You Can Thank Us Now: Black Women Are Trending And It's More Than A Moment
Black women done did it again!
Tuesday, December 12 is the day that Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore in the Alabama election for the Senate seat. For Sparknotes, Roy Moore has been accused of child molestation and sexual assault and yet was nepotistically backed by Trump and accrued 63% of votes from white women.
(Blink if you aren't shocked.)
Jones came through with the win after 98% of black women voted for him, and as a result, Twitter has been in a frenzy. Black women has become the trending topic with tweets ranging from thank you's to congratulatory messages uplifting the supremeness of black womanhood.
Throughout history, black women have always been on the front line: The Civil Rights Movement, suffrage, and now the need for democratic voices in white-supremacist states. Some would say "it is not — and should not — be Black women's responsibility to stamp out white supremacy and misogyny that is so deeply embedded in our country," but rather our responsibility to assert ourselves and demand a reason why white men and women are not doing their part in disassembling institutional racism in our country, or creating a space for Black women to exist. Period.
It's easy for us to say "I told you so" after another victory in the face of white supremacy. We Olivia Pope'd it TF out. So why is it so hard not to play devil's advocate?
With all the above true, I still say that this is a beautiful moment to recognize our strength as Black women, individually and as a collective.
It is not fair that we have to work twice as hard to be noticed, rewarded, or recognized. I am stating this as a realistic truth, but I do believe that there is a power in recognizing this moment as a space for unity.
We know we carry the nation on our back.
Rather than suck our teeth and clapback at the fact that it took them 100+ years to see our magic, it's more important for us to understand our power and continue to push those questions to the same figures who are writing tweets to call out our power that we've had for forever.
Are you going to hire us? Pay us what we deserve? Invest in our ideas? Elect us into leadership positions?
I believe in the hope that this moment holds and the realism that it implies: black women are leaders. Let us lead. Yes, we told you so, but now it's time to embrace the power we hold and use it to our advantage.
Elect us.
Fund us.
Believe us.
Invest in us.
Defend us.
Hire us.
Promote us.
Because you've seen what our magic can do.
Olivia Jade is a writer and creative engineer, intersecting wellness, culture, womanism, and self-development. She waters the flowers in her mind so others can recognize their own internal garden. Link up: @akaoliviajade (Twitter and IG) oliviajade.co
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.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
It Girl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime