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They Lied; I’m More Than Enough

I’ve been told that I’m not enough. 

My frame is too curvy. My hair is too kinky. My teeth should be straighter. My smile should be bigger.

My stomach should be flatter. My waist should be smaller nonexistent. My breasts should grow a cup size or two.

I should fit the mold for what society deems attractive, desirable and palatable.

I’ve been told that the way I already show up in the world is not enough.

Continue reading my guest post on No Lies Told Then.

We’re Angry; We’re Tired. We’re Also MAGIC

Another black man has been taken from us. Another victim of gun violence perpetrated by the very “public servants” who — we’ve been told countless times — are put in our communities to keep us safe.

But that’s where our optimism for and understanding of modern American society keeps failing us. Law enforcement officials and the departments they belong to aren’t in our communities to “protect and serve.” They’re placed there to maintain the strongholds of institutional prejudice and racism, to incite fear and to play God, picking us off one by one and not giving a damn who documents it because, their freedom won’t ever be compromised. All of this, while our freedom is confiscated everyday.

“Our mere existence in this country is grounds for our extinction.”

It’s infuriating that a white man can wave a loaded gun around, pointing it at authorities and whomever else he pleases and live to tell the story, while a little black boy can’t play with a toy gun — as little boys do — in a park without losing his future.

It’s maddening that a white man can murder a group of black parishioners in a house of worship that welcomed him with open arms and manage to see his day in court, but a black woman never made it home after attempting to exercise her rights during what should’ve been a routine traffic stop.

Our mere existence in this country is grounds for our extinction. Nothing we do seems to be enough to change that. I’m so tired of these bigots and bullies working overtime to belittle our worth and break our spirit.

I don’t have the answers for how to fix this. I don’t know if this is something that is solvable. But I do know although every ounce of praise and adoration we give ourselves is met with resentment and resistance, we must continue to celebrate and uplift each other through this dark present.

We are magic.

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4c Hair Chick Feature: Artist Ria

If this naturalista could describe her work in three words, they would be: raw, intriguing, and amorous.

Artist Ria – Can't Put Me in a BoxA New York native and happily married mother of two, Artist Ria has commanded the attention of the social media community, fascinating thousands of Instagram followers with the standout style of her drawings and paintings. Most of her pieces are centered on the versatility within the natural hair community.

“I draw a lot of Afro art but I also draw a lot of abstract work. I guess you can call me an ‘everything artist,’” the artist shared in an interview with 4c Hair Chick.

Continue reading my profile of Artist Ria here.