black-girl-magic

The art world, like most industries, is dominated by men. According to research conducted by the National Endowment of the Arts, female artists not only make 20 percent less than men, but they are also less visible in mainstream spaces as it pertains to gallery exhibition, representation and inclusion in museum collections. When we factor race into the equation, we can easily see how being black and woman fortifies those margins. Black women artist are every bit as talented as their counterparts; their artistic productions speak to that truth.In honor of International Women’s Day, the Blavity community takes this opportunity to recognize black women artists from around the globe and place them, and their contributions, on the pedestal they deserve.Wangechi MutuBorn in Nairobi, Kenya, Mutu is an artist who wows us with her abstract constructions that explore race. One of her most profound productions is a series of paintings imposed onto 19th century medical diagrams of the uterus, with some alluding to the foulness Dr. J. Marion Simms projected onto enslaved women.  These works center the strife experienced by women and their bodies--both figuratively and literally. Each questions the treatment and oppression of women under oppressive and patriarchal systems. With titles as “Tumours of the Uterus”; “Fibroid Tumors of the Uterus” and “Primary Syphilitic Ulcers of the Cervix” Mutu emphasizes how the dominant interlopes on the vulnerable.Shanequa GayThough Gay is the jewel of the south, her work transcends regional depiction and portrays a broader American context. Her recent series, “The Fair Game Project” eerily mirrors the nation’s most dehumanizing moments in modern history--when innocent black women and men were gunned down by lawless cops; at a rate that makes it seem like they are hunted. As ugly as police brutality is, the Atlanta, Georgia, artist rendered a beautiful body of work showing that shit is real in these streets for our black bodies.Delita Martin Martin paints blackness with the intensity of a well-studied observer--and as someone with lived experience. She gives her subjects, primarily women, identity in the form of character, emotion and texture. Martin is a griot. You can feel these women’s stories being told beyond the pigment. Hailing from Arkansas and now residing in Texas, Jones continues to give voice through her work.Delphine DialloDiallo is a French-Senegalese photographer, living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She shoots provocative images of people and culture as a form of art activism to embolden and empower minorities, namely women and children. Her photographs are bold and stupefying. Her talent came into focus when she exhibited in No Commission, a show curated by Swizz Beatz.Vanessa GermanIn her Pittsburg community, German is both a conjure woman and healing artist. She uses her cosmic energies and creative art to mend broken spirits. She converted her home and studio into a community art center to expose children to the power of art, but also provide them a respite from the dangerous environment. In her art, German creates mind-blowing sculpture that resists violence, white supremacy, patriarchy, and ableism. She is a staunch advocate of intersectionality, queer identity and universal love.Sonya ClarkClark is an American-born fiber artist of Caribbean descent. She has fused her love of black roots and history into her passion for art. This Distinguished Research Fellow, in the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, weaves complex constructions that highlight the culture of black hair while addressing historically racialized subject matter. Clark’s “Unraveling & Unraveled” is an interactive piece in which participants contribute to unbraiding a confederate flag one stitch at a time. In this process, it is understood that it takes a collective to dismantle racism and white supremacy in America one stitch at a time.Tamara Natalie MaddenWe would be remiss in not mentioning Madden, a Jamaican-born artist who taught at Spelman College. She is known for her vibrant painting style and reimagining black subjects in the most royal light. Madden understands fully that black people are black magic. Her portrayal of women and men are executed with bluish-brown skins, giving them regal glow. She features them in Afrocentric regalia. Her work was reaching its pinnacle, when she transitioned suddenly this past November after a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. The black art community lost one of its most promising, rising stars. Madden and her work will be sorely missed.  With genius like this, it is a wonder why we don't see more black woman artist--everywhere.In a firsthand conversation with Shanequa Gay, I raised a question we all may have interest in knowing: what it is like to be a black woman artist in a mostly white and male dominated industry? She responded: “The Black Woman’s narrative is all but missing in the ‘cannon’ and in museums. Our stories need to be told in various, beautiful black girl magic ways. No one can talk about us and our plight and our love and our strength the way we can. I’m here to express visually who we are as a people and as black women.” Gay continued, “I honestly at times grow weary from the psychological warfare I endure, the pettiness, belittling and men only mindset found within this industry because I am a black woman from an academic standpoint, I don’t really belong here, but from an Atlanta standpoint ‘I ain’t neva sked.’”What these seven women have in common is fearlessness, talent, blackness and womanhood; none of which is up for debate. It is no doubt their intersections and experiences inform their approach to creativity. It is important that we keep them lifted -- for they are global treasures. May they continue to bless us with gifts that speak directly to and for our culture and may they remain ever...

While most people express curiosity about my academic life, my interactions on social media have actually been reflective of my learning and growth since leaving home to live in Austin and pursue my degree. I grew up in Dorchester, MA, so I am no stranger to the ‘hood and all that comes with living in a community where you must be just as street smart as you are book smart to thrive. My family still lives in the same house that I grew up in- an old Victorian mansion on a busy street anchored by a corner store and a community center at opposite ends, with a Christian Science library somewhere in the middle. I grew up in a family of academics. My father is a college professor and my mother a therapist. I grew up hearing people refer to my family as “the real-life Huxtables,” and they weren’t too far off. My older sisters both have advanced degrees (an MBA and a doctorate), and my younger brother recently returned home from Michigan after completing his Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. He’s taking prerequisites in preparation for applying to medical school. I always knew my parents’ expectations, and no matter how much I fooled around in school, I knew how to pull it together in a crunch to excel.From the outside looking in, we are the picture-perfect Huxtables. People see perfection, do-gooder kids who followed their parents’ dreams of continuing the cycle of higher education, success, and perfection without any struggle in sight. While I know that my family has been blessed with access to amazing networks and higher education spaces, I find it very difficult to resist the feeling to make sure that people understand that I am just as in touch with my home and community as I was before I left for school. While I don’t “force” my blackness in an insincere performative way, I find that my state of being can often be interpreted as such, or even the opposite.Let me explain. I, like most black people, once maintained two separate identities by choice. We are taught that we should conduct ourselves differently in various spaces in order to be deemed “acceptable.” While I knew of this feeling and expectation long before I began my Ph.D., and long before I even knew that this feeling was a “thing,” I did not know what to call it or why I felt the need to conform in different spaces. Why did my voice go up a bit higher and my vocabulary suddenly change when I spoke to my white professors and classmates? Why did my spidey-senses kick in to work harder than my white classmates in my college classes to make sure that I stood out in a “good” way? Why did I feel personally attacked every time we read articles in class about “marginalized” or “minority” students? It was because I was always the only one or one of few black students in classrooms filled with a sea of white faces. In these spaces, I conformed to speak, dress, and present myself as the same as everyone else so that I did not stand out. I, dark skinned, 5’9”, and loc’d tried to blend in a classroom of white students. It sounds silly, but I comforted myself with the thought that if I looked and sounded like my classmates, maybe my blackness would be overlooked and I could just be another human- just as human as anyone else in the room.While I loved being different, I wanted to be different in a comfortable way. I wanted to be different in a way that was cool and made everyone smile, not in the way that made everyone look to me as the black voice in the room that could speak to confirm the findings in research articles about black boys and the school to prison pipeline or black families and the word gap. I did not want to be different in the way that was the exception to any rule, either. As one of few black students in every classroom I have ever been in since college, I never wanted my education to make me "special," but just another asset that I could add to my resume as a qualifier- like everyone else.Back home, I was always more comfortable. With my family, friends, and church being predominantly black, there was never pressure to conform. We actually had open conversations about the problem of whiteness, hegemony, and navigating those spaces for the sake of pursuing a degree. I particularly loved having these conversations with my father and my best friend. My father would understand exactly where I was coming from since he has been the only or one of few black full professors on his faculty for decades. He would advise that I learn to “play the game.” I had to do what was required of me in order to attain my educational goals, but only once I had my degree, could I openly do whatever I wanted. My best friend would commiserate with me as we humorously, and slightly truthfully, discussed our trust issues when it comes to white people.Navigating between black and white spaces was exhausting, so one day I decided that I would stop code-switching. Double-consciousness and in-betweenness are still things that I have to navigate and consider for safety purposes, but as far as changing myself to make others feel more comfortable? To hell with that. At first, I made the decision because I realized that I had worked too hard and gotten too far in my education to find myself conforming and faking, pretending to be something and someone that I am not. The truth is that I am so unapologetically black that it doesn’t matter how many white spaces I occupy, there is no hiding it. And why should there be? The way I speak is reflective of my Boston roots, my Guyanese blood, and my mixed vocabulary of standard English and facial expressions that include an appropriately and frequently used side-eye. I manage a ton of different identities, and to mute or amplify any single one at a time is not worth the work. Instead, I choose to use my positionality to my advantage. Upon first glance, I am a black woman and that informs my work, how people view me, and how I view and experience the world. Although I am a black woman and so many other things at the same time, I know that this is what stands out the most until I open my mouth. I had to become comfortable with knowing that some would see me as “the black woman who speaks articulately”, “the black woman who is always talking about race”, “the black woman who always has an opinion", and maybe even "the black woman who talks like a white girl", but no matter what, codeswitching is no longer an option for me. I'm over...

I just want to say, black women are magic. But ya'll already knew that. So, I'm just going to go ahead and list some amazing black women worth mentioning this Women's History Month. 1. Ida B. WellsBorn July 1862An early civil rights leader.A brave journalist that documented lynching in the U.S.Organized the Alpha Suffrage Club among African American womenShe refused to comply with the segregation of the Suffrage Movement Parade.2. Madame C.J. WalkerBorn December 23, 1867First African American woman millionaire in AmericaInventor, saleswoman, business entrepreneur, business executive and philanthropistWalker Hair Care businesses allowed many women in the black community to achieve economic success.3. Bessie ColemanBorn January 26, 1892Pioneer in aviationFirst African American woman with a pilot's license First African American woman to fly a plane First African American with an international pilot's license4. Zora Neale HurstonBorn in 1891American novelist and anthropologist Best known work: Their Eyes Were Watching GodRemembered for authentic portrayal of the American South5. Lil HardinBorn February 3, 1898First major woman jazz instrumentalistJazz musician, pianist and composer.Singer, band leader, manager and promoterClothes designerRestaurant ownerPiano teacher and French teacher6. Ella FitzgeraldBorn April 15, 1917Throughout the late 1930s, she performed at some of the most famous venues of the swing era.Won 13 Grammy Awards between 1959 and 1995Considered one of the best singers in the history of jazz 7. bell hooksBorn September 25, 1952Author, feminist, and social activistHer writing focused on race, capitalism and gender.She shed some light on the racism in the modern feminist movement in her writings (this made many women question her writing by challenging her writing style and claiming it was unorthodox).8. Toni Morrison Born February 18, 1931First African American woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature (1993)In her novels, she focuses on the experience of black Americans, particularly emphasizing black women's experience in an unjust society and the search for cultural identity.Her novel, "Beloved," was published in in 1987, and won the fiction Pulitzer Prize.9. Marsha P. JohnsonBorn August 24, 1945Leader of the Stonewall riotsFounded the "Gay Liberation Front" Founded a housing program for trans and queer youth called STARPosed for Andy Warhol paintings and was also a well-known performer  These are just a few of the women worth mentioning this Women's History Month. Black women are at the root of every major movement and moment. Let us never forget that. Our history as black women is out there, we just have to dig a little deeper to find...

Ava DuVernay is best known as a prolific director but did you know she had bars? If you didn't know, now you know.Back in the 90s, DuVernay was one-half of rap duo Figures of Speech, and performed under the moniker MC Eve alongside MC Ronda “Jyant” Ross, according to Billboard.According to the mag, it was her time in Figures of Speech that helped DuVernay to make the jump to filmmaking. The hip-hop community, the group was a part of, was the subject of her first feature film, This Is The Life, a documentary about the open mic sessions at the famed Good Life Café. The film was self-financed and created while Duvernay ran a public relations firm.Durvernay felt like Good Life’s story “had to be told, both for the amazing artists whose legacy should be recognized and for hip-hop fans in general.”Alejandro “2Mex” Ocana, a rapper who was featured in the documentary had good things to say about the ladies.“Figures of Speech was very dope,” he said. “They were two queens. Ava and Ronda were, to me, collegiate. Their music was respectful … Their music was empowering. I remember everything Ava would say would be regal … intelligent, loving and positive. I think that’s the best way to put it. She was always positive.”Duvernay went on to make another hip-hop documentary, My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women and Hip-Hop, about female rappers including MC Lyte, Roxanne Shanté, Salt-N-Pepa, Missy Elliott, Eve, Trina and Medusa, who performed at Good Life. According to Billboard, she had stopped rapping by then to focus on her PR business and film career.Her love for hip-hop, however, is evident in the soundtracks of movies like Selma and 13th. And let us not forget that DuVernay recently made her music video directorial debut with the visuals for JAY-Z’s "Family Feud."We can only hope Ava will pick up the mic once again...

Janelle Monáe is back, y'all! In anticipation of her upcoming third album, Dirty Computer, the artist dropped two new singles and music videos to accompany them.In "Django Jane" Monáe spits major bars and speaking on the power of being a black woman ... she even features a shot where she gives her own vagina a voice. Pow-er-ful! Next up, is "Make Me Feel," which gives serious Prince vibes, which makes sense given that the late music legend gave her his official stamp of approval.And as a bonus for Black Mirror fans, the video really channels the "San Junipero" episode! The "Make Me Feel" video also stars Tessa Thompson, who gives a very sexy performance. About an hour before dropping the singles, Monáe took to Twitter to express her nervousness.Nervous as fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck .— Janelle Monáe, Cindi (@JanelleMonae) February 22, 2018The reaction to the videos has been overwhelming positive, however:JANELLE DID THE DAMN THINGhttps://t.co/yEjDQc40tA— Ira Madison III (@ira) February 22, 2018Watching that Janelle Monae video, I couldn't help but imagine Prince somewhere smiling and celebrating her evolution as an artist— Bree Newsome (@BreeNewsome) February 22, 2018i will stan forever @JanelleMonae https://t.co/DtAPQmHBZ1— king crissle (@crissles) February 22, 2018I can’t believe Janelle Monae just dropped a bisexual anthem like THAT. iconic pic.twitter.com/s9ObLm3sTX— C (@CHUUZUZ) February 22, 2018This video is so beautiful. I cannot.Janelle Monáe – Django Jane pic.twitter.com/wvOPfXKzkt— Naima. ⚡ΦΒ. (@naimaism) February 22, 2018prince is looking down at janelle monae from space-heaven-8th-dimension and going "correct, my child"— 99% hot cheetos (@arabellesicardi) February 22, 2018Apparently, Monáe refers to her videos as "emotion pictures." Sounds about right! Both videos are works of art and we certainly look forward to what else Monáe and Wondaland Records has in store! Dirty Computer will be released on April...

Aesha Ash launched the Swan Dreams Project to inspire kids in the community she grew up in. As a Rochester, NY native, she knows what it's like to be one of the neighborhood kids and limiting yourself due to your current circumstances. "They'd never know that I was dreaming of becoming a professional ballet dancer. No one would think, Someday she's going to make it into New York City Ballet," says Ash.According to Dance Magazine, Ash went on to have an amazing career as a black ballerina with NYCB, Béjart's Ballet Lausanne and LINES. While she is no longer performing, she is using her dance background to change the stereotypes and misconceptions that people have about women of color. "I want to show it's okay to embrace our softer side and let the world know we're multidimensional," says Ash. "I remember growing up and in the bodega you'd see images of girls in bikinis on motorbikes. I wanted to replace those with photos that show women of color in a different light."That is why she is now using the power of imagery to change perception.Remembering how she felt seeing images of black ballet dancer Andrea Long fueled her."That image was everything on days when I was feeling disenchanted. I'd see that picture of her, and know that the struggles I was going through, she went through them, too."Now, she has made her own images available through an online store in addition to giving away prints at her own expense to schools and students in need of some inspiration. Ash, who is now a mother of two living in San Jose, CA,  will also start teaching a free after-school ballet class at her daughter's public school next month.What an amazing way to spread the magic to the baby black...

Once again, we're nearing the end of a year where entirely too much went down.As always, black women have continued to showcase the magic despite all attempts to stifle it. This year has been rough, but the magic that black women continue to exude is limitless, and quite frankly, it's hard to keep up. As a way to celebrate and recognize greatness, here are 23 of the most inspiring black girl magic moments that impacted culture in a significant way this year: 1. Lena Waithe earned a historic Emmy win2017 was the first time that a black woman won an Emmy for comedy writing. Lena Waithe made history winning an Emmy as a co-writer for the “Thanksgiving” episode of the Netflix show Master of None with series co-creator and star, Aziz Ansari. The acclaimed episode models Waithe's own experience of coming out as a lesbian. If you haven't already seen the episode, it's a powerful one.2. Beyonce announced she was having TWINSWe would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. - The CartersA post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Feb 1, 2017 at 10:39am PST"World stop...carry on!" - BeyoncéAnd stopped is what it did. When Beyoncé made the announcement that she and Jay were expecting twins, the Internet flocked to the photo making it the most liked picture of 2017. So far 11.2 million people joined in the excitement. Sir and Rumi Carter are now here, and we're awaiting a full family photo including big sis Blue Ivy.3. Maxine Waters went viral for reclaiming her time Maxine Waters set the mantra of 2017 when she told Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin that she would be reclaiming her time. He tried it by stalling his answer regarding President Trump’s financial ties to Russian banks. Waters quickly shut it down letting everyone know when you're on her time, she has the right to reclaim it. The video of the verbal exchange has since gone viral because quite frankly, it's a mood, a vibe and a lifestyle.4. Rihanna saw stellar success with the launch of Fenty BeautyThank you @wwd for this incredible honor! It's humbling to have @fentybeauty be recognized by the beauty industry in this way! I have to shout out my Kendo family for being top notch in this business and for taking your time to perfect each product! Glory is Yours Lord.A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Dec 7, 2017 at 2:13pm PSTFor years, black women have been asking beauty brands to include us, and Rihanna's Fenty Beauty — which debuted in September with 40 shades of foundation along with highlighters, concealers, lip gloss and makeup tools — did just that. The brand earned more than $72 million in media value in one month and has since expanded. She has the makeup world shook. Rightfully so.5. Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected mayor of Atlanta#KeepAtlantaMovingForward #LeaveNoOneBehind #UniteAtlanta pic.twitter.com/TGuP7QnlZd— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) December 6, 2017Keisha Lance Bottoms won the race for Atlanta mayor on Dec. 5. Unfortunately, her opponent refused to lose gracefully and concede, demanding a recount. However, after a recount, results show that Bottoms won by a margin. While Bottoms is currently facing criticism for her priority to build up the police force in Atlanta, it was still an inspiring moment for black women in politics. 6. Vi Lyles became Charlotte's first Black female mayorMy grandfather is a 96 year old Charlotte native. He wasnt the allowed to vote until he was 44 years old when the Voting Rights Act passed. This year, he voted for my mom @ViLyles who became the 1st Black woman elected to the office of mayor of Charlotte. #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/TaCY84o1H3— Aisha Alexander (@AishaThinker) December 4, 2017Vi Lyles is a proud Charlotte native and the city's first black female mayor. The 66-year-old spent three decades in city hall as a budget official and as assistant city manager. She landed a 58 percent victory after being described as “one of the least political politicians." “With this opportunity you’ve given me, you’ve proven that we are a city of opportunity and inclusiveness,” Lyles told supporters at Park Expo after her victory. “You’ve proven that a woman whose father didn’t graduate from high school can become this city’s first female African American mayor.”7. Andrea Jenkins became the first openly transgender black woman elected to public officeMore history being made tonight as Andrea Jenkins (@andreaforward8) wins her bid for Minneapolis City Council, becoming the first out Black trans woman elected to public office in America! That makes two victories for transgender candidates tonight! pic.twitter.com/UXolI1SOAE— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) November 8, 2017Andrea Jenkins made history as the first openly transgender black woman elected to public office in the United States. This is not to forget Althea Garrison, the first openly trans, state legislator although she was outed against her will. Jenkins was elected to Minneapolis City Council, winning 73 percent of the vote in the eighth ward.“Transgender people have been here forever, and black transgender people have been here forever,” Jenkins told The Washington Post after her election night win. “I’m really proud to have achieved that status, and I look forward to more trans people joining me in elected office, and all other kinds of leadership roles in our society.”8. Black women of Alabama got in formation to reject Roy MooreTo the black women of Alabama, we salute you. #BlackGirlMagic pic.twitter.com/ffiqYkA1fi— Bucktown Tiger (@bucktowntiger) December 13, 2017Black women in Alabama overwhelmingly — 97 percent to be exact — threw their support behind Doug Jones for the Senate. They saved Alabama from an alleged pedophile and racist. Black women always show up and show out to save ourselves, and somehow we save the world in the process. It would be nice if the rest of America took notes. 9.  Tarana Burke's #MeToo movement landed her as Time's Person of the Year Tarana Burke created the Me Too movement in 2006 to encourage young women to show solidarity with one another. It went viral this year after actor @milano_alyssa used the hashtag #MeToo. TIME recognized Burke by naming her one of the Silence Breakers, TIME’s Person of the Year. pic.twitter.com/ya18tKH3VQ— WE-Change (@WEChangeJA) December 9, 2017Tarana Burke created the #MeToo movement in 1997, and its reintroduction into the mainstream by actress Alyssa Milano sparked a chain reaction. The group of women and men who latched onto the movement became known as the "Silence Breakers." Those silence breakers were voted TIME Magazine's Person of the Year 2017. Her role in the #MeToo movement has even landed the Harlem-based activist the well-deserved honor of dropping the shimmering Waterford Crystal ball in Times Square on New Year's Eve. It's only right a black woman lead us into 2018 as well. 10. Girl's Trip saw huge success at the box office A post shared by Will Packer (@willpowerpacker) on Aug 17, 2017 at 9:01pm PDTGirl's Trip was the first comedy of the year to hit the $100 million mark. It was also the only film that was written, produced, directed and starred black people to do so. People soon realized that if you give us the resources, we can deliver above and beyond. A film about black women having fun and living our best lives can prove to be a hit. There's no need to keep remaking Bridesmaids.11.Tiffany Haddish became the first black comedienne to host SNL This Saturday, 11/11 on #SNL!! Can you believe I will be the very #first black female comedian host?!? #SheReady Photographer: @eltonandersonjr @creatorsofcolor Stylist: @bryonjavar Designer: @styland Shoes: @loribluofficial Hair: @alexander_armand Makeup: @rebekahaladdinA post shared by Tiffany Haddish (@tiffanyhaddish) on Nov 7, 2017 at 2:29pm PSTThe success of Girl's Trip helped to give Tiffany Haddish's career an amazing boost. With her comedic skills at the forefront, she soon landed a historic spot on Saturday Night Live, becoming the first black female comedian to host the show. You go girl.12. Sloane Stephens won the U.S. OpenBEST. DAY. EVER. 🇺🇸🏆 pic.twitter.com/R8ARc09Qwb— Sloane Stephens (@SloaneStephens) September 10, 2017Stephens emerged as a tennis star after snatching the U.S. Open title. A true comeback kid, she was the lowest-ranked player to win the women’s title at the U.S. Open in the Open era, which began in 1968. “One day I’m going to, like, be able to show my kids that I won the U.S. Open,” Stephens said with the trophy next to her. “Like how many people can say that? Not many, and they already engraved my name on the locker. Like, hello. This is awesome.”I mean, after all, the greatest tennis player in the world is a black woman. We'd love to see that torch someday passed to another amazingly magical black girl.13. Maame Biney became the first black woman to make the  U.S. Olympic speedskating teamLike I said, it's CRAZY AWESOME!!! 😱 Thank you EVERYONE EVERYWHERE for soooo much love ❤️ and support!! 🇺🇸🇬🇭 https://t.co/P1BMt0sUWr— Maame Biney (@BineyMaame) December 18, 2017Maame Biney made history in December by becoming the first black woman to make the U.S. Olympic Speedskating team. The 17-year-old Ghana native made it look easy by beating Olympians Lana Gehring, Jessica Kooreman and Katherine Reutter-Adamek during the short track trials.14. ABC announced the first black Bachelorette Love or hate the show, it's about time there was a black bachelorette. We want love too, and we deserve a chance to have a spot. Rachel Lindsay made history as the franchise's first black bachelorette as well as the oldest at age 31. Representation matters and hopefully, the franchise won't make this the last time an affluent, beautiful black woman is chosen. 15. Cardi B's overall come-up The "Bodak Yellow" rapper had a great year and an even greater come up. From topping the charts, to getting engaged, to earning Grammy nominations, the regular degular schmegular girl from the Bronx was an inspiration and reminded us all to keep pushing through.16. Issa Rae changed the narrative of black television Issa Rae hasn't even touched the surface of her glow to come but already, her hit show Insecure has been renewed for a third season. Even with all that success, she isn't stopping there. HBO recently picked up two new shows from the actor and writer. Him Or Her  is described as "the single-camera half-hour chronicles the dating life of a bisexual black man and the distinctly different worlds and relationships he finds himself in." While the drama, Sweet Life is a coming of age tale of the well-heeled teens growing up" in the "Black Beverly Hills" neighborhood of Windsor Hills. 17. SZA flew to the top of the charts If you're a SZA fan, you know she isn't new to the game, but rather true to it. CTRL helped to give the singer and songwriter the looks that she deserves. Sis has been cold with the pen, OK. She has earned five Grammy nominations and a sold-out tour. This is only the beginning.18. Viola Davis became the first black actor to win a "triple crown of acting"I look around and God has blessed my life in abundance. Thank you to @theacademy!A post shared by Viola Davis (@violadavis) on Feb 27, 2017 at 2:07pm PSTIn the acting world, a triple crown of acting consists of an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy. Auntie Viola has all three, making her the first black actor to earn them. Her win for Best Supporting Actress in Fences at the 2017 Oscars was the final jewel in her crown. She won her Emmy in 2015 for her performance in TV’s How To Get Away With Murder and her two Tonys for King Hedley II in 2001 and Fences in 2010. Whoopi Goldberg has also won an Emmy, an Oscar and a Tony (as well as a Grammy – making her an ‘EGOT’ winner), however, neither her Emmy nor her Tony was won for acting.Davis became the 23rd person in history to receive this honor.19. Olympic Fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad launched her own Barbie (Hijab Included!) Thank you @Mattel for announcing me as the newest member of the @Barbie #Shero family! I’m proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true 😭💘 #shero pic.twitter.com/py7nbtb2KD— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) November 13, 2017Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first American to compete in the Olympic games while wearing a hijab. Now, the Olympic fencer has her very own "Shero" Barbie doll. The doll is set to be released in 2018. "I'm proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true," Muhammad said.The Shero line, which launched in 2015, includes dolls based on prominent women such as Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, model Ashley Graham, ballerina Misty Copeland, director Ava DuVernay and actress Zendaya. And according to CNN,  there will be tall, petite and curvy versions of the doll. 20. Jesmyn Ward became the first woman to win two National Book Awards for fictionA post shared by Books & Brunch (@booksandbrunchbookclub) on Dec 7, 2017 at 4:08am PSTJesmyn Ward was named the 2017 National Book Award winner for her novel Sing, Unburied, Sing. Ward previously won the NBA for her 2011 novel Salvage the Bones. Her winning has shone a light on the restrictions that women, particularly women of color, face in the literary community.“Throughout my career, when I have been rejected, there was sometimes subtext, and it was this: People will not read your work because these are not universal stories,” she said. “I don’t know whether some doorkeepers felt this way because I wrote about poor people or because I wrote about black people or because I wrote about Southerners … [But] you looked at me, at the people I love and write about, you looked at my poor, my black, my Southern children, women, and men — and you saw yourself. You saw your grief, your love, your losses, your regrets, your joy, your hope.”Ward is also a 2017 MacArthur Fellow, an obviously well-deserved honor.21. Yara Shahidi scored a Grown-ish spinoff time to spill some tea. #grownish pic.twitter.com/blzBy7Kjvw— grown-ish (@grownish) November 30, 2017When the hit sitcom Black-ish hit our television screens, many thought it was a breath of fresh air to see a well-to-do black family who didn't fit the stereotypical mold. Often being compared to The Cosby Show, we had an updated version of the modern black family in suburbia. The Black-ish writers never seemed afraid to "take it there," hitting on the heads of issues that black people continually face. It's no surprise then, that when news broke of a new spinoff following eldest daughter Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi), people likened it to the second coming of A Different World. The highly anticipated show, Grown-ish, will premiere in January on Freeform. No doubt it will be refreshing to follow the college experience of black students once again. Not to mention 17-year-old Shahidi actually got into Harvard this year. Black girl magic all around.  22. The Nigerian bobsled team qualified as OlympiansCongrats to former @UHCougarTF star Seun Adigun and her Nigerian Bobsed teammates...first bobsled team from Africa, male or female, to qualify for the Winter Olympics. Fantastic! pic.twitter.com/AWgxoyQdvM— Daniel Gotera (@DTGoteraKHOU) November 16, 2017For the first time in Nigerian history, these women will be the first Nigerian athletes to ever compete in the Winter Olympics. Pilot Seun Adigun, and brakemen Ngozi Onwumere & Akuoma Omeoga are the first African team to ever qualify for the Winter Olympics in this particular event. 23. Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give became one of the most talked about novels this year, scoring a movie adaptionA post shared by Interabang Books (@interabangbooks) on Dec 19, 2017 at 2:41pm PSTThe novel The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas spent a remarkable 38 weeks at the top of The New York Times Bestseller list this year. It even made the list of TIME Magazine's Top 10 Young Adult Books 2017. Released in February, the young adult novel was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant. The book went on to receive massive praise.The movie adaption began production and will feature Amandla Stenberg as its main character, 16-year-old Starr Carter. The star-studded cast also includes Regina Hall, Anthony Mackie, Common, Issa Rae and Russell Hornsby. Black women have had a great year, and we know we're coming that much harder in 2018.What stories of #Blackgirlmagic inspired you this year? Let us know in the comments...

A year ago, Journi Prewitt worked with her mother Shauntay Prewitt to create something beautiful for all the little black girls out there.Black Butterfly Beautiful is a monthly subscription box with items such as books, toys, cards, treats and accessories that are geared towards building esteem in black girls. The box was recently featured in Blavity's Favorite Things as a great Christmas gift to give this year, and as you can see, it is a great gift for many reasons. Each month, the boxes are themed. For example, according to Commercial Appeal, the box had a Halloween theme back in October. However, instead of ghosts and goblins, it featured information on songstress Nina Simone. Known as the High Priestess of Soul, one of Simone’s famous songs was “I Put a Spell on You.” And each box features a Monarch of the Month — as in Monarch butterfly — which are women like Simone, Oprah Winfrey and others.Journi's favorite book is “For Colored Girls Who Have Committed Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf”  and says the idea of turning her love of reading and black heritage into a business opportunity called to her more loudly than the crowds. “It took a sacrifice,” said Journi. “I gave up my favorite sport to start my business. I’ve done competitive cheerleading since the ninth grade, so this year, I had to choose: 'Do I want to be a competitive cheerleader, or do I want to be an entrepreneur?'”So far, it looks like Journi made the right choice. In addition to Black Butterfly Beautiful, Journi recently added a new box called Black Dragonfly. The new box is geared toward African American boys. “In August, my little brother was saying, ‘I want a box, too, with all this great stuff! So now, we have Black Dragonfly. It’s more centered toward boys, with games and books.”Even at 17 years old, Journi is using her magic to bring out the magic in other black boys and girls, and that's what it's all...

Today in your daily dose of #blackgirlmagic, Maame Biney takes the cake as she became the first black woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic speedskating team with a pair of victories in the 500 meters.Saturday, the 17-year-old Ghana native made it look easy by beating Olympians Lana Gehring, Jessica Kooreman and Katherine Reutter-Adamek during the short track trials.“I can't believe it, aww geez,” she said after squealing with joy. “It's a really good feeling, but it has to set in first because it takes me a while. I'm like, ‘Holy cow.’” Her dad reportedly held up a sign that read “kick some hiney, Biney,” which must have been all the motivation she needed because that’s exactly what she did.Her dad held a sign reading: "Kick some hiney, Biney''And boy oh boy, did she ever. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/d9zjf7iUop— U.S. Olympic Team (@TeamUSA) December 17, 2017 Biney set a blistering pace in taking an early lead that widened as the wild and wooly race went on. She crossed the finish line on the hockey-sized rink and began clapping and then pumping her arms so hard she lost her balance and fell. Still on the high of winning, she laughed her way through it. “When I realized that I made the Olympic team, I started cheering like crazy and then I made my epic fall,” she said.According to the LA Times, Biney will be the second black speedskater on a U.S. Olympic team. Shani Davis was 19 when he qualified for the short track team in 2002. He later switched to long track and won four medals, including two golds.Congrats, girl! You've got a whole team of proud black folk rooting for...

Yara Shahidi has definitely made her mark in Hollywood and beyond. So much so that the "black-ish" star has gained her own spinoff, "Grown-ish," coming in January. It follows in the footsteps of another iconic spinoff in documenting the college journey of one black family's daughter. "A Different World"  followed Lisa Bonet’s Denise Huxtable in the same way that "Grown-ish" plans to follow Shahidi's Zoey Johnson.This seemed to irritate the soul of one woman as she claims that these spinoffs only happen if the character is racially ambiguous. ima pass on grown-ish like i passed on black-ish. how is it that a spinoff only occurs when the oldest daughter is racially ambiguous?— chick norris (@darfucius) December 13, 2017While this woman's approach to the conversation is a bit much, she's not completely wrong. She does hit on a topic of conversation that needs to be discussed, but her delivery gained the backlash of many. So much so that she even caught the attention of Shahidi herself. It is a-okay to not watch the show... but on the basis of my "racial ambiguity"? that neglects the fact that I am perceived as a young black girl in most any space I occupy https://t.co/THWiAKHhy4— Yara shahidi (@YaraShahidi) December 14, 2017While Shahidi doesn't agree with the woman's claims about her being racially ambiguous, she does acknowledge that there is a bigger issue in Hollywood. Now, we can have a separate conversation on the ever present colorism and the monolithic black aesthetic on TV of 3c hair and lighter skin...— Yara shahidi (@YaraShahidi) December 14, 2017Of course, "chick norris" didn't respond to allow the exchange of grievances to happen, but Shahidi's eloquence caught the attention of director Ava DuVernay. Some outliers. QUEEN SUGAR. INSECURE. Change gon' come. Thanks for who you are and what you represent. Your color. Your hair. All of you. And I for one am watching GROWN-ISH. Excited for you and eager to become a fan of the show.— Ava DuVernay (@ava) December 14, 2017The issue of colorism in Hollywood is an ever-present one, but not one that Shahidi is unaware of. The 17-year-old has spoken on these issues in previous interviews. She had a conversation with Zendaya, who benefits similarly, about it in an interview they recently did together for Glamour. In the interview she says “My goal is not to be the face of black girls.” Instead, she wanted to see representation of all kinds of young Black women in the hopes that “I am drowning [in a sea of Black girls].”“I shouldn’t be the ‘accessible’ version of black girls,” she said. “That doesn’t allow people to fully appreciate their heritage. I’m half black, half Iranian, and I’ve never seen a half-black, half-Iranian description of a character in a script ever. There’s more to do.”This is why we love this young lady. Understanding your privilege is a task within itself, but trying to do something about it is...