Instagram: Javeebs

“There was one evening that we were at the plantation.We had worked a long day, and everyone was tired. Beyoncé is standing on stage, and we couldn’t get the playback for the music to work. She said “I’m just going to go ahead and sing it. Let’s just go. We need to do it”. We’re all kind of standing there, and she starts to sing “Freedom” acapella. The hairs on everybody just stood up. That moment, being on a plantation in Louisiana with a black woman standing on this stage, only lit by fire, it was the single greatest moment of my life doing this work. In the front was Oscar Grant’s mother, Trayvon Martin’s mother, Freddie Gray’s mother all sitting there watching.That i got to experience that moment and that her voice filled the air of that plantation, it gave life to the people standing there, predominantly black group. That is something that i will literally never forget as long as i live.”

😂🤡

Black student: [unintelligible—and then]  …and then throwing everything away beneath it because it doesn’t pertain to you. I’m sorry —

White teacher: —you know what, I’m sorry -I’m sorry…

Black student: —No, no, no…I let you talk -I let you talk, you’re gonna let me talk.

[Other students gasps]

White student: Go ahead. Finish.

Black student: I’m sorry that this is the way that it is. You’re right, it is fucked up. But white people control everything…and that’s not fair. And when anybody, any other minority tries to say anything about it or change it, we’re complaining or we’re ungrateful or all this other stuff because we still have this or that. But then you say something about ‘Oh, I don’t want—there’s too many Latinos and there’s too many—’

White teacher: I didn’t say that—

[Various students disagree]

White teacher: I said I want to control the border!

Black student: You said you don’t want this to turn into a Latin country because there’ll be too many 

White teacher: I did not say that.

[Various students disagree]

Student 2: You said you want to preserve the American culture.

Black student: There is no American culture. American culture is EVERYTHING.

[Various students agree]

Random: Mayonnaise!

[Students laugh]

Black student: And because you are white and so closed-minded, you refuse to accept that, you refuse to accept—

White teacher: Don’t tell me I’m closed-minded—

Black student: Everything you’ve said to me is closed-minded.

White teacher: Just because I don’t agree with you doesn’t mean I’m closed-minded.

Black student: You don’t need to agree—I -I’ve had conversations with people that don’t agree with me, but if they at least listen and try to accept—you’re not accepting the truth.

White teacher: Why do I have to accept what you think is right?

Black student: You need to accept the truth! Not what I think is right, what is actually happening right—

White teacher: Well, let me tell you what I think. You said white people have been in control of everything….who is the president of the United States right now?!

Students: A black man!

*Various sounds of incredulity*

Black student: WITH A WHITE CONGRESS! WITH A WHITE SENATE! WITH WHITE EVERYTHING ELSE! HE DOESN’T HAVE THE CONTROL OF EVERYTHING!

Random: GO OFF 

Other Random: GO OFF–

*The class is in an uproar*

Random student: YOU ARE SO PRIVILEGED THAT YOU JUST DON’T SEE IT!

White teacher: Do we have to yell?!

Meet Our New Covergirl Mani !!!! 

Blog:  ShowMeDmani.com

Instagram: @ showme_dmani

YouTube:  Show Me D'mani

Podcast: soundcloud.com/2wokegirls 

….

Hey babies! It’s Mani, for those asking, “Sis, who are you?” I’m just your regular degular schmegular Palm Beach bred, Atlanta fed, NY bound, visual- story telling stylista with a splash of silly (okay, a whole lot of silly) and an imagination comparable to Roald Dahl’s. I’m a freelance Brand Strategist who enjoys documenting my journey; whether it be about my career goals, relationships or just how I’m feeling about the nonsense going on in this world; I let it all out on my blog ShowMeDmani.com. And when I’m not spilling tea on my blog, I’m letting all out on the podcast I co-host, Two Woke Girls. Through the content I curate, I aspire to make young brown girls proud of their reflection. My goal is to be a media mogul and to create platforms that portray brown women like myself in a positive light. I love life’s simplest joys like laughing, dancing and sunbathing. Whether it’s through my content, my outfit or one of the many hairstyles I sport, I’m expressing myself creatively. In addition to creative expression, I am often creating content aimed at inspiring viewers to be their best selves. My favorite mantra is, “You are already the person you aspire to be.”

Up until recently, I was addicted to the creamy crack we all know as perms. I once rocked a signature pixie cut; that I started off only dying jet black; eventually boredom took over and I tried red, blue, purple, you name it! Finally, I decided it was time for a change, my hair had been short since my senior year of high school. Last year, when I moved to New York, I no longer had my mother there to keep my hair up, so I resorted to wigs. For those of you who don’t know, NY summers are hot and icky, so those wigs got VERY uncomfortable and I just didn’t feel like myself. Because of societal standards, I felt like it was imperative I rocked a short, sleek “professional” style for interviews; however, when those interviews were over and it was time for me to be free and be the social butterfly that I am, I felt like my hair was holding me back. I came to terms with the fact that my hair means more to me than a fashion statement or accessory, these tresses hold power, they tell a story and can very much so be a means to rebellion against societal standards of beauty. Last year, a week before 4th of July, I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut off my hair. Since doing so my hair has grown shoulder-length and I’ve worn protective styles to keep from applying heat to my hair. I must say, going natural was the best hair choice I’ve made thus far! 

And that’s Mani…in a nutshell!