I am a Black, Queer Woman and I Will No Longer Be Silenced

Silenced is a word that often describes my experience as a black queer woman in this society. On this Day of Silence, I asked myself what it means to actually be and feel silenced in the communities I engage in: In my school, when I try to address issues LGBTQ+ students are facing and am immediately shut down by administration, I feel frustrated, discouraged, and disappointed. When I am the only Black woman in the room during class discussions and am conveniently overlooked when I have something to offer, I feel isolated, neglected, and defeated. These feelings that I endured are not unique to my intersecting identities, but are emotions many individuals experience when they feel like they are neither seen nor heard in a space they occupy.

This Day of Silence, I plan to be loud so that when I speak about the issues that are impacting my intersecting communities I am both heard and seen as an individual. This day empowers young people who are often told to stand down and take the back seat to fight for what they believe in. No matter your age, your sexual identity, your socioeconomic status, or your cultural background your voice matters and is a crucial component to creating change in our society. I will continue to

…because I am a black, queer woman and I will no longer be silenced.

Written by Ahlanna Jackson