I Am...

Behind the low quality front facing camera on an iPhone 4s,

Behind the "natural lighting" and pristine positioning,

Behind the exact placement of my face and phone simultaneously,

Behind the endless upond endless amounts of filters...

Who am I?

I am a person. I am a woman,

Stronger and more independent than I ever thought possible.

I am a teenager, only 17 years of age,

Still enjoying Saturday morning cartoons and bubble blowing outside.

I am a daughter, second of three, 

The middle child, the cream in between the cookies, the ham inside of the sandwich.

I am a student, counting the months, weeks, days until that one day,

The day I can wear that onyx colored cap and gown and say "I made it."

I am a friend, giving up my shoulder to cry on,

When I may need one myself.

I am a part of the black community,

Day in and day out dealing with the systemic racism,

That nobody else can see except for those experiencing it.

I am me. I am me as I wake up each morning, 

As I get ready for school listening to girls singing about how beautiful I should feel, 

As I take their words to heart and actually feel beautiful.

I am me. Without the camera angles, without the lighting,

Without the filters.