Written by: Tyonna Ashby
Strong, proud, resilient, courageous.
Black women struggle and push through adversity every single day. It’s what makes us
strong. Having to achieve more than what others think is possible to stay on top and pushing
ourselves past the point of exhaustion is something that we live with every day. What do you
see? Powerful, sassy, and opinionated. We are coined with the terms strong-headed and brash,
but this is what we must do to get through our day-to-day lives. Without these attributes our skin
wouldn’t be as thick, your words would pierce more than skin deep, the accusations would stop
our goals and dreams. We adapt so well and push through what others think won’t hurt us
because it is what we must do.
Nonetheless, it’s exhausting, it’s hard. But you don’t see this, therefore it must not be there, or so
you think. So you continue to pin us against each other and aid in a downfall that won’t ever
happen because although we are tired of proving ourselves each and every day, we will. It is
what makes us strong, proud, resilient, and courageous. It is something that can never be taken
or bought. It is what makes us black and proud.
So we will wait, wait till the day you understand our struggles and accept you. Until then, we will…
nurture you and try to help you understand what we go through. Even though some of you don’t
deserve it, we will because that is what we do and what we will continue to do. We are…
Strong, proud, resilient, courageous
QWOCC 