“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” Maya Angelou
Black Women are at a unique time in history. We are winning and some of us don’t even know it. We have the opportunity to grab this world, smack it, flip it, and turn it in a new direction. A direction led by our fierceness, our courageousness, our boldness, our confidence. In order to achieve this we must realize some things about ourselves Black Woman. We must hold ourselves accountable. We must realize that it is going to take all of us.
Black Woman we love fiercely, we stand for what we believe in and we will defend it with our whole being. Yet I have experienced places where we lack empathy, compassion, and love for another Black Woman and judge her based on what we think we know instead of really getting to know her. You don’t know Sis’s story yet you have made up in your mind that she is nasty, she’s a whore, she doesn’t deserve what she has. STOP IT! Black Woman if we are to achieve a true level of sisterhood and vulnerability we must address our own insecurities, our own issues within that stop us from congratulating, loving and embracing each other. Black Woman is it a sense of fear, hurt, jealousy, or anger that stops you from loving your Sister? It’s time to figure out what it is within each of us. You must do the self-reflection and really determine why you stopped yourself from telling that Black Woman she looked good in her outfit, what stopped you from embracing her when you saw her crying, what caused you to judge her when someone else said something about her yet you had not discovered this for yourself?! It’s time to be better for ourselves so that we can be better for the Black Woman.
Black Woman you deserve the very best and there’s more than enough of it for all of us. Stop limiting yourself to what others have told you. Black Woman grab another Black Woman by the hand and begin to elevate together. We have to get to a place where we don’t hide from each other, where competition is strictly for healthy fun, where we know in our heart that there are things specifically designed for us that no one can take away, especially your sister. Black Woman we are sisters. No matter your sister’s societal, social, economical standing she deserves your covering. We have to protect us Black Woman! For too long we have told each other to depend on things outside of our sisterhood to help us see each other. THAT IS A LIE! Look at another beautiful Black Woman and know that your stories may be different, you are your sister’s keeper and she deserves that!
Black Woman I want to see us win! I want us to lead the charge and show the world what real sisterhood looks like. In our current state this does not appear to be a reality we can achieve. Black Woman we have got to call each other to the carpet, to call our sister into correction with love. If the Black Woman around you is lacking in an area make it your responsibility to see that she lacks no longer. Black Woman each one must truly teach the next one.
My fellow Black Woman it is our time! Don’t allow another day to pass without taking the time to heal, to grow, to be better for the next Black Woman.