I am both black and a woman . These two characteristics in our society today come with many disadvantages. One orientation I live by is that because I was made the way I am I must work harder and smarter than my fellow peers or else they will denounce me to only the stereotypes I am given.

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Nothing comes easy , and that is saying for everyone in general. However, as a member of the black community ,one the most oppressed groups in America .everything I do and don’t do represents my race as a whole . There is no room for error in my ways especially because each of my actions must be made so that I am can be seen as an individual . Same goes for being a women in such a male driven society .

 

There is a constant pressure from others to mess up ,so that I may be diminished to only my stereotypes.

The only one way I see this as being a "trained incapacity" in how I view the world as a whole and that is not allowing myself to see past the fear of failing and only seeing those all to willing to further oppress me . 

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During a period of time , those were my only views of the world . And exposure to a more diverse environment has helped to soften my views of others . However , the fact still remains that I am a minority on two planes and my only way of succeeding in our society today is by working smarter and harder than my fellow peers.

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My orientation as a writer is much different than mine as a person . Through writing I find both solace and power . I used it more as coping mechanism for stress and depression. Then it slowly formed into something I could draw from for inner and outer strength. It is such a unique of ,not only communication but, self expression in itself because it is the most human aspect of ourselves . We are all  too willing to hide our true nature through speech but writing reveals all.

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