Halloween While Black

Halloween Was a Magical Inside Job for This Queens Kid

I may have never gone trick-or-treating, but my mother made our home a Halloween wonderland

Jada Gomez
Momentum
Published in
4 min readOct 26, 2020

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Photo courtesy of the author

America is a country divided and let’s face it: Black people celebrate Halloween in a different way than White people do. Momentum takes a week-long look at #HalloweenWhileBlack.

Every year, once the sun goes down a little earlier and pumpkin spice lattes make their seasonal debut, I have one question for literally everyone I can encounter: What are you going to be for Halloween?

I always enjoy my favorite holiday, whether with a glam mermaid or Princess Jasmine ensemble or in a superhero onesie like I’ll do this quarantined-themed Allhallows’ Eve.

My love for Fright Night has run deep since I was a tiny treater. For one of my first Halloween nights, my mom transformed me into a Barbie doll. Over the years, I became Jem (from the ’80s-baby cartoon Jem and the Holograms), Casper, Minnie Mouse, and Punky Brewster. The only costumes I weren’t down for: Anything scary, ghoulish, or remotely — well — Halloween. When my mom tried to dress me as a witch in the fourth grade, I told her I’d only agree if I could be a nice and beautiful witch. This nine-year-old wouldn’t…

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Momentum
Momentum

Published in Momentum

Momentum is a blog that captures and reflects the moment we find ourselves in, one where rampant anti-Black racism is leading to violence, trauma, protest, reflection, sorrow, and more. Momentum doesn’t look away when the news cycle shifts.

Jada Gomez
Jada Gomez

Written by Jada Gomez

Senior Platform Editor at Medium. Girl with the long last name from the Empire State. NYU Alum. Runner. Puppy Mommy. Smiler.

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