Could not agree more with Second Sense. Thank you for continuing to let us into your life and see this world through your eyes. I know as people both read and listen to this essay, the truth of undying and unabashed self love will resonate with them. It's something Hollywood and the media continue to persuade us otherwise and I feel blessed to have read a piece that shreds that script into something so familiar but sometimes forgotten. My heart goes out to you and your family. Peace and love, Tyler
I was deeply moved by your insightful essay on Bethann Hardison and her powerful film, 'Invisible Beauty'. Your words resonated deeply, especially when you highlighted the importance of looking beyond tokenistic representations of black people in positions of power. As you so eloquently put it, simply placing black people in high places won't save us; true liberation lies in embracing and celebrating our beauty, culture, and lives in all their fullness. 'Invisible Beauty' teaches us to find joy and self-love in our own reflection, and your essay beautifully captures the essence of this profound message. Thank you for sharing your vision and inspiring us to strive for a more authentic and inclusive definition of beauty and empowerment.
I find beauty in sharing and learning about yourself through a work of art with your mother, it sounds/felt so deeply satisfying. My mother isn’t someone who would enjoy downtime in reading and watching, yet, I feel as though I’ve lived through a parallel world from your shared experience. That thought brings me more satisfaction than anything I’ve felt this week, and I truly thank you for sharing
Dear Ismatu, thank you so much for the piece , and for sharing about your mother who you evoke so well and who has blessed all of us so much by passing down so much power to you! The way you have framed the relay race of revolution, and your promise at the end of your open letter made me cry and brought me so much renews energy today. I will have to go back and rewatch the film with your letter in my mind, as you have brought so much new light to it (especially what your mother said about living on and on in every stage of life- that made me cry happy tears.) thanking you again for this work. - Feargha
The way this ate me up and swallowed me whole, to embody the very innate beauty of my own being has become a key necessity to my becoming and remembering of self. A forever talisman of and for sorting purposefully while carving out my own path. My mission feels more viable after having read this, not just to myself but to my children upon this rising day. Thank you for this nourishment, for this ode to life while living, for this refocusing of sorts that need be not a distraction. That self love is a life gift and I know that now more than ever. Especially after growing up a majority of my adolescence in the states and the subliminal messaging that tainted my view of satisfaction with self, not to mention the generational trauma it bestowed on my ancestors. That I had me at one point wondering if I would ever be able to remember whom I was again, the child within, full of love, art and freedom. I see her infinitely and without sway, she’s a magical sight I behold, an incarnation of innate creative source. This is a reread for the ages, I feel I am deserving and worthy of digesting again and again with new eyes. Thank you from my whole heart for sharing.
Just because we got lucky with Bethann Hardison does not suddenly mean representation stops perpetuating white supremacy.Equity should not be upto luck. So a few chosen ones are pedestalled - with partriachy's cosign of course.This at the cost of further entrenchment of white supremacy - campaigned for with their faces of course.Patriarchy gets another patsy and its removal keeps being postponed by pacified masses unwilling to change the system that benefits some of them.Even if its at the cost of many others.
1000x YES. Excellent piece!
Could not agree more with Second Sense. Thank you for continuing to let us into your life and see this world through your eyes. I know as people both read and listen to this essay, the truth of undying and unabashed self love will resonate with them. It's something Hollywood and the media continue to persuade us otherwise and I feel blessed to have read a piece that shreds that script into something so familiar but sometimes forgotten. My heart goes out to you and your family. Peace and love, Tyler
I was deeply moved by your insightful essay on Bethann Hardison and her powerful film, 'Invisible Beauty'. Your words resonated deeply, especially when you highlighted the importance of looking beyond tokenistic representations of black people in positions of power. As you so eloquently put it, simply placing black people in high places won't save us; true liberation lies in embracing and celebrating our beauty, culture, and lives in all their fullness. 'Invisible Beauty' teaches us to find joy and self-love in our own reflection, and your essay beautifully captures the essence of this profound message. Thank you for sharing your vision and inspiring us to strive for a more authentic and inclusive definition of beauty and empowerment.
I find beauty in sharing and learning about yourself through a work of art with your mother, it sounds/felt so deeply satisfying. My mother isn’t someone who would enjoy downtime in reading and watching, yet, I feel as though I’ve lived through a parallel world from your shared experience. That thought brings me more satisfaction than anything I’ve felt this week, and I truly thank you for sharing
Dear Ismatu, thank you so much for the piece , and for sharing about your mother who you evoke so well and who has blessed all of us so much by passing down so much power to you! The way you have framed the relay race of revolution, and your promise at the end of your open letter made me cry and brought me so much renews energy today. I will have to go back and rewatch the film with your letter in my mind, as you have brought so much new light to it (especially what your mother said about living on and on in every stage of life- that made me cry happy tears.) thanking you again for this work. - Feargha
The way this ate me up and swallowed me whole, to embody the very innate beauty of my own being has become a key necessity to my becoming and remembering of self. A forever talisman of and for sorting purposefully while carving out my own path. My mission feels more viable after having read this, not just to myself but to my children upon this rising day. Thank you for this nourishment, for this ode to life while living, for this refocusing of sorts that need be not a distraction. That self love is a life gift and I know that now more than ever. Especially after growing up a majority of my adolescence in the states and the subliminal messaging that tainted my view of satisfaction with self, not to mention the generational trauma it bestowed on my ancestors. That I had me at one point wondering if I would ever be able to remember whom I was again, the child within, full of love, art and freedom. I see her infinitely and without sway, she’s a magical sight I behold, an incarnation of innate creative source. This is a reread for the ages, I feel I am deserving and worthy of digesting again and again with new eyes. Thank you from my whole heart for sharing.
Just because we got lucky with Bethann Hardison does not suddenly mean representation stops perpetuating white supremacy.Equity should not be upto luck. So a few chosen ones are pedestalled - with partriachy's cosign of course.This at the cost of further entrenchment of white supremacy - campaigned for with their faces of course.Patriarchy gets another patsy and its removal keeps being postponed by pacified masses unwilling to change the system that benefits some of them.Even if its at the cost of many others.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience on watching this documentary, what it meant to you and your mother!