For the past four years, I've been living in the rural Mississippi Delta. Let me tell you, there's no place like Mississippi. It's been quite the experience, but I have gained a special place in my heart for both Mississippi and "Da Souf." Coming from the Midwest to the South, there are definitely differences you notice regionally, which is a given.
One of the biggest differences I've noticed is the difference in the reaction to acts of expression and individuality. That's not to say that people who are different and considered "weird" don't face criticism everywhere, but down here it's different. As a result, there's almost a stigma associated with being a carefree black girl or boy.
Now, Carefree Black Girls is a concept and movement that reportedly first emerged on Tumblr. It is described by Diamond Sharp as an idea that black women "have used…to anchor expressions of individuality and whimsy in the face of the heavy stereotypes and painful realities that too often color discussions of their demographic." It's about black women being themselves unapologetically and living in their truth without shame. From this movement, the carefree black boy movement arose which in the same way is about combating the expectation of hypermasculinity and breaking the mold of what people think black men are "supposed" to be like. Both movements are essential to the black community because quite frankly, black children and adults alike are held to expectations that clip their wings. It's all about being black and free…which people have been trying to stop since we got to this country.
Being a carefree black boy or girl already comes with a certain level of confusion just based on the fact that black people have seemingly always had to care about how they are perceived, what they do, and what they look like. While being a carefree black person is nothing new, the mainstreaming of the concept over the past few years is. There are so many ways to be a carefree black boy or girl, which is something I think many people forget. It includes all the girls who automatically get thrown into the "ghetto" category for wearing colorful weaves and long nails, or for being loud and turned up. Really, ghetto black girls are the original carefree black girls, but I digress. It can include the black boys who ride around in their Chevys that are sitting on rims, blasting Boosie all day. It includes the men and women who stand in a circle swag dancing all day.
Carefree blackness doesn't look one type of way.
More than that, I also think that sometimes it scares people…especially in the rural South. There's something eerie and beautiful about the South's desire to keep things the way they've always been. I believe it's both the opulence and undoing of the South. It's the reason that places like Mississippi get a reputation of being "stuck in the past," a notion that does hold some truth. I also believe both financial issues and infamous racial lines being firmly drawn play a role in this as well. However, it amazes me that someone being a carefree black boy or girl and openly being different is often times looked at with such ridicule because the South has always had a swag of its own.
It seems that when these people who are out of the ordinary leave the South, they flourish. When they can truly be themselves, they blossom into something amazing. So much talent, so much beauty and innovation, and so many gifts come from these places. As understandable as it is for these people to leave, my hope is that they would be embraced right here in their home. If Mississippi can produce Oprah, imagine how many other amazing people are waiting to bloom when they don't feel like they're being taunted.That starts with realizing that being a carefree black boy or girl is about living in your truth, unapologetically being yourself, and freely having fun and enjoying life despite what other people think. It's not something to fear or dismiss, but rather affirm.
To the carefree black boys and girls in these spaces that can make you feel like the odd ball out for being yourself, don't stop staying true to yourself. Rome wasn't built in a day, and changing the mindset of those around you won't happen overnight. My hope is that you will continue to be a splash of color in a world that people try to paint as black and white. You can exist and prosper outside of the boxes that you've been forced into. Explore yourself without reason and continue to never touch the ground; maybe one day those around you will catch up.
