QUEENS

I will be the first to admit that I am a hardcore Beyonce fan, the fan that even with her worst song will find a way to drop it low to the beat. I go hard for Beyonce good or bad. I haven’t had an opportunity to watch the full Grammy’s but when I heard Beyonce performed I made sure to watch it. Of course, during and after her performance, viewers took to social media to shuffle through its meaning, discuss their dislike or rave her genius. I knew how I felt the moment she stepped on stage: elated!

Women of color must be careful and intentional about the way they care for themselves before, during and after birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) informs us that; “The infant mortality rate among black infants is 2.4 times higher than that of white infants, primarily due to preterm birth. When I became pregnant I did research, I explored the stories of those in my village, yet in many of the resources provided for me, there weren’t many women or families who looked like mine. My village of mothers has never failed in instilling in me a sense of confidence in myself and my ability to achieve my goals. I felt that support all throughout my pregnancy and in bringing my daughter earth side. That support is part of the reason that LG Doula became about. My mission for LG doula is to serve all women and make them feel empowered on their journey. However, the other mission of LG Doula is to allow women of color to share their voices, find their resources and have a reflection of their experiences available.

In her acceptance speech for Lemonade Beyonce stated; “It’s important to me to show images to my children that reflect their beauty, so they can grow up in a world where they look in the mirror, first through their own families- as well as the news, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the White House and the Grammys- and see themselves, and have no doubt that they’re beautiful, intelligent and capable.”

That part of her speech sums up the explanation of her performance. You may not get it, you may not understand it, but it is hard to ignore and recognize the power behind it. We are told that women have been birthing for years, our bodies are capable of the changes and know already what to do before we even can question it. When you do not have evidence of that it can be difficult to believe and find the truth in it. Motherhood (whatever form that looks like) can be life-changing, hard and at times you may lose sight of your strength. As women of color--as women of color who are mothers--it is important to find ourselves reflected gracefully and fully in this world. These reflections help to guide and empower. They allow women to not feel alone in the highs and lows of the journey.

It’s not because she’s Beyonce that I enjoyed her performance, it was because I saw myself. I saw a woman exuding and glowing in her ability to bring forth life. I saw a woman full of joy about the lives she holds sacred in her womb. I saw a woman commanding those around her to see her, all of her.

Photos courtesy of Taylor Lenci Photography

I will remind myself and my daughter daily that we are Queens and we are divine and we are more than worthy to wear our crowns proudly and boldly!