Is Jessie Graff's Shoulder Tattoo Real? Probably Not, but It's Still Important
By Gina VaynshteynMay 16 2021, Published 3:Forty six p.m. ET
Ever since the two-hour American Ninja Warrior Women's Championship particular aired on May 9, 2021, other folks have been a) in general awe, for the reason that episode showcased one of the vital most powerful, maximum badass girls on the planet, and b) excited about Jessie Graff's shoulder tattoo. We can't lend a hand it, we predict Jessie is awesome and we're so intrigued by her tat!
The episode showed 12 ladies competing in the first-ever Women's Championship, and while Meagan Martin gained the championship (she took home $50,000 as a prize, in conjunction with her trophy), folks were busy googling "what is Jessie Graff's tattoo." Because priorities. And because we have not spotted the tattoo before. We did a bit digging, and here's what you wish to have to grasp, tat-obsessed buddies.
What's Jessie Graff's tattoo on her shoulder all about?
Jessie Graff's tattoo is a Black Lives Matter tattoo that states "Ninjas for Black Lives," and it features the BLM image of a raised, clenched fist. This is considered to be a Black Power symbol and stems from the Black Panther Party, which used to be used in the Nineteen Sixties. It turns out love it's in truth a temporary tattoo that she wears for special events, as she wore it again in November 2020 on the general episode of American Ninja Warrior Season 12.
In an October 2020 Instagram publish, you can see that the tattoo is not there (and we are assuming this photo used to be taken after the sequence finale).
In an Instagram post, Jessie mentioned that she's part of a group referred to as Ninjas for Black Lives, and that they are "raising funds for @naacp_ldf - Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans." You can check out Ninjas for Black Lives here.
The Ninjas for Black Lives Instagram web page states that its challenge is "Coming together to support people of color and overcome racial disparities through education, dialogue and fundraising." Read the whole venture observation right here:
What's the meaning at the back of the fist? According to this article that breaks down the entire meaning and historical past of the elevate, Black, clenched fist, the picture first "debuts as a symbol of revolutionary spirit," and in fact goes the entire as far back as the nineteenth century. However, it become a more universally understood image in the '60s when contributors of the Black Panther Party used it to unfold their message.
I like this photograph from Sheila Pree Bright, as it encompasses Black feminine energy, resistance, and skill to come back in combination to battle for equality. The use of the closed fist for "Black Power" also adds a layer of ancient significance to that motion.(12) pic.twitter.com/9sJcl2KytO
— Elijah M (@m12462085) May 10, 2021 Source: Twitter"In the 1960s, the Black power movement used it as a gesture to represent the struggle for civil rights," Margaret Chadbourn wrote for ABC News.
The article additionally explains how it used to be not too long ago reclaimed through the BLM movement: "Although it never stopped being a symbol of Black pride, the clenched fist (also known as the BLM fist) has made a major comeback with Black Lives Matter supporters of all races, following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020 by a White policeman who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes."
It's empowering to see that Jessie stands for equality and is pushing for a motion that issues now, then, and at all times. A literal Amazonian warrior fighting for justice IRL (Jessie played one of the warriors on Themyscira in Wonder Woman 1984, for those who didn't know). Badass.
If you're searching for ways to donate your time or money to Black Lives Matter and different antiracist organizations, now we have created a list of resources to get you started.
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