Growing up I never liked how I looked
I never met the world’s definition of attractive
I was never “handsome” unless I wore a suit
And I was never “necessary” unless I got better grades than my counter parts
So because I couldn’t wear a suit all the time I chose to succumb to the
teachers pet domain
Be smart,
be present,
just don’t expect to be noticed
Those with fairer skin took all the glory, it was automatic. For once a black
man faced a problem related to skin tone and it didn’t have to do with race. From
film to music, role models had one thing in common, they were lighter than me.
I saw them on the cover of magazines, on television screens and overnight
things changed and slowly yet in an instant they were replaced with people who
looked more like me. Our bodies and builds were different but I could see myself
in someone else and it felt good until the voices in my head reminded me that
trends come and go.
Now my “beautiful” is a statement. Instead of handsome I’m “chocolate”. I
moved from being the invisible man to being the flavor of the day and waiting
for the next trend to roll in. Dark skin is beautiful today, so maybe I should just
celebrate that we even get a turn.
— Still Learning
Jade
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