To all young, black girls:

Please love your kinky hair
Even though you’ll want so badly
For it to be naturally straight.
Treat it with kindness
Because someday,
if you haven’t already,
You will realize how truly amazing
Your poofy, curly, nappy,
thick, lovely, big hair is.
And Do not be discouraged
When people are shocked, or immaturely disgusted when you educate them
On your hair-care.

Please do not compare yourself
To those with lighter skin.

Please do not think
They are more beautiful.
Even though you may want
Those blue eyes
And that blonde hair.
Even though they fill the magazines.
Even though you may think
They’re more beautiful than you.
Even though it says everywhere
That they are.

Love your deep, dark eyes
And your full lips
And your nose.
Because they are yours.
And because
they’re quite perfect.

Please, you lovely ones,
Love your body.
And do not worry
when you grow hips
And breasts
Bigger and before others around you.
If you have stretch marks,
Call them your “tiger stripes”,
And explain how
They make you ferocious.
Please put Shea butter
on your knees
And elbows
And love your soft, dark skin.

And please, in your young age,
And as you grow,
Do not let anyone tell you
What your future will be.
Do not let anyone tell you
How to act.

Hold yourself to your own standard,
Not to those society has created
For us dark girls.

Your skin color
Does not make you “ghetto”.
Your skin color
Does not reflect your level of intelligence,
Nor does it mean that you are not capable
Or less capable that anyone who is lighter.
Anyone who is Whiter.

And when you walk with that sway
In your confident step,
Do not let them tell you
That you are “slutty”,
Or “dirty”.
Because they fear us, sweet girl.

Because the line between
artfully-sexual and trashy-sexual
Has been drawn between
White
And
Black.

And when men call at you,
And whisper crude things
Into your ears,
Look at them
With your deep chocolate eyes,
And teach them that you are not a stereotype.
And show them that you are
A living and breathing beauty.
A living and breathing woman.
A living and breathing human.

And remind them
that we dark girls
Are warriors of a new kind.