Yes, I Belong Here!

DWB (driving while black) in an affluent neighborhood.

Working twice as hard as male colleagues; three times as hard if you're a black female working with white males.

Buying more than you intended to show that "yes, I can afford not to steal" to that tag along sales associate.

Busting your tale at a PWI to show that no, you are not just there on athletic scholarship or because of affirmative action.

Showing your birth certificate to prove you were born in the United States.

I've finally got my thoughts together on why the whole birth certificate thing with President Obama and Donald Trump bothered me so. Yeah it's a few weeks late, but it doesn't apply so much to that issue as it does to a larger problem. There is a notion that certain people are inferior, inherently less than others. Whether it be due to race, gender, sexuality, whatever; so many people have historically been shut out from various circles because people felt they did not belong. And yes, a lot of the equality I've seen has been on the basis of race.

This inconsistency, this battle to prove that you belong burns me up. That's why I was so disgusted that the President, the highest official in the nation, finally felt the need to "show his papers" and let the world know that he was indeed where he was legitimately. Forget the fact that all of this had to be verified before he was even considered a serious candidate. Nooo, they want to see with their own eyes, investigate for themselves. In their minds, there was no way that he was in the White House of his own accord, hard work and intelligence. He didn't belong in their little club... Just like so many people who don't "belong." We have to work harder, be smarter, do more, hold our tongues when we want to speak out... And even with all of that, some still won't feel that we are enough. My work should be all the proof that's needed.