It's February and you know what that means? It's Black History Month! Have you ever felt like you stick out? Felt like you don't belong somewhere? Felt awkward when you went to hang-out with friends at their house that are a different skin tone then you? Welcome to my life I did all when I was growing up, but I have learned to branch out of that and being comfortable in my own skin. I always wanted to fit in when I was little around the time I was in elementary school.

I felt like my hair couldn't be different and I didn't really know why my hair was different, I just knew I stood out.

Now do not get me wrong I absolutely loved when my mom would put my hair in braids and would put beads in it. I loved swinging my hair around basically smacking myself in the face with my hair lol! I felt like Beyoncé when I would flick my hair because that what she did and I wanted to be like her. Having a different hair texture also meant that when it wasn't the same as everyone else they wanted to touch it.

News flash DO NOT TOUCH MY HAIR.

You don't know where other's people's hands have been and especially being younger were playing and people stick their hands in their nose and mouth so I definitely didn't want nasty hands in my hair.

In middle school and high school, I remember being in history class and we would talk about slaves / and Africans and African Americans and my peers would put their head up and look at me as if I was there during that time. I mean YES that is my history but I was not there during that time period, and staring at me won't help me. Talking about specific things in class such as discrimination is something I know I could speak on during class because I have witnessed it first-hand.

Being black you almost have to watch your back at all times. By that I mean you need to stand up for what you deserve! People treat you different almost as if you are fragile. On the other hand, some look at you and are waiting for you to snap or act "ghetto" because we are seen with a stereotype and people expect us to act a certain way.

As I became older I started to realize that I am not the same. I am not meant to be the same.

God made me the way I am for a reason.

I am black for a reason. I am beautiful and I am strong. I never want to feel ashamed for who I am and who God created me to be. My black is beautiful. Feeling beautiful in your own skin is important regardless of whatever color you might be.

"Black Power is giving power to people who have not had power to determine their destiny." — Huey P. Newton