The other day the whole community was up in arms over a Gawker post about Blacks being the newly fashionable accessory at holiday events. Well, a heated debate about light skin vs dark skin inspired today’s post. The idea of Black is so vast as a concept. Mass Media would have us believe that in oder to be “Black” one must fit a certain canon. But we all know there is no real definition, especially in countries like USA & Brazil with rich histories of “interesting” mixes.

Listen, my grandmother looks like Lena Horne, I have no “booty” & don’t want one & I appreciate those who do, My hair has 4 different textures & I have reversed “kitchen”: mine is straight in back, frizzy/mixed w curly in the middle & kinky in front (I figure 1 texture per ethnic group: my heritage is African American, Native American, Dutch & Irish), I don’t eat chicken but don’t hate on those who do, I love classical music & classic hip hop, I’m a nerd from the hood who loves Warhol & Bobbito, I love being myself & I love all cool people in general.

Now I know most people feel the same way I do so as a member of the popular media I’ll step up & say: Hey, it’s ok to like what you like, be yourself, & embrace something that is outside of your comfort zone or level of understanding.

We are all “different”. So today I salute “The Other Black” in hopes that we can begin to open our minds to the Human concept.

today’s post is dedicated to Michaela Angela Davis, Amel Larrieux, Va$htie Kola, Zoe Kravitz, Lea Dwyer, Ife Mora, Lehni Lamided Davies, Saaliah Porter, Neffy Walker, Ayah Davis-Karim, Angela Yee, Tisha Brown, Isadora, & Stina Kinck.