African American AF

I was recently told I am Black AF, meaning I love everything about being Black! The good, bad, and all in between! Before I was The Misunderstood Afro-Muslimah, I was The Original Negro and celebrated all blackness across the diaspora.

Being Black and Muslim, as I’ve said before, are not mutually exclusive. Still, I will always be Black first and, more importantly, Black American! The battle of diaspora has got to end, there is literally no group better than the other, and we need to get out of this mindset! But with this being said, I’m about to talk my shit. I’m purely speaking from an American perspective, not what I’ve experienced through international travels.

I was in a Muslim bubble growing up for the first half! Almost everyone around me immigrated to the States, or their parents did. I was exposed to many different cultures and experiences when I was young. I will always be internally grateful for that because those experiences showed me quick, fast, a hurry; all skin folk ain’t kin folk!

The way I was bullied and tried to be made feel less than others because I was American makes no sense! I felt like I was in Lion King 2 when they were singing One of Us. Only to fast forward and, as an adult having people tell me I’m not really American because I’m black. Keep in mind this came from adults and children, and the majority came from the motherland.

So, I am here to set the record straight; I am African American AF! I am very much proud to be of African descent. Unfortunately, my ancestors were stolen and were brutally forced to strip away all of their connections to home. As a result, a new culture and identity were born; The African American experience! The culture I see internationally is stolen, exploited, and profited off my people’s expense without the common decency to give credit where credit is due! The red, white, and blue on the American flag is my ancestors’ blood, sweat, and tears because black folks built this country and taught the rest of the world how to be cool, as y’all have noses up to us! Let’s be honest; my people need a reparation check and a giant thank you!

But at the end of the day, we are all black! With beautiful and diverse cultures, languages, religions, history, and experiences! Like I said, I love being black and respect all my sisters and brothers across the diaspora, but it is time to put some respect on my home team! It’s time to end the Struggle Olympics and the Battle of the Diaspora and be united.

What ya’ll think, have y’all had enough of the beef?