To be born black and of black parents was my first gift of nature. Many are times when the question “why are you black?” has been thrown at me, sometimes leaving me speechless. At first, I thought I was born black because my ancestors were black, my country men are black and so on. Yet I have discovered that there is a purpose in my being black, where black signifies the color of my skin as referred to by the world.
I don’t know about you, but my world defines black as a relative of evil. From black mail to black list, black is not a good thing, no. So my sisters from another mother don’t want to be associated with black, they bleach their skin to look “not black” though they remain black as far as race is concerned. Black is beautiful, and handsome too. I have seen nothing as good as black. A melanin strong enough to withstand the scorching sun. Coming to think of it, I’m advantaged. There’s nothing to regret about being black, thank God I’m black.
The first purpose of my being black is to change the world’s definition of a black man. The color of my skin has nothing to do with my capabilities. If I can, I can. From Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela, name them all and those yet to come, it is evident that there’s nothing impossible for a black man to achieve. The world I live in associates the black man with failure, I’m black to bring the point home. Success favors no man because of their origin, everyone will reap what they sow . Life knows no skin either, it happens to us all.
I am the definition of beauty. My world has its own standards of defining beauty, making my siblings feel lesser because they are black. To define beauty from the content of a person’s skin is shallow, let alone from physical appearance. Beauty is what lies within, after what is without looses all its form.
There is a degree of beauty in each and every person, only if we look out for more than what meets the eye.
So why am I black anyway? I am black to let the world know that being black is not a disability, neither is it an inability. It is all in-between the ears. I can dream, I can impact lives positively, I can change my world just like any other.
I’m proud of my race, it is the source of my grace.
By Liz Ekakoro:Diaspora Messenger contributor
Why Am I Black: Born Black and of Black Parents-Elizabeth Ekakoro
