Through a decade in the American public school system, I‘ve been drained from
learning about the diluted carbon copied Black experience. Every February the same
Martin Luther King slideshow is presented in history class.
The repetitive lecture
annoyed me especially when I was certain Black history consists of more things than
abolition. I felt muzzled in speaking out against the monotonous curriculum taught in
school because I was fearful of seeming combative.
Inundated with millions of unanswered questions, I decided to fill the void in my
own historical liberation. I dedicated at least 3 hours a week reading books about Black
accomplishments to connect the
pieces of my ancestry.
I became intrigued with
learning about the triumph of Black people that have zero correlation to slavery without
dismissing the dreadful significance of slavery.
Growing up I bashed myself for the melaninated skin because I was only taught
the depressive side of my history. As a insecure girl I distanced
myself from my
blackness because the only thing in my ignorant mind associated with Black history was
slavery. As I got older and ventured into understanding my history, I felt an embrace that
had been absent for a long time. I became infatuated with my thick wool-like hair, proud
with the sheen in my smooth dark skin and satisfied with my bold personality. Rather
than viewing my skin as the limitation I was taught in school, I view it as a gift
In an effort to connect with my culture, I strived to share the knowledge I've
gained through
my career path as a Clinical Psychologist for Black youth. Self care in
the form of mental stability is negligent within the Black community. For generations
mental health has been stigmatized. Historically, Black people have faced discrimination
in the medical field including seeking therapy. The inadequate services along with
improper medical diagnosis have made Black people apprehensive about the medical
field as a whole. In an effort to ameliorate the trust black people have in medicine I want to
give the support I would have desperately needed. No better person than a fellow black person
could properly give us the support we need.