Checkmate

Checkmate

Vanessa Siverls | Entrepreneur, BUPeriod | More about Vanessa

Boys and Girls

“Y’all talk white…Why y’all talk white?!” I’m thinking to myself…Are we not BOTH in the same English class, learning the EXACT same words? I thought I was speaking English? Oh...I get it…you want me to speak BLAACCCKKKK?! So why didn’t you just say so in the first place?! Yo Yo Yo Yo baby pops, yeah u come n’ gib me a kiss! Betta make it fas or else I’m gonna get pissed! Ahhhh...the essence of communication, once you get your edumacation! Check.

Dear 16,

“We have good news for you…You have done such a good job…We will give you a .25 cent raise. You should be proud.” The world is not black and white… only. Sometimes there’s murky shades of gray in between the black and black. Sometimes there is blatant gangrene in between the black and the white. And in between white and white is…well, it’s…I think if you look at it closely…there can only be mo’ white. Sandwiched. Can’t breathe. It’s easier to see in the dark than it is to see in the fog. Your eyes adjust better in the dark than they do in the fog. It’s okay to be in the dark. Great place to learn and grow and develop. But if you end up in the fog...then ask yourself: What are the three core values that will be your pillars in the fog? You are young, and if you create core values now, they will keep you grounded. Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know. But...DO know your worth. Your worth is the point right above wherever you think your values are. Yeah…right above that. People will see it and want it. They will be attracted to it and maybe try to take advantage of it. But it is up to you to own it and maybe share it…ONLY as needed. Wisely. Check. Continue reading my story “Checkmate”.