What's A Black Woman's Life Worth?
This Morning I got one of those emails…you know asking me if I would like to check out a web series about a socialite who’s “jokingly” yet “seriously” decides to start a career as a ‘RAP ARTISTS’. So, I responded to the support@…no thanks!
No, thanks. I'm not interested.... Because in the back of my mind I keep thinking of Breonna Taylor. You know the 26 year old woman who was fatally shot in her home while she slept. You know the case where only one officer was indited for firing shots into her “white neighbors” home. You know, like, where more than half of Americans think, no believe, that the racial “tension” between police and the black community is a conspiracy from those fascists left wing democratic socialists.
Well, as a black woman who recently celebrated a birthday whose origin story, by the way, begins with-
‘IN THE BEGINNING… There was the first Black Immigrant family….Who had the nerve to move into an ALL WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD… Her mother pregnant with twins, battled the evil forces of RACISM, blunged, beaten to pulp with baseball bats, by their white neighbors sons and fathers, while the mothers sat idle, as they shouted and untied in their common goal to KEEP AMERICA GREAT. ‘
… I went on to further respond to this, “Hey, I’m black now, and isn’t me appropriating the Black Culture funny!” email to say….
How about giving people who are unknown platforms to grow, who are authentic and who don't just now claim their black card (i know, i know its controversial but before you title me a “reverse racists”- take a moment to HEAR to this black woman out)
Our culture. It comes from necessity, our culture is as a joke, aka appropriation. But of course the people that need to be aware of this won't read this because we clearly have a problem in this system when it comes to black lives but specifically black women.
Our culture is not a joke, not a pair of shoes that you can slip on and take off whenever you feel like it. That's what her show which I watched in its entirety felt like to me before White America had a clue and a conscious awakening about "BLM MOVEMENT” and the realities of black men, women and children in this country.
There's a difference between telling a joke, and having a "sense of humor" vs. becoming the joke. I've always said and I'll say it again, "Black women in American society are EVERYWHERE and NOWHERE." Society has taught people (including ourselves) to make us invisible. Take, steal every aspect of ourselves and of our sacrifices and twist it into an unnatural copy, often mockery of "pop culture."
That “Look At Me I’m A Rap Star” so-called show, is a "joke" right? Its just a joke. Come on!!! Have we’ve lost our sense of humor?
But if you don't know how history works, how turning a race of people into "Jokes", light hearted, comedic appropriations affects black and brown bodies, where our lives and livelihoods are turned to REAL jokes works? Let’s take the most recent case of Breonna Taylor's decision.
They rather give her family $12 million, from the pockets of us- the TAXPAYERS money, than recognize that her life mattered, that her life had worth. Just the events that led to my premature birth and the death of my twin sister. No one was held accountable.
Did you catch that? A black woman's life has no value, has no worth in the so called justice system for ALL.
Cause where I'm standing all WHITE AMERICA, THE SYSTEM, COLONIALISM, SUPREMACY has ever told me as black woman in America is that my life is a joke. My identity, culture, mannerisms, lips, thighs, hair, nails, body, style, the way I move, speak, cook, eat and fuck is NOT A JOKE.
Which brings me back to the email…. NOPE! I type, in all caps!
NO I WILL NOT BE WATCHING, THAT FUCKED UP SHOW! YOU WANT TO GROW AMERICA? LEARN TO LISTEN, REALLY LISTEN AND GET USED TO BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. GIVE A PLATFORM TO REAL WOMEN.
BLACK WOMEN ARE THE PULSE OF AMERICAN SOCIETY. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT’S NEXT? SPEAK TO A BLACK WOMAN.
GIVE A REAL PLATFORM TO REAL WOMEN BLACK AND BROWN WOMEN THAT TELL THE TRUTH, THAT REPRESENT WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE? BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU LAUGH AND MAKES YOU A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE THEN GUESS WHAT, YOUR STEPPING INTO THE DAY AND LIFE OF A BLACK WOMAN IN AMERICA.
A BLACK WOMAN WHO NEVER HAD THE "CHOICE" TO CLAIM HER BLACKNESS, SOCIETY JUST CONSTANTLY TOLD HER WHERE SHE SHOULD BE AND WHO SHE SHOULD BE.
AND THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT A JOKE.
Breonna Taylors life, had value, had worth, my unborn sisters life had value and worth and so did the countless lives of black women whose voices and stories are invisible. #BLACKLIVESMATTER #SAYHERNAME #BREONNATAYLOR #BLACKWOMENVOICES
