I shouldn’t have to tell you, but too many people assume all Black people act and look the same. The Black race consists of many different cultures and communities. We are a race of individuals on different journeys and have a diversity of experiences, ideas and perspectives. To you, we may look or act the same, but we are individuals with our own stories.
Being Black is a story. It is a story where I am on a journey to find my place and my voice. While I am on this journey, I have learned to embrace my individuality and the person I have become.
My story begins with the world defining my blackness. “You are not Black. You don’t act like a Black person,” they would always say. Yet, some turn around and use my Black skin to be afraid of me, exclude me or believe I am less than them. The disparities of who I am, and who the world thinks I should be, there were definitely moments I felt like I did not belong. I was not Black enough to hang out with the Black girls in my neighbourhood. Still, no matter how much I try, I can’t completely fit in with any other race group because at the end of the day, I am Black.
So where am I now, you might ask. I am at the point where I am redefining my blackness. It is a process of healing, learning and growing. I am healing from the hurtful words that excluded me from fitting in with my people. I am learning more about Black communities, our rich history and the systemic barriers that continue to hinder my community. Finally, I am growing. I starting to celebrate the person I have become. My blackness is not defined by the media, stereotypes and definitely not by people’s perceptions. My blackness is deeply rooted in what I experienced — the struggles and my achievements. What makes me happy and what makes me sad. Being black is my story, and it is incomplete.
So the next time you look at me, don’t assume you know me based on what you see. Talk to me, hear my story, and you’ll learn what being Black means to me.
- Brianna Plummer