I am sure by now in most Black people’s lives they have had the help of a Black woman — whether they were raised by a Black woman, received help from a Black teacher who treated them as one of her own, or simply had a Black woman who just made them feel comfortable and safe. Black women are often overlooked even though they are needed much more than society would like to admit.
For hundreds of years, Black women have played an integral role in society. In the house raising white children like their own while having to take care of their real kids too. Then there’s slavery, where Black women were used and abused. And even after that, you had Black women fighting to just be seen as a woman during the suffrage movement. Now once we get to the modern day in 2023, it seems that Black women are still underappreciated and overlooked.
In today’s world, society expects so much out of black women. They get masculinized constantly, even by Black men. Women like Serena Williams, Megan Thee Stallion, and even Michelle Obama who are constantly masculinized by the world for no reason other than not fitting the mold. Black women are always expected to be strong; they are expected to prioritize the black man and be there for him. Now while the latter is true to an extent, Black women’s problems are often never prioritized. Racism and sexism affect Black women, whether it be in everyday life or even in the workplace, these problems are often overlooked. Then when you factor in things the many other things that take place within Black communities such as internalized misogyny and colorism it seems like the problems just pile on.
Once you consider all these problems it just makes it more inspirational that Black women are still doing amazing things. Breaking barriers while being unapologetically Black, people like Simone Biles, Marsai Martin and Viola Davis continue to pave the way for young Black girls and Black people across the globe. Even unsung heroes like Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett who most people do not know is responsible for the Moderna vaccine being developed within 2 days of the COVID-19 virus being discovered.
Black women everywhere are doing amazing things without getting enough credit. Well, now that the holidays are here it is a perfect time to say thank you to black women.
To all the Black women at Delaware State: Thank you.
To all the Black women struggling and prospering: Thank you.
To all the Black women that don’t hear it enough: Thank you.
