50 shades of black

How “black” are you really? How much rap do you listen to? How much slang resonates in your speech? You play basketball, right? How close is your identity to the stereotypical behavior of black Americans? What is your rating on the “being black" scale?

Being black is not just a set of characteristics. It represents a long history of racialization throughout the United States (and throughout the world). To me, it is a process by which black Americans have been characterized to embody certain character traits—and not embody others. It is a process describing the classification of blacks overtime—from slavery, to education, to occupational opportunity. Needless to say, it does not have a history of representing privilege. To this day, the less associated with the negative stereotypical aspects of black culture a person is, the more fit he or she is seen in the work place.

In the context of our generation, being black is often used as a way to describe a person’s character traits that are most likely to fit into the mold society has created for black America. In my own experience, I see this idea used more often amongst the black population as a way to create a divide amongst each other. Many students of color on campus may share similar experiences in being told that they are not “black enough” to fit into the construct of being black. However, although this stigmatization can be heavily due to skin color, many of us may have also experienced it through disparity in education. None of us would be at this institution if we operated at the level that is expected for black children in America—the public educational system is not naturally set up to have black students at prestigious higher education institutions. But as a result, we were chastised by our peers for being “different." That is, we are too smart to be “regular black”—a grave insult to the intricate minds of colored people even if it is an understandable assumption given history.

Racialization is not just a black thing. It is a human problem that has been observed all across the world for nearly all of recorded history. But even still, you would think that after years of integration of cultures in America there would be more “oneness” in the country where there is supposedly liberty and justice for all. It stuns me that we remain so behind, particularly as other countries carve out healthier racial dynamics. For instance, in my country of Trinidad and Tobago, a multitude of ethnicities are represented across our culture. Although there may be racial stigma as in any situation, the difference is not as consciously apparent. To us, no matter whether your great grandparents come from India, China, Europe or Africa, we are one people. This is a result of efforts on multiple levels to make sure that people are integrated in education, government and social interactions. We need the same thing to happen here.

What if blackness meant educated, successful and cultured? What if it meant unity? We can still hold on to the roots of our heritage without holding on to the negativities that have hindered our past. There are several aspects of our “culture” that have been defined by others, attributes that we have held on to because of convenience and expectancy. But being black no longer has to be synonymous with oppression; it can reflect the identity of the president of the United States, scholars, and sergeants. Remember the stories of the kings and queens who marched before us, the brilliant colors that we represent, the rhythm in our music and the richness in our food. It is crucial to never forget where we came from, but we cannot afford to let it hinder our futures.

Kalifa Wright is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Friday.