We are here, clutching our portfolio and our baggage.

We are here, dressed in our credentials accessorized in hoops and pearls.  

We are here, brains stretched and flashing forward. 

We are here, slipping out of our stilettos and into golf shoes. 

We are here, coiffured or curly, confident in our skin. 

We are here, sometimes pissed, nevertheless poised.

We are here, but we are not angry Black women. Passionate and determined is what we are.

We are often looked over for promotions, but we are not defeated. 

We are gracious losers and humble winners.

We know when to keep our heads down and hold them up. High.

Playing by the rules doesn’t always take us where we want to go, but we show up anyway. 

And, we persist.

We are not lost. We are here. We are on the move.

Copyright 2023. Jocelyn Lee