I’m not in the mood for Black pain
Hey ZORA fam!
One of the great things about working from home is being able to watch some good TV in between meetings and there is plenty to binge. The interwebs have been abuzz with praise for the Euphoria featurettes, Malcolm & Marie, Bridgerton and the latest blockbuster, Judas and the Black Messiah.
But as lauded as these Black cinematic creations are, I will not be watching them.
I know, I know. But hear me out! Of course I support Black stories and creators, they can have all my money and retweets. But I’m not really in the mood for dramatic, trauma-heavy TV and movies right now. I get enough drama and trauma in my life trying to survive covid and racism all while managing day-to-day responsibilities while quarantined.
ZORA Deputy Editor Adrienne Samuels Gibbs captures my sentiments precisely in her essay, Hold the Trauma: I’m in the Market for a Silly, Sexy Black Rom-Com:
“I’m already traumatized by Covid-19….I’m more in the market for silly love stories that make me laugh, lift the spirits, have a predictable storyline, have an amazing soundtrack, make me nostalgic for the before times,” she wrote.
Which is exactly why instead of diving into the newest films and series, I’ve been sticking to rewatching my old, comedic favorites. Some wellness experts actually believe that a healthy dose of nostalgic TV/movie binging can be good for you and help you feel soothed and who doesn’t need some soothing right now?
Support Black art but also, protect your Black peace. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll just get back to my regularly scheduled viewings of Living Single and The Golden Girls. Happy (and I mean happy!) binging, y’all.
Take care,
Jolie A. Doggett
Senior platform editor, ZORA
✊🏾HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!✊🏾 Team ZORA wants to hear from YOU! How does knowing your history make you feel powerful? Write an essay on Medium and share it with ZORA. We might feature it in the magazine! More information here.
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Zero to 💯
Who kept it 100 this week? Let’s take a look.
Time 100’s list is stacked with Black women excellence 💯/💯
The magazine’s franchise saluted many of our faves including best-selling author Brit Bennett, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, sister duo Chloe x Halle, track and field star Sydney McLaughlin, marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, showrunner Misha Green, and comedienne Amber Ruffin. We love to see the visibility and acknowledgement. These women deserve these flowers and more.
Tessica Brown is donating $20K after Gorilla Glue snafu 95/💯
After receiving thousands of dollars in public donations, Brown is planning to give most of it to a nonprofit organization that provides reconstructive surgery services to people around the world. Brown made headlines, and was ridiculed, this month after she posted a video confessing that she used Gorilla Glue as a hair product. No matter how you feel about her mistake, folks paying it forward is always a good look in our book.
Issa Rae teams up with City Girls for a new rap show 90/💯
HBO Max ordered up Rap Sh*t, an eight-episode series from Rae and co-producers Yung Miami and JT. The show follows two estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to create a rap group. We knew Rae had a penchant for rap from her Awkward Black Girl days and bathroom rhymes on Insure. We can’t wait to see what bars are featured on the show.
Charge against Amy Cooper, aka Central Park Karen, is dropped 1/💯
In the latest round of things we aren’t surprised by, the woman who called the cops on a Black male birdwatcher, will no longer face a misdemeanor charge for falsely reporting him to the police. Instead she engaged in a restorative justice program involving therapy — you know, the kind that’s rarely extended to Black folks.
Justin Timberlake’s public apology to Janet Jackson and Britney Spears 🚮 /💯
A white man saying sorry to women he hurt, years later, after being called out for repugnant behavior and inaction. Seems like the backlash and damage control are the real reasons that Timberlake, who has a movie streaming on Apple TV, made amends. Cry us a river, JT.
✨ The Best of Us ✨
ICYMI, here are some of our favorite ZORA stories
4 Ways to Stop Pursing Perfection and Find More Joy
Cast ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’s’ Dominique Fishback in Everything
The Anxiety of Being a Black Runner
The Power of Listening to Nikki Giovanni’s ‘Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day’
I Found My Black History In Grandma’s Hands
9 Ways to Battle Bogus, Gaslighting, Trash-Talking Co-Workers
Hold the Trauma: I’m in the Market for a Silly, Sexy Black Rom-Com
‘Malcolm & Marie’ Exposes Narcissism at Its Best
8 Uncomfortable Truths I’ve Learned Living Alone in Lockdown at 19
🗣️ The Last Word 🗣️
“Life is short, and it’s up to you to make it sweet.” — Sadie Delany
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