"You know that you 'talk white.' right?"

"Why do you always 'talk white'?"

"I never hear you use any slang. Do you think you're 'too good' to be black?"

The list could go on forever, but these are some of the phrases I can recall some of my "friends" saying from elementary school all the way to high school. Even as I am in college right now, I still hear these words too often from people both inside and outside the black/African-American community. I have never liked the term because I find it to be derogatory and insulting, as well as the message that is tied with the phrase. People use the phrase as a way to insinuate that I wanted to be a part of the white community or culture and lose my ties with my African-American heritage. I felt like I was attacked for me speaking proper English. I tried so hard to understand what "talking white" meant and why it was such a big deal when I came to the realization that "talking white" doesn't exist. If you didn't know, it is actually called "speaking fluently" or "speaking your language correctly."

I don't understand why society places a negative connotation on young black people speaking English the way we are supposed to. I thank my parents for teaching and raising me in a way that they would be proud of the young lady that I have become. If speaking fluently makes me white, then so be it, but I refuse to let other peoples' opinion of me dictate who I am as a person. I am an articulate, intelligent, young African-American lady, and I will not apologize for how I was raised or for the way I speak.

The irony of this situation is that people of the same skin color as me express the same views, too. They think that I should behave like them, "talking black," which consists of using slang and improper English. Instead of trying to build each other up, they criticize me for the way I carry myself. It's disheartening because most of them will accept how society portrays and will not challenge it. A lot of the stereotypes surrounding the African-American community is that we are uneducated and uninspired and unintelligent. They don't see us at the next CEOs, politicians, doctors, lawyers or scientists. They see us as inarticulate, high school dropouts, raising children with several baby mamas and daddies while living in the projects. It's almost as if they cannot picture us rising to the occasion and being something more than what society expects of us. It's almost as if people don't expect us to be intelligent, to be capable of graduating from high school, going on to college or even having any achievements in our lives. It's like we should not have any expectations to be great in this world and have the same aspirations as white people. I want to be great in this world. I want to accomplish all of my goals, and I don't want to be seen as the stereotypical black/African-American individual. I will not shrink myself and conform to what others expect of me because my manner of speech doesn't match with my skin color. If a white person can go to college, graduate and have a successful career afterwards, why can't a young African-American person have the same goals? Why should someone's race be an indication of how well they perform in school or other areas of their life? The expectations society places on different racial or ethnic groups only continues to hinder the ability and potential of young individuals.

I will not let anyone's views of me dictate what type of person I should be. Why should the way I was raised be anyone's concern or business? Why should I feel guilty about speaking my first language properly? Why should the color of my skin indicate the way I should speak? All of these stereotypes and preconceived notions are hindering African-Americans from being all that they can be . Every time we think we are reaching equality, we take one step backwards because we are held to such low expectations. We are not moving in a direction where everyone can peacefully coexist and be seen as equals. There shouldn't have to be labels that define how white people should speak and how black people should speak. "Talking white" doesn't exist as much as "talking black" doesn't exist. When we stop placing labels on everything, we can learn to move past judgement and move forward with acceptance. I am not ashamed of the color of my skin because I accept myself for the way I am, despite what others might say. All that matters is what I think and see of myself. The color of my skin should not and does not influence the way I speak.