when i first had the idea to start the gumbo nearly a decade ago, the mission was clear. i was frustrated with the lack of pay equity for Black women journalists in hip-hop and the far too common dismissal of the role Black women have played in shaping the music, fashion, visual art, dance moves-literally everything that hip-hop touches. with the love and support of you all the company paid Black women for their work (with none of that net-30 mess), introduced a party series that celebrated our current music’s connection to the past, navigated a pandemic that still has lingering effects on everyone, published a book celebrating the accomplishments of the ladies who changed hip-hop, and so much more. then something happened. i started seeing so many talented black women get laid off from their jobs. entire companies shuttering. brands buying up other ones and switching up their missions entirely. museums having entire exhibits changed to fit a dishonest narrative. and upsettingly, in more instances than i wish existed, information that was once accessible straight up disappearing.
if i can be transparent, the past few years have been outta pocket and straight up discouraging.
i spent a lot of time [read way too much time] trying to figure out what the gumbo should be in light of the world changing around us. how do we show up? how do we help? how do we listen? what i landed on felt just right. building upon our mission, we’re introducing the archive and directory. with the archive, you’ll be able to sit with and take in our expansive and constantly growing collection of physical items that tell the stories of Black women in hip-hop. think of it like a museum right on your phone, laptop, or tablet. use the comments to engage with us, share your thoughts, or even give us a peek at your own archive. new items are being added every week. with the directory, we’re cataloguing the Black women who have made hip-hop what it is. with your help we plan to talk to all of them and/or their loved ones, to create a one-stop-shop for anyone who visits the site and wants to learn about their impact. kind of like a modern telephone book!
there will be new merch, new events, old events coming back (because y’all do not play about sample sunday!), and calls for pitches in the coming months. i’m excited for it all and i’m thankful for each and every one of you. welcome to the new era.
gratefully,
nadirah simmons