Ibn Sharif Shakoor - I Used To Wish I Was White [User Submitted]

When I was 5 years old, I remember wishing that I was either Caucasian or even just a lighter complexion than that of my own brown skin. I used to watch shows such as the “ Power Rangers”, “ Baywatch”, and “ Saved by the Bell”, which fueled these insecure thoughts even more. I viewed everything that was light or white, as positive. My tough upbringing and exposure to some negative aspects of the black community, fueled an unfair and bias perception of my own color. This poem depicts these thoughts as I let you into the mind of a young Ibn Sharif Shakoor. I know there is someone out there who can relate.