Unapologetically Me: Walking Boldly in a World That Tries to Dim My Light
- Taneasha McNair
- Feb 5
- 2 min read
Every day, I wake up as a Black woman. Before my feet even hit the floor, I am aware of the weight I carry—the silent expectations, the unspoken rules, the history that lives in my bones. I step into spaces where I am often unseen, where my presence is questioned, where I feel the whispers before they are spoken aloud. And yet, I walk. Boldly. Unapologetically. Proud.
Because my existence is not up for debate.
The Reality of Walking in My Truth
Being a Black woman in this world is both a gift and a fight. It is knowing that my presence can be a disruption, that my voice may be labeled too loud, that my confidence might be mistaken for arrogance. It is carrying the beauty of resilience while battling the exhaustion of proving my worth in rooms that were never designed for me.
But let me be clear—I do not shrink.
I do not make myself smaller to fit into the comfort of others. I do not quiet my voice so the world can continue to ignore what it does not want to hear. I do not dull my brilliance to make it easier to digest.
Because I was never meant to be invisible.
If You Love Me, Love Me Fully
Love is not passive. It is not just warm words, Instagram posts, or casual acknowledgments when it’s convenient. Love is action.
If you love me, truly love me, then you must also stand with me. You must be willing to speak up when it’s uncomfortable, to challenge the systems that were built to suppress, to push for the justice that should never have been negotiable.
Love without justice isn’t love at all.
Because if you love me but remain silent when my rights are threatened, that is not love—it is complacency. If you love me but do not see the struggles I face, that is not love—it is willful ignorance. If you love me but refuse to fight for me, that is not love—it is conditional acceptance.
And I don’t need conditional love. I need love that moves, that fights, that uplifts.
A Call to Walk Boldly Together
So today, I continue to walk boldly—not just for myself but for the Black women who came before me and the ones who will come after. For my daughters, for my sisters, for the women whose names the world has tried to erase.
But I also extend an invitation. If you claim to love me, if you say you stand with me, then walk with me. Not just in the moments when it is easy, but in the moments when it is necessary.
Because love is more than a feeling—it is a commitment. And I am worthy of a love that stands, fights, and never wavers.
So let’s walk. Boldly. Unapologetically. Proud.
Join the Conversation
How do you show up for the people you love? What does it mean to move from allyship to true advocacy? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I hear you and to be honest, I don’t feel like I do enough. I educate myself on equality, or the lack there of, and I educate my kids on the same thing. I have uncomfortable conversations and I listen. I hire all walks of life based on their skills and their willingness to grow and truly, their kindness. My work culture is far from the “norm”, it works for us. I don’t care where you came from, what color skin you are, or what pronoun you as identify as. I want to provide an environment where we are comfortable, without judgement, and can do our jobs to the best of our ability. I pray that my children will have…