I don‰’t know what the world did to deserve Solange, but girllllll I‰’m so thankful for her. We can all admit that 2016 wasn‰’t the best. In a year full of turmoil, black girls shined. No matter what anyone did or said to keep us down, we sprang back up and did it better than ever. All we needed was a soundtrack to the lives we were living. A Seat at the Table was just that. It was an ode to black people, black women, New Orleans, and life. Solange opened up and gave us a masterpiece.

The name itself might fly over the heads of people who aren‰’t familiar with the phrase. As a child, my mom always affirmed to me I deserve a seat at the table. The table symbolizes life. As a black woman, you‰’re faced with the qualms of being a woman AND black. People count you out the second they see you. You know you deserve a seat at the table, but not everyone is convinced. A Seat at the Table is Solange‰’s affirmation that we damn sure earned our spot.

Words cannot explain what this album means to me. Words cannot explain what this album means to black women everywhere. As I sit here and try to put together sentences to capture A Seat at the Table, I have intense writer’s block. What justice do my words have for something so beautiful? From beginning to end, A Seat at the Table is a beauty. In 2016, no album was nearly as narrative and hard hitting as this. The narration by her parents and Master P and features by Q-Tip and Kelela give you a piece of the beautiful and complicated artist she is. We get a peek at the ups and downs of her life, and I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to hear and see this play out.

Solange and black girls everywhere are finally getting the attention we deserve. We deserve a seat at the table.