Dear Future Strong Black Woman,
You are phenomenal! You are fierce, active, and full of personality. I know this not just from the enthusiasm of your frequent kicks, punches, wiggles, and pokes, but because I can feel your spirit and I know you are destined for greatness. You are part of a lineage of Strong Black Women and you will likely follow suit, but maybe not in the way you think...
For generations, Black women have been assigned a definition of strength based on how some people think we are or feel we should be. They obligated us to manifest, embody, and display multiple forms of strength; to resist dependency and vulnerability; to suppress our emotions; to succeed despite limited resources; and to provide self-sacrificial levels of care. This definition wasn't created by us or for us, and while many of us now align with it, you don't have to.
Your strength does not have to be measured by the mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual loads you carry. Your strength is not about your independence, self-sufficiency, or ability to mask your God-given emotions and humanity. Your strength goes beyond your tenacity to achieve when society does too much to keep this from happening, and your strength is more than your willingness to neglect yourself to prioritize others.
You have the power and autonomy to decide how to define yourself and if strength should be included in that definition. You get to choose whether and when you are strong or soft, as long as you don't classify your softness as weakness.
I share this not only as your mother, but also as a fellow self-defined Strong Black Woman who had to learn these lessons for herself. Never allow someone else to define you no matter how hard they try or how convincing they may seem.
I promise to love you through every version of yourself, and I am already so proud of who you will choose to become 💞
