Topics such as the deadliness of Black women giving birth (https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/10/us/janell-green-smith-midwife-death-cec) and allegations of a former physician performing unnecessary surgeries (https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/01/15/over-600-mostly-black-women-sterilized-and-cut-open-for-no-reason-lawsuit-claims-now-virginia-hospital-faces-6b-lawsuit/) raise red flags about the need to better value Black women with more humanity. Black women still face scrutiny over everything from healthcare to their complexions and their worthiness to date a desirable partner. Online commentaries, and how stories are told about the lived experiences of Black women can help to protect or further threaten the emotional safety of Black women. We also focused on how the protection of the spaces Black women create is often rooted in joy. What we found, as Black women, is what we have always known: that Black women are carving out space for themselves even amidst the chaos and sharing communal moments rooted in trust in each other rather than in a system,” she added.