This
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching Wicked—not the play, but the movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. For years, I avoided the story, uninterested in delving into the Wicked Witch’s backstory. Why bother when the ending I remembered—a melted witch and a “happily ever after”—felt sufficient? Yet, as the credits rolled, I found myself in tears. My son, puzzled, asked, “Mom, are you crying?”
Wicked is a fictional tale, but it powerfully reflects the lived experiences of Black women through an allegorical narrative. Embedded within its storyline are themes of Black women’s liberation theories, leadership praxis, and resilience. Motherist leadership and spiritual leadership, in particular, resonate deeply. Wicked becomes a metaphorical lens for understanding Black women’s historical and ongoing efforts to champion the marginalized and bring about systemic change.
At the heart of Motherism, Womanist theory, and Africana Womanist theory lies a framework for addressing injustice. These ideologies prioritize the voices and actions of those most directly impacted by systemic oppression. In Wicked, that person is Elphaba—the green-skinned woman portrayed by Cynthia Erivo. Despite enduring insults, humiliation, and rejection, Elphaba fights quietly yet fiercely for those who, like her, are outcast and oppressed. Her inner strength comes from knowing who she is: different, yes, but uniquely and powerfully created.
This is where Motherism finds its stage. Elphaba steps into roles Black women have historically championed: caregiver, nurturer, advocate. She is a loyal friend to Glinda, a surrogate mother to her sister Nessarose, and a protector of the natural world. The absence of her own mother echoes the resilience Black women often display in the face of fractured family systems. Yet, even in her pain, she defends the defenseless—animals, the environment, and other marginalized beings—reflecting a deep, spiritual connection to healing and nature.
The relationship between Black women, healing, and nature is rarely discussed outside the confines of family or maternal contexts. Yet it is precisely this relationship that allows Black women to “defy gravity.” In a world intent on weighing them down, this connection provides the balance needed to survive and thrive. For Elphaba, it is a source of power—one that grounds her despite the betrayals and disappointments she faces from Glinda, her community, and even her sister Nessarose.
Elphaba’s journey reflects the resilience often referred to as “Black Girl Magic.” This magic is not about perfection or invulnerability; it is about the innate ability to change conditions for the better, even in the face of adversity. It is the ability to hold space for liberation while weathering shame, rejection, and systemic injustice. Through it all, Elphaba knows she isn’t going down. She holds onto her power, her truth, and her purpose.
That is Black Women’s Gravity
(next Black Women’s Gravity as a spiritual girding)
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