Being black today

What does it mean to be black In America is something that isn’t very easy to describe or explain. To many people the response would be different, there is no one answer. To me it means to always have a label tattooed to you, and to always have to prove ourselves. African-Americans have made great strides in America today, but we still have a ways to go. There is a lot of mistrust among blacks toward each other. Even though African-Americans can become millionaires, many of us are living near the poverty line. We need to stress education instead of thugism in our communities. We need stronger black leaders who are not afraid to get their $1,000 suits dirty. We have to overcome this second-class mentality we have about ourselves. We are still struggling for equality in areas of education, job market, housing market and police brutality. It has been said that America is about equality. When do we get our share? We are still fighting for rights that should be equal to all. In all honesty, being black in America is a lot different from the 1930s or even 1960s. We are able to achieve a lot more and we are not barred from going and living where we choose in most instances. We are able to live the American Dream in a sense. But what does being black in America really mean? For some, it means a heavy burden and the continued discrimination, though very subtle in most instances. For others, it means the culmination of dreams. Many blacks have transcended race and today we stand on the threshold of greatness--Barack Obama, the first African American to be a serious contender for the presidency. We have made great strides towards equality for all, but we are still a long way off. For many of us, being black in America means living in with the burden of mistrust by many, inferior health care, rundown neighborhoods, high crime rates, high school drop out rates and being automatically suspected of crimes and even being falsely imprisoned for crimes we did not commit. So, when Michelle Obama uttered those words that she was proud of her country for the first time in her adult life, I understood and appreciated what she meant. Unless you are black in America, you will not fully understand her position, but you can appreciate her candor. You see, America was not always kind to blacks and still isn't in many regards. So, from a historical context, being black in America was living hell for so many of our ancestors