Something that I’ve began to wonder about is if the black woman has lost her power? Have we settled for society’s need to conform and cluster black women altogether? Have we stepped back from the days when we asked questions and demanded answers?! I may be somewhat blunt and extremely critical, but let’s be honest black women face a variety of issues such as health risks, economic instability, lack of education, and physical/emotional abuse. Since when was it ever okay to allow people to undermine and degrade black women? Why are we so easily swayed to look the other way when things happen to each other? We ignore those who are battle poor health, live pay check to pay check, receive poor to little education, and are victims of violent acts and crimes.
As individuals, we may assume that those are personal issues and the individuals are the ones that should deal with them, but that is far from the case. Collectively we must work together to ensure that future generations of black women have the same the opportunities as anyone else. As a black woman I understand the many plights of black women. So many people assume that we have overcome the issues of racism and sexism but that is far from the truth.
We have moved forward since our early ancestors were enslaved, but we are currently at a road block. In other words, these issues are still rampant. In fact, they are often in our face and sometimes in our homes, but we choose to ignore them. We have come to accept these issues as normal, but there is nothing normal about a black woman just stuck in a low income household raising multiple children. There is nothing acceptable about black women succumbing to HIV/AIDS at an alarming rate, compared to that of any other group of women. That is normal that is appalling! What I encourage is to truly understand the power that black women have; it’s not just individually, but collectively as a unit. I can’t think of anything ever being truly resolved with silent voices. Find your power, acknowledge it, and use it. If not for yourselves, then for others!