Coco Gauff, Black Women, Our Success & Not Believing In Black Women

I am a firm believer in the idea of supporting and believing Black women. Doing so includes when they share their lived experiences and when they set out to accomplish a goal. Yet, society does not seem to push this narrative, instead oftentimes questioning our reality by demanding that we explain or provide evidence of it.

We also face naysayers insisting that our success is not deserved or framing our lack of access as our fault instead of a world that systematically places barriers in our path.

Today, Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open. She is a 19-year-old Black woman whom, throughout this tournament, has had to deal with others questioning her ability to win and challengers weaponizing white tears while they allude to the system (ironically) favoring Coco because of the time between matches. During her acknowledgments, Coco Gauff stated that she wanted to “thank those who didn’t believe in me.”

Daily, Black women find themselves having to reconfigure the negative energy and skeptics who question their right and ability to be in the positions they hold.

Even though Black women oftentimes have had to fight and prove themselves ten-times over in comparison to their counterparts.

Black women must refuse to internalize false narratives about their abilities and to push back Imposter Syndrome in order to succeed.

It is exhausting, but the reality of our existence.

We are forced to take what Coco reminded us is the “water” that tries to temper our fire and use it as gasoline.

There is an inherent unfairness in being made to do so.

Yet, we try and often do, in spite of.

Black women deserve to be celebrated — -not just on the world stage of a major tennis match — which even then, is filled with landmines of doubters.

We have already earned the right to opportunities to shine without attempts to dim or steal the light that guides us to our full potential.

Black women are due oxygen not just so they can breathe, but to fan the flames of their dreams.

Black women are owed the roaring cheers in their own version of a tennis court.

Until the day we get it, we will take your doubt and still…

And Still….

Dr. Tyffani is a licensed psychologist who centers the needs of Black Women and Girls in her work. She is the co-founder of Living At The Intersections, Inc., an organization that celebrates and believes in Black women…even off of the tennis court.

#CocoGauff #USOpen #DrTyffani #LATIInc