In the words of the great Dr. Gregory House, “The eyes can mislead, a smile can lie, but the shoes always tell the truth.” When I visited Amherst College for the admitted students weekend, I had a striking realization: There was a serious lack of Jordans! Amherst College was supposed to be a place that held diversity as one of its great pillars, but after a full day and a half, passing by what must have been at least 700 people, I counted not one, not two, but three. Three pairs of Jordans including my own. And trust me, coming from the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia Metropolitan Area) I have an eye for shoe game. If there were a pair of Jordans in sight, I didn’t miss them. Now to many of you, this may sound like a joke, but again, trust me, this is no laughing matter.
Before we continue, take a moment to think about how you may perceive these two people:
Young black male in Sperrys, pastels, Vineyard Vines shirt, buzz cut hair, or
Young black male in Jordans, baggy jeans, and a Crooks & Castles shirt (if you’re asking yourself what Crooks & Castles is, just think of a more urban black equivalent Armani Exchange), and last but not least, Odell Beckham Jr. hair.
Think hard.
Now, there is absolutely no question that Amherst is an institution that pushes the envelope when it comes to diversity. However, achieving racial diversity in no way means achieving cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is the renowned melting pot and cultural pluralism that the United States is supposed to have, and is the environment that Amherst strives to create. Upon my visit, I saw quite a bit of racial and ethnic diversity, but far less of variety in culture. At Amherst there were students of every color but not of every creed. All of the black students I met and know at Amherst are from middle-upper class income families and attended private schools. By no means does this describe all black American students at Amherst, I am afraid that it depicts an overwhelming majority. Their black culture and the way they are perceived by the world is drastically different from many, and in fact most, black people. It is imperative to acknowledge that black is not always black, and within a single race, cultural superiority does exist.
MIT's Dean of School Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Melissa Nobles puts it this way: "The growth of a black middle class [is] creating greater diversity among blacks. Consequently, poor and working-class people have been left behind, creating division within the black community.” My point is that the poor and working class black Americans went exactly where the Jordans did, and that place is not Amherst.
Amherst is right when it says its student body is “A Community That Looks Like the World.” Ethnically, Amherst is one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the United States. Nonetheless, coming from a school where Jordans are commonplace, I continue to have my reservations.
Although Jordans were scarce, there was no shortage of Sperrys boat shoes at Amherst. In contrast with Jordans, a large element of the appeal of Sperrys is in their entanglement with upper class white culture: boating, country clubs, and their non-threatening, unimposing look. These allusions give Sperrys a flavor of elitism. Sperrys say, “I don't need to differentiate myself with my shoes, because my privilege, money, and plaid shirt do that for me.” This is a lie, of course, but it is one that retains a hint of persuasive power. It is a fallacy which many of the middle and upper class blacks desire, and so their culture follows. They have traded in their Jordans for Sperrys and Vans.
Of course everything I have discussed is strictly based on brief observation, but trust me, the shoes don’t lie. We can no longer look at diversity from racial and economic standpoints.
Numbers, scores, and incomes make creating truly diverse environments extremely difficult, and Amherst is taking leaps and bounds in the right direction. In no way do I write this to antagonize Amherst College in any way, but entering into a PWI (Predominantly White Institution), it is something that I as a black male in America must remain cognizant of, and am reminded of every time I step outside.
Sperrys ≠ Jordans. No Jordans = No Diversity.
