Why I’m proud to be black, but wish that I wasn’t. Story by: Shanice Mears Photography: Catherine Mills
No one is free until we are all free.- Dr Martin Luther King Jr. But it seems being free is a bit too much too ask for. In fact lets take it back, back to that word ‘free’, because to me the real understanding of freedom, is being able to speak on your own accord, work within your own understanding and I mean its not really an ideal world of freedom when you’re the only race hash tagging and trending on the internet that your life matters. So yup, I’ve already taken it there- so let’s really go there. I remember being 9 years old and a neighbour of mine saying “we didn’t come here on the banana boat like your parents so mind how your playing with my son young girl, we belong here”. So young, this made me a very confused black child. If I’m honest I grew up so oblivious to how offensive that comment was I even forgot it happened throughout some of my teen years. I must admit its only now at 22 that I’m a lot more aware of my surrounding and slight change of environment. Only now that I understand what it means to really say black lives matter! I never thought I would ever feel like I’d have to defend or explain the skin I’m in, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that being born black isn’t easy. The thing is I’m quite happy with the skin I’m in, the melanin I was born with, the hips that I (kind of) have and the hair that curls up so naturally on my head. But to the rest of the world I wish I wasn’t so misunderstood. When I walk into the room I wish I was more embraced rather than questioned and valued rather than judged. It’s important for me to make this very clear, that I’m not attacking you for being any other colour but the skin your in, whether that be white, black, mixed or Asian- I’m down for you. However it’s also very important to me, to make others understand that I did not choose the colour I was born with, neither did any other black person or white person or whatever! So for that very reason alone we should stand together rather than a part- but my people are still being misjudged because of the shade of their skin and I don’t see too many of them around that are often being praised. Black or not at some point you have to understand that we’re still fighting for equal rights whether you see it or not, its happening! As a young black female I wish it wasn’t. There are glass ceilings and glass doors, but in fact lets not go that far we have BAME programmes because ethnic minority people are not getting hired! I think that says it all. Anything in place to make something better is great, but lets not forget why they started in the first place. Also to those that think because we’re in the year 2016 these things aren’t happening, I understand what you’re saying but it is happening! So lets find a solution shall we. I could be asking for too much, and it might all just be blown out of proportion, or I could just be a young black female who is proud of being a young black female but wants to be valued for more than just being a young BLACK female. P.s For the people.
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#BLACKLIVESMATTER
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