Shades of Strong® | Strength Without Struggle for Black Women

Shades of Strong® | Strength Without Struggle for Black Women


If You Mean Black Women, Say Black Women

May 27, 2025

I’m just gonna say it — I get annoyed when I see Black women using the phrase “women of color” when I know they mean Black women.

In this episode, I’m talking about why that bothers me, where I think it comes from, and what it’s actually costing us to keep softening, shrinking, or diluting our language — especially in spaces that are supposed to be built for us.

I share a recent moment that made me want to reflect out loud. Not to be messy, but because I think it’s time we talk about what happens when we keep trying to make ourselves more acceptable — even in our own healing work.

This isn’t about being divisive.
It’s about being clear.
Because when we say Black women, we’re not excluding anybody — we’re finally being honest.

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