Before Moesha was writing in her journal, other Black teenage girls had been growing up on our television screens. Tootie had crushes. Brenda wa
Before Moesha was writing in her journal, other Black teenage girls had been growing up on our television screens.
Tootie had crushes.
Brenda was finding her way.
Vanessa was testing boundaries.
Laura was navigating school, friendship and love.
Ashley was discovering who she wanted to become.
Then Moesha arrived with opinions, friendships, family conflicts, dreams and a whole interior world of her own.
There was something quietly powerful about all of it:
Black girls were allowed to have teenage problems.
Not every storyline had to explain racism.
Not every episode had to prove excellence.
Sometimes the crisis was:
Does he like me?
Can I go to the party?
Why are my parents so embarrassing?
What am I going to wear?
Who am I becoming?
Ordinary representation can be revolutionary because ordinary life is part of our inheritance too.
SURVIVOR AFFIRMATION:
I was always worthy of having a story.
My feelings mattered before I could explain them perfectly.
My dreams mattered before I knew how to achieve them.
My mistakes did not erase my goodness.
Growing was never something I needed to apologize for.
REFLECTION:
Which television character felt most like the teenage you?
May every Black girl be given enough room to grow without believing every mistake will become the definition of her.
