The Power to Make Lemonade

I must be honest I am not a member of the BeyHive. It’s not to say I’m not a fan of Beyoncé’s music or appreciate her talent. I just don’t jump to see every interview or know all of her favorite things. Furthermore, I wasn’t trying to find a way to watch Lemonade in the same manner as I tried to find a way to watch the State of the Union when I boycotted (and still boycott) cable and my mother finally bought me an antenna to make me a little less militant about it. Anyway, I knew I would see clips on social media. After viewing a few clips I asked my trusted Beyoncé advisors what was the whole message. They both said, “You need to watch the whole thing. It has Real Images all over it.” So one of them sent me the link and I checked it out.

This is the thing: Lemonade took messages through music and imagery to a level that reminded me of Michael and Janet. It IS the evolution of a woman who is now in her 30’s. I related to each word, and each chapter. The imagery is very Black Girl Magic. I loved it. Then, I thought well Real Images isn’t Black Girl Magic. Michelle Barnes, maybe, but not Real Images. We are about all women, right? Right! But within that, when we “celebrate the power of women” and encourage this sisterhood among all women, we have to learn about the sister next to us in order to celebrate her. Formation and Lemonade inspires me because I’m a 30-something Black woman who is tired of seeing certain things in my community, have loved the ole dirty south, and have a best friend who use to always carry hot sauce in her bag. It represents something very real to me and very powerful. And any sister who doesn’t understand it should try. Just as I should try to learn the plight and love of the Pakistani culture or the Armenian culture because I have representation of both on the Real Images board. Or how I should understand the plight and love of any sister next to me.

I sincerely think that just because a woman, celebrity or not, shouts and walks in her truth it doesn’t isolate any other group. If anything, it should encourage conversation, learning, and inspiration to shout your own truth. There are some messages in Lemonade that translates for all women: the love of your man, the feeling of loosing your voice in that love, the freedom of finding it again, heartbreak, hate, forgiveness, the power of your mother, family, wisdom of elders, and the ability to take life’s lemons, be a boss and make lemonade. Whether this project is a representation of herself, her mother, her grandmother or the many women she's connected and conversed with over the years, it's phenomenal. Applause to Beyoncé!