To Be Black In An Anti-Black World
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.
“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.
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
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