Miss Black Extraordinary

MISS BLACK EXTRAORDINARY

Public Service Announcement: This is a unique space for trans women to embrace their everyday lives while consciously fighting to explore their truth beyond society's gender, class, and race perceptions. If you don’t like it, then make your exit in the top corner. It’s good vibes and good vibes only as we lead with our minds, hearts and eyes open.

It’s good vibes and good vibes only as we lead with our minds, hearts and eyes open.

Photographer Myesha Evon Gardner highlighted Black beauty in a way that mirrors triumph and victory amongst Black trans women. In addition, her lens captured the structure and fluidity of the sensitive trans body. Gia Love’s courageousness to overcome adversity by living in her truth unapologetically and authentically is extraordinary.

Gia Love is the star of the Teddy Award-Winning documentary Kiki; a coming of age story about youth in the ballroom scene. Her work in ballroom culture has encompassed community activism. As a Trans Equity Consultant, Gia Love provides capacity building support across industries to make the world more equitable and inclusive of the trans and LGBTQAI+ folks who live in it.

Just as beautiful and precious as Black and trans-women who continue to live in truth regardless of the harm enacted upon their bodies. The beauty that pours from Black trans-women at the face of violence throughout America and their own Black community is extraordinary and will not be unmentioned.

The horrific killings of Black trans-women have continuously taken a high toll on this community and without a doubt, this terrorism is swept under the rug. If we do not address this terrorism as one people, the division amongst Black people will continue to dim our lights.

In For The Love of The Girls at The GANZY, journalist and activist Hope Giselle projects her radical voice as she sits in conversation with Gia Love to discuss what it means to be a Black trans-woman.

Giselle mentions, “There seems to be a war on Black trans/femme bodies. We are told to live reductive lives and upon doing so we’re hunted and left for dead.” And she added, “Beauty doesn't hold space in this world of media predicated on talking about the struggle of the Black trans girl unchained by eurocentricity.” READ more at The GANZY.

While reclaiming Black beauty through self dignity and style, we have to acknowledge and applaud the resilience that lives within marginalized and invisible spaces throughout Black culture. As we encourage ourselves to open spaces for Black people who are EXTRAORDINARY or outside the box, we mustn't further marginalize our fellow Black sisters and brothers in an attempt to conquer white beauty standards, dominance, and validation.

Again, this is a unique space for trans women to embrace their everyday lives while consciously fighting to explore their truth beyond society's gender, class, and race perceptions.