Say My Name and Spell it Right.
Homegirl Magazine with a fresh newsletter about our namesakes and keeping it stylish in these streets.
Black women routinely adapt, adjust, and edit themselves to fit into a world that doesn’t always understand or value their uniqueness. It’s a frustrating to have lived through but is a narrative that I believe to be actively changing.
I’ve been told I don’t look like my name.
Erika Ellis, which translates to ever powerful and benevolent leader, often felt like a name that belonged to someone else. Whether it is from the look of shock and surprise when they see a name or heard a voice that did not match the melanated face in front of them. Often it would boil down to something as simple as spelling.
Maybe it’s a clerical error like Diana Ross, who was named “Diane” by her mother but the typo resulted in her name being recorded “Diana” on her birth certificate. She’s even listed and introduced herself as Diane during the Supremes earliest years. Diana Ross is still “Diane” to her friends and family. Such simple duality is both a gift and a compromise.
I have admittedly been close to or intimate with people who’ve spelled my name wrong. It felt rude to correct someone. Instead, I’d wear the transgression like a silent betrayal.
Is it just that some people don’t care much for detail? My name is in my email address, so how can you spell it wrong when you address me?
Besides, Erika with a “c” is the most common spelling and those who are unsure typically opt for a “ck” spelling to cover their bases. It is such a simple act of visibility whenever someone asks for the correct spelling of my name. act of care when someone asks which spelling.
Last week, British Vogue shared May 2021 cover with actress, Thandiwe Newton, and my first thought was the butterfly effect because I would have KNOWN if there was a “w” in Thandiwe Newton. Wearing fashion that represents her Zimbabewan and British heritage, Newton is embracing her culture, and that includes her name.
"The W of her name drifted inward, out of sight and earshot, in a futile hope to make her feel less different," Diana Evans wrote for British Vogue.
Like many Black girls with names that feel bigger that the world wants for them, Newton took to modifying in order to make herself more palatable. I can’t help feeling this more or less reflects a lack of imagination by the majority. And I’m inspired by the shift we’re seeing with more people, particularly Black women, owning the parts of them that force them to take up space.
All future works will be credited Thandiwe Newton. "That's my name. It's always been my name," she said.
United States of Rihanna: Is Street Style Making a Comeback?
The blogs could not stop talking about Rihanna rocking vintage Tom Ford for Gucci feathered jeans that sold out before they were in stores. Janet Jackson, Madonna, and Lil Kim all for a pair. Most famously worn by Lil Kim on the cover of The Notorious Kim album and shot by David LaChappelle.
Back when sporting a look could get you captured on the lenses of great street style photographers Bill Cunningham and Nabile Quenum, seeing Rihanna step out in such strong serves really reignites a zest for getting dressed and not waiting for a special occasion to bust out the statement pieces.
Let’s Take Things To The Next Level
Consider an annual membership to our digital platform (or a founder’s membership if you’re really down) to support independent publishing and Black creatives.
We started Homegirl Magazine because we want to help creatives of color get published and felt more Black and feminine narratives in beauty, culture, and lifestyle were needed.
Homegirl Magazine produces three print issues per year (September, December, April), a bi-monthly digital newsletter, and a podcast (launching soon)
Can’t subscribe annually? Monthly membership also available. Also: Share our newsletter. Homegirl’s next reader or future contributor could be someone you know.