Paint me a world where girls sustain from mirrors, where love is not weakness, and forgiveness is not taken for blame. That world only seems to be in my dreams, where my eyes are closed and not open. Expectations drown out uniqueness because who are we, if we are not ourselves. Unless you imitate, which is nothing of yourself. Beauty is the essence of who you are, not what you are. Your inner being will shine through your outer being. You do not need anyone to tell you you’re beautiful, you just want someone to appreciate it. In my dream, there is a young, dark skinned girl walking happily with her other brown skin friends. Their skin is glistening, their hair is beautifully curly, and their facial features are vibrant. She is beautiful, and everyone appreciated it.

Beep, Beep, Beep my alarm clock rings. I wake. My eyes are open and not closed. I go to school and see a girl just like the dark skin girl, except she is not happy. She is apologizing to the school. I’m sorry I am not enough, I’m sorry I am not what you deserve, I’m sorry I do not have curves, I’m sorry I will not be who you want me to be. In this world of a dream everyone has a burning desire to compete to feel beautiful while putting others down. No one is appreciated and accepted. This cycle of competing and comparing is overwhelming, yet it continuously repeats.

We are all so full of life, but we have different ways of living it. Live your life like you are a queen. Be what you aspire to be, not what people think your going to be. Never apologize for being you. Love, appreciate, and take care of your skin and body. My dream is to be heard, to inspire, and to be the voice of self love.  

As I get older, I realize I can turn these beautiful dreams into reality by spreading my love and positivity, being brave and bold, and most importantly loving who I am.