Primal Fear: Black Girl in White Spaces

This past week I read a post for someone who I have called “friend” for over 20 years. The person shared a post saying that integrating the schools with blacks is the reason for the decline in the USA. The article said that white men have had to compromise their intelligence to accommodate "others"...I realized that my companion is no longer a person whose thoughts and ideas I can give energy to.

As I am often the only black person in spaces, I sometimes end up carrying the weight of an entire demographic on my shoulders. One wrong move feels like a collective failure. One mistake feels like proof for their stereotypes.

Living through the political chaos of the USA right now only sharpens the edge. When the headlines are screaming about division, walking into a space where no one looks like me feels like walking onto a battlefield without armor. My nervous system is on a constant loop, scanning for micro-aggressions, measuring the temperature of the room, and calculating how much of myself I’m "allowed" to bring into the light.

But here is what 2026 is teaching me: Fear is a liar, but it’s also a compass.

My primal instinct? It’s actually my superpower. It’s the reason I’m more observant, more prepared, and more resilient. I’ve stopped trying to "blend in" to quiet the fear. Instead, I’m using that energy to fuel my own peace. If the space wasn’t built for me, then I’m there to renovate it—or leave and create my own space that is safer for me.

I’ve realized that my peace isn't found by escaping white spaces; it’s found by refusing to let them define my worth. I am hitting my licks, securing my bag, and protecting my spirit, even when the room feels cold. I belong in every room I enter, not because I was invited, but because I am invaluable. I do not disrupt or lessen the spaces that I enter, I add to them.

To the people who think that the presence of blacks in white spaces is the cause for the current state of the country, I assure that my presence ALWAYS adds enhances the environment that I am in.

My fear might stay primal, but my success is even more legendary.

Hatred and bigotry are rampant. I will not subject myself to it or turn a blind eye to those who spread it. I am learning to block and remove any person, place, or thing that tries to dim my light.

We are living in wild times ~ Be safe ✨️