NoireTresBelle

Korryn Gaines

Renisha McBride

Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones

Miriam Carey

Messy Mya

Sandra Bland

Shelly Frey

Shelley Amos

Cheryl Blount-Burton

Dawn Cameron

Sandra Bee Wilson

Juliette Alexander

Alberta Spruill

Latanya Haggerty

Annette Green

Lenties White

Tameka Evette Anthony

Octavia Suydan

Andrena Kitt

Marcella Byrd

Emma Mae Horton

Angel Chiwengo

Guanda Denise Turner

Andrea Nicole Reedy

U’Kendra Johnson

Annie Holiday

Shonda Mikelson

LaVeta Jackson

Mary Williams

Tesha Reena Collins

Darneisha Harris

Nuwnah Laroche

Clanesha Rayuna Shaqwanda Hickmon

Ciara Lee

Dijon Senay Jackson

Denise Michelle Washinton

Keara Crowder

Tyra Hunter

Clara Fay Morris

Stacey Blount

Tanisha Anderson

Gabriella Monique Nevarez

Keisha Redding

Kendra Diggs

Laquisha Turner

Keoshia L. Hill

Kindra Chapman

Audwyn Fitzgerald Ball

Rosette Samuel

Makiah Jackson

Demetria Dorsey

Jameela Yasmeen Arshad

Joyce Quaweay

Mariah Woods

Jameela Cecila Barnette

Raynetta Turner

Bianca Davis

Patricia Hartley

Martha Regina Donald

Eulia Love

Sophia King

Joyce Curnell

Redel Jones

Tessa “Teesee” Hardeman

Tamara Seidle

Alicia Griffin

Shulena Weldon

Gina Rosario

Remedy Smith

Emily Marie Delafield

Jacqueline Culp

Delois Epps

Jacqueline Nichols

Queniya Tykia Shelton

Latoya Smith

Jacqueline Reynolds

Makayla Ross

LaTricka Sloan

Ralkina Jones

Elaine Coleman

Iretha Lilly

Gynnya McMillen

Malissa Williams

Janisha Fonville

Mya Hall

Patricia Thompson

Michelle Cusseaux

Janet Wilson

Latandra Ellington

Aubrey Zoe Brown

Terry Pittman

Carulus Hines

Lana Morris

Dominique Hurtt

Michelle “Vash” Payne

Tiffini Kuuipo Tobe

Yvette Henderson

Yuvette Henderson

Tameka Huston

Leronda Sweatt

Kisha Michael

Portia Southern

Kisha Arrone

Jessica Williams

Jessica Nelson-Williams

Vernicia Woodward

Alexia Christian

Tyisha Miller

Kourtney Hahn

Lamia Beard

Perlie Golden

Megan Holladay

Tarkia Wilson

Deshanda “Ta-Ta” Sanchez

Sharon Rebecca McDowell

Ricky Shawatza Hall

Glenda Moore

Danette Daniels

Shontel Edwards

Sharmel Edwards

Lashonda Ruth Belk

Zoraida Reyes

Islan Nettles

Avra Rosser

Natasha Renee Osby

Kathryn Johnson

Rekha Kalawattie Budhai

Natasha McKenna

Shontel Davis

Nizah Morris

Duanna Johnson

Asia Roundtree

Darnisha Harris

Shereese Francis

Alesia Thomas

Tracy A. Wade

Yvette Smith

Lnaaar Edwards

Gabrielle Lane

Varez Michelle Cusseaux

Taneisha Anderson

Aura Rosser

Raynette Turner

Tarika Wilson

Eleanor Bumpurs

Kendra James

Ahjah Dixon

Shantel Davis

Alberta Pruill

Marjorie Domingue

Bessie Louise Stovall

Margaret Mitchell

Darnesha Harris

Frankie Perkins

Monique Deckard

Kayla Moore

Queonna Zophia Edmonds

Sheneque Proctor

Kyam Livingston

Wanda Jean Allen

Kimberly McCarthy

Meagan Hockaday

Litvishma Millerr

Summer Marie Lane

Antoinette Griffin

Desseria Whitmore

Adebusola Tairu

Erica Stevenson

Halley Simone Lee

Erika Tyrone or Erica Rhena Tyrone

Lanaka Lucas

Breeonna Mobley

Antonia Martines Lagares

Delicia C. Myers

Tameika Carter

Dana Larkin

Kassandra Perkins

Rekia Boyd

Stacey Wright

Dorothy Smith Wright

BreeAnne Green

Adaisha Miller

Bettie Jones

Catrell Ford

India Kager

Deresha Armstrong

Chanda White (Pickney)

Sahlah Ridgeway

Marlene Rivera

Lashondria Rice

Brandy Martell

Marquesha McMillan

India Beaty

Chandra Weaver

Teikeia Dorsey

Deanna Cook Patrick

Ashley Sinclair

Zella Ziona

Tiara Thomas

Papi Edwards

India Clarke

Constance Graham

Shade Schurer

Erica Collins

Rosann Miller

Lonfon Chanel

Sonji Taylor

Malaika Brooks

Ashton O’Hara

Vida DeShondrell Byrd

Maria Tripp

Eveline Barros-Cepeda

Rosa Flores Lopez

Sarah Ann Riggins

Ty Underwood

Yazmin Vash Payne

Kandis Capri

Elisha Walker

Keonna Redmond

Rikessa La’Shae Lee

Charquissa Johnson

Fatou-Mata Ntiamoah

MOVE bombing victims

Kristina Grant Infiniti

Ariel Levy

Yolanda Thomas

Marquita Bosley

Barbara Lassere

Taja Gabrielle DeJesus

Tamara Dominguez

Vionique Valnord

Linda Yancey

Penny Proud

Amber Monroe

Brianna Elaine Carmina Ford

Kendrinka T. Williams

Arabella Bradford

Loretta Gerard

Hanna Abukar

Talana Salissa Cain

Diane Kemp

Amber Nashay Carter

Pearlie Golden

Brenda Williams

Catawaba Tequila Howard

Beverly Kirk

Tamu Malika Bouldin

Denise Gay

Anita Gay

Laura Felder

Alice Faye DeFlanders Clausell

Uteva Monique Woods Wilson

Mrnell Robertson Villarreal

K.C. Haggard

Derrinesha Clay

Milinda Clark

Angela Beatrice Randolph

Denise Nicole Glasco

Mercedes Williamson

Dominique Battle

Demetra Boyd

Francine Sonnier

Angelique Styles

Linda Joyce Friday

Shari Bethel Cartmell

Ashaunti Butler

Watch: She’s honestly so brave for standing up for herself and her rights

As I Am Project: Dziko

1. What made you want to participate in this body positive photoshoot?

Body positivity is a concept that I wholeheartedly advocate for in myself and everyone. I wasted so much time hating my body because what I was supposed to look like and I wish I knew what I know now. I may not like my body at times, but I will never hold that hatred and self-loathing that I use to have for myself because of how my body looked. So I wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate my body so others can see that they are worth celebrating and being shown off.

2. Do you love your body? Why or why not?

I love my body. I may not like the way I look all the time, but I love and appreciate what my body can do. I am strong, more agile than most would think, and it does what it needs to do.

3. What are some areas of your body that you struggle to accept? Have you accepted them yet?

My stomach, thighs, and butt. I would say that I don’t fixate so much on these areas as much as I used to, so I think there is some level of acceptance with those parts of my body

4. Do you think the word FAT is negative? Are you comfortable using it?

I don’t feel like FAT is negative. I feel that is a descriptor and societal influences have conditioned the masses to associate FAT as the worst thing in the world. I AM FAT. I’m big as hell. I am a big person. It is what it is, lol

5. Do you think being a fat black woman can be challenging while navigating around society?

Absolutely. Growing up, I feel like men would oversexualize me because I looked older due to my size. And we all know that black women are hypersexualized in general. I know of women who have experienced the same and unfortunately haven’t been as lucky as I was. Then there’s the concept of taking up so much physical space that I struggled with, so I began to try to hide myself and apologize for taking up room. Then the challenge of colorism thrown in the mix, beauty norms are not going to set black women up for success.

7. What stereotypes about fat black women have you struggled with trying to move away from?

We are lazy. We aren’t pretty/worthy enough to be loved. We are unhealthy. All of this is bullshit, yet all of these stereotypes I took to heart because that what people told me I was.

8. Do you think it is harder for fat black women to be accepted in society? Why?

I think it’s a multitude of things, but mostly because we are in a league of our own. Despite the opposition from mainstream beauty standards, we create trends and are constantly defying stereotypes. Being a fat black woman is a triple threat in every sense, yet we continue to rise above it.

9. Who helped you learn to love your body?

I found an online community of people who looked like me and loved their bodies. Seeing others who looked like me accept and celebrate their bodies was inspiring and it felt possible for me to do the same.

10. Why do you think black women struggle so much with their body image and self esteem?

Not only are outsiders telling them they are ugly and not worthy, we unfortunately have people with our culture berating us for how we look. There is a lack of support within our own communities and the pressure some of us face is crippling.

11. How has your body image affect your self esteem?

In the past it affected in greatly. Despite how good of a student, employee, friend, sister, or daughter I was, I felt that because I was fat I wasn’t the best. I think back to that mentality sometimes and wondered how I even functioned. I wasted A LOT of time worrying about my body, when my body was perfectly fine, FAT and all.

12. Did you ever experience bullying because of your outward appearance? What did you do to cope?

I did, im not sure how I coped really. I did have supportive family and friends that helped me to believe in myself and rise above the bullying and I appreciate that they did not give up on me.

13. Do you think black women suffer more criticism regarding how their body looks than white women? Why?

I do because black women are oversexualized and fetishized. Our big lips, butt, and thighs are supposedly disgusting and frowned upon but are the reason black women face so much sexual violence because we are seen as objects and not real breathing humans. We aren’t seen as something worth investing in or protecting, and is heart breaking

14. How do you feel about the lack of representation for black women in the mainstream media?

Its BS. A lot of people are fooled by the stereotypes in the media, that we are welfare queens, loud, stupid, and aggressive. We are more than that and deserve to be portrayed in a broader roles. I am starting to see more roles being offered to black women outside of the angry black woman rising about whatever challenges she faces. While I appreciate those stories being told, its nice to see other stories being told beyond our struggles. We are more than our struggles.

15. Do you think society accepts black features more on non black women? Why or why not?

Absolutely. They see value in our bodies but not us. So they pay millions to look like us but not down for our causes or willing to advocate for us.

16. Do you have any advice to offer to black women of any age about body image?

Just to take it easy on yourself. I know how hard it is to try to unlearn the messages that have been beat down in us for centuries. We are amazing, strong, and magical in more ways than one. It’s time for us to start believing it for ourselves.

–

As a black women, it has not been easy accepting the body I have been blessed to house this soul with. I have fell victim to how the media plays with our emotions and idea of our self image. I have also fell victim to the way white supremacy has taught us to hate our naturally black features and praise European features as the most desirable. Nowadays it seems like our features are up for grabs and are only desirable as long as they aren’t on actual black women. I wanted to continue the conversation about body image and accepting ourselves for who we are. I also wanted to continue the conversation on the war on black women’s bodies. Why does it seem like our bodies are criticized so harshly? Why is it that the features natural to us offend so many others? With these features of different beautiful women, I hope you all will begin thinking about how we can make society more safer and accepting of black women. I hope you will begin to think about how we can continue to spread love and acceptance for ALL types of bodies.

by @greeneuphorias

Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The Wretched of the Earth

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Assata: An Autobiography

The New Jim Crow

Medical Apartheid

Critical Race Theory: An Introduction

Lies My Teacher Told Me