My First Homework Assignment in 20+ Years

Introducing myself and my top 3 social identities

Hi, I'm Deborah (she/her)!

I'm a graphic designer by trade, and a writer by passion. So much so that 20+ years after getting my design degree, I'm back at school for a BA in creative writing. I spend my days working on a medical journal, and my evenings writing... or trying to write... or pretending to write... As a writer, I enjoy the work of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Octavia Butler, classic Stephen King, Peter David, and the illustrations of Dan DeCarlo. I love storms, champagne, Old Time Radio, and 70s Blues and Soul. Thanks to an interesting childhood, I'm afraid of escalators, bill collectors, and sometimes fresh produce.

My very first social identities (of the list as presented), that I can recall from about three-years-old, are race— I knew I was Black before I knew anything else about myself, class (intellect)— everybody but me was stupid, and sexuality— I had the biggest crush on Mr. Clean (yes, that Mr. Clean). Looking at that bald cartoon man with the tight white shirt, sparkling earring, and big muscles made me feel something. I was probably maybe ten when I realized that I thought Mr. Clean was sexy. I’ve worn and shed identities countless times since then. Today, at this moment, my top three identities are gender— Woman; ethnicity— Black American Woman; and age— Middle-aged Black American Woman. The best thing about my avowed identities as an MABAW is that I don’t have to care about the identities anybody ascribes to me.

I like to think that I can show up as my authentic self all of the time, but “code switching-- adjusting my whole self to fit the occasion” has become an ingrained part of me. Perhaps this quality/habit can be filed under class identity. I’ve had the privilege of learning to successfully navigate many different types of personal and professional spaces. My true authentic self is actually very shy and in real life avoids human interaction outside of family and a small circle of friends. I work from home so I show up as my true authentic self alone at my computer every day.

My WHY for going back to school is mostly a secret, but as I approach a penultimate milestone birthday, I’m starting a year of ending things. I’m going to stop being a college drop-out, stop being sedentary, stop being a home-renter, and stop being a few other personal things that I’m ending over the next year. My academic goal is to finally have a BA in creative writing… a track I started on years ago and never finished. My motivation is that I might finally qualify to become a Delta (IYKYK)!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

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