beyonce

Beyoncé not only shows solidarity with black men, but also reinforces the history, or 'herstory,' of the black woman in the U.S. - which some black men with the same platform have yet to do.

Amy's tragedy has urged me to recall what I know for myself about the reality of violence perpetrated against black girls and women. That is, that all too often there is a man or boy at the center of it.

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Even with Lemonade's cameos of of Afro-Cubana sisters Ibeyi -- which I took to symbolize the interconnectedness of Afro-Latinidad within the diaspora -- it still wasn't about us. It's okay that it isn't about us.

Are people who truly believe that they are better than others based off their skin color, their chromosomes, their orientation actually unhinged? Are they actually suffering from delusions? Should we be thinking of ways to help them return to sanity?

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Beyoncé's album is not an attack on anyone. It is a celebration of the strength, endurance and potential within black womanhood. The fact that you are mad/uncomfortable/agitated about it is evidence enough of how blind you are to the realities of being one.

Via Ezinne Ukoha

As most people woke up with the afterglow of Beyoncé's stunning delivery that still requires many more weeks of reflection, another talented woman of color abruptly seized the headlines.

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The more I think about being told that I'm not "black enough," I begin to realize that I haven't lost my blackness. I refuse to fall into the common trap. I chose to disassociate myself from stereotypes because they don't define my blackness. I define myself.

Reprodução/Lemonade

LEMONADE serves a dose of pain, anger, frustration, jealousy and sadness, but the sugar in the drink is love, forgiveness, redemption, hope, and the magic in God that bonds human beings together.

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As I watched the visual album on HBO and all the buzz throughout social media it became obvious the lessons that all entrepreneurs could learn from this. There are five specific lessons I want to share with you that will help your to catapult your brand to Beyoncé status in your industry.

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Doing a person of color a favor by treating them like a white person (or, in other words, like a human being) does not do justice to the equality movement. If we want a shift of perspective - a shift of morals - it is crucial that we become conscious of the privileges and prejudices that come as a result of our colors.

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Bodies are such a gift, and the choices we make with them aren't always comfortable or easy. But they are deeply personal. To all the women out there, I hope you know: the only thing that will always be too small is the size of everyone else's perception of what your body should look like.

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As the words of Somali poet Warsan Shire propelled the potent imagery that evoked a plethora of emotions that possessed me as I tried in vain to maintain control,  I was haunted by the truth of who I've been for all this time.

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Although blackface is no longer a part of theater, it still rears it's ugly head at fraternity and sorority parties or anywhere else people want to mis-represent black people. Now we have the new phenomenon of Digital Blackface in the tech space.

As I witness another family in line at the grocery store wrestling with hard decisions in the checkout line, seeking to determine what items they must leave at the store because they cannot afford it all, I will question whether or not this is the freedom Harriet Tubman fought for.

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I love my deep melanin, my rich culture, and the voice I have to speak about important issues. I am here for nerdy black girls and boys, quiet black boys and girls, entrepreneurial black boys and girls. I am here for every stereotype and every exception to the rule of blackness the world sees, imagines, perpetuates or try to eradicate.

Prince was an unapologetic black man who embraced and defined himself without regard to his race or gender. No one defined him. His message of self-empowerment was powerful to me growing up as a young black man.

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Even though my first thought after watching Bey's special was, "JayZ better find somewhere else to lay his head at night, and ramp up security," the depth of Beyonce's beautifully raw expression gave me so much more to think about.