As Black Women, we so often (by little-to-no choice of our own) have to bear the brunt of so much in life. Yet still we rise. SO shout out Gabriella-Karefa Johnson. I have a whole lot of love and respect for this woman. ...and this woman is a star. @gabriellak_j IS fashion. She literally is IT. What is NOT IT, however, is the malicious targeting of a person (a Black woman no less) for her thoughtful, very much needed critique in a fashion space on a socio-political issue (both of which she is VERY well-versed; an arbiter I’d even say). What I am NOT here for is to sit quietly while a member of MY community (in both identity and profession, as us Black Women Fashion Editor/ Stylists are a pretty small crew) is bullied by a cowardly idiot in a very public platform. I AM, however, trying to focus on UPLIFTING my people in the days after traumas collectively endured (once again) rather than forcing us all to relive them. In that, I feel compelled to say that Gab is NOT JUST A FASHION person. She is SO MUCH MORE, and profoundly so. She has demonstrated her profundity authentically and organically over the years through keen thought, insight, words, action and vision. THIS WOMAN IS IT across the board. How I see it: GKJ’s innate traits— which reach FAR OUTSIDE of fashion and feel far more worthy of celebration than solely her existence in it — speak to the remarkable woman she is. These qualities of hers speak to her ability NOT ONLY to exist within this industry that, let’s be honest, wasn’t originally built for US, but THEN ALSO (as if our very presence in these spaces as Black Women isn’t hard enough), to push the needle forward, changing the very industry in which we exist as she does... and this is all BECAUSE OF (not in spite of) her physical presence and contributions to it. NOW if THAT isn’t a fashion person FAR MORE PROFOUND than just fashion itself, then I don’t know what is. H/T to Gabriella for navigating an absolutely abhorrent situation that I can’t even imagine (and on a global stage), all handled like a TRUE QUEEN. LY GKJ!!! And here’s TO BLACK WOMEN FEELING SAFE, SEEN, SUPPORTED and EXPERIENCING ALL THE MORE EASE. 🫶🏾