Yaya Corley
Contributing Writer
Being Black in a world that doesn’t fully understand Blackness is exhausting. From the moment I step outside, I am aware of how my skin color shapes my experience. It’s a weight I carry daily, one I never chose but can never escape. It’s the weight of a social construct — a system designed to make me feel less than because of the color of my skin. Society is built on the idea that whiteness is the standard. As a result, Black people like me are often treated as outsiders, as “other.” We live in a world where the systems of education, healthcare and employment are designed to favor white people, and we constantly face the harsh reality that our worth is questioned. We are over-policed and underrepresented. We are dismissed, overlooked and misunderstood.
I have faced moments where I was judged based solely on my skin color. I’ve been followed around in stores, my words dismissed in classrooms and my talents ignored in professional spaces. It’s not just the blatant racism I face, though that’s part of it; it’s also the microaggressions, the small but constant reminders that my Blackness is seen as a threat or a problem. People assume that I’m not as intelligent as my white peers, that I don’t deserve opportunities as much as they do, that I must have something to prove before I am allowed to take up space.
It’s hurtful, but it’s a reality we, as Black people, live with every day. We are subjected to stereotypes, to being seen as “dangerous” or “angry” or “unprofessional” based on how we speak, dress or simply exist in the world. We are made to feel as though we don’t belong, even in spaces where we should be celebrated for who we are.
And yet, despite all of this, I stand firm. I stand tall. My Blackness is not a flaw or a burden; it is a source of strength. The Black community has endured generations of pain and oppression, yet we continue to rise. We fight for justice, for equality and for the chance to live freely without fear. Black people have created legacies of culture, art, music and movements that have shaped the world, even in the face of constant adversity.
Our strength is not something society can take away. No matter how hard they try to push us down, Black people will continue to rise and thrive. Our beauty, our resilience and our power cannot be erased by a social construct that seeks to diminish us. We are not just surviving — we are living, we are creating and we are changing the world.
So, to everyone who has ever tried to make me feel small because of my race, know this: I will never shrink. I am Black, and I am proud. My existence is a triumph, not a tragedy, and the world will one day recognize our worth.
Yaya Corley is Scot Council’s 2026 representative and the Outreach Chair for Black Women’s Organization. Corley can be reached for comment at icorley26@wooster.edu.