Fenty campaign stars Black breast cancer survivors

Rihanna is hitting the right tone with her latest Savage X Fenty campaign. The singing superstar turn entrepreneur asked three “survivors and thrivers” of the breast cancer to model new styles from a capsule collection , for the singer’s lingerie brand.

The benefits from the collection will directly go to the Clara Lionel Foundation, a charity founded by Rihanna in 2012. A press statement said that Savage X Fenty will donate a portion of the proceeds — up to $250,000 in total — to help the organization fund cancer research and support for Black people diagnosed with the disease.

The campaign photographs feature Cayatanita Leiva and Ericka Hart, both 34, and Nykia McKenzie, 26, wearing the collection’s sporty new styles against draped pink fabric. Hart, who posed in a gray bralette and panty set, was diagnosed with two types of breast cancer at once: HER2-positive and triple-negative. The model credited the Black femme and queer communities with being a source of support.

“The Savage X Fenty campaign was affirming of my experience as not just a breast cancer survivor but all of my intersections of identity as a Black, queer, non-binary femme,” Hart said in an email interview with CNN.

“Many cancer campaigns focus on one aspect, your chronic illness but not how your various identities play a role in how you navigate cancer … I also loved that the campaign didn’t focus on poses that focused on strength as the sole image for living with breast cancer, but rather is just showcasing people who want to share their experience to make a difference for someone else.”

McKenzie, reveals how she was misdiagnosed twice before receiving the correct treatment by a third doctor.

“By March, my breast was the size of a mini watermelon. At that point, I knew what was going on,” she said in a video accompanying the campaign.

“Knowing that these images will be seen worldwide means everything to me, mainly because I know now my story is being heard and that my storm was always bigger than me because the triumph is even bigger,” she added in an email interview with CNN.

“I know now that black women will be heard in regards to our health and our healing. I hope these images convey to you all that there’s work to do and that starts with listening to young women who look like me.”

_{Featured image: CNN}

---