Excuse Me Little “Black” Girl—Part 3
A school teacher….Maybe? I do love learning.
A nurse….Nope! Needles make me queasy.
An attorney….Can I really be one?
Left alone…. You smiled! I saw you. Sorry though. Excuse me little “Black” girl, but I can’t afford to do that. You can’t afford for me to do that! One day you will better understand.
“You can become whatever you want,” they say.
“Dream big and believe bigger,” they cheer.
“Work hard,” they instruct.
Then what?
Where are people talking about unfair situations that occur because of your gender and race? How do you make sense of discriminatory practices that are systemic when so many continue to buy into the social construct designed to define you as property, on both counts? How do you maintain your innocence about people and possibility when news outlets make a lucrative business by branding the worse of mankind—of all shades and both genders? Then, of course, there is that day when you realize that the Pledge you excitedly learned to recite in pre-school seems to have loss its meaning to so many who:
- question the idea of we being one Nation,
- disagree about being under a —and/or the same— God, and
- …well, the idea of liberty and justice for all continues to be a hard pill for the masses to swallow.
Although your parents try to shelter you, unfortunately that day is still being introduced to you. So, what is a girl to do?
Recently, an elderly Black woman heard me talking about some concerns. I did not know her prior to my presentation, but afterwards she said something so heartfelt.
“Sorry,” she gently whispered, “we dropped the ball.”
WOW! I was speechless.
“You, however,” she continued, “must keep doing what you are doing and we will help.” She then shared with me some networking information.
So to you, when you ask what is a girl to do?
I respond by relying upon our elder’s instruction, YOU MUST keep doing what you are doing and we will help.
Have you ever been the first to advocate for issues of primary concern to others even when those issues fail to make your top ten? No one would know it though because your passion for justice moved both you and the crowd. Have you ever taken a step back to notice who stood along side of you when matters of your heart needed a louder voice? Who is there—just those in your community or are your neighbors joining the party?
Excuse Me Little “Black” Girl—Part 5
A LOLLIPOP GIRL!!!???!!!! My eyes quickly shift to her mother who is obviously mortified. The giggles from the audience ring out. An Around The Way Girl? Returning my attention to the five-year-old, I wonder if she understood the question. There she stands so innocently smiling, ignorant to her naiveté. The teacher is noticeably uncomfortable. She simply asks the next student the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Excuse me little “Black” girl, we need to talk.
What’s going on? No really, what is happening? What messages are you receiving–about yourself, about women, about life? What television shows are you watching? What music do you hear? What conversations do you overhear? What messages fill your head?
When you play, what do you pretend to be? When I was your age, I played with dolls and teddy bears. They were my students. I was the teacher.
What! You don’t play with dolls? Teddy bears neither? Really?
Well, when did that get old?
Let me tell you a story. Last week my assistant told me that every day, several times throughout the day, she sees a woman walking by the window. One day, this woman approached my assistant’s friend and asked to be his lollipop girl. He said, “No.” Then, another man walked by and she asked him the same question. Again and again, she did this–all day, each day. Sometimes she would walk up to men sitting in cars. Sometimes she would get inside the cars, but not long afterwards she would be seen walking down the street. Every man does not say, “No”. The woman, however, always looks really tired. Still, she continues to walk up and down the street like she is on a mission—all day, back and forth, forth and back. She walks. She walks to find a yes, only to walk some more. Does that sound like something you want to do when you grow up?
Listen to me.
Ask your parents to take you to the library. Ask them to check out books for you. Fall in love with books. Look at the pictures. Listen to the stories. Study the letters. Read the words. Understand their arrangement. Books are treasures to be valued.
Allow your mind to crave knowledge. Imagine unwritten success stories about your life. Can’t you see you winning? I can!
There will be times when your feet will hurt. They will feel like you have walked for days. People will see you and know you are on a mission. Along the way, you will hear more noes than you will care to count. Do not become discouraged. The yeses you receive will be well-worth it.
Listen. They say lollipop girls are the world’s oldest professionals. Although that is not true, you will show the world that you are no sucker. Little girl, go get ’em! I’m rooting for you!