Up until a few weeks ago, I did not know one single rule about the game of chess. I remember growing up and seeing my dad play the game with his friends. We sat down on the night of my 18th birthday, and it amazed me how the queen was the most powerful piece but if the king was captured, the game was over.
Ironically, I had already conceptualized the ruled, connected it to my own identity, and made it my way of life. Let me explain something to you all... as long as we are descendants of African royalty, we are forever KINGS and QUEENS. Even on American soil, I have seen myself, a BLACK WOMAN, as a QUEEN. If it makes you a believer, my melanin is my crown. I have seen the BLACK MAN as a KING. And for me, It is important that KING and QUEEN walk the path of life alongside one another.
I have always heard that “Life is like a game of chess.” You must play smart! It is the job of the QUEEN to protect the KING! Long before I learned anything about the game of chess, I made the conscious decision to commit myself to securing a long and prosperous life for the BLACK KING! The concept of the game of chess just helps me explain my logic. I may have to play smart in the game of chess, however, I must be swift and clever to continue the game of living in America. The QUEEN starts off right beside her KING, but she is able to move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to protect him from the enemy. Ya’ see America is the ENEMY. America tries to capture KINGS using several methods: enslaving them, lynching them, beating them, incinerating them, shooting them... ultimately, killing them! Just like the game of chess, once the KING is captured THE GAME IS OVER. GAME OVER means QUEENS lose their husbands, and PRINCES/PRINCESSES lose their fathers. Hence, broken families and barriers for royalty to proliferate in BLACK communities are created. Not to mention, this means the ENEMY WINS.
Now, do not misconstrue my metaphorical analogy to mean that BLACK KINGS are incompetent or that BLACK QUEENS must carry the entire EMPIRE on their backs. No, that is not the case. In fact, It is from the BLACK MAN where which I receive MY STRENGTH AND POWER! So, as a Young BLACK QUEEN who has the HEART of an AFRICAN WARRIOR, I am saying that I will go to GREAT LENGTHS to protect MY KING, HIS FREEDOM, HIS MIND, AND HIS LIFE! And I will! I can be as DEADLY as I want to be. Why? Because I will someday birth SONS. And while ONLY BLACK WOMEN can give life to ROYAL PRINCES, only BLACK MEN can teach them to be KINGS.
I am certain that I will succeed in protecting my BLACK KING, because unlike America, I will use logic and reasoning. A man (America) who uses force is AFRAID of reasoning.. and WEAKNESS breeds fear! COWARD!
