You put 25 Black people in a room today and ask them who they are and what their identity is, I guarantee, you will get 25 different answers. A whole lot of the answers will be based upon religious affiliations and theories. Others will make their conclusions based upon popular so-called scholars on YouTube videos and books. Then there will be others who will just use the generalized term that they are wherever they live or were born.
Most of this confusion came because of being stripped from our identity on the plantations of the Americas.
We couldn’t keep our names, our heritage, our true spiritual systems, which are infused within our true culture. We had to take on something foreign to us. We had to take on something foreign to us. We were stripped of our natural selves, and it laid down the foundation of who we are today and the often struggles we face internally and externally. And not only that, many of us had to live in a hostile environment that wouldn’t allow for anything else but scratching and surviving just to live through the day. Purpose never entered the mind of most because they had to do whatever to get through the day without losing their lives and making ends meet. That was then but today, for the most part, we still operate from that perspective. We still operate from the space of scratching and surviving.
Living in Ghana, West Africa, I’ve discovered another phenomenon.
You have many Africans born on the continent who know their ethnic tribe. They can speak their traditional languages, know about their many festivals and some traditions. Unfortunately, there is a problem that exists amongst many from the same root but manifested differently than those of us born in the African Diaspora via the slave trade. They are the negative effects of colonialism. It’s manifested in thinking anything white is superior, skin bleaching, accepting Eurocentric values and religious systems over the ways of their ancestors. It’s also manifested in thinking they can only prosper when and if they either go to countries predominantly European, become friends with them, or marry them. They work 6 days a week extremely hard and take off on Sundays to go to church which is in many ways very similar to our ancestors on the plantations of the Americas.
Many have concluded that they can only prosper if they are very close to anything manifested from whites.
Some can’t believe Africans can do anything good or of quality. Even many of the leaders prey upon the masses very similar in spirit to the way white colonizers and supremist have preyed and continue to prey upon us. Though they know there are Africans, there is still an underlying issue of understanding their divine purpose then and now to the point some honestly believe that those of us whose ancestors were enslaved were blessed because we ended up in America close to whites.
Purpose is rarely in the conversation.
Identity is almost perceived as faddish and not that important. In some cases, the subject of identity is frowned upon because some often see it as being too Black. That’s unnerving to those who don’t want to be perceived as too black, too strong and too confident around whites. That’s unnerving to those who don’t want to be perceived as too black, too strong and too confident around whites.
Many go from one ideal to the next, still not quenching that emptiness that answers the most important questions that are often overlooked.
Who am I? What’s my Purpose? Why is who I am important to peace and harmony in the world and my personal life? Those are probably three of the most important and most empowering questions you could ask yourself in your lifetime. The answer reveals a deep truth within yourself that will help you on the path of truth. You find courage and capabilities you never knew existed and a profound sense of authenticity and usefulness about your life.
Many young people go through high school then enter young adulthood unmotivated and misguided because they are unaware of why they even exist.
They are unaware of their life’s purpose. The outlook of many is often bleak, especially if they do not have a support system, starting within their home. They are unaware of who they really are and are not equipped with the tools to discover their real selves. This unawareness leads to many of the behavioral issues that schools and the general community are often faced with. It’s even worse when the adults in their lives don’t even know who they are or their divine purpose themselves.
When an individual is motivated and excited about something they are interested in, certain positive qualities manifest within them.
They are less likely to be distracted by negative behaviors of others or what I refer to as negative peer pressure. They are more likely to excel especially in the areas that reward them the most and the areas where they are most interested in. They become leaders in their own ranks. Finally, they become contributors to the overall climate and culture of any setting particularly in their schools and most importantly in their homes and communities. They become leaders in their own ranks. Finally, they become contributors to the overall climate and culture of any setting particularly in their schools and most importantly in their homes and communities.