One Time for Black Sisterhood!
Watching Riri, Shuri, Silhouette, and Okoye battling against the 10 Rings was pretty awesome to read. Four different black women coming together to fight the evils that be makes for a great story. They were able to create a sisterhood in a matter of hours and became a support system for each other as they headed into battle. The four of them coming together resonated with me in the way that many of the black women on this campus and beyond are able to recognize their fellow black women and form bonds with each other, even if it is for the moment. I can see the parallels between their battle with the villains and the battle black women have against the forces of misogyny and racism.
The concept of sisterhood is integral in the black girl experience. It’s a generational gift passed from mother to daughter and sister to sister. It’s the voice of another black woman hyping you up as you take pictures on a bright sunny day. It’s the woman striking up conversation after complimenting you on your newest protective style or headwrap. It’s those looks and side eyes that affirm what you just saw or experienced. Black sisterhood lives in those small, fleeting moments. Black sisterhood is the experiences that we all share that allow us the special insight on how to love and support one another. It’s a force field of sorts that we can use to revive ourselves after being emotionally drained and protect ourselves from the pain and hate from the outside world. Especially in the recent months that the country was shaken by the brutalization of black bodies, specifically female black bodies, and the current pandemic, sisterhood is something that myself and many others have used to carry on. I remember calling my friends and we’d talk about how stressed and burnt out we were when we were first sent home. We’d end up talking about something that would make us laugh and relieve some of that pressure, even if it was for the moment. It felt good knowing that I had a support system of women who understood exactly what I was going through.
Black sisterhood is a lifeboat in a huge sea for the black women on William and Mary’s campus. I’ve had conversations with black women I’ve never spoken to before on this campus and the it’s like we’ve been friends forever. We can talk about what it’s like to be a black woman on this campus and I know they understand and can be supportive. We can laugh and joke with one another about some of the ridiculous things we go through. I’ve also seen how black women will fight for their fellow black women when she’s faced with adversity and are ready to share any resources they have to help. I watch them supporting and helping each other out when they’re in the same classes. In one of the toughest semesters I’ve had in my time at William and Mary, I lean on this sisterhood. I have my black sisterhood at home too. I’m also the second of three sisters and I often lean on my sisters when I’m feeling stressed, or I need to take a break. We update one another on our lives, we laugh, we reminisce. They help me get through the day and I know I can lean on them for support. Black sisterhood is such a unique relationship that isn’t easily replicated. It’s one of the many things that make us magical.
-Lynette
