Being Black to me means being mindful of how I carry myself when I go out. Mindful of the clothing I wear ,so that society doesn’t view me as trying to be provocative. Feeling as though I have to wear my hair in a certain way ,so that I’m not judged by my wild kinks and coils. Speaking in a certain manner, so that I’m not frowned upon or deemed uneducated. It means there are times I have to mask who I naturally am in order to fit in with society and what they consider normal.
Being Black means I walk with a heavy weight on my shoulders simply because of my melanin skin. But even with that being said, being Black means everything to me. It gives me a strength like no other and allows me to be resilient in each and every aspect of my life. It means that I have the power to speak and be heard, to be seen and not ignored. Even as I write this, I can’t help but look down at my hands and smile. The glow on my skin when the sun kisses it is literally golden. If that’s not a sign that my melanin comes from royalty, I don’t know what is.
Being Black may come with a heavy weight, but that resiliency, that strength, it makes that weight feel light as a feather.
- Samantha Williams Brown