“Brown Skin”
Community, visibility and representation are valuables that I’ll never take for granted again. Growing up, these terms didn’t hold as much weight for me, because I felt a lack of belonging in my environment, and in most spaces. This year has been extremely important for strengthening my sense of community. It’s led me to beautiful connections & experiences, and honestly they’ve been life changing. I attended a writer’s meetup, curated and presented by TéLor, founder of The Lotus Collective (TLC). She crafted this space for all Black Women to connect, to have fun, to create and to build intentional friendship. I’m so deeply inspired by and love TéLor and the wonderful women I’ve encountered in TLC’s spaces. I will gladly connect with you if you’re interested in learning more.
Miraculously, I’ve found myself in other extraordinary spaces. With her permission, I am able to share… I met my yogi sister Layla W., in a deeply intentional and healing yoga course for Black women who’ve experienced violence. She shared a poem of hers with us, and I was moved. Layla is such a bright, confident and beautiful human-being. Such a Leo! lol
So without further ado, I’m honored to share “Brown Skin” by Layla W. with you all. I want to thank her for her vulnerability, contribution of art and dedication to loving herself and others.
“Brown Skin
This brown skin, what a beautiful cocoon to grow, experience, transform, thrive and sometimes if needed even hide. I love how you glisten and shine in the sun. Shea butter baby! Life for us has just begun. I don’t mean age… I don’t mean in experience or in years. No ,I mean acceptance. Acceptance of the beautiful, complex, regal gift of this brown skin. Brown skin has so many shades and variations. From you has come, some of the universe’s most vital creations. Brown skin oh how you catch my eye and match my fly. Brown skin back to me hiding sometimes… why is that? Why did they attack us and say you weren’t enough and that I was too much. That being fat and black at the same time is unacceptable and undesirable. They look like us… they have brown skin too. The coldness and hatred they spat so easily can’t be true… they can’t possibly hate what runs through their veins and gives them life.? Right ? Cycles we know all too well as owners of brown skin how we pick and pick and pick. Vicious cycles of self hatred and delusion that further hurt us and push us further down into our “ghettos”. Choosing what brown skin is acceptable in combination with who’s wearing it… if their weight, gender identity, and or personality is okay to be in conjunction with their brown skin. I apologize, brown skin for all the times I misunderstood you, didn’t honor you, nourish you and treat you like the wonderful gift you are. Forgive me? Brown skin as I have forgiven those who mistook me and did not see me for the amazing gift I am. Forgive me ? For sometimes wanting to leave you. Forgive me brown skin I love you…. Forgive me brown skin I love you… Forgive me brown skin I love you…”
Please feel free to email me at mi-shael@radicalwell-beingcenter.com with topics you desire to see reflected in my blog posts. Posts will be anonymous (unless of course you want to reveal your identity). Chosen stories of my own will be shared as well. As my schedule persists, I intend to post weekly or biweekly. Welcome to Truths of Our Hues.
Peace and with love,
