A traditional princess in the Western World is a thin, yet shapely, white young woman. Seeing a black princess in the media is rare. This is problematic. Constant exposure to certain images profoundly affects our subconscious. A black girl who never sees a black princess eventually believes there is no such thing. A princess can be seen as a standard of beauty. So it's not a surprise that we live in a world where black girls and women don't believe that they are beautiful. Of course, black beauty and representation are complex issues with complex histories. My focus is simply on the images we see or don't see.

"Black Girls and Fairytales" is an exploration of many intersections that include -- racism, colorism, and beauty in a fantasy setting. How does a girl who comes from OUR world deal with a world that has no concept of colorism or racism? Would she simply accept the rules or will she stick with her assumptions of what a traditional princess looks like?