There's a Little 'Mary Jane' in All of Us

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Blogging at For Harriett, Tyler Young writes that BET's Being Mary Jane will likely become a hit because the character's story is familiar to so many women of color, who are trying to do their best while confronting life's challenges.

… I am not sure who's been peeping inside my window at night but it has got to stop! Gabrielle Union in "Being Mary Jane" is me. Well, me from 2010 to 2012

Okay, who am I kidding? Her fictional story paints a portrait of my life for a portion of this year. I too bake cakes for fun. No lie! From what I read on Facebook and Twitter, this storyline extends far beyond me. 

"Being Mary Jane": the story of numerous young women of color trying to be the best she can be all while combating her issues. We are built strong from the roots of our ancestral heritage that extends to the blood in our veins; however, we just get caught up — caught up with a number of dead weights, distractions, misdirection — call them what you like. You know better but sometimes fail to do better. 

Family illness, dead end job, dishonest relationships, petty female feuds, self-esteem issues, underachievement, sex, self-righteousness, misguided career path, and, of course, men. 

Just when you think you've got it all together, something else major comes along. And then another problem comes.. followed by another. What we so often fail to realize is that the tools we use to conquer one problem are the exact same tools that we should equip ourselves with once the next tide turns. Life is a revolving door of ever changing moments. You learn from it. Internalize it. Move on …

Read Tyler Young's entire blog entry at For Harriett.

The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff. 

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