Week One Affirmation: "I am proud of my heritage and the richness it brings to my performances."

We live, work, and play in a society that is struggling to accept our differences. It's our differences that make us unique, and make the world an interesting place. Differences make up who we are and what we have to offer to the world around us.

People of marginalized communities are often stifled from expressing who they are and what they culturally have to add. For example, many Black and Brown ballet dancers get comments about their hair texture (afros, braids, locs, etc.) not being neat enough or impossible to put in a neat bun.

In many shows and films, slavery, racial injustice, and the Black struggle are preferred topics to be produced for the world to see. Rarely are we shown to be multi-faceted people with normal or mind-bending problems. Stereotypes still rule over many scripts. Therefore, making it challenging to fully express who we are without such assumptions.

Whether you're an actor, a dancer, a tennis player, or a gymnast, be proud of your heritage. If possible, show a little bit or a lot of it in your performance, routine, your hair, or your outfits.

This Week's Journal Prompt:

In what ways can you show pride in your heritage in the art of your choice? 

What do you feel may or may not happen if you do?

If you don't have the space to express yourself fully, where and when could you give yourself permission to express yourself?

Take time to journal about that this week and repeat this week's affirmation to yourself.