Shouts out to Conrad Miller, who has contributed the following piece on the benefits of melanin. Conrad’s a senior in high school in Claremont, CA, and he would be one of the baddest writers you ever met if he didn’t want to sell his soul and work with math his whole life. But, I was on that kick back in ’97, so he may come around just fine.
Really, he’s written things at seventeen that I wish I could write today. Check that piece out, and you can hit him up with praise at conradm at gmail dot com. Also, feel free to offer your benefits of melanin on the comments board. And if you’re like me and think he should do more with words, let him know. This requires that you have Adobe Acrobat.
And to other writers without a major outlet, feel free to send me a link and I’ll put it up here if it’s that heat. School paper, your boy’s website, I don’t care. I got a feeling these good readers like good writing, no matter where it came from.
7 thoughts on “Melanin is good…”
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I’ve always enjoyed the fact that the more melanin, the less likely you are to endure the damage that the sun can cause to the skin.
My sister and my mother got sun-burned alot when I was growing up, me being the one of the darker children, I didn’t have to worry about that.
Fine writing.
I too was one of four black students in ALL of the AP classes at my Catholic High School … I overstand being the “black spokesperson” … as well as finding that no one really wanted to partner with me for projects. Sad part about it … AP chose me … I didn’t choose it.
There are MANY things to blame … indluding rap music.
The first sign I’ve seen in a while that there’s hope for the next generation.
witty, intelligent, sarcastic..but with a taste of cynycism and sincerity….Mr. Miller, you’re alright with me young man. Keep up the good work.
Remember, you must stay on the path if you want to remain in that cynical brotha class. Don’t get bamboozled by watchin MTV Dark, oops, I mean BET (ask Bo, he’ll fill you in on my hatred of BET).
Conrad’s got some skillz. I was expecting some dry scientific tome, but he sucked me in. You know, just cause he’s on that math tip doesn’t mean he can’t still pick up a pen and scribble some musings every now and again. Besides, unless your name is Terri McMillan or Stephen King, there’s not a lot of money in words these days. I can’t hate a playa for doing what he thinks is right. Besides, he’s 17 — he’ll figure it out once his breath stops smelling like Similac.
Other advantages to Blackness:
1) With enough attitude, you can get away with wearing some jacked-up stuff (like pleather parachute pants) and you won’t get called on it, unless another melanin-enriched person comes into the room.
2) You get special “Haircut Leave” at work.
3) A built-in hustler’s mentality — Whether it’s selling Mary Kay, Barbeque sandwiches or hoes, black folks will find a way to get paid.
4) A little less melanin — but enough to make white people furrow their brows — and EVERYONE will be asking, “What are you?” You’re guaranteed to be the life of any party!
The Kids Are Alright…
Hell, I got less than 10 years on Conrad. Kid, my ass, let’s call him what he is – a young contemporary of yours and mine. Well…a contemporary of yours anyway. I can’t write for shit.
And as a melanin-challenged soul, I’m sure this might not be quite as funny to me as to some of the rest of y’all, but it’s funny as hell nonetheless. One beef though. #9 is invalid. And if you don’t believe me, show me a black man with a mullet. White people got the “unique” hair going too.
Lastly, this history teacher, Mr. Yoshida? Do me a favor some time and shout, “Yo, Greek, who’s gonna win the Super Bowl?” and see if he doesn’t respond…
melanin also lets us use more of our brain not the side that we know all to well singing, rapping rhyming. This side is responsible for logic and reasoning!!!