Creating Spaces for Black Women and Girls to Thrive: Building a Future on Our Own Terms

 I want to be clear: this space won't resonate with every Black woman or girl—and that’s okay. This is a space centered on women and girls who aim to build a more fruitful future for Black women and girls. While we’ve made strides, I believe our progress has been slow, not because of a lack of effort, but due to the attempt to bring others along with us. While this has led to some progress, it has also derailed our momentum.

By not fully centering ourselves, we haven’t achieved the results we truly desire. I can’t unsee the fact that we’ve tried to bring about change alongside men, but our fight is not the same. In fact, I’d argue that men and women are essentially different. As a society, we’ve been trying to force and normalize coexistence, but honestly, women have been getting the short end of the stick. Women have suffered at the hands of men at every turn. It’s something I’ve observed: society has duped us into believing we can all coexist and be happy, yet the happiness they speak of often benefits men far more.

We’ve been told to get married, have families, and uphold traditional roles, all while men continue to hold the upper hand in these scenarios. It’s a perpetual loop that we are discouraged from questioning. But I see women as far more powerful than just being caretakers. Women deserve freedom and autonomy, whatever that looks like for each individual, as long as it's of our own choosing. Through this blog, I hope we can start crafting and planning our futures on our terms, creating a future that aligns with the freedoms and desires of women and girls.

I’m also realizing that many of the issues we face in society—global politics, crime—are male-dominated. It’s not women or girls perpetuating these issues, though there are exceptions. By and large, these problems are rooted in male behavior, and women are often just allowed to participate or profit to a degree, but never fully centered.

So, what’s the solution? While I don’t have a full answer, I believe part of it lies in creating spaces where women and girls can THINK. This is just the first step. As I continue to dismantle and challenge the ideas placed upon me, I believe we need to start connecting with other women and girls to solve our own problems and create new solutions that work for us. We need to build communities with like-minded women and girls, finding unique solutions that allow us to thrive.

The goal isn’t to recreate another patriarchy with women at the top—no. It’s about creating spaces where women and girls can be heard, contribute, and build healthier systems of safety and support for one another.