You ever wonder what the hell am I doing with my life and why can’t I be “that girl”? I’ve been trying to be “that girl” for more years than I care to admit (still not revealing my age).

She’s the girl whose house is always clean, who never has a bad hair day, who has flawless skin and always gets her man. She is usually also the girl who never makes a mistake at work and who seems to be successful at every single endeavor large or small.

Mostly, she’s the girl who has a group, a clique, the girl who always fits in.

Today, I am wise enough to know that this magical wonder woman doesn’t actually exist but there is always someone around me who seems to be doing a damn good job at keeping up the appearance. I always find an image to envy and some reason to shift the focus away from myself.

Which brings me to the reason I am writing this particular post.

After a tough conversation with my younger sister, who in many ways embodies that magical wonder woman, but I love her and I have to admit she is right a lot, I am sharing more of myself with you.

So please allow me to reintroduce myself and share the imperfection that is BlackLinda.

Instead of trying to craft that perfect post about that perfect topic that is going to instantly go viral and turn me into an overnight sensation the likes of which has never occurred before in the blogosphere (do people still use that word?).

I am going to blog about my personal experiences feeling like an outsider and wishing that someone would tell my story, the story of my people. If you are interested read on.

I am no expert or activist but when I listen to my parents talk about Cuba I often find myself imagining how I could turn that story into a screenplay.

This blog is the beginning of getting the real Afro Latino story out there and addressing issues of race in our community. It’s not about blaming anyone because we have all played a role in perpetuating and accepting cultural stereotypes.

I’m sure I’ll discover a lot about myself as I write about my experiences past and present, so bear with me, and sometimes it will not be about race.

Funny way to end a post about BlackLinda but yes I’ll be the first to admit that it is not always a race issue.