Dear Pennies & Pens,
Being broke fuckin sucks dude. And it’s even worse when you’re Black. Triple so if you’re female. You spend all your days working to make more money yet every time you check your bank account — it’s been debited for yet another bill.
How’s a Pen supposed to ink the page?! As I say in my new book, The Loudest Pen Ever, “why are there no jobs for cute black girls who post on Instagram?” We just can’t seem to win. Most months, I can barely pay my bills. It seems like I’m always just getting by.
And I always end up having to ask my parents for money. Or get a payday loan. Both are awful financial options. First option makes me feel like a burden on my parents, they’ve been working all their lives, they deserve a break. My Mom’s already retired. And my Dad is trying to retire but I know he feels like he can’t because of money.
The payday loans keep me in debt although they give me the cash I need right away. Usually my loans get funded on the next business day so that’s nice but then I have to pay them back on my next payday with interest.
Then there’s the car situation. Or lack thereof. I haven’t had a car in almost a year. I’ve been traveling so much and have been so broke, I just haven’t gotten around to doing what I need to do to get a car. The realities of being a broke black girl are that you have no time AND no money.
You’re also the definition of Kanye’s line “a single black female addicted to retail” meaning you constantly spend beyond your means. You’re trying to keep up with the Carters. Will it ever change? Will you ever change?
Everyday, you fight back tears. You’re mad before you even get out of bed. You hate your job. You just want to stay home. With the kids. And cook, maybe drink some wine, and light a jizzy? If you had a boo, you’d fuck em too.
This shit is no joke. It’s so serious that everyone is paying attention. Writing about it, singing about it. Beyonce & Solange are making music that depicts this experience. On Lemonade, Beyonce sampled one of Malcolm X’s speeches where he talked about the Black woman being the most unprotected, disrespected people in America.
We’re always judged more harshly for how we dress, wear our hair, and talk. They say we have attitudes and so they write us up. So then we stay quiet. Then they say, we’re not friendly and should smile more. So we smile like idiots then do the song and dance. And still we get paid less.
We’re never qualified for the job. Essence has an article where a variety of Black millennial women talk about their struggles to get a job in social media and creative fields. One said she went on 75 interviews (forgot the timeline) and wasn’t hired at any company. Bruh how the fuck are you unqualified to work at 75 different companies?! Lol that’s like not possible. Racist motherfuckers.
This is why every month rent gets paid it’s a surprise. This is why we love God. I mean who else loves us in spite of everything? He’s the only thing that keeps us going. So we thank and praise His name everyday. I can’t give you the whole history on why Black people love God so much. All I can do is share my history and truth.
And there it is. de la Pen…All Pen Everything. With us, keeping it real never goes wrong.
PS Did you like this ink? Do you want more? Check out, The Loudest Pen Ever here: http://bit.ly/TheLoudestPenEver
