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Just a Color

Michelle W., Ada, MI

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By Olamide A., Duluth, GA

Black is just a color

It’s not who I am

It’s not a personality

So it’s not who I’ve got to be

I could’ve been as light as sand

But I chose to be as dark as midnight

I could’ve been an English queen

But I chose to be a Nubian goddess

N---- is not my name

So don’t call me by it

I’m not somebody’s homegirl

So don’t expect me to be rollin’ with thugs

I’m not your sista

’Cause we didn’t come from the same womb

I’m not somebody’s baby mama

So don’t expect me to come home pregnant

A lot of things come to mind when people think black

Like stupid, violent, scary, ignorant, different, and ugly

But I think of it as beautiful, brave, bold, and world changing

I wasn’t brought up in the ’hood

So don’t expect me to be ghetto

I hope this poem makes a difference

’Cause black is just a color

It’s not who I am

This piece has also been published in Teen Ink's monthly magazine.

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Teen Ink is a national teen magazine, book and website featuring teen writing, information, art, photos, poetry, teen issues and more. All articles are written by teen authors who are students at schools. The monthly print magazine is appropriate for any teenager -- teenagers age 13 to 19 attending secondary school: junior high school, middle school and high school. This publication is used by professional people including English teachers, writing teachers, language arts instructors, journalism teachers, school newspaper advisors, librarians, guidance counselors, K-12 principals in addition to the PTA or PTO. Each issue of Teen Ink magazine contains a wide variety of student work: we publish nonfiction, fiction, poems, community service, sports, heroes, interviews, college essays, college reviews, book reviews, concert reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, video reviews, video game reviews, the environment, opinion, sports, pets, cars, automobiles, travel and culture, jobs and money, health issues, artwork, photographs, cartoons, short stories, essays, writing contests, a college directory and the website also has a bulletin board and resources for teens and educators. Subjects include racism, eating disorders, depression, death, suicide, family, relationships, jobs, grandparents, violence, the college process, college information, colleges, driving, self esteem, the arts, movies and more. Teen Ink is also a book series published by HCI Teens. Subjects covered in the book include Friends, Fitting In, Love, Challenges, Family, Heroes, Loss and Memories. Teen Ink was established in 1989 as The 21st Century magazine by The Young Authors Foundation, a nonprofit organization. More than 25,000 teens have been published in the magazine and its companion Poetry Journal. Teen Ink runs a London Summer Program for teenage writers.