“They say you ain’t ‘sposed to be here, Black Girl…” - Mahogany L. Browne, Poet.
Amidst much controversy (dirty drinking water, an unfinished Olympic village, etc.) the 2016 Rio Olympics kicked off on August 5th. The world’s athletically elite gathered in Brazil’s second most populous municipality to compete for olympic gold, silver and bronze. Opening ceremonies consisted of dazzling lights, fanatic displays of patriotism, and one now infamous, oiled up, Tonga flagbearer. Now on day seven, the most dominant presence/force to be reckoned with on display in Rio is not a specific athlete or country (although Team USA, as of now, leads all countries in overall medals), but rather, “Black Girl Magic.”
What exactly is Black Girl Magic? A derivative of the hashtag #BlackGirlsAreMagic created by CaShawn Thompson, who goes by the twitter handle @thepg, Black Girl Magic is a celebration of the accomplishments, resilience, perseverance, and spirit of Black girls and women. All too often, Black girls and women are lambasted for the simple act of existing while Black and Female. Hashtags like #RuinABlackGirlsDay or #StopBlacksGirls trend on Twitter for hours. Non-Black women are lauded for wearing braids or weaves/hair extensions, having big lips and curvaceous bodies, and being outspoken while Black women are shunned for possessing the same traits and characteristics.
Rio, however, has proved to be a hotbed of Black Girl Magic. From Team USA to Team Brazil, here are five of the best Black Girl Magic moments (so far).
1. Rafaela Silva wins gold
"They said I was an embarrassment to my family. And now I'm an Olympic champion in my own home."
Hailing from Brazil, a country with a long history of mistreatment of its Black population (Brazil was the last country in the Western world to abolish slavery), Silva’s gold medal almost didn’t happen. After losing in the 2012 London games, Silva was subjected to racist criticism that left her questioning her place in Judo. Four years later, she persevered and brought home Brazil’s first gold medal.
2. Gabby Douglass repeats
At the age of sixteen, Gabby Douglas became the first African-American woman to win the All Around gold in women's gymnastics during the London 2012 games. Now at twenty, an age considered by some to be too old to compete in the world of competitive gymnastics, Gabby, along with 2012 teammate Aly Raisman, returned to Team USA. Shut out from this year's All-Around competition due to a two competitor per country rule, Gabby helped the US Women's Gymnastic's team make olympic history. Not only did the Final Five best their competition by 8 plus points (the largest margin in olympic history), but they also became the first American Women's team to win consecutive team gold.
3. Rebecca Andrade performs to Beyoncé
While Rebecca Andrade failed to help the Brazilian Women’s gymnastics team to a medal, she did, however, manage to rile the home crowd. Andrade soared and flipped her way through the air to none other than the personification of #BlackGirlMagic, Queen Bey.
4. Simone Manuel combats stereotypes, battles history, and swims her way to gold.
"This medal is not just for me, it’s for a whole bunch of people who have came before me, and been an inspiration to me and it’s for all the people after me who believe they can’t do it."
On Thursday night, August 11th, 20-year-old Simone Manuel swam her way into history. She became the first African-American, male or female, to win gold in an individual swimming event. To understand why Manuel's gold medal win in the Women's 100m freestyle is so historic, one must acknowledge the contentious history between the United States, African-Americans, water, and swimming pools. In an opinion piece for Ebony Magazine, activist and writer George M. Johnson, lays out the bleak history ranging from slavery, to present day USA. With that in mind, Manuel's gold is a step in changing the narrative surrounding Black people and swimming.
Her win is already serving to inspire a future generation of Olympians.
5. Simone Biles defies the laws of gravity
"I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I'm the first Simone Biles."
19-year-old Simone Biles is arguably one of the greatest gymnasts in the history of the sport. Walking in the footsteps of Dominique Dawes and Final Five teammate Gabby Douglas, Biles stands at a whopping 4'8" and is proof of the veracity of the proverbial saying "dynamite comes in small packages." The most decorated American female gymnast to date, she even has a move named after her: The Biles. A move that, as of now, she is the only gymnast - male or female - able to land. After three consecutive all around world titles (2013-2016), Biles came into Rio expected to walk away with all around gold. She did not disappoint. After helping her teammates win back to back gold in the team competition, Biles placed first on floor, vault, and beam, only faltering slightly on the uneven bars. Like with Simone Manuel, Biles is already inspiring the next generation of little Black girls. Kim Kardashian-West took to Twitter to cheer on Biles and also let the pint sized superstar know that daughter North West seeks to emulate her.
*Honorable Black Girl Magic mentions also go to USA's own Michelle Carter as she became the first American woman of any race to clinch gold in shot put, and Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana for her gold win in women's 10,000m run. Jamaica's Elaine Thompson unofficially became the fastest woman in the world by winning gold in the women's 100m; teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, raining 100m champ took home bronze, and American Tori Bowie took home silver.
In the words of Rihanna, "All girls rock, Black girls, we just on another level."
