What Will I Tell My Daughter Who Is Black?

When I conceive, grow,
and love a black baby into this earth
and she is born 60 years old
and the doctor asks why her spine
is already growing into submission.
When the nurse asks,
why at her 3 month check up
her eyes are already bleeding the color of sorrow.
When she is sucking supple nipples,
and takes just enough to almost nourish her.
Being sure to swallow in consideration
of her great, great grandmother,
who never tasted the breasts of her own mother
because they were too busy being shoved into the mouths
of white babies,
and white men.
When she is never her age.
Always 10 going on 15,
15 going on 30,
30 going on "too old to still be mad at the things that happened"
but too black and woman to forget.
When her eyes and fists anger at the blow
and she comes home
tornado of mad woman whisking down Hambrick Lane.
When she burst through the door
with 400 years of confusion on her back,
and she is heavy and angry, and broken, and thin,
and angry, and almost not here before my eyes,
ripping through the rooms
and falling onto her knees and asking me,
"How mamma? How did I learn this type of pain?"
What will I tell her?

Full Body Skin Care Routine

Hi loves! I'm back with a new blog post. Today's post is all about SELF-CARE. With the chaos of finals finally coming to an end, I decided ya girl deserves a bit of self-care. I want to share my full body skin routine with you all. Remember, always take a breath or a moment. Step back. Step aside. Show yourself some grace, whether it is in a chapter in your favorite book, a trip to the mall with great friends, or a night of self-care in your bathroom. You deserve it, love!

FACE-TIME:

1. African Black Soap: 
Twice a day, I cleanse my face with African Black Soap. I got mine from a local African shop in Atlanta, but different brands are sold all over the city!

2. Moisture, Moisture:
In the mornings, I moisturize with Nuetrogena Naturals Multi-vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer. I apply a tiny bit and follow up with a dab of Shea Butter on top
*dabs*
Shea Butter doesn't work for everyone's skin so be careful and try a little bit at a time.
At night, I apply the Nuetrogena Naturals Night Creme

3. Scrub a Dub Dub:
Once a week, I do a facial scrub to get rid of all the dead skin and stress that college brings! My favorite, because of its price, is St. Ives Blemish Control. You can find this at ANY drug store for the low.

4. Detox Day:
On Sundays, I like to do a facial mask to detox and deep clean my pores. I have been using Queen Helen's Mint Julep Masque for about 5 years. Although the packaging says leave on for about 10 minutes, I usually get carried away and keep it on for a strong 30 minutes. Hey, I deserve it!

GLISTEN ALL OVER:

1. Cleanse:
My favorite hair and body products are Shea Moisture. I usually wash with whichever soap of theirs I can get my hands on. I'm currently using the Olive and Green Tea Shea Butter Soap.
(I've researched and found out they are no longer a black owned brand. If you guys know any similar brands with all natural products that are Black owned, please let me know!)

2. For Sistah Girl:
Dove Sensitive Skin Soap

3. Exfoliate:
Once a week, I like to do a body scrub. I usually find whichever cheap, all natural alternative that is readily available. I'm using Alba Botanical's Hawaiian Body Scrub and it is MAGICAL!

4. Skin Like Silk:
I like to moisturize my skin while it is still damp from the shower. In the winter, because you know...we get a little crusty, I mix a bit of Shea Butter and Coconut Oil in my hands and massage into my skin.

I hope you all enjoyed these tips. Comment below, how you take a moment to self-care.
I love you guys so much + I truly appreciate each and everyone of you for reading my blog. We're coming up on our one year anniversary. I'll be doing a Holiday/I'm a year old blogger giveaway towards the end of the month so stay tuned on how to win!

Stay Happy, Stay Healthy.
~Naturallykbiggie

If You Could See The Light That Shines

  

If you could see the light that shines

The one that glows from fingertips

Seeps into shea buttered skin

And lives even in the cascading of tears

You would know of God’s magic

Of how careful he is with the crafting of miracles

Of how miracle and your name must be the same thing

Must breathe the same air

Must wish upon the same stars night after night

If you could see the stars

The galaxies

The universe in your smile

You would know not much of darkness

You would acknowledge the dim at times

But be assured of the sun's rise in the morning

In the morning

You would kiss your own skin “good day”

Lips would separate the ocean of your magic

If you could smell the magic

The kind that leaks beyond your footsteps

Lingering in all the hearts of all you’ve touched

You would touch like poets upon pens

Upon pads

Upon epiphanies

You would love like the Nile, herself

Move like the bends of her river bank stretched upon your back

You would gift yourself

To yourself

For yourself

You would love

You would love

My God, you would love

If you could see the light that shines

 

Authors Who Look Like Me.

I have been taking a Black Women Writers class this Fall and have read and experienced the amazing works of Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Phyllis Alesia Perry, Sapphire, and many others. Reading their works has made me realize the truth of my writing and dreams of being a writer.

There is nothing like reading work that tells your story. Like finding exerts of writings that leak with your experiences and knowing that you aren't alone. I think particularly as a black girl, I was always searching for books that would address my intersectional experience. I NEEDED my books to talk about colorism, gender, race, class, sex and sexual identity. These are things that I wanted to understand, but didn't always feel comfortable talking about with parents or mentors.

Over the past few months I have seen my dreams come into fruition. I have read and realized the power in my story and the ways in which I can change lives. Words can save lives. MY words can change lives. My writings have saved MY LIFE.

So, I am starting a reading challenge to only read books, poems, short stories, and other works from writers of color for the an entire year.

With this new challenge I have a started a reading list for the year.

- Shifting, Charisse Jones and Kumea Shorter-Gooden, Ph.D.
- Kindred, Octavia Butler
- The Politics of Black Hair, Althea Prince
-The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
-Beloved, Toni Morrison
-The Color Purple, Alice Walker
-Half of A Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
-Purple Hibiscus, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
-Feminism is for EVERYBODY, bell hooks
-Why Black People Tend To Shout, Ralph Wiley
-Ain't I A Woman, bell hooks
-The Mis-Education of the Negro, Carter G. Woodson
-How Europe Undeveloped Africa, Walter Rodney
-The Black Unicorn, Audre Lorde
-The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin
-Notes of a Native Son, James Baldwin

Of course, I will be adding in new books throughout the months. I am asking you all to join in this reading challenge with me. The more, the merrier. Let's see how we can grow. Let's see how much we can learn when we read our own stories.

Please, comment below some of your favorite books by writers of color!

Keep reading and I'll chat with you all soon! :)
Stay Happy, Stay Healthy.
~Naturallykbiggie

Listen here, Black Girl.

A letter to myself, and other broken black girls.
We are not shattered, we are simply letting the light shine through.

Listen here, Black Girl.

I know your knees are tired.
Bruised and beaten from all the time they’ve spent shoved into hard wood, carpet, and linoleum.
I know your eyes are cried shut from all the pain this black skin brings.
All the pain, this black girl brings.
I know what it’s like to be searching for someone whose love holds all that deep skin, and knotty hair, and wide hips of a woman.
I know what it’s like to come up breathless and empty handed.
Knuckles and fingertips carving around pieces that don’t fit, simply because they are pieces.
And they aren’t quite as shattered as you, Black Girl.
I know, Black Girl.
That the compliments are nothing in comparison to the pictures.
To the Nia Longs,
And Anita Bakers,
And Beyoncé No Last Name Women.
I know.
I have sunken into this skin before.
I have sat there.
I have died there.
I had rotted there.
But listen here, Black Girl.
Don’t you see?
I know you can’t right now,
But you are glorious.
And I know, those words have fallen into deaf ears.
Ears you harden so often they aren’t familiar with the sound of love.
But no one can train them to know what it’s like to be poured into like you can.
And you can.
And you will.
And God willing, I will teach you.
I will be all the woman you have dreamed of.
I will show you how to love yourself like you want someone else to.
I will be your Nia Long,
Or Anita Baker,
Or some other Beyoncé No Last Name Woman.
I WILL,
Be
Someone you are proud to become.
All that deep skin, and knotty hair, and wide hips of a woman.
I want you to read this, when all the world around you is caving in and breathing space is limited.
Read aloud.
Read through the tears.
Scream at the top of your lungs if you must.
Just keep reading.
And when you are done,
Look at your beautiful self in the mirror and say,
“Listen here, Black Girl.
You be all the magic they are afraid of.
You shine so bright, you blind everyone around you.
Sit in the valley if you must.
Cry, deep, Black Girl tears.
But when you are ready, and this time must come…
RISE.”

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.