The conversation around identity is one I believe is often overlooked within the African American community. Our history is not only dynamic it is layered with both trauma and triumph. During the transatlantic slave trade, our ancestors endured one of the greatest disconnections in human history. They were stripped of their languages, spiritual traditions, food ways, and even the ability to define themselves. Families were separated. Names were erased. And once our ancestors became prisoners of war in America, their sense of self was forcibly taken.
Even after emancipation, identity continued to shift. We went from Negro, to Colored, to Afro-American, to Black, and now African American. Each label tells a story of survival, struggle, and resilience, but it also reflects how others sought to define us. Our experience is unlike any other group that has faced slavery or oppression. Yet still, to this day, I believe many of our youth don’t fully understand what it means to be African American or how we came to this point.
Some may ask: does identity really matter? I would argue that it does. Culture is the foundation of identity. When culture is stripped away and replaced with colonial ideas and concepts, people walk through life unsure of whom they truly are. And when you don’t know who you are, you become vulnerable. You may even unconsciously contribute to your own destruction while glorifying it at the same time.
This shows up clearly in our youth. Too many young people grow up believing their only purpose is to be entertainers, athletes, or to chase money. Too many identify with music and lifestyles that do not reflect their lived reality. For example, young people in Roanoke, Virginia, are claiming neighborhoods in Chicago they’ve never visited simply because their favorite rapper is from there. This is not just about music. It is about the power of influence, and what happens when identity is not grounded in truth, culture, and self-knowledge.
Every human being longs to belong to something greater than themselves. Without that rootedness, some will throw their lives away just to feel accepted.
This is why the TAPS African American Culture and Contemporary Issues (AACCI) program at William Fleming High School is so important. Our program creates the space to have conversations that are rarely happening at home or in public. We invite students to ask the deeper questions: Who am I? Where am I going? What tools do I need to get there?
We teach our students how to sit with confidence, how to breathe deeply, calm their minds, and open their hearts. We explore the power of affirmations not as feel-good slogans, but as tools to rewire the inner world. When they truly feel the words they are speaking, they begin to shift their state of being. In these moments of stillness, our students are breaking generational trauma. They are engaging in critical discussions about the issues our community faces. They are discovering solutions.
And perhaps most importantly, they are learning a truth that is often overlooked because of its simplicity: change starts within.
We can build programs, pass laws, and invest millions into infrastructure all of which are necessary and important. But the deepest and most lasting change has always begun with the person looking in the mirror. Transformation begins when a man, woman, boy, or girl chooses to do the inner work.
I will continue to explore the power of identity and culture in future articles because this conversation is not only about our past but also about our future. It is about equipping the next generation with clarity, pride, and a renewed sense of purpose.
And remember…
The only way out… is in.
