I strongly believe in Black empowerment. My second major in college was African American Studies, which heightened my sense of self and heightened my sense of awareness of the workings of society. Because of my experiences as a Black female and as an AFAM major, I have commensed to sharing what I've learned to others to help make them more aware, more conscious, of the roles of race in our society.
With that said, some of my friends think I hate white people, which is not true. They got this impression of me because I tell a history story that is not quite like the ones they read during History and English class, where slavery, Black inventors, and Black authors were left out. They got this impression of me because I cut all of my hair off and now rock the natural. They got this impression of me because I support Black businesses. Most recently, they got this impression of me because I started a Facebook group called "Amour Noir" or Black Love.
(They got this impression of me, in all fairness, for other reasons as well. See "Excuse Me for Being Overly Race Conscious)
Amoir Noir's purpose is to support Black marriages: "With the nucleus of the Black family threatened everyday by varying influences, it is imperative that we recognize and support the love that thrives among black marriages." We, as Black people, receive a lot of negativity about Black men, Black women, and Black marraiges. All I wanted to do was encourage young Black couples and let them know that they are not alone.
So then, one of my friends, who was being fecetious, asked, "If I marry a white woman can I be invited to the group?" I told him, "No." Then I went on to explain that his marriage would not be a "Black marriage." He went on to aruge that he was Black and I replied with but your wife was n
ot. While we're having this discussion, another one of my friends was sitting next to me. She is engaged to a white man. Then she said, "So you wouldn't invite me?" And I said, "No because that would not be a Black marriage either." So then I was called a racist.I didn't know that supporting Black marriages, or Black artists, Black businesses, or Black whatever meant that I didn't support white endeavors (it is almost impossible to live in America and not support white _________ (fill in the blank)). Believing in myself doesn't mean that I don't believe in someone else. I think some people have Black Power confused with "White Power" (say this with a country twain). White Power meant the oppression and death of a people by an entire society with governmental support (this is the abbreviated version). Black Power means, get up and do something with yourself, believe in yourself, support yourself, stop lying to yourself, seek truth for yourself, give back to your community, stop blaming others, etc. It's so much more than "I hate white people."
Now, some "Black Power" people may not love white people, but thats not me. Don't get it twisted. I love all people and there is nothing wrong with supporting my Black brothers and sisters and being honest about whats really going on in our society.
So with that said--
Black Power
(with my fist raised, my afro picked out, and my afro pick in my back pocket.)
13 comments:
So then, one of my friends, who was being fecetious, asked, "If I marry a white woman can I be invited to the group?" I told him, "No." - RB
I laughed out loud at this joint!!!! That's what's up for real.
And "White Power (say it with a country twang)" had me dying too. And even though I'm not from the South, I've been down there long enough to know that the "power" in White Power is usually just one syllable. LOL
RB -
You know I'm with you on this all the way. I don't get mad anymore when people can receive me. I don't expect to be received. I don't mean to sound cocky, but most don't think like me ... and it's just that simple. Now I just smile and walk away when most people open their mouths. When I first came into my own, I always felt attacked ... primarily by my own, but now I've just realized that's how it is. And that's how they are. It hurts sometimes, but its allowed me to put things in perspective.
I don't hate anyone. I'm a Christian. I just love myself. But one thing I always want to ask, but never do because I know most can't flow with me on this level, when asked "why I hate white people" is "Why do you LOVE white people so much?! Why are you trying to be them subconsciously AND consciously - talk like them, walk like them, where your hair and your clothes like them?!" People are brainwashed FOR REAL. But I don't go there. They couldn't go there with me anyway.
And by the way, I'm all about promoting black love ... and not necessarily black exclusivity, but celebrations of blackness and support systems for it. And why is it that white people (and in your case, their supporters) get so mad when they are excluded from something?! That's like me getting mad because I can't be a Delta.
WHITES HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD!!! This is just a facebook group!! Fall back.
RB and Gene- I definitely agree with y'all. The other day, I listened to one of my co-workers attempt to explain why she chose to go to UGA for undergrad as opposed to one of the many HBCUs; saying that she didn't want to go to a school with all black people because it wouldn't be a diverse experience. I then asked her if her closest friends here were diverse and she told me that her inner circle of friends was black. That made me wonder- what was the point in your decision, if you didn't follow through on your initial reasoning for attending UGA in the first place?
At UNC, people just KNEW I hated white people. I mean, I feel that it was attached to everything with my name because of my association with BSM. Why is it that being pro-Black (or pro-anything that is not white) equates to being anti-white? That seriously disturbs me. I feel that people have a complex about what it means to be empowered, particularly under the notions of black power.
Sociologically speaking, black people don't have the social power to be racist- we can be prejudice, but there is a power/privilege that black people don't have that would equate to racism in the same way that it would for white people. I know people question this, but the good people at UNC's Soci Department drilled us with this info over and over again. It's an interesting thought...
Okay so I've said a lot, but I'll close by saying- BLACK POWER.
lol -- classic RB post.
I was there for the conversation -- it seemed to get a little real hehe :-)
"Sociologically speaking, black people don't have the social power to be racist"- Erin
We learned the same thing in my AFAM classes. So I tried to tell them that I couldn't be racist because I didn't have any power. And one of my friends said, "Thats what the white man wants you to believe because he wrote the books that the professors read." At that point, I just stopped.
"WHITES HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD!!!"-Gene
Gene this brings up an important point. I teach at a predominately Black high school. And Im really working with my kids on believing in themselves and making them aware of whats going on in the world. However, if I really want to make a change change, I need to be put in a predominately white h.s. or a more diverse one because the REAL power is in those schools.
RB -
Why do you think you have to be at a predominantly white high school to be the most powerful?
Erin -
I used to say that I went to a PWI because I wanted a more diverse environment, but I now recognize that my saying that dismissed the diversity of blackness that happens at HBCUs. And like your friend most of my friends ended up being a lot like me at UNC - although we were still relatively diverse (the fact that everyone besides me whose posted on this issue is from a small town in the south backs that up).
But when asked, I eventually grew to say I wanted to be at a school with the best resources to equip me to do what I'm supposed to do. While most can't argue with that, I must say that I HATED being attacked for going to a PWI. To some extent, we've all been engrained with doctrine that says HBCUs are inferior, but I am not the one to fight. Go to the freaking Board of Governors and find out why more money is spent per student for those at UNC than Elizabeth City State.
See that's where I have a problem Gene.
Well not with you but with people getting upset when other people say "NC A&T is inferior to UNC-Ch."
Like, that's a 100 percent true statement.
The problem lies in the "why?" But people get upset when you tell a truth.
Duke is probably a better academic institution than Carolina -- it's all true.
But people get upset -- i don't get it.
I'm with you, Rell. If we clearly define "better" (and when most of us said "better" we meant "more resources" even when we didn't know that's what we meant), you can't argue with that.
Duke - in general - has more resources than UNC. And UNC - in general - has more than A&T. (I say "in general" because I'm sure that there are a few programs and sports at UNC and A&T that are better funded and staffed than comparable programs at Duke and UNC.) Until we acknowledge the problem, it will never be fixed.
People get mad, of course, because they take things personally. This isn't about you kid. It's about privilege, class, nepotism, and all the other tools we have in society to keep some down and others lifted up.
Gene-
I think that I have to be at a predominate school because they are the ones with the power, the money, and the political positions to make social change on a larger level. Im trying to educate my kids to advocate for social justice which takes power away from the oppressors. This is working from the outside-in. So why not educate the oppressors (or their kids) to not be oppressors and work from the in-side out.
So about the whole HBCU thang. I went to a PWI for a very shallow reason. My family loves the TarHeels. My dad is a crazy fan. I fell in love with the school because of football and basketball. So thats the only place I've ever wanted to go. In h.s. I didn't even know what the acronym HBCU stood for. I had heard a bunch of negative stereotypes about black colleges (I'm sure this was the plot of the Man. lol). So I never even thought about attending one. I must say, though, that I am pleased with my college experience.
Both of my parents went to HBCUs, and that was all I knew until my cousin came to UNC.
However, I do think it depends on finances, what you're looking for in college experience, and in career goals. Clearly, if I wanted to be an engineer, I might have trotted myself right down to NC A&T and repped the Aggies to the fullest. If I would have wanted to follow the family tradition, I would have gone to NCCU or NC A&T. But it all came down to me feeling that Carolina was the right place for me- and the scholarship money did help.
I suppose I'd like to see the Board of Governors or whoever commit more money to our HBCUs. Carolina and NCSU get TONS of money every year- and that's great. But the truth of the matter is that if they cut some of that funding from UNC and gave it to any of the HBCUs, UNC would STILL be able to have the money they need because our alumni donate money like crazy. I don't think UNC would ever have to worry about doing without- there are too many alumni, too many Kenans, Moreheads, Popes (to name a few) that would see fit that our beloved alma mater would have what it needed. HBCUs don't necessarily have that same security, and I think the BOG should recognize that and do something to help.
RB -
That makes sense. You're more likely to get allies - who will eventually become decision makers and whose parents are now more likely to be in decision-making positions than not - if you were at a predominantly white high school. Perhaps you can start an initiative uniting Hillside with another school.
Like most Blacks, I have relatives and friends who went to HBCUs and toured them myself. All of the stereotypes aren't true, but many of them are.
Erin -
You're right about the funding thing. UNC will be alright. Michigan - which is the gold standard in public higher education - gets LESS THAN 10 PERCENT of its annual funding from the state. More than 90 percent of its funding comes from private donors. I believe the number at UNC is more than 60 or 70.
Weird thing is that I don't think the state tries to hide its favoritism. UNC gets more per pupil than State and ECU. I'm like surely everyone in the legislature didn't go to UNC. Is someone speaking up about this?
when the $1 billion initiative was passed back in 2000 (or was it 2001) UNC got $500 million of the funds.
The other $500 million was given to the other 15 schools (i think that's right) in the system.
Rell, are you serious?! And voters approved that?! WHAT?!
I think this is an example of maybe people HOPING for a piece of the pie, so they buy into it (see posting on rellavent.blogspot.com about hope). I'm going to assume that most North Carolinians want their kids to at least have the option of going to UNC, so they buy into the school's plans hoping that eventually they'll be a beneficiary. The irony is as UNC keeps getting better, the gap between it and Appalachain State widens.
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