In the third part of Jessica Johnson and Kismet Nunez’s (2015) article series the integration of the black digital feminist online and offline personas. According to their passion project I Wanna Live Productions, a community of blogs, social media handles, and black womyn dedicated to digital archiving and new media. For black bloggers, the internet is a boundless universe for connection, uninhibited self-expression, and a different model to build community. For black womyn, social media and personal blogging as a new frontier to digitized and archive black womyn’s lives. From 2008 to 2013, the alter ego Kismet Nunez was an online representation, Latinx scholar, writer, and blogger behind this community of black womyn.
Johnson (2015) loosely describes their online community as a continuum of conscious thought, a place for free writing, and limitless expression for black womyn. In addition to the ways in which their online presentations parallel who they are in real life (p. 47). Johnson (2015) illustrate who black womyn are as cyborgs and living, breathing “methodologies, epistemologies, and datasets” (p.47). The author describes the world of blogs and social media as an intersecting and alterative universe always interacting simultaneously with the real world. Johnson (2015) describes the online universe as a continuum which are used by black womyn in the most innovative way possible. They illustrate the black womyn’s flow which beautifully blur the lines of their online and offline personas.
Johnson (2015) writes, “digital black feminism’s synchronicity takes this as formula and elevates it to political process” (p. 47). Their online community served as a sacred oasis of safety for radical black femme womyn of color to resist oppressive white supremacist patriarchy ideologies. Johnson (2015) presents what it means for radical Black women to not only congregate in non-traditional settings but to challenge ideals within the African diaspora and black feminist community.
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The inner workings of these tight online communities serve as a meeting place and come together in ways that are traditional and non-traditional. It is to be said that the way, “digital black feminism and radical womyn of color work online is successful in part because it is public and free” (p. 52). The author explores the complexities and flaws that come with this free range, all encompassing, open to anyone and everything community. While this is a fresh take on sister communities, it still preserves the tender way in which Black women gravitate to one another, on purpose, for transformative justice.
The risks that black bloggers take are high. The same benefits of gathering space to learn, connect, and growth are also a breeding ground for violence. The accessibility of online communities merged with the openness of black bloggers personal lives, open them up to dangers on and offline. The intention of sharing oneself online in the way that black feminist bloggers do, make them vulnerable to both connecting with others who mean them well and to those who don’t. Even though black female bloggers face risks, there is more to gain.
Aside from the positive psychological benefits that Black women gain from meeting other Black women in digital spaces. Black women also face financial incentives when participating in online communities with Black female entrepreneurs. |
Johnson, J., M. Nunez, K. (2015). Alter Egos and Infinite Literacies, Part III: How to Build a Real Gyrl in 3 Easy Steps. The Black Scholar, 45(4), 47-61.
Nunez, K. #AntiJemimas (or, How to Build a Real Gyrl in 3 Easy Steps). Retrieved https://nunezdaughter.wordpress.com/iwannalive-productions/
This page was created by Rebekah Christie.
Nunez, K. #AntiJemimas (or, How to Build a Real Gyrl in 3 Easy Steps). Retrieved https://nunezdaughter.wordpress.com/iwannalive-productions/
This page was created by Rebekah Christie.
