Self Care Is Never Optional

Self Care is mandatory.

It is never optional. It can never be second guessed. It can never be placed on the back burner.  Sometimes, you have to unplug and disengage - for your own good.

Right now, it is open season on African-Americans.  Sorry, my white friends and readers.  This a sad truth that you yourself must face as well.  And social media outlets are overran by videos of shootings, articles detailing deaths of our people, opinions of how we should just "comply" (even though the proof is there that comply STILL means die), facts and articles about Black Lives Matter, or how Black on Black crime is more serious than police brutality, opinions of athletes and stars shouldn't deal or say anything about what is going on in our nation, and it's a lot.

It's a whole fucking lot.

So let me remind my people of a few things.

First, please keep in mind that you are not obligated to watch this snuff films of our people dying.  We do not have to consistently burden our hearts with the knowledge that our people are receiving punishments that don't fit the supposed "crimes" they are committing.  Why? Because history has shown us that our government and their officials will kill us whenever they feel the time is right.  So we need no proof. We need no videos. So please, remember - you ain't gotta watch what you already know.  You ain't gotta see what we have known since we were children.

Secondly, stop expecting all Black people to speak out and up about certain things.  I know this is hard. And I struggle with this daily.  I see things and I see Black people not even trying to acknowledge it and I just want to scream "WAKKKKKKEEEEE UPPPPPPPP!" The truth of the matter, though? Every Black person ain't down with the resistance movement.  Keep in mind - a lot of the push back during the Civil Rights movement was within our OWN community. So, stop expecting others to help - a lot of the ones pushing back are coattail riders any damn way.

Finally.

Self Care is important.

Self Care is important.

SELF CARE IS IMPORTANT.

Ain't shit wrong with taking time out to go play Pokémon Go. Or a video game. Watch a crazy TV shows. Or go see a movie. Or go fuck.  Forget what people say you should be focused on - or my personal favorite, what we should or should not be "distracted" by.  We as African-Americans go through a lot (PTSD.  I believe that's what we suffer from. Seriously). So taking care of one's mental health is an important part of the game.  Go do something that reminds you of who you are and why you are happy.  Indulge in things that you enjoy. That make you feel like you are human. Things that remind you that you DESERVE your space and your humanity in the most righteous of ways.

Because self care is never fucking optional

Self care is fucking mandatory.

Dear Black Men

Dear Black Men,

I appreciate so many of my Black men for stepping up and saying "Yo. I'm sorry we have failed ya'll as men." I do. It warmed my dark little heart. It means a lot to see so many of you saying "Yo. I get it now. I understand."  As a Black Woman who has openly said that I fear ya'll - It means a lot that ya'll are hearing these words and your shook by it.  It means a lot that those words bothered you.

It means that there is some love there - and that the bond between us can be salvaged.

Yet, I need ya'll to understand - it takes more than words. It takes more than statuses and memes of Black couples with the hashtag of #BlackLove. It means not supporting men (and women) who promote and uplift rape culture. It means not supporting politicians who invade our womb and break the core of our reproductive rights. It means not supporting those who beat us or make jokes about domestic violence.  It means listening to us when we speak on our experiences that are hurting us to our core. It means you must allow for Black Women and Girls to be carefree. It means supporting Black Women who are business owners. It means not downing us to women and men of other races and placing them on a pedestal to where THEY think it's okay to speak and talk to us any type of way.  This means supporting Black Trans Women - whether you agree with their "life" or not.  This means means calling out the Umar Johnsons, Tommy Sotomayors, the Tariq Nasheeds, The Chey Bs, the Steve Harveys and letting them know that the Black Woman - YOUR Black Woman - is not to blame for what we are facing, but she is a product of her environment, much like you are.

Protecting the Black Woman ain't always about taking up arms and shooting (although sometimes, that may have to happen - Think of DuBois. Who sat outside his house with the shotgun to protect his wife and child from the KKK) - many times, its about ASSISTING and UNDERSTANDING her.  It's

about understanding the history of the Black man and woman as it dates back to Africa and through modern times.  It's about loving us in spite of - the same way we do ya'll.

Oh, and by the way - for my homosexual Black men? This goes for ya'll, too. You may not want what we have - but you dropped out of one of us. You have sisters. Many of you get your make up tips from us. Many of you came OUT to one of us before you came out to the rest of the world. Many of you have cried on the shoulder of a Black Woman when that bi-curious man broke your heart because he was "confused about what he wanted." Many of you get your support from us when it's time for you to venture out into the world and start your businesses. Stop calling us fish, gather your skirts and let's get it in.

Build us up like we build ya'll. This is the key to REAL Black Love. On any and every level.

I love ya'll. The Black Woman Loves ya'll. Always have. Always will. Let's build.