What Does It Mean to Be "Black"? A Breakdown of The African Diaspora

 

The African diaspora is a worldwide collection of populations primarily in the Americas descended from native Africans or people from Africa! For many black people, we proudly promote our blackness and acknowledge our African roots, whether Native or a subgroup descendant of the diaspora. However, many people have a misconception that the black race only encompasses African Americans, which couldn't be further from the truth. Black isn't just for the surface, and it goes much deeper than most people think. Politically and scientifically, "Black" in terms of race is defined as "any ethnic group with significant ancestry and heritage from Africa." This largely includes countries that were a part of the African slave trade such as the US, the Carribean, Latin America and more.

There's a long line of inspirational black women we can align ourselves with. Isn't it interesting that your skin carries so much history with it? We will break down the African Diaspora and explore some of the influential women in the black community that we can look up to. 

Women of Color Breaking Barriers and Shaking Things Up 

There are many amazing women of color breaking barriers, succeeding in their careers, and uplifting people around them. The diversity and depth of Black women's skills are difficult to capture in a single gallery, but we hope that this feature will encourage women of color everywhere to claim their power and bask in the splendor of their blackness.

African Americans 

One of the most influential African American women is Michelle Obama. The fact that she was the first African-American First Lady of the United States sparked a lot of debate and racial discrimination. Michelle Obama constantly had to prove herself, but she has emerged as a leader and role model for young girls and women of color, despite the detractors and critics. 

Afro Latinos 

Christina Milian is a singer and actress who has always been vocal about the challenges she's been through as an Afro-Latino woman in Hollywood. Unlike many celebrity Latinos, Christina is very brown-skinned, which made many people question her ethnicity. No matter the challenges she's been through, she embraced her skin color and heritage, inspiring other Afro Latinos. 

Afro Caribbeans 

Nicki Minaj is one of the most successful Afro Caribbean female artists in today's pop culture. She has broken countless records as "the Queen of Rap" and loves her black Caribbean culture! She plays a significant role in the black community as she occupies a hyper-visible position in mainstream pop culture. 

Native Africans 

As a native African, award winning actress Lupita Nyong'o's position in pop culture means a lot to the black community, especially because she's dark-skinned! Her being on the scene is a tremendously positive influence on all the little girls everywhere. She has shared how Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg being on the scene made her world explode. She strives to do the same for young black girls that look up to her. 

Creole 

Tina Knowles is a proud Creole woman who is very connected to her Louisianna roots! She is a powerful black woman who aims to dismantle the damning stereotypes our society has placed on the black community. She continues to uplift the black community by campaigning for new voting initiatives to increase black voter turnout. 

Bilha Gitari

I’m a professionally trained content writer with 4+ years of experience. I pride myself on offering top-notch writing and editing services to versatile brands all over the world. My integrity, writing skills, and enthusiasm help me produce unparalleled, naturally-flowing, SEO-dense articles. My services include content writing, copywriting, e-Book writing, editing, press-release, website content, and product descriptions.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bilha-gitari-a691b1137/