To Be Black In An Anti-Black World

Source: Vox Media

To be black is certainly a privilege in that we’re given the opportunity to freely partake in a diverse culture that spans across the globe. However, there are number of inconveniences that we experience in various places and at various stages, that can make it incredibly difficult to be a black person in this world.

“You Talk So White.”

Oftentimes, if you’re a black person and you have an expansive lexicon or speak with a certain cadence, you’re told that you “talk white.” This occurs to black people both by other black people, along with whites. And it still happens to this day.

The Code Switch

Let’s take it a step further. When you’re a black person entering the workforce, specifically in corporate and academic spaces, there’s a tendency that is taught and developed called “code switching.” Code switching is an assimilated (socially affiliated with “white”) way of speaking that deviates from using vernacular and informal ways of speech that are commonly said within the black community.

Source: Travel Noire

“Do They Like Black People Here?”

I’ll never forget when I took my first international trip. It was a school trip to Italy, and I was the only dark-skinned black male there. Prior heading to the airport, I found myself googling questions such as “How are black people treated in Rome?” and “Is Florence, Italy black-friendly?” These are not questions that any 16 year-old should be googling before their first international trip.

Source: Pinterest

Black People Who Work At *Insert Here*

Most black people, again, specifically within corporate and academic spaces have had to cope with being the only black person in the room some or all of the time. Therefore, there’s an inclination for us to do research, whether on LinkedIn or a masthead, on black people who work at a specific organization. Appropriate and intentionally diverse hiring practices aimed at hiring black staff and leadership should be more common than it is.

Photo 3 - Vox Media

Photo 2 - Courtesy Travel Noire

Photo 1 - She's Single/Pinterest

Report: Julian Alexander Randall

Aunt Jemima and Racism on American Shelves

The smiling face of the Aunt Jemima pancake mix is something many Americans have grown up seeing. Memories of syrupy sweet flapjacks during early morning hours speckle the childhoods of those familiar with the brand; it is both a cult classic and a fan favorite amongst the masses.

What many don’t know is that the brand is built upon deeply racist roots. Aunt Jemima’s name was taken from “Old Aunt Jemima”, a minstrel show song once sung by performers in blackface. The smiling woman on the box is a stereotype of the ‘mammy’ character from slave plantations. She serves as a representation of the happy slave– a representation of a black woman ready and willing to serve white people.

On June 17, Quaker Oats announced that they plan to rebrand Aunt Jemima. The brand has undergone a fair amount of minor image updates through the years, but the company decided that these changes were not enough. Instead, they announced that the brand would return in the fall with a new logo and name.

Many are relieved about this change. It is a step towards removing the normalization of black subservience that lines American grocery shelves. Following Quaker Oats’ announcement to change all Aunt Jemima products, other companies quickly followed suit. Brands such as Uncle Ben’s, Cream of Wheat and Mrs. Buttersworth have also decided to retire their marketing strategy and rebrand their products.

Systemic racism is not only powered by institutionalized hatred but also from everyday stereotypes and commonplace images. The origins of such symbols must be addressed in order to change society into a better one; by trying to revoke the normalization of racist imagery, the perpetual trauma born from such representation can be gradually slowed and hopefully stopped.

Photo 1: https://www.insider.com/best-pancake-mix-store-brand-2017-3

Photo 2: https://thekrazycouponlady.com/2017/12/18/aunt-jemima-pancake-mix-only-1-50-at-walgreens

Report: Nicolette Schneiderman

Black People Are Not An Antiracism Course

In light of the unlawful killings of Ahmaud Arbery, and more recently, George Floyd, there has been a resurgence amongst non-black people to educate themselves on social issues that directly impact black people. Thus, they tend to turn to black people for book recommendations, resources and other educational materials to better themselves in this area. Although most black people are willing to answer questions and provide resources to non-black people that will aid them in a better understanding of black issues, we are not an antiracism course. Black people are not an antiracism course. As a black person in America, continuing to explain black plight to white and other non-black people is a mentally and emotionally laborious task that should not always solely rely on us. I, as a black American citizen, am not responsible for the totality of a non-black person’s understanding of police brutality, white supremacy, racism, etc.

The majority of us have more than likely either been a student or employee. In both of these instances, at one point or another, we were expected to learn something new and had to utilize the resources around us to learn it. I want to encourage people to apply that same practice when it comes to their education on social issues involving the black community. However, one does not have to acquire all of the knowledge and education in order to speak out against antiracism and police violence. The poetic, complex and verbose statements that we’re seeing in Instagram captions are not necessary in order to develop an effective message. Simple phrases such as “End police brutality,” “Value black lives,” and “Stop killing black men and women,” are simple statements that draw attention to the multiplicity of issues we’re facing societally. Empathy and common sense are the only prerequisites necessary to understand that there are grave injustices at place in America that warrant a global outcry.

Report: Julian Alexander Randall