More often than not, Black women get the short end of the stick on reality dating shows. From microaggressions to being put on the back burner in favor of their fairer-skinned castmates, their unfair treatment is often difficult to watch as a Black woman myself. But this season of "Love Island USA" has been a pleasant surprise: the audience saw two beautiful Black women fully be themselves and find genuine connections in real time.
JaNa Craig and Serena Paige are two breakout stars from the sixth season of "Love Island USA." Their personalities, authenticity, beauty, and strong female friendships instantly pulled viewers in. They also made up two-thirds of the trio known as the Powerpuff Girls, or the PPG, a friend group known for their sisterhood, hijinks, and general support for one another.
At the end of the season, JaNa finished in third place with her partner Kenny Rodriguez, while Serena was the season's winner alongside Kordell Beckham. Despite their happy endings (or, I should say, beginnings), their journeys were far from easy. JaNa coupled up with bombshell Connor Newsum and the two seemed happy — until he started to express interest in her friend and fellow PPG, Leah Kateb.
Over time, Connor withdrew from their relationship, became passive aggressive toward her, and in the end, discarded her. We aren't afterthoughts and don't have to be comfortable with accepting scraps of love. Watching this happen to JaNa in real time was heartbreaking, not only because her rom.