Beautiful captures by Tiger Rose! Thanks for these my friend. Had a lovely time that evening-one of my first appearances on a mic in quite sometime. One love to the people and all they goodness! It’s time. 
Dedication to the kaleidoscope shades and hair textures we are. And although we weren’t privileged as children to have dolls like this-it’s never too late to have dolls like this now! Big kid style. Love to all of the hearts of black girls who never got to see dolls that looked like them growing up. These are merely a few dolls. Our shades and all are endless. -Gracie
Links to all of the dolls above:
-http://www.pinterest.com/pin/164944405074345327/
-http://naturalhairwoman.com/black-barbie-dolls/
-http://ilovemykinkyhair.blogspot.com/2010/12/black-dolls-with-custom-natural-hair.html
-http://www.pinterest.com/pin/383650461979426192/
-http://www.bellyitchblog.com/2014/02/photo-history-of-ethnic-barbie-dolls.html
-https://www.flickr.com/photos/becholo/11041581873/
-http://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Dolls-Artists-Limited/Artist-Doll-signature-identification/td-p/1539966
-http://myfashiontherapy.me/post/42937145648/african-american-dolls
Like Rachel Wiley said, “The phrase ‘big girls need love too’ can go die in a fire. Fucking me does not require an asterisk. Loving me is not a fetish. Finding me beautiful is not a novelty. I am not a novelty.”
Read Rachel’s poem along with other literary submissions here: http://hu-manup.org/design–writing-submissions.html#honest
Read more about this article here-http://internal/-acceptance-movement.tumblr.com/post/52647149608
Dawg! Ya style ain’t gots no bizness bein dis fly! I want thee entire lay ‘cept fah deh locs, gots my own set of dem. Sheesh! Fyah!
FASHION: The Labo Ethnik Fashion & Lifestyle event showcasing Afro-Caribbean talents will take place in Paris May 22-25! Fashion, music, culture, dope indie designers who push the boundaries of traditional fashion codes
–> http://www.afropunk.com/profiles/blogs/event-labo-ethnik-fashion-lifestyle-showcases-afro-caribbean
Pictured: design by LAURENCEAIRLINE
All dis salt streaming down my eyes. What beautiful wisdom and love this is.-that we now have a way to find a connection to our ancestry. All this culture and welcoming. “I see you when I see you.” Yup! She bad. 🙂
“Where do I go when there’s no where to turn to
Feel all alone wandering why I am
Where do I go where I need familiar
Woman hold my hand
Who do I turn to when my legs get shaky
Eyes cloud over, I can’t see my way
Who let’s me know that I’m still walking upright
Woman hold my hand
Who laughs with me when I’m feeling silly
Who skips along dance the whole night away
Who smiles with me in my moments of pretty
Woman hold my hand
Who binds my wounds when I’m bruised and battered
By strangers and those daily walking in my life
Who lets me know that I’m more than my hurtings
Woman hold my hand
Who cries with me when I lose my baby
By accident, choice, or against my will
Who knows that I am a childless mother
Woman hold my hand
Who bids me sing when my voice is silent
Songs have left me for places unheard
Who bids me sing when all singing seems useless
Woman hold my hand” -Music: Composer Mae Frances, Composed by Bernice Johnson Reagon, copyright: Songtalk PublishingCo.http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/mae.shtml
“For those of you who are tire of hearing about racism, imagine how much more tired we are constantly experiencing it.”-Barbara Smith, an American lesbian feminist and socialist who has played a significant role in building and sustaining Black Feminism in the United States.
Extension of a beautiful dialogue on facebook about this picture:
Friend: I’ve never been tired of it; I am weary, however, of seeing resurgences and denials of it, in which I believe I am joining you?
Me: resurgence and denial by whom?
Friend: resurgences in society/the media, and the denial by anyone who tries to say we don’t need to keep talking about it and working it out.
Me: Agreed. I appreciate your support all of the time! Thank you. Your comment reminds me of a conversation I had last week with a friend and white ally. She mentioned her personal experience of calling people out on racism when she encounters it, yet realized the limitations of that action alone. She said that people often get angry with her and deny it, but that she feels compelled to do so despite the fact. We talked about how racism is deeply rooted in structures of power beyond simply calling people on their shit. It’s no secret that racism is structural and needs its ass kicked in that fashion. She also made a great point suggesting to white allies not worrying so much about being ‘good allies’ or coming to terms with white privilege, but in its place looking around to see all of the ways racism is a burden on our society and how they can directly do something to change those things. And that in order to fight to win against racism we must work collectively to change racist ideologies and practices deeply rooted in the fabric of the US. For example mass incarceration, school closings, drone warfare, deportation, and predatory lenders-allies can directly get involved to work to change these systems.
Read more about the quote here: http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2013/09/best_black_history_quotes_barbara_smith_on_racism.html?wpisrc=root_more_news
Wow! The love pouring of support! Thank you all for sharing in my pain about this (my hair having been groped and prodded without permission last night). I was able to let it go over night as I slept. My mother came to me in my dream and washed my hair. It wasn’t loc’ed-it was Afro-textured. She combed and greased my scalp like old times. She let me know first hand that she got my crown. ❤ to you all
-Gracie
The moment when someone grabs a handful of your hair and tries to be sexy about it. Mean while you are enraged-two seconds from punching them in the face, but instead you hurry home to smoke some sage in it and scrub it with your favorite shampoo. Ugh! Consent is for hair too! Irked in so many ways right now. #boundaries #respect #proximitymeanssomething #blackhair #stopfetishizingmyhair #fuck-Gracie
With members of my African dance company after 3 hours of rehearsal tonight!
GirlrillaVintage the Blog 