Change Is Here

It's Been A Long Time Coming

The events that have taken place over the U.S., have been incredibly raw and painful but they were predictable and truly not shocking. I say this as a Black woman who was taught that "not every white person is bad, but you can't trust all of them." This wasn't something I was born into, I was taught that. I used to think that this was an outdated thought pattern that we as Black people carried and held onto for way too long. I then realized what we were taught wasn't coming from a present perspective but a 500 year old one. Our ancestors have been speaking through our DNA.

After many protests that finally lead to The Civil Rights Movement, the Black and White community settled down just enough for us to exist together. During that time however, it hasn't all been peaceful and because of that, our ancestors made sure to keep their voices heard within our bloodlines. They have always known the unsettling war that started centuries ago would return. Sparks of it would resurface, just like now, when the news anchor reports to the nation of another black man or woman being killed by a police officer or hate crimes being committed. Like a cancer, these were symptoms flaring up to show you our country had never healed and this illness has been progressing on a cellular level.

How Racism Shows Up Today

Most of this shows up in the news with a focus on white police officers with black men and women being the targets but, there are other ways that it shows up. For those of us who grew up in predominately white neighborhoods and schools, our blackness seemed to always be questioned. Not only was it about how light or dark skinned we were, but it was also about, if we talked "too black" and if we fit into the stereotypes that society placed on us before we were even brought into the world.

Now, this may not apply for every Black woman but, for the ones I know (including myself) one of the biggest things that seemed to strike up a conversation (and still does to this day) is about our hair. Why the texture of our hair intrigues White people especially White women, is an unexplainable phenomenon and is in fact, very distasteful. It's almost as if a trigger gets pulled when a woman of non-color sees a Black woman with braids, weaves, or wigs. The fascination then leads to a reaction of them wanting to touch our hair without being asked. The respect of boundaries and self-awareness factors are just not there.

Even white males. The same questions a woman asks they also ask, "How do you do that?" or "How do you get it to stay in there?" have lit many fires within the souls of Black women and men who have undergone this situation. We live in a world where YouTube and Google are on heavy rotation but for some reason, some White men and woman find it acceptable to try their luck (and our boundaries) by asking these questions. Another thing is those of us who place ourselves in interracial relationships, having to constantly educate our significant other and possibly their family members on what is acceptable and what is not. We do not transition to being your personal Black encyclopedias just because we are dating your son, daughter, cousin, etc.

We are in a time where if you are curious, do the research on your own time. On a personal note, if there was ever a question that truly needed to be answered and it came from a place of love and a true need for understanding, I was more than happy to provide my personal opinion to someone of who wasn't a P.O.C. (Person of Color). It hasn't happened often but, it has happened.

When racism gets brought up, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's blatant. That's the ignorant part. Corporate offices, law offices, hospitals, educational institutions, etc. would be under constant fire if racism were to be right in front of the faces of everyone on a daily basis. It shows up as Black child coming home from school telling their mom and dad how their teacher is mistreating them in class but shows favor to the rest of the students. It's when you trust your own power and intuition in life and a White colleague constantly tells you your ideas won't work because they don't want you to surpass them. It's also as smooth as your White friends not inviting you to parties because they don't know how another group of white people will act with you being Black.

There are so many avenues that this thing could drive on it will have you lost. This way of life can no longer be accepted.

Becoming The Change

It all starts from within. As I mentioned in the beginning, our ancestors knew this would resurface. That's why we are seeing what we are seeing. The chanting within the bloodlines of African American generations has gotten louder and it can't be ignored. What happened on May 25, 2020 was only a catalyst to ignite the fire of purification to end this mess once and for all. This is not going to be easy but it is going to be worth it. This is a time to understand the power of love and togetherness. We live and breathe food, electronics, social acceptance, fashion, money, and anything that is tangible. Yet we ignore the one thing that matters the most in this world. Loving your neighbor. Giving gratitude for the existence of one another.

Our earth has asked for change through an environmental reset hence, a pandemic came into fruition. Now, humanity is on the front lines to clean up the mess that was made centuries prior. With love, compassion, growth, education, and understanding we as a whole can do powerful things. This isn't a time for doing things as we've always done or trying to go it alone. We are in this together and we are going to have to solve it, together. During this uproar I have seen the beauty emerge. People of all races have come together to support the movement for equality.

Most of all, this new generation that exists within the White community is not and I repeat, not tolerating the ways of old. They are fighting for our beautiful Black community in ways that haven't been seen in the 1950's and 1960's. Same script yes but with new and better cast members. I say thank you to all of those people who are taking a stand and using their voices to help put an end to the madness that was inserted in to the U.S. 500 years ago.

I will leave with one of my favorite scriptures: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind..." 2 Timothy 1:7

Be the change.