ESSENCE Magazine’s Cover with Ava, Issa, Shonda, Debbie and Mara is EVERYTHING!
Lemme tell you something, ESSENCE Magazine. Why must I have to buy each of your issues TWICE? Why, I ask? Lawdt.
The magazine is celebrating it’s 45th anniversary with the May 2015 issue. The cover is the dopest, featuring Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Mara Brock Akil, Issa Rae and Debbie Allen.
THIS COVER! I LIVE. Come on, beautiful Black people glowing in white! The level of awesome here is so off the charts that the charts called and Keith Sweat begged for it to chill so it can deal. So many of my baes are on here and I am not lying when I saw I became an offensive caricature when I saw this. I surely did yell “YESSSS BITCH YESSSSSSSSSS.” I’d be shamed if that wasn’t from my spirit. They look SO GOOD! Their glam squad snapped and I need Issa’s dress because I love dresses with texture.
Besides the fact that every single woman here looks like God took His sweet time on them, this cover rocks because Black Girls Rock. This cover is power and I stan for everyone on it! Bringing these five women together does one thing for me, especially: it affirms my own work. Is that selfish? Probably. HA!
We live in a world where the contributions of women are often rendered invisible, and the ones of Black women are erased. This is why I value Essence Magazine, because it’s a space where WE are. This visual with 5 women who’ve forced people to pay attention by being so damb good they couldn’t be ignored, gives me delight.
Each one of these women are bold and powerful in the way they use words to tell stories in a landscape where there’s such a dearth of representation of us. They’re griots who are working hard to make sure that we don’t drown in the whiteness of Hollywood. Their work isn’t tokenism, but multi-layered reflections of true diversity. From Issa’s Awkward Black Girl to Shonda’s ABC Thursday night takeover to Ava’s commitment to be unapologetically Black work to Debbie’s legendary status to Mara’s magic touch of creating classic TV.
But back to the pictures, doe. My girl is having a housewarming and she has informed us that we must all come dressed like this:
I wanna yell COME THROUGH but they already CAME, SAW and CONQUERED! You better give me resplendence and royalty game proper.
I just wanna take this moment to give honor to Miss Debbie Allen for giving fierce with this caftan. Lemme go to Joanne’s Fabric right quick and whip me up a banging silk body blanket so I can slay everyone. I don’t know if I can carry a caftan quiet yet. It’s like how I’m not sure I can rock pearls because I feel like these kinds of things are for women who have a strong retirement plan and a home in the Hamptons. I’m not sure I’m ready.
But yes. This just made me day and I cannot wait to get my hands on the issue (it’s on newstands on April 17). Kudos to ESSENCE Magazine for continuing to affirm Black girlhood, womanhood, and awesomeness.
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14 Comments
” Lemme go to Joanne’s Fabric right quick and whip me up a banging silk body blanket so I can slay everyone.” iDied….
The issue it going to be epic. I will be picking up a copy or three!!
I’ve decided that I need to frame it and declare it as a holy artifact for making me feel excellent and powerful for the photos alone. The Lord may come back after I read the wisdoms they bring to that brunch table.
For real! When I saw the cover I literally said YES GAWD!!!!!
I love it.
Yes, worthy of a frame. Right there with my cover of Barack Obama winning the Presidency…TWICE.
THESE ARE MY FAIRY GODMOTHERS slaying all the dragons in their path. I cannot wait to read this.
LISSEN! I almost threw my phone when this image of black woman magic came across my timeline on The Twitter. I may or may not have done a Z snap in the back of the taxi. LISSEN! This is the best Essence cover I’ve seen in a good while. These sistas are the truth and they showed up and slayed on this here cover. I can rarely justify paying almost J$800 for a magazine, especially since it’s half the size it used to be when I first started buying Essence in college (and twice the cost), but I will be purchasing this one on sight! Kudos to these ladies and everyone involved in making this cover the stunnah it is.
love this pic.
love it.
these women are so creative. so powerful. have brought so many images of us never seen before.
thank you.
this thing right here moved me to tears!!!! THIS IS WHO WE ARE!!!! i will definitely be framing this cover. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!
Yeeeesssssssssss to everything you said!
This pic will be going up on Black Girls vision boards all across the land and I AM ALLDAWAY HERE FOR IT! They betta WERRRRRQ!!! Looking like a generational dynasty of Black Excellence! I LOVE it.
Auntie Debbie Allen is everything to me! Man! From the moment I watched her on Fame I was taken with her. She commands attention on the screen by just showing up. No words needed! Let us not forget her skills behind the camera! Having a serious fan girl moment!
Hello,
I met Ms. Allen years ago in Washington, D.C.. I was fortunate to do sound for Her at a performance with “Theatre Movement Exchange”, a local dance Group.
Though We did not have the opportunity to sit and talk for any length of time, I was moved by Her way of interacting with EveryOne, and just enjoying the energy of each moment.
Get you some pearls, girl. I’ve been rocking them daily since I was 16.
Look, if this cover isn’t the example of Black is Beautiful, I don’t know what is. I’m taumbout Unable. To. Flaw.
Seeing these women celebrated for what they are doing gives me all the feels. You done preached in this post Luvvie! Did.
*passes the collection basket*