"You're not really black." This statement has been one regularly said to me since I was in high school. A statement so frequently said by my friends, my peers, and even my own family. At first, I laughed. I giggled. I never contradicted the statement. I never really found any reason to look too deeply into it. But, in the light of recent events and the movement for black people to be taken more seriously as a race, I have to say it. I'm black and I'm proud.
There's this idea in our world that a race can act a certain way. That not only is the skin a way to put people into groups, but also the way they behave is a way that's easily identifiable. I started to realize this as I went through school. I've always been good at school. It has always been a comfortable environment for me. One where I could share my ideas and opinions with zero fear. Because of this love I had for school, I found myself in many advanced classes. During my middle school years, there was diversity in these classes. However, when high school rolled around it was me and a couple of other minorities present in these advanced classes.
Because of my success in school, I've always been accused by both sides of an assimilation into the white culture. White friends thought it was okay to criticize my culture because '"I wasn't one of those black people." They would slander Black Lives Matter and yell at the top of their lungs that ALL LIVES MATTER. Apparently, it never crossed their minds that someone like me would ever be interested in the politics that concerned MY people. It didn't stop there. Black friends looked at me as a traitor because I wasn't being "true" to my roots. I was always called out because I wasn't "black" enough. The clothes I wore and the way I spoke didn't vibe well with them. Well, will someone please explain to me how to be black? What is the proper way to live my life as a black person? Evidently, I'm doing it wrong. Should I pop my gum loud, toss my head to the side, and repeatedly pat my weave? Should I say finna instead of going to or should I say axing instead of asking? Should I lower myself to the stereotypes that both races seem to believe makes a black person? Would that make everyone much more comfortable?
Times are STILL changing. I say still because no matter how far this country will like to think it has improved with racism, there's a disease of the mind that still needs healing. Regardless, don't claim me to be other than what I am to make your black and white view of the world make sense. I'm black! Don't call me white.
