Today's biggest headline will be Doug Jones’ upset of Republican Roy Moore to become the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Alabama since 1992. The next biggest headline? 97 percent of black women voted for Jones to help him to victory.
[Side note – part of me definitely wonders if Janet Jackson had even a little bit to do with black women showing up to support Jones’ victory on Tuesday.]
With 17 days remaining in 2017 (and many of us in a hurry to get to 2018), can we take just a few minutes to celebrate the #BlackGirlMagic that — despite a year muddled with chaos and confusion — continues to flourish in nearly every way?
1. Music
With her most critical accolades of late, it’s almost impossible not to start with SZA, the vibey songstress who has quickly become one of the most talented female voices in the music business today. With five Grammy nominations, including best new artist and best contemporary artist, SZA is the most nominated woman in a male-dominated line up, setting the tone for the next level of artistry in new age and alternative R&B.
"I feel good being a black woman; I've always felt good. But to be a black woman right now, it definitely feels like I have back up… That's a good feeling. I've never felt like that before."
– SZA, Complex Magazine 2016
2. Film
This summer, four big names in black entertainment made history by becoming the first all black female cast to make $137 million at the box office — over seven times its production budget. Regina Hill, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and comedy’s newest black female standout, Tiffany Haddish, have shown up in one of the fewest places where black female representation exists — on the big screen.
Here’s some context: the 2016 Forbes list of the world’s 10 highest paid actresses include no black women, and the gender pay gap for black women in Hollywood (and any industry, for that matter) is still worse than it is for white women. For every dollar a white man makes, white women make 80 cents where black women make 69 cents.
3. Television/Streaming Services
Hey HBO and Netflix, we see you. Thanks to a few visionaries behind the scenes on these two streaming services, black women starred in exciting leading roles in 2017. Insecure kicked off their second season with the increasingly popular Issa Rae (lit AF), and Oprah helped tell the story of Henrietta Lacks, a black woman whose cells were used to create the first immortal human cell line, leading to groundbreaking medical discoveries. And let’s not forget about The Incredible Jessica James starring the hilarious Jessica Williams, plus the remake of the genius Spike Lee’s very first film, She’s Gotta Have It, where the lovely DeWanda Wise offers a refreshing glimpse of the challenges black women face when it comes to sexuality, identity and self-love.
4. Politics
Elected in 2016, Kamala Harris, California’s freshman Democratic Senator, has spent most of 2017 overhearing whispers of a push towards her 2020 bid for the presidential nomination. But she’s stayed focused — and outspoken — by making a big splash in her first year in office. Harris has spoken out against key issues like the Dream Act, Tax Reform and one of the most pressing right now, Net Neutrality.
5. Fashion and Beauty
Did you know Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty was named one of TIME’s best inventions of 2017? The bad girl changed the game with an inclusive makeup line offering 40 shades of foundation, an effort black women of all complexions have come to appreciate. Still young, the beauty line’s incredibly quick rise to popularity brought in $72 million in just one month, surpassing earnings of makeup brands like Urban Decay, NYX and Kylie Cosmetics.
6. Journalism
April Ryan, one of the only black women in the White House press corps, spent 2017 speaking up to both of the President’s uncooperative White House Press Secretaries, Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Ryan continued to ask tough questions, without fear of verbal confrontations, regarding issues affecting minorities and women. This year she joined CNN as a political analyst and was named the National Black Journalist Association’s Journalist of the Year.
7. Sports
Not only did Serena Williams win her 23rd (count 'em) grand slam title at the Australian Open — she also happened to do it while she was two months pregnant. She welcomed her baby girl in September and married the love of her life in November, quite possibly the leading contender for the greatest 2017 of all, serving up reminders as to why she is undoubtedly the GOAT in the world of tennis.
I know this list is far from all-inclusive (can y’all believe I got through this without mentioning Beyoncé?). Let me know who I'm missing on this list.
Congratulations, black women — and all women. Our success is without limits. Keep lighting up the world and lifting each other up, because until we get to the point where beating a child molester isn’t a big deal, we’ve got a long way to go.
