It’s time for authentic stories from Black women. Carefree is an online community of authentic storytellers who believe Black women deserve to feel seen and be heard in a community that celebrates them—no matter their background.
My name is Anayo and I’m a writer and editor at heart. I created this space to not only tell more stories about Black womanhood but also so I could always have a space to write and edit.
I created Carefree out of a lack of seeing myself represented in the world. Growing up as a Black woman in predominantly white schools, I always thought I was the only one going through certain situations or dealing with certain insecurities. It made me feel alone and not good enough. It wasn’t until I worked up the courage to share those insecurities with others that I realized, not only was I not the only one, but other women were dealing with the same things I was. Telling my story is what gave me the freedom to accept myself as I was.
When do Black women get to just BE is something I asked myself when creating this platform. When does the world get to see us for who we truly are, and when do we get to revel in all our flaws, show our scars, and strip ourselves bare? We all want to be excellent, but Black excellence isn’t the only form of Blackness that deserves to be celebrated.
My goal has always been to share the in-between stories. What exists between Black excellence and Black oppression? What exists between us becoming CEO, or even the president, and us being killed–reduced to a hashtag?
Nuance exists there. Beauty exists there. Triumph, failures, adventures, joy, LIFE exists there. There is so much to the collective Black experience and the stories we tell on Carefree will be a testament to that.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CAREFREE MAG