Growing up, every month I would go to that salon to get my hair straightened. …show more content…
From being labeled as “the angry feminist,” or the girl who wasn't black enough, etc. I found it uncomfortable to be a black woman. But, in the process of my self-healing, I've realized how empowering it is to be black and proud. I’ve also realized how important it is to stay in check of my privilege. At first, I was in denial about my opportunities, call it cognitive dissonance, but my feelings toward my rights were problematic. I began to realize privilege isn't measured by the amount of money that lines my pockets, but the quality relationships I have with family and the rights I'm awarded as a straight, cisgendered woman. I’ve taken the time to acknowledge that I am no longer the little girl who sat in the salon and let pieces of her identity be stripped away from her. I am self-assured in who I am. Though I have always viewed myself as an outsider looking in, It wasn’t until recently that I regarded myself as an insider, looking out at the beautiful world I live in, wondering how I ever related to those on the outside, to begin