The Gospel According To 10 Black Women

Where religion is concerned, most religious texts are said to have been written by men of the time. Each chapter of the Christian bible’s gospel, for instance, is titled after its author; namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Their letters set the tone for their chapters of the gospel and have changed the face of human history. However, by definition, “gospel” is not Christ specific, it’s also defined as “a set of principles or beliefs.”

Now, if one thing alone is universally true, it is that Black women have a colorful and powerful way with words. Phrases and colloquialisms are derived from Black women so often that it’s easy to forget or overlook the richness of their statements, principles and beliefs. Imagine a life led by the gospel according to Black women. 

To illustrate some of this glory, we’ve curated a list of powerful statements to live by as delivered by Black women; many of whom will join us at the Brooklyn Afropunk festival this September!

Tierra Whack

“You have to just create your own world and live in it.” 

Bbymutha

“I don’t know how I’m finna finish this, but I’m going to because I have to.” 

Fana Hues

“Life is a series of adjustments…you can change a little bit, mold, do those things, but you don’t want anybody to give you the vision.”

Ivy Sole

“My universe doesn’t have to match someone else’s universe to be valuable and to be authentic and to be filled with love; it just has to exist, and I have to put time and effort into making it exist just like anybody else.” – Vinyl Me Please

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ivy sole (@ivysole) 

Shonda Rhimes

“I understand that a dream job is not about dreaming; it’s all job, all work, all reality, all blood, all sweat, no tears.”  

Tems

“I dare you to get up from your seat and go for your dream and fight for yourself because you can do it.” 

Barbara Ann Teer 

“We dress a certain way // We walk a certain way // We talk a certain way // We, we paint a certain way // We, we make love a certain way, you know? // All of these things we do in a different // Unique, specific way that is personally ours”

Dr Dorothy Height

“If the time is not ripe, we have to ripen the time.”

Mo’Nique

“Now if anybody else wants me to do anything else, there’s a price to that because what we’re not in is slavery. So what I cannot do is work for y’all for free.”

Dominque Jackson

“What I discovered is I can clear a path walking down the street, by walking from my core no matter what’s [in my mind]”

Featured image by Isabella and Zsa Fischer