The Black Pearl

A little research tonight has informed me that the black pearl is: 

1. Considered to be one of the rarest gems on Earth; 
2. Called black, but its colors range from a light iridescence to a deep midnight black; 
3. Available in a wide range of natural shapes and all are considered desirable and marketable; 
4. Highly valued for its rarity; and (my personal favorite) 
5. Never able to be massed produced because of the culturing process it undergoes

Does any of that sound familiar to you? There are so many messages out there trying to convince me that these attributes don't apply to me and my people. Although we come in a variety of colors, music videos would have me to believe there is only one shade that is desirable and let me tell you, it's not deep midnight black. Corporate America thinks we are a homogeneous herd, and don't understand that a mass marketing plan will never work because we are diverse in our lifestyles, personal histories, passions, career plans, spending habits, etc. Black women are getting T&A implants because they don't realize that what they previously possessed was rare and beautiful.

Because of our creativity, innovation, and overall swag, we've been the victim of unauthorized "borrowing" by other major groups. Burger King is trying to sell me french fries with a rap tune, Elvis and The Beach Boys became legends using music created by brown men, and people like Kim Kardashian's world revolves around the privileges with none of the perceived set backs of being Black.   

Oh well. I'll sleep peacefully tonight knowing that there is no one definition of Blackness, but whatever definition applies to me, I'm grateful for it. There's not another type of pearl I'd rather be.