The key to saving this world is to resist the diminution of human beings. According to Amartya Sen, an Indian economist and philosopher, we have diminished each individual through the process of communitarian thinking. Communitarian thinking enables us to identify one another based on one singular characteristic. As a result, our vision is impaired because we do not see our complex and unique features that make us who we are. Instead of seeing myself as a Christian, African-American and Puerto-Rican young woman, I am coerced into seeing myself as just African-American.
I often struggle with my identity as an Afro-Latina woman who was raised in a predominantly white area. It was/is difficult for me to feel accepted when I have been labeled as an “oreo.” For those of you who are not familiar with the term, black people are labeled as “oreos” when they act “white.” I find this label degrading on a number of levels because its purpose is to categorize all black people into one entity. When you call someone an “oreo” you are consciously stripping them of their identity, and for a portion of my life, I felt as if I was not black enough. Being black is much more than a skin complexion, it’s a lifestyle. I believed the lies of my peers telling me that I had to act a certain way if I wanted to call myself “black” and according to them I was not measuring up to their standards. Through self-reflection I have come to understand the serious ramifications to the name “oreo.” I asked my friend one day, to explain to me why she considers me to be a disgrace to the black populous, and her answer was astounding. From her contorted perception, I was “white” because I talked proper, had white friends, had a sophisticated sense of style, and valued my education. I was shocked. If black people do not see themselves as intelligent individuals with bright futures, then how are we supposed to change the perception of others? I quickly realized how we have ALL been conditioned to believe these lies; being black does not give you immunity.
However, change cannot occur if we are not willing to address the issue in the first place.
One of the main issues in America, is the denial of racism. Because of white privilege, the majority of white Americans believe that racism is eradicated; when it has become a systematic problem that is deeply entrenched into every aspect of our lives. Tim Wise, an anti-racist advocate, emphasized this point when he spoke about the implications of white Americans being a part of the dominant group. When one is a part of the dominant group, they are blinded to the disparities and inequalities between contrasting ethnicities. America has created a superordinate group (whites) and a subordinate group (black and brown people) that enables white people to flourish in a society catered towards them, while black and brown people are treated as second class citizens. As I previously stated, the media has indoctrinated us ALL to believe, the stereotypes and negative connotations associated with black people.
Because of the current social dynamic in this country, it is imperative for us to come together, and openly discuss these issues. We cannot be color blind; we have to be color conscious; acknowledging that there are disparities between each ethnicity. However, while it is imperative that we see color, it is our responsibility to see one another as unique human beings first. We cannot categorize each individual into one group, and ignore their other traits. We are multi-dimensional human beings. It’s time that we change our lenses, and start to see one another for who we really are.
Stunning article. Keep writing!
I will say that this post mastered the use of kairos. With everything that is occurring within our society, this post was written at the perfect time. I will not comment too much about the issues at hand or how we should be moving forward because I think you and the others who commented before me handled that part well. I just want to tell you to ALWAYS BE YOURSELF. And to ALWAYS LOVE YOURSELF. The Black Community has a huge tendency to dissipate within itself due to separation within our community. Whether it is colorism, homophobia, sexism, etc., our community allows more prejudice ideals to fester within the community. We often define Black as if it has one definition and rule out the Black person who do not fit this definition. It is a learning process for us all within the community to learn how to love every different type of Black person whether they are weird, gay, upper or lower class, male, female, likes rock or loves hip-hop, has an eccentric style or like to wear plain clothes.
Alisa,
Your post is SO timely. I’ve spent the weekend glued to the television as our Black and Brown brothers and sisters kneel during the anthem only to be called derogatory names by people in power. With this, I recognize the importance of this conversation and others like it. I know this wasn’t the main purpose of your post, but it alludes to your statement about our alleged “colorblind” and “transcending race” environment. I agree, we can’t be colorblind. In fact, it gets us further form our goals. I’ve always asked others, if you’re color blind does that mean you can’t see me? Do I not exist to you? Am I invisible? If I’m not Black what am I? The concept of a colorblind society appears to be another aspect in which one’s identity is taken away.
As someone who’s been called an Oreo in the past, I appreciate your analysis, commend you for having the tough discussions with friends, and encourage you to continue writing and researching this area of modern day American race-relations. I look forward to reading more of your posts! P.S. sorry my comment is all over the place, I have so many thoughts and could go on and on about race and identity. Again, thanks for sharing!
What a moving piece of writing. You bring up issues that are ever so present in our society today. First, these interactions between two friends should never be happening. This is not how people should treat other people, let alone friends. Secondly, one of your lines that resonates with me the most, and one that I certainly agree with is, “we cannot be color blind; we have to be color conscious”. This is where we fall short as a society, and an idea we need to pay close attention to. It is obvious that we are living among diverse skin colors many cultures, but that means we should put in more effort to enforce notions of equality and be supportive of diversity. People often make unintentional, degrading comments about race. This is sad and unsettling, but points out how different cultures and societal “standards” have been formed. How can we change this culture? How do we change people’s perceptions? What do we say back? It is imperative to stand up for individuality and disregard hurtful behavior, or, use it to prove others wrong of their dishonor. As much as this problem originated years ago when MLK made his “I have a dream” speech to address such concerns, these issues have not faded away. If anything, racial disputes have become a larger problem by the ongoing incidents across the country and will continue to persist unless we confront our friends about their behavior.
Alisa,
I absolutely loved this. As a black woman who was also labeled an “Oreo”, I completely agree with the feeling of being “not enough” for either side. There is a double standard among black people. The fight starts with us, as minorities it is important to know we are not inferior. The divide between us only tears us down even more. Once understanding our complexities and greatness, we can band together and educate people who cannot seem to see past their privilege. I agree with having to acknowledge color, because that is apart of our identities and a step into understanding the disparities among us. But color is not all we are and that is something that minorities and majorities have to understand as a whole. I believe you are the start to a greater generation of higher thinking and understanding of what it means to be more than just black but also loving your skin.
This blog was well written and really covered all of the points relating to identity, why it is a problem and possible solutions to the problem. The first thing I realized while reading this article was finding my identity as an “African” amid African-Americans. In this day and age, people are more accepting and welcoming but growing it I used to be ashamed to say that I was African due to the teasing and constant disrespect towards my people and culture. My first name is Oluwasanmi but it was not until I got to college when I fully cherished and appreciated the name.With that said, it is weird because some Africans do not see me as a “true African” and some blacks just see me as an “African.” Again, still pulling me into the loop of trying to find my identity.
Another thing I want to bring up is if your “friend” is really your friend? You made a statement that set me aback while I was reading this blog. ” I asked my friend one day, to explain to me why she considers me to be a disgrace to the black populous, and her answer was astounding.” For you to reach a point where you think you are a disgrace to a race of your own by trying to be successful and doing the right things just shows how much we as people need to grow in order to understand people’s differences. Personally, I have reached a point where my self-confidence is so strong, it really does not matter what anyone says to me anymore.
Outside of me finding confidence, it does not hide the fact that people have been brainwashed to adhere to certain standards because of the conditions we were brought up in. Until then, there is a ton of work to help improve this situation.
I want to first start by just saying thank you for writing this. You brought up one of the biggest issues I see with communities of color. I grew up in a predominantly latino community that was also surrounded by poverty. Because of the poor quality of education provided by the public schools near me, my parents chose to send me to a private middle school in a different neighborhood. It was a great school that allowed me to gain an extensive vocabulary at a young age. Because of my vocabulary I was commonly called white. It is so troubling that people are discouraged from gaining an education especially from such a young age. One of my favorite points that you made during your post was your point that we should not be color blind but instead color conscious. More people need to realize the systematic oppression of people from historically marginalized communities. Overall I really enjoyed your post and look forward to further similar discussions over the course of the academy.