In honor of Women’s History Month, EBONY is highlighting dynamic Black women through the lens of our new archival series, Woman to Woman. In the fourth and final episode, we hear reflections about the importance of staying true to ourselves despite what others may think or say.
Black women are consistently urged to tone themselves down to be more desirable or likeable to others. However, most question the reason on why they should be anything less than authentically themselves to excel. Actress, director and producer Tasha Smith is no stranger to this experience. Whether it be through the roles she plays or taking lead behind the camera, she rejects the notion that she needs to be anyone other than who she was born to be.
“Why should I turn it off or turn it down? Why should I try to be something I’m not? Why should I try to be someone else other than myself?” said Tasha Smith in the video below.
Journalist Taylor Rooks has also been subjected to being counted out. Nevertheless, she bets on herself and leans into her own authenticity to allow her greatness to shine through.
“People can be so focused on what they see that they’re not focused on what I’m saying. But, the right people always do…The more you keep doing good work, it will be hard to ignore the fact that you’re doing good work,” said Rooks.
No matter what, you can count on Black women to show up, show out and never betray who they are at their core while being a light for all to follow.
Catch previous episode of the series on EBONY.com. Check out the fourth installment below:
The post Woman to Woman: The Truth of Authenticity appeared first on EBONY.
