‘Moesha’ was one of the best shows for black girls to watch in the ’90s. Not only did the show have a smart, loyal, driven, and dedicated main character – but it also authentically represented black families and culture. Brandy’s character was someone that black girls would look up to for years to come, and that influence is only increasing now that it’s on Netflix.
I wasn’t born in the ’90s, so I could only watch the re-runs on TV when I was little, but I still remember the first time I watched the show. I was in a hospital waiting room with my mom, and they were playing lots of 90’s show re-runs that day – but when I saw ‘Moesha,’ I instantly fell in love with the show! Seeing someone on TV that wore hair like I did, talked like I did, acted the way that I wanted to act, made me feel great! ‘Moesha’ lived in a world that almost directly reflected mine, although she was a few years older than me. She made me proud of who I am, helped me embrace my braids and my speech patterns. She helped me to feel confident. My experience as a young black girl in America is not the same as other black girls here or anywhere else, but it is similar, so I can only imagine what Moesha did for those girls and their confidence.
Now, Brandy, I’m sure affects us in the same ways. Her career is inspiring. She sings and acts, she does it all – and successfully, too. She’s been in the business since the early ’90s, and she’s still putting out projects! I think that the most influential thing about Brandy is her drive. She works, and she works hard. Everything that she does, she puts her all into to make it the best that it can be. That’s a role model. We can all learn something from her, and I think a lot of us have! She’s an inspiration to black girls because when we look at her, we see what we can be, and we love it.
I wanted to write this article to reinforce the influence that ‘Moesha’ and Brandy continue to have to this day. ‘Moesha’s’ addition to Netflix is one that we all raved about because of how good the show is and what the show has done for us outside of its entertainment factor. Sometimes it’s hard being black in America – or being black anywhere. Black girls sometimes have different difficulties than black boys. But it’s a powerful force when we have someone like Brandy and a character like Moesha to represent and speak for us.