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You Too, Can Be a Carefree Black Girl.
Over the last year or so, the phrase "Carefree Black Girl" has gone around the Internet. What it is, is a movement in which black women are trying to destroy the stereotypical stigma against black women and allow black women to just be who they want to be. I never saw myself as a carefree black girl until recently. I would be envious of all the images I would see of black women who could claim the term. The main reason I thought this was because most of these women I saw who identified as carefree black girls were not facing any type of mental health issue, or if they were, they were not open about it. Thus, this translated to me that I could not be a carefree black girl until I got my own mental health together. And then I found the blog CFBG Tips;.
Raven, or raveyrai (ray-vee-ray), is the creator of CFBG Tips;. The "CFBG" stands for "Carefree Black Girl". She started the blog as a means of using it as a diary and it developed into something much more. In the about section of the blog, Raven explains that when she started the webcomic she was going through depression, anxiety and PTSD. So not only was this a comic talking about relatable topics for black girls, but it also was by a black woman who was open about the state of her mental health and still identified as a carefree black girl. On top of that, she made the blog because she wanted to create the representation that was lacking in the media.
This was why CFBG Tips stood out to me. It gave me the validation I was looking for. It made me believe that I could be going through mental health issues but still be a carefree black girl.
I got the opportunity to actually meet Raven, something I would have never had the guts to do if it were not for my social media class. The main reason I found out about CFBG Tips; was because as an assignment for said class. I needed to make an internet friend and meet them either in person or through video chat if they were not in the immediate area. Lucky for me, Raven was ready and willing to talk to me and give me some pointers for my own carefree black girl journey as well as some insight of her own journey.
What advice do you have to CFBGs who are going through mental illness?
For this question I got three suggestions from Raven:
Have some form of an outlet. This could be anything from drawing to dancing to writing to anything that with help you release any kind of bad energy you're feeling.
Find someone who is wiling to listen and validate you. Find an internet friend if you don't feel comfortable talking to anyone at home or if you're still in the
process of finding professional help.
Lastly, do not be afraid to take a break from social media. Sometimes, the over stimulation can be too much. CFBG Tips; has gone on hiatus before. Take a break, it's okay.
How you stay motivated? Especially on bad days?
Raven explained to me that being motivated is really hard. Again, do not be afraid to take a break! One method she uses is that she gives herself small tasks and recognizes those small victories. These tasks can be as small as just making it out of bed. She also said that to-do-list apps, despite what others may think, can really help especially the ones that makes tasks seem like games. Also, talk to yourself in a kind voice! TREAT YOURSELF KINDLY.
What's your favorite post so far?
In this post, Raven admitted that she was a sensitive person. What she aimed for in this post was to let cfbgs know that if you are sensitive, that is completely okay. It is a form of expression. You cannot bottle up you emotions. You got to let them out.
While we were discussing this question, Raven had said something that really had me thinking. "There needs to be a conversation about black women filtering their emotions." By that, Raven meant that as a whole, black women need to stop holding back on how they feel. We need to stop fearing of looking like the "angry black woman". We need to be comfortable expressing ourselves. I feel that this will help us become so much more carefree.
What were some animations that were definitely inspirations for you?
When I asked Raven this, she was just saying all the right things. Her answers were Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Proud Family, Steven Universe, and basically everything by Studio Ghibli. This was basically a summary of my childhood.
Raven studied animation in college and something that really stuck out for me was that she said that the Proud Family made her believe that she could really have her own animated show. From that we got into a conversation as to why representation in media is so important.
What would you ideal cartoon be about?
Raven's biggest goal is to be animation director and show creator, thus I wanted to know what her ideal cartoon would be about. We both agreed that we're tired of seeing books and movies of black people just struggling. It's getting old. So what she wants is a cartoon where we get to see all the identities possible of black people. She would want her team to be from various backgrounds because black culture has so many parts to it, especially in America.
You can follow Raven on Tumblr and Twitter. You can follow CFBG Tips; on both platforms as well. Trust me, you won't regret it!
And lastly, thank you Raven for taking the time to talk with me and for helping so many carefree black girls on their journey!