Dare to be different, black girl.
Living in a, not so black world,
where beauty is measured by European standards. Where our features are only accepted if they’re painted on another woman.
Dare to be different, black girl.
Living in a, not so black world,
where we get trumped over by people every day. Trumped over by our own black men too,
who feel as though every ethnicity of woman is more exotic and superior than our own.
As if intertwining with a foreign beauty is an upgrade to life, not realizing that black women are the most exotic women across the world.
Dare to be different, black girl.
Living in a, not so black world,
where you also have to compete with your own just to be seen. While still in fear of being judged and put down because you don’t measure up to the new black standard.
Where you’re always being labeled angry, or crazy when you exercise your right to feel!
Where being natural is the new norm, and you’re seen as self-loathing if you wear hair weaves and colored contacts…
Dare to be different, black girl!
Living in a, not so black world,
where everyone wants to be like us.. but they don’t want to deal with being like us.
Know that we are sprinkled with gold and coconut butter fairy dust. You better embrace that melanin that was given to you!
Let that beautiful pigment and them kinky curly coils shine through. Don’t ever let a man or anyone define you. Don’t let anyone keep you from being the divine you.
Dare to be different, black girl!
Living in a, not so black world,
filled with Sandra Bland’s, Michelle Obama’s, Viola Davis’s, Beyonce’s, and Taraji P’s. There are many more black women I could define as Queens,
and the list can go on for centuries.
Beauty, brains, and nothing but fierceness topped with strength. We go to war everyday fighting a continuous battle to keep us, and our black men safe.
See, I dare to be different everyday.
Because I am a black girl living in a not so black world.
I try my best to fight the stereotypes, be above what the media says I am, and set my own definition of black girl magic. I am unbothered by the whispers of what people think I should be, or what they think of me: as should you.
When you hear those whispers,
see those long stares,
hear the judgements and,
read the labels:
continue to walk with a stride.
Keep your head up high,
with that melanin pride! and,
Dare 2 B different, black girl
living in this, not so black world.
*Brittany B. is a licensed Ohio based cosmetologist. You can follow her on IG @beeunique_stylz
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