A confluence of factors — commercial and cultural, have facilitated the penetration of African-Caribbean diaspora women into the wider cultural landscape. Commercial capitalism has discovered that by exploiting the visual and cultural esthetic of these women it can reap millions, if not billions of dollars. It has discovered that black women can sell music, makeup, magazines, and movies.

Rihanna, an immigrant from Barbados, is revered for her musical expression and her uncommon beauty. She is to the current generation what Madonna or Britney Spears was to an earlier one. Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born and raised in Barbados. Not long after coming to the U.S., she soared to the top of the charts. After signing with Def Jam Records, she has produced hit, after hit, after hit.

Then there is Alicia Keyes, featured on the February cover of Allure with the caption “Alicia Keyes will Lead the Revolution.” This exploits Alicia’s “This Girl Is on Fire” song that became one of the anthems of the Women’s Movement. Except that when you open the magazine you find that the revolution is makeup, accessories and clothes. It is a “revolution” because Alicia abandoned her no-makeup policy for the Allure date. Alicia Keyes has a slew of music Grammy Awards and her face has graced over 200 magazine covers

Racial purists may quibble that Alicia and Rihanna are like Obama, not black enough; that their beige complexions show evidence of recent European genetic involvement. But then, there is Lupita — blue-black, brilliant and beautiful. Lupita Nyong’o, was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents Peter Nyong’o and Dorothy Buya.

Lupita’s dad returned to a college professorship in Kenya and Lupita was raised there. She later returned to Mexico to study Spanish at the Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico. Back in Kenya she took an interest in acting, performing the role of Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as roles in “On the Razzle” and “There Goes the Bride.” Lupita cites inspiration from the roles of Oprah and Whoopi Goldberg in “The Color Purple.”

At Yale’s School of Drama, studying for the master’s degree, Lupita appeared in several stage productions, including Gertrude Stein’s “Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights,” Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya,” Shakespeare’s “Taming of The Shrew” and “The Winter’s Tale.” In the 2011-12 academic year she won the Herschel Prize for “acting students with outstanding ability.”

Nyong’o has penetrated popular culture globally as well as in the United States. She has had acting roles in motion pictures that include “12 Years A Slave,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and, most recently, “Black Panther.” Her screen awards include, A Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress Award for “12 Years A Slave,” two Screen Actors Guild Awards and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Lupita is changing the paradigm of beauty in popular culture. She has over 200 magazine covers. She made the best dressed list for Harper’s Magazine in 2013. People magazine named her “The Most Beautiful Woman,” and Lancome chose her as the face of Lancome, the first black woman to be so named.

Nyong’o will be making her writing debut with a children’s book to be published by Simon and Shuster. She also will be producing and starring in an adaptation of Trevor Noah’s memoir, “Born A Crime,” as well as costar in “The Woman King.” She is producing a television series based on “Americanah,” Chimamanda Adichie’s book.

Zadie Smith, (Jamaican-British-American), Edwidge Danticat (Haitian-American) and Chimamandah Aditchie (Nigerian-American) lead a cadre of rising stars that are lighting up the literary firmament. More recent entrants into their ranks include Yaa Gyase, (Ghanaian-American), Imbolo Mbue (Cameroonian-American).

Smith’s third novel, “On Beauty,” won the 2006 Orange Prize for fiction and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. She has six published books since 2000 and a dozen short stories. Chimandah’s “Americanah” won the 2013 National Book Critics Award and her “Half of a Yellow Sun” won the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction.

— Desmond Jolly, Jamaican-American, is a longterm Davis resident.

IMAGE: Lupita Nyong’o won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 2013’s “12 Years a Slave.” Courtesy photo

For more on this story go to: https://www.davisenterprise.com/forum/opinion-columns/beautiful-brilliant-black-women-of-the-african-caribbean-diaspora/