Unapologetically Black

Hey y’all. I’ve been quiet in this space for a while for a lot of reasons. I underestimated the physical effects of everything going on. This pandemic, my involvement in the pandemic through my day job, work/life balance while working from home, living far from my family, and living alone all started to take a toll on me. And then there was the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Something just broke in me. An already difficult time turned into a tumultuous, dark, exhausting, and agonizing time. Racism isn’t new. Racism isn’t this abstract thought or topic for me. Racism is something I experience day in and day out as a Fat Black Woman living in the south. And yet, these killings reopened a deep wound in my spirit.

I’m tired in so many ways. The physical manifestation of these events really came to head and I had to step away from many things including social media and any sort of creative pursuit. The work continued, and the fight against racism never slowed. Let me be clear, I find ways to combat racism every single day. I am living this fight and will continue to push back. Stepping away from social media/blogging was necessary and I don’t regret it. That being said, I am easing back into things with a renewed perspective. I’m making my mental health and joy a priority right now. Part of that means finding joy in expressing my creativity. That also means I am continuing to uplift and support Black people and those fighting for Black people.

I don’t know exactly how this space will look moving forward, but I will continue to show up fully, share purposefully, and speak up about things that are important to me. I will still be sewing and making things that bring me joy. I am authentically and unapologetically black. I will not tolerate racism in this space and I will not be silent about things I am passionate about. Black Lives Matter. Every single one. There are no asterisks with that statement.