My Black Is Also Beautiful

If we are afraid to accept our reflection, that is when we look at ourselves in the mirror, then how will we accept what we can't even see, our inner self?

Young black girls around the world question their image, while the media acts as if it is answering what is being asked. We as young girls face issues such as body image, the teenage cycle that challenges us, peer pressure etc, the biggest battle of all is self love and knowing our worth.
Girls on their own discriminate against one another, if it is not about the height, then it will be about the body, if not that then it will be about the skin colour, if it is not about that then it will be about beauty, if not about it, then it will be about something else. It never stops, as if being a girl already is not enough. Some face these challenges at home, if you have a sibling who is light in complexion then you are. Some of the things are not even said, but what is displayed before us, makes us create images filled with ugliness. Could it be that the society as a whole created this? Or that we allowed it?

This goes back to where we come from as black people, our roots. If we could connect with that, then maybe we would begin to appreciate. I don't think I could blame a black model who wears a weave, who is tall and skinny, because she is brought up in that kind of an environment. She is told every day that that is beauty. We need to break the ice and define who we are.
If we were all to be locked in a dark room, and let only voices speak, if we would not recognise who is who, we would develop an understanding that there is no need for war. That there is no voice that speaks louder than the other if it is heard, that there is no need to scream. A lot of boundaries need to be brought down, black image should not even be one, but it is. 

Black girl hug yourself, wrap yourself with love. Associate yourself with positivity, and lets search for stories that will empower us, I am on that road and I have found many, that are giving me confidence and reminding me of my importance. I found a video posted by sis Lebo Mashile on twitter http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UX0FWfkcfZk, and it is talking about black beauty, it inspired me to share my view. Here is a website you can visit, www.myblackisbeautiful.com and you can join them on facebook.com/MBIB
Write your own story, it has never been heard before.