I am a bald, heavyset Black woman in a world where none of those attributes are valued. I've dealt with alopecia for several years, primarily by hiding it. Today, I feel liberated from the shame of baldness. But, like many bald and Black marginalized genders, I experience challenges to my self-image, beauty, and overall sense of self. It has everything to do with society.
Read MoreEveryday,
it seems to be a vicious cycle of
Acculturation classrooms,
Assimilation lessons,
And conformity schoolwork.
We don't dare walk around your building In our cultural clothings or
Bother with home cooked lunches to avoid Your sensitive noses.
Read More27 de junio de 1970, San Francisco, California, 30 personas.
30 de junio de 1979, Berlín, Alemania, 450 personas.
28 de junio de 1982 Bogotá, Colombia, 32 personas.
“¡Salgamos!”: Salgamos a las calles, salgamos del armario, salgamos a abogar por nuestros derechos y salgamos a recordar las demasiadas víctimas que ha dejado la homofobia.
Read MoreJune 27, 1970, San Francisco, California, 30 persons.
June 30, 1979, Berlin, Germany, 450 persons.
June 28, 1982, Bogotá, Colombia, 32 persons.
"Come out! Come out to the streets, come out of the closet, come out to advocate for our rights, and to commemorate the victims of homophobia."
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The band instructor displayed instruments that were placed on tables in each corner of the room.
I knew I was destined to play the drums before I walked into class. Apparently, so did every other black kid, and it wasn’t a coincidence. Two influences had recently occurred. The first was the release of Drumline, and the second was a catchy Neptunes-produced song called “Grindin.” Students repurposed desktops and lunch tables, using them as drums to recreate the beat. That afternoon after tryouts, I showed my mother the cost sheet. Her eyebrows cascaded over her eyelids as she traced the total with her finger. “Sorry, T. What about the choir?” she bargained.
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time to infuse the revolution with faith
this plantation of a nation is in its death throes
throwing a violent fit
hitting us with everything at its fingertips
on its way out
this system can’t fight death
so it’s gonna try and fight us instead
Bottle up inside,
are the words he never said.
Behind his false smiles,
And the jokes he always tells.
Buried are his feelings,
the ones he tries to hide,
because deep down,
it’s all about his pride.
Black women are labeled political when simply trying to exist, from Jada Pinkett Smith's hair follicles to Megan Thee Stallion's lyricism. Whether it's fashion, music, writings, or films, it's rare for a Black woman to create art that is not overly and overtly politicized. As the late great Toni Morrison said, "All good art is political!
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