Black Lives Matter – What it means to me

Hi everyone,

I have not written in a long time on this blog. Still trying to figure out how I want it to evolve.

We are living in unprecedented times. There is a global pandemic that has fundamentally changed the way we live forever. The number of people infected continue to explode across the US and with that the number of casualties continues to increase exponentially. Many of us are risking our lives and our safety as essential workers. Many have lost their jobs. The rest of us have adapted to working from home. So for the foreseeable future, stay physically distant but socially connected. And wear a mask. Over your nose and your mouth.

There is something else that has creeped to the forefront of society that has existed for centuries. That’s racism. Particularly the racism against Black people. From slavery to colonialism to after effects of these atrocities, we have been carrying this burden for generations. Racism is widespread, global, it has permeated every single aspect of Black life. And when I say we, I mean me, I mean us. If you are new to my blog, my name is Nerissa and I am Black. Unapologetically. This is the first time that I remember Black people, as a collective, openly express pain, and acknowledge how much of our daily life is marked by racism.

The primary goal of my blog has always been to provide a Black point of view of beauty. What is looks like, what it sounds like, what is it. For far too long, we have been neglected or straight outcast by the mainstream. Companies most oftentimes consider blackness as an afterthought, sometimes not at all. Something as simple as finding suitable foundation shades, or nail polish swatches on dark skin, is still a challenge, although our options have become a lot better in the last 5-10 years. But it is still a struggle.

I always want to uplift blackness and show the world how beautiful it is. How beautiful we are. Tell Black stories, support Black businesses and continue working on change and global equality.

So here are some resources to get better educated:

• Blacklivesmatter.org
• Knowyourrightscamp.com
• Aclu.org
• NAACP
• Nmaahc.si.edu
• Great book to read: “From Columbus To Castro: The History of the Caribbean 1492-1969” by Dr. Eric Williams

And, as always, Black Lives Matter.