What is the month of March all about? NO, not basketball – WOMEN. WOMBMEN. QUEENS!
March 8 = International Women’s Day.
The month of March is recognized as Women’s History Month because, according to the National Women’s History Project, women’s history was virtually an unknown topic in the K-12 curriculum or in general public consciousness. To address this situation, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration for 1978. The week of March 8th, International Women’s Day, was chosen as the focal point of the observance. What was once a day, then a week, has evolved into a month BUT our goal should be to celebrate ourselves and each other DAILY.
Sooo in honor of this month and the beauty of all that we are as wombmen, I wanted to have a photoshoot. What queen does not enjoy a good photoshoot?!??!? It was my desire to capture the beauty of the varied essence of queens, so I put out a clarion call on the good ole’ Facebook. Three clarion calls to be exact, as I wanted to get an idea of how many queens would be interested. The responses I received was interesting to say the least [and I will leave that there].
In my head I saw something so different for the queenshoot then what actually manifested. I saw various hues and skin tones with a range of heights, sizes, hairstyles and clothing choices; however, what came to fruition exceeded my expectations on so many levels and was nothing short of magnificent. What was captured on film is awesome but what resonates within my heart is priceless because Abba used my sister queens to teach me some life ‘blessons’.
- Although everyone that showed up IS a melaninated queen, each queen has her own distinct personality that can be seen and felt beyond the hues. Each of these beauties radiate an assurance that I don’t even think they realize, yet it was ‘served’ in every picture. So the variances I was looking for appeared from a direction I did not anticipate.
- Each wombman that took part in the shoot never asked a question beyond basically – what do you need me to do. These queens trusted me and showed up for me… and for the rest of my days I will be grateful because this is the start of something marvelous.
- What we deem as useless can equate to something priceless. I was willing to chalk the day up as a washout [literally and figuratively] because of the weather – cold and rainy and I mean winds and heavy bouts of water being poured down from heaven (lol). But when I texted to cancel, my queens would not let it be so, their responses were: *I am good if you are. Photography is beauty in all elements. *Are you sure [you want to cancel]? I was checking the weather earlier and it should be clearing up. *Girl, I am good. I’m rolling with ya. I know it will be fun and I’m excited to see the outcome. Because God knew when He gave the vision what the weather would be like today. The rain stopped and by the end of the shoot the sun was shining and my heart was full.
- Laughter is good for the soul and we laughed. We laughed. We laughed!
Who said that women can’t be supportive of one another. Who said that queens can’t encourage and uplift one another. As a queen I am learning to embrace the power of who I am, who I am becoming and who I am being. As queens we must see ourselves in those around us and embrace the beauty and strength that gives. When strength connects with strength and beauty connects with beauty awesomeness happens, as this queenshoot captured. There is not a queen like you and you are not another queen, you are YOUR queen and that is your power. That is our power.
Happy Women’s History Month.
Happy Wombmen’s Day.
Happy Queens’ Living.