I am black. Saying this phrase can garner an interesting mix of reactions:
indifference, shock (I don’t know why, it should be obvious), and awkwardness.
The idea of race has been society’s way to define and separate people and has
now become a way to gain access to opportunities that others can’t have.

Growing up, I never felt different because of who I was on the outside and how my
parents raised me. But as I grew older, I realized that what my parents taught me directly contradicted what history lessons showed me, people told me, and society
highlighted. In a way, I was expected to use my race every day as a way to gain the
sympathy and “support” of society. Race was a big deal. This had a detrimental
impact on how I saw myself and who I was – because being black wasn’t mainly
who I was, it was what I was. I knew that who I was, was defined by what was on
the inside. What I was, was defined by what was on the outside. While being
black plays an important role because of culture, it wasn’t the deciding attribute of
my identity. Whenever we discussed the Civil War in History, it always felt that all
eyes were on me because of misplaced guilt or pity – as if I was the one who was
thrown into slavery. I hated the way that my race defined me instead of the inner
qualities that I considered valuable.

I am an athlete. I’ve been doing track and field since I was in third grade and have
trained hard to be where I am right now.

I am a daughter. My parents had me on July 16, 2004, at 4:00 a.m.

I am a sister. I am the youngest and get treated as such. I have one older brother
and one older sister.

I am a friend. I have always been social and I love making connections. I am
outgoing and always enjoy hearing what others have to say.

These things all come before being black, because without them – I am nothing.
Race is not a big deal because it is not primarily who you are; you are more than
your skin color because no one can get to know you by seeing the color of your skin.
Others can only truly know you when you show them what's on the inside.

My identity does not rest in the fact that I am African American. The idea that race
has been used as a valid way to define who you are has been in our society’s
head for too long. Being black is not the majority of who I am and it should not
decide what I do in life, what job I get, or even what college I go to. I am black ... but
I am also an athlete, a daughter, a sister, and a friend.