Inspiring Black women

[Giningit]

Just that really. I’ve been thinking about which Black women I admire and Sharon White, ex OfCom Chief Exec and current Chairman of John Lewis. Her background doesn’t seem particularly privileged, so it seems that she got to where she is by sheer hard work and determination. Obviously I’m making a lot of assumptions here because I don’t actually know the woman.

There's so many. I'm shit at on the spot but there's just so many. One I was talking about the other day is Tina Turner. Saw a doc on her years ago and she has a fuck off mansion on the Cap d'Antibe. On the side of the hill looking over the ocean. And the decor is pure class - nothing tacky anywhere which for a famous person isn't common. Plus she made ike look like a cunt (which he is). So she's my first one.

Will check out Sharon White - the one before her was an old Etonian 😁

Haha I know there are so many to choose from. I guess I was thinking of “ordinary” people not celebs. Although Tina is a good shout

Also the fact SW got through the old boys network is a bonus.

Damn I knew you were going to say that! 😀

I'm not saying Diane Abbott though! Hm. I clearly don't watch the news enough so am now struggling with inspirational people in general.

My ex business partner went to Eton with the John Lewis guy. Note I say ex business partner 😉

The old boys network can't save you from yourself.

Michelle Obama is mine, reading her autobiography reinforced it for me.

I’m just thinking about more relatable people. Celebs just seem too unattainable. Nothing against them though

Dianne Abbott never actually crossed my mind

@MarriedtoDaveGrohl

My ex business partner went to Eton with the John Lewis guy. Note I say ex business partner 😉

The old boys network can't save you from yourself.

Oooh...Spill!

Oh I dont know anything at all about the John Lewis guy, unfortunately!

Michelle Obama is definitely on my list, even though it sounds like I’m contradicting myself, I don’t see her as a celeb. She has a fantastic career before becoming First Lady and used her position for good.

Michelle was the first one that came to mind. I like her more the more I hear. A class act.

Another vote for Michelle Obama! The woman is a legend. She also has a wonderfully inspirational podcast on Spotify called ‘The Michelle Obama podcast’. Definitely worth a listen.

Charlotte Mensah - hair stylist/familiar but quite sad early life - she was on R4 this morning discussing her experience of returning to UK to join her mother at age 11 and being bullied relentlessly at secondary school by kids who didn't look too different from her. Often for her hairstyles. Which were the threaded twists back then. Her mother died when she was 13, 2 years after she joined her . She has now won many awards and styles people such as Afua Hirsch, Tracey Ellis Ross - Erica Badu. That's what a call ordinary- I felt quite emotional listening to what the other kids at school put her through !

Bonnie Greer.

She's such an amazing woman. I'd highly recommend attending any event where she's a speaker.

@Denzelstowel

Charlotte Mensah - hair stylist/familiar but quite sad early life - she was on R4 this morning discussing her experience of returning to UK to join her mother at age 11 and being bullied relentlessly at secondary school by kids who didn't look too different from her. Often for her hairstyles. Which were the threaded twists back then. Her mother died when she was 13, 2 years after she joined her . She has now won many awards and styles people such as Afua Hirsch, Tracey Ellis Ross - Erica Badu. That's what a call ordinary- I felt quite emotional listening to what the other kids at school put her through !

I had my hair (natural Afro) washed, blow-dried and cut by her at her salon in Ladbroke Grove a couple of years ago. She comes across as being very humble, particularly as she did most of the work herself, despite having a junior.

Also on the beauty side, Pat McGrath has done amazingly well. I listened to her on Desert Island Discs and she came across as someone who is successful based on passion and hard work.

I've been inspired by a lot of 20-something black women I've spoken to this year who have been doing great things to diversify the sector I work in (don't want to out myself!) - but some brilliant, switched on confident young women. I wish I'd had their courage at that age

I’ll look into Charlotte Mensah. She sounds incredible!

Googled both Pat and Charlotte. Great choices 👏🏽👏🏽

Floella Benjamin - only in the last few years as she become more open about the racism she's encountered herself and while campaigning for things like trying to get stories with black characters on children's TV. The fact she was on TV with plaits when I was little made my life easier.

"Itsovernowthen"
"I had my hair (natural Afro) washed, blow-dried and cut by her at her salon in Ladbroke Grove a couple of years ago. She comes across as being very humble, particularly as she did most of the work herself, despite having a junior."
Yes I have even there twice now as I would love to have my hair done there and both times I have decided I couldn't really afford it- that's not a reflection on her price - she is quite reasonable for that area and considering the customers she attracts - it's just my budget couldn't justify spending double what I usually do

Definitely agree with Michelle Obama.

Oprah is another one too.

I love Maggie Aderin-Pocock. I think the things she is doing and trailblazing in Science is fantastic

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_Aderin-Pocock

Not famous on a Michelle Obama level (yet!) but I absolutely adore Africa from thevitamindproject. She's mostly an interiors person on instagram, but intends to normalize black families doing 'normal' things. The media and western narrative has often portrayed black people as criminals and poor people, so it has been really good for me as a person who had very little exposure to black families to challenge my beliefs/stereotypes.

to normalize black families doing 'normal' things.

...

Speechless.

Truly.