Pro tip: Don’t trust any woman who proudly tells you her friends are all men because other ladies are just so jealous of her smarts/looks/accomplishments/career. Black women have always needed each other to survive and, more important, thrive. Tell me if this doesn’t ring true for you, too. My BFFs and I often get more dolled up to go out with each other than we do when on dates with our significant (or not so significant) others. We laugh mascara-running hard as if we’re watching season 1 of the original Def Comedy Jam, all the while reviewing and resolving life’s challenges. Our love for each other is palpable. If you walk past us during one of our GNO (girls’ nights out) adventures, you couldn’t help but overhear us complimenting each other with sentiments sweeter than Hallmark greetings.
Heck, I even love interacting with sister strangers. Ladies, tell me your strut doesn’t hit Super Saiyan level when a fellow Black beauty lets you know you’ve got it going on as you walk the streets of your city.
It’s like catcalling with couth. So let me do some right now.
Just as I relish the opportunity to applaud the upstanding Black men who occupy this planet in our Men’s issue (Hello, Kevin Hart!), I am equally enthusiastic about celebrating my beautiful brown, supersmart, together, taking-no-foolery, high-achieving and underappreciated female peers.
We’ve got no shortage of these bad mama jamas out here, and we accounted for many of them cover to cover, starting with a woman who is beautiful inside and out. I unapologetically stand for Jurnee Smollett-Bell, who is incredible as Rosalee on one of my favorite shows, Underground, and recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world with her handsome hubby, musician Josiah Bell.
With the acclaimed slavery escape drama returning to the airwaves this month, writer Marissa Charles talked to the star about her ever-evolving role, being a “woke” mommy and the grip colorism still has on Hollywood. I guarantee that you will be riveted. Smollett-Bell is a performer who is as intellectual as she is artistically inclined.
Also in this inspirational issue, you’ll learn more about Apple’s not-so-secret weapon, marketing dynamo Bozoma Saint John; awe-inspiring visual artist Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle; and our carefully curated list of Black female entrepreneurs who make it their business to give back to their communities through donations and/or job creation. Don’t flip through too fast, because you bet’ not miss 20 boss women on the rise.Wayne’s World moment: We’re not worthy. We’re not worthy.
Elsewhere, we tackle the tough topic of how Black NCAA student-athletes are faring in their quest to be compensated for their efforts because economic empowerment must begin early. Amid a slew of self-help tips, we also offer useful information about how to spring clean your personal relationships.
Speaking of spring things, travel is a biggie this season, so we list several hot spots to try in Atlanta, courtesy of one of the city’s most famous residents, in our new “Starcation” series. If you’re into giving back while logging your frequent flier miles, you’ll enjoy our primer on four ideal volunteer vacations.
Make sure you don’t skip our “Style” section. Not only are we keeping you all the way on point with the illustrious winners of our Beauty Innovation Awards, but we’re also dropping knowledge with the latest in our “Detangling Our Roots” series. Last time, experts explained the meaning of certain braided ’dos. For this entry, we share the secret meanings and significance of headwraps.
As always, my amazing editorial team and I try to give you not just what you want but also what you need, so I’ll fade to black and let you dig on in. Here’s wishing you and yours, particularly the ladies in your life, a productive and prosperous March.
