Identity

by Daena Thompson

December 27, 2015

I am not African.

I am not Black.

I am not Caucasian,

Hispanic, Filipino, or Asian.

I am not a Melting Pot,

but I have surely been influenced by -

I am not a Negro

Nor am I a Nigger

and don't say "Nigga, please"

or start any conversation with

"What's up, my Nigga?"

because I am no one’s slave

I am my own person;

and I have an identity.

Psychologically, most children

come to understand,

accept, and be shaped by

their race and class

as early as the age of six.

I am not Black -

Nor is the color of my skin.

I am not made up of stereotypes;

I can't stand watermelon,

fried foods upset my stomach, and

I'm sad to say that I suck at sports.

The sun does in fact burn my skin, it bleaches my hair to brown,

and I dance as though Woodstock was made for me.

I love Hip Hop but Hip Hop is dead,

and it's culture has been traded for Rap Culture,

and telling a story has been traded for selling a story

and none of those things interest me. I'm sorry -

I don't search for racism around every white corner,

nor do I hypocritically express racism in return.

I will never call a "black" woman

"white" for having permed hair

and a style not influenced by Black Entertainment Television.

My actions

are not a reflection

of statistics

each decision is made

Not because I am a 20yr old college student

from a lower class family with brown skin

but because my individual preferences dictate so

When I fill out that application

I check the box that reads:

African American

and when the option reads:

Black

I check the box that reads:

Other

I am African American.

I am the result of:

an African stolen from home.

150 years of breeding.

the African that came on a boat all their own

a Military brat for a Father

a Foster kid for a Mother

Rape, Love, Happy Accidents, and One Night Stand’s

I am Californian. I am Virginian.

I am a Proud Southern Woman living in New York.

I love Indie Rock/Alternative, Hip Hop, R&B

Jazz, Classical, Doo Wop, Soul, Bluegrass and Rock.

I am an artist, a Metal Smith.

I am American

though not a coagulation of five to ten nationalities.

I am an Individual with an Identity

that was shaped by my history, not just by society.

I am African American, and I am not the only one.

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