Light skin gurls cry too – by Aulelei Love

I usta dream about being dark skin..

the kinda dark skin that would shine when I put vaseline on my knees

I wanted to be "black and beautiful" with "dark and lovely skin" sweeter berry juice complexion

because light skin little gurls are only pretty

in the eyes of boys and old folks

who tell you to shape babies noses so it won't be too wide

I know that I was never really pretty

I just had pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty skin tone

and "pretty gurls like you shouldn't cry"

but I did

I cried for two weeks straight

then on and off for 17 years

and a couple of hours before and after

when some boy took my pretty with him when he left

so he could have bragging rights at corner dice games

becaused mixed gurls were worth double points

but who was keeping score

when I had to fight black hands to prove I was black enough

I usta wish I was dark skin

so I could walk peacefully at night

without fear of finding razor blades across my face

cutting out the "that bitch thinks she's so fcuking pretty" in me…

I get tired of being light skin

tired of running and smiling and proving and trying not to be "too pretty"

while trying to be pretty enough and black enough and woman enough

and when will enough be enough?


Fcuk beauty

Mountains don’t scare me. The LACK of mountains scare me

"I have learned that it is OK for me to be me, and what being me entails. It means that I will not rest; I will not sleep, relax, relent or be satisfied until my goals have been met, the challenge answered and all my doubters silenced. I will not give in to my foes; I won't let down my teammates. I won't stop inspiring those who look up to me or stop giving motivation to those who motivate me. I will not back off until I'm back on top, back in the place where they said I could never be again. Mountains don't scare me. The LACK of mountains scares me. The climb up, the struggle for every inch of ground and every level of ascension is what feeds me. I welcome that challenge. I welcome that chance to be fed because no matter what no matter how hard, how far, or how many stand in my way, I remain determined. "
- Kobe Bryant

thankFull for the alarm that goes off at 5:00 in the morning - that means I'm still alive