Why I Totally Agree With Whoopi Goldberg When She Says She's "American" And Not "African American"
The first time I realized that I was "just another American" was probably one of the hardest lessons I've ever received as an adult.
From 2005-2006, I was deployed with the USS Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group to the Middle East Area of Operation. That meant that we were chasing pirates, getting side eyes from Middle Eastern and European locals, and turning up during port visits. During one of our port visits to Bahrain, I got the chance to get my hair braided by an African women, which I thought would be the highlight of my deployment.
First of all, these women from "the motherland" were insanely gorgeous, and I thought that while they did my hair, we would have some amazing conversations - I was black, they were black, and we were all magical women because our amazing melanin connected us.
Tuh! To make a long story short, they made it very, very clear that the only thing we shared in common was our skin tone, and even that was questionable. It was the most uncomfortable braiding session ever. The way they were acting, they only wanted my money, they provided me a service, and once they were finished they wanted me out of there. I couldn't get out of that shop fast enough.
But they weren't the only ones who felt that way. During every port visit, I was told time and time again that I was "just another American." Sometimes they were nice about it because I wore a uniform. Others hated me because I was alive and American. As a black woman whose family members were active fighters during the Civil Rights Movement, it hurt like hell hearing what foreigners thought about me. But what could I do about it besides hold myself to high standards, and hope that people would see my heart before my country's flag?
This is why I wasn't mad at all when The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg said that she was an "American" and not "African-American" a few days ago during the Hot Topics segment of the show.
If you haven't been in the know, Whoopi went on a rant about seeking refuge overseas because of Donald Trump's presidential bid. Lord knows most of us agrees with her on that subject!
But what she said next put some people off. She went into a passionate speech about being an American woman, and not an African-American woman. She said,
“You know what uh uh! This is my country...My mother, my grandmother, my great-grand folks, we busted ass to be here. I’m sorry. I’m an American. I’m not an African-American, I’m not a chick American, I’m an American!”
I know, I know. Some people probably feel like Whoopi is being a "coon" after spilling her guts on the subject. After all, the other View co-host Raven Symone got drug through the dirt when she said that she was "American" during her 2014 Oprah interview. And the people who were doing the dragging session had very valid points. "White" people, and those census surveys, see us as African-American, right? Well you're 100 percent correct.
But the other truth is that when you step outside of this country, you're "just another American." In today's tumultuous political climate, this could be a term of endearment in war torn countries. "Just another American" means we are rescuing someone's family from death. It means that we are feeding children who are facing their final hours because of malnutrition due to political struggle. During those times, I proudly stripped myself of being "African-American", and stood with my military brothers and sisters by following the orders of my Commander-in-Chief, no matter what I thought of his policies. During those times, the word African-American was far less important than being a human being, in my opinion.
To others, "just another American" is a badge of shame. To them, the flag I represent is synonymous with target practice. Those people could care less about my melanin, because the rhetoric or policies the Americans I fought for trumps what's in my heart. I was "just another American", and to them that was something I should truly hate.
When I set foot back in U.S. territory as a combat veteran, I came back with a new sense of honor. I am proud as hell of the contributions my ancestors made to my country. I feel dignified to be the daughter of slaves who broke their necks and backs to afford me with the opportunities that I have today, and I wouldn't change that for anything in the world. But I am also an American, and I'm honored to wear that title. Let me spell out what that means:
I honorably represented my country as I helped to feed dying families, as they made a dangerous voyage from Somalia to another land, knowing that they were going to be killed before they saw the sun set on the horizon. At that time, I was an American and a human being.
I proudly stood at attention and gave 11 of my 17 military brothers a final hand salute while a bugler played "Taps," as they were laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery following a deadly helicopter crash. At that time, I was a mother burying several women's sons who defended our country, and we were all Americans.
I held my head high, and let people of all colors in a social media group call me a "race-baiting n-gger" and a "coon" - all at once - for reporting difficult stories when I was a social media editor for a major news corporation. To them, I wasn't worthy to be called a human being, but I was still an American.
[Tweet "Yes I'm a black woman, and I'm magical by right."]
But the American flag I've fought for and represented will never ever be a source of shame. I'm not fluid when I say I'm American. It is what I am, and if that makes you feel ashamed of me, then so be it.
As Fox 5 DC reporter Shawn Yancy said in a Facebook post on the subject,
"No... I'm not denying my roots. I know that at some point in my family tree, my ancestors were taken from Africa in the slave trade and sold here in America.I'm not denying my culture by saying I'm not African American. I'm embracing myself and my culture... by declaring that I'm a proud American, who is also black."
I am both black and American, and I wear both with dignity, honor, and pride.
Watch the segment below, and tell us your thoughts.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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The Power Of Your Big 3: Understanding The Astrological Significance You Hold
Explore your sign’s 2024 horoscope predictions to learn what is in store for you this year in love, career, and more. Check out the love compatibility of each sign to learn more about zodiac pairings and all things compatibility.
Astrology has become even more mainstream and a phenomenon than it ever has in the past. We have gone beyond the, “What’s your sign?” and have moved into “What’s your big 3?” seemingly overnight, and rightly so due to the significance of knowing these important details. Your Big 3 in Astrology represents your sun sign, your moon sign, and your rising sign.
This trifecta is thought to be one of the most significant details of your birth chart and gives you and others more of a full-picture look at who you are beyond just your sun sign.
What Does Your Big 3 In Astrology Say About You?
Knowing your big 3 is important, especially if you are someone who has never really resonated with your sun sign. You read about what it means to be an Aries, but may not align with what you see or your experience with other Aries. Meanwhile, the whole time, you have a Libra rising, the complete opposite sign of Aries, and this is why you have always seen yourself as a more laid-back and less confrontational Aries.
Elements hold a key role in your birth chart and having a big 3 where the elements are all compatible or the same often signifies someone who knows who they are and is comfortable in their skin. Whereas someone with a different element for each part of their big 3 may have challenges with identity or defining who they are or how they want to present themselves. It’s a different type of perspective when looking into your big 3, and it helps you see where your strengths and needs are in life, and how to tap more into this potential.
Your Big 3 In Astrology Explained
Your big 3 can help you navigate life by understanding which part of you comes out more in different circumstances. At home, you are most like your moon sign, when you are out and about, you are most like your rising sign. Whether you are at home or out and about, your goals, purpose, and interests are most like your sun sign.
You can find out what your big 3 is by looking up a ‘Birth Chart Calculator’ on your search engine, typing in your birthday details (you will need to know your birth date, location, and the exact time you were born), and generating your birth chart.
Read below for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
YOUR SUN SIGN
Your sun sign represents the core of you and what motivates you to shine and be your best self. This is your personality, goals, purpose, identity, ego, interests, direction, and where you light up in life.
FIRE SUN (Aries Sun, Leo Sun, Sagittarius Sun)
If you are an Aries sun, a Leo sun, or a Sagittarius sun, you are outgoing, confident, fearless, and in tune with yourself and your personal goals and desires in life. You go after the things you want, and you are not afraid to take up space. You are someone who prefers to be more independent, and you are often in more leadership roles in life.
EARTH SUN (Taurus Sun, Virgo Sun, Capricorn Sun)
If you are a Taurus sun, a Virgo sun, or a Capricorn sun, you are grounded, dependable, loyal, hard-working, and logical. You prefer the finer things in life but also work hard to get where you are. You are someone others feel they can rely on, and you are often a support for other people in your life. You are very connected to the material sides of life, and have a gift for manifesting.
AIR SUN (Gemini Sun, Libra Sun, Aquarius Sun)
If you are a Gemini sun, a Libra sun, or an Aquarius sun, you are light-hearted, free-flowing, intelligent, and communicative. You speak what is on your mind, and you love to connect and communicate with others. People know you for the things you say and your out-of-the-box ideas, and you are someone who is open-minded and provides a safe space for people to be authentically themselves.
WATER SUN (Cancer Sun, Scorpio Sun, Pisces Sun)
If you are a Cancer sun, a Scorpio sun, or a Pisces sun, you are thoughtful, generous, emotional, loving, and compassionate. You care deeply about the people you love, and you are always there for others. You may be more emotional than most, and this is due to your strong intuition and open heart. You are creative, inspiring, and motivated towards connection in life.
YOUR MOON SIGN
Your moon sign represents your emotions. This is the way you express yourself emotionally, how you process your emotions, what you need in love, what makes you feel safe and nurtured, your desires, intuition, your inner world, and what’s going on beneath the surface.
FIRE MOON (Aries Moon, Leo Moon, Sagittarius Moon)
If you are an Aries moon, a Leo moon, or a Sagittarius moon, you are someone who is not afraid to communicate your emotions or how you are feeling, and you can feel your emotions from a mile away. You are confident in yourself and are someone who stands up for what you feel is right. You have a strong need to be seen and heard in your relationships, and a certain type of understanding is needed for you to emotionally thrive. You may have some challenges with anger or high energy and are working through emotional impulses in this lifetime.
EARTH MOON (Taurus Moon, Virgo Moon, Capricorn Moon)
If you are a Taurus moon, a Virgo moon, or a Capricorn moon, you are someone who is emotionally grounded, safe, comforting, and logical. You aren’t overly emotional and may not show your emotions to people much at all, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have them. You think before you speak, and you process your emotions before acting on them, and you tend to be more down-to-earth and understanding when it comes to other people’s emotional worlds as well. You are someone people go to when they need someone to talk to you as you are a very good listener.
AIR MOON (Gemini Moon, Libra Moon, Aquarius Moon)
If you are a Gemini moon, a Libra moon, or an Aquarius moon, you are someone who is fun, outgoing, and emotionally open-minded. You don’t like heavy emotions or too much emotional drama, and you tend to be more go-with-the-flow in this area of your life. Good conversation and mutual understanding are very important to you in your relationships and you want funny banter and inspiration in your connections with others.
WATER MOON (Cancer Moon, Scorpio Moon, Pisces Moon)
If you are a Cancer moon, a Scorpio moon, or a Pisces moon, you are someone who lives by their heart and values your emotional world deeply. You crave a deep type of intimacy in your partnerships and you need a partner who is going to give you that type of emotional connection. You are more private with your emotional world and you tend to hold a lot in, but this can often lead to sudden outbursts as well. Overall, you are the definition of emotion and others learn a lot from you on what it means to love and to feel.
YOUR ASCENDANT (RISING SIGN)
Your ascendant sign represents your perception and the energy you put out into the world. This is the way you come across to others, the way you express yourself, your physical traits and aesthetics, how you manifest, society, and what you expect from the world around you.
FIRE ASCENDANT (Aries Rising, Leo Rising, Sagittarius Rising)
If you are an Aries rising, a Leo rising, or a Sagittarius rising, you come across to others as confident, bold, and stylish. You are known for the way you look or the way you present yourself, and you are usually adorned in bright colors or wearing something that others take a lot of notice of. You are someone who walks into a room, and all eyes are on you, and you love that. You want to be on the move and on the go, and you love to show up in the world exactly as you are today. You see the world with a lot of possibilities and like it's yours to have fun and enjoy yourself in.
EARTH ASCENDANT (Taurus Rising, Virgo Rising, Capricorn Rising)
If you are a Taurus rising, a Virgo rising, or a Capricorn rising, you come across to others as responsible, beautiful, natural, and dependable. You are a hard worker, and you may be known for your career or the work that you do. You are someone who walks into a room and people feel an immediate sense of comfort and like you are someone they can trust. You have strong values and goals, and you are someone who knows what they want. People love to be around your down-to-earth energy, and you make others feel safe and grounded.
AIR ASCENDANT (Gemini Rising, Libra Rising, Aquarius Rising)
If you are a Gemini rising, a Libra rising, or an Aquarius rising, you come across to others as outgoing, friendly, and talkative. You see the world as a place to learn, connect, and be inspired, and you are on a quest for knowledge and understanding. You connect with people from all walks of life, and you tend to have a pretty open-minded and unique friend group. You care a lot about your style and aesthetic and always strive to be authentically you wherever you are. You can talk to people for hours and are often meeting new people and making new friends wherever you go.
WATER ASCENDANT (Cancer Rising, Scorpio Rising, Pisces Rising)
If you are a Cancer rising, a Scorpio rising, or a Pisces rising, you navigate life through the lens of your emotions, and you are deeply connected to the undercurrents of life. You are ruled by your emotions, and this side of you is not something you can keep hidden away easily. You get emotional when you think about society and others at large, and you want to be known for the kind and sincere person you are. When you walk into a room, you feel other people's energy right away and are highly empathic and intuitive.
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