I'm the "strong friend." The ones those online posters tell you to check on, but who you may never know what's truly going on. Not that I'm proud of that. It's because I have designated people who have been tried and trained to help me carry my loads. I like to appear lighter for others.… Continue reading Years that Bind
Author: odeliay
Dear 30, Love 29
In my bedroom, I have a framed poster that reads "Trust Your Struggle." To me, those words are about knowing in my bones and my being the things that I know to be true. They are about caring about the process and not just the product, and all the ways that becoming is a necessary state… Continue reading Dear 30, Love 29
Creating Myself to Freedom
When I was younger, my mom would always tell me to write when I felt confused or hurt or angry. She would say that once I could start putting everything inside of me into some language that made sense to me, that in the creation, I would start to understand myself more. I often think… Continue reading Creating Myself to Freedom
Imagining Freedom.
If I believed that this world gave trigger warnings to black folk, I might ask for one before each time they show me you, Tamir. The way the ground comes out from under me, and my throat tightens. I sit around thinking about the lethality of existence and hope to God that there are playgrounds in… Continue reading Imagining Freedom.
Grounding.
For all I am For all I'm feeling I will be true and I will seek Gave away my pain And all the chains 'Cause I'm no slave Yeah For I am King For all I am My ancestors tell me so My blood it tells me so My being it tells me so -"I… Continue reading Grounding.
Breaths and Promises and the Quiet Whispers
“there are feelings. you haven’t felt yet. give them time. they are almost here. – fresh” -nayyirah waheed Two weeks ago the sermon in church was about how God starts beginnings, the ways He takes nothing and makes it into something. He breathes life into a void and sprouts new life. Pastor Mike… Continue reading Breaths and Promises and the Quiet Whispers
Revisiting.
About a year and a half ago, before I even had a year under my belt living in the Bay, I went to a conference held by the National Association for Adventurous Black Women. The keynote speaker that day spoke on a message that I still return to and meditate on, and it recently came… Continue reading Revisiting.
“Black Museum” and the Precipices of Death
In the last episode of season 4 of Black Mirror, "Black Museum," the realities of black suffering and torture on the precipice of death is front and center. I've read several interesting pieces on the episode that discuss a range of topics from black torture porn to black revolt. For me, it isn't just the imprisonment of… Continue reading “Black Museum” and the Precipices of Death
28 – “Annotation and Redaction,” Part 2
“drapetomania, the frenzy which overtook an enslaved person to run away to freedom. i got madness in my genes. when you want to get free, there will be many who stare at you blankly wondering when you will quiet down. they will wonder when the hell you got so big...and there will be times you… Continue reading 28 – “Annotation and Redaction,” Part 2
28 – “Annotation and Redaction,” Part 1
“Shards of glass can cut and wound or magnify a vision. Mosaic celebrates brokenness and the beauty of being brought together” ― Terry Tempest Williams, Finding Beauty in a Broken World At the beginning of this year in January, I thought that my cosmetics and skincare products were turning against me. And I was panicked and confused… Continue reading 28 – “Annotation and Redaction,” Part 1
