“The Rebirth”

By Eunice Townsend

Two Black Men, Kwame and Elombe Brathwaite woke up my African soul.
With their intellect, wisdom, and photo lens. They spoke of Africa not only as a place
but as my home and a culture I should embrace.

Made me look into a black mirror and see eyes that had been overlooked,
hair that screamed from the pain of hot combs,
lips that were always pictured eating watermelons,
never speaking words of wisdom

And a nose that clearly was big enough and strong enough to exist in
this racist milieu.
As a Grandassa model I turned off the white television with its commercials of
a Shirley Temple and turned on Marcus Garvey in a uniform of pride.

Kwame taught me the walk, you know the slow, head up, let whatever wants
to be free, let be free with pride. The walk that says without one word
that I’m a confident black woman who dares you not to take notice.

Elombe made me feel ashamed to think I was anything but beautiful. Beautiful in all my array of skin tones.
From midnight black, my Senegalese self, to mild brown, my Ghanian self, to dark chocolate with some milk, my Ethiopian self.
Yes, I was all that. But still, I’m more. A mixture of hues, which makes black women a glorious rainbow from which to choose.

Yes, now i walked down the street with a steady strut instead of a slump.
My attitude one of pride and determination to break the mold of emulation.
to free and elevate my mind to the Queen that I was.

My hair, at first, was confused. “What’s happening here”, it screamed.
“I’m free to show the world what I am?” So washed and conditioned, I went about my world.
My hair in all it’s glory, shouted, I am who I am, black and beautiful.

My hips wrestled out of the girdles that were strapped down like my mind
released insecure feelings and shook with laughter and freedom
As I walked down the street hoops and whistles I did meet

Mind and body are connected as you know, when one is downtrodden your attitude will show
As a Grandassa model, my mind became free and clear, my mental foundation experienced a brand new me
My black self and new soul recognized the newfound pride and I took a new look at the
history of my life.

I was and still am, proud to be a Black woman, proud to be a representation of an African woman.
Proud to be a Grandassa model.