My identity has always been built around what I value most
Recently, sports commentator, podcaster, and Black influencer Stephen A. Smith asked a question that generated a lot of discussion: “What’s wrong with identifying yourself as Black first?”
My answer is simple. Nothing is wrong with it if that’s how someone chooses to identify. But for me, my identity has always been built around what I value most.
First, I’m a Christian. My relationship with Jesus Christ shapes everything about my life. It influences how I treat people, how I make decisions, how I view success, and how I respond to adversity.
Second, I’m a husband, father, and family man. My family is one of God’s greatest blessings in my life, and those relationships carry tremendous responsibility and meaning.
Third, I’m a Black man.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m never ashamed of being Black. In fact, I’m grateful for how God made me. I appreciate my heritage, my history, and the many contributions Black Americans have made to our nation and the world. But race is not the foundation of my identity. Race describes me, but it doesn’t define me. My faith does.
This is where the conversation gets a little more complicated. When someone says they identify as Black first, it raises an important question: What exactly do we mean by Black identity? Part of the challenge is that what many people mean by Black identity today is not always the same as what previous generations meant. Historically, much of Black identity in America was deeply rooted in Christian faith, strong families, hard work, perseverance, personal responsibility, and the central role of the church. Those values helped generations overcome discrimination, poverty, and enormous obstacles. They built businesses, raised families, started churches, and created opportunities for future generations.
When I think about Black culture, those are many of the things I want people to see and celebrate. I want people to think of excellence, hard work, dedication, loyalty, faith, resilience, education, entrepreneurship, and strong families. I want people to think about a community that has repeatedly overcome obstacles, created opportunities where none existed, and contributed greatly to every area of American life. Those are the qualities that should immediately come to mind when people think about Black culture.
Many years ago, in his song “Changes,” Tupac challenged Black people to step our game up and make changes that would improve our lives. In many ways, that challenge is still relevant today. Maybe we need to change the way we think. Maybe we need to change the way we eat, the way we live, the way we treat one another, and the way we invest in our families and communities.
Like Tupac and many others who have challenged us to become better, my goal isn’t to criticize Black culture. My goal is to help Black culture flourish. I want us to embrace the best parts of our heritage while strengthening our families, investing in our communities, pursuing excellence, and passing on values that will help the next generation thrive. We have so much to celebrate, and we have every reason to continue building a future that reflects the very best of who we are.
So when people ask me who I am, my answer remains the same:
I’m a Christian first.
I’m a family man second.
I’m a Black man third.
I’m proud of all three. But that order matters because it reflects the values that guide my life. Race describes me, but it doesn’t define me.
My faith does.
Alex Bryant is a pastor, author, and speaker who writes about race, faith, and culture in America.
