Does Anyone Still Believe In Love? I Still Do
by Kea Taylor
It could have been any one of the nights that I ventured out on the social scene filled with beautiful, well-dressed and polished, chocolate 30-somethings. In Washington, DC — a city wrought with well-educated “power players” and “inside trackers” , it was (and still is) quite common to be asked by a total stranger, “So what do you do?” I had no problem telling people what I do, but I was often amused by the response. A typical conversation might go like this:
Me. “I’m a photographer”
Them. “Really? That’s all you do? Take pictures” (Silence) “What do you take picture of? I mean do you work for a newspaper or something?”
Me. “No, I work for myself…but I shoot mostly people, buildings, events…and lots of weddings.”
Them. (Look of mock horror and shock) “People are still getting married these days?”
Yes. News flash for CNN and the New York Times…Black people still get married ya’ll. Please do not believe the hype.
Recently, a good friend forwarded me a New York Times article titled, “Black Women See Fewer Black Men at the Altar” (June 3, 2010) and after reading the article in its entirety, the statistics reveal that, in fact, all ethnic groups are marrying outside of their race in higher numbers (ironically with Asians being most likely to marry someone from another ethnicity). But I suppose the editors knew what would really get reader response popping (and Black womens’ necks rolling) is the old, “too few Black men for Black women” headline.
Boy it’s tough being a sista these days. 
If I weren’t a photographer who happens to hear from couples nearly every day asking me to photograph their weddings, children or families…Listening to the television, I might be a certifiable nutcase (is that politically correct?). As a professional Black woman with a degree, some standards and a desire for a monogamous relationship (sans swinging) I would gather that I should just curl up in a ball and die. Thank goodness, through my work, I’m able to see Black couple after Black couple and family after family that is healthy, happy and doing their best to make it work. Seeing Black love in its many shapes and forms on the regular has contributed immeasurably to my own sanity and given me a more balanced and hopeful outlook on my own marriage.
So as a gift to my die-hard romantic sistas and brothers out there (and to celebrate my tenth year in business), I decided to put together a book of my most inspiring images from nearly ten years of shooting African-American weddings to show that…yes we are still getting married. And my secret hopes (and prayers), are that it will keep somebody from falling prey to all this negative hype about Black marriage and that will inspire somebody to love.
I have been married just about four years…and though many say my husband and I are still on the honeymoon…I can honestly say, I love being married (and the crowd gasps). Even with our early challenges, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve grown in ways I never thought I would and I cannot wait to see what the years ahead will hold.
And I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. Marriage and commitment to family has gotten our people through some of the toughest times this world has ever seen. Now is certainly not the time to give up on it. If anything, we need it more than ever.
BMWK, do you still believe in love and marriage? Check back tomorrow when we’ll be giving away 3 copies of this amazing book!
Kea Taylor is a photographer and the author of the coffee-table book, I Still Do – A Celebration of African-American Weddings (www.istilldoweddings.com). To watch the YouTube preview video of I Still Do, click here.
BMWK Partners
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