When Beyoncé dropped Lemonade, the gorgeous visual album, the world stopped. The project draws heavily on themes of betrayal, forgiveness, growth, and community. With poetry from Somali-British writer Warsan Shire, traditional Yoruba body paint by Brooklyn-based Nigerian artist Laolu Senbanjo, and an undeniably Southern Gothic setting, the work is an impressively rich reflection of the African diaspora.
But at its core, Lemonade is a deeply vulnerable project that speaks directly to, for, and with black women in particular. Below are some of the best pieces written by black women, joining Beyoncé in the conversation she invited us into — scarf tied, edges laid, and lemonade stirred.