There are so many things I can say about being Black in America. I could say that I am a melanin goddess that absorbs the rays of sun and glisten like gold. I could say that my culture inspires many in the world and I am proud to see such growth. I could say that the moon and the stars are a reflection of my eyes and smile and the dark of night is the echo of my flesh but no…that’s not what it’s like to be Black in America.

In this world, in this country…I am either too Black or not Black enough. I speak properly and enunciate my words, oh I must be “trying to be white”! I like certain rap songs that make me dance and “Oh, I’m so ghetto” or “Okay Shaniqua”. Why has Shaniqua become an insult or backhanded compliment? You do know Shaniqua means God is Gracious in Africa and means Beautiful Spirit in India right? Okay, well hell yeah…I am Shaniqua but when you use it, you better put some respect on it and know what you’re talking about.

Also, being Black in America comes with those ever so prominent double standards. Black and Brown facing…Who in the right mind thought that was okay?? Just recently a friend stated she was sick of this happening on a post of an individual on Facebook doing this exact thing and her comment was blocked by facebook but the post was not removed for being inappropriate. Also, several Black women in the Cosplay community were told that they were not accurate when cosplaying because they are Black and this needs to stop yet, these comments were not removed even when reported. But okay…this shit doesn’t happen…

The way things are handled by a lot of police are clear as day when it comes to Black people yet people want to hide their heads in the sand and state that it’s all a lie or you’re thinking too much. Thinking too much my chocolate ass! Why is it always shoot to kill when it’s an unarmed Black man but a man of common European features is taken in practically unscathed…after murdering MANY…please explain?? I’ll wait…

Another thing that really gets to me is not only other races speaking down to Black people but Black people doing it to each other!! I’m over hearing about the one drop rule…stop with that slave mentality bullshit!! Some of us are All African and some of us are not and that’s okay. Just because my skin is dark does not mean I HAVE to denounce every other element that made my family who they are today. Those hurts and struggles should be something we learn from and help us to be better people, help us to know what our people went through and be proud that we made it. Did you ever think that slave owners made that “one drop rule” so that we would feel less worldly? Make us feel like we are not of this earth as a whole but only where THEY found us? Maybe, just maybe, they wanted us to be stuck in a box so we could be forgotten about but no…NO WE WILL NOT!!

I dislike how you try to be well traveled and understand other cultures and languages and your own people, Black people try to find something negative to say about it. I want to be less like those who stole from our people and more like those who want to be kind and understand cultures, not try to stomp them out because we don’t understand. We need to be better than those who dragged us.  Why can’t we see that?? Also, God forbid Africa is not the first place on your list to travel! You’re either a traitor to your people or you are too American and “They won’t accept you like that over there”. Ugh…it’s exhausting.

Overall, being black in America is exactly that…exhausting. You can never seem to do anything right because everyone has something to say and my answer to that is HAVE A TALL GLASS OF STFU AND LET PEOPLE LIVE!! Stop being in a slave mentality. Stop being racist assholes like the ones who want to shoot a black man because they “feared for their life” even though there was evidence of nothing to fear? Hmmm, wonder if that would work the other way around?? Stop talking down to your fellow black women and learn how to be supportive. Stop dissing black owned companies and actually try to build them up especially the small businesses that may be struggling. Stop doing Black and Brown face and trying to justify it! Stop Sexualizing the Black female and seeing her only as a “Baby Mama”. Just stop because being Black in America with all these other factors against us is hard enough.

If you are still with me through all this, this is the end of my rant! I am just pissed off and I feel this needed to be said. People just don’t want to listen and that whole being “set in your ways” is not an excuse. We need…NEED to get it together as a human race but the Black race needs to no longer be a target. There is no reason to hate us or fear us but I guess when you have something other people want, you always have haters.

♥❤♥

Kai