So I decided to do something different today. Simply because this racial tension is so unnecessary and I feel like if people actually took the time to think about things it would prevent the discussion I’m about to have now.

Let’s start with the Black Lives Matter Movement.


Anytime I see “hashtag” Black Lives Matter on a post almost immediately after I’ll see “hashtag” All Lives Matter. While I certainly agree all lives matter, we are focused on the black ones because it is apparent our judicial system doesn’t know that. Instead of trying to understand the movement, people would rather discount it, name it a terrorist group and say it’s causing racial division. All while adding to the racial turmoil, by acting as though racism doesn’t exist.

When breast cancer has their awareness rallies and color runs, do you see individuals who support testicular cancer come in and say it’s more important? No.

Do you crash strangers funerals shouting “I too have lost?” No.

Well that’s exactly what it’s like to change #BlackLivesMatter to #AllLivesMatter. This movement was never created to say African Americans are more important, but to state we exist. I’ve seen so many individuals use #AllLivesMatter to derail #BlackLivesMatter instead of actually meaning it. The movement “Black Lives Matter” wasn’t created to be used for special treatment, but to reclaim humanity in a monsoon of unending attacks to simply be humans with dignity. It’s not limited to police brutality either which is another misconception. It was just a way as a community for us all to come together and be allowed to feel like you can live without having to justify your existence.


When an individual says they are Pro Black, this does not mean they are Anti White and no matter how many times I sit here & think about it there’s no way I could even come to that conclusion. I simply cannot comprehend how having love for self means you hate everyone else. The world has been Anti Black for so long. As African Americans we couldn’t just sit around and wait for validity from others….we’d never get it. For years we divided ourselves by our hair textures and the tones of our “blackness,” because that is how it was taught. That the lighter your skin was, the more accepting the individuals around us would be. I say NO MORE. We now know that any black is beautiful. Being an African American isn’t bad like it has been depicted as for so long. We come from much more than the shackles and chains they teach us about, we come from Kings and Queens.
So I’ll end this by saying, be proud of the skin you are in. Be proud of who you are. Whether you are green, blue, white, purple, black or yellow self love is a great thing and you can scream it to the world. I am unapologetically black and will forever express my love for my melanin,  because once upon a time I was told to be ashamed of it.

“We don’t hate you. We don’t hate those of you who are white; we just want to stay black! We love my color. I just love myself.” 

– Muhammad Ali