Good day everyone. As Black woman who does identify as being FBA, I do want to say that I have a lot of thoughts about what’s happening.

I remember growing up in the 80’s and 90’s and having the whole Pan-African sentiment that was prevalent during those times. I also remember my grandmother always telling me and my family that we are not African and that we were born here in the United States. Neither one of my grandmothers identified as “African-American”. When I trace my lineage back, all of my ancestors were born here in the US. My ancestors built this country. My maternal grandfather’s family built up Taylor County in Perry, FL in the late 1800’s. My great-great-grandfathers fought in WWI and my great-grandfathers fought in WWII. My paternal grandparents were sharecroppers in South Carolina. Both sides of my family were part of the Great Migration and moved up North to NYC. Harlem and the Bronx, respectively.

I remember being told by my Caribbean peers that their parents would tell them to stay away from Black Americans and how they were so much better than we are. I dated a Jamaican guy when I was in high school and his mother would say horrible things about Black Americans, to my face. When I was teaching middle school Social Studies, the African students that I taught would argue me with me and tell me that I was wrong about Thomas Jefferson being the father of White Supremacy and sexually assaulting Sally Hemings. These same African students also informed me that their parents told them to marry white men/women and stay away from Black Americans. The African students worshipped white folks, while denigrating and disrespecting Black Americans.

With that said, the above reasons are why FBA’s are delineating and embracing all that we have cultivated right here in the US. We will not allow immigrants, that we created a lane for, to denigrate and disrespect us. At the same time, if respect is being given, then respect should always be returned. I have met some melanated immigrants who show respect and who acknowledges the FBA’s.

To Tasha, I’m sorry about what happened on the live the other night. I’ve been a Wino for nearly 10 years, and Chieck has never shown disdain to the lineage. The folks who were disrespectful didn’t have to come at you and your family like that.