Reclaiming Our Power: A Call for Black Women’s Radical Self-Preservation

The recent election signals a pivotal moment for Black women, one brimming with opportunity and potential. It's a call for us to create in ways we haven't before, to step into our power and shape the future we deserve. The election results, while important, reaffirm a painful truth: changing the face of government may not lead to better outcomes for us. At best, it’s just a shift in power; at worst, it's more of the same—a system that has long exploited our labor without offering us the respect, compensation, or recognition we are owed.

But what if this moment is more than just another disappointment? What if it’s a sign that Black women and girls must begin to create outside of the existing system altogether? What if the true path to liberation lies in withdrawing our energy from the very structures that have never truly valued us? What if we stopped seeking validation from a system that will never give back to us in the ways we deserve? What if, instead, we poured our time, resources, and energy into each other—into the collective power of Black women and girls?

This isn’t a call for mere resistance; it’s an invitation to step into a new paradigm, one where we honor our own worth and power. We have an opportunity to reclaim our energy, to practice radical self-care and self-preservation, much like others have done throughout history. The idea of withdrawing from a system that perpetuates our marginalization is not new. In fact, it is through such radical acts of self-preservation that true change often begins.

The Politics of Energy: Understanding Our Worth

There is a subtle, yet undeniable truth that many fail to acknowledge: women’s energy, particularly that of Black women, has long been a source of power. It has been harnessed by others to build empires, both political and personal. The energy of women—especially Black women—is the lifeblood that sustains many systems, yet it is rarely returned in kind.

Consider, for example, the way political systems and societal structures feed off the labor of Black women without giving us what we are owed in return. They need our participation to function. But what if we stopped feeding into that machine? What if we stopped playing the game and instead redirected our energy inward, focusing on our own collective well-being? Imagine what would happen if Black women, for once, stopped seeking approval from outside forces and started investing in ourselves—our communities, our businesses, our futures. The results would be revolutionary.

This moment, this election, may be the very nudge we need to step away from a system that has historically undervalued us. It may be the space where we begin to prioritize our collective survival, flourishing, and thriving. By withdrawing our energy, we can free ourselves from a system that has no interest in our progress, and in turn, make room for something new to emerge.

Radical Self-Preservation: A New Blueprint for Black Women

Radical self-preservation is not just a necessity for survival—it’s a strategic response to a system that has long exploited our energy. It is a practice of recognizing and honoring our own power, of understanding that we are not here to serve the needs of others at the expense of our own. For Black women, radical self-preservation is about taking control of our lives, our futures, and our narratives. It is about deciding that we no longer owe anything to a society that has never truly given back to us.

This awareness of our energy, and our right to preserve it, has the potential to change everything. When women understand the power they hold—especially Black women, whose energy is often commodified and used for the benefit of others—they can begin to take ownership of their lives in profound ways. Many of us have seen it before: the moment a woman reclaims her power, particularly after a relationship or a life challenge, she transforms. She taps into a wellspring of strength that was always within her, and suddenly, her life is no longer dictated by external forces.

This is the power Black women must begin to recognize in themselves. It is the key to living our very best lives. By owning our energy and limiting how it is cyphered by others, we create space for ourselves to grow and thrive. We stop giving our power away freely and start using it to elevate ourselves first—because when we are strong, our communities are strong, and our collective impact is undeniable.

A Future Built by Us, for Us

As Black women, we have always been the backbone of our communities. We have always been the ones holding things together, even when the world tried to break us apart. Now is the time for us to reclaim our power and create the world we want to see, not just for ourselves, but for all Black women and girls who will come after us. This moment, this shift, could be the beginning of something beautiful and transformative. It’s a call to come together, to heal, to uplift one another, and to build the future we deserve.

We no longer need to wait for someone else to give us permission to thrive. We hold the keys to our own success. The blueprint is already within us. The time to act is now. Let us step into our power, and create a future that reflects the strength, beauty, and resilience of Black women everywhere.