Jasmine Hood Miller
Director of Family Engagement and Partnerships | Mama of three
It's the Black Girl Magic for Me
These selections show Black girls shining on-screen and on the page.
Black girls have always given us the blueprint on how to be leaders, push through adversity, and thrive. We're not superhuman -- we feel pain, insecurity, and disappointment like everyone else. But there's magic in our melanin and power in our voice. Whether we're onstage or in the science lab, wearing an Afroed crown or hijab, Black Girl Magic is a sight to behold.
Every girl deserves to see that light shine in their own reflection and in the images they see on-screen or in their favorite book characters. Now more than ever, we can find many examples of beautiful and complex Black women and girls who show us we're capable of achieving anything. From preschool to big girls, coming of age, and young adulthood, these books, movies, and shows are the perfect way to help the girls (and boys) in your life celebrate #BlackGirlMagic.
Books
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (4+)
Faith, pride, and grace are on display as sisters navigate the first day of school and hijab.
Stacey's Extraordinary Words (6+)
Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams shares her childhood story about kindness, passion, and perseverance.
Amari and the Night Brothers (8+)
A loyal little sister taps into her Black Girl Magic to save her brother in this supernatural fantasy.
Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, Book 1 (9+)
The scientific genius and princess of Wakanda is on a mission to help her brother remain king.
Brown Girl Dreaming (10+)
Jacqueline Woodson captivates in her memoir written in poetry about coming of age in the 1960s.
Pemba's Song: A Ghost Story (12+)
Past and present collide as a teenage girl finds her independence while learning about the history of slavery in her town.
The Poet X (13+)
Xiomara is a first-generation Afro-Latina who fights to break free of what her family and society thinks she should be.
Slay (14+)
Kiera, a standout STEM student, juggles protecting the Black spaces she's built and herself.
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them (14+)
Two teen girls discover the magic and power of Black love.
Movies
Hair Love (3+)
This Oscar-winning short film (and New York Times bestselling book) celebrates a special father-daughter relationship.
Home (6+)
A brave girl, voiced by Rihanna, saves the world with her new alien friend.
Annie (7+)
This updated classic gets a fresh face in Quvenzhané Wallis, along with a modern take on social class differences.
Becoming (9+)
All hail the FLOTUS in this behind-the-scenes documentary of her book tour, including personal moments with those who know her best.
Hidden Figures (10+)
These unsung women were pioneers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and role models of integrity, perseverance, and teamwork.
Belle (11+)
Activism and aristocracy mix in this true story of a biracial young woman in 18th century England.
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (13+)
This great ancestor's legacy of intellectual power, empathy, and humor is on full display in this film.
Crooklyn (13+)
A beautiful coming-of-age story wrapped in love, family, and community.
Miss Juneteenth (14+)
Mother and daughter bond through pageantry as they discover their own beauty -- inside and out.
TV
Tab Time (3+)
Preschoolers (and adults) will fall in love with Tabitha Brown's fun and positive spirit in this YouTube show.
Super Sema (5+)
Sema always saves the day with creative-problem solving in her futuristic African town of Dunia.
Karma's World (7+)
Karma has the lyrical skills, and help of her parents, to face any challenge and follow her dreams.
How It Feels to Be Free (10+)
Entertainment legends are celebrated and their lives are explored -- including the challenges of racism they faced -- in this documentary series.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (10+)
Penny and the Proud family are back with more laughs and coming-of-age life lessons.
Abbott Elementary (12+)
Janine Teagues is a new teacher who's optimistic about helping her students and underserved school in this comedy.
Moesha (13+)
A throwback that still feels relatable about a teenage girl becoming a young woman with the support of her family and friends.
The Amber Ruffin Show (14+)
The first Black woman to head a late-night talk show, Amber delivers the news with humor and smarts.
Grown-ish (15+)
This fresh sitcom follows Zoey from Black-ish to college where she and her friends try to figure out being on their own.
Black girls have always given us the blueprint on how to be leaders, push through adversity, and thrive. We're not superhuman -- we feel pain, insecurity, and disappointment like everyone else. But there's magic in our melanin and power in our voice. Whether we're onstage or in the science lab, wearing an Afroed crown or hijab, Black Girl Magic is a sight to behold.
Every girl deserves to see that light shine in their own reflection and in the images they see on-screen or in their favorite book characters. Now more than ever, we can find many examples of beautiful and complex Black women and girls who show us we're capable of achieving anything. From preschool to big girls, coming of age, and young adulthood, these books, movies, and shows are the perfect way to help the girls (and boys) in your life celebrate #BlackGirlMagic.
Books
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (4+)
Faith, pride, and grace are on display as sisters navigate the first day of school and hijab.
Stacey's Extraordinary Words (6+)
Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams shares her childhood story about kindness, passion, and perseverance.
Amari and the Night Brothers (8+)
A loyal little sister taps into her Black Girl Magic to save her brother in this supernatural fantasy.
Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, Book 1 (9+)
The scientific genius and princess of Wakanda is on a mission to help her brother remain king.
Brown Girl Dreaming (10+)
Jacqueline Woodson captivates in her memoir written in poetry about coming of age in the 1960s.
Pemba's Song: A Ghost Story (12+)
Past and present collide as a teenage girl finds her independence while learning about the history of slavery in her town.
The Poet X (13+)
Xiomara is a first-generation Afro-Latina who fights to break free of what her family and society thinks she should be.
Slay (14+)
Kiera, a standout STEM student, juggles protecting the Black spaces she's built and herself.
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them (14+)
Two teen girls discover the magic and power of Black love.
Movies
Hair Love (3+)
This Oscar-winning short film (and New York Times bestselling book) celebrates a special father-daughter relationship.
Home (6+)
A brave girl, voiced by Rihanna, saves the world with her new alien friend.
Annie (7+)
This updated classic gets a fresh face in Quvenzhané Wallis, along with a modern take on social class differences.
Becoming (9+)
All hail the FLOTUS in this behind-the-scenes documentary of her book tour, including personal moments with those who know her best.
Hidden Figures (10+)
These unsung women were pioneers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and role models of integrity, perseverance, and teamwork.
Belle (11+)
Activism and aristocracy mix in this true story of a biracial young woman in 18th century England.
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (13+)
This great ancestor's legacy of intellectual power, empathy, and humor is on full display in this film.
Crooklyn (13+)
A beautiful coming-of-age story wrapped in love, family, and community.
Miss Juneteenth (14+)
Mother and daughter bond through pageantry as they discover their own beauty -- inside and out.
TV
Tab Time (3+)
Preschoolers (and adults) will fall in love with Tabitha Brown's fun and positive spirit in this YouTube show.
Super Sema (5+)
Sema always saves the day with creative-problem solving in her futuristic African town of Dunia.
Karma's World (7+)
Karma has the lyrical skills, and help of her parents, to face any challenge and follow her dreams.
How It Feels to Be Free (10+)
Entertainment legends are celebrated and their lives are explored -- including the challenges of racism they faced -- in this documentary series.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (10+)
Penny and the Proud family are back with more laughs and coming-of-age life lessons.
Abbott Elementary (12+)
Janine Teagues is a new teacher who's optimistic about helping her students and underserved school in this comedy.
Moesha (13+)
A throwback that still feels relatable about a teenage girl becoming a young woman with the support of her family and friends.
The Amber Ruffin Show (14+)
The first Black woman to head a late-night talk show, Amber delivers the news with humor and smarts.
Grown-ish (15+)
This fresh sitcom follows Zoey from Black-ish to college where she and her friends try to figure out being on their own.
Jasmine Hood Miller is the director of family engagement and partnerships. With a background in marketing and media, she joined Common Sense in 2010 and leads content strategy and implementation of the organization’s family outreach efforts, with a particular emphasis on addressing the unique experiences and concerns of BIPOC families raising kids in a digital world. Jasmine holds a BA in Communications from Temple University, is a former board member of the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), and is passionate about amplifying marginalized voices and stories in children's media.
When she's not trying to find fun ways to keep her three young children happy and healthy, Jasmine enjoys spending time with family, DIY projects, traveling, and being a plant (and fur) parent.
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