For Black Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange was performed at the Vortex Repertory Company in Austin, Texas. This choreopoetry composed of poetry, music, and dance is a force of literature and vitality to be reckoned with that not only challenges the status quo and sublime ideologies of Black women during the Black Power movement, but also relates to contemporary Black women in the United States. The representation of the struggles and weak destinies embodied by the interconnected lives of the actresses brings light to the habitual realities of African Americans through theatrical conventions and transparent intimacy. This mechanism breaks the fourth wall and captures the emotions of oppressed African American women and the African American community by boldly defining what it means to be “colored” and a “woman” while serving as a voice of action. Additionally, the state of action and aesthetics address perpetual stereotypes such as race, gender, and hypersexuality, thus striving to overcome obstacles and raise awareness of empowerment. As a black poet and feminist, Ntozake Shange's goal was to inform the African American community of the underlying problems that exist within it, and to give black women a sense of autonomy and self-empowerment. Shange imagined the seven different women “remaining nameless and assuming hegemony as dictated by the fullness of their lives” (Shange xii). Although performance has demonstrated hegemony, the question of who sets the standards for gender roles is left open. This was likely done as a tactic to challenge common thoughts about black women and their perception of their role in society. For example, perhaps some Black woman… middle of paper… covers her voice, her song, and her joy to create a legacy for other Black women successors to advance and persevere. Works Cited1. Fanon, Frantz. "Black skin, white mask." The fact of darkness. London: MacGibbon & Kee, 1968. Print.2. For black girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enough: a choreopoem. By Shange, Ntozake. Dir. Zell Miller, III. VORTEX Repertory Company, Austin, TX. September 16, 2011. Performance.3. Hammad, Lamia Khalil. “Black Feminist Discourse on Power for Black Girls Who Have Considered Suicide.” Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities 3.2 (2011): 258-67. Web.4. Jones, Joni L. “Cast a Wide Net.” Theater Journal 57.4 (2005): 598-600. Print.5. Shange, Ntozake. For black girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enough: a choreopoem. New York: Macmillan, 1975. Print.