Mami Mondays: Black Girls Rock
This started as a FB post and as I wrote I thought damn, I might as well put it up on the blog. So, here it is... Last night the Frog Princess stayed up late. She was watching #BlackGirlsRock with me. It was another chance for us to talk about our blackness (my child has argued me down because hello?! She's not black she's brown. I love the surety of their reality at this age).
She loved seeing the people in the audience. At one point we talked about shades ("Mami, like your sunglasses?" MADAM! This is a serious conversation, stop trying to make me laugh!). We put our hands together and talked about all the different shades in between our own and all the ones we could see on TV.
We got to hear the First Lady speak and when she heard that the President was proud of us, she turned to me and said, "Mami, I think President Obama likes me best. Like he's proud of me best. Like the best kid." And I don't know if I can explain to anyone that doesn't have a black or brown baby how these experiences will shape their future and outlook on the world.
I've been hearing that there's been backlash on the #BlackGirlsRock movement. Mainly a whole narrative about how white girls rock too. Which I find interesting because at no point in time has the movement said otherwise.
We are trying to change the oppressive, albeit sometimes unseen (but certainly felt) narrative that we as women of color, we are less than. We are trying to uplift one another, trying to ensure that our girls see us doing that so that they can do the same. I'm not going to try to change anyone's mind on this. If you think that this is some sort of movement to push out the people in power, the ones that have written the narrative in pen with the blood of the oppressed, there's nothing I'll be able to do to change your mind.
People attempt to demean us in ways that we sometimes don't even realize. By undermining us, questioning us, making fun of us, diminishing our work and truly believing that somehow they can keep us down. And that's the beauty of Black Girls Rock. At least to me. It's the standing up, the standing together, the defiant way that we can hold hands and celebrate one another in spite of. It's sad that not everyone can see that but I really give about -2 dambs whether they see it or not. Because it's still happening and it's a beautiful thing.
Frog Princess, rock on with your ideas and thoughts and beliefs that the President of these United States of America not only looks like you (by her own admission) but has seen you, shaken your hand and called you sweetie pie. That you think he thinks you're the best kid.
And for all other girls, rock on. Just keep on rockin' on!
Shameless plug: Have you supported my Kickstarter project? Because it's one of the ways that I'm trying to rock right now. Check it out. #pleaseandthankyou