In the Image of God Too
At the forefront of the Black Lives Matter marches were Black women, in 2012 and here after. As a teen, immediately, I found myself in awe as I watched the world stand with them declaring that Black lives mattered - I’d never seen anything like it. This sparked the poem “Black Sheep.”
In that moment, I knew - God was in us too.
Image by Joshua Abner
Part four of the book is this poem’s home, titled “Lessons From Mama And Nem.” It opens with Alice Walker’s quote that reads, “How simple a thing it seems to me that to know ourselves as we are, we must know our mother’s names.” This section of the book explores lessons I’ve learned from others about womanhood - my mother, father, literature, and the media’s take on Black women. The lesson here is, we are worthy.
“Black Sheep” exists to honor the spirit of Black women before and after me -- literary icons, magical transporters like Harriet Tubman, women who have helped me survive, and every Black girl and woman who will ever hear this poem.
“We are made up of galaxies
We are the revolution”
Image by @alyssasieb
Here is a radical declaration that Black women are human, complex in our lived experiences, lovable, galactic, tender, strong, holy, worthy of recognition, worthy to be seen, worthy of protection and worthy of deep healing. We are an example of God’s presence; we are made in the image of God too. And, I will always choose to recognize us.
