Madam District Attorney Fani Willis recently opened up about how her dad and the guys in her community heavily influenced her love for Black men. The politician also divulged her belief that when it comes to her male counterparts, a false narrative has been perpetuated.
On Sept. 24, Phillana Williams’ (director of the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment) new podcast, “CultureVersations,” made its debut at REVOLT WORLD. The purpose of the show is to deliver valuable information about the world in a context the Black community can understand. It’s essentially “a collision of culture and politics,” according to the former music industry executive.
The show host had a lineup of female powerhouses who joined her onstage for the launch, such as model Nazanin Mandi, beauty influencer Tiarra Monet, former mayor of Atlanta and attorney Keisha Lance Bottoms, as well as Madam DA Willis. They discussed their passions and how being strong, empowered women has impacted their love lives, careers, transformative eras, and taking pride in their accomplishments, among other hot topics in the media.
While talking about the benefits of having a partner, the challenges successful Black women face weren’t overlooked. Monet shared her perspective on how and why she ended up marrying someone of a different race, despite wanting a Black man. She opened up about noticing as she climbed the ladder, it was harder to find a plethora of secure Black men. “I decided to get really intentional about dating and I realized really early the pool was really small for me, especially with men that looked like me… and it was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to have to open this up because, you know, the numbers aren’t there,'” the entrepreneur stated.
She went on to say that instead of men taking time to get to know her, they often prejudged and labeled her. “I mean, I think one, it was being young and making money really young. I came into success on YouTube in my early 20s and no one around me had money, you know,” Monet explained. “So, that was something that I think a lot of men, Black men in particular, were intimidated by. And I was always referred to as this ‘bougie’ girl or, like, I just had these really high expectations and it’s just like, ‘No, I just have high expectations of myself and I’m sorry that, that scares you away, but, you know, I want to do big things in life.'”
Madam DA Willis agreed that love is an essential part of being able to tap into your best self. Moreover, the district attorney revealed she feels Black men are being unfairly marginalized when it pertains to the concept of relationships, as she was raised by a single father and has only witnessed Black men in a dependable, strong light.
“I have always limited my dating pool to African American men, and I’ve done that very intentionally. I think that a lie has been told on African American men,” the changemaker declared. “I think that African American men, in my experience — understanding you’re looking at the ultimate daddy’s girl — I’ve never seen anything but strong, great Black men.”
She continued, “And every time I’m in trouble, it’s been Black men that have come to my aid.”
Despite not having an issue with interracial relationships, the positive and uplifting nature in which she engaged with men of color cultivated her deep-rooted love for them. Due to this, the politician is uninterested in dating outside of her race. “My lovers have always been Black men. My children are born to my ex-husband, who is a Black man,” the Howard University alumna said.
This was the reason the Inglewood native was taken aback at the response she got from her peers — specifically Black men — when she set out to run for Fulton County’s DA position in 2020. “When I ran for district attorney, I found Black men attacking me and I was almost in shock ‘cause that was such a foreign experience to me,” she admitted.
This didn’t hinder Willis’ perspective, as the trailblazer understood their right to freedom of speech. On the podcast, she continued to sing Black men’s praises and show gratitude for the substantial role they’ve played in her life. “I think that they have taught me a lot of things. I think I have grown from them. I think that they have shown me business things. I think when I’m low, they’re there. When I’m high, they’re there,” she proclaimed.