Dear Black Woman from Efunsade McDonald

Dear Black Woman,

I see you. I see your resilience, your brilliance, and the quiet strength you carry, even when the world demands more than it gives.

I see how you pour into others—your family, your community, your work—often without pause, without question, without recognition.

But today, I need you to pause. To breathe. To remember that you, too, deserve the love, the care, the gentleness that you so freely offer to others.

In this world that often underestimates your power and overburdens your shoulders, I need you to know: You are enough. Without proving, without performing, without carrying the weight of everyone’s expectations. You are enough simply because you exist.

There are days when the news drains you, when the injustice angers you, when the fight for your voice to be heard exhausts you. But even in those moments, you remain unstoppable. Not because you don’t get tired, but because you rise anyway. Because the fire in you refuses to be dimmed. Because your joy, your healing, your softness—they are all forms of resistance. So, my sister, protect your peace. Nurture your spirit. Find spaces where you are seen, where you are held, where your magic is honored.

And most of all, never forget: You are worthy of rest. You are worthy of love. You are worthy of every dream, every desire, and every ounce of happiness this life has to offer. Keep loving yourself as fiercely as you love others. Keep walking in your truth. Keep being the light.

With love, honor, and deep admiration,

Efunsade,

Another Black Woman