Pro-black does not mean anti-white.

I love being black, especially at a time like this. We’re finally waking up to who we really are and UNAPOLOGETICALLY so. For years, I, in some ways hated my own people, hated that black represented all things bad and worked to distance myself from “stigmas” that were given to me without me even having to do anything. Fighting to love me in despite of not really being shown love. It’s hard to become something you never were exposed to. This is because being a young, black girl from the south you are taught and shown nationwide that your own men prefer any other woman over you and compared to other women your beauty was on the bottom of the totem pole. Love who you love, but why hate me/us in the process?

Our men labeled thugs, destined for jails and graves, ghetto traps set in our minds making it almost impossible to escape. But we are woke now-waking now. There’s an evolution taking place. We have to go through this, so that we can finally be able to live in a world where race doesn’t matter and a term like “all lives matter” include the minority. But now isn’t that time. Because, for now, race does matter. And ignoring it or pretending there aren’t racial injustices and issues is like trying to put a bandaid over a wound that requires stitches. It never heals properly or at all for that matter. Because the wounds weren’t properly dressed and cared for. Hence, our current societal/racial atmosphere.

For so long, we’ve been told by other people who we are and almost always — negative. We aren’t given credit for inventions, setting beauty standards, truly equal opportunities and welcomed openly or able to live without fear of dying by those who were supposed to protect and even worse when we do die, we’re shown our lives don’t matter.

I can never speak on the struggles of a Native American, a Mexican, etc., so it kills me when I see my white friends or any other ethnicity for that matter downplay my/our struggles, because they don’t know how it feels. I’m so glad you never were refused help/service or opportunity or targeted because of the color of your skin. One day, hopefully my son will be able to share your sentiment, but as for me and many my age and older, we can’t say that. Lack of empathy is killing our society, because if I hurt, you should hurt, but the fact that you don’t speaks to the necessity of this evolution. How many know what it feels like to be the only person that looks like you in a place and you have to wonder will I be accepted? Am I safe? This still is reality in 2016 for black people.

I’ve read comments on Beyoncé’s new song and one comment stated, “We could never do that. We could never say white power, go up there in hooded sheets — tired of reverse racism”. Why would you even want to? Your tradition is based off of stealing, degrading, and destroying people. People. That’s a heritage and tradition you are proud of? The one you want to keep reminding people of? For a change, why shouldn’t you and your ancestors be seen according to their/your acts? Get a taste of the negative publicity that we as blacks have been dealing with for years? Judged and ridiculed for how we struggle with picking ourselves up in a society designed against us. But when facts are addressed, moral wrongs are being righted — we are being racist and divisive? When all we’re doing is finally learning who we are and finally loving it and not accepting your entitlement and ignorance. This doesn’t mean we don’t love you too and don’t want to live cohesively with you, we’re just not “here” for that other stuff anymore. We’ve practiced self-hate for too long…I’m glad and proud to welcome love.