Ketanji’s Cowries: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sat in a sea of hate at Trump’s Inauguration with the most potent Black symbol around her neck: cowrie shells. Ancestrally, cowries are considered protective amulets, and historians believe that enslaved people brought cowries to the Americas as a means of resisting enslavement.
Kendrick’s Performance: The unapologetically Black symbolism of Lamar’s halftime performance had them shook. The rapper made a caricature of Uncle Sam to highlight how the government intentionally manipulates Black progress and keeps our people playing a rigged game. He also reminded us the revolution will not be televised.
Cowboy Carter: From our connection with denim to birthing the genre itself, the Cowboy Carter tour reminded the world that country music has always been ours. It began with the banjo, the defining aspect of country music that enslaved people invented.
Boots On The Ground: “Boots On The Ground” kept us moving this year. Black joy is infectious, and when we’re aligned on the steps needed to take action, we can and will show up and show out for us.
Sinners: The box office hit grossed over $365 million worldwide and was a full public display of Blackness like Hoodoo, symbolizing the generations of root workers and conjure women who used their powers to keep us safe.