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Grown-ish, the spinoff of Black-ish, stars teenage actress and activist Yara Shahidi.
Photo courtesy of ABC
Grown-ish is a realistic depiction of undergraduate life: the constant struggle between “being grown,” balancing priorities, and discovering your identity.
1. This show gives great insight into young black millennials
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: representation matters. Young black millennials matter too, and there are a lot of us poppin‘ in today’s society. The leading star Zoey, played by Shahidi, represents just that. As we get a close up look into Zoey’s first year of college, we view her exposure to relationships, dating, and even drugs. One of the things I love most is the way Grown-ish dissects dating through misreading the signs of Aaron’s interest, hookup culture and over-analyzing text messages. (We’ve all been there before”>.
2. Zoey is three-dimensional
Zoey is herself, simple but beautiful. She is complex, smart and witty. She struggles between balancing classes, partying, and growing up while being introduced and influenced by her peers to use gateway drugs. She struggles to trust herself when she feels the pressures of priorities. That first taste of freedom for a young millennial can go wrong really quickly, and already in the second episode, Zoey voices, “the trick is balancing it out.” Even through the growing pains, Zoey is resilient — she is identifying and figuring it all out, step by step.
3. Here for the natural hair representation
It’s mind-boggling that some people still don’t realize how versatile natural hair is, but the reality is that most people just won’t get it until they see it. I vicariously live through Zoey’s twist-outs and protective styles. Her hair looks bomb in every episode. My personal fave is the jumbo ponytail braid with the gold hair accessories; kudos for showing that natural hair comes in many looks!
3. What a great way to highlight young Black Women
We see Zoey standing and shining on her own. She is not in the shadow of the male gaze. MAJOR KEY. USA Today said it best “Grown-ish is aimed at young women, and focuses on issues that affect them without irony or judgment.” I am really here for this. There are a lot of issues that women face, societal and behavioral pressures, unrealistic expectations, do I need to say more?
We are constantly under scrutiny, and even pinned to scrutinize each other. It’s a beautiful thing when we just get to be all that we are, judgment-free.
I have to thank the creators of Grown-ish, Kenya Barris and Larry Wilmore, for taking me back down memory lane and depicting to the world what it’s like to be a young Black woman. Because it’s lit.
Personally, I binge-watched all four episodes of “Grown-ish” in one sitting because it’s that good! I could go on and on, but I really want to know your thoughts.
Have you watched “Grown-ish” yet?
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’ve been waiting for emojis to step their game up!
I mean, I want my emoji to look like me, too.
photo courtesy of Unicode
I literally have so many text conversations using just emojis, and the current range just ain’t cuttin’ it for me. I have been waiting for my emoji to have a cute little afro, pineapple ponytail, twist out, or something. When news hit that natural hair would be added to the emoji keyboard in 2018, I was hella excited for my curlfriends and fellow naturalistas.
We deserve this.
Y’all, I am really excited about the natural hair emoji — I can’t wait to add them to my list of favorites.
According to Unicode Consortium the emoji drafts are not final. The emojis feature red-haired, white-haired, curly, and bald options. But word is natural hair options are coming too! Not long after the news broke, Black Twitter was on and poppin’. However, reviews have been mixed on the 2018 Apple update.
My first impression? Not impressed.
Honestly, when I first saw the emojis, I wasn’t super impressed but I wasn’t mad, either. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s an emoji. Do I think the emojis are a great representation of natural hair? Nah. Does the emoji look realistic? Nah. But does it have to be? Do I think this is a good start? Yep. Does it really matter if the emoji has natural hair options? Hell yeah.
I just really want to see more of a range within the emoji keyboard.
It’s overdue! Most have slept on the natural hair game — which has been around forever — and now we are seeing the natural hair wave really take off. Natural hair is being celebrated in a way it never has before in the mainstream; so no, it’s not the best, but it’s a good start.
Some expressed on Twitter that the update doesn’t represent natural hair at all.
I don’t know if I expected the emoji addition to be a great representation of natural hair; realistically, this is the first attempt in a string of updates, and in time, the emoji will evolve.
I’m not bothered. It could be because I’m just excited to see a naturalista in the play.
However, I am curious why that hairstyle was chosen. It’s kind of a strange little hairstyle, no? The hair could use a little help but having that representation is still important! Here’s the sum of reactions you’ll see on Twitter.
Let’s not forget that we had nothing to compare this to before. For the first time, naturalistas will be able to use emojis that represent them. This is big. This is a win. At least that’s how I see it. I feel like this is a good start. Hopefully in the future the options will grow. And natural hair won’t continue to be boxed and limited.
How do you feel the potential natural hair emoji update?
Let me know in the comments below! Like NaturallyCurly on Facebook and follow me on Instagram @blackgirl.slays for more pop culture and beauty.
If I took a poll of the most controversial ads of 2017, I am certain SheaMoisture & Dove would be among the top picks.
After taking some time to silently assess these controversial ads, do I really think the ads are racist?
Hear me out, I know it is easy to troll and cancel brands but at some point the issues have to be addressed. “Racist” is a strong term and one I don’t feel comfortable using lightly. I would hate to label a brand as racist for missing the mark. There is no doubt there are relevant areas of concern that need to be addressed.
Before you drag me, hear me out.
Let’s start with SheaMoisture’s product commercial released in April 2017 that was eventually pulled. The ad featured messages about hair hate, and ending with a message about embracing your hair. Admittedly, I totally missed this the first time around. The ad featured three white women and one woman of color, and I believe all races face hate bias, so that part I got. However, women of color consistently face hair hate that has been widely ignored. They face an array of judgment from society including workplace discrimination, and let’s not forget limited media representation. Really the list goes on, so I can see how this ad was viewed as controversial. Many people critiqued SheaMoisture for minimizing the struggles of WOC.
In response, SheaMoisture pulled the ad and posted to their Facebook.
“Wow, okay – so guys, listen, we really f-ed this one up,” the team stated; see full apology here. I think the brand messed up by drawing the conclusion that white women face hair shame as much as women of color.
I mean we all know that’s just not true.
To be fair, SheaMoisture is not the only company that went viral for beauty ads released this year. I mean, we can’t forget about Dove.
I will admit, I slept on that Dove campaign.
By the time I had seen the news, the controversial ad was already pulled and the company had apologized. I was hesitant to even look it up because I feel Dove has a history of toeing the line. They have had many ads that have been deemed controversial, and at this point I expected their team would have stopped these types of ads from hitting the market.
The internet couldn’t wait to drag Dove, I (lowkey”> commend Dove for responding. Because at the point, it seems like the damage was already done. So let’s get into the beauty ad controversy. The beauty ad featured three different women of different races taking off their shirts to reveal another woman. See some of the ad here. It seems most people couldn’t get past an African American woman essentially turning into a White woman. Rightfully so. I think the ad felt more confused than anything. I couldn’t help thinking, “what does this have to do with Dove body wash though?”
Dove released a statement to Twitter, stating “The short video was intended to convey that Dove body wash is for every woman and be a celebration of diversity, but we got it wrong.”
The real question: how many times can a brand get it wrong?
And how to we start the conversation?
Are we canceling brands prematurely? Am I trippin’?
Let’s discuss how you really feel.
photo courtesy of AP Images
Can we take a moment to celebrate the natural hair representation on a major TV network like NBC? There are many topics regarding the NBC drama series ‘This Is Us’ that we could dive into, but I’d like to take a moment to focus on the character Beth Pearson, played by Susan Kelechi Watson. Watson plays the wife to one of the triplets, Randall Pearson. While the trio and their parents are arguably the main characters of the show, Beth manages to steal the scenes and our hearts in every episode. Here are just a few reasons why her character is so important.
Beth could easily be any one of us
Women are constantly told how to act, behave, think and even how to wear our hair. Many of things we are told to be are not realistic. What I love about Beth’s character is that she is authentic in an industry in which so few female characters are.
Beth represents many women today
She wears many hats, as a wife and mother while still maintaining her sense of self. It is a balance that can be challenging. It is important to see a present day woman in a realistic and fulfilling way. Plenty have proclaimed Beth and Randall as #relationshipgoals. I mean who can forget when Randall stated, “and don’t get it twisted. I wake up every morning next to a head scarf and coconut oil — I’m married to a black queen!”
So let’s get to it. Why does it really matter that Beth rocks her natural hair?
Beth has rocked a number of natural styles, from box braids to the pineapple method, to a ponytail. The afro may be my personal favorite. Susan Kelechi Watson makes a bold statement that she is not afraid to switch it up. It’s easy for people to think that natural hair is limiting, but there’s so much versatility with natural hair. We need to see that natural hair comes in many different forms, and that’s okay!
She truly embraces her natural hair.
Beth is motivation and she sends a clear message that that natural hair is beautiful. Something that I need to be reminded of from time to time. I have done a big chop twice in two years and there were many times I struggled to accept that natural hair is very much trial and error. Once I got rid of the idea that my hair was supposed to be perfect, I embraced that my hair is beautiful just the way it grows from my head.
In a society that constantly represents unrealistic and un-obtainable views of beauty, it is nice to see the natural hair wave reach the major network television. I can look at a series like This Is Us and see that I am represented.
There is nothing wrong with my hair. In fact, it is beautiful.
Do you watch ‘This Is Us’? What do you think of Beth’s character.
Follow us on Instagram @NaturallyCurly and Tierra @blackgirl.slays for more black girl magic
It’s no secret that women of color have been killing the entertainment industry for years, but now we are seeing more representation and representation is everything.
Growing up, I always felt blessed to be a black woman, despite the many issues around race in the world back then — and even right now. I have spent my life celebrating my melanin and my resilience as a black woman; this has not changed nor has my love and admiration for women that look like me. From Issa Rae, Rihanna, Cardi B, Zendaya, to Rupi Kaur, women of color have always been magic. At first glance, this list may seem random right? But let’s dive into this more.
Issa Rae
Issa Rae jump-started her career as The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl in 2011. Since then, she has become a mogul, dominating the game as an actress, writer and director for Insecure. On September 12, 2017 news dropped that the Awkward Black Girl star also became the new face of cosmetics company Covergirl. We love Issa Rae for her wit, rhymes, and for “rooting for everybody black.”
Rihanna
It’s no secret that Rihanna dropped a game changer with the release of Fenty Beauty on September 8, 2017. Fenty Beauty, sold exclusively at Sephora, was created “so that women everywhere would be included.” Sending a clear message to the top makeup brands to step it up. But Rih has even more planned with her line in the near future (the Galaxy Collection recently dropped Friday the 13th”>.
Cardi B.
Cardi B has the come-up story of the year. She landed the #1 spot on the Billboard’s Hot 100 for Bodak Yellow. Most of us were first introduced to Cardi on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: New York where the former stripper gained social media recognition. Now with over 12 million followers on Instagram, even as her platform and bank account increase, her personality remains the same. People love and continue to support Cardi B because she is not afraid to be herself.
Zendaya
Zendaya Coleman, known for her fashion risks and early Disney career, launched Daya by Zendaya in 2016. A gender-neutral clothing line that made a bold statement from day one, the actress made an effort to include all, stating, “I didn’t want anyone to feel alienated, excluded, or feel like they weren’t a part of this.”
Rupi Kaur
If you haven’t read Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur you are missing out. The collection self-published by Rupi Kaur helped this poet rise to stardom. While some refer to Rupi as an “Insta-poet,” her verses are raw, and tackle themes of abuse, love, loss and healing. Rupi Kaur recently released her second collective of poems, The Sun and Her Flowers. She embraces social media using Facebook and Instagram to shake the world of poetry.
If you had to make a list, who would be your top picks?
What would be the deciding factor for your top picks for women of color in the industry right now? Tell us on Facebook.
Let me know on Instagram @blackgirl.slays
Fall is my favorite season of the year! This means hello fall vibes and goodbye summer.
The beauty trend report for fall is in.
We all know that hair and beauty trends are forever evolving. Here are some of the fall looks I am happy to see. All of the black girl magic features below are women from Instagram that inspire some of my own looks. If you are looking for new faces to add to your Instagram feeds, you can thank me later!
The Angel Look
First up is the beauty trend of the angel look; it’s a super cute, super soft look for fall. Right away, you notice the intensity in the eyes paired with the perfect pink lip! To see a tutorial of how to recreate this look click here.
Autumn Vibes
I love a soft glam, glowy look and plus, you can never go wrong with a brown lip. This orange smokey eye is inspired by the colors of the leaves of the season.
“No Makeup” Makeup
I think the “no makeup” look has its place in fall, too. It was a really big beauty trend for the that I will be carrying into season because after all, I love a nude lip! And that highlight, though!
Pixie Cut
Short hair matters! Fall is the perfect season for a short designed look. The pixie cut will always remain a classic.
The Red Lip Staple
Every woman’s favorite: the red lip. Why? It’s one of those staple looks that just never goes out of style.
Bomb Twist-out
Life isn’t perfect but your twist-out can be. Remember, the bigger the hair, the closer to God.
Faux Locs
I love versatility and variations with hair. Protective styles are great for fall and winter because they are an easy way to give your hair a break. (They also work if you just want to be cute.”>
Deep Dark Lips
One of my favorite trends for falls are the deep, dark lips. I am so happy they are back in this season.
Fresh Cut
Am I the only one that acts brand new every time I get a fresh cut?
Dreamy Eyes
Autumn can be colorful too. A dreamy eye look can carry perfectly through the day and night.
Wash & Go
A wash and go never goes out of style, but a big plus this season is that fall weather will cooperate for this look.
I mean how can you not be excited about beauty trends with looks like this?
What fall trends are giving you life?
Let me know. Feel free to send me a question or comment down below and I’ll get back to you!
I’m on Instagram @BLACKGIRL.SLAYS
