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The timbre of my voice rumbles at the back of my throat, and my mouth opens as a roar of laughter fills the space. Laughter is good for the soul. Too often, our brown bodies feel the tension of the world, and it dulls us. It quiets us, and its load weighs our shoulders down. Time and time again, the broken world shatters our being. So we must grip joy despite our pain because living in those joyous moments refuses pain the power of finality.
In a world that can be painful, Black joy is a sacred breath of insistence that flows through life. It is refreshing, breathtaking and enveloping, washing over us with peace, love and happiness. Its melody carries through the community, bringing people together and connecting them. It is love—love that protects us, and memories that give us strength. It is generations of praises that refuse to be silenced or erased. Black joy withstands. Black joy heals. It weaves through places of agony, bringing a balm of Gilead. It is quiet and audacious in our harsh world, turning struggle into beauty.
Far too often, we don’t celebrate and honor Black joy because it feels out of reach or fleeting. Its tempo is temporary. We put it off, telling ourselves we’ll get to it after finishing other tasks. Then it slips away, and life’s struggles weigh heavily, leaving us barely able to remember the last time we heard that sweet melody of peace. Sometimes we don’t even notice the absence of joy in life until it becomes blaringly urgent rather than a regular hush of our daily routines. Yet, when we recognize that we need sparks of happiness throughout our lives, to find the hope that keeps us pushing, the love that reminds us to care for ourselves, and quiet spaces that feed our souls, we realize joy is the marrow in our bones that gives us strength. Joy in Black bodies is essential. It shields us, protects us and gives us spaces to simply be. In those moments where pain and suffering are so tangible, we need these deep breaths of happiness to permeate our souls, swaying us to move past the hurt and twirl past the negativity.
In this state of being, we are free—free to be, free to thrive without looming pressures or expectations. It’s choosing tenderness and gentleness with oneself. In this space, our coiled locks spring freely and bounce in the wind, our faces feel the warmth of the sun, and our lives are fully lived.
Black joy is transformative and healing. Embrace it today. Lean into the delights of life and let it flow and form around you. Let it inspire you to be creative. Let it empower you to laugh loudly and often.
