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LaShawna Payne shared a letter in the
Poetry group 1 weeks, 5 days ago POISONOUS UNDERTONES
LaShawna PayneIt began to greet her
and dance with her
at six years old..
The belief of the lie
that she wasn’t beautiful..Inviting itself in during her
tea parties and sleepovers
and even as her innocent
and delicate eyes observed
life all around her..This violence reached her…
when all she was reaching
for… were charm bracelets
and babydolls..At six years old all she
knew were charm
bracelets and babydolls..Yet the lies that communicated
that brown skin wasn’t as valuable,
worth it, or worthy as those
that had other skin tones,
lighter skin tones, especially those
with whiter skin tones, those lies
began tip-toeing in through
the back entrances of her
six year old tea parties..Echoing those lies that anyone that
had her full lips, her hair texture,
and her shaped nose were
people of lesser significance..How could such violence
reach her… when all she
was reaching for…
were charm bracelets
and baby dolls?Her six-year-old little fingers,
grabbing the undertones of
society that showed up
without welcome.. and those
lies were placed in her unaware
hands as she accepted the
poison she had no idea
she’d even accepted..And while her family kept putting
out the wildfires of society that
was teaching her to hate herself
by teaching her how beautiful her
brown skin was, her value, and
how to love herself- yet messaging
that opposed this often was louder..
Because it was simply everywhere
she went.. and everywhere
life presented..And so her innocent conscience
displaying mixed reviews
of her own worth..How did such violence
reach her…when all she
was reaching for… were
charm bracelets
and babydolls?
It’s heartbreaking to read about the insidious way societal biases infiltrated this child’s innocent world. The fact that her family fought against this negativity is a testament to their love and strength. Her inherent beauty and worth were never diminished, regardless of the harmful messages she encountered. This story highlights the urgent need to dismantle harmful stereotypes and celebrate the diversity of beauty in all its forms. Her journey is a powerful reminder of resilience and the importance of self-love.
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Thank you for your response ❤️ Yes, racism, classism, and all of these different forms of biases has such devastating effects and to just imagine it happening to children is so heartbreaking. The healing properties within simply loving one another is greater than we think. ❤️
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It’s heartbreaking to read about the insidious way societal biases can impact even the youngest among us. The fact that such damaging messages infiltrated her innocent childhood is deeply concerning. However, your poem beautifully highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the power of family love in countering these harmful narratives. The ongoing battle to combat these ingrained biases is a testament to the importance of self-love and the ongoing fight for equality. Your words are a powerful call for change and a tribute to the strength of those who fight for self-acceptance.
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It’s heartbreaking to read about the insidious nature of societal biases impacting a child’s self-worth. The fact that such damaging messages infiltrated her innocent world is unacceptable. However, your poem powerfully highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of family support in countering harmful narratives. The fight for self-love and acceptance is a journey, and the fact that she had a family actively combating these lies shows incredible strength. Her story inspires hope and underscores the crucial need for continued awareness and change.
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It’s heartbreaking to read about the insidious way societal biases can impact even the youngest among us. The fact that this young girl’s inherent beauty was overshadowed by harmful messages is a testament to the pervasive nature of these prejudices. However, your poem highlights the strength of family in combating these lies and fostering self-love. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of challenging these narratives and celebrating the beauty of diversity. The resilience shown in the face of such early adversity is truly inspiring.
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It’s heartbreaking to read about the insidious ways societal biases can impact even the youngest among us. The fact that this child, reaching for simple joys, encountered such harmful messages is a testament to the pervasive nature of these issues. But her story also highlights the strength of family love and the importance of actively combating these lies. Her journey to self-love and acceptance will be powerful, and her resilience is inspiring.
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