After years of public scrutiny, Meagan Good learned a lucid definition of power to tackle with magisterial control. Good manages to keep her haters at cove through an uncracked base and unshakable faith inherited from her mothers. The gorgeous actress holds the credit for the movies like Think Like a Man, The intruder and the latest De-ath Saved My Life.
Throughout her 26-year career, she has gained an impassable layer of confidence and has built a skin of armor, though a dewy one.
In a cover story interview via Zoom, the soft-spoken actress tells me, “To be a strong Black woman is to be unapologetic”. Meagan took her time to take a break from sh-ooting for her new TV show and appeared in the video call. She dressed comfortably in a vintage tee depicting her elegant style. More recently, she rocks with her cascading goddess locs, and soon it has become one of her signature hairstyles. Although she knew it won’t be easy for a teen actress, Good sets her vision on her success in Hollywood. However, having grown up as part of the only Black family in a white neighborhood, it would give the charming youth with double consciousness and how her blackness traverse with her circumstances as a woman.
The perennial beauty who is 40 now is an actress, designer, producer, and influential figure, she teaches us two things about living a purposeful and authentic life. Although she has been followed by cr-iticism for her blackness she still owns her. The woman graciously clapped back in a way that proves she will not be silenced. Megan’s mother has infused a sense of individuality and authenticity in her from a very young age, so she understands what it means to remain true to herself.
“To stick to the truth even when you are misunderstood, even when it is scary or even when you are tagged in a certain way,” she explained.
“ To have the courage to speak out who I am, this is what I want, this is what I believe, this is what I think, this is my purpose that I’m called to”. The travel to a place of self-awareness and power was not an easy one. In the early stages, she used to scuffle to find peace among the cr-iticism that comes with fame.
“Coping with 100 nice things that people would say and then at the same time I also had to deal with 40 mean cr-itics – at first I took it to my heart and felt very personal, it really hurt my emotions and b-roke my heart, I was like if they could see my heart. But later over time I realized, not everyone sees your heart. God doesn’t reveal your heart to everyone because you cannot trust everyone with it”.
Holy Matrimony
Eventually, those lessons led her to DeVon Franklin, an entertainment producer, motivational speaker, and author. Their union was a treat to her fans, they immediately loved the power couple, but Megan’s glamourous image became a target for Christians across the world.
Most of them cr-iticized her clothing style and demanded to cover herself up when out in public with her husband. It appeared like no matter how she present herself or what she wore, at the end of the day she ends up with negative comments. Frequently th-rowing at a woman whose attire, bodies are under constant public notice is an unfair trope.
She said, “After a certain point of time, I was not afraid anymore, but I acknowledge whenever I stepped into it, at some stage, I was pushing out to the hurling squad and that lament my heart”. It was Meagan’s strong sense of self that made her continue through the negative gossip. “There was nothing I could actually do, I cannot portray myself as another person, I am who I am. I believe God loves me and is proud of me. Now with a lot of lessons and experience, I really don’t care as much anymore”. It really took her a long time in developing a strong sense of herself. From fortifying her glamorous image as a black woman married to an ordained minister, to lately dealing with rumors on bleaching her skin, proves Meagan can’t be br-oken through words.
Meagan said, “I truly feel that I have never been regretful in my life and I have always walked in my truth”. It was that concern and experience that motivated her to stand for the protection of other women facing the same problem in the public eye. Lately, singer Chloe Bailey shared an emotional video on Instagram live explaining her come back after participating in the Silhouette and bust it challenges. The emotional video st-ruck a chord with Meagan.
Meagan said, “It br-eaks my heart to watch her go through that.
Relieving yourself of what other people think is a process, it actually relies on the person. Relies on how they initialize things – what it feels like to their spirit – so you can’t tell them to overcome it”. She further added, “The truth is that these people don’t decide your fate, these people don’t decide your purpose. They don’t decide the call that God has on your life. The sole way for you is to keep on walking in that purpose and that fate and that calling is to be authentic yourself and acknowledge that some people are not going to get it along the way and it’s fine.
Meagan holds a significant impact on the generation of people standing strong in their challenging boundaries and power. With so many of us seizing our individuality and walking in our purpose, we are witnessing the most powerful Black Renaissances led by Black women. Either through our votes, our activism, our art, women continue to be the cutting edge of social change, that’s a constant source of inspiration from Meagan.
She said, “I am very grateful to play any small part in any of it. I’m grateful to be young ample and old ample to understand it. Which is a kind of sad thing but a kind of amazing thing as well because it has occurred to me. What occurred during the epidemic was the biggest civil rights movement the world has witnessed in terms of all the 50 countries and I indicate everywhere – everyone was involved.”
“We are witnessing the transformation that is striking everything everywhere in really stunning ways, but I believe we still have a long way to go. We are moving along the right direction, slowly but surely.” She further added, “Whatever it may look and mean, let me do my part. Allow me to do whatever I can to help whoever. You know, wear the crown, but also carry it.”
Power Moves
For Meagan, an add-on of her power is spouting into her natural instincts. In the recent past January, she produced, acted, and directed her first movie, If Not Now, When? And then by February, she directed a music video for Diarra Sylla, a new artist from Senegal. The video, ‘Set Free’ depicts the ra-cial injustice experienced by Black people these days. Meagan said, “I am really proud of the music video and it’s all about empowerment. It portrays what happening in the country and witnessing what’s been done to us but also encountering what we are actually capable of”.
Meagan’s innovative influences stretch far beyond directing and acting. She also flourished in the haircare industry. In 2015, she got attracted by Ciara and Teyana Taylor’s faux locs hairstyle. Fascinated by this look, she did some analysis and discover a photo of Lisa Bonet’s hair that includes curly tendrils combined with locs. Then after discussing with her hairstylist Myesha Oliver, she associated with Dr. Carrie who implemented the goddess faux locs on Meagan.
As she started to wear the style frequently, it caught the eyes of the people and spread faster than expected. Later she and Dr. Carrie promoted their goddess locs for consumers to purchase.
This mysterious new hairstyle would direct Meagan into the next business journey. She created the ‘Good girl wraps’ to keep her hair protected while she sleeps and works out. She said, “I discussed with Dr. Carrie and created the specific wrap for all braids, twists and faux locs, not just for goddess locs. It will help you protect your hair and prevents br-eaking. You can wear those even if you have curly hair.” After the product was developed she recognize there was a huge demand for them in the haircare industry.
Despite her fame, she maintains a sensible and practical attitude in life. She said, “I hardly sit back and look at how far I have made, but when I do I feel humble, thankful, and extremely grateful.” Meagan has taught the lesson of living a powerful and authentic life. With her steady relationship with God and her sturdy sense of individuality, she is ready to face the battles thrown in her life. Understanding your personality and individuality is very important while traversing around the globe. We often allow cr-iticism to st-eal our power and identity. But, when you affirm your truth and stand in your truth, you take your life back without any regrets.