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CULTURE + WOMANISM
Issa Rae’s Wedding Brought Black Joy Down to Earth
Some moments are worth celebrating
I know some people really don’t like weddings. But you should know before reading this that I adore them. Families, friends, and colleagues come together to celebrate a couple’s decision to spend their lives together. It may sound a bit mushy, but even a skeptic has to admit that weddings are worth saving the date for.
As a Black woman married to a Black man, I feel genuine joy at seeing 36-year old actress and producer Issa Rae and her groom Louis Diame tie the knot. It’s not easy being Black, and it certainly isn’t easy finding love in the Black community. Knowing that they defeated all odds to find one another is amazing.
While it's true some women don’t want marriage; there are so many barriers that block Black women who want to get married from finding someone worthy of a life-long commitment. Finding someone who has the same values, respects you, and encourages you is never easy. You may have to kiss some frogs, and even then, finding your prince charming is never a guarantee. But, I would argue that it’s worth trying if getting married is on your bucket list.
Dark-skinned Black women are the least likely to get married in the United States. This is partly due to…