Being “Black”

I am a woman of color but more specifically a Black girl, I refer to myself as black and I am also referred to as Black by others. I myself am PROUD to be apart of the Black race and as are many others, but I was sitting back and pondering and I questioned if whether people know what it is to be “Black”. To be honest I feel like nowadays people take being black as having a darker pigmentation and originating from the ancestral background of being African American. Hearing this lowkey gets me upset because it leaves people with the impression that they know what being Black is all about when y’all have barely even made a scratch on the surface to understanding. I’m not saying that having some sort of darker pigmentation isn’t apart of it but it’s not the main reason as well. People often forget that there are pros to being/classifying as black and there are also hardships that come with being considered black as well. In a sense, everyone wants to be black until it’s time to actually be “BLACK”, just like the saying “People want the rhythm but they don’t want the blues.” However, at the end of the day, whether or not you decide to classify as black is your OWN individual decision. If you choose to identify as black then others like me are rocking with you, but at the same time if you choose not to then people should respect your decision, and you yourself should also respect theirs.

OKKAYYYYYYY , now that all that’s been said lets dive into the pros and hardships of being Black! Cause trust me there is a lot to both sides. First lets list the hardships, because we gotta get the bad things out the way first and then get into the good things. One of the major strugges Black people face everyday is discrimination and its many forms. Discrimination against Black people are stereotypes, It is not having the same privilege’s as the common white person, it is having the lack of rights and equality, it is always having to work 10x harder than the next person just to show your worth, it is the constant reminder that you’ll never be good enough or fully respected because of the color of the skin you were blessed with…

EVERYDAY Black people are faced with these different forms of discrimination and sometimes it ends up costing us our lives, BUT what others DON’T see is that each one of these blows is taken and used as the constant fuel igniting our FIRE OF PASSION to KEEP GOING and PUSHING ON! We’ve shown the intensity of our flames through various ways such as our food, our culture, our beauty, and our diversity. Take the lovely Madam CJ Walker , who was the first wealthiest business woman of her time, take the well-known and loved African American actor, Michael B. Jordan, take the Former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. But wait ! the greatness doesn’t just reside within our older community, it is FLOODING within the youth as well. Take the famous rapper, Jaden Smith, take the AMAZING young actress, youtuber, and author Skai Jackson, take locally well-known upcoming muse, photographer, model, and one of my close friends Priscilla Tsagli. All these people I mentioned are just a small portion of how much the Black community has been and WILL continue to evolve! NO ONE can ever compare to the drive and motivation Black people have because it’s not something we just came up with it’s something that’s been embedded into us, it’s something we were all born with one way or another.

Astoundingly even though we have the most drive, passion, and motivation we don’t get enough recognition because those who are typically placed on a pedestal or acknowledged for astounding achievements are those with fairer skin. LET IT HAVE BEEN A WHITE PERSON! LET IT HAVE BEEN one of them to become one of the first wealthiest entrepreneurs, ONE OF THEM to become one of the well-known and admired actors and actresses, ONE OF THEM as the former First Lady of the United States, ONE OF THEM as an upcoming local artist….. (**Tuh**) Their names would have already been written into America’s History and praised countless times over and over again in the headlines of each story published by American publishers. Such action has become a common theme because white supremacy has made a large mark in the American lifestyle. This is something that has gone on for years and still goes on today, but DON’T see it as discouragement because as the Black community often does….we ENFORCE CHANGE.

So…. If you identify as Black or consider yourself to be apart of the Black community know that even though there are negatives to being the people that we are the positives outdo them all ! So I say this again IF YOU ARE BLACK ….. stand up tall, push forward, and walk with purpose because you are a star that lights up the night sky and no others can compare to how bright you shine…