I am mixed. On paper, I am black. My mom is Swedish & German, and my dad is black. Growing up, and till this day, my parents facilitated a completely blended environment. I grew up with close relationships on my mother's side as well as my father's. Even with having a close nit blended family, I always bonded more with the black side of my family. For some reason, I have always felt more accepted and comfortable.

I never felt like I needed to "choose a side" until late Elementary school. Then, I started to feel the pressure of being on the fence. I never struggled socially, so I had a mixed group of friends. I was able to blend my friendships for a while; however, that did not last long. My white friends migrated together, and my minority friends migrated separately. I was not worried about it; it was just something I noticed. I still maintained friendships with my white friends, but most of my time was spent with other minorities. I naturally got along better, related more, and was more comfortable with other people of color.

I have been shamed and praised for being light skinned with pretty hair. I struggled with self-image for most of my teen years into younger adulthood. This was not solely because of my skin color, but it played a role. My skin tone bothered me the most when I turned very pale in the winter. I would be ashamed and feel I would need to explain that I was only "this light" because of the seasons. I still struggle with some of that today; it's not because I think being light is unattractive or wrong; I like my skin tone when it has more hues of gold in it.

Today I am proud of who I am; I embrace everything that comes with this life and focus less on the outside appearance and more on who I am. I strive to empower others to do the same.