“In so many ways, a lot of the things that I’ve done and pushed myself to do have been to prove people wrong which hasn’t really done my spirit well.”
Dr. Yaba Blay
Dr. Yaba Blay shared the story behind her title with us on Sunday, August 22nd, 2021. Dr. Blay is a scholar-activist, public speaker, and cultural consultant whose scholarship, work and practice centers on the lived experiences of Black women and girls, with a particular focus on identity/body politics and beauty practices.
Lauded by O Magazine for her social media activism, she has launched several viral campaigns including Locs of Love, #PrettyPeriod, and #ProfessionalBlackGirl, her multi-platform digital community.
In 2012, Dr. Blay served as a producer on CNN’s television documentary, “Who is Black in America?,” and has since been named one of today’s leading Black voices by ‘The Root 100’ and Essence Magazine’s ‘Woke 100.’ She has appeared on CNN, BET, MSNBC, BBC, and NPR, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, EBONY, Essence, Fast Company, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Colorlines, and The Root, to name a few. Her commentary is featured in A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond, a permanent installation exhibited in the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and she is the author of the award-winning One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race.
Widely respected as one of the foremost thought leaders on Black racial identity, colorism, and beauty politics, Dr. Blay is a globally sought-after speaker and consultant with an extensive client list of over two dozen academic institutions including Harvard University, Duke University, Spelman College, New York University, to name a few; and such corporate entities as Netflix, UniLever International, SheaMoisture, Estee Lauder Companies, Procter & Gamble’s ‘My Black is Beautiful,’ and the #meToo. Movement.
SUE SAYS
Yaba translates her research into engaging creative projects that seek to impact, if not change, our lived experiences for the better. She has launched several viral campaigns including Locs of Love, #PrettyPeriod, and #ProfessionalBlackGirl. She is also the author of the award-winning One Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race, the inspiration behind CNN’s television documentary “Who is Black in America?,” for which she served as consulting producer.
Listen to our interview with Dr. Blay below!
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