This book is by black women, for black women, and could not have come to fruition without the support of black women. Our photographers, our stylists, our cover designer, our supporters and so many others – they are black women without whom this would not have been possible. Elizabeth and I started this process, as mentioned earlier, with a focus group of young black Brits from different backgrounds, with different interests and jobs, who took time out of their day to tell us why they wanted this book and what they wanted from it. We then met and interviewed black women whom we have looked up to for years, finding new heroes along the way and also, as clichéd as it may sound, finding ourselves in the process.
The women we spoke to gave up their time and their personal stories to aid us, and you. The willingness of so many to share their experiences in the hope that black British women and girls might take something – anything – from them, is a perfect illustration of our ability to spin gold from what might at first seem like a heap of hay. There may have been moments in this book when you felt overwhelmed by gloomy stats, or bummed out by second-hand experiences that can seem out of place in this day and age, but we hope you also feel inspired by the words of wisdom from our interviewees, spurred on by their stories and, most importantly, optimistic about the future. We know we didn’t need to sugarcoat situations that many of you are already familiar with, but while things for us are still not by any means perfect, there has been progress, and we should acknowledge that the women we spoke to, and others like them, paved the way for us through a more difficult set of circumstances than we can imagine.
Had we pitched this book ten or even five years ago, I’m not sure whether it would have found a publisher – certainly not nine publishers competing to acquire it. At that time it would have been just as important, just as necessary and just as sought-after by black women, but for so long, what black women want has never been enough. I like to think that the existence of this book is a sign that things are changing, but it’s a change that has not occurred in a vacuum. It is those who came before us who have helped in so many ways to make it possible.
Here’s to us making the best of an ever-changing world, one full of possibilities.
When I turned 21, and just after I had graduated, I wrote a note to myself about the approach I wanted to take in life. I knew I was entering a new chapter and that there would be bumps in the road along my journey. This note was a sort of promise, a manifesto that I could refer back to, that would reassure me whenever I lacked motivation, when a particular goal seemed impossible, when something I wanted didn’t go to plan, or when someone let me down. A key part of this note was a quote from Maya Angelou: ‘My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.’
Through ups and downs over the years I have gone back to this note and it has always reignited that spark in myself, helping to refocus my purpose. I hope that through these women’s stories and, most importantly, their advice, Slay In Your Lane does something similar for you. Depending on where you are in your life, it will reassure you that, whatever you may experience, whatever it is you have to offer the world, and whatever your purpose, you’re not alone. Because calling it the Black Girl Bible was intentional. We hope that by joining us on this journey you will come to realise that your personal mission is not only to survive in this world, but also to thrive within your own expectations, without limitations: to slay in your own lanes.