"That year my grey world became a black and white world..."

Through the the eyes of: Brittney
(Written by Brittney)

1. When Did You First Realize You Were Black?

I am a military dependent and I started school in Midwest City, Oklahoma at a private Catholic school. I was the only Black in my class but I never noticed that no one had my complexion or my hair texture. I was just Brittney the girl whose mom drove the cool van. No one treated me differently. At Saint Phillip Neri we were a family and I had no idea there was such a thing as race. My dad received new orders and we were moving back to Clarksville, Tenn. I began the 3rd grade in public school and at Kenwood Elementary I realized that I was Black. I started to notice how people of the same race cliqued together on the playground and at lunch. Then the Black girls would get frustrated with me and ask me “Why are you hanging with the white kids?” I even was asked repeatedly if I was biracial because of the length of my hair. At my private school we all played together and at my new public school there seemed to be rules and an apparent difference in how races interacted with one another. That year my grey world became a black and white world and it opened my eyes to many issues that would encounter, as I grew older.

2. How Black Are You?

If referring to the shade, I’m in the middle of the color spectrum. When it comes to culture, I could not rate it. Growing up in Tennessee, I was told many times that I was not Black. I was an academic success, winning multiple awards at banquets and ceremonies and I always made the honor roll. I spoke as proper as I could use the correct use of words. One day a group of Black girls asked me, “Why do you speak like that?” “Why do you act like that?” I asked them what did they mean and they proceeded to explain that Black people do not speak the way that I did and that Black people did not make the honor roll. I was so confused because I was looking at girls who looked like me but they refused to claim me as their own. I knew that they were wrong in their perspective of me. The “oreo” perspective that I look black but act white. I despise that term and dislike when Blacks refer to themselves as such. There is nothing White or Black about your personality. You are being you and I am being me. Black kids continued to ask me those same questions up until I graduated from that school system. One day I told some of them that I was Blacker than they would ever be because I refuse to be a stereotype and I am exceeding expectations. I was uplifting our race while they were bringing it down. It was a constant battle between them and I. I had longed for them to celebrate my achievement instead of knocking it down. I wanted no more than to be understood and to be accepted by them without having to demerit myself. However, I did find a group of Black friends who had the same experience as me and we are still friends to this day. We were exceptional students with the same middle class status and it was a breath of fresh air for me to have some people who dealt with the same issues.

I am happy that I had this struggle with my standing in the Black world as a teen because it helped me to want to find other people like me with the same experience. I knew that at Howard University I would find what I was looking for. I walked the grounds that Zora Neale Hurston walked and I sat in classrooms where Elaine Locke taught. I would be able to study with students like me and have an academic challenge to succeed. I would also find my purpose as a young Black woman and how I could use my knowledge to educate others. At Howard I learned that I could be a CEO or an activist. I finally seen Black faces with extraordinary talents and status. I learned at my alma mater that we might have the same ancestry, but we are different. We come from different countries with different cultures and different experiences. No one person is Blacker than the other. No matter the socioeconomic status we all have a story and we can all learn from one another to help make a better experience for people of color everywhere.

3. Have You Ever Wanted to Not Be Black?

No, I love the skin that I’m in and I love my ancestry. I would not change how God made me.

4. Can You Swim?

No, but if you threw me in the pool, I would survive.

5. How’s That Post-racial Thing Working Out for Ya?

No such thing as a post-racial society. Whoever thinks so has been sheltered or is naïve. Race will never go away. Race will always be a problem. I think the racial problems now stem from stereotypes that make the ignorant think that everyone is the same. A lack of knowledge has led to innocent Black men getting pulled over by police and either questioned, assaulted or killed. A lack of knowledge has led to Blacks being the most unemployed race in the U.S. It is definitely why you do not see many Black faces in the Media/Communications industry. I am having a hard time gaining an entry in the field and its not because I’m not smart and not experienced. It’s because of the culture and the politics that run that industry. As Blacks we also live with our own societal stereotypes and a lack of knowledge is why our Black men are raised to be athletes and not doctors or schoolteachers. It is also why some of us are raised to take the short cuts in life and cheat the system instead of ever learning how to work hard, do the right thing and be patient.

7. Has Social Media Affected How People Understand What It Means To Be Black?

If anything I think it has harmed us. Blacks make up a large number for user of Twitter and Facebook. Especially in using mobile apps for those social networks. We are the ones creating the trending topics on Twitter and if you haven’t noticed many of them are based off of black stereotypes. Then we participate and bring each other down. We underestimate our cultural influence on this world. If we were using it to push out positive messages it create a different perspective for how others view us. It was clear from the BYU viral video that circulated this month that other races are ignorant to many Black legends that have helped shape America. They were also ignorant to other aspects of our culture. All other people seem to view us as hip-hop Ebonics using pants sagging group of people. I wrote a blog post about how Blacks use social media. Please check it out.

8. How Does Race Affect Your Faith In The United States?

United States is a growing blend of people. The melting pot as they say. We have come a long way from slavery and from Jim Crow. Doors have open for us and we are rising above it all. I think Hispanics will experience many injustices as they grow in population. I believe Generation Y will be fair and tolerant. I have faith that the United States will grow out of its be better than it is now. In years to come people will no longer be able to ignore diversity. No one will be in a bubble and not know how the various races of people have help shape this country. It is up to my generation to share knowledge with the upcoming generation. It is up to us to make sure that they are cultured and experience the unique and diverse set of people who make up this country.

"...after that point you could say I "woke up" to race."

Through the eyes of: Stanley
(Written by Stanley)

I don't think anyone can really trace when they were truly aware of race and his/her own race. As far as I am concerned, I knew I was black since I understood that I existed. But obviously, there comes a time in a child's life when they become aware of race, especially those around you that differ from your own. For me, I think this was when I was in the first grade. The school that I went to was pretty diverse, and up to that point most of my interactions with other kids were of my own race. It wasn't until 1st grade that I truly had white, asian, latin, etc. friends.

I will never forget the time when I realized that the culture I was used to was different from the culture that some of my white friends were accustomed too. Me, a white friend (can't remember his name), and mixed friend (I didn't realized he was mixed at the time but looking back now I know he was half white/half asian) were talking about football. I was telling my white friend how bad Emmit Smith was, but I was using the term word "bad" in the sense that he was awesome and unstoppable. My white friend didn't understand this and we argued because we didn't realize that we were confusing the use of the word. He thought that I was saying Smith was bad, as in not good. My mixed friend understood both sides and he explained what I was trying to say to my white friend. That confusion and then clear up opened my eyes to cultural differences. Now how someone speaks is not necessarily a race thing, but something about that moment made me aware of myself and the race. I don't even think I had grasped the idea yet, that two of my friends were of a different race than my own, so after that point you could say I "woke up" to race. I don't understand why or how, but after that moment I started actually paying attention to the differences in race around me.

So I can't say when I first realized I was black, but I believe it was in the first grade that I realized not everyone was black and that there was a diverse world around me everyday.

"I knew I was different when I had to take standardized testing and could only pick one..."

Through the eyes of: Rebekah
(Written by Rebekah)

When did you first realize you were black?

I am biracial (black/white) so even though both of my parents skin tones were completely different I did not understand race or acknowledge it for a long time. I knew I was different when I had to take standardized testing and could only pick one race but it took me awhile to comprehend what that meant.I think the first time it hit me that I was really different was in the sixth grade. My best friend had an older friend and I guess she didn't like me for some reason...anyways she told my best friend, "why was I hanging out with all the black people...that I didn't belong with them." I swear my heart dropped because I started to think well where do I belong? It's crazy because when I was in elementary all my good friends were black( I did have one white friend named Nicole, she was awesome). I guess I felt like I was more comfortable around black people even if I didn't pay attention to race at the time.

I felt like I wanted to associate myself deeper with the black community after that rude ass girl said those things about me. At times I felt like I had to prove my "blackness" to people because I was mixed.Then there were others who told me that I was considered black because my dad was black. It was like I almost got a pass LOL.

I really didn't start fully embracing both of my races until I was well into college. I went to an HBCU my first two years and was pro black everything. I never really talked about my white side which was kind of weird.

One day I was hanging out with a friend listening and enjoying non hip hop music and it just hit me. I thought to myself wow liking different things that are not just associated with the black culture is okay. I felt like this wall had come down and I was free to embrace both sides. Now I can say that I proudly embrace both of my races and don't care if people think "I'm acting white or acting black" <----I hate when people say that.

It may sound weird but even though I embrace both races I still feel the most comfortable around black people. I feel like I can relate more. Whether it sounds right or not, that's the way I feel.

Just call me confused & mixed up & I LOVE IT!! :)

At 96, First Black Woman To Serve In U.S. Coast Guard Continues Fight For Civil Rights

Photo by Dina Sciortino

(Repost from White Plains Patch and Huffington Post.)

An angry mob of white men charged into her house while her mother was cooking breakfast. They robbed the house and tossed out the freshly made meal after burning down a clothesline where her doll clothes hung. Dr. Olivia Hooker first experienced discrimination at the age of 6, while hiding under a table with her siblings for of fear of being shot.

“They didn’t break the [family’s] old rugged cross,” said Hooker, who has lived in White Plains [Greenburgh] for the last 59 years. “In a sense, they gave us a message about what they thought was appropriate for us.”

Click here to read more...

"I can not remember having any negative feelings associated with (color) as a child."

Through the eyes of: LaShawndra (Written by LaShawndra)

I realized I was black when I was in elementary school. I had to be in either the first or second grade. I often noticed that the majority of people at my school were very similar to me and lived in the same areas I lived in and knew so well. I had one friend who did not exactly look like me or what I was use to, but she was apart of the things (places and people) that I had associated with the norm. Although, I was able to realize the difference (as far as color of skin was concerned) amongst my childhood friend and I, I will say that I can not remember having any negative feelings associated with it as a child. Today, being a product of the South, having an African American president, and being consciously aware of subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) prejudices has inevitably made me more aware of my blackness.

"You talk like a white girl."

My last post described my plans for the month of February and possibly an extension beyond this month in honor of Black History. One website is asking one question a day about "blackness." The responses I've read thus far have been quite interesting, but I wanted to feature some responses on my own blog.

Sure, I know other people who are shades of brown like myself. But I don't know their life experiences. Just like no one really knows mine...I couldn't tell it if I tried, but I could offer a piece of it.

I reached out to some of my good friends, as well as family members to help me out by sharing their stories by answering a question of their choice, posted for the month of February. We each have a unique experience and no one can understand and tell it better than the person who's been through it. I will feature the entries I receive one a week or two a week, depending on how many entries I have.

With a goal of opening minds and taking a chance at understanding the life of someone different from your own, I offer these entries...starting with my own (below). If you have a submission, please comment/contact me and I will be happy to feature you.

-Stacia

Q: When did you first realize you were Black?

A: I can’t say I particularly remember a defining moment where I looked at myself and said “I’m black.” As a child, the term “black” can be damaging because it’s looked at as a literal term, and it can be confusing…most “Black” or “African-American” people (whatever term you choose) look down at their hands and don’t see a shade resembling black. I would say that a child views the term “Black” that same way. For this reason, my family often refrains from using the terms “black” and “white”, especially around my nephew, a 4-year-old child. So, looking at my skin tone, I always thought I was brown. My time as a small child, up to about 3rd or 4th grade, was spent on military bases where I played and interacted with kids of all shades, and saw combinations of parents from different backgrounds all the time. This was my reality as a military brat. I viewed everyone as just another color out of a box of crayons. I couldn’t see a difference when it came to inequality, discrimination, etc. I didn’t experience any of that as a child.

But when I moved to Tennessee (where my father retired), I remember a little Black girl saying to me in 4th grade “you talk like a white girl.” I couldn’t really fathom what this meant but I cried and cried. I just knew it hurt my feelings. At that point, I struggled for a while to find my “identity.” My eyes were opened to how some people talked differently from others but there were people of all shades who were just like me…I don’t really remember a specific point where I could blatantly see the difference in treatment but it was probably sometime in high school. I’d be around groups of people that were white and while they’d talk, they would often reference a Black person with some offensive description that made me feel some kind of way…a feeling of discomfort. Quite a few things happened, actually. I can recall some examples so clearly it’s as if they happened yesterday. When one of my white friends would hang out with me and other Black people, she’d be accused to acting like a “wigger.” Whatever that meant…it was pure ignorance. Like déjà vu, I was told (by a white person this time) that I was the “Whitest black person they knew.” Once again, I was insulted and my feelings were hurt. I even heard a girl in my class once reference Black people as “colored.” SMH. One of my Korean friends told me the negative things she would hear about African-Americans in Korea before coming to the United States…how we were “bad.” However, she told me that she realized that she had more in common with us than most of her white counterparts. She spoke as if she understood Black Americans better through some sort of “minority connection” that caused her to experience the same types of discrimination and uneasiness that Black people in America faced. These particular things stuck in my mind, obviously. To this day, I haven’t forgotten them and several other instances where I’ve felt…well, Black, I guess.

I could never and will never understand why certain people, white or black, equate my intelligence, the way I speak, or the way I carry myself as being “white-like.” I’ve always just done me…and, until Tennessee, that was good enough. My life experiences have forced me to open my eyes and see that ignorance doesn’t discriminate. It crosses color barriers. It's a taught behavior to see that people are different and my parents never taught me to see that. They raised me to believe that we are all the same. But it was the kids whose parents did teach them to see differences that opened my eyes to realizing, I was different.

Black History Month...Colorblind

written by: stacia_doss.
Over the years, I've written a lot of poems that can all be relevantly used in honor of Black History month. I want to do something a little different on TWU this February and hopefully continue throughout the year in between my usual posting subjects.

I stumbled upon this site: http://howtobeblack.me. It offers viewpoints from a variety of people (not just Black people) in honor of the book "How to be Black," a lesson that people from any cultural background would be intrigued by, including myself. In short, here is what the site is doing: "Throughout Black History Month (and beyond), we’ll be focusing on questions of identity." Check it out on your own, because I have obviously given a pretty vague description. I, myself, will be answering some of these questions and I invite you all to, as well.

Here are the first eight questions that have been posted:

Blackness Questionnaire

1. When Did You First Realize You Were Black?

2. How Black Are You?

3. Have You Ever Wanted to Not Be Black?

4. Can You Swim?

5. How’s That Post-racial Thing Working Out for Ya?

6. Why Can’t We Just Ignore Racial Differences Already?

7. Has Social Media Affected How People Understand What It Means To Be Black?

8. How Does Race Affect Your Faith In The United States?

First, though, I wanted to post a note I published on Facebook in 2006. It still is and will probably always be relevant:

i think back to when i was little...

i didnt see color..

all i saw was people-

until that point in life that i realized,

we're not the same,

the point in life where one incident shows us

that we are treated differently...

but now , though grown and far from naive...

im still ignorant to the question of "why?"

why did i have to reach that point in life where i realized

such a thing as color existed?

sometimes i wish we all had the innocence of a child...

when different colors of skin were blind to my eyes,

and we were all ONE people....