#brown skin girl

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amandla stenberg

GRAMMY Awards 2021

GRAMMYS

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I’m telling lies.

I say, It’s in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,The stride of my step,The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally.”

Model @efia911

Creative director Askboox

bySianeh8

Dark Skin Offends

In the midst of all the public outrage over the comments of an unidentified senior royal being concerned about how dark Archie (Prince Harry and Meghan aka the Sussex’s son) will be, let’s have an honest conversation about the way dark skin and anything that has close proximity to Blackness offends not just white people but Black people too.

Unfortunately, this toxic colonial mindset is why so many of us have an inferiority complex,

Why too many Black men “prefer” to procreate with non-Black women,

Why so many Black women bleach their skin.

Why fair skinned or Bi-racial babies are given more likes, follows and positive comments on social media.

Why often so many of us feel honoured to be invited to white establishments

(I could go on…feel free to add your thoughts in the comments)

Although, our colonisers taught us to hate our richly melanated skin, we’ve got to do better and change the narrative once and for all, by cherishing, respecting, and valuing our Beautiful Black Skin.

If we don’t, who will ?

Author - @iameriwa

Model - @duta_atem

Choose to Challenge Ableism

As International Women’s Day approaches, I’ve been thinking about this year’s theme #ChooseToChallenge, and what I can do to make a difference.

I’m extremely passionate about raising awareness on the invisible barriers people from marginalised groups face in the corporate world, however, I’ve never explored the intersections of disability and identity formation in the workplace (or wider society).

Please read, comment and share my article. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to create a working environment that supports colleagues with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions as opposed to one that inadvertently leaves many feeling excluded.

Be kind to yourself and others!

Author@iameriwa

Model @marshaellemusic

Love for potential

“It’s my love for potential that causes me pain.

The desire to push people to become better with time always has a way of making me

Waste my own” - Morgan Richard Olivier

Concept and hair styling by @mimissaaa

Photography by @mballa.madame

Models @sonia.kds @_frvncoise @lenamng_

MUA @mariacheikh_mua

Center Your Chi

Centering your life force

Becoming one with your thoughts

Centering your energy

Catering to yourself first

Releasing all forms of negativity

Especially things that cause you stress, anxiety and pain

Removing people who bring a whole heap of drama

In order to live your life with equanimity.

Breathing in peace

Resting in the calmness of He

Dancing with glee

Smiling with emesnse joy in your heart

Father Lord I thank Thee

Looking forward to your future

Even though you can’t see

What comes next in those chapters

It will definitely be

Filed with wonderful moments

New lessons to learn

Love and kindness in the midst of all the pain

You’ll succeed and become empowered

Through it all

Center Your Chi

And be.

Author - @iameriwa

Model - @adutakech

Visual arts - @langstonamadi

iHeartOG is not Ugly our ideology of Beauty is

I’m disappointed with the negative and dehumanising discourse sounding the “attractiveness” of Ogom Chijindu aka Og, the Nigerian-American reality television personality who appears on Basketball Wives LA.

Please let’s do our best to speak with compassion and understanding, particularly, when it concerns black dark skin women with distinct Afrocentric phenotypes.

The notion that featurismim isn’t real is undermining Og’s (and many other women who look like her) lived experience.

We must acknowledge that, like its ugly cousin RACISM, colourism, featurismim and texturism are all deeply ingrained within our psyche due to the success of White Supremacy.

If featurismim isn’t a thing then why is rhinoplasty surgery so popular among black and brown people? Kelly Rowland, Ciara, Halle Berry and other black female celebrities have surgically alerted their “Afrocentric phenotypes” because anything that has close proximity to whiteness is deemed more attractive.

Unfortunately, European colonizers have successfully engraved their standard of beauty in our minds, that we also succumb to their destructive ideologies by changing the texture of our hair ( or wearing straighter no Afrocentric weaves), lightening our skin complexion, and undergoing invasive (and no intrusive) surgery to alter our distinct African negroid features.

The whole premise of “Pretty for a Dark-skin Girl” is rooted in colourism and featurismim. As the said black girl/woman is deemed attractive because she doesn’t aesthetically look “too African” or “too Black” i.e. she doesn’t have a wide nose, a big pertruding mouth with thick lips, large eyes, basically features that are typically considered “animalistic” or “ugly”.

The gag is, our entire understanding of facial symmetry and perception of beauty was created by old white male biologists/scientists. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that our preferences for lighter skin, softer and slimmer facial features are running rampant in the Black and Brown countries white Europeans colonised ‍♀️

Let’s re-educate ourselves so we can teach our children that beauty is nuanced, multifaceted, diverse, but more importantly, beauty is skin deep.

Author - @iameriwa

Model - @iheartog

Representation Matters

Unfortunately, our hair has a long history of being politicised and stigmatised in society. However, now more than ever, Black women should feel empowered to wear our natural kinky curly hair in corporate/professional settings with pride.

The more we do, slowly but surely, our tight curls will no longer be considered as “unprofessional”. Furthermore, employers cannot discriminate against an employee wearing an afro, because that’s discrimination against our natural state!

Something we cannot control, no matter how much we attempt to “tame” it with harmful chemicals, it will continue to grow kinky curly.

Black queens, please remember that young Black girls are looking at us to set the example, so lets all do our best to rock our gorgeous gravity defying hair with pride ❤️✊

Author - @iameriwa

Photographed by @b.gray.pixels⁠

Make up by @naphsie_mua⁠

Styled by @alwoman_⁠

Richly Melanated Queens

They call us “coloured” because of the complexion of our skin.

When in fact the more appropriate term is “richly melanated” as our skin tones are rich, deep and beautiful.

For all my richly melanated women, don’t worry about being overshadowed, just focus on shining bright, the way The Creator made you.

Ladies, always remember to let your light be an inspiration to others.

Author - @iameriwa

MUA - @flawlessfacesbyjane

Photography- @peterusmanphoto

Becoming comfortable with change

The older I get, the stronger my ability to navigate change with ease.

My thought process has evolved. I’m embracing change and confidently meeting it and moving through it.

I no longer invest in things that fail to bring me joy, peace, or enlightenment.

I no longer engage with people who don’t recognise and appreciate my efforts to maintain a connection.

I no longer seek approval concerning my achievements, strategies to overcome obstacles, and future aspirations.

I no longer grant extended family members, colleagues, aquitances, or old school friends access to my innermost thoughts or experiences.

I’ve grown to cherish quality time with my partner, immediate family, and dearest friends.

I’ve grown to love my flaws, while acknowledging that I’m a working progress.

I’m focused, I no longer resist change that feels uncomfortable or threatening.

Because I rest in the fact that God knows best, so if I continue to put all my trust in Him, my life is guaranteed to be beautiful (Amin Ase).

Author - @iameriwa

Model - Oriane Adjibi @myfashionbreak

Black Girls are Beautiful

When you raise your Black daughter(s) with a sense of pride in their richly melanated skin, tight kinky curly afro hair, and their natural beauty, they grow up with an unshakable amount of confidence and selflove.

They embrace their Black features and celebrate Afrocentric phenotypes on others.

They become aware of their divine feminine power and attract opportunities that propels them into greatness.

They become examples to younger Black girls, who rarely see themselves represented.

They grow up and become empowered Black women who empower others.

Black girls are Beautiful.

Thank you to @shanillia26-blog for raising such awesome daughters.

Bridgerton: Colourism in Action

I finally got round to watching the Netflix series Bridgerton, by Executive producer Shonda Rhimes.

Like many Black women, I was eager to watch a fictitious show that would hopefully be “inclusive of all races” more importantly, I was sure that the show would go against the grain and cast Black dark skin women in leading roles.

I was sadly mistaken.

All the unambiguous looking Black women with dark to brown skin tones were casted as subservient characters with little to no lines, and used as part of the background scenery.

While the key female characters of colour were played by the following ambiguous looking Black women and Bi-racial women:

Golda Rosheuvel - plays Queen Charlotte

Adjoa Andoh - plays Lady Danbury

Ruby Barker - plays Marina Thompson

Kathryn Dysdale - plays Genevieve Delacroix

Emma Naomi plays - Alice Mondrich

I’m not surprised but I am disappointed, as this could have been avoided.

From a representation standpoint, Bridgerton is perpetuating the notion that Black women with light skin, particularly women with mixed ancestry, are more deserving of opportunities, admiration and a voice, over Black women with darker skin and Afrocentric phenotypes.

Colourism is just as dangerous on screen as it is off screen, as it reinforces the idea that dark skin is not good enough, or palatable for the dominate race to accept.

Anyway, I want to reinforce that lighter skin is not more beautiful than darker skin, they’re equally beautiful. However, I appreciate that so many, especially gatekeepers within media still haven’t got the memo.

Author - @iameriwa

blackgirlliberated:

To all my Black girls out there, please know that you are loved and that you do not always have to show up for others, especially in a society that doesn’t always show up for you.

As I reflect on the past 1-2 years, some of the things that I’ve committed to myself still stand true.

What are some things you’re committing to yourself in the New Year?

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