GLAMOUR: How are you feeling right now?
CeCe Olisa: I feel very present, very aware. Sometimes as a black woman you kind of have to bury your head in the sand just to get by, and this is a time when it’s almost impossible to do that. Gaining thousands of followers overnight and knowing that they are most likely white women who feel guilty for not paying attention to black women before – that’s a very intense position. I think change usually happens one-on-one. relationships, and for many of my white supporters, I’m their black friend, so there’s a responsibility there. I did a lot of storytelling and resource sharing. When you put it in terms that people can understand, it’s a little different than statistics or news. It’s powerful for people to hear my story. It’s like, “This girl I really care about has lived with this her whole life, and it never crossed my mind.” » My approach is always to tell my personal story, because I can never tell my own story incorrectly.
How did your DMs go?
My DMs have been intense. People I haven’t heard from in a long time are contacting me, and it’s lovely. But now is not the time for black women to do emotional labor. People shouldn’t just be furious about this right now. In six months, when the world is no longer on fire, will they still care as much? When a brand asks me, “What can we do to be better?” ” my response is, “Come up with some ideas and let’s put some time on the calendar in six weeks.” »Give me time to gather myself, to be in a place of peace. You find solutions, and I will help you move away from anything tone-deaf, but I’m not going to propose your ideas for you, and I’m not going to do it now when I’m grieving. I hope other black women feel just as empowered, and I hope anyone who wants to do better will have the same passion in six weeks or two months.
How do you protect your energy online?
I took every break from social media. I have some content that I’ve been saving, so I’ve been posting some content that I created a while ago that I’ve been saving for a time when I didn’t feel like it. My audience needs to be uplifted and they need to see the joy of black people. My Instagram Stories are a very joyful space, so it feels good to be able to serve remotely.
What products do you include in your personal care routine?
I found great joy in having bright red nails and discovered Triple O Polish, a black woman-owned business, which offers the perfect rich red called Dia. I also have this amazing Astrua Scrub the Day Away Exfoliating Body Scrub. I discovered the brand thanks to Venus Williams, and its sandalwood and rose oils leave my skin hydrated and smooth, making me feel perfect when I get out of the shower. Lately, Vegan changed my life. She’s a Brooklyn caterer who pivoted to food delivery, so I have delicious home-cooked meals in my fridge. She made me these vegan meatballs with cilantro-lime rice, tuna steak lasagna, and mango-avocado-kale salad, all individually wrapped. You can truly tell that the food is prepared with love.
Do you have any mantras that keep you in a positive space?
