From the moment she was six, I was always told to be the person who was different.
That meant being taller, darker, richer, more successful and more athletic.
I was expected to be smart, beautiful, smart, smart.
It didn’t matter what my parents thought of me, what my friends thought of my looks, my siblings, my parents.
That’s what white people were told to do.
I wanted to be different.
I didn’t know what that meant.
But in the past year or so, I’ve discovered that there are some things I’m good at, and some things that I’m bad at.
That may be the case for everyone, but for me, being different was an important part of who I am.
That is something I’ve struggled with since I was a child.
My parents didn’t want me to be “a different kind of girl,” or even “different” in the literal sense.
My mom was raised by an aunt and uncles who loved me unconditionally and would do anything for me.
She would give me money for my birthday and put me on the front porch, even if I had no friends.
She wanted me to succeed and be a success, and I believed that because of that, I would always succeed.
But she told me that I was only good at what she called “being different.”
So when I was little, I just looked like everyone else.
I had black hair, a skinny body, short feet and a tight waist.
I wasn’t good at sports, and my mother was convinced that my big brother was too big for me (the size difference was a big reason I never had any friends).
She said I was “too fat.”
But I was different, I said.
I could move my feet.
I wore my hair short.
I always did my homework and read my book.
I made friends.
I did whatever it took to get ahead.
I’m a little bit of an introvert, so I’ve always been a little shy.
But after my mother died, I had to start coming out to everyone.
I started going to events and participating in sports.
I would even make friends with my brothers and sisters to help me navigate the system.
I also started getting into my own little secret world of social awkwardness.
I’d wear long dresses, make my hair long, wear make-up, talk to people in my group of friends.
It felt strange at first, but I found my way.
I used to sit at the back of the group and listen to everyone’s conversation.
I found that I liked it and that I found it empowering.
I felt like everyone was so good and I could get along with everyone.
So I started feeling more comfortable in my own skin.
I even found myself getting compliments on my appearance and how I looked.
So as I started to make friends and be accepted as a minority, I felt even more comfortable about my appearance.
I got more comfortable wearing dresses and makeup.
I became less ashamed of who my hair was and more comfortable with who I was.
I realized I was beautiful, even though I didn “look” like it.
I no longer felt ashamed of my body, even when it wasn’t my own.
I began to look at myself as a part of a larger community, even while being different.
It was like an awakening, and it was an opportunity to embrace who I truly am.
This month, I’m proud to announce my latest accomplishment: I’ve become a member of the National Board of Professional Black Women.
That means I’ve been recognized by the National Organization of Professional Women for the first time.
I’ve also received an award for excellence in journalism from the Black Writers Association of America.
I am thrilled to share this award with my fellow women, and we’re so thankful for the support we’ve received from our community and all of our supporters.
For those of you who are still not familiar with the National Women’s Board of Directors, I want to explain a bit about what we do.
It’s a group of diverse women who have decided to work together to ensure women’s voices are heard.
It is the most diverse group of women’s organizations in the country, and includes people of all races, backgrounds, sexual orientations, religions and genders.
There are more than 2,000 women on the National Boards, representing more than 300 different backgrounds, genders and professions.
One of the goals of the Board is to foster and develop a diverse and inclusive workplace environment.
It helps to have women who are leaders in their fields, and are also people of color and LGBT people.
The Board also works with schools, churches, nonprofit organizations, media organizations and more to improve the lives of people of diverse backgrounds.
It also works to promote gender equality and inclusion in the workplace.
I’m honored to be a member and I’m excited to continue helping empower other women of color