As a woman of color, I have always been afraid to show my rage because even if I have shown humility and patience 29 days out of a month, certain people will choose to default to and highlight the one time I was “angry” or “aggressive”.

The need for some people in society to hold this narrative of the angry black women and then seek out opportunities to confirm their biases is outdated and draining. It’s a lazy approach. People don’t want to take the time to understand why the black woman is “angry”, it’s easier to assume we all are. Every day I witness injustices happen to the people I care about and myself with limited power and authority to guarantee justice and fairness. To write it all out is another post in itself and to be honest, it’s enough to make any reasonable person angry. I don’t care anymore.

YES, I am a black woman that experiences moments of anger and rage and I won’t act like I don’t to make others comfortable or prove to them that I am a different black girl. Yes! I can get aggressive if I feel unsafe, attacked, or unprotected.

I will not let people’s labels and perceptions about black women alter my belief of my good intentions anymore or cloud my memory of the times I offered empathy, understanding, kindness, meekness, and humility. THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING and sometimes the situation requires anger, rage, or aggression.

As a black woman, I am human too, and will freely enjoy the fluidity of emotions without guilt.  With little protection, I don’t always have the luxury or privilege to constantly rest in my femininity and meekness. EVEN THOUGH THAT'S ALL MY BODY AND MIND CRAVES. I am making peace with the fact that the rage in me is necessary for action. It’s not good or bad, but it is needed to move me forward. I would rather be passionate and couRAGEous living in truth than exist in a constant state of complacency, mediocrity, and numbness.

For more information about Nkemjika, follow her at https://linktr.ee/nkemjikaiheukwu