I am black. I am the product of African kings, queens, slaves, and workers. I am the great-great-great-grandson of a man who was strange fruit hanging from a tree. I am the spirit of Emmett wearing the hoodie of Trayvon. I am the product of black men and women who were beaten and hosed down and criticized because they made the brave and courageous decision to march for my sometimes ungrateful and dumb ass. I am a part of a generation that voices Black Lives Matters and F**k Racism. I am a part of a legacy that refuses to forfeit the game of freedom and inequality.

I am a young man who would once be referred to as ni**er but now referred to as the living part of Dr. King’s dream. I am Black. I am well-dressed, well- spoken, and ambitious — breaking the stereotypical vision of baggy pants and thuggish behavior. I am an African- American scholar…giving hope and an example to those who wish to be freed and let go from the streets of Compton and College Park and Detroit and Macon and the Southside of Chicago.

I am the great-grandchild of a strong black woman who was born in the early 1900s fighting to survive in the segregated highways and byways of conservative infected Georgia. I am the grandchild of a forgiving and fierce black woman who was coming up in the midst of Dr. King's nonviolent protest and decided to raise her children under Christ despite the obstacles that Satan tried to bring her way. I am the child of a passionate, deep-seated black woman who slipped up and got pregnant at sixteen by a man who abused her, a black woman whose mentally ill sister murdered their father, a black woman who struggled with her weight and image…but now resides in pure fabulosity and faith in God. I am the product of these women. I am vicariously living through their struggles, allowing through God for their blood to flow through my veins and serenade inside every organ, cell, and tissue inside of me. I am BLack.

I am struggling to break barriers, struggling to be extraordinary only to be recognized as ordinary to the white man. I am embracing eccentricity in my swag to let those who are privileged know that even though my roots don’t extend from a trust fund I, too, am fortunate in many more ways than just that of a dollar bill. I am excelling in my efforts and academics letting those who doubt me know that just because I am the only one of color does not mean I lack the intelligence. I am BLAck. I am not illiterate, ignorant, or irresponsible. I am intelligent, inquisitive, and insightful. I am worthy. I am a winner. I am someone who does not quit. I am someone who does not lack this, that, or the other just because of the pigmentation of my skin.

I am a young man who undeniably is scared to be black in America, but continues to fight through excellence in his life. I am someone who cannot be threatened by the tactics of Trump or Cruz. I am BLACk. I am a supporter of Obama. I am a young activist. I am a Democrat. I am a fan of Beyonce. I am Song of Solomon 1:5. “I am dark, but fair of form, O daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.” I am a believer in God. I am who I am.

I am not nor will I ever be what America wants me to be. I am writing my destiny. I am doing what I want to do. I am Dr. Kings dream. I am BLACK. I am BLACK history. I am a BLACK young man. I am a BLACK young man who will not be manipulated. I am a BLACK young man who will not be manipulated into thinking that being normal is acceptable. I am a BLACK young man who will not be manipulated into thinking that being normal is acceptable because my ancestors fought too hard for that shit and I will pay homage to all of their legacies. I am BLACK, and to be BLACK means to be powerful and elegant. I am BLACK, and when my back is against the wall and the wall is against my back, I turn to God because He created me and He loves me. I am BLACK…yes, I am BLACK and being BLACK ain’t that damn bad.