SUNDAY THOUGHTS: MISS USA

Okay...I usually don't care a thing about pageants, but with reality TV ratchetness at an all time high, can I just be delighted for the breath of fresh air that is newly crowned Miss USA, Miss District of Columbia, U.S. Army Logistics Commander, Deshauna Barber?

I don't think I've ever used the word "slayed", unless there was a dragon, or a biblical giant involved, so let me fast-forward to this century: SHE SLAYED.

She was graceful, poised, articulate and smart. 

She was the rule--not the exception, but of course, "we" know that she's not some extra-terrestrial anomaly. 

What did your mama and every English teacher tell you? 

"Talk about what you know about"--and that's just what she did--- eloquently, unashamedly, and with confidence. 

I don't care if she said the word "military" a bazillion times. That's her area of expertise among, I'm sure, other subjects. 

Did you see that smile when she heard her question? 

I was thinking, "You've got this." and in my head she replied, "I know, Miss Vanessa, I know". 

You have to forgive me. I am of the generation that repeatedly heard the "You have to be twice as good" speech; anyone who looked like me, had the burden of being "a credit" to the entire Black race every time we walked out the door. 

There were so many people I wasn't supposed to embarrass or cause grief. 

Forgive me if somewhere deep inside--on loop--is that narrative about putting one's best foot forward--especially if one is stepping in front of millions of people. 

Did I say she slayed?!!

Our new Miss USA has now, also been tagged a "role model". We pretend it doesn't, but we MUST know by now that representation matters greatly in the good ol' U.S. of A. 

When one of us fares; performs well and "makes it", we all feel it. 

When one of us stumbles and falls, we all look for the Tylenol and Neosporin. 

It's uncanny. 

Oh yes, there will be talk, and outrage, and denial, and criticism, and accusations in the coming days (It wouldn't be America without that). 

Someone will surely cry foul, or refuse, once again, to acknowledge or accept a cocoa-hued woman as a representative, but there are a lot of unrelated, fictive kin in the DMV, of varying tints and shades of cocoa, who are feeling mighty proud of their "daughter", "sister", "niece" and "play cousin" tonight--and I'm one of them.

You have to have grown up colored/Negro/Black/African-American in America to even remotely understand the collective pride. 

If you don't understand...well...tough.

Go on with your bad self, Deshauna.