March is around the corner, and with that comes an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of women through all walks of life. When it comes to Black women, we are known to pave roads where there are none. At times it feels society is hardest on Black women. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the police killing of
Breonna Taylor, it’s a sorrowful reminder of the injustices Black women face way too often. It’s a reminder of the racism, sexism and discrimination Black women experience, and the lengths many people go to silence our voices. So this month, we keep the trend of Black History Always and choose to celebrate the women of the past, present and future who refused to stand on the sideline when faced with adversity. We celebrate Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison and actress Cicely Tyson, whose
writing and
acting made Black women and girls feel seen and represented. We celebrate tennis player Naomi Osaka, the newest Grand Slam champion, for
using her voice to amplify the Black Lives Matter movement, the WNBA for continuously
lending their voices to the voiceless and the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, for helping
to create a new age of leadership for Black women. We also celebrate Coco Gauff for
her passion and the assurance that the next generation of Black women is in good hands. In our society, Black women aren’t always afforded the same luxuries as our counterparts. We aren’t always given the clearest roads to travel on. But that’s OK, we’ll just pave our own. –
Jayla Jones