The Essence of the Black Woman
""The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman." -Malcolm X, circa 1962
Is she strong? Is she angry? Is she a bitch? Is she career-driven? Is she loud? Is she sensual?
She is none of those things yet she is all of those things because a black woman cannot be defined by the stereotypes that the media portrays of her.
She can be a teacher who is happily married and is satisfied with not having children or she can be a widow in suburbia who finds joy in attending PTA meetings and soccer practice. She can be the Black Student Union president at a state university who aspires to be a international human rights lawyer or she can be an artist embracing the cultures of the world and exuding it in her music and poetry. She can be an executive at a Fortune 500 company who is married to her college sweetie who is a stay-at-home dad or she can be an elder in the community who has experienced discrimination and the effects of the Jim Crow laws.
Whatever path she decides to take or whatever calling she may follow, she will always be black and a woman - a black woman. She will tell her story and define herself for herself and debunk the myths that tries to devitalize her story and her worth.
Is she strong? Is she angry? Is she a bitch? Is she career-driven? Is she loud? Is she sensual?
She is none of those things yet she is all of those things because a black woman cannot be defined by the stereotypes that the media portrays of her.
She can be a teacher who is happily married and is satisfied with not having children or she can be a widow in suburbia who finds joy in attending PTA meetings and soccer practice. She can be the Black Student Union president at a state university who aspires to be a international human rights lawyer or she can be an artist embracing the cultures of the world and exuding it in her music and poetry. She can be an executive at a Fortune 500 company who is married to her college sweetie who is a stay-at-home dad or she can be an elder in the community who has experienced discrimination and the effects of the Jim Crow laws.
Whatever path she decides to take or whatever calling she may follow, she will always be black and a woman - a black woman. She will tell her story and define herself for herself and debunk the myths that tries to devitalize her story and her worth.
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