Welcome back lovely readers! As we draw near to the end of Black History Month, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to reflect on what being Black means to me. Upon thinking of this question, it became clear the complexity in my answer to this. I’ve struggled with the sense of what my Blackness means since my freshman year of college. What exactly is “being Black” defined as? Is it what my peers and community see me as? Or is it some box that this world has put me in? I’ve come to find that neither is the case because for me, being Black is when I am proudly and unapologetically being myself. It is when I represent my culture and its history by achieving the successes those before me fought hard for and encouraged me to dream of.
To me, being Black is not a one size fit all label. It is the beauty of a community who can come together and celebrate our achievements and strength, despite the challenges and heaviness that history has thrown at us. To me being Black is beautiful, yet complicated. It is demonstrating resilience and bravery when it seems all hope is lost. To me being Black is having a community that is loving and truthful. It is having a community that comes in all different types and sizes, yet is forever bonded by love and unity. It is having a community that not only helps and stands up for each other, but is also not afraid to do the same for other communities.
I’ve said that I’ve struggled with my identity as a Black woman while in college. This is because at times I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one hand I feel that maybe my Black peers may look at me and see me as an imposter because I don’t act a certain way. On the other hand, being surrounded by virtually no one who looks like me or who understands how my culture shapes me can leave me feeling alone or scared to be misunderstood. It at times can leave me hesitant to speak my mind on things I otherwise would. At times, this can leave me feeling like I can’t be my true self entirely. However, the choice now is to boldly display who I am without feeling like either an imposter or outcast. This is a choice that I found ultimately had to be made to live authentically and free from the opinions and restrictions of others. Though overcoming these feelings may take time, it is possible. This is because, no matter what, I would not and will not change who I am. Being Black is the way God created me and I love it. I love the creativity and artistry of my culture. I love the intellect and humor of my people. I say all of this to say though there may be challenges I face as being a Black woman, I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.
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