Mixed

Sometimes I feel like…my voice doesn’t matter

Like #Blacklivesmatter

#Blackvoicesmatter

#Black____matters…

But only if you’re black enough

It’s like,

Black vs white, like

Day vs night, like

Darkness against light

And anything in between doesn’t seem to fit

In this universe,

This galaxy,

This world?

Like, isolation comes easy to a girl stuck in the middle of this battle

Like, the lightness of my skin links me to some type of privilege I didn’t know existed

Like the pigmentation of my complexion doesn’t open me up to discrimination

Well, I’m sorry,

I do not feel comfortable standing in solidarity with you.

You’ve treated me like an outlier,

Like my black doesn’t matter,

But if we went back in the day,

There’s no difference between a field or a house slave, you still weren’t free.

I remember the days when I was younger,

I used to stand outside in the sun and wish that it’s rays would make my skin darker,

Just so I could fit in with the people I was surrounded by,

Even though technically, I was always Black,

But let’s preserve the same system that was put in place to keep us divided, ‘cause only black people act like light-skinned and dark-skinned ain’t the same race

Like,

I don’t get sick of being asked what are you?

As though I’m something less than human,

Try, who am I?

Maybe I myself struggle with the conclusion,

Maybe the blood that runs through my veins does not look like yours…

And maybe that’s okay

Like, maybe I’m fine with the idea of black, white, yellow, green, blue and all the colors of the rainbow running through me,

Like maybe right now they’re having a party and it’s

Absolutely Beautiful,

Like, maybe primaries are mixing to create

Secondaries

And, Secondary is sending an invite to Culture

And Culture is knocking at the cell house but,

Black doesn’t know whether to let him in or not

And White, White thought Culture was someone else.

Like…maaaaaybe mixed people scaaare you??

Because it brings colors closer together

Maybe it changes the idea of oppression

Or the conception of privilege

Maybe it puts cracks in the walls of racism

I know it sounds crazy, but maybe,

All the shades that exist

Were strategically created by this mastermind who,

Wanted us to appreciate his genius designs

Race was a social construct anyways, right?