Black Woman
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on the impact that Black women have had on my life. Whenever I think about myself during my lowest moments, it’s Black women who are constantly lifting me back up. When it comes to the communities I’m a part of and who I surround myself with, I seek to always have those spaces filled by those who have my best interest at heart.
From a young age, I have been a part of communities that were made up of Black women. The studio I danced at for 14 was the only all Black studio in Charlotte for many years. While the staff was extremely hard on us, we knew it was only because they wanted us to be the best. With dance being a predominantly white sport, they emphasized the importance of always having to work twice as hard even if it meant not always getting the recognition we deserved. I got to a point where getting first place and walking away with the biggest trophy in the auditorium wasn’t the end goal for me. I wanted to make sure that after each performance, I was making myself, my teammates and my dance teachers proud. Even when I moved on to the next step in my dance journey, they have always been there to support me along the way. Returning to my dance studio after I graduated reminds me of why I loved spending countless hours there for so many years. The support and love will always be there, no matter how many years have passed. The community and family I found at B.B. Dance Productions has proven to last beyond my time at the studio.
When I got to UNC, a Carolina alum reached out and helped me when it came to auditioning for the dance team. She went to the same dance studio I did and wanted to see more people from our hometown dance at the collegiate level. I kept blowing her phone up with questions about what to prepare for the audition and how I should have my hair when it was time for us to perform in Kenan Memorial Stadium. She was one of the only Black girls on the team when she was in undergrad, so she knew how to navigate that kind of space. When I called her to tell her I made the team, it seemed like she was more excited that I was. The day after, she called me and we spoke for an hour about how to handle being on the team and why it would be so different from what we were used to back home. She was a part of the community I was first introduced to when I began dancing, so it meant a lot to be that she was continuing to look out for me even when she wasn’t in North Carolina anymore. Even though she helped me tremendously when it came to navigating the UNC Dance Team, she didn’t only care for me as a dancer. She checked up on me to make sure I was doing well mentally and that Carolina hadn’t taken me out yet. She is one of countless Black women who have made me feel like I’m not in this alone. She is one of many people who made me realize that if I don’t have anybody else, I know I’ll have Black women in my corner making sure I get to the finish line.
I know that even after Women’s History Month is over, Black women will still be there to support, uplift, and care about me. They have shown me time and time again that while love from other people has its limits, the love Black women always show me is unconditional.