Nikki Giovanni
Black Like Me
Does anyone really know what it means to be black? Have you been told that people do not prefer you because of the color of your skin? Have you noticed you were treated differently because of the color of your skin? Do you notice people behave differently than others because of the skin tone? Do you feel you do not fit in because the first thing people notice when you are around it the color of your skin? Have anyone complimented you on your hue of skin? Do people have perceptions of you because of the color of your skin?

Being black means that you are able to look above prejudice values people have towards you. Its not easy being you, but you found the spirit within you that makes you proud being who you are.

Being black one has to be comfortable in their own skin. There are many shades and hues of black people. We are a beautiful race of people, black people, mulato people, island people and African American people in the melting pot of America.

It is disturbing when black people can not get along because of the color of the skin is different. Black people are divided about being black, when people degrade race by one skin tone is lighter skin or darker skin than another. We are all one race of people. God made black people skin hue beautiful skin tones.

How could one black hue be determined better skin than another when we are the same race of people. Why would skin color make a difference within our own race. We are all brothers and sisters. Look at our families and extended families hues the color of rainbows but we love our family like we should love all God's children dark or light skin.

Being comfortable in your own skin means that you have learned to define what it means for you to be happy with who you are. There is the good in every race of people. Why can't we all accept our race for what we are inside of us, for it is the personality within that matters most. You can not judge a person by the hue of skin. There are so many good qualities inside us about us that is more meaningful.