Final Notice…

Onyx Contributor:  N.T.

Words won’t change the ways of this world by itself.  No we can’t just say, “enough” and expect there to be a cease fire.  These times will be remembered as the days that the generation of benefactors took up the task of change.  Not just changing a few laws, but changing the mindset of so many.  We must start with us because you are exactly what you believe yourself to be.

It didn’t take long to gain this weight, but shedding the pounds is an uphill battle.  Of wills and discipline.  How many of us have stared into a mirror seeing a skewed reflection of ourselves but got ready to face the day anyhow?  Never addressing why you think your nose is too broad or your skin too dark for them to see those beautiful eyes that have glimpses of your soul.  Is that all you are?  Straightening your hair instead of wearing your crown with bravery?  I know it will take a long time to change our diet and that same time must be given to the healing of us.  We have to see our magnificence and inhale it…breathe into it…give it life.  Only after we have done that will we be able to use the strength of our people’s past to rebuild not just our future, but the future of these kids.  What will we be remembered for?  The same ole, same ole or this rainbow of colors that will put the fear of God into anyone who dares to speak a hateful word in our direction. A collection of new and old friends who will make a racist feel like they’re missing the time of their lives, because they are.  We are our own party and the life of it to boot.  That kind of hate forces you to miss moments because you have to stay away from anything that you’ve been told is inferior.  Someone told you that the color of your skin versus my skin makes you the hero and me the villain, but it’s not true.  I can’t change my color and I wouldn’t dare to try, but my character will put a hater to shame.  Who I am, insists that I accept who you are even though I know you have nowhere to go but down.

Hate cannot live in the sunshine…it must always cower in the shadow.  Hide itself from love and function with a heart attack.  Why won’t you let my splendor extend its hand to you?  It has to be a lonely existence to be in a roomful of haters with sinister smiles and lying eyes.  In a pit of venomous snakes coiling around each other in a maze…no room to breakaway.  You must spend your life slithering from shadow to shadow while I, who you hate, is able to watch daybreak and sunsets in plain view.  I, who has to see black bodies in my dreams and my reality, but smile in spite of.  This black person who will probably never get a great job with this ethnic name attached to my bachelor degree holding brain and I’m still grinning.  Illuminated!!  I’m going to still smile because I know that there’s something hopeful in a smile.  Your thinking these blows we keep getting should dim our light, but I’m telling you it shines brighter.  With every shot fired…every black body that falls dead to the ground…every tear that streaks down the faces of those who must live with that loss.  Understand that these things make us even more relentless in our pursuit of chance.  The chance to live free and not worry about our people living to fight another day are the things that allow me to rise everyday.  That silver lining is shining and while hate is doing its best to block its shine, it won’t win!!  It cannot win because hate cannot live in the sunshine.

So here’s your final notice…HATE…we see you.  We know where you live and we know your weakness.  We’re coming and we don’t know how to lose.  You see us standing together and that’s your worse nightmare come true.  Your days are numbered…your time is ticking…we’re going to light up this darkness.  Come join this time or take this ass whipping!!