For as long as I can remember, the weight of my skin’s melanin has felt like a heavy burden. Being Black in America carries an immense weight. I’ve felt it during countless encounters with law enforcement for what they call a “routine check.” I’ve sensed it whenever an overly watchful security guard shadowed me in a store. I’ve experienced it in workplaces where I was often the only person of color, a feeling that is magnified when you’re in a position of management. This heaviness has accompanied me through job interviews, housing searches, dates, and relationships.
Like an unseen force connecting atoms, I also bear the weight of my community’s struggles. It’s a collective understanding that justice would not be served for Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, and the countless others lost to violence and indifference, including my cousin, Marcus Green, whose name remains unrecognized.
This weight becomes palpable when I witness Americans burning Colin Kaepernick’s jersey for peacefully protesting racial injustice. I feel it as I watch military vehicles roll in against peaceful demonstrators. I see the irony in the marijuana industry, where fortunes are made overnight while Black men remain imprisoned for minor offenses. Every racially charged joke, each derogatory term hurled at us, and every attempt to undermine our achievements only adds to the struggle we navigate daily.
I taste this struggle in our culinary traditions, read it in our poetry, and hear it in our music. It’s the relentless fight present in the works of Langston Hughes. It’s a culinary artistry created to mask the history of oppression. The rhythms of our music—country, gospel, jazz, rock & roll, rhythm & blues, hip-hop—all express a deep-rooted conflict and purpose.
Yet, on top of all this, there lies the burden of knowing that, despite your talent, your success often depends on someone else’s decision to grant you a chance. Just like Jackie Robinson needed a Branch Rickey to give him the opportunity to shine, countless others face barriers that can be outright stolen or appropriated.
The health disparities affecting people of color—diabetes, hypertension, and other ailments—are not merely genetic. They stem from a combination of unrelenting stress and the hardships that come from navigating life in a world filled with obstacles.
Learning to love one’s Blackness is not easy; it starts from a young age. By five, I was singing “The Greatest Love of All” with my peers. As a child, the meaning of the lyrics was lost on me, but as an adult, I now understand the necessity behind that mantra: “To make it easier.” It’s a reminder that every taunt about hair texture, every jab about our features, and every insinuation about our worth is an attack on our identity.
The truth is, no amount of pride—personal or collective—will ever make the journey easier. You can become stronger, smarter, more intuitive, but the challenges remain. The only choice is to rise above them.
In the United States, every February marks Black History Month, a time when we reflect on the struggles of Black heroes who fought valiantly for justice. We hear about underappreciated inventors who changed the world. Yet, we also witness the cherry-picking of Dr. King’s most uplifting words while we brace ourselves for whatever racially charged incident will unfold, remembering that he met his fate for calling for equality.
But today, I choose to embrace the joy of my Blackness. Today, I’ll turn up my music, dance freely, and soak in the sun, knowing that my melanin protects me just as my ancestors did. I will celebrate a culture rich and profound, one that centuries of oppression could never fully diminish. Today, I reject the weight of expectations that others place on me based solely on the color of my skin. In honoring the legacy of Dr. King, I will redefine my narrative: instead of carrying the burden of struggle, I will rise light as air, defying gravity like a Michael Jordan slam dunk.
As I embrace this joy, I invite you to explore helpful resources such as this guide on intrauterine insemination for those on their own journey. For those considering home insemination, check out this comprehensive kit or learn more about fertility options here.
In summary, while the journey of embracing our identities can be heavy, celebrating our existence and culture brings lightness and joy. Every day is a choice to rise, to dance, and to honor our heritage.
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