Love Your Melanin: “Some say the Blacker the Berry, the Sweeter the Juice; I say the Darker the Flesh, then the Deeper the Roots”
Updated: Sep 6
Unfortunately, this is inspired by a beautiful love who stated that sometimes they’re ashamed to be black; all I’m going to say to that is…love your melanin! And just like Tupac Shakur so beautifully stated, “Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice; I say the darker the flesh, then the deeper the roots”.
Let’s be real for a moment: we live in a tremendously diverse society, which is wonderful, but when I hear my fellow melanated a.k.a. BLACK (technically BROWN) men and women tear down their looks or even each other (especially in terms of dating preferences). It’s actually irritating; like, what you like and move on. We already have so much division, animosity, and stereotypes in our culture because of history, and as someone who’s now completely in love with every part of my body (chile, I’m not giving up my slick downs yet so moving right along)…my lil’ natural 4C hair state is cute too though.
It’s only right that I encourage anyone who finds this to do the same. I would also like to emphasize that congenital conditions are a different subject but should be embraced as well if they’re not causing a health risk that may need to be treated. Personally, I feel like every culture has its own “good,” “bad,” or questionable qualities, people, leaders, mentalities, influencers, etc., and obviously people are going to do, say, or prefer what they want in the real world, but all I’m saying is…although difficult, we shouldn’t nitpick the bad apples spoiling the bunch. In another context though, the bad apples should always be removed so they don't spoil the bunch!
There’s nothing wrong with talking shit now and then(I like to jokey joke too) but I’ve been called “akata”, “nigg(er)”, “ignorant”, “black bitch” (obviously, not all at once) and everything else under the sun by people of a different race or ethnicity, but also by people just as melanated as me. I’ve also been complimented and praised for how beautiful my skin and features are! Because let’s be real…unfortunately, some people are paying to remove their melanated features, but there are also people paying for full lips, thick thighs, and whatever else, and building a body in the gym or through surgery. I feel the need to be real for a moment; bad built is bad built, honey. Own it! (genetics isn't fair sometimes) - there’s also people who want to stay thin and petite, but that’s not the point I want to make right now. Basically, everyone has their own “why,” so to each their own. On the contrary, I’m a firm believer that “all skin folk ain’t kinfolk,” based on my own negative personal experiences and what I continue to observe in the world. Plus, I’m a lover of diversity because I think it’s beautiful how different we all are.
HOWEVER, black (technically BROWN) is beautiful (the shade doesn’t matter), and I thoroughly enjoy seeing melanated cousins who come together without all of the nonsense or encouragement of unnecessary drama (venting is different; life can be stressful). Do we have some bird brains(not the good kind either) in the mix?! Yes…but the world isn’t perfect. Chile, I’m thinking about those scenes in Poetic Justice when they were at the cookout and when they went to that lil’ festival lol. Straight VIBES!
More Intimate Thoughts and Perspectives: https://www.dominiquesrobertsw.com/blog
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