To my Megan Markles....

Full disclaimer, the world is harsh and I think it is harshest to my strong sisters. I mean think about it, statistically speaking we are most likely to be single parents, If we do have a man they are most likely to in jail or under employed. Our male kids (primarily) aren't safe, seen as threats and primed to be fed into a system that doesn't favor us..if you don't believe me watch Netflix's "American son". We have every right to be angry, life can be unfair to us, out here in the U, S of A. Not to mention, when you go to work. you are most likely to face and have to deal with discrimination in the workplace. It can be as subtle or under the trump administration just down right overt.

Here is the thing, my sisters you have every reason to be angry.... I mean look at Megan Markle, the first mix raced royal (admittedly). The first Royal who clearly has black, African roots in the British Royalty. Where do I start. First her sister is a horrible human being. Yes we all have family dysfunction. Yes, she may well have treated her similarly if she was 100% caucasian. Well here is the thing. That 50% black in her, gave her sister in her mind, the right to treat Meghan with a level of disrespect that she would never have done if she was full caucasian. And her father, is one of the most vial human beings on earth. He was never worthy to be called her father. The saddest thing is I am sure she forgives me and yearns for any type of relationship with him and his approval. And what's saddest of all, the only way for her and her husband to find peace is to leave the Royal Family.....

I say all of this to say I get it. For the rest of us regular folk, who don't even marry into Royalty, life has it ways to constantly remind us of our blackness. And society's way to remind us that in their view we are less than worthy "second class citizens" even within the churches we attend... I mean it's a church. A place you expect to experience the fullness of God's love, joy and everlasting peace. Not so, there is something insidious that traverses throughout the eco system at my local church. It is palpable, it is ever present and the saddest thing it is divisive. Most black people who have worked their way (either in an official capacity or as volunteers) to within the ranks of predominately white churches have to ensure you are "ok" before allowing you in. The whites judge you and the blacks even harder for fear that associating with the wrong type of blacks would loose them the status they have worked so hard to obtain. You have to be one of the ok ones. And even when you become one of the ok ones, others currently challenge you and are jealous if they see you have some sort of status that they want to obtain. Additionally, within those positions (volunteering positions I may add) your white counterparts may mistreat you. They employ Jim Crow type tactics to keep you in submission, divide you from your fellow sisters and brothers, and constantly look to them for validation. That is the hardest thing about America. It's the Jim Crow type tactics that are used, to in essence, to divide and keep us in line. Now, it is wrong to blanket put this out there. At my local church there is a division of loving, caring, souls, who have transcended race and treat me like family, like I belong. They are God fearing women, who are inclusive and who pray for the leadership of God to guide their every move and they are all white. And I don't see their skin color and they do not see mine. I don't want it to sound like it's all bad. But then there is another under belly group within who are exactly as described above. And again this is church. And did I mention it's volunteering.

Then you step into the work place. There, you are constantly judged, especially if you are the only woman of color in your field. You have to be 5 times smarter, 5 times more capable, 5 steps ahead of the game, and work 5 times harder just to be seen as in line with your peers. What's even worst, even when your colleagues witness the injustices you come up against and experience, their constant response is, "it's just so bizarre". They witness it, they in some cases experience it with you, but it's not their everyday experience and so the only way to respond to it, or make any sense of it would be to simply state, it is just so bizarre and it is. As it is not their everyday experience.

Megan Markle would have never dreamt that becoming a princess would put her in the direct line of fire, to so much hate, to so much unwanted, mean press to so much, that reminds her you are a second class citizen and you will never be one of us. I am so glad that she opted out. Thanks but no thanks.

Many may say well if she became princess for the right reasons. If you are volunteering for the right reasons, working for the right reasons it shouldn't matter. But here is the thing I wish everyone could experience and live the black experience for at least one month of their lives, heck one day of their lives and they would see and experience. Funny as I had a conversation with a sister this week, she mentioned, that the struggle was real. And it sure is. So with all of this, how do you avoid the angry black woman title. Prayer, balance, and pursuit of peace. However, I am here to say you have every right to feel angry. Find a way to work through it. Vengeance is mine says the Lord. If you remember that, the rest will follow.

Happy Sunday all!