Self love Africa

Over the past year I cut my long relaxed hair and embarked on a journey to embrace my natural hair, from an Afro to locks.  It has been a journey of self-discovery and for the most part, the discovery of stereotypes connected with "looking very African" as it is referred to nowadays. They ranged from looking artistic, weed smoking, unprofessional and many more. One classic comment I have heard over and over again is how I will attract a white man. How my African look will dramatically turn me into an attractive gem for white men in particular. Nothing wrong with interracial relationships but still it baffles me really, I look more African and somehow I’m more attractive to a white man than a black man? Hmm. Being called beautiful is a big thing for most women. It feels nice to be called beautiful. Growing up I remember, hearing sentiments like " so and so has a beautiful sister, so fare in complexion. Mostly when boys talked about dark skinned girls they would say she is a "black beauty". If at all they had to qualify it as if beauty only meant being light in complexion. These are just typical examples of how our minds are still far from emancipation. For a long time black women have been fed lies about how a lighter complexion and long straight hair will make you look more beautiful and professional. We have spent so much money buying skin bleaching products that burn our skin and expensive hair just to fit in. I know some women just love that kind of look and that's still okay but don't do it on the basis of hating your natural self just because someone told you it wasn't good enough. Our black men also have been conditioned to like our evolved version than our dark skin and kinky hair. We have somehow been brought up to believe that everything white is beautiful and everything black is primitive. We called everything nice and modern "chachizungu".  We marveled at how everything white was better and lost our own identity and heritage as a people. For so long, we have studied the history of other continents and failed to embrace our own. Our libraries are filled with books written about us by outsiders. Our own African artists and writers have failed to make it on the continent because somehow their work has been dimmed too African to be attractive to fellow Africans. Doesn't make sense, does it? I know but it’s true. This week we commemorated the Africa day on May 25th which we don't take seriously or worst still have no idea it exists. Our early African leaders who we hold in high regard had envisioned a united Africa but we love and celebrate the unity of others but fail to foster our own.  Our presidents are seldom held accountable by African treaties. When are we going to champion solutions for Africa by Africans? We are not saying we hate other races we just want to love and appreciate ourselves as much as we have worshiped others for far too long. Through the years the white race has been regarded as the pure race and the women being treated as second class earth citizens.  We cannot arrive towards our potential as a people if we keep addressing one set of oppression and leaving another. If you believe in the dignity of the human race it must be a wholesome view, for all in some form or another create in us a fear to respect others and afford their rights and dignity. Sadly it also causes us to hate who we are, something we did not choose at all. Racism, sexism  are the main reason for our lack of progress, just because someone somewhere used some well thought calculated ideologies to paralyze our progress. We follow in the footsteps of the oppressed yet we worship the very ideologies that shackled us for centuries. My goal this year is to fully embrace myself as a black African women, I have been what I'm not, now let me find myself. I'm starting a campaign to encourage our younger generation to read our history called Self-love Africa. Please share this article on social media and #SelfloveAfrica. Remember to read black history and don't hesitate to share any books or materials you have with fellow Africans using the hashtag. Join the movement!!!