Part I. Pinterest told me I didn’t exist.

It’s black history month.
And as the iconic Joan the Scammer once said, “All the caucasians to the back, immediately!” I’m joking, of course. But also… not really.

Because if we’re being honest, every day kind of feels like it’s all the caucasians to the front when it comes to arts, culture, aesthetics, fashion, media, and more. The people represented the most are white. Why is that? Is it because it’s familiar, safe, assumed? Why is it that when a brand adds a Black model, it suddenly feels ground-breaking? Oh, look, we are “representing diversity.” Like, no, you are doing what you should’ve done ages ago, the bare minimum.

Why is it that when I want to find something that actually fits me as a Black woman, I have to specify, add a label, remind the algorithm, remind the world that I exist?

I noticed this painfully while making a Pinterest moodboard recently, which I do often. Every search I typed, like outfit inspo, cozy aesthetic, hairstyles, or art, returned the same images. Light hair, pale skin. None of them looked like me. Every time I wanted to see myself reflected, I had to add two extra words: “Black” and “Girl”/ “Woman” together, or it didn’t get me the results that worked for me. And when I did add them, the results changed drastically.

I saw curls, coils, and brown skin in every shade. I saw Black girls. Black women. Black. I finally felt seen. But to feel this way, I had to tweak and adjust. And I know fellow women of color had to do it, too. Always having to do the extra steps so we can include ourselves in spaces we should already be included in.

Another example is Band-Aids or bandages. “Skin-tone” band-aids. Sounds inclusive, right? Except that the default color is pinky-beige, one that does not match my skin, my mom’s, my cousins’, or my friends’. But somehow that shade gets to claim neutrality.

Then there is “nude” lingerie and shapewear. Apparently, nude is a universal standard until you realize that universal really just means light, beige, or blush. Anything darker is a deep tone, something extra, optional. We are seen as optional. And sadly enough, most brands do not even offer these so-called options.

It goes further than that with compression wear, prosthetics, and other everyday wear labeled as neutral or nude. Neutral should mean all colors, but that is not the case. Almost everything assumes light skin. It is subtle, so subtle you barely notice it, because as someone of color, this has always been framed as normal, as the standard. We didn’t have much to choose from to begin with. But the moment you realize you do not fit, you are reminded that your body and your skin are not the baseline. They are a second thought, a consideration, an option.

This is not a one-off oversight. It is a pattern. From products to media, the default is always white. While these defaults are invisible to those who fit them, they shape our expectations, our tastes, and our sense of belonging.

These small, seemingly silly defaults add up. They teach a subtle but consistent lesson. The world assumes whiteness is neutral, and everyone else must announce themselves to exist. I noticed it during my studies. I see it at work. And if you are already the minority and have to prove to others that your opinions are valid, that your presence matters…that should not happen in the big age of 2026.

From the start, just include us. If you want to claim your diversity and inclusion card, go ahead and include us- but don’t expect a trophy for doing the bare minimum. 

And for the white folks reading this, look, I need you to step it up. Silent support isn’t support. Show up and speak out for your fellow student, colleague, or friend of color. 

For my fellow black peeps. I see you. I feel this every day, too. It is exhausting, dealing with this daily, but your existence, your creativity, your brilliance cannot be erased. Keep showing up, keep making space for yourself, and keep demanding that your beautiful presence be recognized. Because we deserve more than optional or temporary representation. Especially when we are the trendsetters, the culture creators, the art makers, period.

This blog post is only the beginning. In the next part, I’ll dive into aesthetics, fashion, and girlhood, and how white standards continue to shape who is seen as desirable, professional, or “acceptable”. Later, I’ll explore media, technology, and visibility, and how the systems we interact with reinforce the same defaults. 

A little warning: I’m in that “one too woke friend” era. And honestly, I’ll continue being too woke and share my thoughts and opinions with you all.

So, I hope this mini-series will be inspiring and educational, sorta-kinda. I am not the strongest in expressing my thoughts in words, but I will try.

Happy weekend, people.

With love,

The Awkward black girl.