Black Girl…shouldering the weight of the Black world…then being blamed for being older than she should be. How do you rise above the limitations of this world, Black girl? And why should a Black boy show concern?
Black girl development is the subject of a lot of research, including this Georgetown Law Study. And the research shows how social stereotypes have an adverse affect on how a Black girl is perceived. These faulty perceptions place undue pressures on Black girls that aren’t faced by White girls. It’s another area where dehumanization has become an established norm. In other words, it’s another area where Black children…Black people…are denied the opportunity to be as human as Whites.
So, how do we break the cycle? How do we transcend the limits placed upon us by Society?
The key is wrapped up in a process that’s similar to the life cycle of a butterfly. We know that butterflies start as caterpillars. They go through a transition that results in them coming out as butterflies. (Yea…I really just took time to explain something THAT basic.)
But this process isn’t as simple as it sounds. Well…it might be simple…but it isn’t an easy process. The caterpillar goes through a lot during that transition.
From Black Girl to Strong & Beautiful Butterfly
Dr. Rashida Govan is an expert in guiding girls through that transition process. Through Project Butterfly New Orleans, Rashida has helped over 200 young girls find ways to rise above the stereotypes so they can develop in healthy ways.
In this episode, Rashida and I talk about the critical questions a Black girl needs to ask herself as she transitions from adolescence to adulthood. We talk about the key things Black girls can do while in college, to ensure they come out as strong and beautiful butterflies. And we also share why all of this is important to Black boys as well.
So what do you think of the Project Butterfly model? And as a sister, how does it inform your development? As a brother, how do you see yourself supporting the process?
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Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
