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History tends to repeat itself, and it’s time to make sure that the right kind is repeated through our young women of color! Wouldn’t you agree? Before we can shed some positive light through these young women, though, we must first analyze how women of their same complexion have impacted the world over time.
Today, there are many leaders of color that are celebrated for their accomplishments and how they shaped the way women are viewed and perceived in the world. There’s still plenty of work to be done in the fight for women and their pursuits of happiness. However, with the lessons we’ve learned from other female leaders in the past, that journey is made significantly easier as we walk down this path today.
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Women Of Color Have Contributed The Following Skills/Abilities To Us Today:
Breaking Barriers That Stand In Our Way
The road to success is one that is not just a straight line path. Instead, it is a road filled with plenty of bumps, potholes, and obstacles that prevent people from being successful. Women of color are no stranger to these endless obstacles as we are the group of people who seem to suffer the most challenges when venturing out in the world.
Kamala Harris, whom we’ve mentioned in one of our previous blog posts, broke barriers throughout her career to eventually become the first woman of color to become the Vice President of the United States. She never let her status as the daughter of immigrant parents and the hardships of being a woman of color prevent her from achieving her version of success. If a powerful woman like Vice President Harris can reach heights this high, then there has to be other hopeful little girls who are aiming for the stars.
Making a Difference
Black girl magic is real, especially when that greatness is brought out of us through creative outlets. For this reason, it’s essential to teach younger black girls that it’s okay to step away from people and situations that do not contribute to their overall success and growth potential. The moment we venture away from those draining people and situations is the day when young women of color can truly make an impact in the world.
Maya Angelou is a prime example of a woman of color who overcame plenty of hardships to make a difference through her own means. After going through traumatic experiences during her childhood, she decided to remain mute for several years. Little did she know that she would make a tremendous impact through her overseas experiences, her acting, and most importantly, her writing. Our young women of color have the opportunity to make a difference through any avenue that crosses their path. All they have to do is identify their golden nugget and begin to serve.
Standing Your Ground
Determination is a factor that black women in history have exhibited through multiple factors. This purposeful attitude has often brought negative stereotypes to our particular group over several years. Our determination, however, should never become dimmed by the thoughts of others who have never experienced a powerful action like it before.
Who else would know this feeling all too well other than Rosa Parks? She is famously known as the woman of color who decided to take a stand against racial injustice through not giving up her seat on a bus to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. Her determination and ability to stand her ground was one major event that sparked the Civil Rights Movement while secretly cultivated the strength of women of color. Her bravery and ability to perform one simple task was able to spark a change she knew was prevalent. The same ability can be done through our young leaders and activists who take the stand for what is right and just.
Being Your Most Unapologetic Self
One of the major issues that young girls of color experience today is having trouble identifying their authentic personalities. Because of this growing problem, there are more young women of color who navigate their lives in a lost state of mind. They have a difficult time expressing themselves and creating goals that match their desires, and we cannot have that in this day and age!
For a moment, let’s take a look at Marsai Martin. This young lady has broken many barriers in her life already despite being 16 years old. Not only has being authentic gotten her far in her acting career, but it’s also landed her opportunities that no young person has ever achieved. Her story shows that young women of color must explore outside the social norms imposed within society and discover what drives them. Only then can we see more black female leaders, actresses, writers, medical professionals, and much more thriving in the world!
If we do not teach our young girls of color their history, then they are doomed to repeat it and learn these lessons the hard way. Thankfully, there are millions of resources out here that can help them understand the lessons that other women of color have left for them to digest and utilize. Now, it’s time for the next generation to continue to make history and show others what resilience and actions will get them over time. So now we have one question to ask you: Are you ready to make history starting today?