we the people of the united states

as members of the human race

are biologically programmed

to fear.

 

we have evolved over billions of years

and we have discovered through

natural selection

trial and error

process of elimination

that the best way to stay alive

is to stay afraid.

 

everyone has a fear

and growing up,

i

was afraid of the dark

 

but not the way you would think

 

see the dark i feared

couldn’t be fixed with a night light

 

no

my monsters weren't under my bed

they were in my head

i wasn’t scared of the night

i was afraid of the skin that i lived in

 

we are fundamentally afraid of that which

we do not understand

and i simply did not understand.

could not understand

why my skin was so brown

why my hair grew up

instead of down

 

i did not understand

that the dark

is not to be feared

it is to be cherished

it is to be awed.

 

when you look at the night sky, what do you think?

“wow.”

and when i look in the mirror

that’s what i think.

“wow.”

 

see now,

i understand.

i understand that my lips are full

and my skin is dark

that i’ll never have a narrow nose

or hair that slaps my ass as i walk

 

but god damn it

I'm not afraid to slap my own ass

I'm not afraid to wear bright colors and big earrings and short hair

I'm not afraid to walk with my hands in the air

I'm not afraid of the dark anymore

 

i am the dark.

and honestly,

you

should be afraid of me.