Gender equality simply isn't possible if it's solely for white women, and I was concerned about a movement whose organisers had been accused of ignoring people of colour and other oppressed groups.

While Feminism's goal has been to establish gender equality for all women, the fact is that not all women face the same problems or inequities. Women of colour and women from other oppressed groups suffer difficulties that are typically minimised and ignored when race, ethnicity, and religion are left out of debates about gender equality.

As a woman of colour, I passionately believe that gender equality and racial justice are inextricably linked concerns. Maintaining a disparity between black and white women is not feminism, but rather another manifestation of white supremacy.

For decades, black women's bodies, livelihoods, and opportunities have been regulated. Black women get 61 cents for every dollar earned by a white man, a higher disparity than white women. More than four out of every ten black women will face domestic violence from an intimate partner at some point in their lives. In addition, black moms are 243 percent more likely than white mothers to die from problems during pregnancy.

It's critical to ensure that black women feel properly represented in feminism, and elevating and celebrating them does just that by providing role models for younger, aspiring activists. Celebrating different women helps to solidify intersectionality as the norm and invites people with different viewpoints to contribute to the movement's strength.