In Our Own Voice

Show Black women as fully human with emotional depth, softness, and warmth.

Don't reduce Black women to stereotypes, adversity, or conflict. Black women are complex individuals whose lives include joy, ambition, vulnerability, relationships, humor, and growth.

Make context and conditions visible.

Don't present challenges as personal failures. Help audiences understand not only what happened—but the systems, policies, and social conditions that shape people’s choices and opportunities.

Show care and support networks.

Don't isolate Black women from community. Stories of friendship, family, caregiving, loving parenting, equitable romantic relationships, sisterhood, and collective support reflect lived realities often missing from mainstream portrayals.

Include joy, rest, peace, and possibility.

Don't center only trauma and struggle. Black women’s lives include healing, celebration, love, creativity, and thriving—not just survival.

Reflect bodily autonomy, agency, and self-determination.

Don't treat Black women as passive subjects. Show Black women making decisions about their lives, families, futures, and communities.

Embrace complexity and nuance.

Don't look for a single “authentic” Black experience. There is no singular Black woman story. Authentic representation reflects diversity of perspectives, identities, experiences, and aspirations.