I began writing this as a letter to myself.
My former self. My present self. My future self.
I hope it’s able to bring light to someone other than me.
Dear Black Girl,
Your journey is not an easy one.
Many will claim to know your experience, claim to respect it.
But only a few will understand or know how.
I can tell you it will be confusing.
It’s gonna hurt sometimes. A lot of the time.
But I promise you, it is worth it.
Your worth does not lie in your hips.
It is not determined by the kinkiness of your afro,
The fleekness of your brow, or how good you can ride it.
They will steal your hair, your eyes, your nails, your butt, your hips, your music, your style, your dance. (Just to name a few.)
All the while,
expecting you to be strong
expecting you to be sexy.
expecting you to be classy.
Expecting you to be ratchet.
Expecting you to be down.
Expecting everything of you except for that which is human.
But in these moments.
The ones where you want to feel small
The ones where you want to hide
The one where silence seems like the only option.
I beg of you,
Smile.
Smile Wide. Smile Big.
Be Loud. Take up space.
Remember that Black Girl Magic is in fact real.
It is the thing that is naturally rooted in you.
The very thing you have been born from.
The one thing no one can take.
Our Nina’s, our Lauryn’s, Our Angela’s…
(among the names that go unnamed) are reminders of the great power we possess.
Look to them. Our ancestors and spirits of freedom and hope.
Know that you are allowed weakness. You are allowed vulnerability.
Those are the things that give us our resilience.
Our power. Our constant pursuit of peace.
Our love. It is what keeps us alive, allows us to grow.
Never stop shining. Your magic is needed.
Jessica-Brittany Smith is a multidisciplinary artist that is currently based out of New York. “if i can create art that will continually inspire others to think and change, that is all that matters.”
We continue our journey to uplift and celebrate the greatness that is #BlackFutureMonth. Dear Black Girl is a series of letters to our younger selves. Sistahs honoring our herstory to light the way for our path. Share your magic in the comments below.
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