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For Women’s History Month, Misty Copeland Tells the Story of Trailblazing Ballerina Raven Wilkinson
“To be a black ballerina today … is extremely difficult. So I cannot imagine what it was like for Raven in the 1950s,” said Misty Copeland when reflecting on her friend, mentor and shero, Raven Wilkinson. In 1955, Wilkinson became one of the first black women to dance with a classical ballet company. Pursuing a…
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The Mane Attraction: For Queen Kelly Rowland, Her Hair Is Her Crown and Glory
“The first message that I honestly remember receiving about my hair was that it was hard to manage,” singer-songwriter Kelly Rowland told The Root. As a black woman who has hair that’s been referred to as “a rat’s nest,” I can relate. First question: Do rats even have nests?! Follow-up question: Why are you concerned…
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In an 'Insular, White, Calcified World,' Misty Copeland Centers Black Women
Every time I’ve been in a room with Misty Copeland, she has made it a point to acknowledge black women. I’m not referring to a warm smile, a greeting, or even the timeless black folk head-nod (y’all know what I’m talking about)—though I’d guess Copeland certainly does that, too. Beyond saying “hello,” she makes it…
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20 Years of Twerking: A Retrospective of ‘Back That Azz Up’
One thing’s for sure: The words “Cash Money Records taking over for the ‘99 into the 2000″ will always yield a visceral reaction, a sense of urgency. Move or be moved, because it’s about to go down. But ahead of (what has now become) an iconic phrase, there’s a trigger warning, if you will. Let’s…
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Black Ass Game Show: Bodega Boys Edition
As a Queens native, I am mature enough to objectively say that it’s a good time to be from the Bronx. Cardi B recently made history as the first solo female rap artist to win best rap album. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is “taring ‘ish up” in the House of Representatives. One can still rent…
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Hollywood Has a Problem With Inclusion and These Celebrities Are Trying to Solve It
It’s no secret that Hollywood has a problem with inclusion. As April Reign pointed out with her viral #OscarsSoWhite years ago, Oscars have been white and, might I add, damningly male. Guess what? The greater Hollywood industry isn’t any less pale (or male, for that matter). USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative did some research and found…
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Black Love On The Big Screen, From the First On-Film Kiss to Today | Unpack That
Love, in its purest form, makes all of our hearts smile. As a black person, I must say, that there’s something so special, so unequivocally sincere about seeing black people being in love on the big screen. Sorry, not sorry. Here’s the thing: Unbeknownst to many, black love in film dates back to the beginning…
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Kelly Rowland Takes Us Through Her Iconic Mane Moments
One thing’s for sure: Kelly Rowland’s got lewks. From her pixie cut of the early 2000s, to her blunt bobs and now her natural ‘fro, Kelly’s hair has always made a statement. It is clear the singer-songwriter has a great sense of pride in her hair—in all of its forms. So naturally, Rowland is the…
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An Unexpected Adonis: Actor William Jackson Harper Has Found His 'Good Place'
By now, perhaps you’ve heard the name William Jackson Harper. For those of you who unfamiliar with him, allow me to offer this introduction: William Jackson Harper is best known as the actor who plays Chidi Anagonye—an indecisive, neurotic philosophy professor—on NBC’s The Good Place. After a decade of paying his dues on and off-Broadway,…
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Why Do We Silence Black Girls and Women Who are Survivors of Sexual Violence?
Today, conversations about sexual violence and harassment towards women have infiltrated popular culture, the news and beyond. But despite the prevalence of sexual violence towards black girls and women, we remain almost invisible in these conversations. You see, the legacy of sexual violence towards black women and our subsequent silencing runs deep. In her seminal…
