As a black woman that grew up in Miami, my identity often went unrecognized. I was always immersed in environments that did not center me and quite frankly, put me in harm’s way. It caused a lack of awareness of race. I knew that I was black but the issue of race was one that wasn’t present to me. Unfortunately, I never knew how to respond when my father’s friends told me that I sound like a white girl. Maybe I was supposed to split an infinitive and use slang in order to fit into what their idea of black was. White people would tell me how well I spoke as if it was a compliment. Somehow, I managed to meet their standard of what was deemed appropriate.
Most recently a white woman took it upon herself to ask, “Where did you study music? I’m from Great Britain and you don’t really see harpists in Miami.” It would have been better if she said that she wasn’t accustomed to seeing a black person playing an orchestral instrument because that is what was insinuated.
As of August 2024, I am immersed in an undercurrent. I am committed to curating spaces that honor and center black women and girls in my professional life as well as my personal life. Why? How many of us echo my above experiences? Where do we go just to exist without fear of judgement of being too much or too little of anything? A black woman can be educated and be black enough. She can speak however she wants and still be black. We did not ask for the opinions of others and don’t require the validation, thanks. We just want to be ourselves in a world that just doesn’t get it. Let us live our lives as we see fit. It may not fit the norms of other Eurocentric societies and that is to be expected. We are afrocentric. We fit the norms of our society.