Maintaining A Space Between The Cracks Of Black & White
Originally wrote this for Hispanic Heritage Month last year and while I didn’t finish it in time then due to what I was going through at the time I’ve managed to post it with plenty of time this year. With all that went on then this is meant to be angry and heartfelt so it might be a little rough around the edges but I like to believe still impactful. Originally posted in October 2023
Maintaining A Space Between The Cracks of Black & White
By: A.X. Bueno
Not fully in sight
You almost fade into the background in a world that sees mainly black and white
But you know in your heart that you're there too
You've got a color that's it's own unique hue
It's not easy to see so there are those who make presumptions and dismiss it
But you know what you are and to that you try and stay true
Still there are presumptions and offhand remarks that hurt more than you can admit
Make you doubt and question and feel lesser than you actually are
Some do it without even trying or acknowledging
While others are a bit more callous as they pick at your sore spots and scars
The language you still struggle with, what you look like, the way you act
All that and maybe a few things more that are hard to handle when they come
Sometimes right at you and sometimes from behind your back
But things have gotten better you feel sure
It took plenty of time and self improvement but you feel your place is mostly secure
In the world that is and also where you are now
You've carved out a place for yourself and in some ways you're not fully sure how
You've had a lot of people test you and what you know yourself to be
Some invalidated you but you're still here and still you despite what you couldn't make them see
And it's become easier for others to grasp what your appearance doesn't make obvious
Which fills you with a bit of soul deep glee
That said the space you've carved in between those perceptions of color wasn't done by you alone
There are plenty of others who've helped you as you've grown
But ultimately it's still your space made in defiance of those who persist
In spite of those who will deny the complex mix of colors out there in the world
Something that should be clear just by realizing people like you exist