Eight years ago, Washington, D.C., native CaShawn Thompson bestowed us with a most apt language to capture the otherwise ineffably remarkable nature of Black women and girls.

Since then, Michelle Obama created an entire playlist around it and mainstream media outlets have embraced it as the most fitting encapsulation of women like Simone Biles and Serena Williams. Heck, there's even a wine collection dedicated to it.

Now, there's a book about it.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic highlights exceptional Black women of past and present, from civil rights icons to award-winning musicians and poets. The book is written by Diana Odera, Sonja Thomas, Jestine Ware and edited by former Blavity News Editor-in-Chief Lilly Workneh.

Thompson told Blavity the phrase actually traces back to her childhood and was born out of an innate intrigue with the powerful women in her sphere.

"I was one of those kids who was unordinary. My upbringing was filled with joys that included magic, fantasy and that kind of thing," she said. "When I saw my mom, my grandma, my aunts and older people doing things, I couldn't figure out what they were doing but it was fascinating and made me feel so good. It showed me how wonderful womanhood was. I thought that Black women were literally magic, so I started saying it when I was a kid to myself."

But Thompson, a self-described "regular-schmegular girl," has a testimony that reminds that the magic doesn't just lay among the stars. Thompson is a domestic violence survivor who said she spent her early 20s raising her children. Now in her 40s, she's about to earn her college degree and plans to continue to dedicate herself to advocating for Black women and girls.

"We need it more than anybody else as far as I can feel," she said.

A massive team of Black women and nonbinary creators played a part in bringing Good Night Stories to fruition. But it was Workneh, a proud Ethiopian American and Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, who was chiefly responsible for capturing Thompson's messaging as the book's editor.

"So many stories in the book have so many different lessons that so many kids can take away from and be inspired by," the award-winning storyteller said. "Every woman's story comes with learned experiences, believing in themselves and overcoming challenges."

The women featured in the book fall within one or more of four categories: champions, leaders, innovators and creators. Subjects in the book include well-known faces like Aretha Franklin, Shirley Chisholm, Audre Lorde and Naomi Osaka. However, there are some lesser-known women also gracing the pages, like Beverly Loraine Greene, who made history as the first licensed Black female architect in the nation.

"The book is for all kids to be able to see that the world is filled with little possibilities and that the biggest obstacle that they have to achieving their dream is their mindset," Workneh continued. "And the hope is that this book helps to make it a lot easier for them be what they can be, think about what they can do and how they can make an impact in the world."

But Workneh reminded that you don't have to grace the herstory books to be awe-inspiring. The small, personal strides count, too.

"[Black girl magic] doesn't always have to look like a massive movement or catalyzing people to take action," she added. "It can mean impacting your own life."

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic is available in stores and online Tuesday. To celebrate the release of the project, Rebel Girls is throwing a virtual celebration on Oct. 10 hosted by actress Lovie Simone and including a special appearance by Oprah Winfrey. As part of a four-city book tour, Workneh and Thompson will be stopping by the Bronx's Lit. Bar on Saturday for a book signing and Q & A before heading to Washington, D.C.'s MahoganyBooks on Sunday.

Lilly-Workneh

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