Dear Black Men, We Need You.

Dear Black Men,

I first want to tell you I am sorry. I feel like the world has failed you, we have failed you. From the moment you are born you are given a death sentence. Whether it's through poverty, crime, drugs or extortion. Or maybe it's because your build is too strong or your melanin is too dark. People want to steal your power by making you powerless. They fear you before they even get a chance to see you, to know you, to hear you and witness your black boy joy .

I know it's not your fault that you steal, kill and destroy each other. That is what you are taught to do when you are mentally, physically, financially and emotionally enslaved by the powers that be. I am not here to judge you or penalize you for the harm that has already been done. I am here to stand with you, love you and help you unpack the trauma that you continue to pass on like the weed that you smoke to mask your pain.

I am here to educate you on your royalty that has existed from the beginning of time. Like Nas says, “we were kings and queens, never porch monkeys”. King, I need you to believe this. I need you  to know your worth and your value. I need you to put your ego aside and put your vulnerabilities on the table. I want you to know that showing your feelings doesn’t make you weak, showing your feelings makes you stronger than that tough demeanor you put on before you leave the house. Showing your feelings makes you human in a world that tries to dehumanize you.

I don’t fear you, I love you. You strong build and brown skin gives me life, I am not scared of it, when I look at you in your eyes, I am in awe of God's creation.

King, we need you. King, we love you.