For the love of life + LA.

I am on the Executive Board of the African American Student Alliance at my university. I am blessed to hold the Financial Secretary position for 2015-2016. With my position comes so much self development, especially as a future Public Relations professional. I manage an $85,000 budget for the fiscal year, I am learning the ins and outs of event planning, and I represent an organization that has created a 20-year-old home for Black students at my PWI. Aside from these things, AASA has held me like no other space has. I have found my home in the advisors, my amazing TEAM, and the daily connections I have made. To say the absolute least, I AM BLESSED.

AASA goes on a Fall Excursion every year to explore the Black history and culture of a different region of the world. This year's trip was to The City of Angels, LOS ANGELES! I, as an E-board member, embarked on a four day, all expense-paid experience, and here is what I've learned.

THERE IS NOTHING, AND I MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, LIKE BEING BLACK.

25 people.
4 days.
2 museums.
1 Compton Initiative.
Nonstop laughter.
And a whole lot of Black Excellence.

 

 

 

 

First, the museums.

California African American Museum is the greatest museum I have ever been too.

Picky Head. The background is composed of small images of Black women with natural hair. "Picky Head" is written in relaxer.

Untitled (Sketches on Femininity).

Race Films.

African Textures + Textiles.

 

 

Second, the food.

The best 90cent donut of my life.





Now of course, I don't eat chicken, but let me tell you they had some bomb vegetarian greens and mac 'n cheese. The sweet potatoes were WAY TOO SWEET but all in all, great food!

The world's greatest vegan burger! One thing about LA is there are healthy vegetarian options everywhere, so it was so easy for me to find food. ATL needs to catch up on this!

 

Third, the friends + fun.

AASA 2015-2016 Executive Board, Rocking Black Girls.

The Excursion Family.

Adventures at Santa Monica Pier.

Our Secretary, my roomie for the weekend, and amazing sister, Riah!



More of the fam.



THE womyn. Our Vice President. The Queen, herself. She made this entire trip possible. She has been planning and working on this excursion relentlessly since May. I've watched her stress, grow, and finally breathe. You are magic, Shon. We love you to pieces. You are the reason we got our lives this weekend. Thank you is not enough.

 

 

To AASA, I can't thank you enough. I never knew what it would be like to call this space home, to find so many new brothas and sistahs, but I have. My most rewarding moment was listening to all of our attendees express their gratitude and all they had learned in these few days. One of the women said, "I am proud to be Black" for the very first time on our trip. This is why I am here. This is why I work. We are here. We are learning. We are coming.

 

 

Unapologetically,

~Naturallykbiggie

 



 



Knowing Black

So all my poems are about Black.

Because I know Black

I know Black like I know the South.

Know gloom and anger like I know porches and swinging tires.

Like I know swinging bodies and fear.

And plantations and plantains and dancing for master.

That’s where I learned rhythm.

That same rhythm I know like I know jazz music.

I know the Blues.

I know Black girl Blues like I know Black girl love.

Know loving a Black girl aint the easiest thing to do, especially if you are one.

I know Black girl weary.

See it in my grandmother’s bony toes and heavy heart.

But I know good cooking.

Learning it straight from my grandmother.

Know snapping peas and mamma please,

And aint no eating until everyone else is full.

I know full

I know houses full of kin, and good music, and Black laughs

I know Black men.

I know Black men like Black men know yes sir.

Know officer please,

Know I’m just trying to make it home to my family tonight

Know raising black sons harder than picking cotton

And I know cotton.

Better than I know myself

And I know sun blistering, melanin popping, eye brows fleeking,

Baby hair laid, shea butter glistening

All that Black girl magic.

I know Black folk the most magic I done ever seen.

And I know magic.

See it in the way Black mommas turn absolutely nothing into absolutely everything.

I know everything I ever learned I learned like Black folks in slavery,

Learned like this the last time I’ll ever read, or ever write, or ever pray.

I know pray

I know doing it,

I know being it.

I know Black people pray like we still on the field.

I know fields, I know singing.

I know Negro spirituals the only reason I’m here right now.

I know Black like I know the South

Like I know myself.

Like I don’t know freedom but know we aint gone stop till we taste it.

I know Black taste a whole different type of palette.

I know we aint always palatable but everybody just can’t handle how Black we are.

I know we are community

Know we float around with love in our hearts

I know Black hearts the Blackest berries I’ll ever swallow.

Sweet as honey, divine as wine.

I know Black skies burst through the inevitable

Rise and Shine.