Amplifying Melanated Voices: A Personal Blog

When you ask me if I'm okay... the answer is no. In a world filled with so much hatred, I'm one of the many voices who can admit that I'M TIRED. I'M TIRED of waking up each day and expecting change, and still seeing chaos. Each day is a new story, each day is a new hashtag, each day is a new topic of discussion, and each day... I grow EVEN MORE TIRED.

It isn't enough in America to be human and hard-working. It isn't enough to work multiple jobs, have internships, volunteer, be a good person, and still maintain above a 3.0 GPA. It isn't enough for me to keep quiet so that I don't seem like the "angry black girl" at work or for me to "dress the part" when being compared to my non-black peers. Each and every day is a struggle to get up and find hope, yet I rise. I wake up each day, determined to make a difference, however, that isn't so easy when you want to change the world and still have to have a smile on your face at work.

People are bypassing the true issue at hand and neglecting the initiatives of #BlackLivesMatter. This hashtag is not out of disrespect to say that only black lives matter, but this hashtag is to show the importance and recognition that Black Lives Matter too . We are TIRED. We want others to empathize with our pain and understand when we say that WE ARE NOT OKAY. I write today, to inform you, that my Black Mental Health Matters, Black Education Matters, Black Businesses Matter... BLACK LIVES MATTER.

I want others to say the names of those we lost and acknowledge that the systemic oppression and police brutality is NOT okay. I want others to protest WITH us, learn from and read WITH us, empathize WITH us, seek change WITH us, and most importantly RECOGNIZE us. We are people and enough is enough. I want to wake up each day and be proud of the change. I want to wake up, NOT TIRED from working twice as hard to remain in the same playing field with my peers but to wake up knowing I worked hard and made a difference to impact the lives around me.