Black in the Ivory
To Michelle Obama
I found solace in her words, though we were so different, a different time, a different background, a different but somehow similar childhood.
Her analogies spoke to me. The piano key story anchored my experiences, the same way her broken middle C anchored her to the keyboard — with all the complexity, the stories, diversity of life removed, how confusing it truly is to figure out where one fits in, how one begins, the journey of being Black in the ivory.
To have been grateful to have had such great opportunities as a child, knowing that not all others like me, have had the chance, the luck, the fortune.
To simultaneously be flabbergasted at the true advantages that some were afforded, simply because they felt so out of bounds from imagination but taken for granted, so easily.
I found solace in her words, in a time that has been turbulent. I found meaning during uncertainty. I found direction — to be, like her, a voice to drown out the loneliness.
Poem Prompt of the Day
Write a poem to someone you look up to, who is a role model to you.
Lucy (The Egg Girl) is currently reading Becoming by Michelle Obama, to whom these words are dedicated. Lucy encourages you to check out the #BlackInTheIvory tag on twitter, a collection of Black academics sharing their experiences on being Black in academic spaces that are still overwhelming white-dominated spaces.
What’s your next adventure? 🐰🌌
