Khadijah Bah
2018-2019 Watts Senator
This is part of a submission I wrote for my honors class, Race and Resistance: The African American Political Thought.
La Negrita Cucurumbe
One day I sat in the car with my boyfriend’s mom
Her and I were alone, and it was early on in my relationship with him
As we were driving back to the house, she looked over at me and remarked at how beautiful I was
She said to me “Your skin is so perfect and so flawless, you are so lucky”
Then she told me of a song she used to listen to growing up called “La Negrita Cucurumbe”
The song, in Spanish, tells the story of a little black cricket that is insecure with how dark her skin is
So she goes to the beach and tries to wash her face in the waves so that she can be as white as the moon and the seashells
But the fish stop her and tell her “Negrita cucurumbe, why are you washing your face? Don’t you know that your black skin is what makes you so beautiful?”
As you celebrate this Black History Month, remember that your blackness is what makes you so beautiful. Whatever shade, color, or tone you are, nothing and no one can compare to the infinite beauty you possess, both inside and out. Your blackness is your armor, your strength, your resiliency, and your confidence.