Jamila Woods: Young Black Women’s Empowerment & Self-Determination

Discovered for the first time as a Sunday blessing, featured in Chance The Rapper’s ‘Sunday Candy’

Then again in Chance’s third mixtape: as well as Eryn Allen Kane, Jamila Woods is  an inspirational artist, and behind her beautiful and empowering voice, is a woman full of substance.

Artist, poet singer/songwriter, and activist, her works and Freedom songs happen to be another blessing for the community of Black young women.

Her latest video makes it explicit, featuring many meaningful symbols such as the « Duty to Fight » chant by Assata’s Daughters.

These young girls present themselves as unapologetically Black, young, radical women.

Gathering with Jamila Woods in this visual, they create art, sing, heal, protest, build, and spread love and freedom, and win:

You can pretty much call it ‘Black Girl Magic’.

Beautiful representation of Black Girl Magic, dedicated to empower Black Women’s leadership and humanity, and to fight against racism, as well as sexism, adultism, heteronormativity, transphobia, and all types of oppression.

Besides that, another strong symbol relies in this clip:

That moment when Jamila names every black girl, being « A Freedom Fighter »

On one hand gives tributes to historic black women activists who are now inspirations and source of empowerment for nowadays black girls, inheriting the same will of fire.

On the other hand, the way she enumeres these female names it recalls the ‘Say Her Name’ movement aimed at resisting police brutalit against Black women

Ella was a freedom fighter

And she taught us how to fight

Audre was a freedom fighter

And she taught us how to fight

Angela was a freedom fighter

And she taught us how to fight

Sojourner was a freedom fighter

And she taught us how to fight

Assata was a freedom fighter

And she taught us how to fight

A mesmerizing chant, freedom movement, power and to raise Queens in the Black community.

As someone else would claim it: ‘We gon’ be alright’