Black Mirror Project = Black Girl Magic
I’m scrolling through Instagram one day and I happened to come across this amazing photo series called #BlackMirror. The series was done by a model named Debbeh Howard and her boyfriend Raffael Dickreuter to help bring light to the lack of diversity in the modeling industry. She takes the imaged of well-known model’s like Kendell Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Kate Moss (to name a few) for major name brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein, and Victoria Secrete and recreates them to show that not only black women but also all women of color could have done these ads just as well, if not better than the model that were in these campaigns. She wrote a blog about is called Black Mirror and put, in her own words, her experience with this issue:
“Not to long ago it happened to me that I would walk into various fashion model agencies and I would immediately be compared to that one or two black model that they had on the roster. Even though I was told by those agencies that I have an amazing look and wish they could represent me, they already have a black model. Besides having an abundance of white models. It seemed as if one or two black models on the roster are enough to represent us all. When you are told that, trust me, it feels bizarre”
Here wording is elegant as she brings everything to perspective.
I really love what she has done with this series. Not only has she used her platform of modeling to showcase diversity, but she has also used it to show girls all over who are trying to find their way into the modeling industry that it doesn’t matter what color your skin is, you show go for your dreams no matter what people tell you. After being told over and over by these talent agents that they couldn’t sign her because they had basically met their quota of black models, she could have handled this issue in a whole different way. She could have caused a protest, written an angry blog, called these agencies names…anything. I LOVE the fact that she used her voice to in a POSITIVE way and as a result she has gotten so much positive feedback from her Black Mirror Project. I’m sorry but that is BLACK GIRL MAGIC all day, every day. In case you aren’t aware of what #BlackGirlMagic is, don’t worry, Reesie is here to enlighten you!
Black Girl Magic is a term used to illustrate the universal awesomeness of black women. It’s about celebrating anything we deem particularly dope, inspiring, or mind-blowing about ourselves.
I love when we can bring light to issues, topics, and grievances about diversity, prejudice and racism in a positive way. I’ve always felt like doing destructive things is just not the way to go about doing these things. In fact, it does more hurt than harm by adding to the stereotypes that we are trying to overcome. Debbeh Howard will probably get so many deals from this, and it will be well deserved. As a photo personality (yes, that’s what I call it), I really love everything about what Debbeh is doing. I can see how the color of someone’s skin can make someone hesitate from trying to persue their ambition to become a model. And I can understand the feeling of severe disappointment one can have from being rejected over something like your skin color, something you cannot help but you are proud to be in. I’ve seen and heard people go to agencies and be truned away because their ears are too big, or nose is too wide, or eyes are too close together, their too heavy, too short, too curvy UGH!!! ENOUGH!!! A person is beautiful for who they are no matter what color, race, shape, height, type of hair whatever!
The amount of respect I have for this young lady is unmeasurable. The more attention she gains from her choice to speak with her voice in a positive way the better. I hope that everyone who comes across this series is as inspired as I was when I saw this. It’s nothing short of absolutely amazing.Respect, Debbeh!
#BlackGirlMagic
#BlackMirror
Reesie's Pieces of Advice 