we say angry black woman

as if anger is a flaw.

as if anger has no place.

but anger saved me.

anger cracked me open.

anger showed me my wounds.

when i followed my anger back to its root,

i found grief.

i found truth.

i found the beginning of healing.

and yet, black women are told to suppress.

to smile.

to be palatable.

to carry everyone else’s burdens while ignoring our own.

the truth is —anger is not the end of the story. anger is the doorway.

black women deserve to walk through it.

to be allowed the full range of our humanity.

to be angry.

to be held.

to be healed.