Black women have been breaking records and barriers all 2017. Instead of listing off every accomplishment a black woman has made this year, The Post decided to highlight five women's accomplishments that have helped humanity, made industries more inclusive, set records, told their stories and gave black women representation on television platforms.
1. Beyoncé
Queen Bey is easily one of the most influential women in the world. She has taken her platform for being one of the most talented artist in history and became a humanitarian in her own right. Beyoncé was born and raised in Houston. When Hurricane Harvey hit major cities in Texas, she felt it was her duty to provide relief for her hometown. She has helped Texas by releasing the song “Mi Gente” and donating the profits to the victims that were affected. Beyoncé has also started Formation Scholars which will award four scholarships to women in college who are pursuing studies in creative arts, music, literature or African American studies. It’s easy to go on forever about the projects and achievements Beyonce has made this year. Anyone who is interested in what she’s done in places such as Burundi or more about her relief efforts in Texas can check out the hashtag #BeyGood on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
2. Rihanna
Rihanna is taking the beauty industry by storm. People of color have had a lack of representation in makeup products that match their skin tones for too long. Considering the various undertones that men and women of color have, they have not being represented, but Rihanna came to the rescue. She started her own makeup line called Fenty Beauty. The launch of her makeup line included 40 shades of foundation that cater to all shades and she will be adding more in the future. After Rihanna shook the beauty industry with her inclusiveness, other makeup brands felt the pressure in adding more shades for women of color. Rihanna is making sure P.O.C. are being represented in the beauty industry and we all owe her one for it.
3. Issa Rae
Issa Rae shows that consistency and hard work pays off. This year, Issa Rae kicked off her second season of Insecure on HBO. Issa Rae started off with a series on YouTube by the name of The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. She continued with that web series for six years before she received her breakthrough at HBO. One of Rae’s main goal is to create more screenwriting opportunities for minority groups. She is always bringing on new writers to show off their talents. She was nominated for her first Golden Globe award this year, received remarkable reviews for Insecure and starred in Jay- Z’s music video “Moonlight.” Issa Rae is creating opportunities for minorities and being acknowledged for it in mainstream media.
4. Cardi B
Cardi B started off on Instagram. She gained everyone’s attention for being vocal about things that no one wanted to say. From there she starred on Love and Hip-Hop New York. While being on the show, she was considered a star. Her sassiness got her into a lot of trouble which always kept viewers interested. On the show, she expressed her interest in music. Little did fans know she would come out with “Bodak Yellow,” which swept the music industry. She was getting played at popular bars and mainstream radio stations. Even celebrities such as Demi Lovato couldn’t resist dancing and rapping along to the song. She also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lauryn Hill was the last female solo rapper that topped the charts 19 years ago. Who knew that Instagram would lead her to having one of the most recognizable songs in the country.
5. SZA
SZA’s album CTRL is one of the best albums that came out this year, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. She was vulnerable about her past love life and what she has been through. The album also sampled her mother and grandmother talking to make it even more personal. One of the most popular songs, “Love Galore,” went platinum on Sept. 20. She started off by making songs for Beyonce like “Pretty Hurts” and she even made a few songs for Rihanna. SZA was more known for being behind the scenes and now that she is center stage, fans can’t get enough of her.
