More Than Black

More Than Black

   

 There’s more to life than being black… I hope that my bluntness doesn’t offend you, or maybe I do... Don’t read this from the wrong angle, and start thinking that I’m ashamed of my people. I am very proud to be black, but being black doesn’t define me. I live my life external to the stereotypes. We as black people are so offended by being categorized by others, but we are the ones setting the boundaries. It’s sort of like our lax use of the ‘N’ word. We’d burn this city down if any other race calls us an ‘N’, but we classify each other with that very term. It’s the same concept, we are setting our own limits, and we are closing our minds from exploring everything that the world has to offer. We have shut out the world and restricted ourselves to just being hood… It’s not the white man who’s holding you back; it’s your main man.                

       People have told me my whole life that I was tall for nothing, just because I don’t play basketball. Of course I’m offended, just being tall doesn’t commit me to just playing basketball. What if I wanted to play volleyball? That’s a sport that requires height; would that be hood of me? Of course not! My peers would stone me if they found out I was playing such an un-black sport. When I was little I just wanted to run through the woods, and pretend to be a ninja, and race mountain bikes… Was that black of me? Not according to my friends. Who knows what I could’ve developed my skills into, maybe an explorer… but Explorers aren’t cool unless they are sitting on 24”s.               

       When I got my first car I put a loud muffler on it, neon lights, and all types of racing parts. But was that cool? Was that black? Nope! I was told that I needed to have an old school sitting on dunks. Now don’t get me wrong, I like looking at old school classics on rims, but I don’t want one. I like to go fast, and 30” rims may pose as a problem. Who are we to point at each other and say you aren’t black enough? What defines black? I’ll help you out if you don’t know the answer. From what I’ve been told, and scrutinized for not having or doing, you’re not black unless you buy every pair of Jordans that are released. Pretty much, that’s step one. Now I’m already disqualified, because skating shoes feel so lovely on my awkward made feet.                

       I don’t want to sound like an Uncle Tom, Heaven's No! I’m just stating the facts… There’s more to life than being black. Don’t let being black stop you from exploring life. Don’t let people tell you what you should be doing or should not be doing just because of your skin color. BMX and Skate Boarding are for white boys… But that’s some fun shit. I’ve been snowboarding and had the time of my life, camping as well. Now if that happiness that I experienced is subject to be ridiculed by my peers, then I am more of an outcast than the world predicted.