The Real by B.
Hi, I’m B, and I don’t know who the hell I am. I mean, I have a good idea of who I want to be and certainly see a difference between who I used to be. Yet, I feel like I’m in Limbo.
I went from a happy-go-lucky take on the world little girl to a depressed indecisive young Queen. I didn’t really feel the change as it was happening, but as I reflect on 2019, I know that I am not the same.
I grew up in Durham and Charlotte, NC before graduating from Howard University. Howard really opened my eyes to the reality of our experience as Black people globally. I left Howard and began teaching. I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer and social worker but teaching gave me an opportunity to really learn how children think.
I taught for 3 years before being overwhelmed by how much the education system oppresses the people within it. I left teaching to come to law school. I had begun a Master’s in Social Work at Columbia online but transferred those credits to the Community and Social Change Masters at UM.
I am a planner and since moving to Miami I have felt detached from my plan. I feel sad and incomplete. Which is what brought me here, to the drawing board that is this site. I need to realize my passions again, make connections, stay out my damn bed. I think this will help.
The Spiel.
My name is Brittany Frizzelle. I was born in Durham, NC and am now 25 years old. I am the middle child of 7 siblings, an aunt of two, and a godmother of 1.
My family and my friends are my world and my dream in life is to be but one piece to the puzzle of Black unity. I attended Howard University for undergrad and taught elementary school for three years. During those years I completed introductory courses for a Masters in Social Work at Columbia University. I gave up the teacher’s life to follow my life long dream of becoming a lawyer and social worker and am now halfway done with completing a joint degree in Law, Community and Social Change at the University of Miami.
I started this blogging business because I felt I was losing touch with one of my passions, writing. Of course, I’m a student, and student loans are real, and I need a way to make money while being a full-time student, but it’s deeper than that. I decided at a young age that I would dedicate my life to my people. It is only right that I do all that I can to be a tool in the advancement of the Black Diaspora*.
I’m big on signs and I’ve been getting messages that my talents can be used to help others. I would love to use my favorite pastime to make a difference in our community and assist in the healing and growth of my people. Since I’ve come to law school, I’ve lost touch with the writer in me because it’s a completely different style of writing needed and I’ve had to adapt my mind to succeed.
This blog will help me connect with the voice in me that speaks for the people, not the law – I never want to lose that voice. So, now I’m taking on this adventure of starting a business and providing space and opportunity for my people to go with me on this journey of unlearning self-sabotaging habits and relearning habits for unlimited growth.
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It’s the LOGO, family! YOLO
This is literally faith in picture form right here! What began as a tattoo idea has bloomed into the perfect representation of the journey we envision through the operation of this website.
The lettering “un 2 re” pays homage to the site name. The symbols are West African Adinkra symbols represent popular proverbs and maxims, record historical events, express particular attitudes or behavior related to depicted figures, or concepts uniquely related to abstract shapes. I chose these symbols for a tattoo because the idea that I come from a person who was stolen from West Africa, most likely, and have no idea where my people originated has always caused pain that I’ve never been able to understand fully. I don’t trust the DNA testing companies, but this was my personal homage to the heritage I can’t remember but will never forget. EPA is a symbol resembling handcuffs that means slavery, law, and justice. This spoke to me because I am currently pursuing a law degree to get justice for the many residual effects of slavery.
The semicolon has been used as a message of affirmation and solidarity against suicide, depression, addiction, and other mental health issues. I won’t deep dive into how this connects to me directly here but it will come up throughout our posts. Lastly, FAWOHODIE is a symbol meaning emancipation and independence coming from the expression Fawodhodie ene obre na enam, which literally means: Independence comes with its responsibilities.
I have this arrangement as a tattoo as a message to myself that,
“Slavery, law, and lack of justice may have tried to end our story, but we will fight for emancipation and with independence take care of our responsibilities.”
I hope this resonates with you all as much as it does with me. It is the perfect representation of Unlearn 2 Relearn!