by Christina Smith If Jezra Williams had it her way, plus-sized models would be featured on every runway, at any and all fashion shows- from local and international. In addition to flying the Vincentian flag during New York Fashion Week, the 37-year-old body-positive activist also represented for full-figured women. She lived out a childhood dream of hers on September 11 when she owned the runway at the Parsons MFA Show …
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For generations, Black women have navigated their lives expecting to battle the immeasurable anguish that stems from gender and racial discrimination. So it’s no surprise that this demographic group’s deep longing for change catapulted Joe Biden to victory. Black women turned out in droves in the most recent presidential election — 93%, to be exact, voted for the Biden-Harris ticket, confirming their position as the backbone of the Democratic party.
Now that the dust has settled and Biden sets out to execute his vision for the U.S. over the next four years, I couldn’t help but wonder: How will the new administration address this country’s history of gender and racial discrimination? Will I still have no choice but to worry about losing my son or the other boys and men in my family to police brutality or gun violence simply because of the color of their skin? Will I, and other Black women like me, be afforded the same opportunities for career advancement as white counterparts? What gives Black women hope right now?