Lauryn “Soleaux” Jones
“The piece explores the circumstances that create the invisible internal wounds caused by continuous race-based traumatic stress injury. It also describes the necessary processes that promote healing of those wounds.”
Dear Black Woman,
Take a deep breath. Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, let your facial muscles melt into a state of complete serenity. The tension you carry is not your own, return it to the sender. Give your body permission to release all the emotional turmoil she’s adopted and transformed into incorporeal abrasions in an attempt to protect you. Allow tears to gently dribble down your face like liquid pearls leaving behind a spiritual salve uniquely fashioned for your internal wounds. Wounds derived from generational scar tissue that have marked countless Black girls before you, on their accelerated journey to womanhood.
Black Woman, give yourself space.
Grant yourself the opportunity to do what no one ever has…
Be a Black Girl.
Black Woman, find your innocence. It was stolen from you the day you entered this earth, but it is yours. Before you could even utter your first word, you were taught that the definition of being Black and female is to be superwoman to everyone, everywhere, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Unlearn that. The weight of the world is not your burden alone, it is shared. The same people who stole our innocence, our birthright, our souls must learn what it is to exist without the consistent sacrificial survival we’ve subscribed to for centuries in order to maintain societal homeostasis. Black woman I implore you, reclaim your innocence. The souls of Black girls past, present and future depend on it. This is not a normal call to action. This is a critical plea. Black woman, your invisible wounds are soul lesions that must be tended to with the utmost care. Take your time. Heal them slowly and meticulously. Otherwise they will continue to erupt, reopen and infect your spirit prolonging echoes of our deepest pains.
Some say the path to healing begins with your inner child. But what does that mean? What does that mean to someone who was never allowed to be a child? What does it mean to be a little girl? This letter is for every Black girl who became a Black woman before she knew what a woman was. Every Black girl who became a caretaker before she was ready. Every Black girl who was considered fast because she blossomed early. Every Black girl who was denied comfort and support because she was “wise beyond her years”. Every Black girl who lost her innocence before knowing the definition of the word. This is for us.
Black woman, I challenge you to discover your inner Black girl. What is she like? How does she experience the world? Does she find joy in little things like double dutch, dancing, or singing? What makes her smile? What makes her laugh? What makes her cry? What are her dreams? Relocate those outlandish, unadulterated, boisterous, sincerely authentic visions only she has access to. Cherish them and hold them tight. Take a walk in her shoes for a day. Rediscover what it’s like to be a child. Don’t force her to grapple with the realities of the world before she’s ready. Reclaim your girlhood and protect it at all costs. The wellness of your soul hinges on it.
Black woman, BE FREE! Dance like no one’s watching, eat ice cream whenever you want, wear your favorite onesie pj’s and laugh like your life depends on it. Allow yourself the childlike freedom you were cheated from experiencing because of your sheer existence. Most importantly, find other Black women on their journey to girlhood. Support each other. Uplift each other. Help one another to mend our collective soul injuries. We deserve to live full lives void of arrogated spiritual bruises that have taken generations to fade.
Black woman, take a deep breath. Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, let your facial muscles melt into a state of complete serenity. Release.
You deserve to.
Signed,
A Black Woman (who found her inner black girl)
About the author
Lauryn “Soleaux” Jones is a driven, quick-witted, creative force with a dedication to BIPOC mental healthcare advocacy. A 2023 graduate of Columbia University’s M.S. Narrative Medicine program, Lauryn is best described as an artist scholar with a knack for storytelling. She embodies the definition of dedication and determination through her myriad of creative pursuits.