My last year of College I was faced with a dilemma to write- it was brought to my attention that I did not fulfill English 1A. However my records stated I tested out of English 1A, which I did my first year. Given a prompt to prove I was able to write on a College Level-I passed. Writing about The Politics and Practice of Writing. To sum it up: "Why I Write." This is my short essay about Why I Write. Hopefully you all like it.
I write to evoke truth through every aspect of life and to exert power through my language. I am strongly influenced by my ancestors who were pioneers in this country. I find myself wanting to take on their spirits of strength, wisdom, and courage only to empower the minds of those around me who are held mentally captive. Writing as a woman in society today enables me to liberate minds of those who are constantly in search of truth and freedom, like myself. As a woman (wu’man) who find myself seeking greater ventures far beyond the simplicity and physical of man because of my .... Therefore, I write because I believe writing by far is an essential tool to express and expose the wisdoms, truths, and struggles of women of color. Women who were once the subject of extreme abuse and oppression based upon the inaccurate or faulty perception of man. I strive to create the immaculate characteristic traits of my ancestors through words of empowerment. My voice that is not not silenced with a pen and tab or the advancements of technology allows me to transcribe the lives of those before me as a blueprint for women today. The women who are often forgotten or lack recognition in society are brought to life, yet I allow myself to work in a form of reconciliation. I cross exam women of history from the past and present whom have assumed positions of leadership, militancy, and roles that are parallel to beautiful black women who shaped and paved the way for women like me to identify with their spirits of strength, wisdom, and courage.
As a woman who identify with the commonality of what it mean to be a black woman in society who possess the fullness of strength, wisdom, and courage, I channel my energy to dig deep into education. And the major role literacy and writing have on women of color. bell hooks, who was progressive in her time and still progressive today first piece on education, Teaching to Transgress, a collection of essay arguing for progressive holistic education engaged pedagogy emphasizes how teaching within the black community as a means of liberation has help define the plight of black women..... She highlights rebelling based on knowledge of the system you’re in. A system that has that has silenced the voices of many black women because of American culture carelessness to recognize them as individuals who deserved an education.
I write to give language power, a power that was past down from my ancestors to I. Ultimately giving me the ability to exercise my rights in a form of integrity and self-confident, which will eliminate judgemental calls. I once wrote about the Power of Language: Black Women and Feminism. I explored history illustrating how the Power of Language has empowered and disempowered women of color in various eras of history. Which resulted to women of color redefining their status in America because their issues did not reflect that of the black man or white woman. I became intrigued with “Black” feminist thought as a woman. I was able to identify with women of color issues and struggles. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness and the Politics of Empowerment thought according to Patricia Hill Collins who came to the knowledge of black feminist thought in her book, argues sexism, class oppression, and racism are bound together. Yet uses the art of black feminist politics to overcome for liberation of black women. When I write, I write not only about one specific struggle, but struggles consisting of Black feminist goals. I write about influential women such as Maria Stewart, Sojourner Truth, Angela Davis; women who paved the way.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s Black women struggled with acceptance of Black men and White women. This struggled eloped from a series of recurring women’s experiences which was part of the Black Liberation Movement. The Black Liberation Movement consisted of the Civil Rights Movement, Black Nationalism, and the Black Panther Party yet Black women’s voices were by large silent because the lack of support of Black Men. The Black Liberation was intended for the Black race; however the Black Liberation Movement was used as a means to liberate Black men. This movement men recognized their power of language, they did not recognize women of color power of language. Men sought to control Black women with their power of language. Having come to a realization about the Black Liberation Movement, the power of language used amongst men was displayed towards their attitudes towards Black womens rights. Throughout this movement Black women was represented and their presence was overshadowed through a series of political, social, and fundamental patriarchal roles. I write to share Black women past experience during periods of history when discrimination was present. I see myself writing to highlight moments of history that need to be recap which will contribute to society as a whole today.
African American women of the past and the present hold many truths in common, and the history of Black women teaches them that unless they fulfill their duty to family and community, there is no satisfaction and no possibility of peace. However your self-worth must come from inside (A Shining Thread of Hope). I struggle to fully possess the traits of Black women of the past and future. For I am a Black woman of the future, however, I undergo continuous thoughts of what it truly means to be a woman of the 21st century who have the time, space, opportunity, and liberty to write about women of color from my own perspective. Moreover, writing enables me to journey through herstory (history) to obtain their spirits of strength, wisdom, and courage. As time progress and I continue to search my soul as a woman, my writing will continue to transform. I will bring the past to present life. I will dig up historical evidence that will shape my writing skills. Through my writing I will bury the dead, the dead being what is not relevant to a black woman's history and plant the positive seeds, that will blossom into inspirational elements which will potentially travel through time. To me writing is a blessing. It’s a written form of art I have embraced to share the lives of women who have abiding faith and the spirit of truth, wisdom, and courage. A spirit I want to possess on a greater level in the near future.
Works Cited
Hill, Collins Patricia. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. New York: Routledge, 2000. Print.
Hine, Darlene Clark., and Kathleen Thompson. A Shining Thread of Hope: The History of Black Women in America. New York: Broadway, 1998. Print.
Hooks, Bell. Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge, 1994. Print.
