After leading with Maya Angelou, I racked my brain for my next black Shero for this series. I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while so I actually have a reserve of quite of few photos in my inspiration folder. I’m going to be continuing this past black history month and women’s history month. Some will be tied to the civil rights movement, some will be tied to Hollywood and pop culture. Some will kick down doors forcefully and some will create a tidal wave of change, solely for being themselves — a brown girl on celluloid.
photo by Sonia Moskowitz
Today, I’m honoring Diana Ross. Oscar noms, Grammys, Lifetime Achievement awards, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Kennedy Center honors, The Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor that the prez can give an American civilian), 18 number one hits and album sales that make her the most successful female artist in history according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Wow!
As a kid I was mesmerized by her in The Wiz — I’m sorry Judy Garland but Ms. Ross was definitely doing it for the culture. She helped build Motown and remains a force in pop culture. The kind of woman that performs her own tribute and brings her whole family on stage, the kind of woman who can loose her fanny pack, tweet about it and it’s returned unharmed to her. You have to respect Ms. Ross.
She’s a life force and energy and some of my favorite photos of her were capture of her dancing, one night at Studio 54 in the late 70s. She is a dynamic life force and I hope to embody that.
shot at Simon Hotel in Fort-de-France, Martinique
While looking for a specific picture of Diana Ross, I happened upon one of someone in a post that was very familiar to me. I was like, “She’s posing like DR dancing at Studio 54. What the heck?!” I thought I had made a mental note of where I saw it, so that I could come back to it later. I wanted to find what I was looking for.
After a couple of hours, I finally found the one I had been searching for. But, then I had forgotten where I saw the other one. I had to go back through my History. I finally found it again, after much, much back tracking. I clicked on it and lo and behold, the article was actually about Miss Ross. I knew then that the pose was on purpose.
It made me smile to read what was written. All very true! I have been a super fan, since I was 6 years old. I am now 51. Even as a straight woman, she is the female love of my life. MJ is the other love of my life. She is so amazing, incredible, beautiful and so very sweet. My love just ever increases more and more. Thank you for letting others know how fantastic she really is!
Erika V. Saunders
This comment made me so so happy! Thank you for making note of my post and coming back to it. If my grandparents weren’t playing MJ, Miss Diana or Bob Marley in the house when I was growing up, something was wrong! I love imagery because every time I find a new photo of DR I’m just in awe of her style and beauty. Thank you for checking this out!