There is a true war on Black
love. There’s a concerted effort by the
media moguls, by the powers that be, by those with influence over what we see,
consume, and what we are entertained by to make sure there are NO images of
Black men and Black women in healthy, committed, romantic, loving, supportive,
intimate relationships. They love to
show you a Black person all mixed up in a swirl and proclaiming how color doesn’t
matter. Well, the fact that there are
1000’s of white couples that are happily married in the media and the only
instances of Black relationships are based on the gross materialism of hip hop,
involve a sports figure, or are based on some sort of “reality” that has
nothing whatsoever to do with what REAL Black people have to do in order to
maintain a relationship, proves that color really, really does matter. They don’t want us to love one another. They want us to think that white partners are
better. They want us to consider the
cooning, clowning, and dysfunctional models they show us of getting married for
money as real relationships. Black LOVE
is revolutionary.
AfroerotiK has always been and
will always be about the formation and support of Black LOVE first and
foremost. I created the following
wedding vows, to be used freely and abundantly, for your wedding ceremony. They can be used if you are getting married
in a church, in a courthouse, in the park, or exchanging vows under a full moon
with no one there to officiate but Mother Nature. It doesn’t matter if you are
renewing your vows or if you are a same gender loving couple. The essence of the words, the spirit of them
celebrate the unbreakable bond of our DNA that is BLACK, unapologetically and
beautifully so, and the union of souls committed to building an enduring AfroerotiK
love.
My beloved, my Divine right
partner, I stand here today committing my heart, mind, body, spirit, and my
eternal soul to you.
I pledge my heart to you. Within me beats a magnificent rhythm,
synchronized by Oschun, the Goddess of Love and Abundance, that symbolizes my commitment
to us. The blood that courses through my
veins is driven by a strong, steady, and constant force greater than mother
Africa herself. I give my heart freely
on this day to you, to love you unconditionally, to be open and receptive, and to
be vulnerable, authentic, and true in each and every moment we share together.
I vow to keep an open mind, to
continue to learn, and to occupy my thoughts with how we might be able to build
a stronger, more cohesive unit together.
I will put aside my ego that tells me to look out for myself and I will
think first and foremost of you and I. United,
indivisible, we possess the potential to create new worlds with our thoughts. I will read, study, and learn so that I might
be prepared for any mental battle we might encounter.
I promise my body to you and all
the pleasures it holds for you and you alone.
I pledge my fidelity without excuses and to share my most intimate self
with you and only you. I solemnly
promise I will not hold back any secrets, fears, or insecurities that might hinder
our communication. I will put in effort
to be romantic, to show I care, and I will not take our personal time together
for granted. And, if there ever comes a
day when I find myself tempted by another’s charms, I pledge to you complete
honesty and I will love you enough not to lie to, cheat on, or betray your
precious heart.
On this day, I take your heart,
your hand, your love and your spirit and receive them as part of me,
indistinguishable from my own identity.
I relinquish my life of solitude for one of partnership, communion, and
connection. I vow to thee a commitment greater
than I’ve ever known, one worth fighting for for as long as I have breath in my
lungs. I take you as my spouse, friend,
partner, and my equal in all ways. Let
our strengths complement each other and weaknesses be made strong
together. Accept me as your family and
we will build a future united in LOVE.
