Chris Najera

Professor Miller

African American History

12, May, 2023

Red Lip Theology Event

For my blog, I attended a talk at the Copley Library that was given by Candice Marie Benbow so she could discuss her book called Red Lip Theology. Going into this talk, I had never heard of Candice Marie Benbow, but at the end of the talk, it seemed as if I knew her entire life story. Candice Marie Benbow is a speaker, writer, and activist who focuses on issues that relate to black culture, faith, and feminism. She is known for her work in womanist theology, which focuses on the experiences of black women and their spiritual and religious practices. She is also the founder of the Red Lip Theology Project, a project that aims to explore and expand the intersections of faith and black womanhood. I would say that overall, Candice is a very powerful voice when it comes to the conversation about faith and black womanhood, and it’s safe to say that her work has empowered and inspired many women around the world. Moving toward the event I attended, the program was meant to bring the local people of San Diego together in an attempt to educate people not just about Candice and her book but also about the topics that the book brings up. The program has been going on from around 2018 to the present. During this talk, Candice’s messages are conveyed through her personal experiences. Two personal experiences that she brings up are her journey as a theologian who holds degrees from several prestigious universities and her upbringing in African American church culture during the 1990s. Her focus on African American women’s voices within the Christian church community is significant, as these voices are often overlooked despite being influential. Candice’s example as a powerful black woman is crucial to inspiring and providing representation to the next generation of black women, and it underscores the importance of accurately recounting African American history. I think that a huge point Candice attempted to make throughout her entire talk was that she challenged black women to do more, and she tried to make the point that faith can be a transformational factor for young women while also pointing out how black women of faith are often forgotten about, specifically their voices. She immediately backs this up by bringing up Dr. Martin Luther King. She talks about how the “I have a dream” quote is one that Dr. King borrowed from Dr. Prathia Hall. She uses this as a prime example because, of course, everyone now associates that quote with Dr. King, and his speech with that quote is one of the most famous speeches of all time. However, she brings this all up to remind the audience that black women struggle to find a voice in the church.

As she talked about her book Red Lip Theology, I noticed that it is not like normal books; the book actually consists of a series of essays and personal reflections that touch on a wide range of topics that include body positivity, self-care, mental health, and the objectification of black women. She talks about how, in her book she shares her own personal experiences and how those experiences have influenced her perspective on the world that surrounds her. Besides her own personal experiences, she also talks about the experiences of other black women who struggle to find their place in a society that often marginalizes them. She talks about how the book symbolizes red lipstick as a metaphor for courage and boldness in an attempt to encourage black women to reclaim their voice and power within the Christian church. Candice talks about how she believes that by embracing these unique experiences and perspectives, black women can use their faith to create positive change in their communities and in the world. This talk of community and church is something that we touched on a lot throughout the course of the semester and as we read Freedom on My Mind by Waldo E. Martin, Deborah Gray White, and Mia Bay. Candice talked about how joining and actively being a part of the church did more good than harm for her as a woman, not just when she was a child but during all parts of her life so far. In a quote from Freedom on My Mind, it talks about how the black church in the 1980s and after was very beneficial: “Next to the family, the black church provided the most important institutional support in the transition from slavery to freedom. Joining a church was an act of physical and spiritual emancipation, and black churches united black communities. In addition, black churches anchored collective black identification—a sense of peoplehood, of nationhood” (White, Bay, & Martin 2021). This quote highlights the important role that the black church played in the lives of black people during a challenging period in American history. The quote also underscores the significance of the church as an institution of support, liberation, and community for black people in the transition from slavery to freedom. I believe that Candice Marie Benbow is doing the same thing as this quote; she is trying to highlight the importance of the church and how, during hard times in life, you can turn to the church. She is attempting to push her fellow black women to let faith enter their lives. After listening to Candice talk more about her book, it’s clear to say that Red Lip Theology is a powerful reflection of the experiences and struggles of black women in contemporary society. Through sharing her own personal journey as well as the experiences of other black women, she highlights the importance of the church as a source of community, support, and liberation. Her use of red lipstick as a metaphor for both courage and boldness encourages black women to reclaim their voice and power within the Christian church. By embracing their unique experiences and perspectives, black women can use their faith to create positive change in their communities and the world. Candice’s message echoes the significance of the black church as an institution of support and liberation, as highlighted by the quote from Freedom on My Mind. Overall, her talk and book are a reminder of the transformative power of faith and the importance of community in navigating the challenges of life.

One of the more important things that she talked about was womanhood. This topic during this talk was definitely the one where the audience was most engaged. From the moment Candice brought up womanhood, there were multiple women in the audience who started snapping as a way to cheer instead of clapping because that would be inappropriate to interrupt her. But something that was very interesting was how she talked about womanhood. Candice stated that “there is something powerful about black womanhood, and that black women face a reality that sometimes you can’t cover up” (Benbow 2023). I thought this was very intriguing because she uses lipstick as a symbol in her book and then talks about how black women wear a mask. There is an interesting connection between these two. When talking about womanhood, Candice talked a lot about her mother. She felt that her mother taught her what it meant to embrace womanhood. She talked about how womanhood got her mother and herself through some of the toughest battles in their lives. Candice brings up how she was raised in the church, in a place of faith and feminism, and how her mother and her dealt with racism and sexism throughout their entire lives. She also shared that her mother believed that the safest place to raise a child was in the church in the 1990s. At first, you might be like, “Why would she believe that?” but after thinking about it more, it makes sense. In the 1990s and even before, the church has provided a sense of community, support, and protection for black people during a time of racial tension and violence. I think one of the main reasons her mother did this was to ensure that her daughter was surrounded by people who shared her culture and values and who could serve as role models and mentors.

Candice Marie Benbow is a powerful woman with a powerful voice, especially when it comes to the conversation about faith and black womanhood. Her work as a speaker, writer, and activist focuses on issues related to black culture, faith, and feminism, and she is known for her work in womanist theology, which focuses on the experiences of black women and their spiritual and religious practices. The Red Lip Theology is a powerful reflection of the experiences and struggles of black women in contemporary society, and through sharing her own personal journey as well as the experiences of other black women, Candice highlights the importance of the church as a source of community, support, and liberation. Her message encourages black women to reclaim their voice and power within the Christian church and use their faith to create positive change in their communities and the world. Overall, Candice’s work underscores the importance of accurately recounting African American history and provides representation and inspiration to the next generation of black women.