On-Screen Reinvention of Nature by Black Women

On-Screen Reinvention of Nature by Black Women

In the realm of pop culture and media, Black women have emerged as influential figures, shaping the way we perceive and imagine our environments. From the glamorous and nature-focused Batiste family in Kasi Lemmons' 1997 horror drama Eve's Bayou, to the nuanced portrait of a Black woman writer named Arabella in Michaela Coel's 2020 show I May Destroy You, Black women have been at the forefront, weaving themes of ecology and climate change into their narratives.

Dr. Chelsea Mikael Frazier, in a special edition of The Frontline, argues that Blackness and femininity are central to how we imagine our environments. The article highlights how Black women have been using nature for leisure, healing, and living, and it is both normal and bewitching to witness them luxuriate in their environments.

In Eve's Bayou, Jurnee Smollett stars as the daughter of a wealthy Black family in Louisiana. The family's prosperity is rooted in their African heritage and healing abilities. Samuel L. Jackson plays the patriarch of the Batiste family, and the film showcases a focus on glamour and nature.

I May Destroy You, on the other hand, provides a more sombre portrayal. The threat of catastrophic destruction looms over every intimate interaction, with many relationships polluted by casual anti-Blackness, homophobia, sexism, and class oppression. The show subtly links failed or fraught relationships to a larger visualization of a degraded and imbalanced global ecosystem, suggesting that the issues affecting Black women are everyone else's ecological problems too.

In 2020, Beyoncé released Black Is King, a musical accompaniment to The Lion King, which showcases dazzling coastal landscapes, African diaspora prints, and a jovial marriage between Black masculinity and femininity. The film portrays the loss of Indigenous African cultural practices and communities as the antagonist, with waters, stones, soils, and feminine spiritual forces helping the lead character find balance and remember himself.

Beyonce's 2016 film Lemonade also references and extends themes from Eve's Bayou, focusing on a Black woman's journey of introspection and renewal after a deep injury due to infidelity. The film incorporates powerful elements of nature, such as fields of wheat, water, and West African deities Oshun and Yemonja, in its aesthetic and aural healing motifs.

Black women have significantly influenced and transformed the representation of ecology and climate change in popular media by centering climate justice, ecofeminism, and environmental activism from marginalized perspectives. They have helped shift the narrative to emphasize justice, democracy, and inclusion, challenging dominant media portrayals and policy discourses.

Key aspects of their influence include leadership in climate justice movements, ecofeminist representation, broader media representation and storytelling, and advocacy for diversity in environmental journalism. Black women journalists actively support and participate in efforts to diversify media staffing and content in environmental reporting, challenging systemic racism and exclusion in environmental storytelling spaces.

Naomi Campbell, in 2003, showcased a simple, nature-focused lifestyle in her Jamaican home on MTV's Cribs. This example underscores the normalcy and appeal of Black women's connection with nature and their environment.

In conclusion, Black women have been pivotal in transforming how ecology and climate change are depicted—moving from narrow scientific or economic frames to multidimensional, justice-centered, and community-rooted narratives in popular media. Their influence is evident in various forms of media, from films and music to digital and social media, and their impact is far-reaching, resonating with audiences worldwide.

[1] Adger, W. N., & Brock, J. (2020). Race, gender, and climate change: Intersectionality and the politics of difference. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 45, 437-455.

[2] Bullard, R. D. (2005). Dumping in Dixie: Race, class, and environmental quality. MIT Press.

[3] Cole, J. (2019). The racial and gender politics of climate change. Annual Review of Political Science, 22, 131-148.

[4] Grossman, A. (2015). Environmental justice, human rights, and the politics of climate change. Annual Review of Political Science, 18, 257-272.

[5] Mendoza, M. (2019). Climate justice and media: A review of the literature. Journalism Studies, 20(8), 1177-1196.

1. Dr. Chelsea Mikael Frazier's article in The Frontline emphasizes the centrality of Blackness and femininity in shaping our perceptions of environments.
2. In the 1997 horror drama Eve's Bayou, Jurnee Smollett's character illustrates a Black woman's connection with nature and heritage.
3. Michaela Coel's show I May Destroy You presents a more somber portrayal, linking failed or fraught relationships to a larger visualization of a degraded global ecosystem.
4. Beyonce's works Black Is King and Lemonade extend themes of ecology and climate change, focusing on a Black woman's journey and incorporating elements of nature in their aesthetic and healing motifs.
5. Naomi Campbell's showcasing of a simple, nature-focused lifestyle in her Jamaican home on MTV's Cribs underscores the normalcy and appeal of Black women's connection with their environment.
6. Black women have significantly influenced popular media, shifting the narrative on ecology and climate change to emphasize justice, democracy, and inclusion, while supporting and participating in efforts to diversify media staffing and content in environmental journalism.

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