, I was left broken, guilty and feeling worthless. A deep depression followed my daughter’s death, compounded by insecurity and anxiety. And as a Black woman who had already struggled to find adequate and nuanced mental health resources, getting the right support for my situation felt insurmountable. The reality of not trying to conceive terrified me.”

If Only “The Color Purple” Had Loved All of Us

Autostraddle, Carmen Phillips

“There’s almost an air of discomfort, an unspoken agreement: “OK we’ll finally say Celie and Shug were gay for each other — but not too much now on our (straight) Sisterhood Icons.” As if Celie and Shug’s queerness isn’t at the root of the very sisterhood we proclaim to be honoring. The Color Purple has never been only about Black women saving each other. It’s about Black women finding beauty and worth in each other, in all aspects of who we are, and on this Alice Walker could not be more clear: that means in our bedrooms, too.”

RELATED:

“The Color Purple Still Hasn’t Gotten Shug & Celie’s Relationship Right After 41 Years,” Screenrant, Kayla Laguerre-Lewis

“The 40-year fight over ‘The Color Purple’s’ queer love story,” The Los Angeles Times, Ashley Lee

“The Compromises Of 'The Color Purple,” HuffPost, Candice Frederick

A pregnant lawmaker couldn’t vote remotely. So she changed the law.

The Washington Post, Lateshia Beachum

“Krystal Oriadha (D), who represents District 7, was eight months into her first pregnancy. The county’s health insurance plan didn’t cover birthing care in the county. And as a Black woman over 35, her pregnancy was considered high-risk. During meetings at county headquarters, she would munch on ice and pickles to quell her nausea, her swollen feet shoved into the neon sneakers that still fit.

But Oriadha, now 37, wanted to continue attending meetings, even if she couldn’t do so in person. Her fellow council members wouldn’t object, she thought, since the world had gotten used to conducting business over computers and smartphones during the pandemic. Plus, pregnancy and health-related reasons seemed sensible. She was wrong.”

The Best Performances Of The Year Came From Black Women, Whether They Get Awards Or Not

Refinery 29 Unbothered, Kathleen Newman-Bremang

“The only Black woman who is consistently showing up on these Oscar prediction lists is Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers. Danielle Brooks and Fantasia might sneak in for The Color Purple (they both garnered Golden Globe noms) but as of right now, the odds are shockingly not looking in their favor. As good as all of these performances are, they aren’t the only Black actors whose work is worthy of recognition this year.

And knowing these institutions (aside from The NAACP Image Awards, which should be just as big of an honor as the Oscars), they probably will just pick one (likely Randolph, but even she’s wary of the fickleness of awards) to acknowledge and say ‘that’s enough Blackness for today!’ and keep it moving. Well, we are in the business of celebrating Black work and giving artists their flowers right on time, not long after their efforts have been overlooked for years.”

The 2 Black Election Workers Rudy Giuliani Lied On Just Got Their Revenge in Court and It's Rich

The Root, Candace McDuffie

“A jury in Washington, D.C. has awarded $148 million to the two Black women election workers defamed by Rudy Giuliani. Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss of Georgia will receive $40 million for emotional distress ($20 million each), $33 million for defamation (around $16 million each) and $75 million in punitive damages. […]

Earlier this week, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss testified about the trauma and harassment they endured after Rudy Giuliani falsely claimed they participated in ballot fraud to rig the 2020 election against Donald Trump.”

Disturbing video shows black Amazon worker as she’s attacked by white women in luxury Texas building while dropping off package

New York Post, Yaron Steinbuch

“JaMaiya Miller, 25, was out on delivery at the Belle Mead at River Oaks apartment complex near Houston on Dec. 16 and was buzzed into the complex by a resident, KHOU reported.

However, once she was in the building, the same resident who let her in to deliver the package told her she was not supposed to be there. Another woman showed up and the two unidentified women allegedly assaulted Miller. In a TikTok video posted by the Amazon worker, a woman is heard saying, ‘We’ve had thieves here and you’re thief!’”

3 Black Women Farmers Fighting Food Injustice

Word in Black, Alexa Spencer

“In August 2020, Ivy Lawerence-Walls started Ivy Leaf Farms in Houston’s Sunnyside neighborhood, a historically Black community designated as a food desert during the launch. She repurposed her family’s 5-acre plot into a community farm and vegetable garden. The farm grows and delivers okra, broccoli, carrots, collards, and other produce to local residents within specific zip codes. Beyond the farm, Lawrence-Walls co-founded Fresh Houwse Grocery, a farmer-owned, community-operated store in Sunnyside, and Black Farmer Box, a weekly box of seasonal, farm-raised products.”

A Black woman in Ohio was charged after miscarrying in her bathroom. Experts warn of the dangerous precedent.

NBC News, Natalie Kainz

“Just hours after Watts, 33, was admitted to a hospital for a life-threatening hemorrhage after she miscarried in her bathroom Sep. 22, police removed her toilet from her home and searched it for fetal remains, according to a GoFundMe set up to fund her legal expenses and home repairs.

‘Ms. Watts suffered a tragic and dangerous miscarriage that jeopardized her own life. Rather than focusing on healing physically and emotionally, she was arrested and charged with a felony and is fighting for her freedom and reputation,’ her attorney, Traci Timko, said in a statement.”

Author Myisha Cherry Wants Black Women To Offer Forgiveness On Their Own Terms

ESSENCE, Keyaira Boone

“She labels this approach an attempt at ‘superficial repair’ or ‘thrifty repair.’ Police brutality is an extreme example, but the need for radical repair applies to microaggressions, infidelity, and other common yet significant misdeeds. Any Black woman on the internet who has been commanded to ‘educate’ someone who has offended them on the spot has felt the pressure to accept an attempt at a thrifty repair-style solution.

‘Black women bear a lot. We bear a lot for our families. We’re made to bear a lot for the world,’ says Cherry. She rejects the idea that Black women should put respectability politics over their well-being. ‘The strong Black woman stereotype can be empowering, but it also can be disappearing because it seems to give people a lot of permission to mess us over,’ she says.”

Being at her lowest helped ASB Classic's top seed Coco Gauff reach new heights

Stuff, David Long

“Defending ASB Classic Champion Coco Gauff doesn’t feel it was her US Open final win over Aryna Sabalenka that defined her 2023 season, but her first-round defeat at Wimbledon to Sofia Kenin.

Of course, Gauff winning her first grand slam title at the age of 19 will always be a special memory for her, but she believes if she hadn’t made such a quick exit at Wimbledon a couple of months before, the triumph in New York wouldn’t have happened.”

Cheri Beasley on the promise, the work and the peril of campaigning as a Black woman

The 19th News, Candice Norwood

“Beasley is aware of the collective hardships Black women candidates face — from the lack of robust financial investment to blatant racism. These difficulties keep some Black women from running for office altogether. Brown James and Brown both said there is little evidence that support for Black women candidates from the political establishment has improved since Beasley’s loss.

Despite the continued challenges, Beasley said she sees the positives of her campaign. She has demonstrated that Black women can be competitive candidates who can raise large amounts of money and connect with a wide sector of a state population.”

Opinion: When the pay gap decimates the wages of even a top Hollywood star

CNN, Sophia A. Nelson

“That is why Henson’s anguish over this issue is spot-on — it captures what being underpaid does to Black women’s emotional well-being. It’s akin to the harm we suffer when doing the hard work of getting an education confronting similarly difficult odds. Or when we win awards for our work but still are not deemed good enough to be compensated on par with what White colleagues are paid.

So what is the way forward? I think it starts with high-profile Black women like Henson calling out this disparity loudly and clearly: ‘I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost,’ Henson told Gayle King on SiriusXM.”

‘Everyone’s shocked at how sexy it is!’: how a gory witch drama became TV’s most fun feminist call-to-arms

The Guardian, Leila Latif

“It starts with a familiar setup. Boy meets girl, boy takes girl back to his flat, boy won’t take no for an answer. Fortunately for the girl, he’s drastically underestimated her and she tosses him on to his back then uses her powers to feast upon his life force. This exhilarating moment of feminine retribution is not just a gripping introduction to the BBC’s new supernatural series, Domino Day, but the first moment that crystallised in the mind of show creator Lauren Sequeira.”

Fired St. Aug’s president claims hostile environment for Black women in complaint

The News & Observer, Dan Kane

“McPhail said throughout her tenure at St. Augustine’s that board members have “spoken to me in hostile and demeaning tones, and denigrated my work, in a manner the trustees have never directed at male employees.”

‘When I challenged such conduct, the male trustees would dismiss my concerns, claiming I needed to be ‘less sensitive,’ and accusing me of going ‘in the gender direction,’’ her complaint said.

The trustees particularly berated her and other female employees for discussing financial matters, she said. The university struggled financially long before she took the helm, and a key issue threatening its accreditation is the lack of annual audits for the past two years.”

For One Environmentalist, Warning Black Women About Dangerous Beauty Products Allows Them to Own Their Health

Inside Climate News, Victoria St. Martin

“Bhavna Shamasunder, an associate professor of urban and environmental policy at Occidental College, who, like Franklin, collaborated with Zota on the intimate care products study, said that manufacturers of personal care products often frame routine bodily functions—such as odors and the skin darkening that occurs during pregnancy—as matters that require the use of douches, skin lighteners or other cosmetics.

‘The beauty industry paints these things as problems that you can fix by buying a whole array of products,’ she said. For those with low incomes, that kind of marketing can be potent because many of the products that contain harmful chemicals are less expensive than the products that don’t have them.”

A disproportionate number of Black women are ‘kinless’ as they age. Advocates say they deserve a social safety net, too

Fortune, Akilah Wise

“Carol did her research and turned to friends to learn their strategies for dealing with the fallout from divorce. She says being single has made her agile in preparing for aging and the future. She’s ‘ready to pivot,’ as she calls it. As a result, she’s modified her will and invested more of her income in her long-term disability insurance, and each year, she reassesses her plans and financials. When seeking mental and financial support as a single woman, Carol says she turns to her trusted circle that she calls her ‘Senior Cabinet.’”

RELATED:

“Racialized Ageism Against Black Women: It’s a real thing,” Insight News, Irma McClaurin

How To Advocate For Black Women With Invisible Illnesses In The Workplace

Forbes, Bianca Barratt

“‘The inconvenience and liability of my hospital appointments started to cause resentment among colleagues because I had the most comfortable and flexible hours, and there were days when I appeared healthier than them. Sometimes, past employers would make mean comments under their breath, hoping that I wouldn’t hear, but I did.’ The struggle extended beyond mere workplace dynamics as well, because although discrimination laws protected Natalie from direct dismissal due to her illness, employers were still able to adopt subtle tactics to make her work environment as uncomfortable as possible - which they did. This ultimately led her to make the decision to resign once again.”

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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Essence, Rayna Reid Rayford

“During her studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Wynn-Grant said, ‘As far as I knew, I was the only Black student in environmental science.’ Understandably, ‘it was really tough and uncomfortable to be in those spaces. On top of that, it seemed like everyone else was an environmental science major because they grew up in the outdoors. They were inspired because their families went camping, or they had traveled around the world. Whereas for me, my understanding of nature was through a textbook or through a PowerPoint presentation,’ said Wynn-Grant.”

Black women are more likely to experience infertility than white women. They’re less likely to get help, too

The Guardian, Lisa Armstrong

“The desire to control Black women’s fertility can be traced back to chattel slavery and was borne from a bevy of racist ideas – the most pervasive being that Black women can reproduce easily. It’s a belief that’s still commonly held today, and in addition to serving as the basis for reproductive discrimination, the trope has furthered the idea that infertility is only an issue for white people. […]

American women overall are waiting later to become pregnant, which can contribute to infertility and necessitate the use of ART. But Black women in particular, contending with discriminatory reproductive care and saddled with the trope of hyper-fertility, face a more difficult issue: they need ART and other medical interventions at a much higher rate than they’re receiving them.”

Let’s finally stop pretending Beyoncé stands for liberation

The Washington Post Karen Attiah

“Meanwhile, Brand Beyoncé’s performative use of Black radical aesthetics challenges nothing. It threatens nothing. It does not move people to mobilize to build true power or to help the oppressed. Most of all, it does not move audiences to muster their love, solidarity and courage to challenge U.S. power and abuses.

Rather, its primary aims are to champion individualism, inspire feel-good endorphins and move us to whip out our credit cards at the checkout line. Brand Beyoncé is part of the same system that wants us to fork over cash for absurdities such as the ‘It’s the freedom for me’ Juneteenth napkins at Walmart, but not to demand justice and freedom from state brutality. It likes its revolution profitable — not problematic.”

RELATED:

“The Silence Is the Loudest Part of Renaissance: A Film,” Vulture, Angelica Jade Bastién

“The ‘Renaissance’ film and what we hear in Beyoncé's silence,” It’s Been A Minute, Brittany Luse, Barton Girdwood, Jessica Placzek, Veralyn Williams

“Renaissance isn’t a deification of Beyoncé. It’s a reminder she’s human.” Vox, Alex Abad-Santos

Black women are spending more than $1,000 on Botox to avoid sweating out their edges while exercising

Business Insider, Lauren Edmonds

“The procedure faced criticism online in January when a TikTok video of a woman discussing Botox as a means to avoid frizz went viral on Twitter, prompting some users to argue the procedure is too extreme. At the time of writing, the video has over 2.5 million views. Despite some online pushback, Fakunle said she's seen more Black women try Botox in real life.

‘A few of my followers on Instagram reached out to me to mention that they got it,’ she said. ‘One girl got her sideburns done, and that has been working really well for her. Another girl messaged me and said that she ended up getting her entire hairline done as well and how she loves it.’”

Woman’s miscarriage leads to ‘abuse of corpse’ case before grand jury

WKBN, Nadine Grimley

“The case against a Warren woman charged with abuse of a corpse is now headed to a Trumbull County grand jury. Brittany Watts, 33, was overcome with emotion Thursday afternoon after learning her case is moving forward. Watts is charged with felony abuse of a corpse, accused of trying to plunge a toilet after having a miscarriage delivery at 22 weeks while using the restroom.”

RELATED:

“What?! Black Woman’s Miscarriage Results in Felony Charge,” The Root, Kalyn Womack

Black Girl Gamers Founder Jay-Ann Lopez Is Tired Of Waiting For Change

Refinery29 Unbothered, Patricia Karaounos

“Of course, the Black gaming community is making its own strides in the industry, regardless of the obstacles it faces. Black Girl Gamers, for example, has now grown to include 10,000 members in its safe and celebratory space to share in what they love. And, earlier this fall, Sarah Bond was appointed president of Xbox, becoming the first Black woman to hold the role. While Lopez is hopeful Bond’s promotion will have a positive trickle-down effect (without putting responsibility for every Black woman gamer on the exec’s shoulders), she also notes that the community can’t — and shouldn’t have to — do it all alone.”

Pasadena police officer sues department for racial discrimination

CBS News, Dean Fioresi and Matthew Rodriguez

“In the lawsuit, Crutchfield claims that she was punished after stepping into a situation on Feb. 20, when additional officers were called to an argument involving the two sons of Charles Towns, a Black man who was shot and killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies in Altadena in January. 

Crutchfield's attorney said that police were called to the scene when one of Towns' sons, a juvenile, was "understandably upset by the death of their father." While the responding officers were interacting with the teenagers, Crutchfield said that one was thrown face-first into a cactus, causing the situation to escalate and prompting her to step in and attempt to push the other officer away.”

Fantasia Barrino Taylor Is Ready for Her Second Chance

Elle, Danielle James

“‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty’: Psalm 91 is Fantasia Barrino Taylor’s daily prayer. Among churchgoing folk, it’s called the Psalm of Protection, and it’s no surprise this is her touchstone, as Barrino Taylor has had a tumultuous life—’all that stuff,’ as she alludes to her history of abuse, struggles with literacy, and early motherhood. After winning American Idol at 19, the preacher’s kid from High Point, North Carolina, felt the unrelenting weight of stardom, and by age 26 had landed in the hospital for a suicide attempt. That was 13 years ago—through which she has risen from the proverbial ashes, fully spreading her wings.”

Earth Mama, a Piercing Portrait of Black Motherhood

AnOther, Alex Denney

“Earth Mama folds one woman’s complicated feelings about her predicament into a wider story of injustice. We’d call it the year’s quietest protest film, but the truth may be knottier still, Leaf revealing conflicting attitudes towards parenting among the Black community through Gia’s support network. In one cruel moment that comes off as a weird inversion of macho talk, best-friend Trina admonishes her to “step up and be a fucking mother”, and in another inspired scene, a propos of nothing, the moochers who hang around outside Gia’s door deliver poignant monologues about their own relationships with their parents. To leaven the drama, Leaf adds in magic-realist touches that mirror her themes of separation, connection and inherited trauma, with Gia dreaming of severed umbilical cords and trees in silent conversation with one another.”

Why a White Billionaire Slammed Harvard’s First Black President as a So-Called Diversity Hire

The Daily Beast, Ameshia Cross

“The broader issue Gay finds herself in is an ever-expanding, right-wing rage that positions DEI, civil rights, and advocacy for Blacks as essentially a threat to America. The comments under Bill Ackman’s tweet showcase gross support for this theory. For instance, filmmaker Mike Cernovich equated DEI with Marxism and said former Sen. Joseph McCarthy—notorious for his witch hunts for suspected communists, which destroyed numerous lives and robbed innocent people of their livelihoods—was right.”

TikTok’s most viewed video of 2023 is a makeup tutorial — this is why it’s so important

Metro, Gregory Robinson

“According to their data, influencer and model Nyadollie Deng claimed the top spot with a quick and easy makeup tutorial that, at the time of writing, has had more than 504 million views since it was uploaded back in March. The video posted by Nyadollie, who is a dark skinned Black woman, is simple, but is powerful in what it represents to the beauty community.”

Stop Stereotyping Black Girls: Offer Inclusive Sex Education in Schools

Ms., Natasha Crooks

“Sexual health education was introduced to schools in 1913 to ensure accessible and accurate information. Still, a recent study of 25 Black girls aged 9 to 18 indicated that 92 percent missed sex education in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, they were without essential knowledge about their bodies and sexual health.

Puberty is a particularly risky period of development for Black girls. The rapid physiological changes associated with puberty begin as young as eight years old, resulting in earlier menarche and the development of secondary sex characteristics that make Black girls appear older and more mature than their age. Puberty also brings the emergence of sexuality and complex sexual identities. But social determinants of health, like racism and sexism, impede healthy responses to the challenges posed by early puberty.”

Hair Relaxers Will Be Safer without Formaldehyde, but It’s Just a Start

Scientific American, Amanda Joy Calhoun

“I am relieved that formaldehyde-containing relaxers may be taken off the market, but if the goal is to protect the health of Black women and girls, then they must be able to safely wear their natural hair without negative messaging and penalties. Schools need to be mindful of racist comments about Afro-textured hair. Reporting systems should hold individuals accountable for anti-Black racist behaviors targeting Black hairstyles. The CROWN Act should be federal, not just state, legislation. Black children and adults should never fear losing their jobs, school placements or health because of their natural hair.”

Sean Combs Traumatized Me

Rolling Stone, Tiffany Red

“I’m stepping forward to recount my experience as a witness to events detailed in my friend Casandra Ventura’s now-settled civil lawsuit against you. I’m breaking my silence, freeing myself from haunting recollections, standing in solidarity with Cassie, and standing up for myself. I fear for my safety as her suit alludes to me, although not by name. I hope that revealing my identity to the public will afford me some measure of protection.”

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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11 stories across global and national news, entertainment, health, theatre, sports, art, and more.

Black Children Are Overrepresented In The Foster Care System. Why Aren't We Adopting Them?

Essence, Brennan Nevada Johnson

[Editor’s note: Through this piece, I learned about Noire Adoption, an adoption profile hosting platform centered on Black, biracial and interracial hopeful adoptive parents.]

Even when I speak to other people who were adopted, they almost always are surprised to hear that I was rescued by a successful, educated and beautiful Black woman and not a white family. I had the unique privilege of having a Black mother not only love and embrace me, but also help me identify and interact with the world as a Black person. Had I not, I probably would have ended up in a similar situation as most Black children who don’t get adopted—I would have been trapped in the foster care system.

The Formerly Enslaved Black Bordello Queen Who Built a Notorious Business Empire

Narratively, Lyndsey Ellis

“The end of Henry’s life stood in stark contrast to how it began. The woman who successfully set up a business empire, collecting wealth and property by captivating men from across social classes, began life enslaved, with not even freedom to her name. She ended it not only as an infamous bordello madam who outsmarted a long line of competitors and connivers who sought to bring her down. She also did an extremely rare thing in American history: She used the fortune she’d amassed to buy the very Alabama-based plantation where she was born, enslaved and raised. But danger seemed to follow Henry everywhere she went, and she would ultimately pay a high price for her remarkable success.”

Kokomo City Reminds Us That Trans People Everywhere Must Be Protected

Refinery29, Ineye Komonibo

“Beyond the screen, Black trans women are among the most vulnerable populations in what many are calling an ‘epidemic of violence against the transgender community.’ But how do we create space and safety for trans people in light of these dire circumstances? Paying close attention to a film like Kokomo City might be the first step. In the project, D. Smith, who is also transgender, provides four Black women (Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver) with a platform to tell their own stories in their own words.”

4 Black Women Purchased A D.C. Apartment Building For $75K in 1986, Now It May Be Worth More Than $1M

AfroTech, Shanique Yates

“Each of the remaining women occupies a unit in the building, and they have been fortunate to stand the test of time despite seeing people pushed out of the area by housing costs. They’ve supported each other through deaths and illnesses in their own respective families, and more. The group has witnessed the birth of their own children and then later on, their grandchildren, but one thing has always remained the same — their love for one another. ‘We have been a family,’ Washington noted. ‘There’s nothing we haven’t done together.’”

RELATED:

“These women bought a D.C. building 40 years ago and became a family,” The Washington Post, Theresa Vargas (Paywall)

Sistas that Care: prioritizing Black women’s mental health

WILX News 10

“Lynn said having a safe space with other black women or just women of color in general was needed on campus. According to Michigan State University’s Office of the Registrar in the fall of 2023, 64.4% of the student population was white and only 6.4% were black. Yabalu Bangura, a sophomore at the college said she has classes where she is the only black student. Bangura thinks new groups like Sista that Care is a great addition to the university.”

Why Sheryl Lee Ralph’s HIV Film ‘Unexpected’ Focuses on Black Women: No Longer a ‘Gay White Man’s Disease’

People, Jason Sheeler

“The film tells the story of Covin and another activist and hero, Masonia Traylor, as they create an underground network of women helping women cope with and survive HIV diagnoses in the rural South. Unexpected explores the critical issue of women facing HIV and looks into why Black women are disproportionally affected by the disease. According to the CDC, the HIV infection rate among Black women was the highest compared to women of all other races and ethnicities: 11 times that of White women and four times that of Latina women.”

A Play About Black Women’s Experiences, Met With Violence

The New York Times, Laura Cappelle

“According to Mediapart, one male audience member forcefully twisted Siby’s arm as she performed the scene. Others physically hit performers, called them ‘dictators’ and implied they didn’t belong in France. In the days that followed, Siby told Mediapart, an audience member accosted her and her child on the street in Avignon. Since the incidents became public — in a statement, the Avignon Festival described them as ‘an outpouring of hate’ — Chaillon and her team have also been cyber-harassed and become the subject of far-right pundits.”

RELATED:

“I’m an outspoken Black woman in France – so a powerful man tried to silence me with the law," The Guardian, Rokhaya Diallo

Simone Leigh's work explores how Black women have been misrepresented in art and culture

PBS News Hour

[Editor’s note: “Simone Leigh,” a massive exhibition chronicling the artist’s work and storied career, is currently showing at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. through March 3, 2024. The next stop is Los Angeles.]

“Last year, artist Simone Leigh represented the U.S. at what is widely considered the world’s most important exhibition of contemporary art, the Venice Biennale. She was the first Black woman to have that honor. Now, there’s a chance to see her work in a retrospective touring the country.”

School Hate Crime: Racist Kid Yells “N Word” While Attacking Black Girl, Breaks Her Nose And Hospitalizes Her. Black Girl Gets Suspended

The Kansas City Defender, Ryan S.

“The incident at Shawnee Mission East is not an isolated one. Students report a history of racism at the school, often overlooked, swept under the rug and downplayed by the administration. They recount experiences of being racially profiled and dismissed by school officials, with one student recalling Principal Peres’ racist remarks about Black students appearing intimidating or ‘looking like you are going to jump somebody’ when they are in groups.

In response to what they see as administrative apathy, students have taken matters into their own hands. A walkout was organized to protest the school’s handling of racial issues. The students’ demands are clear: stricter policies against racism, the expulsion of the attacker, justice for Bre, and potentially firing of numerous administrators.”

RELATED:

"Kansas teen charged after he punched and yelled slur at Black high schooler in halls," NBC News, Marlene Lenthang and Dennis Romero

No one would care for NY’s tuberculosis patients — except these heroic women

New York Post, Todd Farley

“When it was time in the mid-1950s to do a massive, human trial on a new drug that might cure TB called isoniazid, researcher Herbert Fox of the Hoffman-LaRoche company needed many patients of diverse backgrounds with different variations of the disease. He found all that at Sea View and thus chose it to host his trial, in large part also because of the extensive experience of Edna Sutton and her black co-workers. ‘No one was more qualified than these nurses to assist . . . with a trial of this magnitude,’ Smilios writes. Isoniazid proved to be a highly effective tool to fight the disease.”

Lula Defies Calls to Put First Black Woman on Brazil’s Top Court

Bloomberg, Maria Eloisa Capurro and Simone Iglesias

“‘Although 56% of the Brazilian population is Black, we do not have a single item, a single marker, a single socioeconomic and cultural indicator, that places the Black population in a minimally-balanced position,’ Vera Lucia Araujo, a Black female attorney who has been shortlisted for Supreme Court vacancies, said in an interview before the selection was made. ‘A population of 56% is on the margins of the system of power.’ Many also saw the seat as a reward for the 2022 presidential race, in which Lula racked up sizable margins among women and in the majority-Black northeast region on his way to victory in Brazil’s closest-ever election.”

For Her Next Round, Toni Tipton-Martin Orders Up a Book of Cocktails

The New York Times, Christina Morales

“While many in the world of cocktails are familiar with Tom Bullock, renowned for his juleps and long considered the first African American bartender to publish a cocktail manual, fewer know the work of Atholene Peyton, a home economics teacher whose 1906 ‘Peytonia Cook Book’ predated Bullock’s by a decade. Peyton’s story is just one told in Toni Tipton-Martin’s new book, ‘Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs and Juice: Cocktails From Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks,’ a chronicle of the ways in which Black people contributed to American cocktail culture.”

Dr. Paula Johnson Is Breaking Down the Barriers to Better Health

WIRED, Erica Kasper

“When she considers how far she’s come, Dr. Paula Johnson sees the path that brought her from being a public school kid in Brooklyn to being the first Black woman president of Wellesley College and a tireless advocate for equity in medicine. It’s a path that refined her life’s work into a simple question: ‘How do we improve the health and well being of all women, particularly those who suffer the most inequity?’ It started with her grandmother, even though she didn’t realize it at the time.”

Dez Bryant came for ESPN’s Malika Andrews over Josh Giddey coverage. He missed the mark.

USA TODAY, Mike Freeman

“For months now, if not longer, Andrews has caught the ire of NBA fans for the errant perception that she is more critical of Black coaches and players than white ones. It has to be made clear: there is no proof she does this. It’s a lie. Much of the criticism of Andrews, to me, is about the fact she’s a woman. There are men who don’t like it when women are as aggressive in their coverage and opinions as men.”

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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21 stories across global and national news, entertainment, sports, politics, agriculture, health, technology, music, and more.

The Black Women Who Fought for Ohio’s Historic Abortion Win

ELLE, Larada Lee-Wallace

“While big legacy organizations within the coalition were heavily involved in knocking on doors and ensuring voter turnout, it was the Ohio Women’s Alliance—one of the only Black-led organizations in OURR—that led a huge field program, reaching out to more than 1.3 million young, female, and BIPOC voters across the state.

And exit polls have shown those efforts were essential; when it came time, 60 percent of female voters, 83 percent of Black voters, and 77 percent of voters under 30 voted yes on the issue. A week after the win, Jordyn Close, deputy director of Ohio Women’s Alliance and a We Testify abortion storyteller, told ELLE.com that, to her, the exit polls make it clear: this moment wouldn’t have been possible without Black and brown advocates, organizers, and voters.”

RELATED:

“Ohio election results seen as major victory for Black women,” The Grio, April Ryan

Backlash to affirmative action hits pioneering maternal health program for Black women

KFF Health News, Ronnie Cohen

“But the future of the Abundant Birth Project is clouded by a lawsuit alleging that the program, the first of its kind in the nation, illegally discriminates by giving the stipend only to people of a specific race. The lawsuit also targets San Francisco guaranteed-income programs serving artists, transgender people and Black young adults.”

Meet the lawyer working to become the first Black female chess master

Today, Laura Jarrett

“When first-year corporate lawyer Rochelle Ballantyne is done working her day job, she’s focused on her goal of become the first Black female chess master. The game helped to put her on a successful path in life and now she’s taking her competition to the next level.”

Andscape roundtable: LSU, Angel Reese and Kim Mulkey. What is going on?

Andscape, Andscape Staff

“After Reese missed her second full game, Mulkey’s said in her press conference she was, “protecting her player.” Mulkey’s idea of “protection” has done everything but protect Reese.

One can only imagine the mental toll online rumors and abuses have had on Reese’s psyche this early in the season. Watching the world that once built you up as being a phenomenal player and the future of the sport to now watching them tease and mock you with allegations of terrible grades and being a backstabbing teammate probably has to hurt more than Reese will publicly admit. Amid the hate of the media storm, South Carolina guard and SEC rival Raven Johnson notably showed her support. Black women shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden alone of protecting Black female athletes.”

At Lululemon, Being Black Is ‘Off-Brand’

Business of Fashion, Sheena Butler-Young

“Dotson left the trip uneasy but said it was only the beginning of her challenges with the company. In February 2023, during Black History Month, she was put on a performance improvement plan, which hinged on accusations she was ‘unprofessional’ and ‘non-collaborative.’ Later that month, the brand unveiled a Black History Month campaign on Instagram, dubbed Take Space, prominently featuring Dotson, with the caption: ‘When we resist the pressure to shrink, we affirm ourselves and empower others.’ Dotson was let go in April.”

Betye Saar Reassembles the Lives of Black Women

The New Yorker, Hilton Als

“Saar uses prefabricated pieces (Black dolls, Aunt Jemima paraphernalia, advertising images, and the like) to show us how women of color have been repeatedly treated as props—accommodating, beneficent characters—in the never-ending drama of race. These images rarely even hint at an interior life, but Saar makes that interiority manifest. Her seminal work, ‘The Liberation of Aunt Jemima’ (1972)—which the activist Angela Davis reportedly credited with sparking the Black women’s movement—is a box containing a smiling Mammy figure with a gun under each arm, ready to blow all those stereotypes away.”

'Black Twitter' asks 'What if Sam Altman were a Black woman?' in the wake of ouster

Business Insider, Monica Melton and Aaron Mok

“The outpouring of support for Altman resounded across the tech industry. Black women's experiences in corporate America however, and an underrepresentation in fields like technology, have led some Black tech workers to believe there's a double standard in how the outside world reacts to the ousting of white founders compared to Black founders. […]

‘Unlike Atlman, Black women founders rarely enjoy such overwhelming support, and the road to recovery after setbacks can be exceptionally challenging,’ Bryant told TechCrunch's Dominic-Madori Davis in a blog post. ‘The absence of a Black or female counterpart for Altman in the tech industry reflects the persistent replication of the 'successful CEO' prototype, primarily shaped by the persona of the white male wonderboy.’”

RELATED:

“‘There was all sorts of toxic behaviour’: Timnit Gebru on her sacking by Google, AI’s dangers and big tech’s biases,” The Guardian, John Harris

“Tech Elite’s AI Ideologies Have Racist Foundations, Say AI Ethicists,” People of Color in Tech, Samara Linton

At Thanksgiving: The stories of Black female chefs in NOLA – and efforts to fight food insecurity

WWNO, Adam Vos and Alana Schreiber

“We also can’t talk about food without talking about food insecurity. While New Orleans is famous for its delicacies, food is not readily available to everyone, especially those living in parts of the city known as food deserts. But there are some organizations looking to change that, such as I Am New Orleans, which focuses on community-led efforts to improve racial equality in the city – including an urban farm geared towards youth development.”

This Black Woman-Owned Tea Brand That Supports Survivors Of Domestic Violence Is Now In Over 700 Grocery Stores

Blavity, Jahaura Michelle

“Crockett, a Chicago native and former health science professor, launched her tea brand to revitalize the health and wellness field. She witnessed several family members experiencing illnesses and decided to create Pennie’s Tea to offer flavorful loose-leaf teas and cold brew iced tea. […] In addition to her entrepreneurial success, Crockett is also a survivor of domestic violence, and she uses Pennie’s Tea to shed light on the growing number of women who are affected by it.”

Missing in Chicago

Invisible Institute, Trina Reynolds-Tyler & City Bureau, Sarah Conway

“A two-year investigation into how Chicago police handle missing person cases reveals the disproportionate impact on Black women and girls, how police have mistreated family members or delayed cases, and how poor police data is making the problem harder to solve.”

RELATED:

“Black Women’s Advocacy Paved the Way for Policies on Missing Black Women and Girls,” NPQ, Rebekah Barber

Black Women Hired Onto Whiter Teams Are More Likely To Get Flagged As 'Low Performers'

HuffPost, Monica Torres

“Although Asian and Latinx women and men in the study were also in the minority on their white-majority teams, Black women were the only demographic group to face significantly worse promotion and retention outcomes as a result of being placed on a whiter team. The study showed that when the share of white co-workers went up by 14 percentage points, that was associated with a 10.6 percentage-point increase in turnover for Black women.”

Amid The Marvels’ Box Office Failure, Black Women Will Defend Nia DaCosta At All Costs

The Root, Stephanie Holland

“On Monday, The Hollywood Reporter prominently featured an article with the headline, “Why ‘Marvels’ Director Nia DaCosta Bailed on the Cast-and-Crew Screening?” This obvious insult to the director sparked an outcry of criticism from Black women who thought the outlet was attacking DaCosta for something that is commonplace in the industry: Directors don’t regularly attend these screenings. And in this case, reports surfaced around social media that DaCosta wasn’t even invited. The only reason to try and make this a big deal is to hang an unwarranted ‘unprofessional’ label on her.”

RELATED:

“Nia DaCosta’s ‘The Marvels’ Is The Highest-Grossing Film Ever For A Black Woman Director,” Blavity, Monique Jones

Documents show the WHO paid sexual abuse victims in Congo $250 each

Associated Press, Maria Cheng

“The payments to women didn't come freely. To receive the cash, they were required to complete training courses intended to help them start “income-generating activities.” The payments appear to try to circumvent the U.N.'s stated policy that it doesn't pay reparations by including the money in what it calls a “complete package” of support.

Many Congolese women who were sexually abused have still received nothing. WHO said in a confidential document last month that about a third of the known victims were “impossible to locate.” The WHO said nearly a dozen women declined its offer. The total of $26,000 that WHO has provided to the victims equals about 1% of the $2 million, WHO-created “survivor assistance fund” for victims of sexual misconduct, primarily in Congo. In interviews, recipients told the AP the money they received was hardly enough, but they wanted justice even more.”

The Black Mambas: South Africa's all-female anti-poaching unit

BBC, Jeremy Riggall

“For many women from the local communities, employment opportunities are scarce. Becoming a Black Mamba has a wider impact, empowering women's social standing and gaining economic independence. The Black Mambas' ability to make a difference for local wildlife conservation also increases wider understanding of the issue. Mhlongo's friends are impressed by her ability to predict animal behaviour and stay safe. They see her as a role model and want to sign up.

‘Most people locally believe that these animals belong to white people,’ says Mhlongo. ‘We want to change that way of thinking, so that everyone in our community knows that this wildlife belongs to all of us.’”

Women with Black African ancestry ‘at greater risk when plague hit London’

The Guardian, Nicola Davis

“‘[The plague] is portrayed as being an indiscriminate killer, but we actually know it wasn’t,’ said Redfern. Previous studies have shown those who experienced poor nutrition in the famine that preceded the plague had a higher risk of dying from the disease.

Dr Onyeka Nubia, a historian at the University of Nottingham and author of Blackamoores, about Africans in Tudor England, said for some, it remains a challenge to accept that people of different ancestries and heritage were an established part of England’s past. ‘It is not a political matter. It’s not a matter of conjecture. It’s actually an evidential fact. England has been ethnically diverse for thousands of years,’ he said.”

‘This film is needed now more than ever’: exploring the roots of US racism

The Guardian, David Smith

“When it comes to talking heads, the usual suspects are out. Apart from Kendi himself, Stamped from the Beginning has an all-female line-up of Black academics and activists including Angela Davis, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Jennifer Morgan and Stephanie Jones-Rogers. […]

‘It was a very deliberate choice because when I got handed a list of academics and experts and historians, there were all the usual names on there that you always see. But I noticed the pattern that a lot of the work around racism was being done by Black women at Howard and Harvard and Princeton and Yale so I had the idea why don’t we only use Black women to tell this story? Black women were always the forefront of the resistance movement and, in my eyes, never get their due.’”

Overdose deaths have soared among pregnant people, study reveals

The Washington Post, Sabrina Malhi

“The data also show there has been a notable rise in overdose deaths among pregnant or postpartum Black women, paralleling the overall increase in maternal mortality rates among this demographic, noted study co-author Wilson Compton, deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Experts say the rise in overdose deaths in this group from 2018 to 2021 can be attributed to many external factors, including social isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic and lack of adequate prenatal and postpartum care in the United States.”

Fiber artist confronts racism through Black hair, unraveling flags and more

ARTS ATL, Angela Oliver

“Kinky hair is a constant throughout the exhibit, whether it’s balls of Clark’s hair arranged in the shape of the United States, works made with fine-toothed combs, a video of Black men reciting poetry in a barbershop or layers of hair that act as mortar between bricks stamped with the words of the Declaration of Independence.”

RELATED:

“Southfield art exhibit launches paying tribute to CROWN Act, Tignon Women,” CBS News, Luke Laster

“‘A Spectacular Black Girl Art Show' comes to Charlotte to highlight ‘an orchestra of creativity’,” WFAE, Elvis Menayese

“‘Throughline’ exhibit celebrates Oakland's Black women leaders with art, poetry, food + music,” 7x7, Shoshi Parks

Woman leaves her white-collar job to become first-generation farmer

WUSA via CNN Newsource

“Before she could clear the weeds of her property, she had to navigate a complicated land grant process that made little space for someone who looked like her. ‘Very minimal amount of Black farmers in the country right now,’ Livingstone said. ‘And it’s because of a lot of the injustices that were perpetrated by the USDA and many other local organizations, right? And so to me, if you want to correct those past wrongs, you get an application that says Black as the ethnic group. That application needs to be expedited.’

Livingstone said it’s important for Black women to learn how to farm. ‘Because it’s in our DNA, and because our ancestors were brought to this land for that primary function to cultivate the soil here. OK. It’s part of who we are,’ she said.”

On This Brazilian Black Awareness Day, Watch: ‘The Vision of Black Female State Deputies in Rio de Janeiro on Race, Gender, and Favelas’

RioOnWatch, Felipe Bellido

“On Brazilian Black Awareness Day, this mini-doc with English subtitles aims to be a historical document in which three Black women in leadership roles within the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly (ALERJ), reflect on race, class, gender, territory, and the legacy of Black women’s performance in Rio de Janeiro politics. They are state deputies Renata Souza (from Complexo da Maré), Dani Monteiro (from São Carlos), and the first transgender parliamentarian, Dani Balbi (from Engenho da Rainha).”

Tierra Whack’s Brave New World

Andscape, Shamira Ibrahim

“Cypher is a dramatic interrogation of Tierra’s journey from young freestyling phenom to bona fide star, striving to understand her relationship with celebrity and creative authenticity. It plays with various narrative devices, remixing the standard music documentary format by weaving fictional elements around true events. In one moment, you are watching the genius of Tierra Whack’s brain at work as she starts to mold the melody for “Peppers & Onions” with her engineer, the next, you watch the aftermath of her viral moment of slipping and falling while performing at the Red Bull Music Festival in Chicago in 2019, a moment that few artists would embrace.”

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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CNN, Leah Asmelash

“Raquel Willis has spent more than a decade working as both a journalist and activist for Black and LGBTQ people, championing these causes and uplifting voices. Now, she’s ready to share her own story. ‘The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation’ is Willis’ first book, exploring her journey into her own womanhood as a transgender person, navigating Southern Catholic family dynamics, social justice work and transphobia both in the media and in real life. Across its pages, readers are transported alongside Willis’ life, growing and blooming with her at every step of the way.”

The Spelman College community has stood in solidarity with Palestinians for years

The 19th, Nadra Nittle

“In 2014, out of its Women’s Research and Resource Center, Spelman launched one of the first Students for Justice in Palestine chapters at an HBCU in the wake of protests over the police killing of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Spelman students and scholars say they see a link between how Americans of color and Palestinians are policed, contending that Palestinians face the racial, economic and gender injustices that oppressed groups domestically and globally do. ‘I started doing research on Black liberation and how it parallels with what’s going on in Palestine,’ Darbo said. ‘It just really moved me.’” 

As Black Women, We Will Reclaim Our Reproductive Autonomy. For Me, This Is Where It Starts.

Sage Howard, HuffPost

“While there is no one-size-fits-all way to approach having children past the age of 35, Black women who are deciding to hold off can benefit from considering all the possibilities that exist. But in order to even consider these options, all of us need to be made aware of the advancements in science that make it safer to have children at this phase in life. This information is intentionally hoarded by the medical system at large and is often only made accessible to rich white women, which is truly a disservice. As birthing people with more agency, we can change that.”

As Tory Lanez heads to prison, hip-hop needs to have a conversation about accountability

Andscape, Justin Tinsley

“While Lanez’s sentencing marks the end of this saga (well, until his probable forthcoming appeal is decided), this moment also illuminates another uncomfortable reality. The hip-hop community should be deeply embarrassed by the way it conducted itself during this entire ordeal. After all, the response to the shooting furthered decadeslong rhetoric about misogyny and violent masculinity that have permeated hip-hop for generations.”

For Years, I Thought Men Were The Answer. Then I Met My Girlfriend

Vogue, Eva Reign

“As a Black trans woman, I’ve spent a lot of my life looking for Prince Charming. Finding the perfect man to affirm my womanhood and overall personhood was of the utmost importance, even though I was unaware that I was seeking this extrinsic validation. Regardless of how we come into our womanhood, women are taught from an early age that having a man at our side will provide safety, security, and validity. For trans women, though, the male gaze can be two-fold; as I came into my transness, I found some measure of solace and affirmation in men’s attraction toward me, but it also felt crucial to maintain their desire for me as key to my own survival.”

Cassie Settles Lawsuit Accusing Sean Combs of Rape and Abuse

The New York Times, Ben Sisario

“For Mr. Combs, the settlement quickly shuts down what could have been a risky and potentially embarrassing process of legal discovery — in which reams of evidence are made public — and a possible trial. And Ms. Ventura, who has already aired her accusations through a public complaint, avoids a cross-examination by Mr. Combs’s attorneys.

In a lawsuit that drew international attention, Ms. Ventura — who signed to Mr. Combs’s Bad Boy label in 2005, when she was 19, and dated him for about a decade — accused Mr. Combs of what she said was years of beatings, controlling behavior and various forms of sexual abuse, including a rape. In response, a lawyer for Mr. Combs, Ben Brafman, said, ‘Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.’”

RELATED:

“Sean Combs Is Accused by Cassie of Rape and Years of Abuse in Lawsuit,” The New York Times, Ben Sisario

“From Cassie To Keke: Stop Shaming Black Women For Sharing Stories of Alleged Abuse,” The Root, Candace McDuffie

What Victoria Monét, SZA And Coco Jones’ Grammy Nominations Say About Black Women As Underdogs

Forbes, Sughnen Yongo

“In corporate America, there has often been a prevalent dismissal of the efforts that Black women put into climbing the corporate ladder. These obstacles have been riddled with microaggression, tone policing, and the never-ending threats of bias, specifically targeted toward Black women and their contributions in the workplace.

Regardless, many Black women have learned to overcome systemic challenges to scratch the surface and get their due recognition. The Grammy nominations, particularly SZA, Victoria Monét, and Coco Jones unveil a peculiar narrative that extends beyond the music industry regarding Black women, and the designated underdog role they often have to carry within society.”

RELATED:

"How Building a ‘Cohesive World’ for Victoria Monet Led to Breakthrough Success & 7 Grammy Noms," Billboard, Dan Rys

Column: Closing the wage gap for Black women is an investment, not charity

LZ Granderson, The Los Angeles Times

“Never one to run from a fight, the 5-foot-6 Staley said she brings the same assertive energy from her upbringing in the projects of North Philly everywhere she goes. Whenever there’s an underdog, she’s ready to fight.

That led her to partner with the One Million Black Women project, a collaboration she announced last week. Its goal with that $10-billion commitment is to make a course correction in the American economy and society, for the benefit of everyone. The organization’s data found that reducing the wage gap faced by Black women could increase the nation’s gross domestic product by nearly half a billion dollars and create up to 1.7 million jobs. In other words: It’s not charity; it’s an investment.”

Black Woman’s Hanging Death Haunts Family and Evokes a Painful History

Capital B, Christina Carrega

“The suspicious circumstances of a loved one’s death and the response from authorities leave too many Black families wary of the investigations. Law enforcement’s disproportionate rate of closing a homicide investigation when the victim is Black also makes it hard to take the police’s preliminary reports at face value, some experts say. Naomi says communication with Orlando police has been challenging from day one. There have been meetings set up that were canceled at the last minute, and trying to get the lead case detective on the phone has been impossible, she says.”

“Mami Wata” Cinematographer Lílis Soares on Creating a New Kind of Gaze

The Sundance Institute, Stephanie Ornelas

“Soares spent a lot of time studying different techniques to execute her vision for Mami Wata. ‘I wanted to make the right decisions,’ she explains. ‘The industry, in general, isn’t interested in Black bodies and developing something new or trying another gaze. But there’s a diversity of perspectives in the world. When I create, I put my gaze in the project. For me, a Black woman is a God. This is the reality that I want to see in the world.’ She was thankful that Obasi gave her the creative space to explore her ideas. ‘Sometimes, I was like, ‘I want to put the lights behind the head of Prisca like Jesus! I will try to create Jesus as a Black woman.’ And C.J. just let me create all the things I wanted to.’”

New study reveals racism may increase the risk of stroke in Black women

NBC News, Claretta Bellamy

“Black women who reported experiencing racism may be at an increased risk of having a stroke, a new study finds. Participants who said they experienced racism in employment, housing and interactions with police had an estimated 38% higher chance of experiencing all types of strokes compared to Black women who didn’t perceive experiencing racism, the study found.”

Four Black cowgirls from Maryland ride together again. This time in search of sisterhood.

The Baltimore Banner, Penelope Blackwell

“In 2014, Kisha “KB” Bowles was sitting at a red light in Forestville in Prince George’s County, when an old friend pulled up alongside her to invite her to a birthday celebration. She had no idea it was the start of a journey to becoming part of an all-Black female horse riding group. Bowles arrived at the party and left with an invitation to join the Rough Riders, the oldest of the several Black cowboy clubs in Maryland. At 38 years old, she had never even ridden a horse.”

14 Years Into Perimenopause, Gabrielle Union Sometimes Goes to the Bathroom to Cry

She Knows, Jessica Hartshorn

“As she sees it, her miscarriages and heartaches were results of two larger trends: Black women going unheard when they voice medical complaints, and no one getting enough time with a doctor to understand their holistic health. ‘You can easily be dismissed as an angry Black woman. ‘You’re just a bitter woman, you’re just a bitch,’’ is how she describes the feelings she got from others initially when she’d describe being depressed and anxious. ‘There’s no regard to there being a physiological change happening.’ That’s even though science shows that Black women often experience menopause earlier and with more severe symptoms.”

Revisiting Lena Horne’s Legacy

The Cut, Maya S. Cade

“Who does Hollywood want Black women to be? The ethereal Lena Horne was the star-making institution’s first attempt at calculating a critical answer. According to prominent Black film historian Donald Bogle’s new book, Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed, in the limited space of early Tinseltown Black possibility, the high-yella star’s transformation from Cotton Club chorus girl to a once-in-a-generation actress was a bittersweet one. As MGM’s first Black ingenue, Horne was awarded the glamour and press that catapulted her into international stardom. Still, the glamour was no substitute for the career that, although promised, never fully arrived.”

A Black Woman’s Rise in Architecture Shows How Far Is Left to Go

The New York Times, Jane Margolies

“Black female architects are so few and far between, and obtaining licensure is such a point of pride among them, that many take pains to note their place in the chronology of advancement in the field — Ms. Dowdell, 40, said that in 2013, she became the 295th living Black woman to be licensed in the United States. There are small signs of change: Nearly 3 percent of architects who received their license last year were Black, and 43 percent of new architects were women.”

Single motherhood: Raising children alone, by choice

The Baltimore Banner, Leslie Gray Streeter

“Some people think raising a child without a partner is incomplete, like someone cut a man out of your proper family portrait and now there’s just a gaping hole. But what if, as in the case of Hargrove and Washington, you chose to enter this massively hard state of motherhood as the primary parent, completing your family as you see fit? Neither one of them were banking on one day marrying and having someone with which to share the load equally. They were committing to the buck stopping with them. And it’s worked.”

'You belong here': That's what I tell other Black women who row

WBUR, Baylor Henry

“When I first started rowing, when I first came to the [Head of the Charles] in 2019, I could count on my hand how many Black people or just people of color that I saw. Rowing is not a sport that is talked about within the Black community. I really want to inspire younger girls to try it out — and also to not second guess themselves, just because they may not see people who look like them in that sport. So, with blackgirlsrow, that is the goal.

The fact that rowing is a predominantly white sport, it can make you question, Okay, am I good at this? Can I be good at this? Cause I don't see anyone else who looks like me doing it. It boosts my confidence whenever I see other Black athletes, especially females, doing some really good things.”

At Norwalk fertility clinic, she defied the odds as a Black mother with identical twins

The Hour, Kalleen Rose Ozanic

“‘I would go into my appointments and I would rarely see other Black people,’ Christa Joseph said. ‘I kind of always wondered, ‘Are they not here?’ Even with her successful twin pregnancy, she said it's crucial for there to be diverse representation in health care. ‘I think it's important because I think it could be a little isolating when you see families that don't look like you,’ Christa Joseph said. Which is what makes the work of Illume Fertility’s new managing director, Suha Buckey, all the more impactful.”

The life and career of Julia C. Collins, one of the real-life inspirations behind Peggy Scott of 'The Gilded Age'

Insider, Yoonji Han

“After the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, the Gilded Age ushered in a new era of business, education, and real estate ownership for many Black Americans. Scott was inspired by several trailblazing Black women from the era, including journalist Ida B. Wells and Susan McKinney Steward, the first Black female doctor in New York. Julian Fellowes, the show's creator, ‘was intentional about drawing from multiple women's lives in order to create a fictional character who embodies the spirit of the 1880s for young Black woman in the elite,’ Erica Armstrong Dunbar, a history professor and consultant for the show, told the Los Angeles Times.”

Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley says Black women referees were ‘thrown under the bus’

The Grio via Associated Press

“South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said she does not want a critical NCAA review of officiating in the women’s national championship game last April to keep those officials from other prominent assignments, suggesting the Black women had been ‘thrown under the bus.’ The review found that the officiating during LSU’s 102-85 victory over Iowa was below expectations. […]

‘So the independent review was done under anonymity but it is known who the officials were …. all black and brown skinned women,’ she posted on X, formerly called Twitter. ‘Now that they’re thrown under the bus let’s not run them over.’”

Tracy Chapman Makes History as the First Black Songwriter to Win CMA Song of the Year

Michigan Chronicle, Lynzee Mychael

“Chapman, known for her reclusive nature, was not present at the CMA Awards held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. However, a prepared statement from the groundbreaking songwriter was read by co-presenter Sara Evans. In her statement, Chapman expressed her honor at the newfound recognition of ‘Fast Car’ after more than three decades since its debut. She extended her gratitude to the CMAs, as well as to Luke Combs and all the fans of the song. The significance of Tracy Chapman’s win goes beyond the celebration of a timeless song; it underscores a notable milestone in the 56-year history of the CMA Awards. Never before has a Black songwriter, whether male or female, claimed the Song of the Year honor until Tracy Chapman’s groundbreaking achievement.”

Report criticizes Chicago police for handling of missing and murdered Black women and girls cases

ABC7, Leah Hope

“They found that police officers routinely deny or delay people who try to report their loved ones missing; police declined to investigate key leads or lost evidence, leaving families to conduct their own searches; and discrepancies in data-keeping practices, including cases in which detectives reported the person had returned but the family said they had not come home alive.”

Omaha chapter of 'Black Girls Do Bike' encourages black women to get active through cycling

KEYTV Omaha, Jonah Gilmore

“She described cycling as therapy, saying you don't think about anything else when you're on the bike. ‘I was really glad to see the promotion for Black women in health. At that time, I was on a journey to try and lose some weight, so it was fun and helpful for me,’ said Mallory. Mallory is the co-shero of the Omaha chapter of Black Girls Do Bike, a national group inspiring Black women to get active through cycling.”

Boss Women Media Unites 1,500 Black Women In A Powerful Celebration Of Sisterhood And Business

Forbes, Corein Carter

“The Black Magic Reimagined summit provided a platform for crucial conversations, inspiring stories and actionable insights. From prioritizing diversity and alignment in entrepreneurship to navigating challenges and fostering sisterhood, the summit exemplified a paradigm shift in empowering Black women entrepreneurs. The summit geared up to amplify the voices of Black female leaders, ensuring that the momentum for change continues to build.”

Black Korean Female Founder Overcomes VC Bias To Disrupt CPG Industry

Forbes, Geri Stengel

“The way Woodard overcame funding challenges was to continue to partner with people who believe in her and want to continue to support Partake’s growth. She takes providing metrics very seriously. Investors can't deny your success if you run a good business, show growth, and focus on margins and profitability. ‘We've raised over $20 million of outside capital,’ exclaimed Woodard. Investors include Black Star Fund, Bobby Wagner, CAST US Fund, CircleUp Growth Partners, Fearless Fund, FF2032, Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners, John Foraker, Kevin Johnson’s Black Capital, and Rihanna.”

Local midwife opens WA’s first Black-owned birth center

Seattle Times, Elise Takahama

“But some stigma around independent, out-of-hospital midwifery still exists, she added, despite research that shows midwifery can lead to better birth outcomes for those who are low-risk. ‘The [research] shows that midwifery is the answer for saving Black lives and giving women satisfactory care that they enjoy being part of, as well,’ she said. Her new birth center, tucked away from a busy street, is equipped with three full birth suites — all with beds, tubs and bathrooms — exam rooms, a couple teaching areas and an office.”

‘Black Girl Magic!’: Monica Rambeau Is The Marvels’ Not-So-Secret Weapon

The Root, Stephanie Holland

“When we last saw Teyonah Parris’ hero, she was cleaning up the mess Wanda Maximoff left behind in WandaVision. In The Marvels, she’s a badass astronaut working for Fury’s secret S.W.O.R.D. program. From the moment she space walks onto the screen, it’s obvious she’s the smartest person in the movie. If there’s one thing we love about the MCU, it’s that so many of its Black heroines aren’t just badasses, they’re also geniuses.”

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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I’m kicking off this week’s newsletter with my latest for MSNBC, an essay unpacking Megan Thee Stallion’s new video for “Cobra.” This track marks the 28-year-old superstar’s first solo single since Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years for shooting her in 2020. Many of you know that I’ve been covering news and issues about Black girls and women since the start of my 10-plus-year journalism career, with one of my specialties being cultural criticism ie. examining, unpacking, deconstructing, and analyzing a cultural product about, created by, and/or for Black girls and women (in this case, a music video and song created by, about, and arguably made for, a Black woman) and theorizing the product’s emergence—the fact that it’s come about, that it exists—and its importance, its impact, its power.

A song is not simply a song. The same goes for a music video, the visuals of said song. Many Black girls and women recognize and intentionally create cultural products as an opportunity to be seen and heard, to be considered, an opportunity to co-sign or disrupt, to spark a revolution or at the very least offer a bit of kindling. And as I point out in my essay, Megan Thee Stallion is absolutely one of those Black women, from her incendiary video for 2020’s “Thot Shit,” to her radical “Savage Remix” performance on SNL, to her entire 2022 album “Traumazine”—her first since the 2020 shooting and the very public horror show that ensued (again, it’s all in my essay if you need a refresher on exactly how Megan’s been “that [textually rich, discourse-provoking] bitch.”)

That’s why it’s critical that we think seriously about/actively engage with not only Megan’s cultural products, but those of the Black women journalists, critics, mental and public health professionals, students, and activists deconstructing her products and that of other Black girls and women, celebrities or not. By actively engage with, I mean read/watch/listen to (maybe a few times), share, discuss, leave constructive comments, “like,” follow, and possibly offer financially support (as I mention in my essay, Megan independently released and self-funded the very pricey-looking, CGI-filled “Cobra” video through her new entertainment company, Hot Girl Production.)

And with that, I leave you to the essay and this week’s newsletter.

—Patrice Peck, founder of The Wakeful

Megan Thee Stallion says she’s depressed. So many successful Black women are.

MSNBC, Patrice Peck

“With the possible exception of Meghan Markle, who said she experienced suicidal ideation while living with the royals and dealing with the British media, I can’t recall any other Black woman’s story of her mental health crises receiving this much attention. With “Cobra,” Megan Thee Stallion has thrown a long-overdue floodlight on an urgent mental health crisis hiding in plain sight: the rate of suicide among Black women, particularly successful Black women.

A new study from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Howard University that looked only at women in the U.S. found that Black women aged 18 to 65 ‘have the highest risk for suicide irrespective of their socioeconomic status.’ In fact, the study found that Black women in the highest income strata, those considered “blessed” like Megan, had a 20% increase in the odds of suicide and self-inflicted injury compared to white women in the lowest socioeconomic strata.”

RELATED:

“Megan Thee Stallion's ‘Cobra’ Shows Black Women They Can Be Vulnerable and Magical,” PopSugar, Christa Janine

“Megan Thee Stallion Sheds Her Skin In ‘Cobra’,” Refinery29 Unbothered, Ineye Komonibo

THIS WEEK IN BLACK WOMEN NEWS

21 stories across global and national news, entertainment, crime, literature, health, technology, music, beauty, and more.

Forward Laila Edwards makes history with Team USA women’s hockey

Andscape, Branson Wright

“Edwards, a forward, is the first Black woman to play for Team USA, and her skills will be on display Wednesday in Tempe, Arizona, when the national team begins the first of seven games of Rivalry Series play against Team Canada. While grateful for being selected, Edwards is concerned it took 25 years (the first women’s national team to compete in the Olympics in 1998) for a Black woman to make the team.”

RELATED:

Black Women Sue Kansas Police Department Alleging Rape & 'Government-Sanctioned Terrorism'

Jezebel, Kylie Cheung

“Five Black women filed a federal lawsuit on Friday accusing officers of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department (KCKPD) of rape, intimidation, and using “government-sanctioned power and terrorism” to silence and intimidate them. The lawsuit names former police chiefs Thomas Dailey, James Swafford, and Ronald Miller, as well as detectives and former detectives Terry Zeigler, Michael Kill, Clayton Bye, Dennis Ware, and Roger Golubski. Golubski is specifically accused of raping four of the five women.”

Inside the legal fight by Black women over hair relaxers

Reuters

“This special episode takes us inside the legal fight by Black women to demonstrate hair relaxers were harmful and the cosmetic companies who made them knew that and kept marketing to them anyway. Those companies vigorously deny those claims, saying their products are subject to vigorous safety reviews and approved for cosmetic use by U.S. regulators.”

N.Y. Times writer quits over open letter accusing Israel of ‘genocide’

The Washington Post, Avi Selk and Samantha Chery

“Silverstein said Hughes also violated the policy earlier in the year, when she signed an open letter protesting the Times’s coverage of transgender issues. “She and I discussed that her desire to stake out this kind of public position and join in public protests isn’t compatible with being a journalist at The Times, and we both came to the conclusion that she should resign,” he wrote in the email.”

Hulu’s Oprah-Produced Mystery ‘Black Cake’ Is Most Enticing When It Looks Toward the Past

Variety, Aramide Tinubu

“‘Black Cake’ is most compelling when looking toward the past. With her Jamaican lilt and captivating expressions, Isaac delivers an incredible performance. Covey’s transformation from a bold teen to an isolated young woman with few options keeps the audience engaged, and eager for the next piece of the puzzle. The vibrancy of 1970s Jamaica and the cold, wet isolation of the U.K. come to life in the limited series. Also, the mystery surrounding the demise of Covey’s gangster husband, Clarence ‘Little Man’ Henry (Anthony Mark Barrow), makes for alluring television.”

RELATED:

“Hulu’s “Black Cake” Delivers a Beautifully Complex Story of Family, Identity, and Secrets,” Autostraddle, Nic

Angela Davis Says Black Women Have Always Led The Charge For Change

The Observer, Genoa Barrow

“Education, of course, is an element there, but there have to be ways in which we say, “no more” and I think Black women have always been involved in these efforts to eradicate violence. When I think about Ida B. Wells and the work that she she did against lynching and the connection between the sexual assault of Black women and the use of rape as an excuse to lynch Black men, it’s not one thing, it’s a whole range of efforts to create a different kind of consciousness. That is the only thing that will allow violence to become obsolete in our world.”

Team of all-Black women, including Coloradan, aspiring to summit Kilimanjaro in 2024

“The group behind Full Circle Everest, the first all-Black climbing team to summit Mount Everest, has announced a new expedition for 2024 — a group of all-Black women who will pursue the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. The expedition, called Above the Clouds, is focused on "fostering connection, community & joy on a journey to the Roof of Africa," the team wrote on an Instagram post in early November.”

Menopause Isn't Easy, But It Can Be So Much Harder For Black Women

Poosh, Jessica Jolie Badonsky

“Researchers are linking these more intense and longer-lasting symptoms to ‘weathering,’ a hypothesis formulated by Dr. Arline T. Geronimus, who found that health deterioration is the result of outside stress. This hypothesis applies to fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, menarche (first period), and menopause. Recent research also links a person’s ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) score to more severe menopausal symptoms. The ACE score comprises 10 questions assessing childhood experiences and traumas, with scores ranging from 1 to 10. A study involving 1,640 women experiencing “bothersome” symptoms found a clear connection between an ACE score as low as 4 and perimenopausal symptoms.”

RELATED:

“How Menopause Affects Women of Color,” The New York Times, Alisha Haridasani Gupta

Detroit woman's 'Black Girl Mathgic' service helps kids battle math anxiety with fun

Fox 2, Liz Lewin and David Komer

“‘It’s negative feelings around doing and solving math problems, so you can have physical manifestations of math anxiety - sweaty palms, tears,’ she said. Avoidance is another manifestation of it. An overwhelming number of studies show when it comes to STEM, subjects and jobs, women and girls are disproportionately suffering from math anxiety. Which is why this Black girl from the east side of Detroit is doing her part to build up their confidence and change the narrative.”

Ohio election results seen as major victory for Black women

The Grio, April Ryan

“Civil rights groups were also closely watching what was considered one of the toughest battles in state elections for abortion rights. ‘We’ll take this win and continue the fight for reproductive freedom where women are being denied the right to control their bodies,’ said Karen Boykin-Towns, vice chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors. ‘A lot went into securing this victory, and we thank those who worked tirelessly, specifically our Ohio NAACP members and all the coalition partners,’ she continued.”

Why Are Black Women Facing A Slow Economic Recovery?

Black Enterprise, Atiya Jordan

“Today, Black women get 64.1% of bachelor’s degrees, 71.5% of master’s degrees and 65.9% of doctoral, medical, and dental degrees. The highly educated group is purchasing homes at higher rates than Black men. However, Black women ‘consistently experience significant disparities when compared to their white counterparts – in unemployment, wages, access to key work-family supports, and in advancement opportunities — often reflecting the prevalence and combined effects of racial and gender bias,’ a study found.”

New book explores the influences behind the life and work of bell hooks

The 19th, Nadra Nittle

“In both her church and her campus ministry, Gloria Jean Watkins learned to love and accept herself despite growing up in a household where she perpetually felt rejected. By adulthood, she’d gained the confidence to pursue a career as a writer and a scholar, fashioning a new identity — bell hooks — for herself in the process. In ‘Feminism Is for Everybody,’ hooks’ 2000 primer on the women’s liberation movement, she reveals that achieving self-love and self-acceptance was critical to her personal development, as she would not have become a fully realized person without them.”

Alarming Rise in Domestic Violence Rates in Detroit Affecting Black Women and Children at Concerning Rates

Lynzee Mychael, Michigan Chronicle

“Domestic violence affects the Black community at significantly elevated levels, with statistics revealing that 45.1% of Black women encounter incidents of intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking over the course of their lives, according to a report by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. It is essential to understand the specific challenges faced by Black women and children in Detroit and address the factors contributing to this alarming trend.”

Black Women Are the Next Targets of Right-Wing Legal Activist

The Daily Beast, Kali Holloway

“Let’s put aside the fact that it’s both brazenly disingenuous and ahistorical to declare that a document which literally protected white people’s right to enslave Black human beings was somehow a “colorblind legal covenant.” Instead, let’s focus on Blum’s other brazenly disingenuous argument—often propagated by zero-sum-minded racists who believe a win for Black folks is necessarily an “L” for white people—that by giving to Black women, Fearless Fund is basically just stealing from other folks.”

It’s been 25 years since a Black woman won album of the year. Will SZA change that?

CNN, Lisa Respers France

“If SZA wins, she will become the first Black woman to triumph in the category since Lauryn Hill in 1999 for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Monáe would become the first Black and nonbinary artist ever to win the category. In the 66 years of Grammy ceremonies, Black performers have only won the event’s top prize 11 times. In addition to Batiste, Hancock and Hill, Stevie Wonder won album of the year in 1974, 1975 and 1977; Michael Jaackson won in 1984; Lionel Richie in 1985; Quincy Jones in 1991; Natalie Cole in 1992; Whitney Houston in 1994; Outkast in 2004; and Ray Charles in 2005.”

The First Black Female Officer In The U.S. Air Force

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Melanie Burney

“After completing their training, the women were preparing for a big, Air Force-sanctioned party at a nearby home of one of the cadets. The day before the event, the classmate pulled Ortega aside to inform her she could not attend because her neighbors would feel uncomfortable with a Black party guest. ‘Sandy, I know you will understand,’ she recalled the smiling classmate saying. Ortega wanted to be seen as a team player, so she cheered and waved when the women boarded a bus the following day for the party — and then sat alone at the barracks and thought about their cruel behavior.”

Daniel Cameron loses bid to be Kentucky’s first Black governor

The Grio, Gerren Keith Gaynor 

“The current attorney general is a controversial figure in Black communities in Kentucky and across the country for his handling of the case involving the Louisville police shooting of Breonna Taylor in 2020.” “The fury toward Cameron was so fervent that activist Tamika Mallory moved her social justice organization, Until Freedom, to Kentucky to register voters across the state and campaign against his gubernatorial aspiration. Reacting to Cameron’s loss in a statement provided to theGrio, Mallory said, ‘Tonight was a good night and an affirmation of the power of organizing.’ She added, ‘We began this journey fighting for justice for Breonna Taylor and took our protest to building power. In honor of Breonna, Daniel Cameron lost with a mandate.’” 

RELATED:

“The Killing of Breonna Taylor Still Reverberates in Kentucky Politics,” Capital B, Grace Panetta

Cherelle Parker Defies the Progressive Agenda

The New Yorker, Eliza Griswold

“‘I’m not one of those people,’ Parker told me. ‘I’m not a defund-er. I’m not a left-er. I think a whole lot of it is a bunch of bullshit.’ Instead, she ran as an outspoken centrist, promising to make Philadelphia ‘safe, clean, and green.’ During the first mayoral debate, she stated her opposition to defunding the police. She was the only Democratic candidate to support stop-and-frisk policing, which, according to data analyzed by the Pennsylvania A.C.L.U., disproportionately affects Black Philadelphians. She also proposed that the city hire three hundred more police officers, a plan that Philadelphia magazine has called ‘regressive’ and ‘wasteful.’”

RELATED:

“Cherelle Parker makes history: Philly elects first Black woman mayor,” WHYY, Susan Phillips

“Cherelle Parker shattered a glass ceiling, but Black female mayors still face racial and gender bias,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Sharon D. Wright Austin and N’Jhari Jackson

Nadia Mohamed is Minnesota’s first Somali American Mayor

Minnesota Reformer, Nafi Soumare And J. Patrick Coolican

“Nadia Mohamed has been elected the mayor of St. Louis Park, making her the city’s first Black mayor in 170 years, Minnesota’s first Somali American mayor and the second known Somali mayor in U.S. history. Mohamed also represents a new generation of leadership in both the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and St. Louis Park. She’s just 27, though she had already been elected to a citywide at-large seat on the City Council in 2019.”

D.C. Council Officially Confirms Pamela Smith As Metropolitan Police Department Chief

DCist, Jenny Gathright

“The D.C. Council confirmed Pamela Smith as the city’s new police chief in a unanimous vote on Tuesday. Smith, who has served as acting police chief since D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed her in July, is the first Black woman chief of the Metropolitan Police Department and only the second woman to ever lead MPD. She assumes the role at a time when homicides in the District are at levels not seen in two decades – and when retirements, resignations, and recruiting challenges have left the department with its lowest staffing levels in 50 years.”

Three Days That Changed the Thinking About Black Women’s Health

The New York Times, Dara Mathis

“She had hoped that 200 women would attend; nearly 2,000 showed up. The event inspired a remarkable change in attitudes. There were panels and workshops on high blood pressure, diabetes, lupus, childbirth and mental health. But more than addressing specific illnesses, the conference encouraged Black women to share information and consider how oppression affected their interactions with the health system. Crucially, it reframed health as inextricable from racism.”

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Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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Last month, The Wakeful attended the inaugural Black Sound Healer Summit at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

Organized by meditational leader and author Zentola, the first-of-its-kind event gathered dozens of wellness enthusiasts of all ages to celebrate this meditative practice in an inclusive and welcoming environment through an unapologetically Black lens. “Black women have been doing tremendous work in this space,” Zentola told The Wakeful, crediting Black women’s “intuitive” capabilities and life experiences. “A lot of Black women are leading the charge.”

A brief awards ceremony recognized several Black women for their work in destigmatizing wellness and mindfulness in communities of color, like Toshia Shaw of The Flowing Lotus Center, the recipient of the Community Impact Award, and Jennifer Franklin of Bloom Holistic Healing, who received the Trailblazer Award. “I never would of thought I’d be making this big of an impact being able to teach and train and to help my community heal from the inside out,” said Shaw in her acceptance speech. “Use your gifts, use your trials as a testimony for our people, so we can heal. We’ve been through a lot.”

Attendees then took part in an hour-long sunset sound bath led by more than a dozen Black women sound healers from around the country. Denise Reese Johnson, a pastry chef based in Meridian, Mississippi and friend of Franklin, had never heard of a sound bath before that evening. Now, she wants to replicate the event back home, even if that means training in sound therapy and healing herself. “I recommend this to anyone, please,” Johnson, 61, said. “If you’ve never had a sound, you need to come and check it out. It’s very very good for your mental, your body, your spirit.”

— Patrice Peck, The Wakeful founder

THIS WEEK IN BLACK WOMEN NEWS

25 stories across global and national news, entertainment, crime, literature, health, technology, music, beauty, and more.

Black Feminists Are Standing Up For Palestinians — No Matter The Cost

Refinery29 Unbothered, Brea Baker

“Poet Aja Monet, singers Kehlani and Amerie, and activist Tamika Mallory are just some of the prominent Black women who have lent their talent and platforms to mourning the more than 8,000 Palestinian people who’ve been killed in the last few weeks and who are calling for an immediate ceasefire to prevent more death in Gaza, and in Israel. My timeline, too, has been filled with the impassioned support for the #freePalestine movement from Black women of all walks of life: world travelers, teachers, community organizers, writers, and artists. Many of them remember the support of Palestinian people during the Ferguson uprisings of 2014, but this current wave of Black feminist defense of Palestine didn’t start in the 2010s – the solidarity has a rich history.”

'The Sisterhood,' on a '70s collective of Black female writers

The Los Angeles Times, Lauren LeBlanc

“In 2004, as a graduate student, Courtney Thorsson learned about a snapshot taken of some of the greatest American writers. No, no one captured Phillip Roth, Saul Bellow and John Updike hobnobbing with the Jonathans. The writers in question included Toni Morrison, June Jordan, Alice Walker and Ntozake Shange. This was an intimate image of friends at the end of a Brooklyn party where they had dined on gumbo and sipped Champagne. Each smile glows with pride, openness and joy. It was the first gathering of the Sisterhood.”

‘We all should be worried’: Black entrepreneurs, business leaders say conservative legal challenges could hinder progress

CNN, Nicquel Terry

“The AAER’s legal challenges have left civil rights activists and Black business leaders anticipating the conservative group’s next lawsuit and whether Blum will continue to target programs that exclusively serve people of color. Black business leaders told CNN the lawsuits, if successful, could stand to undo decades of progress toward leveling the playing field for Black and brown people in the workplace and small business sector. ‘It definitely opens up a Pandora’s box,’ Trigg-Jones said. ‘We all should be worried.’”

How Sista Grrrl Riot Made Room for Black Queers in Punk

Interview Magazine, Laina Dawes

“And that’s the beauty of us coming together, right? Because it’s like we could have a soft place to land. Everybody understood what we were going through. It wasn’t a mystery. It’s like you try to have these conversations with people and they don’t, they really don’t understand. They don’t understand how you’re a musician. You have your credits, and you have your experience, and folks are mansplaining to you all day, even if you know they are undermining you. Your name is on the marquee, but the sound person wants to talk to everybody except you.”

U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar Fighting To Establish National Office For Missing Black Women And Girls

Essence, Rayna Reid Rayford

“We’re getting people to sign on, and we’re still trying to build momentum.” “This effort is vital in saving the lives of Black women and girls. The most helpful thing people can do to help us get this legislation passed is reaching out to their members of Congress telling them to support,” Rep. Omar continued.

Rep. Omar’s home state of Minnesota has been a pioneer with this issue. ‘In 2021, Minnesota enacted a law creating the nation’s first Office of Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls and became the first state to fund research into this crisis – research that was led by directly impacted community members,’ per a one-pager for the legislation.”

There’s Still a Black Maternal Health Crisis in 2023 — Here’s How Black Women Can Protect Themselves

SheKnows, Nefertiti Austin

“Black birthing people often do not know enough about their bodies before conceiving, so Dr. Hines suggests getting their vitals checked before getting pregnant. ‘How is your blood sugar? Weight? Are there any heart issues? These three are the main factors that contribute to postpartum death in Black women.’

‘It is worth the time and effort to make excellent plans for pregnancy,’ stresses Dr. Hines. ‘Get your blood pressure or blood sugar under control, start prenatal vitamins three months in advance, get insurance, deal [with] anxiety and depression issues, and educate yourself about complications like deep vein thrombosis, advanced maternal age, and high blood pressure, as these can show up after giving birth.’”

RELATED:

“Texas to get four new maternal health research centers amid mortality crisis for moms,” The Texas Tribune, Eleanor Klibanoff

The newest leader of the Philadelphia zoo wants to redefine urban zoos

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Earl Hopkins

“I’m a zoo aquarium professional. I was born and raised in Chicago, and most of my career has been spent at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo. I spent a couple of years at Shedd Aquarium heading up their education team, and left four years ago to be the director of the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park, which is the Saint Louis Zoo’s new campus. I was brought there to help design, build, and operate the campus which will open in 2027. That was pretty exciting.”

There's a nationwide shortage of Black sperm donors. A new cryobank in DC hopes to solve that problem

WUSA, Marcella Robertson

“When Reproductive Village Cryobank opens its doors, it will focus on recruiting Black sperm donors, and will look to answer the question of why Black men aren't donating.  The percentage of Black sperm donors at cryobanks in the U.S. ranges from two to four percent, according to a recent analysis from The Washington Post. WUSA9 found the same results in our own search through donors of the four major sperm banks in the country. Hundreds of options turn into just a handful when you narrow your search to Black donors. The shortage is troubling for some Black women looking to expand their families. It forces them to make a difficult decision between having a baby of a different race, or not having a baby at all.”

Cherelle Parker hopes to join growing class of Black women elected to higher office

WHYY, Sam Searles

“The primary win of former Councilmember Cherelle Parker in the race to become Philadelphia’s 100th mayor is historic. Parker’s nomination comes after a hotly contested Democratic primary, and her political success is part of a bigger, national trend — Black women running for office. Forty-four percent of Philadelphians are Black, and Parker could be the first Black woman elected as mayor. Holli Holiday is the president of Sisters Lead Sisters Vote, a group dedicated to advancing Black women in public office. Parker’s win, Holiday said, could have nationwide ripples.”

RELATED:

“Ninety-nine mayors — and finally one who looks like me,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jenice Armstrong

Young, successful Black women like Sexyy Red can have babies if they want to

The Grio, Monique Judge

“Some have asked why she would get pregnant while her star is still shining so brightly. Others have predicted that her pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her child will be a career-ending situation. And then there are those who openly say she is making a ‘mistake.’ This isn’t the first time we have heard these things said about a young Black woman who has made the decision to become a mother. Keke Palmer faced similar scrutiny when she announced her pregnancy.”

There Aren't Enough Black Transplant Surgeons. This New Program Is Trying To Change That

Essence, Rayna Reid Rayford

“‘I can’t give you an exact number of Black women transplant surgeons, but I can tell you that it’s less than 20 and that’s nationwide. There’s a serious lack of representation in this field,’ Dr. Dinee C. Simpson, Northwestern Medicine’s chief health equity officer and director of the Northwestern Medicine African American Transplant Access Program, told ESSENCE.

And ‘African Americans make up the largest group of minorities in need of an organ transplant,’ according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.”

Why Black women are rising to lead top theology schools

The Christian Century, Rebekah Barber

“But slowly, Black women are stepping into positions of power, overcoming the racism and sexism that stymied many who came before them. Nowhere has the trend become more evident than at the country’s divinity schools. The development goes back a decade, when Emilie Townes broke the color barrier at Vanderbilt University when she was appointed to lead its divinity school. Most recently, Marla Frederick was appointed to serve as the first Black woman dean at Harvard Divinity School.”

Surgeon Becomes First Black Woman To Hold Presidential Position For A Cardiothoracic Surgery Society

Black Enterprise, Stacy Jackson

“Wallace specializes in treating cancer patients at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. As a thoracic surgeon, she also performs procedures for other conditions that involve diseased or injured organs. At the medical center, the doctor incorporates video-assisted or robotic surgery techniques. According to an article published by the Journal for Thoracic Disease, surgeons use the robotic approach to resect lung cancer.”

America's First Black Female Physician Cared For Patients From Cradle to Grave

Scientific American, Dominique Janee and Katie Hafner

“Many women and children, suddenly freed from bondage, were dying. She worked to dispel the myth that recently freed slaves were spreading disease, rightly pointing instead to poor living conditions. There are no known photographs of Rebecca Crumpler, but a Boston newspaper article describes her in her 60s as ‘tall and straight, with light brown skin and gray hair.’ Rebecca Crumpler was ahead of her time, promoting preventive medicine, and she paved the way for women of color in the field of public health.”

Lisa Love, a Black Trans Woman “Who Was Always Smiling,” Killed in Chicago

them, James Factora

“Tori Cooper, the Human Rights Campaign Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, said in a statement that it “appears that the last thing Lisa Love did before her death was visit a friend.”

‘She clearly brought joy to many others and deserved to continue being a bright spot in the lives of her friends and family,’ Cooper said. ‘We must end the epidemic of fatal violence viciously targeting transgender and non-binary people.’”

London Price, a Black Trans Woman Who Would "Give You the Shirt Off Her Back," Was Killed in Miami

them, James Factora

“Nedra Allen, Price’s aunt, told Local 10 that her niece would ‘give you the shirt off her back,’ and that ‘that’s kind of what put her in the situation to get her hurt.’ Price’s family told the outlet that Peyton had recently moved back into the apartment, and that the couple had previously had “trouble.”

According to Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, a blog that documents the murders of trans and gender-nonconforming people, Price was born in New Orleans and relocated to Miami after graduating high school. She enjoyed jewelry and music, and had recently shared photos from a trip to Disney World. Allen additionally shared details of Price’s transition with Local 10, stating that ‘She got her name change, passport, went to the court and got everything done the right way.’”

Dozens of mourners gather to honor A’nee Roberson, a Black trans woman killed in D.C.

LGBTQ Nation, John Russell

“On Wednesday, nearly 100 mourners gathered for a vigil in Washington, D.C. to honor A’nee Roberson, a 30-year-old Black trans woman who was killed earlier this month. Police say Roberson was assaulted near Nellie’s Sports Bar in Northwest D.C. in the early morning hours of October 14. As she fled her attacker, she ran into the road where she was struck by a car.”

Black horror fiction is having a moment. Thank Tananarive Due

The Los Angeles Times, Paula L. Woods

“Due’s reverence for Black history — and the trauma it inflicted on everyday people who lived through its horrors — infuses ‘The Reformatory,’ the suspenseful coming-of-age story of Robert ‘Robbie’ Stephens, a 12-year old in fictional Gracetown, Fla., who’s sent to a notorious boys’ detention center for defending his sister from a white teen’s unwanted advances. Inspired by the real-life loss of a relative in the 1930s at Florida’s infamous Dozier School for Boys, also the basis for Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ‘The Nickel Boys,’ Due started the novel shortly after her mother’s death.”

‘Bridgerton’ Star Says Netflix Did Nothing When She Had Two Psychotic Breaks

The Daily Beast, Helen Holmes

“‘When I went into hospital a week after shooting Bridgerton Season 1, it was really covered up and kept on the down-low because the show was going to be coming out,’ Barker said on the podcast of her first psychotic break. She continued: ‘In the run-up to the show coming out, I was just coming out from hospital, my Instagram following was going up, I had all these engagements to do...my life was changing drastically overnight and yet there was still no support and there still hasn’t been any support all that time. So I was trying really, really hard to act like it was OK and that I could work and that it wasn’t a problem.’”

Sudan: Violent Conflict in Sudan Has Impacted On Nearly Every Aspect of Women's Lives

AllAfrica, Hala Al-Karib

“I had the privilege to speak at the UN Security Council open debate last week on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), an important opportunity to reflect on the urgency of this work and why women's rights must be central to addressing any conflict or crisis. Sadly, my country, Sudan, which is currently going through one of the most gruesome atrocities in Africa, illustrates the consequences of failing to do so. The current violent conflict in Sudan is a result of decades of violence against civilians, violence that has impacted nearly every aspect of women's lives.”

'I Wanted to Scream': Conflict in Congo Drives Sexual Assault of Displaced Women

AP, Justin Kabumba and Zane Irwin

“Sexual violence by armed men against displaced women is increasing rapidly in eastern Congo as years long conflicts continue. The trend underscores the disproportionate consequences for women and girls in the region’s perpetual state of war. The Associated Press is not identifying survivors who spoke to journalists in the Bulengo displacement camp. In Bulengo and other displacement sites nearby, an average of 70 sexual assault victims each day visit clinics run by Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF.”

Women's Refuge Sistah Space On The Launch Of Its Specialist Sanctuary

ELLE, Ata Owaji Victor

“Sistah Space has announced the creation of the UK's first refuge to provide specialist support for women of African and Caribbean descent. Founded in 2016, in response to the tragic murder of Valerie Forde and her daughter, as the result of intimate partner violence, the charity has become a leading voice in the fight to bridge the gap in domestic abuse services for Black women and girls. Their vital work has also resulted in the creation of Valerie's Law, a campaign that advocates for mandatory cultural competency training for police officers and government agencies in the hope to better protect and support Black women facing abuse.”

Microsoft Appoints Sarah Bond As The New President Of Xbox, Making Her The First Black Woman In The Role At A Major Gaming Company

AfroTech, Ngozi Nwanji

“Prior to the promotion, Bond first joined the Microsoft family in 2017. Previously, she served as the leading video gaming company’s corporate vice president, heading up product and experience for game creators across all Microsoft software and services, according to her LinkedIn profile. In addition, she has been the leader of Microsoft’s Diversity & Inclusion Initiative as well as executive sponsor of Blacks @ Microsoft Employee Resource Group.”

Taraji P. Henson on hair-care line TPH, power of Black women

The Los Angeles Times, Marissa Evans

“Henson marvels at how far the natural hair movement has come. Long gone are the days of only a couple of shampoos to choose from; now Black girls and women have whole aisles of products that are Black-owned or -created. ‘We have proven our power in the economy because we were forgotten about and so just like the slaves did, they started inventing. That’s why I’m never surprised when someone goes, ‘A Black person invented that,’’ Henson said. ‘No one cared about our hair but us and now, all of a sudden, you got all these big brands, now they got natural [hair] commercials.’”

Lots Of Celebrities Write Memoirs. Why Did Jada Pinkett Smith Get Vilified For Hers?

Refinery 29 Unbothered, Kushie Amin

“Pinkett Smith’s behavior (hard to say what her most egregious offense is in the eyes of her haters; writing a memoir just like her husband did or daring to share pieces of her private life publicly, like so many celebs before her have) is described by the internet as  ‘controlling’ and ‘emasculating,’ and these attributes are especially reflective of misogynoir. They align with historical stereotypes about Black women and express an inability to view them with compassion, unlike Will Smith or other men whose actions are excused and condoned. The backlash to Pinkett Smith reinforces the all too familiar ‘Strong Black Woman’ trope, where Black women are seen to be cold and devoid of emotion.  We see how this exists on a systemic level, where Black women’s pain often goes ignored by healthcare providers and face exceptionally high maternal mortality rates, as they are four times more likely to die in childbirth.”

Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?

Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.

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