Where do I begin, as a young “gifted” black girl growing up in the South, things can be rough. I hesitate to say the word gifted simply because I am not big on labels. I used to put my head down whenever my mom would tell people I skipped kindergarten and was making straight A’s. I am not sure if I was hesitant about letting others know my educational gifts because it made me a target or simply because I wanted to keep it to myself. Growing up in a small town in the south, it was something that I couldn’t hide from others. Here I am almost sixteen and I am just now finally proud and ok with saying to others I am truly gifted. A lot of pressure and stress comes along with this notion and not from my family. It comes from others around me. I am constantly viewed by many as someone who can’t make a mistake, someone who must do everything right all the time, and someone that others should fear. I don’t believe any of those qualities apply to me, but the society we live in has placed that pressure on me practically all my life. Many of my used to be friends in elementary school now look at me as competition. They look at me as someone they must beat or race to the Valedictorian spot once we graduate from high school. Do I desire to become valedictorian, yes of course. I work hard in everything I do! Will I try to undermine those in competition with me for that spot? No, I would never, because it’s not Godly, and it is just not who I am as a person. It is sad to say, but even Adults view me as competition to their kids and treat me unjustly and unfair. My mother, who is way more vocal than I ever will be probably, is constantly rescuing me because of this. I never thought that a God-given gift would make others so envious and down right mean. I say that to say this, if you happen to be a reader who has a special gift, don’t run from it, but embrace it. Embrace it with everything in your heart and soul. God wouldn’t give you that special gift if he didn’t want you to be proud of it and if he didn’t want you to own it. I am finally proud to say that I am a young black gifted young woman. If you have any topics you would like for me to address please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].