check the 'other' box ?

before color wheels of skin complexion .
before genitalia stigmas .
before 'declined' & 'approved' worries ...

is a heartbeat that skips into and out of the planes of humanity . regardless of the places we come from, the battles of the sexes, and cultures we derive from, it is important to recognize that we are human first . i attend a Historically Black College (which usually acts as fertilizer to reap the sprouting speculations of society). nevertheless, my matriculation through Spelman has given me a better perspective on the concept of human existence than ever before .

we often claim that we do not want to be labeled. psh, "labels" are the cornerstone & comfort zone of mankind . cool kids . nerds . athlete . Black. Asian. Vegetarian. Metrosexual. Muslim. Negro. Irish. pretty. intellectual. rich. lower class. 'Artsy'. blonds & brunettes. Ghetto. Christian (and all fifty thousand protestant categories that fall in line). we construct our lives on the basis of these labels ... because everyone wants a sense of

B E L O N G I N G .

I'm not saying it's wrong to identify with groups, i am saying however ... that we need to understand the worth and value behind every eye, heart, and voice . behind that red dot on a forehead, FUBU sweatshirt, bra, mustache, or pair of shades is a human . keep that in mind .

"If each man or woman could understand that every other human life is as full of sorrows, or joys, or base temptations, or heartaches and of remorse as his own ... how much kinder, how much gentler he would be" -William Allen White