Everywhere you look these days, the discussion is about Black women. And some people seem to have a problem with not only who we are, but that we are also STRONG WOMEN in the minds of not only our culture, but in mainstream society.
How did this happen?
For the curious, all one has to do is look at our history. Black women had to be strong. The stresses, threats and daily issues that impacted our slave ancestors in this country could try the weakest individuals. But those women were naturally resourceful and invented ways to protect not only themselves, but their families. We persevere.
You see this trait in Black women today.
I believe it was a Black woman that invented the "To Do" list. We handle the job, check. The baby, check. The babysitter, check. The husband, check. The laundry, check. The groceries, check. The bills, check. Get to church on time on Sunday, check. E-mail your girls, check. On...and on...we are the queens of prioritizing.
But, should we lean on our men a little more? Black men seem to have a problem with all of this strength. They criticize our independence and demanding personas and feel emasculated at times.
Are we all Type-A personalities?
We are by definition women who invented themselves. We are a sorority within a rich culture. Our minds are not gullible--we analyze everything.
Our originality and sass make others envy us and wish they could be us.
Some are intimated by the image of women who aren't afraid of being women. We are not prisoners nor are we disabled.
But what is the truest definition of a strong Black Woman?
I say...we are strongest when we raise strong children that build up our communities and exemplify that to the world. The Strong Black Woman is one who knows who she is, where she comes from and one who keeps it together when everyone else seems to be falling apart.
Through the womb of a Black woman, all life came and I state that this primarily is stamped in our DNA, thus, we act with authority because it all started with us.
How did this happen?
For the curious, all one has to do is look at our history. Black women had to be strong. The stresses, threats and daily issues that impacted our slave ancestors in this country could try the weakest individuals. But those women were naturally resourceful and invented ways to protect not only themselves, but their families. We persevere.
You see this trait in Black women today.
I believe it was a Black woman that invented the "To Do" list. We handle the job, check. The baby, check. The babysitter, check. The husband, check. The laundry, check. The groceries, check. The bills, check. Get to church on time on Sunday, check. E-mail your girls, check. On...and on...we are the queens of prioritizing.
But, should we lean on our men a little more? Black men seem to have a problem with all of this strength. They criticize our independence and demanding personas and feel emasculated at times.
Are we all Type-A personalities?
We are by definition women who invented themselves. We are a sorority within a rich culture. Our minds are not gullible--we analyze everything.
Our originality and sass make others envy us and wish they could be us.
Some are intimated by the image of women who aren't afraid of being women. We are not prisoners nor are we disabled.
But what is the truest definition of a strong Black Woman?
I say...we are strongest when we raise strong children that build up our communities and exemplify that to the world. The Strong Black Woman is one who knows who she is, where she comes from and one who keeps it together when everyone else seems to be falling apart.
Through the womb of a Black woman, all life came and I state that this primarily is stamped in our DNA, thus, we act with authority because it all started with us.
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