Why Series Like 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' Are So Needed
Television plays an important part in how we see ourselves. We love to feel seen through our favorite characters and we hold them near and dear to our hearts, but we don't often stop to consider how WHERE we're feeling "seen" on TV impacts us.
Thanks to the debut of the Robin Thede-created and Issa Rae-produced A Black Lady Sketch Show (and other contemporary television shows with Black leading ladies), we are receiving some much-needed representation for Black women and girls outside of the reality TV realm. The sketch comedy show, written by a team of Black women, takes an if-you-know-you-know approach to comedy by refusing to explain jokes for an audience that the jokes weren't intended for. In starring roles, Robin Thede (who also writes and produces the show), Quinta Brunson, Ashley Nicole Black, and Gabrielle Dennis take the lead week-to-week in various skits.
The hit series is also packed with cameos from some of the biggest Black actresses in the world (like Angela Bassett, Laverne Cox, Kelly Rowland, and Nicole Byer), displaying a type of silly humor we aren't used to seeing from them. And as of this week, A Black Lady Sketch Show has been renewed for a second season by HBO! What makes the show's existence even more refreshing is that for a while there was quite the black-girl drought on scripted television series.
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From a young age, I was able to turn on my TV and immediately feel represented due to shows like That's So Raven, Moesha, and Sister, Sister. These shows featured regular Black girls being just that - regular Black girls. The shows didn't center around race, and the characters portrayed weren't based in racist stereotypes. It was a great time to be a little Black girl in her formative years, but as I became a teenager, shows like these all but disappeared from the small screen.
Gone were the days of flipping through channels and seeing Black girls who both looked and acted like me. Gone were the days of seeing Black girls living normal teenage lives with their Black friends having a good Black-ass time.
Gradually, we were being shifted into a new era of television; one where the only place I could find Black women on TV was reality TV. While Black women like Tiffany Pollard are ICONIC in their own right, for an impressionable teenage Black girl to only be able to see herself on TV in "real" characters like Natalie Nunn and Tiffany Pollard was detrimental.
Around the time of this black-girl drought, I was attending a mostly white middle school in an even whiter program. They regularly conflated me with the stereotypes of Black women they were seeing on TV. They told me I reminded them of New York (because what other negresses have we seen?) They decided they'd call me "Shaniqua" instead of my actual name, and they regularly treated me like I was scary and aggressive.
While I knew who I was at my core, being around white people all the time and also not being able to see healthy black girl representation on TV took a toll on my teenage psyche.
A Black Lady Sketch Show is shifting the narrative around black womanhood and what we are capable of creating.
Aside from being outstandingly well-done, it shows little black girls that we don't have to be confined to whatever box non-black show creators put us in. We can create our own shows, and take back the narrative of what black womanhood looks like. Black womanhood can look like my personal favorite sketch from the premier, Hertep, or it can look like Bad Bitches who need a Bad Bitch Support Group!
The existence of this show means we finally get to display as many facets as we actually have.
It means expanded opportunities for other black creators to get their shot. We deserve choices the same way white people have choices in what type of content they'd like to consume. We should have never been banished to The Land of Reality Television, and it is amazing to see Black women taking it upon themselves to make sure that never happens again.
Black women deserve to be able to watch reality TV, scripted series, sketch shows and everything in between and see themselves accurately represented. As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says, "The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story."
Featured image by Amy Sussman/Getty Images
- A Black Lady Sketch Show Review: Robin Thede's HBO Comedy ›
- Black Lady Sketch Show ›
- Who Are the Women of 'A Black Lady Sketch Show'? A Quick Primer ... ›
- A Black Lady Sketch Show, reviewed. ›
- A Black Lady Sketch Show: Bad Bitch Support Group (Full Sketch ... ›
- A Black Lady Sketch Show: Dance Biter (Full Sketch) | HBO - YouTube ›
- 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' Is a Much-Needed Jolt to TV Comedy ... ›
- A Black Lady Sketch Show - Official Website for the HBO Series ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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If you’re like many other people who are prioritizing wellness these days, then attending a wellness retreat might be something to consider. Wellness retreats are a cool way to get the relaxation you’ve been missing in a space with like-minded people who share a common goal. I descended upon my first wellness retreat, the Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat, a couple of weeks ago at the Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Zoëtry Agua is part of the Inclusive Collection for the World of Hyatt. It is nestled on a secluded part of Uvero Alto beach, which has crystal blue waters. The resort itself is picturesque, with its thatched roofs and lazy rivers that make you feel like you’re in a cute little village.
Mindy, Body, + Sol Retreat was hosted by Koya Webb, holistic health and wellness coach and yoga instructor, and it also featured other wellness practitioners who combined provided the ultimate gift of relaxation and getting back to oneself.
The first night was a Welcome Dinner that featured a five-course meal and an opportunity to meet our companions for the next three days. The food was impeccable and the only downside was that I wasn’t able to finish it all. The next day, however, was the official start of the classes, and I was ready to dive in.
Aura and Chakra Reading
Aura and chakra reading
Photo courtesy
My first class was an aura and chakra reading led by Laura McCann and James Levinson, an Asheville, NC couple. I’ve had chakra readings before, but never like this. There was a computer, a camera, and a scanner, which I placed my hand on for the reading. After two minutes, I received a 15-page report explaining my aura and chakra reading.
It breaks down what the colors of your aura are and what your chakras say. My main colors were green and yellow, which were defined by a variety of things. The top of my aura was green, meaning I have a social mental state and I’m a natural healer. My aura on my left side was yellow meaning my energy flowing is optimistic and light and so on.
After James discussed the findings with me, I then met with Laura, who gave me aromatherapy oils from their ADORAtherapy line that represented each chakra. She further explained the results of my chakra reading and shared how each oil can assist. Chakras are the energy centers in our body, and there is a total of seven: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. All of my chakras were high except for my heart chakra, which I have since been working on. I may follow up about that in another article.
Sound Bath
Sound bath class
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Next was the sound bath class. It was located in the spa, which was indoor/ outdoor and the perfect setting for this kind of experience. Andrew Francis and Carrie Bailey of Zenden Meditation were the co-pilots in transporting attendees into a place of tranquility. I laid down, closed my eyes, and allowed the sounds around me to bring me into a relaxing state. From the singing bowls to the wind chimes, I was in heaven. I even fell asleep and got some of the best rest I’ve had in a while. It was a beautiful experience. However, remember when I noted it was an indoor/ outdoor venue? I forgot to put on bug spray and woke up pretty itchy. But it didn’t stop me from enjoying the moment.
Tea Party
Art of Tea Ritual Tea Party
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The last event of the day was the Art of Tea Ritual located in the resort’s tea garden. It was everything you could want in a tea party. Delectable treats such as cookies, cakes, and white chocolate-covered strawberries, which are my fave. And, of course, tea. While I got to sip tea, I also got to make my own tea blend. There were many different teas to choose from, like hibiscus to your regular black tea. I decided to mix rose and mint and I called it RoseMint. I didn’t get to try my tea blend until I got home, and I’ll be honest, it’s probably the best tea I ever had. The tea herbs taste so fresh, and I love how fragrant it smells.
Breathwork
Breathwork Class
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The next morning was all about breathwork. If you exercise regularly, then you probably know the importance of breathing. But there’s more to it besides remembering to breathe during your workout. Margaret Townsend is a breathwork facilitator who helps people achieve wellness by consciously changing their breathing patterns. In her class, I learned to change my breathing pattern for energy as well as for relaxation. While I know that breathing is a relaxation tool, I was blown away to learn that it can also energize you. Because it was a different breathing pattern, I was also able to stay present and keep a steady pace.
Yoga
Koya Webb's yoga class
Photo courtesy
The final class of the retreat was evening yoga with Koya Webb, who, as I mentioned earlier, was the host. Her class was held beside the beautiful Uvero Alto beach, which made for a stunning backdrop and the perfect way to end the retreat. It was important for me to get back into my body after not doing yoga for a few weeks, so I was really focused on nailing the moves. However, Koya kept the energy light and fun, evening cracking a few jokes throughout, which made it easy for me to relax and enjoy the moment. She ended the class with a dance break and hugs from our classmates.
The Mind, Body, + Sol Retreat reminded me how important it is to take time to love on myself. Each class was an opportunity to be present and get reacquainted with oneself in the most loving way. Being surrounded by individuals who encouraged my journey was what I needed, and I am so honored to have had this experience.
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