Black girls often struggle with the identity of embracing who they are. Often times being a black girl, we are told what we are supposed to be, how we are supposed to act, what we should look like, and the list continues on. Along the way some black girls buy into those stigmas and they begin to question their identity.

This particular grooming for a black girl in Pittsburgh starts at a young age, especially for a black girl that goes to a predominately white school. There may not be someone there that is comfortable with his or herself, for her to identify with. If she is not getting taught at home how to embrace or empower herself, the ability of her identifying with herself could become lost in the shuffle of everything she has to take on in her life with trying to fit in with the other kids at school.

Why is this a concern? Because for decades, other race’s perceptions of black girls have been conversed in a negative light. These perceptions have urged some black girls to buy into the stereotypes, become superficial, and ultimately believe that being unapologetically black is WRONG.

Many times black girls go unsupported and for that black girls have been put in hurt situations for a long time. Today, black girls need that extra assurance to remind them that they are beautiful the way they are.

Sometimes it is difficult to empower black girls when they have no one that is teaching them to be empowered.

We can start by teaching them that it is ok to be yourself. It is ok to not look like this other girl. Teach them that we are uniquely made different.

What would you teach them? I’m excited to hear your feedback!