we always matter(ed).
candid (black lives matter plaza, washington, dc)
A Rolex won't keep you sane or safe from danger
They shut down nature, where the fuck I'm supposed to place my anger?
Ironically, my honesty might make me enemy of state
I trust that God'll use my pen to draw his face
- Let Go, D Smoke
these past few weeks have challenged us to take a closer look at what matters—the things that always will, and those things that simply cannot. between the pandemic and seeing/hearing about black men and women being snatched from us, i’m letting go. i’m making the conscious decision to fully surrender to all of the goodness that is rightfully mine. the main thing i’ve appreciated most about my spiritual journey, is my conscious decision to remain grounded in my truth despite what happens outside of me. it’s the foundation of having what many refer to as “unshakable faith”.
does it hurt to see the countless stories of black bodies being dehumanized and undervalued? sure. however, i believe that as a collective we are ascending to a higher level of consciousness. we are being encouraged to tap into the elevated versions of ourselves; the versions of ourselves we were always created to be.
me + mom (black lives matter plaza, washington, dc)
about a week ago following brunch with my mom, she decided that she wanted to visit black lives matter plaza. i’d been thinking about seeing those bold yellow letters for myself, but there was a little bit of hesitation given reports of peaceful protests turning violent. after a little thought, i decided it would be great to experience history with my mother. once we arrived at 16th and K, a small group of protesters were kneeling as a young woman sang a hymn through her megaphone. as they rose from their knees and chanted while approaching the white house (a block and half away), my mom and i drew closer to the plaza. we were immediately greeted by the friendly faces of vendors and other attendees. you could feel the love despite the motivation behind our lives colliding in that moment. it was beautiful to see that level of solidarity.
as i mature, there are many things about my childhood that i’m appreciating with time. one of which is my parents’ decision to send me to an afrocentric private school here in washington, dc. i attended the school from kindergarten through fourth grade. needless to say, by the time i attended public schools my love for my culture, the color of my skin, and myself was ingrained in me.
it was the standard.
it was expected.
that type of foundation and level of awareness and self-appreciation will propel someone to be the best versions of themselves. i guarantee it. and, believe it or not, i’ve never entertained notions of inferiority. i’ve only always pursued life from the understanding that i am a descendant of kings and queens. i’m not oblivious to the trappings of white supremacy or racism, and how this shapes my experience as a black woman; however, it doesn’t define my experience as a black woman. that’s the beauty of knowing who and whose you are—the beauty of knowing your origin.
if only i could take this entire coming generation of Black babies, wrap them into my arms, and deposit into them the many gems that were deposited into me. in hindsight, those values stayed with me over the course of my life. i’m forever thankful.
sunglasses: Dior; top: Flor et. al; shorts: Zara; shoes: Alice + Olivia
our current state of affairs is challenging indeed, but with every challenge comes an opportunity to grow and expand. if we transpose this heavy energy into purpose and action on a soul level, we are bound to impact the world. everything starts within.
it’s time to explore the depths of who we are; who we’re becoming.
will you join me?
Say the word, they tell me, "You got access to a league of warriors"
Eyes haven't seen what heaven keeps in store for us, there's more of us
But in this life, some wars we can't avoid
I wrote this the day they killed George Floyd
We won’t forget your story
- Let Go, D Smoke
- mytenofcups x
