My Self- Care is an Act of RADICAL Rebellion

“Here you are, Black and Woman, and in love with yourself. You are terrifying. They are terrified (as they should be.)”
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Engaging in self- care is the ultimate act of rebellion. The oppressive systems in the US do not want me to be able to experience joy. The fact that I am able to take care of myself shows that I can find inner peace despite the chaos and atrocities in this world. My #BlackGirlJoy is RADICAL. ✊🏾I have taken time to reflect on happy memories in my life. Days I felt successful, energized, enthusiastic, passionate and powerful in the work I am doing. Graduation days where, even though I secretly hate the pomp and circumstance, I went and could feel the sheer pride radiating from my immigrant mother’s face. Days I could finally see the result of years of hard work, suffering through gendered racism and pure sacrifice. Days I traveled different parts of this earth: Greece, Dominican Republic, Spain, Puerto Rico (to name a few). Days I disregarded the fatphobic, Eurocentric body ideals of this society and adored, loved and admired my body. Days I challenged myself physically and dipped into my sensuality by pole dancing. Days I spent reveling and taking pleasure in myself in the form of selfies, an act someone once bullied for their appearance could only see as an uprising. Days I spent engaging in community care, being supported and nurtured by my friends, loving them and them loving me. Days I felt sexy, hopeful, blissful, confident, festive, intelligent, inquisitive, unbridled by the status quo, and avant garde. Days I felt completely amazed by myself, my journey, my purpose, and my existence.💕✊🏾🔥🌟💛🔮