Feeling like your not Enough?
Not good enough. Not smart enough. Not talented enough. Not…Black enough?
If you were ever called an oreo, told by Black/POC (or even white) people you weren’t Black enough, or that you say/act/do XYZ “white” it can be tough to feel like you belong. And, in a society that upholds whiteness as the ideal, white people, who hold systemic privilege and power over Black people, will always remind you that you are not one of them (even if you’re mixed). It’s a challenge to stand fully in who you are and your unique gifts when you’ve felt that kind of rejection. It doesn’t just come from being othered from Blackness.
Maybe you’ve been made to feel not queer enough, not feminine enough, not manly enough, not skinny enough, not ________ enough. Whatever it is has a deep and widespread impact on your sense of self, how you move in the world, and how you pursue your goals…
Maybe some of this sounds familiar? You:
Feel a sense of rejection, isolation, and not enoughness that creeps up at the most inopportune times
Feel called to your work but may think, “Is this mine to do?” Or, “Can I speak for Black people?"
Hold back and feel like you’re waiting for outside permission
Feel both like you aren’t fully seen and like you’re afraid to be fully seen
Have a fear of further rejection if you show up as you are
The hiding and isolation leaves you secretly questioning, "Who am I really?”
Struggle to feel comfortable in your Blackness as you navigate the world
I get it! Trust me, I’ve been there several times over. As a Black American and Black Puerto Rican woman I was told by both Black and Latinx people that I was “white” and felt like I didn’t belong in either community. It was YEARS before I even realized how deeply this had affected and hurt me, then even longer to unravel those messages and step fully into my wholeness, my creativity, and my power.
Who am I?
Kristin Iris Johnson
A screenwriter, film producer who also helps Black writers & creators cultivate liberation & joy while making a powerful impact with their work. My mission is to challenge and break through oppressive power dynamics by igniting Black folx, like you, into your unique power to create revolutionary change in your life, your industry, and beyond!
I too was told I wasn’t enough in a LOT of ways.
But I am. And so are you.
The truth You Need to hear…
If you are part of the Black diaspora (incl. mixed race) and the above felt familiar to you you’re in the right place. Here are a few truths about that bullshit oreo narrative (and really every other narrative about how your not enough) that no one is talking about.
First: This is GLOBAL. Do you know how many people I’ve spoken to whose Blackness was challenged in some (usually multiple) ways? People who grew up in the hood. People who grew up in upper middle class households. Even people who are from Africa! This issue affects Black folx from all walks of life all across the diaspora. It goes beyond your Blackness to any identity you have.
Second: Being told your not Black enough is not actually about you or your Blackness. It’s all rooted in white supremacy and anti-blackness being projected onto you. White supremacy leads white people to say things that are intended to isolate you from your community. It leads Black and non-Black POC people to isolate other Black folx when they’re “too different” or seem too close to the “whiteness.” Then white supremacy instills itself in those who have been told we’re not enough by teaching you to respond to this rejection in ways that hold you back and must be dismantled for you to live fully into who you are.
Third: The “not enough” stories you carry and the harmful patterns they reinforce impact EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE! Friendships and family. Romantic/sexual relationships. Career pursuits. Creative work. Sense of self. Things you’d never think were affected. You saw above some of the internal feelings that these narratives can instill in you as a Black or mixed-race person, but how does that show up in your external world? Since we’re all creatives, here are some ways it impacts your creativity and life ambitions.
When it comes to creativity The Oreo Complex leads to:
Fear around visibility
Imposter Syndrome
Procrastination or starting projects and not finishing
Issues around worth/value
Feeling stuck but not knowing why or what to do about it
As a member of the Black diaspora you are incredibly powerful. Your voice, experiences, and work matter and can create a powerful change in the world. But you have to get the bullshit out of your way.
activate your black power
This is why I created the Black Empowerment Activator: an 8-week course for Black creatives who are ready to heal and dismantle the internalized oppressions holding you back, create at your full capacity, and make an impact. This is for folx who have big aspirations, want to create change in the world, but feel stuck and are ready for a breakthrough.
NOTE: “Creative” means anyone pursuing anything in literally any arena (art, medicine, business, tech) because it take a creative mind to innovate an excel.
You may be a good fit for this course if you want to:
Regularly pursue or create in your arena
Leave your job and do your passion full time
Take your passion project or creative work to the next level
Create work not confined by—or that even challenges—white supremacy, hetero-patriarchy, and capitalism
Feel comfortable and grounded in your Blackness
Have healthier and more fulfilling relationships with people
Express who YOU truly are in every aspect of your life
Impact more people by creating work that creates change in the world
This course will provide you the framework, guidance, and tools you need to dismantle, heal, own your power, and create an impact on the world through your work!
here’s what inside!
Each week will include both deep personal exploration and creative action in whatever your creative work/project is so that as you dive deep into your personal work you expand your creative capacity.
week 1: truth
Develop a connection to our community and yourself. Unearth your underlying “stories” and deeper fears, and speak the truths you’ve been avoiding.
week 2: dismantling
Uproot the judgements made on AND by you, and start dismantling your internalized oppressions around not being enough that are holding you back.
week 3: patterns
Identify the harmful patterns keeping you stuck that YOU live into and create new empowering patterns that will move you forward.
Week 4: Pleasure
Unlock your creativity and experience more wholeness by tapping into the power of your pleasure and sexual energy in a healthy, nourishing, and expansive way.
week 5: clearing
Clear your path by healing your pain, and making courageous changes in your relationships and life so you can live fully, be yourself, and create powerful work.
week 6: Self-discovery
Discover who you truly are outside the oppression, old stories, and pain that have shaped you, and welcome yourself home to your Blackness and Wholeness.
week 7: POwer
Own your Black power by choosing a new way of operating in an oppressive world, and—from that place of power—a clear vision for what you are creating and the impact you want to have.
week 8: creation
Stretch your comfort zone by taking BIG creative action in your project, and gain massive momentum with a solid plan for achieving your next big goal!
What’s involved:
8 weeks of training videos to guide you step by step
Clear concepts, exercises, and tools for you to explore and use for the long haul
Weekly action steps to move you forward both personally and creatively
Clear and repeatable framework for change
Lifetime access to the content so you can redo it as you grow and change
What's Really In It For You?
This work is not for the faint of heart. This 8 week course goes far beyond dismantling your feelings of not being enough—you will dismantle and heal MANY of the harmful narratives you’ve been taught. It will be intense, emotional, scary, transformative, and profound. Bullshit and excuses will not take you through. You will be unlearning the old oppressive ways you’ve been operating and learning new ways to show up in the world from a place of power and liberation. You will be showing up BIG for yourself, your community, and your creative work.
What you really have to gain by going through this course:
Stand in truth and power without whiteness being a part of it
A deeper understanding of your internalized oppression and tools to continue dismantling it
A process to handle fear, doubt, or old stories when they rear up
Create real and long-lasting changes in your life
A deep sense of self-love and wholeness in your Blackness
Clear plan of action for moving forward toward your big goals
A rich connection to your Black Creative Power and the impact you’re meant to have
If you’re ready to make a big shift…
It’s time to step up for yourself in a new way
Join The Activator
- 8 weeks of training videos
- Concepts, exercises & tools for liberation
- Weekly personal & creative action steps
- Repeatable framework for ongoing change
- Take your creative pursuits to the next level
Total Investment - $327
Still Not Sure? Give it a try First!
Taster! Get Week 1 Now
Get a taste of the Black Empowerment Activator 8 Week Course! This super low cost Taster gives you access to most of the Week 1 content where you'll learn concepts, tools, and do explorations to uncover your deeper underlying story that's holding you back. This is key to stepping into your Black Creative Power. Give it a try!