3 min read

5 Badass Trailblazers in Spirituality

Get to know these badass trailblazers!

1977

The first Black woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest was Pauli Murray. She was also the first woman to receive a PhD in Juridical Science from Yale Law School.

1979

The first Black American woman ordained by the Lutheran Church in America, the largest of three denominations that later combined to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was Earlean Miller.

Barbara Clementine Harris was the first Black woman and the first woman of any race to be ordained as a bishop in the Anglican Communion (Episcopal Church).

2006

Merle Kodo Boyd was the first Black American woman to receive Dharma transmission in Zen Buddhism, meaning she was recognized as capable of being a successor to the religion’s lineage.

2009

Alysa Stanton was the first Black American female rabbi. In 2009, Rabbi Stanton became the first Black American rabbi to lead a majority-white congregation.

A creator of safe spaces, and an initiator of difficult conversations, M.J. Fievre, B.S. Ed, spent much time building up her Black students, helping them feel comfortable in their skin, and affirming their identities. Her close relationships with parents and students led her to look more closely at how we can balance protecting our child’s innocence with preparing them for the realities of Black life. When―and how―do you approach racism with your children? How do you protect their physical and mental health while also preparing them for a country full of systemic racism? She began to research the issue and speak to school counselors and psychologists to find (and apply!) strategies parents and teachers can use with their children to broach uncomfortable but necessary topics.

M.J. is the author of Badass Black Girl, a daily dose of affirmations for Black Girls

“You'll come away from Badass Black Girl feeling as if you've known the author your entire life, and it's a rare feat for any writer.” ―“Mike, the Poet,” author of Dear Woman and The Boyfriend Book

#1 Gift Idea in Teen & Young Adult Cultural Heritage Biographies, Publishers Weekly Select Title for Young Readers

Affirmations for strong, fearless Black girls. Wisdom from Badass Black female trailblazers who accomplished remarkable things in literature, entertainment, education, STEM, business, military and government services, politics and law, activism, sports, spirituality, and more.

Explore the many facets of your identity through hundreds of big and small questions. In this journal designed for teenage Black girls, MJ Fievre tackles topics such as family and friends, school and careers, body image, and stereotypes. By reflecting on these topics, you will confront the issues that can hold you back from living your best life and discovering your Black girl bliss.

Embrace authenticity and celebrate who you are. Finding the courage to live as you are is not easy, so here’s a journal designed to help you nurture creativity, positive self-awareness and Black girl bliss. This journal honors the strength and spirit of Black girls.

Change the way you view the world. This journal provides words of encouragement that seek to inspire and ignite discussion. You are growing up in a world that tries to tell you how to look and act. MJ Fievre encourages you to fight the flow and determine for yourself who you want to be.

Badass Black Girl helps you to: