Article by Alanna Hutton | Photography by Tacy Brown | Owl Staff
Alanna Hutton finds inspiration from Princess Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.
As a biracial woman, Black History Month has helped me learn and grow on my journey to self acceptance. I am African-American with some Nigerian background. At the age of five, I was adopted into an all white family.
Growing up as a Black woman in a white community was a struggle for me. I always felt like an outsider. Things such as my music taste, fashion sense, and even what I liked to eat were all completely different from my other family members. I never wanted to get into any trouble because I didn’t want to be perceived as an “angry Black woman.” I desperately wanted to fit in.
I would get called names, be excluded from certain activities, and even get pushed into lockers because of my race.
During some of those years after I got adopted, I tried to change myself to fit the “white” narrative. Along the way, I lost sense of who I was and am. I went to a predominantly white school which came with its own struggles. I would constantly get bullied for my skin color. I would get called names, be excluded from certain activities, and even get pushed into lockers because of my race. Due to all of that, I eventually switched schools. Transferring was very rough for me, but once I got to Havre de Grace High School, I felt more at peace. There were more people there that looked like me. Even though there was still the occasional bully, the overall environment was more loving and accepting.
Alanna Hutton was adopted at age 5. (Photo contributed by Alanna Hutton)
I had some other struggles growing up, and one of those was my hair. Throughout my teenage years, I always wondered why my hair was different. I went so far as to perm my hair back in sixth grade. That was one of the worst decisions of my life, as my hair is just now starting to grow back. Now as I grow older, I realize that my hair is beautiful as it is and I don’t need to change it to fit a “white” narrative. I appreciate my hair even more now. I have beautiful curls and great texture. I am able to change my hair into so many different styles. Moments like these make me appreciate being African-American even more.
During Black History Month, I am able to dive into the culture and learn about all the important people that helped shape Black history into what it is now. Although February may be the shortest month of the year, I do not take this time for granted.
Shortly after being adopted, Alanna and her sister met a Nigerian man who inspired Alanna because they share the same heritage. (Photo contributed by Alanna Hutton)
There are so many Black women that have inspired me. One of my biggest inspirations in the Black community is Princess Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. Meghan inspires me in so many ways. She teaches me to embrace vulnerability and to overcome rough circumstances. She is biracial like me and also has ancestral ties to the Igbo tribe in Nigeria. Meghan has endured so many racial aggressions, and I can relate to that. She reminds me to continue being myself even when others want to tear me down. I have learned so much from her.
Black History Month reminds me that my ancestors fought for us to have the human rights we have now.
Being a Black woman has shaped me into the person I am today. I am proud of my culture. Not only has it made me accept things as simple as my hair, but it also makes me realize that I, as well as many others, have so much to give during this beautiful month.
Overall, Black History Month reminds me that my ancestors fought for us to have the human rights we have now. These freedoms range from where we sit on a bus, to being able to vote and to have a voice, especially as a Black woman. With heroes such as Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Harriett Tubman, Meghan Markle, and even Beyonce, Black history will not be erased. I am proud of being a Black woman, and I will continue to fight for Black culture everyday.