When Is Being Black Not Enough: A Word To Black Youth

Black is truly beautiful; from looks, to personality, to voice, Black people are bold and interesting. Who can deny this culture—Black culture? Young Black people have the kind of appeal that demands attention upon their entrance into a room. Like the girl with a big natural afro and vintage clothing, or the guy with the clean shape up and confident walk… They love listening to hip-hop and interpreting their people’s music. They love dressing nice and going out with friends. They love sharing their lifestyle through social media. They simply love being Black. And there is nothing wrong with that. However, we as a people need to understand that just simply being Black is not enough.

I’m not saying we should all stop claiming and embracing our race, nor am I saying that Black culture should be muted. I am saying that there is a point at which we have to begin building our legacy and defining ourselves beyond just “interesting.” Our personality, endeavors, interests, relationships… Those are things that should, and will, define us in the end. And once you become content with just being Black, you won’t go on to build on those things.

What does it mean to be content with just being Black? It’s the female in her mid-20s that makes a living by hosting nightclubs and making appearances. It’s the group of “cool” kids on campus that excel socially, but flunk out of school. It’s the people who are focused more on social status than academics. It’s the executive producers like Mona Scott Young of Love and Hip Hop who manipulate Black culture and present their fallacious interpretation in an obnoxious, degrading, humiliating, puppet-like, shameful, “entertaining” manner. It’s the people who believe and act as though Black culture is synonymous with “ratchet, party animals who can’t avoid confrontation.” In short, it’s the people who fail to represent the race in the best way possible.

Knowing that I’m a part of a race that’s as appealing as the Black race motivates me to be better. Blacks have it hard. I’m not one to play the victim when it comes to race, but that is undeniable at this point. Because of that, we have to be sure not to contribute to our own demise by failing to represent this race in the best way possible.

“So, he has all the answers?” some of you may ask yourselves while reading this article. I would have to answer “no”. I’m simply a Black young man who noticed my appeal early enough to begin using it as a powerful representation of my race; into an appeal that leaves some people in pure admiration. Getting the rest of my people, and more specifically my FSU peers, on board with this notion is all I wish to accomplish.

As cliché as the saying is, we are the future. The quicker that we actually consume and understand that, the better. The goal is for us to become a race that is known not only for its bold appeal, but also its actual involvement, impact, and successes in society. To do this, we need to continuously making a stamp in society. This means educating ourselves on the nation’s