I should begin by saying that I know that this is not an article for everyone. Odyssey, as a whole, seems to lack black readers and writers, and if they are present, nothing they write is given the attention it deserves. To be honest, some people may have clicked away the moment they saw the title. For some reason, people who are not black are made uncomfortable by the uttering of the word or become offended by the word even being spoken. If either of those sound like you, this is not the article for you.

I am black. I have been black for 18 out of the 18 years I have had on this Earth. Being black, no matter the time or place, has never really been easy. It is a constant struggle to stay educated, happy, and alive.

It should be known that I consider myself black and not African American. Yes, you read that correctly. I consider myself black for two reasons. One, is that I am mixed. My mother is the descendant of Puerto Ricans and my father is the descendant of “Native Americans” and other blacks. I failed to mention my Cuban ancestors as well as my white ancestors and all of their nationalities. You see, my family is so mixed and blended that in me they all come together as one. My ancestors from decades ago, for the most part, were all descendants of Africans. The second reason I consider myself black and not African American is because of my lack of connection to Africa. Sadly, my family has no family members or friends to call in Africa. We have no ties to an African country. We have no African tribe, language, or culture to take pride in.

When people like myself call ourselves black, we are given harsh criticism from those around us. We are told to call ourselves “African American” to make others around us comfortable. We are questioned and probed about our ethnic backgrounds in order to be given titles that make those around us more comfortable. What about our comfort? If you are allowed to consider yourself 23% Native American, why am I not allowed to call myself “a color”?

Being black and considering oneself black is quite a plight. Being black and considering oneself black is an obstacle. Being black and considering oneself black is an everyday struggle that, miraculously, many of us survive.