What Makes Me Proud To Be Black
To display pride in my Blackness in a world that denigrates my existence is a form of resistance.
A while ago, I came across a writing prompt that asked, “What do you like about being Black?” or something along those lines.
Given that anti-blackness is so pervasive in the world and that Black people are taught to hate ourselves, it’s a question that’s difficult for a fair number of us to answer. The sheer amount of negative conditioning we must unlearn to accept ourselves is overwhelming and can last a lifetime. No white person ever has to undergo anything comparable to accept themselves because they’re considered the default of society.
Consequently, I believe the key to self-love if you’re Black is rejecting whiteness and centering Blackness. Those who don’t do this feel perpetually inadequate, unworthy, and lack a sense of belonging.
So, what do I like about being Black? Let me count the ways:
1. My kinky, coily hair. While oppressors denigrate it as unkempt, it’s a source of pride for me. It defies gravity and is malleable to all sorts of styles. From fros, locs, braids, twists, Bantu knots, and even straightening it, no other race or ethnic group’s hair has the kind of versatility that Black hair has.
