EVERY BLACK man, father, husband, brother, son, cousin, nephew, uncle, finacé, boyfriend, friend, bro, homie, OG, line-brother, neighbor, stranger, ex-convict, hustler, baby daddy, educator, student, creative, investor, LGBTQIA+, and disabled male MATTERS!
I’m certain I didn’t cover every Black man’s intersected identity. Despite my omission, KNOW YOU MATTER. YOUR VOICE MATTERS. YOUR THOUGHTS MATTER. YOUR FEELINGS MATTER. YOUR STORY MATTERS. YOUR LIFE MATTERS. YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
For centuries, YOU, Black man, have experienced the inhumane and indisputably grotesque violence for existing. I don’t need to elaborate on the ways in which you’ve been socially, politically, economically, emotionally, and physically dehumanized for your mere presence. Greed and envy; insecurity and falsely internalized superiority; hatred and deception are all factors that contribute to your repression. That’s evident, but think about why one would want to stifle, silence, and systematically hinder you, Black man.
You originate from royalty and are the descendants of kings and leaders. The role you play in your household, community, nation, and beyond is vital! You hold strong influence in nearly every sector of society; trendsetting and dominating the fashion, office administration, sales, management, education, food preparation, labor force, entertainment, production, and healthcare industries. Your history doesn’t begin in chains and bondage, nor on plantations or slave ships. You play a role far greater than many Black men understand.
Our society raises men to believe that constant proof of your masculinity is necessary. You are left demonstrating your manliness to your peers, classmates, family members, EVERYONE, even yourselves. Sometimes masculinity is typically associated with aggression, strength, violence, and power… which is harmful. How can a man (specifically, you, Black man) grow to be well rounded and sound when you’re cultivated in an environment that shames you for being yourself? IT’S MAD HARD. That’s like a gardener telling the seed that it better become a specific vegetable when it was designed to be a pineapple. You cannot let society keep pushing its norms on you. It requires self-awareness, confidence, and a solid belief in who you are to be the successful, profitable, and constructive Black man you’re created to be.
It takes awareness to know that you are not entitled to power or dominance over others, but rather you ought to be willing to help any and everyone, especially those in your community. It takes confidence to be corrected, to gratefully listen to the ideas of others, then to take action to do better. It takes knowing who you are for yourself to realize that you are not perfect and that your opinions may not be the truth. There is always room for you to evolve into the man you were destined to be.
Reminders for Dope Black Men:
Respect Black women (INCLUDING the individuals you may not personally be attracted to). You don’t have to love, like, or even know the Black women you encounter on a daily basis to acknowledge, hear, and care about their wellbeing. Black women and Black men are like peanut butter and jelly; oxtail and rice; cinnamon rolls and icing. Why wouldn’t you want to show them respect and make sure they are comfortable and protected?
Nurture your children. Black fathers who are not only present but are active participants in the rearing of their children have the responsibility of caring for and supporting the little humans (until they’re big ones). Children develop differently when fathers are encouraging, consistently loving, and have a desire to know and understand their children personally. Black Fathers Matter NOW more than ever before!
Use your power and influence to contribute to the strengthening and upkeep of your community. This begins with protecting the Black dollar. For us, a Black collective, to achieve financial prosperity within our communities, we have to build and invest in our Black businesses. As the trendsetter you are, Black man, know that you hold the power to influence your community. Where do you shop? Does it contribute to people who look like you?
Position yourself to be educated on financial freedom. What does your plan to achieve generational wealth look like? If it involves exchanging your time for money and working for someone else, it’s time to think bigger! Multiple streams of income is the wave… so hop on! Try investing your money into opportunities that are recession-proof, markets that will not expire over time, and educational platforms that shift your mindset from one of impoverishment to wealth. Investing in the Foreign Exchange market is a great place to start. Get more information at: https://iM.Academy/khodge42 & IG: kayaahhh___
Develop a relationship with a higher entity. You are not in this world accidentally or unintentionally. You were designed to fulfill a purpose, solve a problem, and conquer a mission. Whether you’re sure of exactly what it is you were called to do or not, try speaking with your Creator. Praying is speaking with, not at, God. Trust, God will speak back!
