Before the era of the “Carefree Black Girl,” there was Moesha. Watching her, Kim and Hakeem on TV seems like a distant memory, but if you remember anything you remember her determination and independence. Moesha was never afraid to do what she wanted — especially when she was told not to. She didn’t let the limits of what others thought define her actions or put ceilings on her dreams.

So here’s to Moesha, the original carefree black girl. Here are 11 times she embodied this persona:

1. When she stood up in the name of feminism and let Whitlock know that she wasn’t here for his male-only organization.

11 Times Moesha embodied carefree Black Girl — Photo: BET

2. When she confronted Q about “The List” that ranked all of the girls at their high school.

3. When she, Hakeem and Kim stole oranges from Mrs. Ross’ garden as payback for being mean.

4. When she taught Hakeem that when there’s a will, there’s a way and helped raise money for him to go to Africa.

5. When she reached out to Hakeem’s father and encouraged him to come to Hakeem’s birthday party, despite Hakeem’s ill-feelings towards him.

6. When she wasn’t afraid to let David know that he was being an a**hole on their date.

7. When she let Mary Ellen talk to the hand and started a rival newspaper at their high school.

8. When she quit her job because her boss was abusing her authority.

1. When she stood up in the name of feminism and let Whitlock know that she wasn’t here for his male-only organization.

2. When she confronted Q about “The List” that ranked all of the girls at their high school.

3. When she, Hakeem and Kim stole oranges from Mrs. Ross’ garden as payback for being mean.

4. When she taught Hakeem that when there’s a will, there’s a way and helped raise money for him to go to Africa.

5. When she reached out to Hakeem’s father and encouraged him to come to Hakeem’s birthday party, despite Hakeem’s ill-feelings towards him.

6. When she wasn’t afraid to let David know that he was being an a**hole on their date.

7. When she let Mary Ellen talk to the hand and started a rival newspaper at their high school.

8. When she quit her job because her boss was abusing her authority.

9. When she used her school’s TV station as a platform to voice her opinion.

10. When she stood up to her racially insensitive college professor in defense of her, and others.

11. When she finessed an interview with Maya Angelou even though she was only an assistant at VIBE and eventually got caught.

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Moesha Mitchell

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