From the color of my skin, to the texture of my hair
to the length of my strands, to the breadth of my smile
To the stride of my gait, to the span of my arms, to the depth of my bosom,
to the curve of my hips, to the glow of my skin…
My black is beautiful
It cannot be denied. it will not be contained.
And only I will define it.
For when I look in the mirror, my very soul cries out,
My black is beautiful
And so today I speak it out loud, unabashedly, I declare it anew.
My black is beautiful
Whether celebrated, imitated, exploited or denigrated
Whether natural from inside or skillfully applied
My black is beautiful
To my daughter, my sisters, my nieces, my cousins, my colleagues and my friends,
I speak for us all when I say again,
My Black is Beautiful.
~ Andria Thompson
