THE ANGRY BLACK WOMAN; BY SAMUELLA AMOAKO-BOATENG

 "The angry Black Woman"; who is She? Do you ever look in the mirror as a beautiful Black Woman and wonder "Am I an angry Black Woman"?  Is she a stereotype or is she "Real"? Do you look at every Black female in your family, circle or on the streets and wonder is she angry? Well I do ask myself that question, and have a whole analysis in my head with myself.."This Black Queen look cheerful, Life might not have been fair but she is striding in confidence and she has her head held up high,  with all she might have been through she isn't bitter, she is still standing, so NO! SHE ISN'T ANGRY!!

   The stereotype of the Black Woman being angry I think it's of the biggest scams on this earth. The Black Woman since colonial times have been left to fend for herself and her children, and their black men since colonial have been 'programmed' to not have empathy or any soft spot for the Black woman and as such have been told anything outside the black woman is good for the black man. That lie that was embedded in the mind and heart of the black man, is still active and alive and is still being practised in today's society. Yes Black Love is still alive; but the Black woman is still labeled as crazy, insecure,ill-tempered, sassy, angry,emotional, and demanding. The Black woman has and will always be a 'powerhouse' and 'refuge' for the Black man and beyond.

   Black Men need to do better when it comes to Black Women, you don't have to marry one to show you love them, but you don't have to disrespect them or fuel the stereotype of them being angry! I personally wonder how those black men who boldly come out and disrespect black women feel when they go home and look in their black mothers' faces and tell them they love them. I wonder if there is a deep emotional pain that has been inflicted on them by a family member  is been transferred unto every black woman they see. Well, if that is the case, that is wrong on every level; you cannot put your myopic view of a situation on a broad issue and blam an entire race on it.  You barely hear other races bad-mouthing their women except Black men! Our Kings need to do  BETTER. 

     The Black woman has been under attack from when slavery started and still is, but I will tell my fellow Queens and sisters not to give up on the fight to eradicate the Angry Black Woman stereotype, because our day of victory is coming very soon. We are the most intelligent, smart, educated and beautiful race out there, ( you don't wanna argue with me on that). We set the pace for other races to follow, other natural given bodies are a Blessing, our lips are a Blessing and oh our skin, is iconic. My Beloved Black sista, you are not Angry; yes society has failed you, you have been betrayed and unprotected but you have to understand that your beauty and intelligence can never be contested and yes society will bend to please you very soon! You are not an angry black woman; you are A STRONG BLACK WOMAN. And there is nothing wrong with been strong and standing; loving  and protecting yourself even though this is foreign. You are LOVED! And you are an ICON!

"CORP-FRO" Samuella Amoako-Boateng

Did my heading catch your attention? Well that was the purpose; I wanted to stair your curiosity; You might be wondering; "What in the world is corp-fro and is that even a word? Well yes and no; because it is a word i just came out with.  Cop-Fro is the shortened version of 'Corporate Afro' . I am going to take a dive into the acceptance of Black/African women rocking their natural hair in the corporate world.
      The United States Navy recently passed a policy  allowing Black/African women to wear their natural hair  i.e braids and  dread locs whiles serving as military personnel with the United States Navy.  This new policy really struck a cord with me and  got me thinking so from the time that Black Women were allowed to enroll and serve their country they weren't allowed to express themselves as much as they wanted. A hairstyle is a form of identity or feeling; we as women express ourselves through our hairstyles and to think the sistas who served in the United States Navy all this while weren't allowed to express their selves and  also were basically coerced  into hairstyles which they didn't identify with just to serve their beloved country. 
This is their basic human rights being infringed upon, makes me wonder; WHAT IS WRONG WITH WEARING YOUR NATURAL HAIR?  Most co- operations frown on black women wearing their own hair to work and deem it as unkempt, nappy, ugly, too short and other adjectives I don't like to use as a Black Woman with Natural hair.
  Do Black Women always have to bend towards the European standards of beauty to be deemed as beautiful? That is just barbaric, the thought of that makes my stomach turn, that is wrong and I am happy the United States Navy finally thought it through and passed this new policy allowing braids and locs to be worn as hairstyles whiles serving this beloved country. This new policy is a BIG WIN for all Naturalistas, it simply means the Natural Hair Movement is being taken serious and are voices are reaching into places we probably didn't think could reach, we are breaking barriers and we shouldn't stop there, we are BREAKING BARRIERS.... Until next time Stay "Braided and 'Loced' Up!
                                 XOXO, 
                                Sammi 

5 Simple Daily Practices For A Happier You | Shernette Williams

1. Wake Up Earlier To Treat Yourself

 Raise your hand if you’re someone who taps snooze on your alarm more than twice, jumping out of bed with a few minutes to leave, and end up feeling like a zombie all day. Well.. we all do it so force yourself up that first time and do something for YOU before you walk out the door. Whether that means having a hot drink, listening to some great songs, or even having a healthy breakfast will go a long way! They weren’t kidding when they say the early bird catches the worm.

2. Let The Little Things Go

 As the hard working determined people, life throws us daily challenges and let us admit they aren’t always easy. Sometimes we gotta take a deep breath, recalibrate, refocus, and carry on with our day. Just remember what holds you back is determined by what you allow; remember to make peace with the wrongs in order to make room for whats right.

3. Stop Idolizing Others

 The only one who lives your life is YOU. Tons of us are victims of social media envy; we tend to idolize the lives of other people through photos and don't realize the negative effects it has on our self-esteem. Take the time to unfollow those pages in replacement for ones about motivation and growth, not only will it lift your mood but you’ll start appreciating what you have and give you more time to go out there and get what you want!

4. Read Something New

 Of course, I’m going to start by saying find that novel you’ve always thought about? Well just go and read it! Not a bookworm? There are tons of articles out there to suit anyone's needs, learn to cook, DIY’s, and plenty more. Learn something new, who says reading has to be boring?!

5. Get Enough Rest

 Yeah, I said it. In order to feel your best every day you need to make sure you get enough rest. On average we need about 7-8 hours every night to feel reenergized. With enough sleep, your mind works better and you’ll be able to tackle those challenges like a pro. So give your body what it needs in order to flourish!

The options are endless! Share this with a friend who needs some tips and comment some of your favourite daily practices for inspiration. 

Author - Shernette Williams

@hi_shern