Defining Your Black

What’s considered black? Is it based solely on skin color? Or is it the way I talk? Or Act? When I’m asked my ethnicity, I say “Black” because that is what I identify myself as. Maybe you’d prefer the “politically correct” term of African-America, but black is good enough for me. Growing up in a predominately white school and neighborhood, I was considered the “Oreo”. You know the girl that is clearly black by looking at her, but the way I talk and act was so proper they considered me white. It didn’t bother me at first, because I did not mind being the smart little black girl in my classes. I mostly had white friends who usually made me feel very comfortable. I fit in very well and honestly did not see myself as any different than them. When I got older, say sixth grade or so I started to be more aware and started fitting in less and less with my old friends. They actually got quite annoying. I started to wear my hair in its natural state and they always asked so many questions about it. I had very curly hair and it was considered “long for black girl”. They continuously asked me if I was mixed cause there was NO way I could be black (dark-skin at that) with curly hair. I started to distance myself. Fortunately, I had met one of my first black friend who eventually became my best friend and we were the only black girls in our class. She was the who helped me feel even more comfortable expressing my blackness. She is the same skin-tone as me and the exact same hair.

I was and am not to be considered an “Oreo” because that was not who I thought I was. I’m a Black girl in touch with her Blackness and my family made sure of that. My intelligence, my hair, my speech, and my thoughts only complemented my melanin. I began to be comfortable with expressing myself and culture. I learned to be unannoyed with with my white friends and instead educate them.

The older I got the more my circle started to change instead of being surrounded by only white people, I entered high school with many more black friends. Besides doing summer school in college, I have to say high school held my favorite moments ever. It was a self-learning and growth process i went through to make great relationships. I meet people of all different backgrounds, but we all connected on one thing….. our Blackness.