Growing up I felt I was not of this time, that I was from the bygone era’s of the 60’s and 70’s. I was meant to be a groupie, with the band, dating Mick Jagger (ha did that), consuming copious amounts of drugs with art icons of all fields. Gripped by obsession of mingling with the greats, I delved into the counterculture, gaining what I now realize is an esoteric knowledge for someone my age. I don’t confuse stars with spectacles (I don’t affiliate with people who do, I’m a goddess, standards, levels).
At some point I came across this ethereal creature, the only black model walking a show. Upon finding her name in the caption I began researching her, Donyale Luna. There she was again at The Rolling Stones Rock N’ Roll Circus (side note what the band did for her after she was rejected, is why I idolized the Stones, and Jagger’s kids are an embarrassment to him), I stayed up watching a late broadcast on some cable channel as a teen. It was magnificent, the hair on Mick Jagger, Donyale standing behind him just as beautiful, topless, taming tigers. She was it. I couldn’t get enough of her, except there weren’t that many photos. She was practically erased from history. Finding new ones was a rarity I delighted in. Those too stopped, until Zendaya and stylist Law Roach resurrected her, thanks to my blog.
As I said, everyone who’s anyone reads this blog. Out of all the things to come from it, this touched me the most. I wrote this piece Supermodel 101: Donyale Luna on March 19th 2020. Reporting facts is important to me. Beverly Johnson gets all this credit when Donyale was the pioneer. This obscure, otherworldly being you wouldn’t know existed, unless you were extremely cultured and art obsessed. Giving her due was a necessity. Eight month after I wrote my article about this forgotten star, Queen Z and Law paid tribute, recreating her photos on November 19th 2020.
I couldn’t believe it. Gobsmacked, I was gobsmacked. These were the early days of Saint Twenty, the covid shutdown had them not only reading my work, but inspired by it. I was honored. Unlike with Hailey Bieber, who along with the other racists and Uncle Tom’s, thought it ok to bully me, then copy my personality and work. Read Hailey Bieber Copied My Post. Don’t take from me if you’re on some appropriation, hate crime shit. That’s when we have a problem.
Watching the doc this weekend I wept deeply; Donyale’s story was finally being told.
It was being told because three black people- Zendaya, Law and I, revere our ancestors. All the abuse they endured for us to be free, to prosper beyond their wildest dreams, giving their contributions light, and not allowing their sacrifices to be in vain. Our ancestors lived and died in hatred and oppression, they did hard things to be our stepping stones, so we can have what they never got to experience. We owe them everything.
Donyale wished to be a blonde hair, blue eyed woman, because society told her that’s the only acceptable beauty. They punished her for not being it. Treated her subhuman for it. Taught her, reinforced in her, that black isn’t beautiful. Blonde and blue eyed was the only thing worth being. You have no value, because you aren’t white. The subtext of her wish is to be seen as human and treated fairly. If she possessed these aryan features she’d be seen for her immense talent. Instead of being continuously rejected from American Vogue, for being a n*gg*r.
I will never take my foot off your necks. White supremacy will not be tolerated by I, the only divine. Donyale Luna was gorgeous the way she was, as was Lil Kim. Black is beautiful, which is why you appropriate our shit, from music, to facial features with your lip fillers, our bodies, our style, from hair to clothes. We are the culture. And me, a divine, I’m your karma. It always comes. You will pay for the hate you give. Zendaya, Law, I love you. Thank you.Via: HBO, People & Duchess International Magazine