Loving the skin you’re in.
Hey September! I’m soaking up all of this beautiful black femininity. Of all shades.
I remember growing up as a little girl, uncomfortable in my skin. Not just being a black female, but one of a darker complexion. I was just joking with my barber yesterday about how I had to develop a lot of character and personality to counter the reality that my complexion was not sexy during my adolescent years. The topic came up as we watched a stunning darker skin woman (with a short cut like me ironically) on a TV commercial on and he commented about how beautiful she was. And we both realized that 10 years ago, that would’ve never happened. Not only the woman being on a commercial, but even the comment about how beautiful she was! That was real to me.
I made it through the years of the “tar baby” and the “you look nice for a dark skin girl” comments. Or just being ignored. Never feeling pretty enough because of the color of my skin. When it wasn’t the blatant comments, it was the absence of seeing people who looked like me being recognized on mainstream media. Tough times. Ignorance prevailed then. But it’s a better day now.
::cut to September issues of Vogue, Marie Claire, Ebony and other major magazines:: My girl and inspiration Issa Rae is on the cover of Ebony…rightfully so. Beyoncéis on the cover of Vogue – and has made history by hiring a black (23 year old!) photographer named Tyler Mitchell with all of her creative freedom – Bey continues to break down walls. Lupita continues to grace the cover of magazines including September’s Porter (flashback to 2014 when Lupita was named People magazine’s Most beautiful person – I nearly died and came back to life…and that issue resurrected me…I ran to buy that issue because I saw myself on the cover and it was my long-awaited moment of just being seen!). And my boo Tracee Ellis Ross on Elle Canada…infectious! Why is this so important? The September issue of any magazine defines its season (please rent ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ if you’ve forgotten the intensity around the issue). It’s a major moment and it has been falsely claimed that “black women don’t sell magazines”… shiiiiiid. Watch us werk!
It’s our time. Black women are being appreciated as we should be. I hesitated saying “black women are winning” because never should it be a competition. All women are beautiful. It is about equal respect, love and appreciation. And we are being welcomed into that space where we historically have been denied access.
I’m so loving this moment and it is my deep desire that all women of color soak up this moment. Understand what’s happening. Appreciate it. Support it. Love it. And please support one another. We are all beauty.
All my Love.
capri.