Written by Leah Sinclair
In a world full of doom and gloom, finding joy where you can is key – and amid Black History Month, we asked 12 women what Black joy means to them and how they express it.
How do you find joy in your day-to-day life?
It’s a question we don’t often ask ourselves, but it’s oh-so important.
After all, in a world which is filled with doom and gloom, it’s important to find joy and happiness where you can – especially as a Black person.
It’s not hard to come across trauma and tragedy, whether in the news or daily life.
From dealing with cultural appropriation and microaggressions to social injustice and police brutality, we often witness, read and live through these traumas with little opportunity to stop and process just how we feel. But now we’re seeing this become increasingly important as more Black people are taking the time to find joy where they can.
From gardening to sharing food with family and friends, we asked 12 Black women what Black joy means to them – and how they express it.
Anne Marie-Imafidon, keynote speaker, presenter and creator of the award-winning social enterprise Stemettes
Black joy: Anne Marie-Imafidon “Black joy to me means preserving happiness and sharing it with others and being uninhibited by social norms. I’m just very conscious that it’s much better to share with others and not to simply be experienced alone.”
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ANNE-MARIE HERE
Saadiya Yusuf, host and producer of The Invisible Crisis Podcast
Black joy: Saadiya Yusuf “Black joy means living as authentically as possible without the pressure of assimilation or the expectation to fit into a preconceived notion of what it means to be ‘Black’ or abide by a particular aesthetic. I wear the clothes and colours I enjoy, listen to the music that makes me want to dance, and have the conversations that are important to me.
“Some of the things that bring me joy are to do with connecting with my body. This is something I have perfected over the years while living with sickle cell [disease], but really taking the time to understand what my body is telling me and to actually listen to it has saved me from a lot of unnecessary pain.”
LISTEN TO SAADIYA’S PODCAST HERE
Afiya Chohollo, technical programme manager at Onfido
Black joy: Afiya Chohollo, technical programme manager at Onfido “For me, Black joy is Black culture. It’s so diverse yet there is always something familiar in the way we express it; be that in our food, creativity, music, fashion, politics and the way we innovate. Some of the ways I express joy are largely through travel, reading but also spending time with those I love very much – my family, partner and friends. Oh, and dancing and singing to Beyoncé.”
Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir, founder & director of Moonlight Experiences
Black joy: Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir “Feeling at home and being in a space where I can be myself authentically is pure Black joy for me. But initially, it was something I thought I couldn’t have.
“Life circumstances and trauma often make life dark and difficult to imagine a better place. But over the years this has changed as I became more confident in my sexuality, formed connections, found love and got married. Black joy is something we all deserve and can create for ourselves with our rules at our time.”
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MOONLIGHT EXPERIENCES HERE
Chauntelle Lewis, inclusive communities manager
Black joy: Chauntelle Lewis “One of the ways I experience Black joy is actually through gardening. It helps me feel grounded and happy – there’s something magical about seeing something you’ve grown from seed flourish and bloom and, like Black joy,it’s ever-evolving and dynamic.”
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CHAUNTELLE HERE
Daniella Genas, business growth strategist
Black joy: Daniella Genas “Being able to experience unadulterated joy and happiness as a Black person is joy personfied. It means feeling safe to express yourself, your culture and your blackness with pride and joy without fear. It means laughter, celebration, freedom and resistance to oppression and that which would rather see us suffer, struggle and in pain.
“Whether I’m laughing, singing and dancing, or cooking and eating great food, I find true freedom and joy within that as I’m being me unapologetically.”
Fiona Frimpong, founder of Carpé Publicity
Black joy: Fiona Frimpong “My definition of Black joy and the way I experience it has definitely expanded in terms of how I view it. Now, not only do I enjoy my own Black joy but I also love viewing it from others!
“Watching Black content creators seek joy in doing things they are passionate about and being rewarded for it in the same way as their white counterparts gives me joy. Watching Black musicians claim global success gives me joy. And lastly, seeing Black women enjoy luxury is something that inspires me as well as gives me great joy.”
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CARPE PUBLICITY HERE
Ebinehita Iyere, founder of Milk Honey Bees
Black joy: Ebinehita Iyere “If we’re talking about Black joy, one way I experience it is through food. Listening to music is also another way I find joy – I have always felt that where words tend to fail, music speaks so essentially you can find joy even in the saddest of songs. It’s just about the journey your imagination takes you on.”
PRE-ORDER GIRLHOOD UNFILTERED BY EBINEHITA IYERE
Natalie Bent, co-founder of Little Scholars Playground
Black joy: Natalie Bent, co-founder of Little Scholars Playground “Black joy means being happy and comfortable in my own skin and truly and freely being me, without feeling the need to be a certain way in certain spaces. I have always lived in my truth, so Black joy has always been a part of my life and I’m proud to live that truthfully.”
FIND OUT ABOUT LITTLE SCHOLARS PLAYGROUND HERE
Teb Moema, founder of floral design agency Moema Floral Design
Black joy: Teb Moema “When I was younger I was very aware that as Black people we had to feel lucky, or like the exception when we made it into spaces that historically have not been occupied by us and so I kept small. Now I love that Black joy is loud, focused and filled with warmth – and for me, carving out time every day to get outside, either in my garden or on my allotment, is one way to truly embrace that joy.”
FIND OUT ABOUT MOEMA FLORAL DESIGN HERE
Lisa Smith, partner at Deloitte
Black joy: Lisa Smith “Black joy means understanding that I will be happy regardless of what comes my way. Also having my affirmations, understanding that what God has for me is for me and and that I’m going to succeed is real Black joy in my eyes.”
Priscilla Chomba-Kinywa, chief technology officer, Greenpeace International
Black joy: Priscilla Chomba-Kinywa “Being Black has always represented joy to me – we are always full of stories, culture and intellect and that for me is all joy.As I get older, the joy keeps evolving to deeper levels as I learn more about our history and how we had most of the challenges humanity is grappling with today.
“I am incredibly proud to realise, for example, that our ancestors understood concepts like caring for the environment better than we do now. We understood how to co-exist with nature, our food choices were good for us and for the planet.
“Learning these aspects of my history after years of being made to believe Africans had not been ‘civilised’ before colonialism makes the joy I have always embodied that much richer.”
Images: Sam and Sam Photography; courtesy of women featured
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