Enjoyment: A Powerful Anthem for Black Joy, Success and Self-Permission
I had the pleasure of recording this special episode for ANTHEMS Black, a podcast series produced and commissioned by my clientBroccoli Content. ANTHEMS Black is a daily podcast series amplifying Black voices from across The UK. Each episode focuses on a word chosen by the contributor and my word is enjoyment. Enjoyment is important, it's a part of my self-care and self-soothing that eases the pressure and stress of daily life, particularly as a Black woman in business.
In “Enjoyment,” I reframe the often-overlooked concept of joy as an act of resistance and liberation for Black communities. Part of the Anthem podcast series, this episode is more than a conversation it’s a call to action. With sharp insights and unfiltered honesty, I dismantle the myth that struggle is a prerequisite for success, offering instead a vision of a life where pleasure, celebration and self-worth are central. For anyone ready to redefine what thriving looks like, “Enjoyment” is your reminder that rest is revolutionary, and joy is non-negotiable. I hope my episode uplifts and inspires women to find moments of enjoyment wherever they are. "My enjoyment is radical. It is to declare the very essence of my freedom in a world that does not want to see a Black woman be free to feel pure, unadulterated joy without the burden of struggle."
A message to the Black women on my timeline: I hope you can find a moment this week to fully and completely experience enjoyment. You deserve it.You need it.https://t.co/uG4zMDt90q#ANTHEMSBlack@BroccoliContentpic.twitter.com/5nCGWuupXE
— Ronke Lawal (@ronkelawal) October 5, 2020
Listen to the full episode here:
Following on from the success of ANTHEMS Women and ANTHEMS Pride; ANTHEMS Black is a collection of 31 original manifestos, speeches, stories, poems and rallying cries written and read by vibrant, unique and exceptional UK Black voices. Each bite size episode begins with a “word of the day” introduced by each of the individuals that encapsulates the theme of their piece, leaving the listeners with something to carry forward into the day after they’ve heard the work. Each episode is released every other day from the 1st of September and throughout UK Black History Month in October; the series will underpin the rich and diverse cultural and social impact that Black communities have made in the UK.
ANTHEMS was created by Broccoli Content as both a celebration and call to arms – an album of stirring pieces and words that embody rage, power, joy, beauty, love, loss and everything in between. Words that inspire not only courage and comfort but also action in a world that sometimes relies on the inaction of the many to uphold the power of the few.