Growing up in the '90s, the concept of "Black girl magic" didn't exist. Not as a mindset, and certainly not as a representation in pop culture.
When Halloween came around and my peers were watching Marnie Piper unearth her Cromwell gifts, I wondered what little magic Black girls from New Jersey could possess. I found it difficult to picture - the whole wand and magic combo. Even pretending to cast spells felt unnatural and discouraged in my church-every-Sunday Christian household. If I had a problem I needed to make disappear, I was expected to pray about it and let God handle the rest. Now don't get me wrong, I'm still a Christian and believe in the power of prayer. But would it have hurt to foster a little play and imagination?
Research shows that watching films with magical content bolsters creativity and cognitive development in school-age children. But imagine the cognitive dissonance when the people in possession of the magic never look like you. That was, until "Twitches."
In 2005, when the film premiered, my perception of Black girl magic was formed. Long before CaShawn Thompson coined the term in 2013 to combat the negative portrayal of Black women in media, Tia and Tamera Mowry were out saving Coventry with the zap of a finger.
"For the first time, I could visualize myself in possession of the kind of power that could take me to another dimension."Camryn and Alex were brave, witty, and stylish teens with full back stories and real-life problems - who could also jump through time and space to tackle new adventures. Thanks to one twin with curly hair (not quite my texture, but I'd settle) and the other with a consistently fresh silk press, little Black girls could choose their fighter and pretend to put themselves in their shoes. For the first time, I could visualize myself in possession of the kind of power that could take me to another dimension.
I couldn't put into words what it meant to me then. But on the 20th anniversary of the film, I'm reflecting on how "Twitches" unlocked a new realm of dreams for myself and so many other Black girls at the time. It allowed my imagination to flourish and to think bigger about what life outside my small New Jersey town could be. "Twitches" taught me that adventure was awaiting Black girls that came from modest upbringings (like Alex), just as much as those that came from wealth (like Camyrn). It taught me that dreams could be easily manifested into reality. But most importantly, magic is and has always been at our fingertips, if only we have the courage to use it.
Alexis Jones (she/her) is the section lead of the health and fitness verticals at Popsugar, overseeing coverage across the website, social media, and newsletters. In her seven-plus years of editorial experience, Alexis has developed passions for and expertise in mental health, women's health and fitness, racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, and chronic conditions. Prior to joining PS, she was the senior editor at Health magazine. Her other bylines can be found at Women's Health, Prevention, Marie Claire, and more.
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