Charmaine Griffin

When I first arrived to teach in Ulsan, South Korea, of February this year, I anticipated life being different. I knew that I was thrust into a homogeneous society but I did not know how different it would feel. Not only was everyone the same color, but they all spoke Korean and in some cases dressed the same. In my city, I did not see any people of color.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and not felt good enough? Sometimes we give up dreams, hopes and love out of fear, negative self talk and pain. We rob ourselves of the only thing that no one else can truly give us: love.

I was 5 years old when I last saw my biological mother. She was 20, recently had my baby brother and was fighting for custody of me. A series of unfortunate events, if you will, lead to her losing custody of me and relinquishing all rights over to my grandparents.

What a time to be alive and a Black woman in 2016. This year we’ve seen some of the biggest “call to action” campaigns for Black women, from Beyonce’s Formation to #Blackgirlmagic. Right now Black women as a whole are being represented like never before — as beautiful, inspiring and radiant queens.

Feel confident about your ability to create and own your look! Let’s explore some affordable finds in fashion, hair, and beauty!

Without strong female characters, Black Panther would not have been the movie it was. Are they ready to create a movie surrounding a black female superhero?