While #BlackGirlMagic is definitely a thing, Therese Patricia Okoumou’s brave July 4 immigration protest at the Statue of Liberty forced Black women to remind the world that they are neither superhuman nor here to save them.
The well-meaning post that started the conversation (but was followed by dismissive comments from the original poster):
Black women are superheroes. pic.twitter.com/9s2bssliqW
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) July 5, 2018
The tweet restarted a conversation that asserts the humanity and autonomy of Black women who are working to change the world:
Yeah…naw. I appreciate the sentiment, but we’re not superheroes. We’re just humans who’ve been conditioned to persevere. It works for us, but it’s far too often taken for granted.
— Cherise McCall (@teeceemccall) July 5, 2018
#ThereseParriciaOkoumou act was not black girl magic That is a woman who has had enough, who is tired, and one who needs to see change happen. Not black girl magic, CHANGE
— Deborah-Julie K (@rahliekatsuva) July 5, 2018
no, it’s not, Oliver. everyone is a person. these women get tired, these women aren’t indestructible, these women aren’t superheroes here to save your ass. we’re doing the work that needs to be done and we’re sick and tired of being called superheroes when we’re sick and tired
— ashley ray (@arayyay) July 5, 2018
Black women are human. We need love and care like everyone else. https://t.co/Ara3ouc4GL
— Nyasha Junior (@NyashaJunior) July 5, 2018
If Black women are gonna save us all the least y’all could do is listen to us say that we’d like to be acknowledged w/o using a trope. At the very least reckon that the road to your conclusions require traversing the bridges called our backs.
— teresa stout (@teresamstout) July 6, 2018
BW are on frontline of revolution in America & have been for generations b/c the system of white capitalist patriarchy was literally organized around our enslavement. This is also why we represent base of progressive mvmt. Y’all erase this reality thinking we exist to save others
— Bree Newsome (@BreeNewsome) July 5, 2018
Just imagine if one of Black women’s superpowers was getting people to listen to them when they say they don’t want to be called “superheroes.”
— William C. (@williamcson) July 5, 2018
No, they’re not. They’re just “sick and tired of being sick and tired;” and they wouldn’t be “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” if they could live in a just and equitable society, but y’all would rather idolize than strategize for justice, mercy, equity and love for all. pic.twitter.com/GPnIjEtLcv
— JohnathanLeeIverson (@BigTopVoice) July 6, 2018