Since its inception, beauty in America has been defined by culture. Due to many factors, including our views on race, the black woman has rarely been seen as beautiful. Of course, there are exceptions, however consciously and subconsciously American culture has communicated to the black woman that she is not beautiful and in order for her to be more beautiful she needs to exhibit more features associated with a white woman. If the black woman has not been told she is ugly, she has been highlighted for being "sexy" or "exotic". She has often been relegated to a sexual object with exaggerated features that communicates positivity not in elegance or class, but in lust or curiosity. The problems with this generational cultural communication is strong and deep. It needs to stop and it needs to stop now.
Priscilla Black was born in Memphis, Tennessee but moved several times during her childhood to places like Detroit, Michigan, Houston, Texas and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. After a rough childhood filled with lack, danger, drugs and abuse she rose above the difficulties of her upbringing to graduate from Oral Roberts University before working for companies such as Bank of America, Google and Amazon. Priscilla's beauty is evident to all who meet her because her beauty is external as well as internal. She currently helps pastor a church in Round Rock, Texas and has started her own business empowering women. She is married and has 3 wonderful children.
In this episode, Priscilla shares some of the things that she heard in her childhood about being beautiful and being black. She shares her experiences in beauty pageants, including being crowned Miss Black Tulsa. She discusses the mindset of many black girls and women concerning their self image with things such as their hair, body type and skin.
To connect with Priscilla, you can find her online at @its_priscillab or at www.itspriscillab.com .
To connect with Evan, you can find him online at @its_evanb or at www.itsevanb.com .
WHAT IN THE...World
Good Hair -- a documentary produced by Chris Rock. (https://www.amazon.com/Good-Hair-Chris-Rock/dp/B002TOJOY8)
WHAT IN THE...Word
Psalm 139:14 - I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Thank you for listening to season 1 of 17:21! Make sure to subscribe to this podcast in order to catch season 2 when it is released!
