Black Body - White Body

I am both in the skin of my West African ancestors and my Sicilian/Eastern European ancestors. I embody the vigilance of oppression while experiencing the privileges that come with being a lighter shade of black. For some, I am not black enough, not enough kink in my hair or soul in my step. For others, I am … “other”, different, colored, but a bit less intimidating. I have been followed in stores and often been the only brown person entering a room. I used to straddle the fence between my two races, sitting in opposition, holding internal judgment and/or shame for one or the other. Now I sit, in full awareness, of my brown skin and the whiteness of my bones. I hold the contrast with curiosity. I feel the grief and outrage of my black ancestors in my shoulders and the struggle and fight of my Italian ancestors in my muscles. I have sat in the depths of the internalized racial conflict my body holds. I have felt the split down my middle and pendulated from one outraged part of me to the other. I have called on my ancestors to tell me their stories, and when I listen, they come through image, emotion, and sensation. It is in those meaningful moments that I become more internally connected and whole.

~Becky Carter~

What can members do?

Members can follow each other, write and reply to comments and receive blog notifications. Each member gets their own personal profile page that they can customize.

Tip:

You can make any member of your blog a writer so they can write posts for your blog. Adding multiple writers is a great way to grow your content and keep it fresh and diversified.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Head to your Member’s Page

2. Search for the member you want to make a writer

3. Click on the member’s profile

4. Click the 3 dot icon ( ⠇) on the Follow button

5. Select Set as Writer