Spelman's pro-Palestine legacy, Cassie settles lawsuit against Diddy, Tracy Chapman makes music history
Plus, a journalist reports on and pursues "reproductive autonomy," an essay comparing Grammy nominations and corporate America, trans activist Raquel Willis reflects on her new memoir, and more.
Trans activist Raquel Willis is in full bloom
CNN, Leah Asmelash
“Raquel Willis has spent more than a decade working as both a journalist and activist for Black and LGBTQ people, championing these causes and uplifting voices. Now, she’s ready to share her own story. ‘The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation’ is Willis’ first book, exploring her journey into her own womanhood as a transgender person, navigating Southern Catholic family dynamics, social justice work and transphobia both in the media and in real life. Across its pages, readers are transported alongside Willis’ life, growing and blooming with her at every step of the way.”
The Spelman College community has stood in solidarity with Palestinians for years
The 19th, Nadra Nittle
“In 2014, out of its Women’s Research and Resource Center, Spelman launched one of the first Students for Justice in Palestine chapters at an HBCU in the wake of protests over the police killing of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Spelman students and scholars say they see a link between how Americans of color and Palestinians are policed, contending that Palestinians face the racial, economic and gender injustices that oppressed groups domestically and globally do. ‘I started doing research on Black liberation and how it parallels with what’s going on in Palestine,’ Darbo said. ‘It just really moved me.’”
As Black Women, We Will Reclaim Our Reproductive Autonomy. For Me, This Is Where It Starts.
Sage Howard, HuffPost
“While there is no one-size-fits-all way to approach having children past the age of 35, Black women who are deciding to hold off can benefit from considering all the possibilities that exist. But in order to even consider these options, all of us need to be made aware of the advancements in science that make it safer to have children at this phase in life. This information is intentionally hoarded by the medical system at large and is often only made accessible to rich white women, which is truly a disservice. As birthing people with more agency, we can change that.”
As Tory Lanez heads to prison, hip-hop needs to have a conversation about accountability
Andscape, Justin Tinsley
“While Lanez’s sentencing marks the end of this saga (well, until his probable forthcoming appeal is decided), this moment also illuminates another uncomfortable reality. The hip-hop community should be deeply embarrassed by the way it conducted itself during this entire ordeal. After all, the response to the shooting furthered decadeslong rhetoric about misogyny and violent masculinity that have permeated hip-hop for generations.”
For Years, I Thought Men Were The Answer. Then I Met My Girlfriend
Vogue, Eva Reign
“As a Black trans woman, I’ve spent a lot of my life looking for Prince Charming. Finding the perfect man to affirm my womanhood and overall personhood was of the utmost importance, even though I was unaware that I was seeking this extrinsic validation. Regardless of how we come into our womanhood, women are taught from an early age that having a man at our side will provide safety, security, and validity. For trans women, though, the male gaze can be two-fold; as I came into my transness, I found some measure of solace and affirmation in men’s attraction toward me, but it also felt crucial to maintain their desire for me as key to my own survival.”
Cassie Settles Lawsuit Accusing Sean Combs of Rape and Abuse
The New York Times, Ben Sisario
“For Mr. Combs, the settlement quickly shuts down what could have been a risky and potentially embarrassing process of legal discovery — in which reams of evidence are made public — and a possible trial. And Ms. Ventura, who has already aired her accusations through a public complaint, avoids a cross-examination by Mr. Combs’s attorneys.
In a lawsuit that drew international attention, Ms. Ventura — who signed to Mr. Combs’s Bad Boy label in 2005, when she was 19, and dated him for about a decade — accused Mr. Combs of what she said was years of beatings, controlling behavior and various forms of sexual abuse, including a rape. In response, a lawyer for Mr. Combs, Ben Brafman, said, ‘Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.’”
RELATED:
“Sean Combs Is Accused by Cassie of Rape and Years of Abuse in Lawsuit,” The New York Times, Ben Sisario
“From Cassie To Keke: Stop Shaming Black Women For Sharing Stories of Alleged Abuse,” The Root, Candace McDuffie
What Victoria Monét, SZA And Coco Jones’ Grammy Nominations Say About Black Women As Underdogs
Forbes, Sughnen Yongo
“In corporate America, there has often been a prevalent dismissal of the efforts that Black women put into climbing the corporate ladder. These obstacles have been riddled with microaggression, tone policing, and the never-ending threats of bias, specifically targeted toward Black women and their contributions in the workplace.
Regardless, many Black women have learned to overcome systemic challenges to scratch the surface and get their due recognition. The Grammy nominations, particularly SZA, Victoria Monét, and Coco Jones unveil a peculiar narrative that extends beyond the music industry regarding Black women, and the designated underdog role they often have to carry within society.”
RELATED:
"How Building a ‘Cohesive World’ for Victoria Monet Led to Breakthrough Success & 7 Grammy Noms," Billboard, Dan Rys
Column: Closing the wage gap for Black women is an investment, not charity
LZ Granderson, The Los Angeles Times
“Never one to run from a fight, the 5-foot-6 Staley said she brings the same assertive energy from her upbringing in the projects of North Philly everywhere she goes. Whenever there’s an underdog, she’s ready to fight.
That led her to partner with the One Million Black Women project, a collaboration she announced last week. Its goal with that $10-billion commitment is to make a course correction in the American economy and society, for the benefit of everyone. The organization’s data found that reducing the wage gap faced by Black women could increase the nation’s gross domestic product by nearly half a billion dollars and create up to 1.7 million jobs. In other words: It’s not charity; it’s an investment.”
Black Woman’s Hanging Death Haunts Family and Evokes a Painful History
Capital B, Christina Carrega
“The suspicious circumstances of a loved one’s death and the response from authorities leave too many Black families wary of the investigations. Law enforcement’s disproportionate rate of closing a homicide investigation when the victim is Black also makes it hard to take the police’s preliminary reports at face value, some experts say. Naomi says communication with Orlando police has been challenging from day one. There have been meetings set up that were canceled at the last minute, and trying to get the lead case detective on the phone has been impossible, she says.”
“Mami Wata” Cinematographer Lílis Soares on Creating a New Kind of Gaze
The Sundance Institute, Stephanie Ornelas
“Soares spent a lot of time studying different techniques to execute her vision for Mami Wata. ‘I wanted to make the right decisions,’ she explains. ‘The industry, in general, isn’t interested in Black bodies and developing something new or trying another gaze. But there’s a diversity of perspectives in the world. When I create, I put my gaze in the project. For me, a Black woman is a God. This is the reality that I want to see in the world.’ She was thankful that Obasi gave her the creative space to explore her ideas. ‘Sometimes, I was like, ‘I want to put the lights behind the head of Prisca like Jesus! I will try to create Jesus as a Black woman.’ And C.J. just let me create all the things I wanted to.’”
New study reveals racism may increase the risk of stroke in Black women
NBC News, Claretta Bellamy
“Black women who reported experiencing racism may be at an increased risk of having a stroke, a new study finds. Participants who said they experienced racism in employment, housing and interactions with police had an estimated 38% higher chance of experiencing all types of strokes compared to Black women who didn’t perceive experiencing racism, the study found.”
Four Black cowgirls from Maryland ride together again. This time in search of sisterhood.
The Baltimore Banner, Penelope Blackwell
“In 2014, Kisha “KB” Bowles was sitting at a red light in Forestville in Prince George’s County, when an old friend pulled up alongside her to invite her to a birthday celebration. She had no idea it was the start of a journey to becoming part of an all-Black female horse riding group. Bowles arrived at the party and left with an invitation to join the Rough Riders, the oldest of the several Black cowboy clubs in Maryland. At 38 years old, she had never even ridden a horse.”
14 Years Into Perimenopause, Gabrielle Union Sometimes Goes to the Bathroom to Cry
She Knows, Jessica Hartshorn
“As she sees it, her miscarriages and heartaches were results of two larger trends: Black women going unheard when they voice medical complaints, and no one getting enough time with a doctor to understand their holistic health. ‘You can easily be dismissed as an angry Black woman. ‘You’re just a bitter woman, you’re just a bitch,’’ is how she describes the feelings she got from others initially when she’d describe being depressed and anxious. ‘There’s no regard to there being a physiological change happening.’ That’s even though science shows that Black women often experience menopause earlier and with more severe symptoms.”
Revisiting Lena Horne’s Legacy
The Cut, Maya S. Cade
“Who does Hollywood want Black women to be? The ethereal Lena Horne was the star-making institution’s first attempt at calculating a critical answer. According to prominent Black film historian Donald Bogle’s new book, Lena Horne: Goddess Reclaimed, in the limited space of early Tinseltown Black possibility, the high-yella star’s transformation from Cotton Club chorus girl to a once-in-a-generation actress was a bittersweet one. As MGM’s first Black ingenue, Horne was awarded the glamour and press that catapulted her into international stardom. Still, the glamour was no substitute for the career that, although promised, never fully arrived.”
A Black Woman’s Rise in Architecture Shows How Far Is Left to Go
The New York Times, Jane Margolies
“Black female architects are so few and far between, and obtaining licensure is such a point of pride among them, that many take pains to note their place in the chronology of advancement in the field — Ms. Dowdell, 40, said that in 2013, she became the 295th living Black woman to be licensed in the United States. There are small signs of change: Nearly 3 percent of architects who received their license last year were Black, and 43 percent of new architects were women.”
Single motherhood: Raising children alone, by choice
The Baltimore Banner, Leslie Gray Streeter
“Some people think raising a child without a partner is incomplete, like someone cut a man out of your proper family portrait and now there’s just a gaping hole. But what if, as in the case of Hargrove and Washington, you chose to enter this massively hard state of motherhood as the primary parent, completing your family as you see fit? Neither one of them were banking on one day marrying and having someone with which to share the load equally. They were committing to the buck stopping with them. And it’s worked.”
'You belong here': That's what I tell other Black women who row
WBUR, Baylor Henry
“When I first started rowing, when I first came to the [Head of the Charles] in 2019, I could count on my hand how many Black people or just people of color that I saw. Rowing is not a sport that is talked about within the Black community. I really want to inspire younger girls to try it out — and also to not second guess themselves, just because they may not see people who look like them in that sport. So, with blackgirlsrow, that is the goal.
The fact that rowing is a predominantly white sport, it can make you question, Okay, am I good at this? Can I be good at this? Cause I don't see anyone else who looks like me doing it. It boosts my confidence whenever I see other Black athletes, especially females, doing some really good things.”
At Norwalk fertility clinic, she defied the odds as a Black mother with identical twins
The Hour, Kalleen Rose Ozanic
“‘I would go into my appointments and I would rarely see other Black people,’ Christa Joseph said. ‘I kind of always wondered, ‘Are they not here?’ Even with her successful twin pregnancy, she said it's crucial for there to be diverse representation in health care. ‘I think it's important because I think it could be a little isolating when you see families that don't look like you,’ Christa Joseph said. Which is what makes the work of Illume Fertility’s new managing director, Suha Buckey, all the more impactful.”
The life and career of Julia C. Collins, one of the real-life inspirations behind Peggy Scott of 'The Gilded Age'
Insider, Yoonji Han
“After the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, the Gilded Age ushered in a new era of business, education, and real estate ownership for many Black Americans. Scott was inspired by several trailblazing Black women from the era, including journalist Ida B. Wells and Susan McKinney Steward, the first Black female doctor in New York. Julian Fellowes, the show's creator, ‘was intentional about drawing from multiple women's lives in order to create a fictional character who embodies the spirit of the 1880s for young Black woman in the elite,’ Erica Armstrong Dunbar, a history professor and consultant for the show, told the Los Angeles Times.”
Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley says Black women referees were ‘thrown under the bus’
The Grio via Associated Press
“South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said she does not want a critical NCAA review of officiating in the women’s national championship game last April to keep those officials from other prominent assignments, suggesting the Black women had been ‘thrown under the bus.’ The review found that the officiating during LSU’s 102-85 victory over Iowa was below expectations. […]
‘So the independent review was done under anonymity but it is known who the officials were …. all black and brown skinned women,’ she posted on X, formerly called Twitter. ‘Now that they’re thrown under the bus let’s not run them over.’”
Tracy Chapman Makes History as the First Black Songwriter to Win CMA Song of the Year
Michigan Chronicle, Lynzee Mychael
“Chapman, known for her reclusive nature, was not present at the CMA Awards held at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. However, a prepared statement from the groundbreaking songwriter was read by co-presenter Sara Evans. In her statement, Chapman expressed her honor at the newfound recognition of ‘Fast Car’ after more than three decades since its debut. She extended her gratitude to the CMAs, as well as to Luke Combs and all the fans of the song. The significance of Tracy Chapman’s win goes beyond the celebration of a timeless song; it underscores a notable milestone in the 56-year history of the CMA Awards. Never before has a Black songwriter, whether male or female, claimed the Song of the Year honor until Tracy Chapman’s groundbreaking achievement.”
Report criticizes Chicago police for handling of missing and murdered Black women and girls cases
ABC7, Leah Hope
“They found that police officers routinely deny or delay people who try to report their loved ones missing; police declined to investigate key leads or lost evidence, leaving families to conduct their own searches; and discrepancies in data-keeping practices, including cases in which detectives reported the person had returned but the family said they had not come home alive.”
Omaha chapter of 'Black Girls Do Bike' encourages black women to get active through cycling
KEYTV Omaha, Jonah Gilmore
“She described cycling as therapy, saying you don't think about anything else when you're on the bike. ‘I was really glad to see the promotion for Black women in health. At that time, I was on a journey to try and lose some weight, so it was fun and helpful for me,’ said Mallory. Mallory is the co-shero of the Omaha chapter of Black Girls Do Bike, a national group inspiring Black women to get active through cycling.”
Boss Women Media Unites 1,500 Black Women In A Powerful Celebration Of Sisterhood And Business
Forbes, Corein Carter
“The Black Magic Reimagined summit provided a platform for crucial conversations, inspiring stories and actionable insights. From prioritizing diversity and alignment in entrepreneurship to navigating challenges and fostering sisterhood, the summit exemplified a paradigm shift in empowering Black women entrepreneurs. The summit geared up to amplify the voices of Black female leaders, ensuring that the momentum for change continues to build.”
Black Korean Female Founder Overcomes VC Bias To Disrupt CPG Industry
Forbes, Geri Stengel
“The way Woodard overcame funding challenges was to continue to partner with people who believe in her and want to continue to support Partake’s growth. She takes providing metrics very seriously. Investors can't deny your success if you run a good business, show growth, and focus on margins and profitability. ‘We've raised over $20 million of outside capital,’ exclaimed Woodard. Investors include Black Star Fund, Bobby Wagner, CAST US Fund, CircleUp Growth Partners, Fearless Fund, FF2032, Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners, John Foraker, Kevin Johnson’s Black Capital, and Rihanna.”
Local midwife opens WA’s first Black-owned birth center
Seattle Times, Elise Takahama
“But some stigma around independent, out-of-hospital midwifery still exists, she added, despite research that shows midwifery can lead to better birth outcomes for those who are low-risk. ‘The [research] shows that midwifery is the answer for saving Black lives and giving women satisfactory care that they enjoy being part of, as well,’ she said. Her new birth center, tucked away from a busy street, is equipped with three full birth suites — all with beds, tubs and bathrooms — exam rooms, a couple teaching areas and an office.”
‘Black Girl Magic!’: Monica Rambeau Is The Marvels’ Not-So-Secret Weapon
The Root, Stephanie Holland
“When we last saw Teyonah Parris’ hero, she was cleaning up the mess Wanda Maximoff left behind in WandaVision. In The Marvels, she’s a badass astronaut working for Fury’s secret S.W.O.R.D. program. From the moment she space walks onto the screen, it’s obvious she’s the smartest person in the movie. If there’s one thing we love about the MCU, it’s that so many of its Black heroines aren’t just badasses, they’re also geniuses.”
Have you seen these missing Black girls & women?
Please visit Black and Missing Foundation on Instagram to view these and other missing persons posters.
