Wouldn’t it be amazing to have an online space made exclusively for Black women to connect and exchange ideas? Through BlackFairies.com, CEO Shaena Louis has created just that.
“I don’t feel like there’s a space for us,” Louis said, “We’re always just kind of fitting into other peoples’ spaces. It’s important for us to have a space of our own. I want black women to feel like ‘I can get on here and talk to these women and feel good about it. We can all be friends and sisters. I feel like it’s a sisterhood.”
The Black Fairies is a collective group of successful black women working together and separately to empower women through positive stereotypes. In joining The Black Fairies, users gain access to daily updates in addition to new product launches and upcoming events.
Louis said she came up with the concept of The Black Fairies after she came across an illustration of a black fairy on Etsy.
“I saw the fairy and she was black and I was like ‘Oh! A Black fairy! I’ve never seen a Black fairy before’,” Louis said.
Black Fairies follows the perspectives of six fairies, which includes Born Leader Sabrina, Girl Boss Hilary, High Class Ava, Firecracker Emani, Free Spirit Natasha and Visionary Audrey. Users can engage with the fairies through blog posts or make their own posts under site categories like motivation, travel and networking.
“You can literally post anything you want,” Louis said, “My number one rule on the site is to always inspire, motivate and empower others on there.”
Fairies are considered feminine, soft and free, which drastically contrasts the typical depiction of Black women in media. Despite stereotypes that paint Black women as aggressive, angry and masculine, Black women are not a monolith and many don’t even possess those qualities. Louis said she saw the fairy and immediately thought of the Black women in her own life.
“I thought to myself, ‘I see black women like this every day’,” Louis said.
Louis launched the platform to evoke discussion-based sharing, similar to sites like Reddit or Facebook. She hopes that Black women of all ages will engage on BlackFairies.com.
“I really want the youth to come on because what I’ve been seeing is scary,” Louis said laughingly, “I want the older women to connect with the younger women, similar to when you, your mother and your grandmother are all cooking in the kitchen together.”
Louis said her highest hope is that Black women will eventually abandon popular social media platforms and spend time on her site instead.
“The best case scenario is that everybody leaves Facebook and comes to BlackFairies.com,” Louis said, “That would be amazing!”
Learn more about The Black Fairies at BlackFairies.com and follow The Black Fairies on Instagram at @TheBlackFairies!
Leuphorique 