Letter From The Editor: The Power of Your Black Hand

To All My Nubian Brothers and Sisters, What’s Up?

My junior year of college has been a year full of self-discovery and a deeper connection, love and sense of pride in the fact that I am black.

Obviously, the fact that I am black is not something that’s new to me, however the appreciation I feel for the color of my skin is.

Though I’ve never been ashamed of being black, up until now, I’ve also never really been excited about it.

While many would consider the color of my skin to be a crippling factor in today’s society, I don’t.

Instead, for me, the color of my skin is a reminder of the second-class treatment that for centuries, black people have been powerful enough to overcome.

The color of my skin is a reminder of the oppressive laws and practices that for centuries, black people have been powerful enough to overthrow.

The color of my skin is a reminder of the struggle for equality that for centuries, black people have been powerful enough to fight for, and continue to fight for on a daily basis.

The color of my skin is a reminder that I come from a race of powerful people and as cliché as it may sound, it is a reminder that I have the power and responsibility to be powerful too.

That is why in this week’s issue of the Nubian Message, as we continue with our celebration of Black History Month, we have decided to focus this paper on power, more specifically Black Power.

Each article in this week’s paper analyzes the relationship between African Americans and various forms of power, whether it is the struggle to obtain power, the power of knowing ones history, or the ways in which our power is jeopardized.

The purpose of this week’s Nubian is not to claim superiority of African Americans over other races, nor is it to bash other racial groups. Its purpose is to elicit conversation and critical thinking about the various interactions of power among black people.

The purpose of this week’s paper is to remind you of the power of your black hand.

-Kierra Leggett