When I was younger, I used to hate my body, and I believed lies that only toe me down. I believed that I was too dark and too fat to be beautiful. I let that mentality stop me from a lot of things, things as small as laughing to loud to as big as not applying for certain jobs. I was in a self hate cycle until I decided that I didn’t want to live my life in the shadows of those lies. I wanted to live a full life. It’s been a hard road, and it continues to be struggle sine days, still, but I’m learning to love who I am, even the parts that I hated. I love my big body, I love my natural hair, and I love my dark skin. And I thank movements like #blackout day that encourages this self love