As a fashion company, we were mesmerized by the assortment of garments chosen for the music. Each song had its own theme and therefore its own special style of clothing. We chose some of our favorite pieces from the film and imagined how some of our pieces would fit  

The Carter team is a big mood on the track “Mood 4 Eva”. Since they first started featuring on each other’s tracks, the duo has risen to the music industry’s favorite couple. In this track Jay-Z sports a few stylish suits and tux. He’s truly embracing the lifestyle and dressing the part.  

Create a similar feeling with our regal Rammy blazer in burgundy/gold/black. Our African print blazer will have you walking around feeling like an African king. The comfortable blazer elevates any look and gives the same vibe as “Mood 4 Eva” 

The choreography in “Already” is excellent and features some amazing African-inspired dance moves. Beyonce rocks several styles that show off her curves while also showing her as a powerful woman. One of our favorites is the blazer bodysuit by Loza Maléombho. It reminds us of our powerful statement blazer from our Black History Month Collection. Our black gold mudcloth blazer is bold and beautiful. The comfortable stretch woven material makes it a favorite amongst our customers. 

In the fun song, “Water” there is a slew of gorgeous looks that Beyonce rocks. In one scene Beyonce is wearing a dress designed by Mary Katrantzou. This exciting dress features many ruffles and a dreamy mashup of colors. Our Sikudani dress is similarly a pleasing dress with vivid colors. Our dress also features ruffles adding to the overall appearance of the dress. Rock this out anywhere and feel like Beyonce.  

“Brown Skin Girl” is a beautiful song that the world desperately needed. This anthem to melanin beauty uplifts women around the world. Our Jaida and Dia shirts fit into this theme perfectly. They both feature the words, “Brown Skin Girl” and the shirt itself was designed to empower and uplift women in our community. Let your clothes speak for yourself by wearing this fashionable t-shirt that tells everyone exactly what you think.  

Also, in the “Brown Skin Girl” video, Beyonce rocked a gorgeous black and white pattern dress while belting out the lyrics to her song. The dress looks amazing on her and the white background allows the dress to really pop. Our own Afua dress in the black gold mudcloth print is just as beautiful. The dress features a unique high-low cut with an addition of an off-the-shoulder sleeve. 

Beyonce’s gospel-pop song “Spirit” is an uplifting track meant to make listeners want to pursue their own destiny. There are many obvious references to The Lion King in the song, but it’s not just a cookie-cutter Disney song. Beyonce uses her voice to add meaning and depth to the lyrics and ultimately it translates well. Her choice of clothing helps to further the meaning.  

The gold color of her ensemble looks amazing with her skin tone and gives off a warm and inviting feel. We have a similar outfit that will you have you feeling just like Beyonce. Our Cyrah skirt in the gold blue flowers print has a slit for ladies to pop out their leg. We also have a matching crop top to complete the whole look! 

If you're feeling empowered, as we are from this movie, take a look at the rest of our looks that will have you shining as bright as Beyonce. Shop more looks here!

We’re a big fan of makeup and how it can bring an outfit together. One of the fastest-growing cosmetic lines operated by a black woman is The Crayon Case. The Crayon Case is known for its bright colors and creative packaging. The makeup is a big hit amongst amateur makeup users who desire to recreate fashionable looks. The owner, Raynell Steward has created a brand with a very loyal fan base. For Cyber Monday in 2019, she grossed 1.3 million in one hour.

What black woman hasn’t wished for a beanie or turban that can protect hair instead of leaving us with a mess on our heads? Grace Eleyae created the solution for us with an incredible line of headpieces that are lined with satin. This means that black women now have a stylish piece to wear on their heads that will protect our hair instead of messing it up. She filled a need that the community wanted filling and her business is doing well.

One of the fastest-growing tax companies in America is owned and operated by Dana Chanel and her husband. Their company, called Jumping Jack Taxes, is a family business and wants to create generational wealth within the community. Their goal is to keep money in the hands of black people and help folks gain financial literacy.

Lastly, we ourselves are owned and operated by Addie Elabor. This company was started by her and has grown into an amazing business. She took her background and created a trendy fashion line for those who also want to rep their heritage.

In recent news, a black woman-owned company, Honey Pot, was accused of being “racist” to white people for stating, that she wants her company to do well "so the next black girl that comes up with a great idea could have a better opportunity". The backlash targeted toward the company was due to a commercial released by Target. The commercial for feminine hygiene products used black actors for the portrayal. Immediately, there was a response from the internet as people left poor reviews for the company on multiple sites. This is an example of why we need more representation of the black community.

Representation helps create self-worth for young women and makes them feel just as worthy and as important as any other race. Representation also has another side to it, where it encourages society to also accept other races and forms of beauty as commonplace and mainstream. It helps build a bridge between races by helping educate people on cultural differences. Sometimes people are afraid to ask questions that they think might be disrespectful or rude toward a group of people. However, watching these conversations play out over television or through stories can bring people together.

In the case of Honey Pot, the backlash tells us that we need even more representation. There was no reason for people to find the commercial “racist” for wishing that black women have more opportunities to share their ideas.  The Honey Pot commercial is a sign of changing times.

At spfraidersoccercamp, we work hard to create trendy African print fashion and also create an inclusive community that accurately represents strong men and women of color. Our bold prints and vibrant colors are perfect for those who like to let their clothes do the talking. Part of our goal as a company is to build up the youth through positive representation.

For young, impressionable girls it is imperative to raise their confidence and self-esteem, so they grow up to be strong women. The bottom line is that representation makes young women feel like they matter and gives them a voice.

Our goal is to continue to provide an inclusive community and representation for all women and men of color by continually raising the bar. Be part of our community and support our goals of representation for people of color. Check out our vibrant and bold African Print Clothing and proudly represent this movement with us!

Don't forget to check out our recent blog "The Strength of Women's Suits" and shop our new Spring T-Shirt Collection! 

What’s her story?

Photo Credit: Imani Khayyam for The Observer

Angie, a Missipi native who lives in the southern state to this day, was a victim of bullying in high school. It got bad enough that her mental health was affected, leading to her parents' decision to homeschool her. At this time, Thomas’ mother lost her job, and her family lived in what she refers to as crisis mode. Revisiting this time in her life, a time she remembers as the most traumatic, was a part of the creative process for beginning to write The Hate U Give. Thomas recounts this story and process in an interview with Tim Lewis of The Guardian. She also speaks of books as a tool for resistance.

It is noted that Thomas was a teen rapper and that she received a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. Her pursuit of higher education and passion for rap music are evidently intertwined in her novels. Adapting rapper 2Pac’s “THUG LIFE”, a theory about “how the hate you give f***s everyone” for the title of her debut novel, Thomas explores trauma in the formative years; the loss of friends to cops as well as the community, and the process of grappling with that.

Another notable adaptation (used this time for the dialogue in the book) is “I Can’t Breathe”, the last words of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man murdered by the police as a result of an arrest for selling loose cigarettes, and later a call during protests against frequent, similar murders.

Conscious and proud of her infusion of hip hop culture into the worlds of her characters, Thomas has compared the main characters of her novels to 2Pac and Biggie; a reflection of communal versus personal motivation.

On the Come Up is the title of Thomas’ second novel. The book centers an aspiring female rapper. Is it an allusion to her own story? It’ll likely be explored. Read the book now to be a part of the conversation, and maybe gift a copy to a young adult or literary child in your life.

Filmmaker, writer, and organizer, Hampton has contributed to titles such as the Village Voice, Harper’s Bazaar, and NPR. An educator in more ways than one, Hampton is a Stanford University Professor, with a long relationship with rap music, which she has dubbed “revolutionary music”, culture, and the rights of women.

Hampton’s work has been critically celebrated for decades now, having won awards including an Emmy in the 90s for the Biggie episode of VH1’s Behind the Music. One of the first to focus critical attention on misogyny in hip-hop culture, Hampton is credited as one of few music writers to call out rapper, and now successful entrepreneur, Dr. Dre for his physical attack on hip hop video host (and woman) Dee Barnes, in a piece that she wrote for The Source while studying film. 

Image via Vibe

Her calls for justice and attention on women have real world affects.

In the case of her work as Executive Producer of Surviving R. Kelly, which broke ratings records for the Lifetime network, we are presently seeing a nearly two decade history of abuse finally being addressed through legal action, as a result of the power of film - of art. The existence of Hampton’s documentary, and the emotional response it has garnered, has seemingly outweighed calls from parents as well as expose articles; ramping up legal proceedings and leading musicians to call for their collaborations with the docuseries’ subject to be removed from streaming services.

A Google search of Cordova’s name reveals unwanted propulsion into the spotlight. Targeted by former Congressman Anthony Weiner in what has now come to be known as “Weinergate” (the controversial period after which the Congressman sent unsolicited personal photos to various women via outlets such as Twitter) and lead down a path that could have easily led to peaking in public persona as tabloid fodder, Cordova (a college student at the time) used her intelligence and inclination to string strong words together gracefully. Not only clearing her name, but introducing what would become her work to the world; prior to contributing text to Nike campaigns, or Huffington Post think pieces and interviews with other influential black women such as Angela Rye into the media sphere.

(Image via Twitter.com/GNCordova)

Cordova has been questioned ethically in write-ups for publications such as the Harvard Political Review, “For all I know, Cordova isn't being fully honest, maybe she sent something provocative to Weiner…”, even as her testimony is used as confirmation that Weiner “sought to transform informal online conversations and partisanship into sexually charged exchanges” However, Cordova’s professional presence, extending to the sphere of social media, has been nothing short of equitably and ethically focused, and through her words as well as her real-life activism, we are provided with a template of what it looks like to maintain ownership of who you are in public as well as private spheres; never subscribing to the theory that your name has or can become synonymous with the mistakes or suggestions of others.

Asked to speak at such prestigious locales as the Tate Modern’s bookstore for discourse on her award-winning book Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race (named for the 2014 blog post of the same title, which resulted in her book deal), Reni is exposing wide and varied audiences to the realities of structural racism in London, which reflects what Lodge called “Americancentric narratives” in a Sydney Morning Harold interview with contributor Kylie Northover.

Eddo-Lodge’s story is intricately tied to the power of consistency. She has said in many interviews that she did not have a heavily read blog when she wrote the now infamous essay, but after the heartbreak of looking to feminism for a community of people who held the same values and ideas, then quickly realizing that speaking her truth was related to divisiveness and bullying on her part (both in private spaces as well as in the context of the public sphere) she knew that this was not to be found amongst the UK’s white feminist and that something as inconsequential as acknowledgment that structural racism exists was not likely to come from people who refused to admit that they benefit from that structure, she had to get it out there.

In expanding the post to a book, she has offered actionable advice and information, especially to those in the bubble of “White feminism”, including paradigm shifting assignments like questioning whiteness in the same way you (a white feminist) would question the patriarchy. However, when it comes to being asked how to be a better ally, sometimes in tears, Eddo-Lodge shies away from handing down any proclamations, instead urging individuals to “learn from the person next to you”; encouraging communal engagement over what Eddo-Lodge has called hero worship.

Recognized by pop-culture born activists like Emma Watson, who selected Reni’s debut title as a book club selection, as well academic institutions like the British Royal Historical Society which, using Eddo-Lodge’s book as a springboard, composed a report on the inequities involved with how history is taught, Eddo-Lodge has a platform that could take her anywhere. We’re excited to find out where anywhere will be, and who else she’ll inspire on her way there.

This is true, not only in the case of looking back at history, but in looking at now, and what is to come of the future.

With that in mind, spfraidersoccercamp is introducing you to the five women listed below; change-makers you should know about. The impact they are making now as well as the impact that we’re excited to see them make in the near future, make them more than worthy of a follow (be it via social media, or in the ways you do that in real life, like reading their books, attending their panels, etc.) Intelligent, proactive, and inspiring, they are:

(Video via www.instagram.com/tadeyemibooks)

Tomi Adeyemi, a Nigerian American novelist who you may know for her novel, Children of Blood and Bone. A first pick for The Tonight Show’s book club, the young adult fantasy novel has appealed to the masses across age ranges, which is one of many reasons it is being called the new Harry Potter, or the black Harry Potter, depending on who you’re talking to.

A Harvard graduate and writer, as well as a San Francisco writing coach, Tomi grew up in the far suburbs just outside of the proper Chicago city limits. She went on to study West African culture and mythology in Salvador, Brazil, where she’d learn about things like the Orisha; a strong component to ...Blood and Bone, which is expected to be the seed of a trilogy series.

Prior to the book even being published, Adeyemi was rewarded with a movie deal, and as her novel takes place in a mythical African land, it has garnered comparisons to another popular work of fiction, Black Panther. Will we hear her name at award season next year? It’s more than likely.

(Image via ToniAdeyemi.com)

Adeyemi has already been named a Nebula awards finalist, alongside filmmaker Boots Reily (Sorry to Bother You) and musician Janelle Monae. All three have become, in whatever span of time, popular arbiters of complex art that could be most easily compartmentalized into the category of Afrofuturism; a subset but also distinctively unique branch of science fiction, a medium perfect for telling the stories of minorities and celebrated at Nebula. 

Masculinity unattached from the toxic and a focus on the medium of fiction as a way to spread the message are intentional elements of the writer’s stories, she’s said of the novel, “If we’re being honest, the type of person who is going to sit down and read a thesis on race in America… is most likely not the type of person who is our problem.” Looking back on the outrage from some viewers over the presence of black actors in the film version of The Hunger Games, one of the events that motivated the writing of ...Blood and Bone, Adeyemi said to Ja’Han Jones of the Huffington Post, “I hadn’t even connected that to all of the problems we had… to see people who were so distracted by the presence of blackness that it ruined the movie for them - I was like, ok, I’m gonna get you.”

The next book in the series, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, is set for release June 4th.