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Founder's Letter: Why All Black Women Deserve To Live A Soft Life

There is no one way to be a black woman (I really didn’t need to tell you that, but stay with me.) Whether you are black woman who has found her running community, a black female creative, a black mum or maybe you are like Issa Rae and feel like you are an awkward black girl; there is such beauty in the different identities we feel and take on as black women and I think it is what keeps my job so interesting. On a daily basis, I and this team get to celebrate different black women who have different interests and life experiences that end up being integral parts of their identities. 

Yet, there are some identities, some quirks, personality traits that society has a hard time associating with black women. One quality or descriptor that has long been off limits for black women has been “soft.” We have been called strong, sassy and of course, angry. The most dangerous narrative applied to black young girls is the narrative of adultification, which unfortunately creates a bias against young black girls which sees them as less innocent than everyone else.