Finding Freedom: Why There Is No Utopia for Black Women
A friend recently told me that Paris wasn’t her city. She said she wanted to be somewhere she was celebrated, not just tolerated.
Every Black woman I know has felt that pull. We are constantly negotiating our existence, trying to determine which country, company, or community will finally make space for us. But after more than a decade of living in Paris, I’ve learned a hard truth: There is no utopia for Black women. Not here, not there, not anywhere.
And yet, I still choose Paris. Because what I found here wasn’t perfection. It was freedom.
Relocation is not an escape; it is a strategic reclamation of your right to exist unburdened. In this essay, France relocation consultant Latrice Shepherd explores why the "Soft Life" in France is built on radical freedom, not cultural perfection.
A Legacy of Existence
Black Americans have been migrating to France for well over a century, from painter Henry Ossawa Tanner in 1891 to the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I. Figures like Josephine Baker, James Baldwin, and Richard Wright didn’t come here chasing a fantasy; they came to breathe. They dreamt of the freedom to exist outside a system that constantly tried to shrink and police them. France provided a space where they could create, think, and live without constantly justifying their mere existence.
Freedom in Real Time
In France, I am often an American woman first. My Blackness is noticed, but it isn’t the entire story. There is a profound peace in not being expected to represent an entire race every time I walk into a room.
In Paris, the daily performance of "strength" dissolves. I can move through the city as a woman who is complex, stylish, flawed, and whole. The scrutiny and suspicion that follow us in the States disappear. I can finally hear myself think without the background noise of microaggressions. That is the radical rest we talk about at Paris Chic Code.
The Truth About Geography
France has issues, just like the U.S. or any other destination. The difference is in how you choose to live through them. When we say we want to be "celebrated," what we often mean is that we want to be seen and valued. But that feeling doesn’t come from a map; it comes from knowing exactly who you are.
Paris reinforced what New York taught me: even in a big pond, you remain a "big fish." Whether I’m in the 8th arrondissement or the middle of Monaco, I show up as That Girl.
In France, I am allowed to exist outside the trauma loop. I can have a bad day without it becoming a political statement. I can have a good one without explaining why I deserve it. You aren’t being erased here; you are simply being unburdened.
A Soft Reminder
No city can hand you peace if you haven’t created it for yourself. While there is no utopia, there is alignment. There can be joy, there can be ease, and there can be freedom.
For me, that freedom is Parisian. I learned that celebration wasn’t what I needed most. Freedom was. And once you find that, you realize it is the most luxurious thing in the world.
Your Invitation to Reclaim
If you feel the pull toward a life of elegant ease and sovereignty, start where you are.
The Lifestyle Vision Workbook: Begin architecting your reclamation from home.
Paris Readiness Session: A private strategy call to clarify your timeline and budget.
Brain Drain, Baguette Gain
Notes on life, style, and the art of the soft landing.
Black Women Moving to France: Relocation as a reclamation of sovereignty.
France Relocation Authority: Strategic guidance for your move, from Paris to the Côte d’Azur.
Paris, Personally: Events, talks and gatherings for women building their soft landing in France.
The Expat Guide for Black Women: Moving beyond the checklist.
