Huge. Impossible not to notice. So naturally, I learned to shrink. Not physically, but spiritually, emotionally, and in my personality. I learned to make myself smaller so I wouldn't feel too strong, too big, too loud, too much. That became my comfort zone. I knew I was going to be seen. I couldn't hide my … Continue reading I’m 6’1″, dark-skinned, and I grew up feeling like an ink blot dropped into a bowl of milk.
Who are you when no one is around?
When the eyes aren't on you? I think they call that integrity. But how do you define tears? Maybe they're what happens in the calm, when it's actually quiet, when there are no distractions left to outrun what has been following you. The weight you've been carrying finally lands on your chest all at once, … Continue reading Who are you when no one is around?
I’m not even on my period.
I think that's what's making me realize these emotions are real. For so long, whenever I cried or felt overwhelmed, there was always something to point to. Maybe it's hormones. Maybe it's PMS. Maybe it'll pass in a few days. But this time I don't have that. I can't explain these tears away, and I … Continue reading I’m not even on my period.
When Belief Dies Quietly
I’ve been digging through some of my old writings from 2020. One of them was about how much I loved myself. Back then, I sounded so rooted, so aligned, so full of belief in who I was becoming. Reading it now, I couldn’t help but stop and think...what happened? Somewhere along the way, I drifted. … Continue reading When Belief Dies Quietly
I started "21 Days to becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman," and the very first prompt caught my eye… “ Read Matthew 5:13-16 Here Jesus tells us to be salt and light. He tells us to stand out among men, not to blend in. Why do you think that is? Here is the full verse: Salt … Continue reading
C+RL Enthusiast: SZA Said It First I’ll be honest: when SZA dropped Ctrl, I thought she was talking to everyone but me. Because I’ve got it together. Color-coded planners, matching fonts, “just right” angles on my selfies… control is my comfort food. But the more I listened, the more I realized SZA wasn’t singing about … Continue reading
bronze skinned girl
For so long, the world has spoken in opposites: black or white.As if His image could ever be reduced to two extremes. But when I think about bronze, I see something different. Bronze is strength refined in fire.It’s warmth that carries both earth and sun.It’s a glow that doesn’t apologize for existing...it just is. If … Continue reading bronze skinned girl
In the Trenches
When I tell people I’m a teacher, their response is almost always the same: “Wow, thank you for your service.” It’s said with the same solemnity people reserve for veterans, nurses, or first responders. At first, it always caught me off guard. Service? As if I’ve just returned from the front lines of battle. But … Continue reading In the Trenches
dear self, The problem with self-help books is this: if you’re not careful, they’ll make you believe there’s always something wrong with you. Like you’re broken. Like you’re behind. Like you’re not enough until you fix yourself. But growth doesn’t come from shame. It comes from love. It comes from knowing you are already spectacular … Continue reading
dear self, You don’t have to keep being the version of yourself you built when they hurt your feelings. I know she kept you safe. I know she put up the walls that let you sleep at night. But those walls don’t just keep the wrong people out, they also blockade the right ones. You … Continue reading
Shesdoinggreatthings 