Celebrating Black Women That Champion Black Women's Voices
In honour of Women’s History Month we are celebrating women who have made a point of challenging stereotypes by championing and elevating Black women’s voices. From television to the stage and from books to journalism, we are turning the spotlight on the incredible and trusted conduits of Black women’s stories where perspectives, experiences, empathy, and the complexities of our lives are handled with love and respect.
Issa Rae
Issa “I’m rooting for everybody Black” Rae is a trailblazing creator, writer, and actress who is one of the defining voices of our era championing Black women’s stories through television, film, and digital media. Best known for bringing us a whole cultural moment with her HBO series Insecure, which she co-created and also starred in. Issa’s portrayal of Black women was so authentic, so nuanced and so on time; depicting our diversity of beauty, style, messiness, success, friendship, hardship and love. The iconic show which is now housed on Netflix is being rewatched and gaining new audiences.
Beyond Insecure, Issa has used her platform to uplift Black women both in front of and behind the camera. Through her production company, Hoorae Media, she has created opportunities for Black writers, directors, and actors to tell their own stories. Projects like "Rap Sh!t," which follows two Black women pursuing their dreams in the music industry and most recently Issa produced the film One of Them Days starring Keke Palmer and SZA.
Issa Rae
Tobi Oredein
Tobi is an award winning journalist who in 2014, co-founded Black Ballad, a British multimedia platform for the underrepresented voices of Black women. Since its launch, Black Ballad has been considered by its community as a publication that puts Black women first, tackling topics such as “Black Muslim Women & Their Experiences" and “How to Know if You’re Financially Compatible With Your Partner”.
Black Ballad has gone on to grow into a subscription model to enhance the content and experiences of its community with the inclusion of podcasts and events that are unapologetically for and by Black women. Tobi and her team have successfully created a space where Black women see themselves represented authentically and where their stories are told without compromise. As an advocate for systemic change, she has used Black Ballad to shake up the media industry and challenge its norms.
Tobi Oredein
Morgan DeBaun
Morgan DeBaun is a serial entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and CEO of Blavity, Inc., a digital media company with a global reach of over 100 million people. Launched in 2014 as a blog and newsletter, Blavity has become one of the leading platforms for Black culture, news, and storytelling, with a particular focus on amplifying the experiences and perspectives of Black women.
Through Blavity, Morgan has created the likes of Shadow & Act, 21Ninety, a platform specifically tailored to the lives and interests of Black women and femmes, and live events such as Summit21 tailored to Black women creators and AfroTech.
Morgan DeBaun
Tomi Adeyemi
Tomi Adeyemi is the bestselling author of the acclaimed Legacy of Orisha trilogy, with her debut book Children of Blood and Bone topping The New York Times bestsellers list. Born in the United States, Tomi’s writing is heavily influenced by her Nigerian heritage, drawing from Yoruba mythology and culture to craft rich fantasy stories, where Black women and girls see themselves represented in powerful, multifaceted characters.
In her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, Adeyemi centers strong, complex Black female protagonists, such as Zélie Adebola, who embody resilience, courage, and leadership. By placing Black women at the heart of her epic fantasy narratives, she disrupts the traditionally Eurocentric norms of the genre and creates space for Black girls to see themselves as heroes in stories that celebrate their heritage and culture.
Tomi Adeyemi
Benedict Lombe
Benedict is an award-winning Congolese British writer and playwright who has received critical acclaim for her bold, poetic exploration of race, love and self-discovery. Her breakout one woman play Lava, which premiered at the Bush Theatre in London in 2021 won multiple awards and set the stage for her as a rising star.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in Ireland, her multicultural background threaded the needle to explore themes of identity, self-acceptance, migration, and belonging through the lens of a Black woman.
In 2024, Lombe’s second play Shifters hit London’s West End with a sold-out run. The time-bending romance that starred Tosin Cole (Supacell) and Heather Agyepong (The Power) had audiences intoxicated with this fiercely beautiful love story. The success of the show has continued off stage with a nomination for Best New Play for the 2025 Olivier Awards (making Benedict the first Black British woman to achieve this nomination). If you missed it on the West End not to worry as it has been optioned for the screen, stay tuned for updates on that.
Benedict Lombe
