Blackout Tuesday – 6/2/2020

Today was hard but meaningful. I woke up to Black Screenshots… and the hashtag #BlackOutTuesday Okay, we protesting. So without thought I joined and went ALL BLACK IMMEDIATELY.

a moment of rest

As quickly as we seemed to come together, we started to come apart. I decided to refrain from posting anything new to my social media pages, but I gave in to post the above photo of me laying on my couch. Why? Because I needed to. I needed to wait. I needed to listen. I needed to research. I need to watch. I needed to learn. I needed to process my feelings. I needed a sign of hope.

#racism

I understand those who say – “I refuse to silence myself.” I hear you loud and clear to those screaming, “Black people have been silent enough.” I support you and your contributions. I am thankful for your voice and your passion. I appreciate the perspective of those who pay attention to the details and explain -who and why- this particular protest popped up on this particular day during the pandemic. I am thankful for today and I took this day to rest and reset.

Start Black Over

We won’t pretend to have an answer. We too, are exhausted by the consistent injustice and brutality. But we are HERE. We will continue to SERVE and we draw our strength from you. That said, let’s continue to move each other forward. In alignment with our mission, we seek to EDUCATE (and be uneducated), we purposely UPLIFT ourselves and others, and want to EMPOWER women; Black Women in particular.

#pearlgirl

Melanated PEARLs are

◦ Melanin-Inspired

◦ Equity-focused

◦ Legacy-builders

◦ Action-seekers

◦ Neighborly-networkers

◦ Admiring-observers

◦ Talent-sharers

◦ Educational-advocates

◦ Dedicated-developers

I AM Miss Universe

South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe 2019) is a Melanated beauty with natural hair.

Zozibini Tunzi

Someone said you look like Miss Universe! #melanatedpearl Well guess WHAT!!??? In 2019 they ain’t never lied!!! THAT PART!!! #pearlgirl @missuniverse @missymisdemeanorelliott @monesavemyhair #blackisbeautiful #melanatedpeople #melanatedpearlgirls #blackgirlpearls #iammissuniverse2019

Crystal Perry, Founder Melanated Pearl Corp

I am all in my #Melanated feelings about @zozitunzi being crowned @missuniverse BUT this cannot be the end. One victory doesn’t equal a solution! We say ‘representation matters,’ but we rarely ask: to whom? What kind of representation matters? Representation in front of which audiences matters? How does it matter? These are the critical questions left out when the catch-phrase is used without intention, questions that illuminate a necessary and more nuanced look at how we as Black people define ourselves in relation to the world viewing us. #melanatedpearlgirls

South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi crowned Miss Universe 2019

All representation is not created equally. I am excited for the future #blackWomen are everything!

Melanated Pearl

I’m almost done! Maybe @zozitunzi Thank You for your willingness to serve. #melanatedpearl You And your response align with our mission #melanatedpearl South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe 2019)

South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe 2019)

Answer: “I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It’s something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time, not because we don’t want to but because of what society has labeled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings [in] the world, and that we should be given every opportunity. And that is what we should be teaching these young girls: to take up space. Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself.” #pearlgirl @missuniverse #misssouthafrica

Miss Universe 2019 Is Young, Gifted And An Outspoken Believer In ‘Black Girl Magic’

@melanated_pearl our MISSION is to educate, uplift, and empower! Trying to make people who have always been represented understand why good representation is so important is extremely difficult. For those who don’t understand, representation seems like a trivial thing. But for those of us who do understand, we know how important representation truly is. We know what it is like growing up, and only seeing people who look like us in stereotypical roles, aimed to be the butt of a joke. Too many of us #pearlgirls grow up hating how we look since the models, who we are taught to look to as the epitome of beauty, never looked like us. @zozitunzi Too many of us #blackgirlmagic know what it’s like to grow up feeling like an outsider in your own country, since apparently your stories don’t matter enough to be told. #blackwomenmatter Miss Universe 2019 Is Young, Gifted And An Outspoken Believer In ‘Black Girl Magic’ @missuniverse #blackgirlpearls

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