OP-EDS ON RACISM, FALL TERM 2010

Could You Be
the Bigger Nigger?

If 15 year-old Elizabeth Eckford could bring

dignity, determination, and courage to facing
an angry, white mob in 1957,
why can’t you and I face
structural racism
in 2011?

Anything that separates the human race

is a form of racism. This is our testimony.

On Sept. 4, 1957, surrounded by a white mob, including Hazel Bryan jeering behind
DR. KYRA GAUNT, PH.D.
her, 15 year-old Elizabeth Eckford (right) of the Little Rock 9 was denied entrance to
Little Rock Central High School. Her skin color didn’t cause the violence (watch live ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, CURATOR/MENTOR EDITOR
kyraocity@gmail.com
video). Photo from National Parks Service/Will Counts/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Revised 24 Jan 2011

Dedicated to the stand of the Little Rock 9 students in
1957, to James Baldwin (1924-1987) and his works, and
to the 25th anniversary on January 17, 2011 of the
national U.S. holiday recognizing the birth, service and
legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968).

Whatever affects one directly, affects all

indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be
until you are what you ought to be.
This is the interrelated structure of reality.

– Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.

No Amount of God Will Make Me Any Less Gay by peer editor Valeesa AUGUSTINE page 27
A Good Fit for Debt by peer editor Chris KIPROVSKI  page 51
AloneTogether by Kristen MATONTI  page 34
Bravery & Fear by Michelle CHAN  page 50
Breaking the Barriers by Isaac SETTON  page 42-43
Colored Justice: For The Parents? by Jennifer GLASPER  page 40-41
Coming Out Illegal by peer editor IRVING page 10-11
Cordoba: Word of the Day by Rahat CHOWDHURY  page 9
Facing Up To Whiteness by peer editor Kevin GERMAN page 37
Fenced In Whiteness by Trevor SMITH page 46
History is Skin-Deep by Kashma EVELYN  page 13-14
Hit By Stereotype by Natali NASSIMIAN  page 48
I Am Not My Hair 我不是我的头发 by Jeanine “Nkechi” EZEH  page 38
Introduction by mentor editor Dr. Kyra GAUNT page 5
Naming the Inequity by Antoinette DAVIS  page 8
Nigger Rich by Laser SMALL  page 33
Original Songs by Matthew KISS page 28
Paying The Toll by Danielle MORA  page 51
Play with the Darker Children! by Kamylle MACINTOSH  page 20-21
POEMS by Quinton MCDONALD  page 45
Race Matters…No! I Do! by peer editor Abigaelle REVERS page 47
Racism as a Crutch by peer editor Dabney JEAN page 16-17
Re-Covering Islam by IQRA page 44
Roughing the Passer by Andrew BAEZ  page 55-57
Soy Sauce and the Milk by Hunter WEAVER-DANIEL  page 26
Stop Segregation by peer editor Nadege NAU page 35-36
Stripping My Pakistani Identity by Usman JAVED  page 29-30
The Black People Bubble by Tiana JONES  page 49
The Colorblind Bubble by Nicole BALESTRIERE  page 22
The Housekeeper's Daughters by Chloe ZALCMAN page 19
The Privilege of a Public Education by Sarah MANCIN  page 39
The Rules of Racial Engagement by Sidney CHEN  page 7
The “Struggle” by Duncan GOODWIN  page 18
The World in a Jar by Andre MENDEZ  page 31-32
White or Wong by Samantha WONG page 53-54
 4

?
Wordle.net

©2011

AN INTRODUCTION by Dr. Kyra D. Gaunt, Ph.D.
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Title
It may alarm you but 34 students arrived at the book
title by a unanimous consensus. One of them said,
“they’ll get it when they read our essays.” The price
15 year-old Elizabeth Eckford (cover photo) paid so
that we all gained access to our educational civil and
human rights must have required that she be “bigger”
than she and especially whites “knew” her to be as a
so-called “nigger.” In 2011, racism may be less overt
for many blacks and perhaps more overt for Muslims
and gays. These essays are our testimony to being
the “bigger nigger” or simply, being “bigger” than we
ever imagined when it comes to racism. Who we are
in the small, ordinary moments that offend us matters.
Racism Is Not Personal
At the start of BLS1003: The Evolution and
Expressions of Racism, most students consider
racism “a collection of individual-level anti-minority
group attitudes” (L. Bobo in Gallagher 2009, 157).
During the course they discover the persistent
structural inequities found in symbols (i.e., skin color),
discriminatory laws and practices, and social group
position, power and privilege that we all were born
into whether experienced or not.
Why Op-Eds and Why Students Writing Op-Eds?
Last summer, I participated in The OpEd Project with
the support of a grant for women in the Baruch
College community given by philanthropist RuthAnn
Harnisch. The intention of the OpEd Project, created
by Catherine Orenstein, is to expand and increase the
volume of female thought leaders in the world. I have
a similar aim for college students as they embrace
their adulthood.  voicing these op-eds about racism has been the most Think about it! Publish a “little” idea, a little story
According to data from 2009, of the more than 307
million people living in the U.S. over 14%, or almost
43 million, are between the ages 15 and 29. According
to the U.S. Department of Education, there were 18.3
5
million college students in 2007. Why is it UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURAL RACISM
that we so seldom hear, or listen to, the
voices of young people and young adults
The superior position/whiteness:
in key public opinion forums when so
many key issues directly affect their
1. Tends to receive greater economic remuneration and
future? Writing op-eds (crafting a lede,
access to better occupations and prospects in the labor
learning to create an argument in various
market,
ways, crafting a “to-be-sure” response to
anticipate opposition to an argument, and
2. Occupies a primary position in the political system,
a conclusion) and publishing them
together disrupts the structural inequity
3. Is granted higher social estimation (e.g., is viewed as
and age subjugation that often separates
‘smarter’ or ‘better looking’ [or sounding]), often as the
each and every college student from
license to draw physical (segregation) as well as social
publicly engaging in her/his own
(racial etiquette) boundaries between itself and other
adulthood, learning to openly voice their
races, and;
citizenship and influence humanity.
Voicing Adulthood 4. Receives what W.E.B. Du Bois called “a sort of public
Take 34 emerging thought leaders and and psychological wage...[freely] given public deference
have each of them link an individual and titles of courtesy because they were white.”
experience with racism to a systematic
inequity or embedded disadvantage From “Racialized Social System Approach to
known as “structural racism.” Ask them Racism”(Eduardo Bonilla-Silva in Gallagher 2009, 33)
to cite evidence from assigned readings
and connect their experience to the often
elusive or overlooked aspects of race-as-a-social- friends through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Share
construct. The brilliance created here is the collective it with leaders in your school and community. Send it
wisdom of the stories of a student who is black with a to your principal, dean or local politicians. Don’t limit
white student, a woman with a man, or––relative to learning to the classroom--give it away! A former
the nationally-recognized ethnic diversity at Baruch–– anthro class published SPEAK! The Miseducation of
an Asian American with a Bangladeshi-American, a College Students in May 2010. To date, it has been
Pakistani Muslim with a Syrian Jew, or a disabled read by over 4500 people in less than 6 months.
mother with a Pagan lesbian and an undocumented
student from North America (Mexico). The process of Dare to be Different: Go Public!
powerful and emotional final project with a real-world/ along with your classmates’ little ideas on race or
public impact that I could ever imagine. And it allowed social justice. Say to yourself “Maybe I’m right!” rather
students to be courageous and compassionate. than starting from “Maybe I’m wrong.” Practice
trusting yourself. Practice trusting your students.
Create & Share a Racism Op-ed E-book What young adults have to say matters! Openly
We invite your class or organization to publish op-eds sharing prepared (and not-so prepared) thoughts in
together. Join us in a social media movement of public is the best education there is. Be the audacity
student thought leadership. We used Scribd.com but of that! <<
whatever you use, SHARE it widely with family and
24 Jan 2011, Crown Heights, New York City
 6

White and Asian protesters in the Harlem Peace March to End Racial
Oppression on April 27, 1967. Source: Courtesy of Builder Levy, photographer.

White people will have quite enough to

do in learning how to accept and love
themselves and each other, and when
they have achieved this...the Negro
problem will no longer exist, for it will
no longer be needed.
“Letter from a Region of My Mind” in The New Yorker (17 Nov
1962) republished as “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region of
My Mind” in The Fire Next Time (1963) by James Baldwin.

More demonstrators carry placard at the Harlem Peace March to End

Racial Oppression, 1967. Boxer/activist Muhammad Ali's stated about
his refusal to participate in the Vietnam War, "Ain't no Vietcong ever
called me nigger." Source: Courtesy of Builder Levy, photographer

More info
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE RULES OF
RACIAL ENGAGEMENT
by Sidney Chen
On my 13th birthday, my father sat down
next to me on my bed and softly said, "Son, you
are at the age when you might be curious about
girls. I just wanted to say that you can date
white girls." I responded with "I know Dad, I
know. Don't date black girls right?" He replied,
"I'm glad you understand son." He pat me on
the back and proudly walked away.
And soon I found out I wasn't the only
person in my all Asian school whose parents felt
this way. My father is a great man and I would
like to think that he is the best father that
anyone could ever ask for. I knew his words
weren't his but they were made on behalf of our
community and culture. They left me conflicted
but I felt I had no choice.
My father had a business partner from whom
he would receive supplies and products. One
day, the two of them were talking inside while
my cousin and I were playing stick ball right
outside the store. While waiting for them to
finish their meeting, my cousin and I started to
joke around about which girls we liked.
The subject of racial preferences came up.
Poking fun at my cousin, I jokingly said "Oh, so
you're a nigger lover," and out of the corner of
my eye, in the grey reflection of the glass
windows, I saw the face of my father’s partner ,
who was of Puerto Rican descent, turn sour with
disappointment. From that moment on, I
realized "backstage racism"--“the racist talk
individuals engage in when they are privately
interacting with same-race friends, family, or co-
workers” (Bolton and Feagin in Gallagher 2009,
226)--is the fueling source for racial injustice.
Racism has surely taken a
s t e p f o r w a rd l i k e t h e w a y
“separate but equal” was a step
forward from slavery or Jim-Crow
laws were a step forward from
the unwritten understandings of
7
racial inferiority. In our modern society, we need
to realize and accept that the “persistent
negative stereotyping of African Americans, a
tendency to blame blacks that are used to
explain away continued institutional racism and
discrimination or structural inequities” (Bobo in
Gallagher 2009, 155-157), known as “laissez-
faire racism,” is an invisible hand influencing just
another evolution, another adaptation, another
“step forward” for racism. 
But what do I know? I'm just a 21 year-old
student with a background in theatre and
business. My story was meant to tug at your
consciousness and if any of my points had any
effect on you, as an individual, not as a group,
speak up and make a change today. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
Going to Disney World
and finding my name on a
key chain used to be
impossible.
NAMING THE INEQUITY
by Antoinette Davis
My name was Shelika. Now itʼs Antoinette. Some people may think I
adopted a European name or I am a sell out. Actually I just made my
middle name my first. But according to Steven Levittʼs Freakonomics,
“many parents seem to believe that a child cannot prosper unless he/she
is hitched to the right name; names are seen to carry great aesthetic or
even predictive powers” (2005), especially in a society where names
reflect racial differences.
Going into Disney World and finding my name on a key chain used to
be impossible. So I stopped looking. Why arenʼt the core values of
equality represented in Americaʼs key chains? They register like a
subatomic bomb for me. Equality--having you name represented in your
own country on a key chain--is reserved for the majority. I can change my
name to Antoinette but can I change my socio-economic status with that?
Names give a first impression. Some professors can look at the
roster and know how many black students are in the course. I often sat in
my seat patiently waiting for them to stumble upon my name. It was
painful and embarrassing. As little as it may seem to others, it was a big
deal.
In a figure labeled “Why Brad and Kristen Beat Out Jermaine and
Ebony” from the essay “Kristen v. Aisha; Brad v. Rasheed: Whatʼs in a
Name and How it Affects Getting a Job,” Amy Braverman said, “white
applicants are called back 50% more than black applicants” all because
of the name at the top of a resume prompts racial discrimination
8
(Braverman in Gallagher 2009, 250). Iʼm in college and not long from seeking
employment. I read this information after I legally changed my name to
Antoinette.
Shelika was too ethnic and I wanted that explicit label removed. I wanted
individuals to be able to easily read and pronounce my name without my having
to correct them. I did not want to be pre-judged by a “black” name before I even
spoke or showed up. I remember one day in class, immediately following my
legal name change, a professor noticed my email address on the class roster
that still carried my former name. I was shocked when heard “Shelika?” as she
called out names to mark me present that day. Confused, she questioned
whether it was my middle name or not. I wanted to leave that name behind and
there it was again lurking as a reminder in my email address.
What exactly did my name change bring? Joy, laughs, acceptance, closure,
excitement, and some getting use to. My family members mocked me while
friends accepted it. I now realize I can change my name but not the color of my
skin or the message that it signals. That label, that sign of racialized difference,
persists. Antoinette still appears to be a black woman even though several
generations ago one side of her family owned slaves. I, Antoinette formerly
known as ..., am both a descendent of the owning class and the slave caste.
How do I name that?
To judge a book by its cover is silly. And to judge a person by their name is
even sillier. But there has been one advantage in my name change. Now when I
submit a job application, the number of call backs have increased. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 9

Cordoba: Word of the Day

by Rahat Chowdhury
Verse 1:
They won't let me shoot some hoops,
I got a bomb in my shoe.
They won't let me build that building,
What do you think i'm gonna do?
I can't do arts and crafts,
I'll take a scissor to their neck.
They say I laugh when I am praying,
When all I do is pay respects.
They won't let me build a pool,
I'll drown them all and laugh aloud.
Won't let me babysit their kids,
I'll teach ‘em hate, I'll teach ‘em now.
They won't let me build the building,
It’s cuz part of its Cordoba.
A time of calm, a time of peace,
Between religions but that’s over.
They don't understand what I'm trying to say,
They fear me, I fear them, fear's the word of the day.
Just want a spot to chill wit my boys after class
But these racists can't for even a second stand for that.
Had a vision created with our spray paint and ink pens
They defaced our graffiti with all of their hate then
Rallied together made us something we're not
Not a single one of em checked the info that they got.
Growing up I was never taught to ram a plane into a building
Was never taught to stone a woman when she's cheating
Was never taught to kill a priest who might be preaching
Was told to hear ‘em out and never start the screaming
Even prayed in a church once when the local mosque was in
need
Look we can coexist, just stop, just breathe
Look how we allow fear and misunderstanding to rule us
We human beings can't control our rage, Man! It's too much!
Vengeance shouldn't be served to those with clean hands
But you do it everyday so our future seems black. <<

Chorus:
This is what you made me, a cold blooded killer
You never understood me, but what made you bitter?
I didn't hurt any one of you, but-the blame runs thicker
Will gallons of blood spill from innocents and sinners?

Verse 2:
So, what happens now? Do we live and accept it?
That our differences in faith, will never be respected?
Park 51 was meant to promote unity.
Called Cordoba highlighting a multi-faith community.
Yet they walked up to our face, spat, and then they said
That if it weren't for us their brethren wouldn't be dead
While we promotin’ peace, they say we celebrate their
pain
Yea, ignore our real mission and call us all insane.
They say Islam is the work of the devil, and it’s evil.
Like a demon or a djinn possesin’ you while you’re feeble
The proposed Cordoba House in lower Manhattan. President Obama
was reported saying: “As a citizen, and as president, I believe that
Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else
in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship (the
Cordoba House) and a community center on private property in lower
“Growing up I was never taught Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances.”

to ram a plane into a building.”

BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
COMING OUT ILLEGAL
by Irving
I, like Dr. King, have a dream.
Writing this has liberated me from my hidden
identity. For years I have been hiding behind
shadows concocted by the lies that I’ve been
telling in hopes of living a normal life. From
participating in this op-ed e-book, I finally have a
medium to express what I have been feeling. I
have felt trapped in a place with no refuge or
escape. I could not see the light leading to my
liberation, and I still don’t know what the future
holds for me, nor how this piece may effect it.
Despite the many things I have wanted to
accomplish, I could not and cannot do what is
normal for others. I am limited by law. I am an
undocumented college student.
In this meritocratic society, you expect that
the people who strive for education get the
education they desire, but the reality is that laws
limit many hungry minds. They do so by limiting
scholarships and financial aid to students even if
they merit them. Along with other vacuous
accusations, the reasoning is that immigrants
will steal jobs. Many people do not get to hear
immigrant stories like mine.
I have struggled to claim my identity: I feel
so American, and at times I feel so alienated
because I am excluded from activities due to my
legal status in this nation. As a student,
exclusion shows up when I have to provide a
social security number that I am not allowed to
obtain. Unlike my college friends, I cannot get a
driver’s license, I cannot vote, and I cannot
travel. It’s funny. When I’m with relatives from my
home country they say I do not fit in with them
and their way of life. I am too “American”. The
irony of this kills me because to my fellow
10
Americans my lack of documentation degree in the field of psychology and living in
simultaneously means I am not one of them. one of the greatest cities of the world. Life may
I am currently enrolled in a class in which we seem great, but it is not. I find that everywhere I
study the evolution and expression of racism in go, I am constantly reminded that I am missing
the United States of America. We had to read something—that something is my identity. ...
articles that helped us get a better
understanding of structural racism. Structural
racism is the system that allowed foundations, cont. on next page
still stand strong today, to limit access and
opportunities to people of color. It ultimately
creates huge disparities between people who are
white and privileged, and those of us who are
not.
Recently I came across this article in the
New York Times called “Coming Out Illegal” and
during one of our class discussions a classmate
brought up the topic of the struggle that a
particular race has dealt with. How “races” you
can’t identify immediately, that you can’t see,
have less of a struggle than those that can be
identified because of their physical
characteristics since they cannot be labeled.
One of my classmates felt as though this was
false, as homosexuals also have to live through
many hardships even though you can’t tell they
have sexual preferences that are not the norm
right away. This brought me back to the article
and with it a sea of emotions and thoughts.
I never really connected revealing my identity
as an illegal immigrant to “coming
out.” I had flashbacks about the many times
I hid this information from my friends and the
many times that I’ve made excuses because I
was afraid. I was afraid to come out due to the
likely scrutiny and shame I would face—to hear
all the jokes, to get the dirty looks, and to hear
the rude comments.
It was not my choice to come to this country.
I was just 5 years old when I arrived with my
mother and sister to meet my father in NYC.
Fourteen years later I am in college pursuing a
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
... It fascinates me how many times a
day I need to confirm who I am.
Whether it’s going into school and
showing my ID or calling the bank.
They always ask for the famous card.
But I ask myself, what does that card
really say about me? Does it tell of my
struggles, my beliefs? Can this card
validate anyone as a true American,
as a human being?
I don’t have the stereotypical
features of what is known as a
immigrant. But what is a stereotypical
immigrant? The mass media has
portrayed the immigrant of the 21st
century mostly as Hispanic. The
reality is that there are many different
types of immigrants that come to the
U.S.A everyday. They are not limited
to just Hispanics.
T h e re a re m a n y C a n a d i a n s ,
easter n Europeans, Caribbean
peoples, Middle Easter ners and
others who immigrate to the U.S., and
for many reasons stay here illegally. It
infuriates me that only Hispanics and
especially Mexicans are targeted as
the criminals. I am Mexican, but some
of my features resemble a Sephardic
Jew, so people do not question my
status. I don’t look illegal, whatever
that means. Also both my given name
and surname could be linked to
Jewish roots. I have the perfect mask
but that doesn’t make me feel safe or
liberated.
N o w, m a n y w i l l a r g u e t h a t
undocumented youth do not
contribute to our economy and that
the country won’t get anything in
return for our possible citizenship. Did
you know non-residential aliens can
already pay taxes without a social
security number. Many non-residential
aliens actually do pay taxes, but their
children do not get any of the benefits
such as financial aid.
The Dream Act is bi-partisan
legislation that if passed would
require a 6-year conditional path to
citizenship, completion of a college
degree, and two years of military
service. Second, whether wage
laborers in farm fields or white-collar
employees with degrees, we will
contribute even more as legal citizens
by paying taxes on all our
documented labor.
I recall having dinner with my
friend’s grandparents who are from a
small town in Canada. During a
casual conversation over dinner, the
fact that I was in this country illegally
c a m e u p . W h e n m y f r i e n d ’s
grandparents found out they did what
any employer in need would do. They
offered me a job in the farm fields
they own. I was extremely offended. I
did not ask for a job. But here they
were offering something I did not
need. What I really needed was the
support of people to make me feel at
home pursuing my true dreams and
aspirations.
As I continue my collegiate
pursuit, I question where it could take
me. Sure I can get a degree, but
without legal status in this country my
degree will mean absolutely nothing. I
cannot even get a mediocre job while
I study.
It’s not because I am lazy. It’s not
like do not want to work. I am not
allowed to and this discourages me.
Why bother to follow your dreams.
On December 8th, 2010, the
House of Representatives passed a
11
TO BE ABLE TO
STAY IN SCHOOL.
TO BE ABLE TO DREAM.
SUPPORT THE DREAM ACT
version of The Dream Act in a vote of
216 to 198 but it has stalled in the
Senate. This upsets me. Once again,
history is repeating itself and the civil
rights of young people who didn’t
choose their destination are being
denied. In my opinion, people like us
are more American than the people
who are opposing The Dream Act and
immigration policies. We appreciate
the value of American equality in
ways they cannot.
As a sophomore, I hope my legal
status gets resolved as soon as
possible so my dreams of becoming a
successful psychologist can come
true. I am coming out because I have
a dream...to be free at last. Let the
Dream Act begin. <<
[The U.S. Senate rejected the
Dream Act days before production
ended on this ebook]

“RETHINKING THE
COLOR LINE”
ON FACEBOOK
READINGS in RACE & ETHNICITY
4th ed., edited by Charles Gallagher
McGraw-Hill 2009
H e re
li n e c onvers
on
David Williams and Chiquita Collins,
“The Color of Health in the United States”
Ch. 7 in Rethinking the Color Line, 4th ed.
After reading “The Color of
Health in the United States” (by
David Williams and Chiquita Collins,
Ch. 7), I question why the economic
status of blacks has been declining
and not getting better.
If I was to use my own judgment
I would say it looks as though blacks
have been gaining economic status.
However, actual statistics have a
valid argument against my theory to
show the opposite. It surprises me
th a t i nc ome, health, and life
expectancy has been getting worse
for blacks. In a world where there are
continuous improvements for every
aspect of life and yet this group of
people are not gaining the benefits
makes me wonder why. Can this
really be the effect of white people
trying to keep them down or is there
more to it?
Kristen Matonti
ur
’s a t a ste of o s
ation
In "The Color of Health in the
United States,"... [i]t was
disturbing to read that research
findings have revealed that a black
man in Harlem is six times more
likelier to die than a white male.
I like how Williams and Collins
made a correlation between major
historical events and life
expectancy amongst blacks.
In the past Jesse Jackson's
participation in the presidential race
seemed to have positive effects of
the physical and mental well being
of blacks. Hence, I feel that the
Obama victory in the 2008
presidential election must have had
an even greater effect on African
American's health.
Nadege Nau
12
1) Rebecca Blank, An Overview of Trends
in Social and Economic Well-Being by Race (Ch. 6)
2) Thomas Shapiro, Transformative Assets, the Racial Wealth Gap
and the American Dream (Ch. 8)
One thing that really caught What really shocked me from
my attention in the readings the readings is to what extent
(besides for the number of charts economic and educational
thrown our way), was how black standings affect the "real" world.
families may never catch up to There is a direct result and
the earnings of white families comparison between socio-
(Ch. 8) At one point it says that a economic capability and
middle class black family has to standing in regards to social
work 12 more weeks than a white structure and culture. The top
family to make equal earnings echelon of society succeeds and
(pg. 58). HUH? And on that same have more opportunity as the
page, the book explains another "lower" groups falter and are
reason why black (and other stuck in the same downward
minority families) may never have spiral. I feel as though it is not so
the ability to "catch up" to white much an issue of "racism" as it is
families: transformative assets. of fact. <<
As the old saying goes; "The rich
Andrew Baez
get richer, as the poorer get
poorer."
Matt Kiselenko

HISTORY IS SKIN-DEEP
by Kashma Evelyn
“You’ve only known me for six
weeks and you’re telling me who I
am??!!” This is the thought I never
uttered when my history professor
insisted I was Abigaelle. Abigaelle is
much taller than me, a different
complexion of black skin than me, a
whole different personality than me.
She’s outgoing. I’m shy and quiet.
Yes, she’s seen us together, alot, but
I am short with completely different
eyes, nose, hairstyle, and persona
compared to Abigaelle. Telling her
my name is Kashma didn’t help. The
professor insisted I wasn’t me. And
she teaches history.
For the first twenty-one years of
my life, I lived in a world where my
dialect, my thoughts and even my
behavior, were parallel to those
around me. Before coming to the
U.S., as part of an ethnic majority on
the island of Nevis in the Caribbean,
I grew up thinking we were like no
other. Then reality set in.
Arriving in New York City I was
thrown into a melting pot where I am
classified as a minority just from
crossing a sea and being asked to
shift my identification from West
Indian to Black. This notion of
“racism” was new to me in ways I
never experienced before.
I was sitting in the back of the
class that day. My history professor
was speaking to Abigaelle who had
left the room, so when she narrowed
her sights on me and said,
“Abigaelle, tell us about this picture
that you sent to me,” I didn’t answer.
It was a photograph Abigaelle took
of a painting in her house which she
apparently emailed to our professor;
I, of course, knew nothing of this
painting. Finally realizing she was
addressing me, I said “Who me? I’m
not Abigaelle.”
How do you convince another
p e r s o n y o u a re n o t w h o t h e y
perceive you to be? Not a black
person. In an earlier time, not a
nigger. Not a person from the wrong
side of the tracks. Not Abigaelle but
me, Kashma.
She said again, “ABIGAELLE! I’m
asking you what you think of this
picture?” I again responded quietly
but still trying to emphasize the
difference, “I...am…NOT…
Abigaelle.”
“What do you mean you are not
Abigaelle? I’m looking right at you.”
Then another classmate interceded,
“Professor! She’s not Abigaelle.
Abigaelle went to the bathroom.”
With the intensity of a thousand suns
the professor lashed out, “If YOU are
not Abigaelle, then who ARE you??”
That line sent the entire class
into a fit of laughter, but I didn’t join
them. As the laughter died, I
answered with quiet insistence, “I’M
KASHMA EVELYN!!”
I was completely embarrassed.
How easy it was for her to try to
convince me that I am who SHE
thinks I am.
As the class ended, I walked up
to the lectern and she looked me in
the eye saying, “Oh, I’m sorry for
confusing you with Abigaelle. As you
know, the room is very dark and plus
you both have the same coloring.”
All the lights were on and we see
distinctly different complexions.
I stood there dumbfounded,
unsure what to say next. Nothing
came to me but a measly “Okay.”
What I really wanted to say in my
native Nevis tongue was, “Look
‘oman me ain kno how u cud tek
arbe for one another, right? U head
13
no gud.” Translation: “Professor, I am
uncertain how you were able to
confuse Abigaelle with myself. I am
sure, you were quite mistaken.” That
would have justified my feelings to
some extent but that moment got
stuck in my memory; it left a history I
wasn’t expecting.
The thought of grouping
individuals together simply based on
skin color or outward appearance is
reminiscent of being in preschool
when we put away the blocks as kids
according to the shapes and colors.
People are not objects. That history
professor, a Caucasian woman,
reflected what I read in the chapter
by Herbert Blumer titled “Race
Prejudice as a Sense of Group
Position.” He wrote:
“The second important aspect of
the process of group definition is
that it is necessarily concerned
with an abstract image of the
subordinate racial group. The
subordinate racial group is
defined as if it were an entity or a
whole.” (Blumer in Gallagher
2009, 128) ...
cont. on next page
 “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 14

“One does not choose one’s race, but one HISTORY IS ... cont. one does not choose one’s race,
but one should be conscious, or at
least cautious, not to make race
should be conscious, or at least cautious, ... Confusing an African
American woman who is 5’5”, more than background cultural
not to make race more than background Abigaelle, with me, an Afro- information.” Therefore my race
should not define who I am!
Caribbean woman who is only 5
cultural information (Gallagher 2009)” feet tall, is possible, even valid Is it my duty to educate my
history teacher on differences
given the politics of race as skin
among races? Or how to refrain
color in the United States. Even
from telling people who they are?
my black professor has confused
The following week, as she
the light brown men from Arab and
returned my assignment, she
Muslim nations in our racism class
called my name “Kashma Evelyn”;
and she explained that it is often
I extended my hand to collect it.
not being present to our
She then said “Is Evelyn your first
differences. We would say in Nevis
name?” I paused and said “No it’s
“How u mistake dem two deh? Dat
my LAST NAME!” She then said,
deh like comparing chalk n’
“Are you sure?”
cheese” Like confusing Tyra Banks
In a world where our greatest
with Oprah Winfrey. The fact that
resource is people, we make up
Abigaelle and I are both people
various ethnic groups that enrich
with black skin, does not mean we
the human race. When barriers are
resemble one another or that all
created between these groups
our features are the same.
causing one to be seen as inferior,
As stated by Michael Omi and
racism becomes a reality. None in
Howard Winant “Differences in
a minority group is accounted for
skin color and other obvious
as an individual but as a whole.
physical characteristics
Generalizing then becomes a
supposedly provide visible clues
second nature solution read as
to differences lurking
natural attributed to the wrong
underneath” (in-text citation w/
lighting or similar skin tones.
page #). However, this is still not
Maybe learning about our history
so. In the United States many are
is not enough to differentiate
still judged and classed together
between skin color and the
based on their skin color rather
structural and racialized systems
than their intellect which causes
of difference that, according to
hindrances in seeking employment
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, reproduce
or proper housing.
racial phenomena “not by
I have been pondering
reference to a long-distant past
something from all this. Are we
but in relation to its contemporary
truly living in a color-blind society?
structure” (in Gallagher 2009, 37).
Photo credit: Charles Gallagher stated that <<
Telfair Museum, Savannah, Georgia. Photo: UGArdener via Flickr “Within the color-blind
perspective, it’s understood that
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 15

In the fall of 2005, teen filmmaker Kiri Davis re-conducted the

1954 “doll test” (photo upper right). In 1954 the wife-and-husband
team, Kenneth and Mamie Clark, asked black children, ages three
to seven, a series of questions about two plastic baby dolls that were
identical except for color. The responses (replicated by Davis in
2005) revealed a latent reality. Ten of the sixteen black children
studied preferred the white dolls to the black dolls (photo below).

How to Raise Racist Kids

by Jonathan Liu, GeekDad published in Wired (16 Feb 2010)

“It is tempting to believe that because their generation is

so diverse, today’s children grow up knowing how to get
along with people of every race. But numerous studies
suggest that this is more of a fantasy than a fact” (Po
Bronson and Ashley Merryman, NurtureShock: New
Thinking about Children).

• Only 8% of white American high-schoolers have a

best friend of another race. (For blacks, it’s about
15%.)

• The more diverse a school is, the less likely it is

that kids will form cross-race friendships.

• 75% of white parents never or almost never talk

about race with their kids.

• A child’s attitudes toward race are much harder to

alter after third grade, but a lot of parents wait
until then (or later) before they feel it’s “safe” to
talk frankly about race. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
Racism as a Crutch
by Dabney Jean
Researched the company? Check.
Black business suit? Check. Train
Directions? Check! I was good to go.
I was going on an important
interview with what kind of
business? finance, marketing??, one
that forced [no one forced you!
Rewrite this me to research for days,
run out to buy a new suit, and
rehearse my presentation, so I was
nervous. Yet, I was still confident.
What did I have to lose? I was a
college student with good grades,
relevant experience, and great
communication skills.
Then I sat down in that interview
chair, laughing, smiling with my
Asian interviewer. She was nice,
until, the interview began and boy, it
felt like she tore me to pieces! What
makes you so worthy? Tell me the
square root of three million. Is that
all you did at your last job? I sat
there knowing I didn’t get the job. As
upset as I was, I resigned myself to
disappointment.
I told a friend of the horror that
almost brought me to tears in that
interview room. I thought I should
have been more prepared. I should
have anticipated her questions. It’s
all my fault. Then my friend said, “No
it wasn’t! It’s because you’re black.”
His reasoning rang through my ears
like the sound of a bullet. I said that
couldn’t be the reason. The
interviewer was Asian. She is
considered a minority too. He
replied, “They’re the closest
minorities to the whites, and they
want to keep it that way. Us black
folk will never have a chance.”
Did you know that by 2014 it is
expected that the minority
population will reach 50% of the
population? Will “we blacks” still feel
as though we are a minority, singled
out and left behind? Are we creating
our own disparity?
The reasoning, "It's because I'm
Black,” is widely accepted among
African Americans to justify their lack
of advancement, to justify their
reason for separation, to justify their
reasoning a lot of things they don’t
get. More than 150 years before this
nation was founded, the first
shipment of African indentured
slaves were brought to the colonies
in 1619. The country was founded in
16
REAL EDUCATION
SHOULD CONSIST OF
DRAWING THE
GOODNESS AND
THE BEST OUT OF
OUR OWN STUDENTS.
WHAT BETTER BOOKS
CAN THERE BE THAN
THE BOOK OF
HUMANITY?
- CESAR CHAVEZ
1776 and with that African
Americans could claim oppression
by whites for almost 400 years.
Constantly reminded of my skin
color, constantly reminded of my
inferiority and constantly reminded
of my differences now even by my
own ethnic group. With the
emergence of figures like Rosa
Parks, Malcolm X, Martin Luther
King Jr. and Al Sharpton a courage
was brought forth to enact change,
to bring African Americans a
newfound hope for the present and
our future. All this begs the question:
Do I feel comfortable with the
disparity of thinking we are inferior?
That we can never win?
Sometimes I live in a bubble fearful
that I may still walk the streets with
people who think of me the same
way people once thought of my ...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 17

EDUCATION IS INDOCTRINATION IF YOU’RE WHITE -

SUBJUGATION IF YOU’RE BLACK
- James Baldwin

Racism as a Crutch cont.

... ancestors. Therefore, I revert thoughts of the
"black" displayed by the media. The hoodlum, the
uneducated, the troublemaker. How does that apply
to me, a college educated black woman, exposed to
the culture of successful banking and small firms?
That's not my image, that's not how I see myself.
Am I angry? Yes! Angry that our ancestors weren't
given the chance to change history (this is a strange
expression, who can change history??), angry that
that treatment barely allows me to feel accepted
even today.
With all this I can definitely be sure that we have
been creating our own inequality. We are allowing us
to create attributes because of our skin color. How
are we beginning to oppress ourselves? The very
thing we have been trying to fight for years? As a
student in such a diversified school as Baruch
College, I’ve been exposed to so many different
cultures, and so many people. I refuse to keep
myself in a bubble. I refuse to create excuses for
myself, because sooner than you think we’ll be equal
in number to everyone.
P.S. I definitely got the job! You won’t hear me
saying, “It’s because I’m Black,” instead “It’s
because I deserve it.” <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE “STRUGGLE”
by Duncan Goodwin
One day during a conversation about
race in the Evolution and Expressions of
Racism someone said something in
reference to being Jewish. It was about
how their struggle wasn't the same as the
“black struggle” because people can't
immediately tell that someone is Jewish.
While she may not have meant it this
way, it came across to me as saying that
if someone cannot immediately see that
you are a minority it makes your struggle
in some way less ""hard"" than others,
but I disagree. One of the most prevalent
and complex types of prejudice existing
today is that against homosexuals and
what makes this type of prejudice so
complicated is largely the fact that there
is no physical characteristics that have
been labeled gay so far. And yet what I
feel like is often forgotten is that the basic
notion of discrimination is unfair no
matter who it is against, it is the same
inequality because it is discrimination
against a minority group for unfounded
perceptions proliferated by mass media.
They are different in essence but at the
core they are the same.
Being gay is something that has
impacted my life in a way very different
than the experience of many other
homosexuals. I grew up in a town that
was relatively liberal, experiencing very
little outward hostility from my
classmates; but that is not the experience
many gay teenagers have. Too many gay
people grow up being bullied in school.
The most interesting facet of this type of
harassment is that some of the people
who are being bullied for being “fags”
may not actually be gay, in fact it is often
the case that the people doing the
bullying are the gay ones. I have never
been the type of person who is very
outwardly gay though I am not unwilling
to say that I am, I simply do not think that
I should have to; and yet I am still not
comfortable saying it and this is why it is
important for the subject to be explored.
The reason prejudice against
homosexuality is such a convoluted one
is that it questions the mental state of the
subject, until 1973 the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual (DSM) classified
homosexuality as a mental disease.
18
Much like skin color, sexual orientation is
not a decision. Biologically we are the same
and there should be no question about human
rights. I recognize that some may say that
marriage is between man and a woman, not a
man and a man; for “God made Adam and Eve,
not Adam and Steve”. But what I say to that
is...um, okay? The question of marriage is one
of human rights, not religious integrity. This
fundamental violation of what are supposedly
natural rights calls to mind the civil rights
movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s, after all
separate but equal is not equal.
Both homosexuality and race are
constructs of society imposed by a majority
group with no substantial claim. The two may
not be exactly the same because they are not
the same on the outside, but they can be
examined on similar levels. It is just as unfair
for a group of people to be discriminated
against in marriage as it is for people to be
discriminated against in, say, college. I believe
it is often ignored by many that these two types
of discrimination are inherently the same and
neither should be “measured” as it were. We
should recognize that it is petty to disagree
about how much one type of discrimination
effects the discriminated and understand that
neither are okay, and neither are fully
understood. It is 2010, it’s time to understand
that we are all humans and not one set
deserves more than the others. We may be
born in all different sectors of society but that
doesn’t mean that one person is less human
that the other. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE HOUSEKEEPER’S
DAUGHTERS
by Chloe Harari Zalcman
Sitting in my racism class, I
observe my surroundings. Thirty-four
students, all of different races and
religions, each with eye-opening stories
of how racism has been apart of their
lives. As some share their stories about
immigrating from other countries,
growing up as a minority, or being
judged by their skin color, I can’t help
but feel jealous. No matter how hard I
try I can't muster up a story that will
give my classmates the chills like
there's have given me.
Although racism hasn't affected me
directly, I have observed it in my Jewish
community. I have gone back and forth
a thousand times debating whether or
not to tell this story. It’s not my life. Not
my story. Whether right or wrong, it is a
story of racism that has left an impact
on me.
I live in a sheltered, Haisidic Jewish
community. Everyone I know and
associate myself with is a member of
my community. I attended a small
private Jewish high school, to put it
bluntly, with everyone just like me.
Everyone there dresses the same, talks
the same, and acts the same. However,
in this community I have observed a
form of a racism that has burst the
bubble and broken my heart.
19
DID YOU KNOW?
The Jews of China built their famous “Purity and Truth” synagogue in the
third year of the Da Ding period (1163) of the Jin (Golden Tartar) Dynasty, in
the ancient Chinese capitol city of Kaifeng.
A member of my community fell in DID YOU KNOW?
love with his African-American 15,000 Black African Jews, who trace their 3,000 year history to the time of
housekeeper made racism a part of my Israel’s King Solomon, were flown from Ethiopia to Israel in 36 hours in May
life. In a religious community that 1991.
doesn't accept converts, the
housekeeper converted anyway and DID YOU KNOW?
the two, a Jewish man and a black Spanish & Portuguese “Crypto” (secret) Jews arrived in New Mexico some
woman, got married. Twenty-odd years 500 years ago, fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. Their descendants still recite
later, I see the struggles their daughters Shabbat blessings in Ladino (archaic Spanish).
are facing with relationships because of
a choice their father made so many DID YOU KNOW?
years ago, to step outside the bounds In India, the Bene Israel community—their ancestors arrived there 2,000
of our religion and race. No family (in years ago—are called “Shanwar Telis” (Saturday Oil Pressers) as they refrain
our community) will accept these girls from work on the Shabbat.
as wives for their sons.
Whether it is because they are the
children of a mother who is not Jewish,
who is a convert, or the children of the
house keeper, an an African American,
it breaks my heart to see such young
relationships being broken up for
something that is out of the daughters’
control. I cannot imagine the feeling of
not being able to be with someone I
love because of the choice my father
made decades ago.
  As heartbreaking as it is, what is
even worse is that this may never
change. When I think of our community,
the first word that pops into my head is
“close-minded.” In hopes of preserving
traditions and customs, families keep
to themselves and avoid contact with
"outsiders". I think it is unfair for these
girls to be punished for choices they
didn't make. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE DARKER CHILDREN
by Kamylle McIntosh
Things have changed, yet remained the same.
Slavery is over, yet we’re still enslaved.
Freedom (opportunity) for all is not the case.
The black man still suffers his “fate.”
Fighting the fight for thousands of years (1619),
but people still have race to fear.
So much despair
Can’t get a job ‘cause we aren’t the kind-- the
kind they’re looking for, the kind in need.
We’ve been trained…
Trained to judge based on what we see
Seems like it’s the way things are meant to
be.
The color of my skin presents a shade for my
opportunities.
A shade that limits how far I may reach.
Into the light some of us go
Reach further than most and then told “no.”
At some point or another,
Challenges we face,
Challenges so great,
Beginning with race.
Particularly in the USA slavery is always
referred to as history. Does not physically seeing
something make it nonexistent? Many of us do
not believe this when it comes to faith, or the
stars, or the moon, but why is it that once the
shackles have been removed equality is instantly
declared?
We are still bound by the chains of [mental]
slavery.
From the early age of six, I made a biased
choice based on skin color alone. I was one of
the only three students at school on the first day.
Being new to the school and clearly the
youngest, I knew that I had to befriend one of
the two girls. I stood at a distance trying to figure
out how to make the best choice.
Finally, I chose the darker-skinned girl. The
only logic I had was that she would be the better
choice because we had a similar complexions.
My assumption could not have been further from
the truth, but I learned a valuable lesson that
day.
As I pondered the situation years later I
begin to think about what made me think the
way? How did I learn to assess people based on
skin color? I have not been taught to do that…or
have I?
20
It wasn‘t like my parents told me, “Only play
with the dark children,” so where did I arrive to
such a conclusion? I suppose it can be argued
that children feel more comfortable with what
they are accustomed to and thus, me, growing
up around people of the same skin color, I
assumed dark skin to be the safer choice.
This being said, can this notion be engrained
in us and nurtured, possibly unknowingly, until
we grow into bias and prejudiced thought?
Whatever the reason for the continuance of
inequality there is no doubt that it exists.
Walking into a store, I am made to feel
uncomfortable. The stereotype that blacks are
likely to steal is prevalent is most stores. Without
looking up I can feel that I am being watched.
My every move guarded by the store employees.
With every object I pick up and rest down. As I
reach for my cell phone in my bag I make it as
clear as I can that I am only doing that and not,
instead placing an object from the shelf onto my
bag. This is just one of the things I do to reduce
and hopefully eliminate the assumption that I will
steal from the store because I am black.
Slave status is evident at this time as I feel
restriction even though I am “free.” This is not
what I know freedom to be. I feel like my every
move is being guarded, like the “slave master” is
watching over me waiting for me to slip up or do
something wrong. I feel like it is up to me to
represent my race and prove to others we are ...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
DARKER CHILDREN cont.
... not what they think we are. I feel
obligation, but most of all, I feel
restrained- like I cannot move anywhere
or do anything without first being
seem as black and being first judged
by this.
How can we as a nation claim to be
color blind when blacks [and minorities]
are not afforded equal opportunities as
their white counterparts?
In the chapter “Color-Blind Privilege:
The Social and Political Functions of
Erasing the Color Line in Post Race
America,” Charles Gallagher describes
“color blindness” as
the idea that we should live in a
society where people are treated
equally regardless of their skin color,
or the belief that we are now a color
blind society where race no longer
shapes life chances (2009, 101).
As much as we would like to believe
that we live in society in which color
blindness exists, it is simply not the case.
From issues such as being excluded
from certain neighborhoods to food
choice within and outside these
neighborhoods and significant income
differences, minority groups have been
classified and thus made to endure
disadvantages because of their race.
As Douglas Massey wrote, “blacks…
traditionally experienced severe prejudice
and discrimination in urban housing
markets...High indices of residential
21
segregation imply a restriction of
opportunity for blacks compared with
other groups.” He continues, “In a very
real way, barriers to spacial mobility are
barriers to social mobility: a racially
segregated society cannot logically claim
to be color blind.” (Massey in Gallagher
2009).
From studies done and reported by
Shannon N. Zenk et al. came to the
conclusion that “The nearest
supermarket was significantly further
away in neighborhoods with a high
proportion of African Americans and the
most impoverished neighborhoods
compared with neighborhoods with a low
proportion of African Americans and the
least impoverished neighborhoods,
respectively (Why Are There No
Supermarkets in My Neighborhood? The
Long Search for Fresh Fruit, Produce,
and Healthy Food).”
Furthermore. statistics cited by
Rebecca M. Black showed that poverty
rates for non-white/minority groups are
much higher than those of whites (An
Overview of Trends in Social and
Economic Well-Being, by Race)
These exemplify how prominent racism is
in America and that even with a black
president and the idea of change
becoming so popular, we as a black race
are still fighting for our freedom. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE COLORBLIND BUBBLE
by Nicole Balestriere
How hard can a course on
racism be? To be honest, I chose
this course because it was a
1000-level course. I thought it
would be easy. Oh, was I proved
wrong. This course opened up
my eyes to a whole new world,
and a whole new way of viewing
the bubble that I feel I was
brought up in.
I am a 19 year old young
woman living in the great city of
New York. I am proud of my
accomplishments, and especially
proud of the education I have
received so far in life. However,
there was one thing my
upbringing seemed to mask from
me for years and years. Racism.
I was educated in Catholic
private schools in Staten Island.
When I came to Baruch College
in Manhattan. I was thrown into a
whirlwind of diverse people,
different races and ethnicities.
Nothing seemed to be much
different than from what I was
used to at first. As a part of core
curriculum at Baruch, students
must take a course in cultural
studies. I chose the “Evolution
and Expressions of
Racism” (BLS1003).
In the readings for BLS 1003,
I came across the term
“colorblindness” in “The Ideology
of Colorblindness,” by Lani
Guinier and Gerald Torres and in
“Color-Blind Privilege: The Social
and Political Functions of Erasing
the Color Line in Post-Race
America,” by Charles Gallagher.
Colorblindness was the idea that
we should live in a society where
people are treated equal,
regardless of skin color, and a
belief that race no longer shapes
p e o p l e ’s l i f e c h a n c e s a n d
outcomes. I began to realize
something that changed my life. I
had lived for 19 years as a
colorblind individual. I spent my
whole life thinking race was just
some made up concept and that
racism did not really exist in my
life or in our society. Little did I
know, I was surrounded by it in
different aspects of life.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I
received an excellent education,
and found myself to be
successful. I loved the schools I
attended. But, I have begun to
wonder why I did not realize the
reality of racism and the toll it
takes on society. For one thing,
the majority of the private
schools I attended were white,
including the teachers. Secondly,
I was never really taught about
the racism around me, except in
some history courses. Most of
my friends growing up were
white, too. I learned to live in that
bubble and accepted the
colorblindness without even
realizing how much harm it was
truly causing me.
I remember one of my high
school teachers telling me and
my class to “get out of the
bubble” that we supposedly lived
in due to the demographics of
our area. To be honest, I never
really understood what she was
talking about until I came to
college, until I enrolled in this
racism course.
I am sure I am not the only
person who has experienced this
feeling. When I mentioned the
realizations I was experiencing in
my racism class to one of my
very close friends, Alyssa, who
attended high school with me,
22
she replied, “Honestly, I know
nothing about racism, or that it
e v e n i s re a l l y s t i l l a ro u n d .
Enlighten me.”
O b v i o u s l y, t h e i s s u e o f
colorblindness is affecting
society in ways that we can’t
even imagine. People believe
that there is equality among all,
when in reality, minorities are still
struggling today. BLS 1003
opened my eyes to a whole new
world. I listened to the stories of
students in our class from all
races and descent–black, white,
Asian, and more. My classmates
and Professor Gaunt changed my
life, my views, and burst my
bubble. I realize now that racism
is real, and not just some made
up concept. It surrounds all of us
every day in ways that are
sometimes blind to us. My wish
is for everyone to come out of
the colorblind bubble and
change our society, rather than
making it acceptable to hide
behind a belief that
colorblindness as equality
benefits all. <<
photo credit
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 23

A Facebook discussion thread from October 2010 regarding

RETHINKING THE
COLOR LINE
ON FACEBOOK
READINGS in RACE & ETHNICITY
4th ed., edited by Charles Gallagher
McGraw-Hill 2009
CATEGORIES OF RECEPTION
CATEGORY 1 - already known
CATEGORY 2 - unsaid but communicated
H e re CATEGORY 3 - never said before or new to me
’ not to be anything in particular." I
s h a re s a F B t h r
d afte ead
abou
t w h i r re a d i n g
te pri
vilege
#2
#1 of 11
I feel like this reading was was a
blend of all three categories. A lot of
the terminology I had heard before
(cat 1) but some things were also
category 2, noticeable but unsaid.
But the way Lipsitz goes about
making analogies and statements,
some things are borderline category
3. Not really, but kinda.
Lipsitz has some pretty interesting
things to say and its kind of refreshing
to see someone take a different
standpoint than some of the other
readings we have had. Some of the
other authors seem to give us
statistics and reasons for them while
Lipsitz seems to target the majority
aka "whiteness."
Natali Nassimian
George Lipsitz, “The Possessive Investment in Whiteness” (Ch. 19)
#3 #4 of 11
To start I'd like to say that I agree I share the same sentiments
with both Natali and Tiana about as Tiana as I read the different
Lipsitz targeting the issue of statics of the proportion of
"whiteness". I thought that he did whites granted home ownership
this quite effectively, and right at to the minute amount of
the beginning. Lipsitz quotes blacks, it was eye opening just
Richard Dyer saying "white power to see how h
secures its dominance by seeming ard and impossible it was to
thought that that was a very
have a “decent” home during
those times. Even when homes
effective way of pointing out the were acquired by blacks, little
problem, that "whiteness" is the
emphasis was placed on
norm, the "unmarked category keeping those areas clean.
against which difference is
Category 2 for me was the fact
constructed..." I found a statistic that “high-income blacks were
which was a in a way a denied loans more often than
I found some of the statistics
combination of category 2 and low-income whites”, it really
between whites and blacks dealing
category 3. It was that shows that money had a “color”
with home ownership to be
" C a l i f o r n i a ' s P ro p o s i t i o n 1 3 back then – either white or
shocking. Even the fact that there
deprived cities and counties of $13 black. Also no matter how
were acts that refused to help
billion a year in taxes. Businesses much time I would hear or read
people of color was also shocking. I
alone avoided $3.3 billion to $8.6 that “black people are lazy” I
knew there was a difference, but i
billion in taxes per year under this fail to concur. Not that they
didn't think it was that drastic. That
statute." I say that this is both (we) are lazy, it may be that
would be a category 2 for me. I'm
category 2 and 3 because I knew many aren’t given or are able to
a w a re t h a t t h e re w a s r a c i s m
that there were many shady secure the same opportunities
between whites and blacks, but i
business dealings to make as as the wealthy, no matter how
didn't think as far the government's
much money as possible for the much willpower is displayed
going to discriminate me and not
people on top, but I never realized they would still be seen as
give me a loan because i'm black. I
that there was an actual law that black and suffer hindrances
totally agree with Natali, i really feel
kept money away from people along the way to becoming a
as if Lipsitz really targets the issue of
while saving billions of dollars for success.
"whiteness".
big business.
Tiana Jones Kashma Evelyn
Duncan Goodwin

cont. on next page...

BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
Continued...Facebook discussion thread
on George Lipsitz, “The Possessive
Investment in Whiteness”
#5
I really like how Lipsitz opens the
article with the anecdote about the
reporter and expatriate Richard
Wright. It perfectly explains an aspect
of the problem with racism. The group
that is continuing the racism is lacking
a certain...understanding that could be
a contributing factor towards easing
the problem of racism...How do we
know where/how to end [racism] if we
don't really know who started it? While
most people quickly assume that
racism in America started with black
slaves, it actually started with the
Native Americans. Even though we are
trying to understand the problem of
racism towards blacks, we are
neglecting Native Americans....I can't
help but think of the Native Americans.
They are among the poorest groups in
the US right now, and it is because of
the white colonists that they live in
such poverty.
Michelle Chan
CATEGORIES OF RECEPTION
CATEGORY 1 - already known
CATEGORY 2 - unsaid but communicated
CATEGORY 3 - never said before or new to me
#7
#6
I would like to add on to what
Kashma mentioned Lipsitz's section
on segregated white housing in the
suburbs. I had always been familiar
with the fact that suburbs like the ones
found on Long Island, New Jersey, &
C o n n e c t i c u t a re p re d o m i n a n t l y
inhabited by Whites. Until I read
Lipsitz's essay, I did not really know
why these areas were mostly inhabited
by Whites and not by other groups
other than because SES issues. Yet
what was Category 3 for me was that
in the ‘50s & ‘60s the FHA (Federal
Housing Agency) and private lenders
were granting loans to those Whites
who intended to move into the
suburbs (even to those with bad credit)
while Blacks & Hispanics who were of
the same or similar income bracket
were mostly denied for loans intended
for the same suburbs (even with good
credit). To think that a Federal agency
would evaluate the color of one's skin
to determine his/her suitability for a
mortgage surprised me.
Kevin German
#8 of 11
From the start of this chapter I
was constantly reminded of a
mixtape from rapper Immortal
Technique called "The Third World"
in which he addresses the issue of
Blacks and Latino's being denied
loans and also by using category 2
he shows how those investing in
whiteness actually keep other races
down, basically sending out he
message that the poorest of our
country live in a third world
compared to those who have
invested in their "whiteness". I
agree with the point that racism
changes over tie and it's gone from
blatant discrimination to certain
people in society investing in
"whiteness" to keep other
minorities down.
Rahat Chowdhury
24
George Lipsitz starts this
chapter with an interesting quote
from a young man returning from
war. The young man is asked about
the "negro problem" and responds
"Their isn't any negro problem; their
is a white problem."
Lipsitz continues this chapter
by providing examples of ways
minorities were given unequal
opportunities, compared to whites,
weather it be with loans, housing, or
work.
The second part of this chapter
is more interesting. Lipsitz goes into
speaking about how white people in
today’s society are still made to feel
guilty about slavery, when most
people’s families were not even in
this country during the slavery
period. To me this falls in to a
category 2 conversation, its known
about but not spoken.
Their were times back in high
school when slavery came up, and
the few white kids in class were
made to feel guilty and awkward
about the topic. We are worried
about the past but we should really
be worried about ways to change
the present.
Chris Kiprovski
cont. on next page...
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
Facebook discussion thread continued...
on George Lipsitz, “The Possessive Investment in Whiteness” and
Peggy McIntosh’s Unpacking the White Knapsack: White Privilege (pdf)
#9
Something that was a
category 3 to me was the urban
renewal project discussed in
chapter 19. It seems like racists
will do whatever they have to do
to keep whites away from blacks.
During the 1950's and 1960's
urban renewal projects destroyed
20 percent of the central city
housing projects, but only 10
percent lived in by whites. I feel
that's horrible and then everyone
wants to blame blacks for their
dis-advantages, but no one wants
to help them.
Laser Small
dis- a Latin prefix meaning “apart,”
“asunder,” “away,” “utterly,” or having
a privative, negative, or reversing
force; used freely, esp. with these
latter senses, as an English formative:
disability; disaffirm; disbar; disbelief;
discontent; dishearten; dislike;
disown.
CATEGORIES OF RECEPTION
CATEGORY 1 - already known
CATEGORY 2 - unsaid but communicated
CATEGORY 3 - never said before or new to me
#10
I completely agree with Michelle
Chan (See comment #5 on previous
page). The way he began the
reading was great. I was aware that
a few neighborhoods were mostly
predominated by whites. This
reading brought tremendous light to
the SES and their issues.
The legal issues surrounding
racism in the 50s and 60s was
definitely mind blowing. Even they
were contributing to the disparity in
race. Category 3? Much!
Dabney Jean
25
#11 of 11
I grew up in a predominantly
white neighborhood which exposed
me to the white privileges that many
of my friends didn't receive. But it
didn't register to me that I was put
into certain programs and special
groups at school because there was
no apartment # in my address, but a
house number.
I l i k e h o w L i p s i t z a rg u e s
"whiteness has a social cash
value" (2006, vii)) because it is very
true. Once you have that skin tone
you get the 'okay'. And in Peggy
McIntosh's article she substitutes
the word 'privilege' for the word
'dominance'. I understand and
completely agree with her reasoning.
Because privilege represents luck or
deserving - neither of the two even
graze the explanation of why white
people have not only been able to
maintain their power, but expand it.
Another category 2 for me. <<
Abigaelle Revers
...end of thread.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
Soy Sauce and the Milk
by Hunter Weaver-Daniel
One afternoon, when my aunt was just
about old enough to date, her father sat her
down at the dining room table. In front of her
he placed two items, a container of soy sauce
and a tall glass of milk. He sat down across
from her and placed a single drop of soy
sauce into the glass of milk. He pointed to the
glass and in a stern rough voice he said, “You
can bring that home.” My aunt looked at the
glass of milk, and then looked at her father,
not sure how to respond. Her father dropped
another drop of soy sauce into the glass and
repeated, “You can bring that home.” He
repeated this mixture of soy sauce and milk
one drop at a time until the content of the
glass was a slight shade darker than her skin
shade, and then said, “You can’t bring that
home.”
I was 19 when I first heard the story of the
soy sauce and the milk. It astonished me that
it took me 19 years to realize my grandfather,
who I have loved my entire life, was racist.
After my aunt shared her story amongst a
small group of my family members and I,
more stories started to pour out.   My uncle
told his story of how he introduced his brown
skin girlfriend, now wife, to his parents, and
26
“We are controlled by our confusion, far more than we know, and the
American dream has therefore become something much more closely
resembling a nightmare, on the private, domestic, and international
levels. Privately, we cannot stand our lives and dare not examine
them; domestically, we take no responsibility for (and no pride in)
what goes on in our country; and, internationally for many millions of
people, we are an unmitigated disaster.” (Baldwin 1963, 89)
how his father told him he wasn’t looking blame the society that forced these racist
forward to having her as a daughter in-law. concepts, ideas, images and fears on to him.
Other stories began to surface and my view   I have come to see that hate racism
began to broaden. because it confuses me. I hate racism
After digesting these stories I started to because I have no clear concrete answer for
look back into my own vault of memories.   I it. I hate racism because we have to suffer
wondered if there was any evidence of my through a concept based on evidence that
grandfather’s racism in my past that I didn’t doesn’t exist.  I hate racism because it makes
see or chose to forget.  I began to dig deeper the story of the soy sauce and milk
and I eventual asked my father about my acceptable, but the main reason I hate racism
g r a n d f a t h e r. M y f a t h e r t o l d m e m y is because it forces me to balance the love
grandfather never liked him or approved of and hate I have for my grandfather. <<
him being with my mother. He told me that
when I was younger and even still today he
would become annoyed when my grandfather
wanted me to relay the message to him that
he had done a good job in raising me.   My
father always responded to this by saying,
“Am I not supposed to support my child, raise
my child be, be a father to my child?”
Is racism powerful enough to infiltrate a
family and divided it? Is it powerful to take my
grandfather, a person that I love, doubt and
belittle the man that made me what I am? If it
is, how do I deal with that? Should I blame a
man that grew up in a time where he himself
feared for his life because he was not white?
Should I blame a man who helped raise
children during a time where the closer you
were to being considered white the more
likely you were to make it home safe, or do I
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
NO AMOUNT OF GOD WILL
MAKE ME ANY LESS GAY
by Valeesa Augustine
Here, in the eyes of too many in
N e w Yo r k C i t y, “ b l a c k ”
automatically means loud,
uneducated, ghetto, violent, or
having roots and ties to Africa. Why
on earth would you think that
millions of people are exactly alike
because their outsides are similar?
I doubt that my skin color can
tell you that I am an artist of
graphic design as well as web
design and photography. Or that my
favorite genres of music are Rock
and Japanese and Korean Pop; I'll
listen to just about any genre in any
language. I bet you cannot tell that I
am Caribbean or detect my favorite
foods--oil-down and roti; I could
eat mangos every day and never
get tired of ‘em. My skin color
doesn’t tell you that I am quiet, that
I am shy, but once I like a topic or
conversation, I'll start to ramble and
grin. You wouldn't know any of
these t’ings without speaking to
me. Would you even know to speak
to black people about any of these
things?
What do you see when you look
at me? Do my brown eyes display a
love of chitlins and collared greens?
Do my full lips verbalize an
exclusive love of rap and hip hop?
Do my cheeks warm with the
boisterous personality you are sure
I should possess?
I am a young Caribbean woman
from Grenada, and before I can
even speak you have already
figured out who I am. Each person
encountered is a story untold. Yet
the media, and “the common man”
of the white majority think they can
judge a person by their skin alone.
I know that many non-
Caribbean blacks like the things I
mentioned. But to say they, or we,
are all the same is to say that all
whites like... I stopped because I
couldn't think of any good
stereotypes.
Black Christians will look at my
skin and think that we are the same;
that I must be the same kind of
Christian, too. If and when they find
out differently, I will become an
outsider, an unwanted, a “black
sheep” in a black flock.
No amount of God will make me
any less gay than I am. Though I
have never killed, or been arrested,
or gotten kicked out of any
establishment, in the black
community, where the church is a
big deal, to be gay is to be a leper
sitting at Lucifer's right hand.
It seems to me that if black
Christians spent much of their
existence being subtly and not-so-
subtly oppressed and discriminated
against by others because of the
difference of their skin, they would
not be so quick with their cross
words or anger and so cold with
their cruel thoughts.
It was just a few decades ago
that black people in America had to
march, had to deal with constant
scorn, had to look the other way
when the majority made jokes
or portrayed us as comical or
as some sort of disease to be
avoided. Yet those who preach
forgiveness and understanding
curse gays and lesbians with
the same breath that they pray
for the poor, the weak, or the
unfortunate. Why?
It was because of this and
other things that I changed my
religion from that of a 'bad
Catholic' to a Pagan [Paganism
is a polytheistic nature-based
belief system].
I had a black community
that constantly looked to "fix"
me. That told me I was wrong,
unnatural, and that if I
continued down that path, I
would be condemned to eternal
damnation. These people do
not know me, yet they
condemn my life, my actions,
and my motivations more than
my own mother...who accepts
me.
The worse part is the 'wall'
that comes up whenever
re l i g i o n c o m e s u p w i t h a
Christian. I know and accept
that my religion must seem
27
“Each person
encountered
is a story untold.”
screwy to other people, but at
the slightest hint that the Bible
might be wrong, most
Christians fly off the handle, or
close their minds to the rest of
the conversation.
My question is this: If you
say you follow the Bible, why
do things half-assed? If
Christians read the Biblical
passage "If a man lies with a
man as one lies with a woman,
both of them have done what is
detestable" (Leviticus 20:13) to
mean that dykes and fags
should burn in hell, why do
they ignore the fact that the
Bible also doesn't allow
haircuts? Or wearing clothes of
more than one material? Or
eating shrimp? Most Christians,
black or white, do not concern
themselves with these "rules."
They wipe these sins clean in
their minds.
People ignore my pleas for
justice, thinking they know
what's best for me. Pardon me,
but I’ve heard that before? <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
“Trapped inside the fire with our freedom on the run.”
ORIGINAL SONGS
by Matthew Kiss
#1: ENEMY EYES (JUST LIKE YOURS)
Verse:
Here we stand holding thunder
Ready to kill in a moment’s time.
I don't care how much you look like my
brother
I'll spill your blood to draw the line.
Verse:
You can swallow hatred when it's spiked
with anger
And the mixture is flowing through our
veins
Three shots ring out and I watch you
hit the floor
As the poison takes away my pain
Chorus:
Can you see yourself in your enemies
eyes?
Can you breathe in the truth and rise
above
the lies?
Do you feel the darkness as you watch
his blood paint the floor?
Hold his beat-less heart in your hands
and you'll see it looks just like yours.
28
Verse:
We've been at war since before our fathers
trapped in this circle of malice and fear
our rifles are loaded and ready
to shoot down peace anytime
that it draws near
Repeat Chorus
Bridge:
Look at his mother as she cries, as she
dies Image credit
Look at her eyes, look at those eyes
Look deep into those eyes!
Final Chorus
#2: SONG FOR MUMIA
Too many shadows living in this cage, Chorus:
I've been here too long all these lines I asked for justice but no justice
on my face, shown
I didn't kill him but they took me anyways, Beaten by the country that I call my
Because I was the one, the one they home
could blame. They tried to kill me but they can't
kill a lions roar
Born in a world torn apart by hate, I aint a saint I aint a killer I'm
Almost predestined was my fate. just a prisoner of war.
Grew up with my brother staring at the
barrel My war is for love my war is for peace
of a gun, But these chains on my bloodline
Trapped inside the fire with our freedom they won't give me release. <<
on the run.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
STRIPPING MY
PAKISTANI IDENTITY
by Usman Javed
9-11 changed American attitudes
towards people of my ethnicity
dramatically.  A male stripper revue would
be the last place you’d expect to find
racist business practices, or so I thought.
In my case, working at a male stripper
revue, staged entertainment with men
stripping in front of a large audience of
screaming women was different than you
might think. I was not treated differently
for being Pakistani or a perceived
terrorist, I was treated differently because
I was “too black” in the words of one of
the owners.
In 2006, I entered the business as a
23 year-old dancer with an “urban” way
of speaking and dressing. I had long hair
down my back that were braided into
cornrows, a typically African American
hairstyle. In 2010, I left the business as a
partner, looking, sounding, and acting like
a white businessman.
There are only a few male revues in
New York City. The shows I participated
in were owned by two Portuguese
brothers. Each promoted and sold tickets
to his own shows on his separate website
and both organized a single show for all
their customers. The shows took place
every weekend all-year round.
The older brother (in his 40’s) owned
and promoted his own show, while the
younger brother in his mid-30’s owned
and promoted another. The differences
between the two reflected the color line in
American culture: you either find favor
behaving like white people or you are
discriminated for behaving like blacks.
Of Portuguese descent, the owner-
brothers were raised in Jersey City, a
mid- to lower-class neighborhood. I was
originally hired as a dancer by the older
brother who seemed to aspire to “be
white”. The younger brother identified
with “being black”. The older brother
married a Brazilian woman of Russian
decent and the younger brother married a
Black woman.
In the club, all the balcony seats were
sold as “General Admission” seats while
the tables and floor seats were sold as
“VIP” seats. When the older brother’s
parties would attend the show, women’s
seating arrangement had a lot to do with
race or skin color. Tables were seated on
a first-come, first-served basis to all
those with reservations. Even if a party of
Black or Latina women had a reservation
and arrived early enough to choose a
front row table, it was unlikely they got
29
that opportunity. The floor manager was
forced by the older brother to seat
women of color in the second or third
row. The older owner wanted to be sure
the first row would be vacant for his white
clientele, for white parties. The same
principle was applied to the VIP seats.
The opposite was the case for the shows
of the younger owner who preferred the
Black and Latina women down front.
Both owner-brothers had ways of
rationalizing their preference. The older
owner claimed that White women would
go online and publicly complain if they
didn’t get the best treatment, hurting the
reputation of his promotion, the shows
and his bottom line. The younger brother
claimed that Black and Latin women were
the loudest and most involved, which
made for a livelier and more entertaining
show for others.
The younger brother was also the
emcee and a headline dancer. He left the
position and his partnership with his
b ro t h e r i n e a r l y 2 0 0 8 c re a t i n g a n
opportunity for me to step up into his
former roles. I auditioned and nailed it. In
early 2008 I became the emcee and the
headline dancer.
By the fall of 2008, just months later, I
was replaced as emcee by an
Abercrombie-type Italian with little
experience.  There was no debate
amongst other dancers that I was the
better man for the job.  Everyone knew
that the remaining older brother wanted a
“white boy” representing his business on
stage.  I don’t know what made me do it,
in hindsight, but soon after that I cut my
braids. ...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 30

STRIPPING... cont. long time ago and American society has

grown out of it.  W. E . B . D u B o i s w r o t e o f t h e
... By the winter of 2008, I didn’t know But racism is alive and well. It’s the “psychological wage.” I was drawing a
who I was anymore.  Was I the guy with elephant in the room.  It’s invisible. Every line between myself and the other
braids who black women avoided and once in a while we can see it, catch a minority employees of the business.  I
white women loved. Or was I the clean glimpse, then it submerges out of sight had license to draw that line once I
cut business-type dressed like a white again.  Taking this class was like tossing became “white enough” to do so.  (See
boy who black women were finding talcum powder on the invisible “Racialized Social System Approach to
interesting but not so much the white elephant. It’s in the room and I see it now. Racism” by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva)  My
women. Racism impacts all forms of experiences behind the scenes of a male
relationships. The white group of laborers, while they revue revealed one of the true evils in
I didn’t realize that in trying to save receive a low wage, were compensated America.  There are structural inequalities
my position as emcee and headline in part by a sort of public and of race, a color line of black vs white,
dancer I started to lose my true identity.  I psychological wage. They were given inequalities that eventually lead someone
began to sound as different as I looked.  I public deference and titles of courtesy of Pakistani descent to choose a
behaved differently.  My self-confidence because they were white. They were Madmen appearance over braids to get
was crashing and confusion became the admitted freely with all classes of white ahead.  Now I am aware, and I hope I
norm. people to public functions, public won’t ever put myself in a position to
Although I was drowning on the parks, and the best schools (W.E.B. make that decision again. 
inside, believe it or not, everything DuBois, Black Reconstruction in
seemed to be getting better America 1965, 700).
professionally.  In early 2009, I became a
partner in a new show the older brother
and I produced in Atlantic City.  2009 was
the most profitable and the most
depressing year of my life.  I had no
identity.  I no longer felt Pakastani. I
wasn’t black. And I wasn’t white enough.
I could not live down pretending to be a
man that I was not. So by January of
2010, I quit.
During those years I never would have
thought that someone’s racist attitudes
could have a direct impact on my life and
lifestyle.  I was blind to the impact. 
Maybe I was too naïve.  I was detached
from any idea that we live in a racist
world.  I thought that stuff happened a
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE WORLD IN A JAR
by Andre Mendez
One day Professor Gaunt took us on an
improvisational journey through Stephen Coveyʼs
analogy about filling a jar with rocks, gravel, sand
and water from his book from FIrst Things First.
Covey questioned whether the jar was full before
putting in each new item. Professor Gaunt asked us
if we could make any similar analogy to structural
racism. A few students answered but instead of
speaking up and sharing my belief, I remained silent.
After class, I waited and approached her. I
31
explained that I donʼt really talk in any of my
classes but something came to me about structural
racism and Stephen Coveyʼs analogy. I told her my
thoughts and to my surprise she was blown away.
She said, “Andre, you need to share this with
this class. That’s brilliant!” Next class, I did just
that and once again to my surprise the class was
speechless and loved it. Since then, I’ve read
more deeply into my analogy and have a few
things to add from my Jamaican point of view.
The jar, rocks, gravel, sand & water analogy
has a message for us about the way of life we live
and the world we live in regarding racism. I try to
avoid singling out that most of the experiences I
have ever seen have mostly been happening to the
blacks but this is the case for me so I am pointing it
out.
Growing up in Jamaica Iʼve seen people without
shoes thinking it canʼt get any worst, but as I grew
older I not only noticed the people without shoes
but the people without feet to even wear a shoe in
the first place.
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva explained “racilalized
social systsms” as a society organized along racial
lines according to oneʼs placement in a racial
hierarchy which to me, given the analogy of the jar,
means the rocks are the first ones to be there so
they choose whoever else they want to be in there
with them. ...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE WORLD IN A JAR cont
... The jar is basically the world we live in. It
is simply made up of different continents that are
made up of different countries that are made up
of different cities and to go more in depth itʼs also
the different boroughs, blocks, hoods, projects
and suburbs. Most of us live where we live not
because we chose to but because this is what
we can afford. For some of us its because we
didnʼt get a chance at good opportunities. Itʼs
sad to say majority of blacks live in the ghettos,
hoods or projects and majority of whites live in
the suburbs, city or condos. What about the
people that donʼt live anywhere and have no
home and the only shelter they can find is either
in the subways or behind a closed corner store?
Think about how hard, and let me emphasize
again, how hard their lives are being hungry and
homeless each day not to know where the next
drip of water or piece of bread will come from
and even imagine when itʼs winter time and itʼs
freezing.
The “rocks” are the fortunate & rich people
that have the most power and the same ones
that have life easy and call all the shots: 90% are
whites & 10% are Other. The rocks are the first
in the jar to choose wherever they want to
reside, live or build empires. After they are
settled they choose whoever else they want to
be in that jar, bringing friends, family and people
with the same skin color along side them.
Basically, they choose who will be the “gravel”
that either comes to work for them or lives the
good life their living.
The “gravel” are the people chosen by the
rich, famous & powerful (the “rocks”) who are the
ones with the power & wealth. The rocks
pull the strings and the gravel does all the
work and manages all the businesses. They
have the same way of life as the rocks so
they tend to do the same thing like hiring
people their same skin color or as wealthy
as they are leaving out the rest of the world
to strive on their own for whatever space is
left.
The “sand” is the middle-class who have
made it to a nice job and home by giving a
go at life through their hard work and
struggle. Some of them become sand
because they got a great education, like a
scholarship to proceed through school and
32
take their lives to the next level. These are
the people we look up to that made it on
their own and in the future will have a
chance at living the dream of having a good
life.
The “water” are the people we don’t
understand that go through everything bad
like living without food, shelter and
clothing . They struggle surviving 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year until the only thing
that might be good for them is death
because they will be in a better place.
These are the people that sleep on the road
and beg for money, who we walk past
everyday; the same people that share a sad
story on the train just to get a penny in their
pocket or even a sprinkle of water in their
mouth.
The rocks are first in the jar then the
gravel because the rocks brought them in
after themselves, the sand barely sneaks in,
struggling just to fit in the jar and the water
gets in but doesn’t get the pleasure of
spending life in the jar because they have
nothing so what happens is they overflow
and die. “The unchanging element of these
systems is racial inequality--the the
subordinated races’ life chances are
significantly lower than those of the
dominant race. This is a feature that
ultimately distinguishes this form of
hierarchical social organization” (Bonilla-
Silva in Gallagher 2009, 33).
And that is the world in a jar. First things
first must change to make a difference in
structural racism. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
NIGGER RICH
by Laser Small
"I'm gunna be rich when I grow up." Now
that I'm grown up I want to be anything but
rich. Perhaps one day I will be fortunate
enough to call myself "wealthy" but for now
I will just have to imagine what that world
would be like. As an African American
woman in America, people may say that I'm
"reaching for the stars", when I speak about
becoming wealthy but that's always what
my dad taught me to do, that's what I've
always done, and that's the way things will
always be. Now the only question and
perhaps the barrier that I am constantly
faced with is how do I attain this high status
of wealthy, and not just stay rich?
I would first like to propose my definition
of what being rich means, and what being
wealthy means. To be rich, is to have a large
a m o u n t o f m o n e y o f w h i c h a l a rg e
proportion is disposable. Money that is here
today is gone tomorrow; Money that doesn't
produce anything else but a habit to spend.
My definition of being wealthy is something
that people like Bill Gates and Oprah
understand and have mastered but
something that the majority of the black
community may be aware of, but not sure
how to put into practice. To be wealthy, in
my opinion is to have money that will
constantly work for you, money that will
survive generation after generation. It is to
have the ability to have a cushion in hard
times, and allowing for mobility. This type of
money is mostly found in families where
people of my skin color are not common.
I believe Chris Rock explained this
black/rich white/wealthy phenomenon best
in one of his standup shows when he said "if
Bill Gates woke up one morning with Oprah
Winfrey’s bank account he would jump off a
building and slit his throat on the way down.
"I find it to be troubling how blacks portray
themselves in the media, spending loads of
money on flashy things like "rims" cars and
other unnecessary items. It makes me
question if they have wealth or if the people
who manage them are obtaining the wealth
and the stars just have riches.
In terms of wealth, the average black
family posses 10 cents for every dollar held
by white families. With this ratio, odds are
against most blacks including myself to gain
any type of status other than the ones we
were born into. "Since the vast majority of
African Americans were first excluded and
later precluded from the kinds of
occupations, investments, and government
policies and programs that lead to wealth
generation, transformative assets typically
apply to whites from financial advantaged
families and not blacks. According to the
New York Times, “Middle-income whites, for
instance, accumulated $74,000 in assets by
2007, as opposed to high-income black
families, whose median assets totaled just
$18,000 in 2007. (For both races, middle
income was defined as $40,000 to $70,000 in
2007 dollars.)” (Michael Powell, “Wealth, Race
and the Great Recession,” 17 May 2010).
. rich may seem like the only alternative for
To be sure, the entire black community is
not doomed to be only rich and they are not
dumb because they don't know the
difference. Blacks can become wealthy, but
structural racism has put people of black
skin at a disadvantage because of
discriminatory laws and practices like
George Lipsitz outlined in “The Possessive
Investment in Whiteness”. If this continues,
we will never have the chance to become
wealthy. Even with knowledge how do you
change inequities justified by past practices
and behaviors in lending and housing. that
33
gave whites a better chance to BE wealthy. ;
that isn’t the case I am arguing here.
I think it is possible for a black person to
gain wealth but it will not be an easy road.
Blacks would first have to find a way of
getting out of the rat race of working just to
pay bills. Once that is mastered the
knowledge of how to become wealthy will
become more useful and handy. As I’ve said
before, although some blacks may have the
knowledge they have no way of putting it to
use. I also don’t see all upper class whites
as being wealthy; some may have the riches
and lose it all.
What I’m trying to say is that although
there are more wealthy whites than there are
wealthy blacks in U.S. culture, how do we
become the David in the Goliath story?
Some blacks have the knowledge of how to
become rich, but how do you change the
context all around that inhibits our economic
growth?
I don’t plan on falling into the category of
those “black people who will put rims on a
toaster,” as Chris Rock jokes but even so, it
will take more than knowledge to put this
barrier in the past without some form of
reparations for past exploitation and
economic injustices. Until then being nigger
the majority of black folk. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
ALONE TOGETHER
by Kristen Matonti
I am a twenty year old
Italian girl raised on Long
Island and I’ve been dating a
black guy my age just short of
three years. We have been
through a lot but not the
typical teenage drama, in fact
most of it does not root from
us but everyone else; from
family to strangers, who can
see we are happy but aren’t
happy for us. As much as I am
aware of where this animosity
comes from (generations of
blinded brainwashing) I am
disappointed this facade of
racism still exists.
I was in this relationship for
six months before I built up the
courage to tell my mother I
was dating someone.
Meanwhile, my mother and I
have always been close. I was
scared of what she might say,
think, or do. Sure enough my
fears came alive when I told
her. “What would Grandma
say?” and “What do we tell
your father?” These unnerving
questions have stuck with me
since, and partially effect why I
still have not told my
grandmother or father directly,
about who I am in love with.
This deep issue that has an
effect on my everyday life is
just a platform for the much
bigger matter, the result of
history’s lack of progression
and those like me who fear to
be in the position to try and
break down this superficial
racial barrier.
Although the acceptance of
interracial couples has been
more widely accepted, still
only 4% marry outside their
own race, from a statistic of
the U.S. Census Bureau in
2003. Many factors go into the
cause of this but it is hard not
to think a lot of it has to do
with this racial barrier along
with people who think it would
be easier on them and their
families to not change tradition
or walk the less taken path.
What helps me is to think
although I alone cannot
change the world’s view on this
subject; I can bring us one
step closer. If I can get my
family and friends to
understand the big hype of
skin color in society is not all
that big of a deal, those are a
few people who may see the
world in a new way. If they
become bonded with my
boyfriend, they may stop
seeing the obvious color
difference and see him as a
human just as they are.
This is what I dream of
anyway, and it starts with me in
gaining valor to bring him
around my family openly. I
begin to get hard on myself
because I should want to flaunt
the man I love and instead I
keep him to myself, in fear of
what isolation it may cause.
Why should I have to be the
one to try and change the view
of these uncouth people? Why
can’t they just be more open-
minded and flexible?
Life may be easier if I dated
someone who didn’t create a
“night and day” picture when
we were together and didn’t go
against the norm. Or if I didn’t
have to deal with the
outlandish stares from
strangers when we go out for
dinner or go shopping. But I
should not have to change who
I am to make others feel more
at ease and prevent
pandemonium.
34
As I said before, this is just
my story but it is just one
effect of the much larger
picture of this racial bias that
has occurred forever that just
changes it’s shape throughout
the centuries.
I fathom people may argue
if I just told my family about my
relationship they would be
understanding and supportive
and that I’ve only built this
unnecessary apprehension in
my head due to imaginary
judgments. However, if they
thought about themselves
being in my shoes, they quite
possibly would feel the same
way as I do, but something
tells me majority have stayed
as far away from the possibility
of entering the situation I have
put myself in (dating someone
outside their race).
I alone cannot change what
everyone thinks, and therefore
if I live my life the way I so
chose, I can only hope one by
one, people will start to
understand genuine
connections can be made with
a human of any different color
or cultural background, as I so
fortunately have, after all, skin
color is only skin deep. <<
Photo credit
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 35

by NADEGE NAU Bay Ridge, Coney Island bound trains: the D, N,

Q, B, F and R trains. There are not a lot of black
I know this may come off as racist but I have folks living there. But if you do see Asians stick
this odd talent for using skin color to my around, they’ll most likely transfer at the Atlantic
advantage. Every now and again, after a long Avenue/Pacific Street station.
day's work, I use my expertise to target As my train makes stops through lower
unsuspecting passengers  on the subway train. I Manhattan, white men and women dressed in
target white people who will abandon their seat business suits exit the train first. That's when I
for me. My strategic method is to stand in front of start to jockey for a seat because I still have a
a white person who'll be getting off soon. I assure long way to go. As the business suits exit, I might
you it never fails. Let me share the method to my take their place. Depending on how crowded the
madness. train is, I may not be able to reach their evacuated
It’s six p.m. on a packed MTA train with position quick enough to possess their seat.
blacks among whites, Rastafarians among Jews, Then as the train approaches Brooklyn
rich among poor. In other words, an evident Heights, more white people leave while more
cluster of ethnic groups and social classes black people get on. They look like they are
commute together daily. This is New York City and leaving work or low-wage jobs in the area. I can
The “Index of dissimilarity” is the measure of
it is the 21st century, so this shouldn’t shock infer based on their skin color, style of clothes,
segregation in a given area (Massey in Gallagher
anyone. and their attitude.
2009, 165). Based on my train observations alone, Once past Brooklyn Heights, I should be
without exiting the train station, this segregation is
As an African American woman born and seated comfortably and I can continue my
evident to any other MTA transit commuter with
raised in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, I commute to observations of the exits. I hope I might be proven
perhaps the exception of the wealthier groups of
Baruch College in Manhattan everyday. I take wrong but this rarely happens. As the train passes
people, mostly white, who get off too soon to
either the #2, 4, or 5 trains and for a brief moment through downtown Brooklyn, more and more
notice the socio-economic index of dissimilarity at
I witness the expected integration of these whites exit. If I am on the express train, most of
play. The deeper you go into Brooklyn, the darker
clusters. Then reality kicks in. Simply put, the train them are gone after Atlantic Avenue and almost all
the train gets.
stops in different ethnic neighborhoods. From have disappeared by the Franklin Avenue stop.
I get off just before the last stop on the 2 or
mid-town Manhattan to Flatbush the extensive The local 2 or 3 trains are the exception. White
the 5 trains at Newkirk Avenue. The farthest stop
spectrum of skin tones and classes contracts passengers exit at the Park Slope/Prospect
into Manhattan I ever travel is up to 42nd Street. It
down to various shades of brown and if I play my Heights stops like Bergen St., Grand Army Plaza,
takes about 45-60 minutes to get back home
cards right I should have my own seat after we and Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum—all of
depending on traffic. Taking the train day in and
pass a certain stop. which are lovely gentrified neighborhoods.
day out over years adds up. So I have lots of
Yes, people from all walks of life from different Let me make a few further distinctions. If
empirical data to account for my strategic
ethnic backgrounds do indeed board the train there are white people present after certain stops,
method.
collectively. But we are not living together in they are most likely Jewish. They exit between
First, when heading home, I get on at 42nd
proximity to one another. To each its own Nostrand Avenue and the Crown Heights/Utica
Street. There’s a sizable body of blacks, whites,
destination. Where different groups of people get Avenue stop—a majority of them exit at Kingston
and some Latinos present. I have never noticed
off to work or go home reveals a segregated Avenue where all the synagogues are. After Utica
that many Asians on my line. This is probably due
population within New York City. Ave., the train passes through Brownsville ...
to the fact Asians tend to take the Bensonhurst,
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
STOP SEGREGATION cont.
... and heads towards East New York,
and I assure you that all you see then
are different shades of brown. And
when you exit the train you possibly
see shades of grey in these poverty
stricken neighborhoods. Hopefully you
don’t run into shades of red. East New
York has high levels of crime.
If there is any type of diversity
past Franklin Avenue on the #2 train,
white people usually exit no later than
President or Sterling Streets—both are
very close to Prospect Heights, which
has a large Jewish population. Any
remaining white faces are those
heading to Brooklyn College, the last
stop. This stop represents higher
learning, or they may reside in the
Midwood area, (which surrounds
Flatbush) which is also a
predominately Jewish neighborhood.
In the NYTimes article “Brooklyn:
Demographics of an Ever-Changing
Borough,” four Brooklyn maps show
the different locations ethnic group are
clustered. Whites live predominately in
Williamsburg, Blacks in Canarsie,
Asians in Bensonhurst, while
I grab their vacant seat
as if, for the moment,
it's best I can get.
Hispanics are clustered in Bay Ridge.
This supports my day-to-day
observations on the subway train. In
“An overview of Trends in Social and
Economic Well-Being, by Race” by
Rebecca M. Blank she writes: “Whites
are by far the most segregated
population, even more than their larger
population percentage would justify.
The average White person lives in a
neighborhood that is more than 80
percent White. Blacks are the next
most segregated, living in
neighborhoods that are, on average,
about 60 percent Black and 30
percent White” (Blank in Gallagher
2009, 48).
I worry that readers might think I
am racist for my special talent. But as
we explored in our course, "I could be
right." Distinguished sociologist
Douglas Massey points to a
c o r re l a t i o n b e t w e e n a g ro u p ’s
geographic location in society and its
socioeconomic status or well-being.
He writes, “Opportunities and
resources are unevenly distributed in
space; some neighborhoods have
safer streets, higher home values,
better services, more effective
schools, and more supportive peer
environments than others” (Massey in
Gallagher 2009, 165). If whites or any
ethnic group had access to safer
streets, higher home values, better
services, and effective schools why
would they lower their standard of
living? I wouldn't either.
After sitting down for at least half
of my ride home, I'm finally in a
position to exit like the white
passengers before me, but no one
bothers to take my seat with one stop
left. What does that leave in East
Flatbush? I’ll tell you. Despite its
imperfections, where I live is rich in
culture and on top of that I am from
there. And I am an amazing creative
person. But whenever I ride the train
home, if I’m lucky enough stand in
front of a white person and eventually
36
claim their vacant seat, I initially feel
relieved. I can relax and get
comfortable. But I realize how
dissatisfying it seems to live in East
Flatbush compared to places like
lower Manhattan.
With the passage of the Voting
Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act of
1964, racial desegregation began to
be enforced in this nation. But the
movement really began when Rosa
Parks refused to give her seat to a
white man and move to the back of
the bus 55 years ago. They say Ms.
Parks took a seat to take a stand.
As a white person gets off in
Manhattan or some other gentrified
area just inside Brooklyn, I grab their
vacant seat as if, for the moment, it's
best I can get. While things look so
different than Jim Crow Laws in 1955,
it seems like we are still riding the
same train. So tell me. When will "stop
segregation" stop? <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
FACING UP TO
WHITENESS
by Kevin German
I reacted in shock when former
superstar of  Major League Baseball
Sammy Sosa appeared in public with
significantly whitened skin. He used
to be darker than me. Now he was
even lighter.
Born in of the Dominican
Republic with some African ancestry,
people compared him to Michael
Jackson, another dark-skinned
celebrity who had a suspicious
lightening of his skin color.  Unlike
Michael Jackson, Sosa attributed his
newfound white skin to the use of
skin lightening facial cream rather
than a diagnosed medical condition.
In "How Our Skins Got Their
Color," Marvin Harris writes that "fair-
skinned, nontanning individuals" who
could utilize the most limited doses of
sunlight were naturally favored in
colder climates. Those individuals
tended to grow taller, stronger and
healthier than darker individuals
(Harris in Gallagher 2009, 8). This
natural selection did not apply in the
tropics. So what happened with
people like Sosa who are from the
Caribbean or closer to the equator? It
never occurred to me to question
skin color as a function of
colonialism until I visited my
mother’s homeland last August in the
Philippines.  reflective of the skin tones of my
On most trips I usually pack a
complete set of toiletries but this
time I left my face wash behind. This
required a trip to the nearest
drugstore in the Philippines the
morning after my arrival.
At the drugstore, I couldn’t help
but notice that every choice of face
wash had some kind of skin
whitening formula. As I looked at
other facial products, they all had
labels that advertised some kind of
whitening. This was upsetting for me
because I couldn’t find a non-
whitenening face wash at all. What
was more troubling was that this
was just the tip of an iceberg; a rude
awakening for me.
Throughout my month-long visit
over, I was exposed to Filipino
television shows, commercials,
movies, and print ads. The actors
and models appearing in these
forms of media were all of light and/
or white skin. This was hardly
re p re s e n t a t i v e o f m o s t n a t i v e
Filipinos who, for the most part, are
represented by darker skin tones.
These role models were certainly not
own relatives or the Filipinos with
whom I had made acquaintances
during my stay. All this projected a
sort of ideal “Filipino” that was
perpetuated everywhere by the
media. This ideal “Filipino” man or
woman shared more physical traits
with Europeans than with Southeast
Asians. This preference for
European physical traits can be
attributed to the colonial past of the
Philippines. Once colonized in the
14th Century by Spain, it was ceded
to the United States after the
Spanish-American War in 1898. This
effectively put the Philippines under
a Western-European influence for
the next 500 years.
There is a general preference for
lighter-skinned Filipinos over their
darker toned “kababayans” or
country folk. So skin color marks
social class or backwardness.
Through the views expressed by my
relatives and friends, lighter-skinned
people are expected to be of a
higher social class, more educated,
and are thereby more valued as
potential mates than their darker-
skinned comrades. Darker-skinned
country folks were seen to be the
opposite even when evidence
suggested otherwise. As a result,
the wages of lighter-skinned people
included more opportunities; the
more one looked European, the
better one’s chances for advancing
up the socio-economic ladder. (See
“wages of whiteness” and
psychological wage by DuBois)
The idea of manufacturing
lighter skin, with creams and other
facial products, in order to fit the
ideal Filipino stereotype was very
bothersome to me. I couldn’t believe
that this idea was being marketed to
the Filipino public through TV
37
shows, movies, and commercials
and being sold to them in the aisles
of their local drugstores. This notion
that one is better if he or she was of
lighter skin is a ludicrous assertion
that is leftover from the colonial era.
It is what continues to keep those of
a lighter complexion at a greater
advantage compared to those who
are “disadvantaged;” those who lack
“white” skin colors. Perhaps people
from the Dominican Republic, like
Sammy Sosa, who may be of
African descent, but find themselves
haunted and similarly afflicted by
the “advantages” of this colonial
mentality, cannot resist. There are
cues everywhere to fit in by skin
color in order to rub elbows with the
wealthy, with whites, more or less.
This European ideal of beauty
means that darker skin is not pretty,
not beautiful, not favored and not
economically privileged in so many
ways. The photo above is an
exaggeration but so is what is
happening as a result of white
supremacy and privilege. When will
we begin to face up to the serious
impact of colonialization on our
present realities. Skin color is a
social construct, not a reality. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
I Am Not My Hair 我不是我的头发
by Jeanine “Nkechi” Ezeh
Tsim Tsa Tsoi, Hong Kong, 2003.
Skyscrapers. Sights. Big city, bright lights,
non-stop shopping. What more could a
teenage girl want? I was living in a major
tourist hub in metropolitan Hong Kong, with
bars, restaurants and factory outlet clothing.
But no hair salons. Not for me. So, my
mother became my personal hair stylist.
Our living room became a combat zone.
The hero: mommy dearest. Her weapon of
choice: a brown wide-toothed comb. The
battle field: my kinky head. Getting my hair
styled was the agenda. Finding a salon that
handled my kind of hair? A major dilemma. I
am not a blonde nor am I a brunette. Still a
teenager, not yet an adult. Among the Chinese,
I was a minority among minorities in one of the
most densely populated lands in the world.
With seven million people in Hong Kong, about
ninety five percent are Chinese with long and
short straight, black hair.
God blessed me with a mix of coils and
kinks, quite uncommon to Hong Kong. I could
38
most certainly afford a fancy hair salon. Money empathy for difference. People should not be
was far from the issue. Apparently I wasn’t like so critical of things that they are unfamiliar
everyone else. My hair is not straight or extra with, but rather show common courtesy
long like those who sat on swiveled towards others regardless of their
thrones  looking down at me and my kind. “differences”. According to Lipsitz in the article
Before I could even utter a request for service, “The Possessive Investment in Whiteness:
a Chinese woman in the salon would bark, Racialized Social Democracy”, in the effort to
"Sorry, we don't do that kind of hair here!" make a change, “we can only become part of
Being mistreated due to the color of my skin the solution if we recognize the degree to
was bad enough; much less being mistreated which we are already part of the
due to the texture of my hair. problem” (Lipsitz in Gallagher 2009, 154). I
Attending a British international high already know that a place like Hong Kong
school in Hong Kong was no exception. We wouldn’t have a hair salon for people of
moved there because my dad is a Nigerian African descent and their hair. All I ask is for
diplomat and the questions were endless. inclusiveness, even though one might not be
“Why does your hair look like that?”, “Does it able to change the circumstances.
grow?”, “How do you wash it?”, “Can I touch
it?” You would think that I was an alien that
just teleported myself on to “their” planet.
According to Blumer in the article “Race
Prejudice as a Sense of Group Position”, they
were the dominant group, and I a member of
the subordinate race was “intrinsically different
and alien” (Blumer in Gallagher 2009, 126).
Even my younger brother, who was nine years
old at the time, was once referred to as
“microphone head” by his friends. It was
funny, though it was a backhanded insult. I
found their blatant ignorance quite comical at
times, but there was a part of me that just
wanted to scream…break down and cry.
On the contrary, in areas like Brooklyn and
the Bronx, it is quite easy to find a salon to
Behind the glitz and glam of Hong Kong
manage what the Chinese consider a “shock lies a racialized society, where a person is
of hair”. Here, when it comes to my hair the
characterized not just by the difference in their
feeling of being out of place is replaced by a skin color, but also by the difference in the
sense of belonging. I look around and I see
texture of their hair. In my eyes, the memory of
more of my kind, be it kinky, wavy, curly, its bright lights will forever be masked by a fog
permed or natural, braided or locked, long and
of structural inequities; and my kinky hair,
short; not sticking out like a sore thumb for a which I have grown to love and embrace in
change is quite refreshing.
subsequent years, will always serve as a faint
My plight is not just about black people, reminder. <<
but also about anybody who has ever felt like
they don’t fit into society. My plea is simple:
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 39

THE PRIVILEGE OF A held by a professor or having your occupations of the parents), just 3%
family donate a new wing to your came from the bottom
PUBLIC EDUCATION schools library.   socioeconomic status quartile, and
by Sarah Mancin
Many students here are in roughly 10% came from the bottom
school with financial aid because half of the socioeconomic scale”. 

I grew up in an upper class, all they cannot afford the $5,000 Youth in higher income families with
white, primarily Jewish tuition.   Growing up kids would college-educated parents are
neighborhood in Long Island.  spend more then that in a day of undoubtedly privileged.  Therefore
"Upper" class is an understatement.  shopping, and with that they have they find the more selective colleges
When I was in high school, girls ran   no concept of money. It is not their and more expensive colleges more
through the halls with their $2,000 fault they do not understand people affordable.  More importantly, their
Chanel handbags while boys would white privilege comes conceptions with issues such as this, it is the childhood development created in
discuss which Rolex they were of beauty and intelligence directly whiteness surround our these sheltered neighborhoods, high
getting for their birthdays. The tied to being white.  Without these neighborhood that is to blame.  The quality schools and homes provide
senior parking lot was filled with privileges, I wouldn’t have been able way I look at it is yes, my friends support for their entrance into these
Range Rovers, Mercedes and to live in the area I did. might be getting a better education highly selective colleges.  Without
BMWs. I cannot deny I wasn't
When the time came to apply for academically speaking, but I these advantages, these colleges
sucked into this fairy tale. I spent my colleges, it was all "naturally" definitely have acquired better social would not be attainable, which
high school years with the "in" competitive.   We each wanted skills and knowledge of the real provides support to the study listed
crowd, but it wasn't until post- bragging rights over what private world outside the bubble of my high above.  Isn’t it ironic to think then
graduation when I realized my school and/or Ivy League school (all school experience.  It is sad for me that most colleges are founded
socioeconomic privilege. costing at least 50,000 a year) we to think that many of my friends still based on the ideas of merit, but it is
Although unspoken about, got accepted into.  Transferring to a have not grown out of this cultural seemingly impossible for people of
blacks were not exactly accepted in city school after my freshman year, privilege because it has followed low socioeconomic status and racial
my community.  There had only especially a CUNY school, a public them onto college.  At their private minority backgrounds to enter
been one black student in my grade, university system, my entire mindset institutions they have never met them?
who later went on to attend Duke.  has changed.   Literally my friends someone that comes from Harlem,
I cannot deny I would not have
One black student in a class of 350 wouldn't survive a place like this they have never rode a subway, and been able to access certain places
students; the sentence speaks for without someone holding their hand.  they have certainly never had to in my life if it hadn’t been for my
itself.  With socioeconomic privilege This school really requires you to be think twice about spending money being white or my economic
comes whiteness, and most of us on your own.  There are no personal for lunch. privilege.  But with all this rooted evil
were unaware that the advantages advisors to tell you when you’re
According to “Socioeconomic created around money it makes me
we were exposed to have much to about to fail a class.  There is no one Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Selective wonder if all this privilege is really
do with us being white.  The to pass you through your courses College Admission” by Anthony P. worth it?  Will I ever really
whiteness advantage many take for like there had been in high school.  Carnevale and Stephen J. Rose, understand the struggles people
granted and is therefore often You have to work really hard for your “74% of students at the top 146 different from me face on a daily
invisible, although still preferred. But grades.  Not saying that the Ivy highly selective colleges came from basis?  With all these invisible
in fact with material privilege comes League schools aren’t as hard, but if families in the top quarter of the barriers within our country I wonder
better access to higher education needed there is definitely certain socioeconomic status scale (as who is to blame. The money or the
well paid jobs and a choice of safer unspoken help available to students, measured by combining family people? <<
neighborhoods to live in, and with whether it be attending a benefit income and the education and  
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
COLORED JUSTICE -
FOR THE PARENTS?
by Jennifer Glasper
I thought that my mother getting
murdered when I was twenty three
was the worst thing that  happened to
me. Going to court over child custody
was worse. I knew what author
Dorothy Roberts meant first-hand
when she wrote, "Black children are
overrepresented in child protective
services because of the interplay of
societal, structural and individual
factors that feed into each other to
determine which families fall under
state scrutiny and supervision" (The
Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child
Welfare, 2002, 97).  punishment. We plead not guilty to the
In the mid-summer of 2008,
detectives stormed the door of my
home. The Administration for Children
Services in New York City received a
call regarding the alleged sexual
abuse of my 13 year-old child.  custody. So, joint custody was
They came on a Friday night.
Though we refused to answer  any
questions until we could speak to a
lawyer, the detective said, “You
can call your lawyer but I am not sure
that you will be able to reach him.” He
added, “You can either talk to us or
we will have to arrest both of you
and take you downtown with us.”
My family’s rights were being
violated but we had no choice; leaving
us to submit to the two white intruders
calling themselves police  detectives.
To make a long story short, my
husband and I ended up in court
fighting the battle of our lives.
In court, I didn't know what to
expect from the  judge and the first
time we went it felt like we were
seen--my husband and I are
both  wheelchair-bound--but not
heard.  With more than 72 million children
A few months later, in the fall of
2008, I found myself in a courtroom
surrounded  by a sea of unfamiliar
whiteness and familiar racial
discrimination. As soon as  the judge
saw us in our wheelchairs, she
seemed to have made her decision.
Without hearing from both parties
involved I couldn’t understand how
she determined if the allegations were
true or not. My husband and I wanted
to go to trial but the judge felt there
had been too much corporal
charges and we were never heard.  are in foster care. For every 1,000
The judge seemed to base her
decision solely on the alleged report of
abuse. We were told that if we
pursued a trial, we would lose total
granted. Did the fact that we were
black AND disabled factor into her
decision? Whatever the case, I felt the
injustice of a decision that changed
the life of my family forever.  disproportionately high number of
I wondered how many other ethnic
groups experience this type of
treatment? Do most of the families
that  appear in family court share a
common trait – race, class or poverty?
According to statistics from St.
John Law School, there are
approximately 2.9 million child
maltreatment reports made annually in
the United States. Of those, almost 1
million, less than 35%, were actual
victims of child abuse or neglect.
40
What is indeed shocking is the
dis-proportionate numbers related to
the race/ethnicity involving actual
neglect; 59% of them are children of
color.
overall living in the United States, 41%
are reported to be children of color
meaning Black, Latino, Native
American, Asian, or some race other
than White. Contrast this with the
over-representation of children of
color in the child welfare system;
these kids account for twice as many
as their percentage in the general
population (80%).
Compare the statistics between
Blacks and Whites. For every 1,000
Black children, 17 are in foster care,
but for every 1,000 White children, 5 financial obligation as a parent for while
my child lived with a legal guardian.
Black children, 17 are substantiated Without representation, as the court date
as victims of child abuse or neglect, approached, I was deathly afraid of the
but for every 1,000 White children, 9 outcome which could mean garnishing
are substantiated as victims of abuse 2 / 3 rd s o f m y fi x e d i n c o m e w h i l e
or neglect. unemployed. I was in school to learn to be
What is also interesting is that a teacher--start a new career.
re g a rd l e s s o f t h e r a c e o f t h e Was my disability going to be judged
investigator, Black, Hispanic, and again? Would I be seen as a helpless and
Asian/Pacific Islander children have a hopeless mother? Despite my worries, all I
could do was have faith and trust God.
investigations regarding child abuse This time the court was run by a
and neglect compared to White different judge. He was an old, white man
children. with white hair. But I immediately thought,
Recently, I found myself in court "It’s over for me." As the judge began, he
again, regarding alleged lack of child saw that I was gripped  with fear. He said,
support provided to the custodian of “Relax! Don’t be nervous.” After hearing
my child.  I needed to find free legal both parties, the judge made a phone call
assistance, but no one in legal aid in to verify a part of my testimony. And then
NYC could handle child support.  the judged ruled in my favor. WOW, this
Eventually, I had to appear without time I defended myself! ...
re p re s e n t a t i o n t o c o u n t e r n e w
allegations that I had not fulfilled my cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
The Color of Justice? cont...
...
Just as everything was concluding, the judge said, “I commend you for
putting so much money away for your [child's] future; I don’t know anyone
else who would have done what you did and I wish you all the best in this
situation with your [child].”  break down family values not protect them. Minorities and the disabled
Though justice was served in his decision, I had to confront the fact
that not all white judges are bad and make poor decisions. I had to let go of
the prejudice developed from interacting with the cops and the previous
judge.
Having been through this ordeal not once but twice, I would not wish
being in the family court system on anyone.
As a parent, I felt betrayed. There should be some form of supervision
over this Agency. Some way to contest their practices. Nothing can erase
these ordeals from my mind and to think that I followed all the necessary
steps available to me and was still not heard. That made me bitter. And my
child was taken away!
There is no compassion in the system that is in place. Who was I to
turn to when the system failed me? I refused to succumb to the harsh
treatment and the injustice. Being disabled is not a reason to give up. All I
wanted was to be treated fairly – just a simple and thorough investigation
was all that was required. No one ‘cared’ to follow through.
41
To be sure, there are abusive parents out there but the system should
be designed to protect children AND their parents. The Administration for
Children Services should also help parents become better parents,
especially parents who have never been in trouble before just in case the
decision is wrong. For me, it seemed like the system was designed to
are easy targets. These families may have limited resources to obtain
legal representation in family court. This should not be the case. Justice
should not be determined based on the race, disability, or income.
I intend to start reaching out to my community leaders and voice my
concerns so these injustices do not continue. I cannot give up. I now
believe my situation is not unique – I was just lucky to get a fair judge the
second time around. <<
1
Hughes, T. The Neglect of Children and Culture: Responding To Child
Maltreatment with Cultural Competence and a Review of Child Abuse and
Culture: Working with Diverse Families.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
BREAKING THE BARRIER
by Isaac Setton
Walking through the doors of Baruch
College that first day, I immediately felt as
powerless as a dead fish. Any power or
dominance I felt I had was flushed down the
drain in a matter of minutes.
Twelve years of private school and it was
not until I left the school that I noticed the
bubble my community kept me enclosed in.
After just one day in Baruch College, racism hit
me smack in the face. Being in a private
school with all white Jewish students like
myself prevented me from having a
multicultural knowledge about the real world
and how racism was affecting everyone
around me.
For all those years, I was part of the
“dominant group,” and all the power was
mine, which no one could take away. Until that
first day of Baruch College where I lost my
status as part of the majority, I was now part of
the minority. Is it possible to adjust that fast?
Being in this type of setting for all those
years did have its pros and cons. For example
a pro was that since the school had only about
700 kids, grades 9-12, it was easier for them
to keep up with each and every student to
track their progress. A con however was that
going to a school with so few kids, especially
dominated by white Jews; I would not have a
sense of what was going on outside my
school. Baruch College needs to deal with
these problems of kids entering school facing
problems like diversity and independence.
[photo credit]
If you asked me to tell a story about a
close friend or relative that faced racism from
my early years, I would most likely stare
blankly back at you. Racism? With people I
know? Never heard of. Am I ignorant? I don’t
think so. I could blame my community and
family for this fault of mine, I won’t though, at
the same time I would thank them for this fault
as well.
I grew up in a Jewish Syrian community of
about 75,000 people in Brooklyn, NY. If you
think you’ve seen protected and secluded,
take a walk in my neighborhood for a day. A
community member has no reason to be
outside the “boundaries” we live in. Name your
need whether it be groceries, restaurants,
entertainment, etc. it was there and in a
convenient location as well. The kid who sits
next to you in class, will more times than not
live in walking distance to your house.
The change from Brooklyn to Manhattan,
you could imagine was overwhelming for me.
42
Not everyone was a white Jew like me. The
word of the day was diversity. Then it hit, did
all these people experience what I had been
seeing on the news? Would I actually meet
someone who has experienced it first hand?
Until fall 2010, when I walked into a course
called Evolution and Expressions of Racism in
the Black and Hispanic Studies. This class
would change my views and help me become
more diverse. I heard one girl talking about
how she was not allowed to shop at a store
because she was black, another person talking
about how people thought they were not who
they were just because of the style of their hair,
and another student say how they were told
they were someone else just because the
teacher thought they were the same person
based on the color of her skin.
Was I the only one seeing all of this as a
new thing? I couldn’t be, there had to be many
others in the same situation as me. This must
have been going on everywhere. There needs
to be an end to this ordeal. Students as well as
non-students must be educated on what is
happening around them, and not their small
community or city that they live in. Schools are
the first people needed to realize this
controversy and work to find a solution. With
this problem they also must deal with it on the
other end of it. Do non-Jews understand the
little details of the Holocaust? Do all whites
understand the small details of the genocides
in Rwanda or Darfur?
This idea would make college students
more aware of what is going on around them.
There’s also another thing colleges must do to
help their students, which is to try and create a
system to keep track of each and every ...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 43

BREAKING THE BARRIER cont.
...student’s work. By doing this they could
make sure that every student will leave college
with potential. I received this kind of attention
in my
high school and I feel that it is necessary and
vital to have. Everyone could benefit from it.
Now racism today does not hit everyone
like our hindsight about Nazi Germany or the
KKK. It does however limit us structurally in
ways we don’t notice until were put in a setting
that we are limited by. This course in racism
went from being a required course, to a course
that I could look back on and say that it
changed the way I viewed the world.

Kids need to be educated, especially the

ones who do not have knowledge of the world
outside their communities or cities similar to
myself. They need to get in touch with a wider,
more diverse world and not have a narrow
view. People shouldn’t have to face the music
at the age of 18 where they are already
molded into the person they are going to be.
For some, it might be too late. For me, I
changed my views before it changed me. <<
A 16-year-old Yosef Abrahamson, a Yeshiva
student in Crown Heights, Brooklyn is hoping
to help improve relations between Orthodox
Jews and blacks in his Brooklyn community by
trading on what makes him a curiosity to both:
He is African-American and a Hasidic Jew.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
RE-COVERING ISLAM
by Iqra
“Miss, can I see your bag please”, said the
police officer at the Jamaica Ave F train
station. It was my hijab that inspired his
request. Walking to school in the morning I
was stopped by two policemen with a table
between me and them. They searched my bag
and found books.
They left the book bag there turning their
faces to the side. I thought it was a guilty
feeling in them. That was the sign I was free to
go. The only reason they did that because I
was wearing a scarf and my skin tone is dark.
They think I am not from here or that I’m a
terrorist.
Whenever I remember that scene, the
darkness of the train station, the two white
policemen and people passing by staring
reminds me of all that bad experience. It’s hard
to explain to everyone that you were born and
raised here in the United States of America like
any other American citizen. I have never been
to Pakistan, even once. But the influence of
the culture and tradition is still alive in my
neighborhood of South Asians. Seeing cops
being racist towards me feels awkward. Most
of the time I read this topic in history or hear it
on the news. But when you feel a cop being
racist towards you it’s like a mountain has just
landed upon you. It’s like one is not included in
your own society.
Being brown skinned and that too from
South Asia people usually see you as cheap or
3rd world. Their reactions feel inappropriate. It
feels like Muslims and Arabs are being treated
like animals. Coming from a another country,
adjusting to living here, is definitely not going
to be easy. What makes it worse is when
people are unnecessarily called F.O.B.(Fresh
Off Boat) just because they are doing
something differently than what is the white
norm in America. I liked one quote from James
Baldwin’s book The Fire Next Time where he
states,
“Through the storm which rages about
your youthful head today, about the reality
which lies behind the words acceptance
and integration. There is no reason for you
to try to become like white people and
there is no basis whatever for their
impertinent assumption that they must
accept you.” (Baldwin 1963, 8)
This quote has significance. Shows that one
does not need to be accepted in a society
where being “white” is the standard to live.
Even though Muslims get
a n g r y b e c a u s e w e a re
young and have free
thinking, we usually see
44
this as a major topic which outrages us. If we
look at it in terms of whiteness is what is being
expected as a norm. Being white is not
mandatory, it is not what we have to do to
survive. Man was created from the union of
two people; a white person did not say at that
time we were born that we needed to be white.
One usually gets accustomed to the society
they live around.
The chapter “Race and Civil Rights Pre-
September 11, 2001: The Targeting of Arabs
and Muslims” by Susan Akram and Kevin
Johnson (in Gallagher 2009, 137-144) reflected
what I was trying to say about racism towards
the Muslim community in New York City. The
article says there are different ways Arabs and
Muslims are being hated in the US and
especially in the media and Hollywood films.
This seems to give evidence that racism is not
a small thing but it is being depicted on a
national level, a big thing.
When a white person or a person from
America converts into Islam, they feel proud to
be converting into a new religion and believe
they should stick to what is right. At the same
time, knowing the criticism one gets when you
hear a “Muslim” is amongst them, they might
feel guilty in a way. Why did I even bother
changing religions?
No matter how one looks at the situation
there is going to be a racist attempt on you
with a scarf whether you were born in this
country or not. In some way or another, there is
going to be sure of racism from media or from
outside people you may not even know.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
POEMS
by Quinton McDonald
I. Scared For My Job
Living in a racist place
A world filled with people who don’t have the same
face
When bringing up the subject of race in this world
I feel everyone has their own special pearl
Of wisdom or knowledge or experience
A story from back when or even present tense.
Over thanksgiving dinner my grandmother was
offended
When I told her that I have experienced the -ism.
I said to her I mean no disrespect to you
But racial divide is not some exclusive shoe.
Not something that’s rare or one in a million
But a common offense, created everyday like
children.
My experience with racism may be short
But long is its history with the people its fought.
Now I have been followed in stores and mistreated
by some
But race is the last thing in my mind that comes.
I fight it but still it scares me down
As if we were in a circus and I was the clown.
I remember one time racism came about through a
boss
I was scared for my job and thought “I can’t stand
strong”
But with guidance my voice did come along
Enough to show and prove to her that she was
wrong.
45
III. Ode to Being a Problem
Dear You,
You know who I’m talking to.
This letter is to prove that
I’m not in love with you.
In the beginning it was harmless,
Only whispers in my ear
Echoes of another time, a fight from yesteryear
A lot of that has changed since then
At least within the structure
The law is on a just side to protect us from one
another.
I don’t belittle the struggle some had
For that was one decision
That demanded great faith, and bravery and
caused great cataclysm.
You were always there for me
Which makes this hard to say:
I never loved you, not one bit.
Please go away.
I remember times of happiness
When you were far away
II. Chaos But when your presence draws near
My happiness never stays. <<
When the world is on fire
And thoughts are the flames
People sit back and play blame games.
Pointing to whom they feel is at fault
But not realizing they’ve forgot what they were taught.
My mother did, and I know, so did yours,
Told each and everyone don’t close any doors
Possibilities, chances or opportunities
Encounters, and of course avoid being discriminatory.
With minds set a blaze
And the truth on the run
Who can save us from the chaos we’ve become.
Consumed by judgment and evil in essences
We turn to religion for a most divine blessing
Lending our trust to cults and deceivers photo credit
EITHER ITS WHITE OR BLACK!
Why can’t we choose neither?
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
FENCED IN WHITENESS
by Trevor Smith
How could racism affect a tall, white male.
Everyone knows only minorities can be the victims
of racism. This is what our society has you to
believe. All black people are fantastic athletes, too
bad they all steal cars and wind up in jail. Hispanic
people are only useful to me so long as my house
is dirty, after that, send em’ down to home depot
and let them find a house to build. And of course,
don’t ever board an airplane with a middle
easterner on it, because obviously they’re a
terrorist. These are just a few of the ridiculous
statements that can be formulated with the way
our society is today.
Americans judge people based on the color of
their skin because it’s easier to us than getting to
know them as a person. We don’t even have to
know someone’s name before we label him or her
a criminal, or a gang member. If you take two
identical cars but one is blue and one is red, you
still have the same cars-there is a parallel with skin
color and people. Skin color difference is about
environment or external factors, not DNA or
character. People from different parts of the world
have different tones of skin because of a mixture of
vitamin D deficiency or UV light damage caused
from the sun. You don’t turn black the more terrible
things you do in life, just as you don’t become
white for doing good. Our skin doesn’t act as a
mood ring or a karma meter, and Mother Theresa
and a serial murderer could have come from any
ethnic or racial group.
The town I live in is 90% white. The average
income per family is 3 times the New York state
average, and the average house value is over 1
million dollars. It is an upscale predominately white
suburb.  Before my first year in college, I never had
a problem with my neighbors. I was always willing
to help them carry a large or heavy object--I'm a
big guy, or shovel their driveway, or to care for their
home and pets when they would go away. This all
changed once I began my freshman year. The
majority of my friends from high school went away
to college. Then I began to hang out with the ones
I had left; the majority were black and Hispanic.
After enjoying a relaxing barbeque one night
with a dozen or so friends, I learned that my next
door  neighbor’s view of me was changing. There
were no complaints about the noise we may have
made, nothing rational like that. He/she was upset
with the fact that I had black friends visiting our
neighborhood.
Next thing I know, the neighbor just stopped
smiling back or saying hello. As my black friends
hung around longer, he/she neighbor pulled me
aside to inform me that a lot of the other neighbors
didn’t appreciate that I was bringing black people
around. He asked me to stop. This appalled me. It
just took one sentence from this woman for me to
lose all the respect I had for her. How could this
woman, a distinguished doctor, think and act this
way? It felt like an episode of the Twilight Zone,
and I was in some crazy racist parallel universe-
nope, just my nice little community.
46
Now, this isn’t my whole community, or all the
whites that live there, rather it is two of the
adjacent 4 houses. My community as a whole is
welcoming and helpful without judging a book by
its cover. 
My parties continued. I continued to welcome
any and all of my friends to my home, and with
each non-white friend I had over, these families
would get more and more upset with me.
Regardless, I stood my ground, as I didn’t care if
these people didn’t like me. I didn’t like being
associated with such ignorant people. I figured it
was all said and done, I was more than happy to
stop communicating with these "racists" and just
let them live their lives, assuming they would do
the same to me. But, one family had a problem
letting it go. They took actions that would destroy
years of neighborly friendship  resulting in that
family being ostracized from our small community. 
This became even more relevant in August
when New York State was prosecuting me for a
series of non-violent, non-drug, victimless felonies
for which I plead not-guilty. My future and my
freedom were on the line. I was looking at no less
than 7 years in a federal detention center. I was
instructed by my lawyer to get letters of
recommendation and letters vouching for my
character from anyone willing to write.  The letters
starting pouring in, as I was calling in every favor I
had at my disposal. One neighbor, who know
seemed to hate me and my non-white friends,
wrote a letter to the prosecuting attorney, stating I
had "unsavory" friends and I was a strain on my
local community. "Unsavory" can mean  morally
offensive, distasteful or of  questionable moral
character. How can you see that from skin
color?  He finished his letter with “I hope you
consider my previous points, and that this young
man ends up learning a very strict lesson,
hopefully in Valhalla.” Valhalla is the location of the
Westchester County Jail. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
RACE MATTERS...NO! I DO!
by Abigaelle Revers
I matter. Like you, I am someone, too.
And that is simply put why you are going to
take five minutes to read this. I deserve that.
Tread through my past and swim through
my  pain.  It was never an easy thing being
black and living in Westchester, New York. I
don't have much memory of first-hand
experiences with racism. I don't have some
savory story about racism towards me, but I
have feelings. I am engulfed in fears of
racism and its unpleasantness. I was never
black enough for the black people and I
certainly wasn't white enough for the white
people (hmm. why do they get the article
“the” in my thinking). It seemed I never
belonged, and it seems like I never will.
 
Growing up in a neighborhood worth
over 1/2 a million dollars, where my family
was the only minority represented, I was the
only black student in every class. I  felt  the
little blackness I had left start dissolve.
During certain tests, my thoughts spiraled at
warp speed. "You cannot get this wrong
Abby... you CANNOT get this wrong!"  The
pressure was on. I couldn't let my  people
down.   to be ours, hell it is ours now. And all we
I used to wake up in the morning and
feel like the exception to the rule. And while I
know that "race" doesn't exist--it is a social
construct--how can I live my life without the
idea, when racism seems so real among my
peers, professors, neighbors and strangers?
47
We all were born into this madness, so why This class made me look at myself
am I being subjected to the cruelties of it as differently, and I know there's something
if I’m the creator? Or is it just me? deeper that I need to reach.
Whenever I walk into a room, I'm 99% I wanted my essay to reflect my
certain that the first thought of others is emotions, my helplessness, and my hunger. 
“look at that black girl" rather than look at I was never true to myself in fear. It angers
that “girl.” Why do things have to be this me that I was so afraid of nonacceptance,
way? Or is it just me? that I chose not to be my real self…and that
matters.
Change is the result of optimism,
something that's fading in me and in many Are you reading my words or feeling them? I
in the black community. How can I aspire to need change; we all deserve it.
be, to do something when people on the
other side of the white picket fence, as well
as those on the outside, try to say you
you're not going to be shit? You and your
people are worthless?
Sometimes, I honestly feel like crying. I
really do want to make a change, but I feel
so helpless. I don't like feeling hopeless, and
I hate thinking this is just the way it is. This Before this class, even at the beginning
of it, I was beginning to accept things as
world belongs to me, too, and I shouldn't
have to settle. "the way it is". But after this class and
several conversations with Matt, I'm now
feeling like there is a handful of us who don't
Centuries ago the founding fathers
created the idea of race and slavery to gain want to accept things as they are; and for
that reason solely, we shouldn't.
economic prosperity and in doing so
degraded African-Americans. Slavery ended
but not the ideology created despite proven There's a world out there that is destined
inaccuracies. I know that white skin isn't a
golden token in life, although it grants have to do is take it!
unearned privileges to a random phenotype.
I am also realizing that black skin isn't a first To my classmates: It's been real, people.
Don't act like you don't know me now that
class flight to hell.
the class is over - sometimes all it takes is a
smile. ♥
I was talking to Matthew from our class
and we agreed that individual change should
be good enough. But I
honestly just don't feel that
it is.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
HIT BY STEREOTYPE
by Natali Nassimian
Picture this: a white
and black woman both
enter a retail clothing store
at the same time. You are
a stylist at the store and
you need to approach
one of the clients to help
them. So, which one do
you pick? Which do you
pick so you are not labeled a racist?  her like she's a thief. And then she goes and swipes
They are both dressed impeccably, holding
designer bags, with other clear signs of money. You
obviously want to pick a client whom you will enjoy
working with, but also one that will shop, who you
don't have to worry about stealing from right under
your nose. After all, you work on commission and
you want a bigger sale.
This was my situation a couple of months ago. In
my case, I chose the black woman. She came in with
her daughters looking for a dress to wear out that
weekend. Her daughters were all over the store
jumping from one section to the next. The mother
pulls one of our newest dresses and goes into the
fitting room.
Fast forward an hour. The black client and her
daughters are gone without having spent a cent. A
new client walks in asking for the same dress. I ask
her "What size?"  "Small." she replies. "Perfect! We
have it. Let me go grab that for you." The black client
had tried it on in the fitting room. But I couldn't find
it. A half an hour of searching led me to review the
security camera footage. The tape confirmed it.
"We've been hit!” I had solid evidence: black women
steal.  portion of my list.  I don't think about that when white people walk
Three months passed and I’m trying to quiet the
accusations in my head. I had been talking to one of
the managers when the store wasn't that busy, when
I hear a door open and notice a black woman walk
in. "Hi! How are you?" I greet her and ask if she
needs anything. She ignores me and walks straight
to the sale area. I make a mental note to walk over to
check with her in a second. I saw her fiddling in that
sale area but she hadn't picked out any items. Three
minutes later I walk to the back only to find her gone.  sensors. I can't imagine.
The next morning, I hear those three words again
that a retailer dreads: "We've been hit!" Notice the
language we use. As if we were physically
assaulted  and it feels that way if you say it enough.
We begin to make it personal. My manager was
fuming. She said, "That b*tch walks in here all the
time claiming we're all a bunch of racists and look at
three $129 skirts right off my table, sensors and all!"
I can't always judge a book by its cover. If a
client walks in talking about their new pair of
Christian Loubitin designer shoes, even if it’s their
17th pair, that doesn't mean they will spend a lot of
money or that they won't steal. Conversely, just
because a client is dressed sloppy or carrying what
seems like a "booster bag" (a hand-made bag used
to shoplift, typically lined in a way so that they can
get past security detectors), it doesn't mean they are
going to steal. I am learning the hard way that I can't
always tell; make conclusions about an entire group.
But the sad truth is that I do most of the time and I
hate saying that.
Why does it tend to be the minorities? Why does
a customer steal a pair of $19 earrings when she's
already spent over $200 during the same visit? This
is the perception I find myself fighting on a regular
basis. Perception, they say, is reality. My clientele
book isn't filled with a bunch of rich, white
housewives. I actually have the most enjoyable time
with my clients of color, who makes up a good
There are exceptions among white clientele and,
to be honest, shoplifting is not that hard. People of
both groups steal but how do I reconcile the fact that
the majority of the those who steal have been black?
Why do I have to be more careful around the people
48
of color despite what seems like a fact? Who is
perpetuating the stereotype and on whom? Me or
them?
It is baffling how much time and effort goes into
lining their bags or bringing in tools to take off the
I found the courage to tell this story in our racism
course and after the bomb dropped, after all the
shocked faces, I heard a couple of fellow students
mumble, "Well maybe it’s because you are looking at
minorities more closely. That's why you see mainly
blacks stealing." At that point, I just felt guilty. Why is
my mind telling me to look at the black woman? Am I
really racist or maybe racism has me?
One recent weekend, I had a black client from
upstate New York come in the store. She came in
with her husband. Instinct made me think...well, it
wasn't instinct. My past experiences made me
suspicious of black women’s behavior and she was a
black woman. In the moment I thought “what do I
do”? Use my world-class service tactics--tailgate her
until she makes a purchase or leaves. She ended up
spending close to $900--after a 25% discount. And
for once I felt victorious over my guilt. For once, I
was wrong. That’s one more for the blacks. But
that's crazy talk. This is not some kind of race.
Noticing how everyday, ordinary interactions are
shaped by racism means getting it is NOT personal.
It's not about me, per se. It's about a system of
conditioning that has us think how we see
differences in skin color is the way it is--not what we
are taught unconsciously. Professor Gaunt asked me
if I made any judgments since reading evidence that
white people take advantage of the poor, of black
debt, or of segregated suburbs in George Lipsitz's
article on the "Possessive Investment in Whiteness"? 
into the store.  Guilt makes the inequities feel
personal, rather than structural, and focuses
attention on stealing, not advantages. But that is a
place to start. Realizing it's not me and noticing this
is a start. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
THE BLACK PEOPLE BUBBLE
by Tiana Jones
Coming to Baruch College as a freshman in
Fall of 2009, I didn't want any black people to
talk to me—at all. I really didn’t. Anytime a black
person would sit next to me in class, I’d get
upset. Not that I have anything against black
people.
Growing up, I was under the impression that
if you live in New York, and you're black, you're
probably Haitian. If you're Asian, you're
probably Filipino. Spanish, you're Dominican.
And white people? What about them?  I grew up
in the same town, went to the same school, with
the same people, for 14 years. It wasn't until I
started to go to Baruch College in the city, that I
got exposed to so many different faces,
languages and customs. Living in Long Island all
19 years of my life has sheltered me from what a
diverse New York is really all about.
The majority of people with dark skin are of
Haitian descent in Elmont, Long Island. Elmont
is in the top 36 US communities harboring the
most people of Haitian descent, ranking at
number 16. Actually for the longest time I
thought all the black people in Elmont, New York
—where I grew up in Long Island—were Haitian.
Now, I know I am not Haitian, but a lot of people
assumed I was. Yes, I am of Caribbean descent,
but my parents are from Jamaica and the Virgin
Islands. It was kind of frustrating that people
would always assume I was Haitian. I don’t have
anything against Haitians. But that’s not what I
am. And it’s weird because I was the one who
put it my head—that most people are Haitians,
so why am I getting mad when others are doing
the same exact thing?
I mean, I’m not that far off for thinking that
because the percentage of black people living in
Elmont is 17%, and 10.7% of that is made up of
Haitians. What amazed me about learning this
was why is that number so low? To me it
seemed like we’re everywhere! If it’s just 17% of
us, then where are all the white people hiding? It
wasn’t always like that.
When my family & I moved to Elmont in
December of 1991, we were one of three black
families on the block. Over the years, slowly but
surely, the white people started to move away,
and the black people started to move in. Today,
in 2010, there are two white families on my
block.
My white high school teacher told me he
remembers white flight it happened. When he
talked about it then, back when I was probably
just a freshman in high school, it didn’t really
mean anything to me. I just thought, okay, haha,
we scared the white people away. But as I got
older it angered me. Why don’t you want to live
next to me? Because I’m black? Do you think
I’m not going to take care of my home? Or
lessen your property value? Why does my color
have to do that? What about my character?
Nobody ever tried to get to learn to know us,
they just saw we moved in and left. How is that
fair?
When I got into Baruch, I was excited. My
chance to break out of the “black people
bubble.” Not having to be friends with black
people, because that’s just what you do.  It’s not
like we’re segregated or anything. I have friends
of other races. Really good friends. But mainly, I
stuck to what I knew. And that’s just how things
were. Which was very frustrating. And I just---I
didn’t want to do that anymore. I wanted to
learn more about what other people from
49
different cultures do. I wanted to have my own
little melting pot of friends.
I wasn't aware that New York was so much
more than my little town. Coming to the city
every day and finding out, oh my gosh, there's
Africans here! Becoming frustrated with all these
different accents. An Asian who’s actually
Chinese. Simple things like that amazed me. My
first day at orientation, I knew I would have
absolutely no friends, besides the Africans, of
course. I didn’t know how to really interact with
people in this new context. Not like they were
aliens, but everyone from my town is pretty
much from Haiti. I had never met a Russian
before. How do you talk to one?
My freshman seminar class had 3 black
people in it, myself included. This was my
chance to learn about others. Integration at last!
I became really great friends with a Ukranian, a
Chinese guy, a Lithuanian, and a Jewish kid. All
semester we hung out. We had lunch together
every day. Studied together. Sat together in
class. After the semester was over, the only
people I stayed in contact with were the other 2
black people in my class. Now every time I see
the Chinese guy, he’s got a whole posse of
Asians with him. The others associate with white
people. How did that happen? We were such
good friends. And now when we see each other,
we give that awkward ‘I’m gonna pretend like
I’m late for class’ greeting. How did this follow
me from Elmont to Baruch?
As I continued with my freshman year, I
began to notice more and more the lack of
diversity in groups at school. Walking up the
escalator in the Vertical Campus building I heard
a black guy say to his club crew, “OMG, look!
She’s black! Go talk to her!” He wanted me to...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 50

The Black People Bubble cont.

...join his group that consisted of mainly black
BRAVERY & FEAR people. He insisted I join. Ok, I understand it’s an
I’m sure my parents love each other very
by Michelle Chan opportunity, but why is that because I’m black
much, and had experienced heartbreak before,
you feel the need to text, call, and email me for
but I’ve never heard stories about their first
Every time we hear an unexpected sound weeks to join your group? Yes, I can benefit from
loves. I am sure we share a lot there.
at the door, our eyes will meet and widen with a it, but would he be trying this hard if I was
Relationships are just something we don’t talk
mix of bravery and overwhelming fear. Bravery Hispanic? 
about. If we aren’t able to communicate on a
because he and I both know that I’m strong But then, there's the opposite concern of
topic as mundane as having a first crush, then
enough to take on the inevitably confused, inclusion. When someone won’t give you a flyer
how would I possibly explain my situation? But
angry, and overwhelming reaction my dad will or ask you if you’re interested in their group
how can I not. This is more than a schoolgirl
have if he sees us together. We both know that because I’m black. How do you know I don't like
crush. Confucius also said: To see what is right,
this encounter won’t end well, and in the end, Asian culture? Is it because I don't look like
and not to do it, is want of courage or of
everyone will get hurt. someone who’s interested in Asians? What does
principle." But perhaps compassion comes
The idea of having a parent meet a someone look like who is interested in Asians or
before courage. For now I'm still scared and
boyfriend shouldn’t be this terrifying, and I’m Asian culture? How do you know I don’t want to
sad to be in this predicament. To love and to
just so sick of all this sneaking around. Every learn some Mandarin? I mean, I’m not really
hide love. What a tragedy. 
morning before he leaves, he asks me if he’s interested, but how could you, a stranger, know
I live in one of the most diverse cities in the
going to bump into my parents in the elevator what interests me? I understand that certain
world. I attend the most ethnically diverse
(my parents and I live in the same building) and groups of people, like Africans or Asians like to
college in the nation. My parents grew up in a
it just frustrates me to know that my parents, get together to share their common interests, but
different time, lived in segregation by necessity
the people who are supposed to love me what about the person on the outside who wants
and not necessarily choice.  I don't like
unconditionally, would be devastated if they to learn something different, discover a different
dishonoring my parents wishes. I'm Asian and
were to find out that I was dating a black man. culture? Wouldn't you want people of other
that is my heritage. But I am also American and
I’ve attempted to tell them many times before, cultures to join or at least be educated about
this is my freedom. Either I am caught between
but the conversation will always end up being your culture and what people inside it enjoy?
a rock and and hard place or I could take on
turned into a joke because they can’t bear the Is it weird that everyone I was friends with
two things Confucius said, "Be not ashamed of
thought of that being a reality. What’s so wrong during my freshman seminar class went off to be
mistakes and thus make them
with dating a black guy? Are they repulsed by friends with people who they resemble? Is it even
crimes"--"Everything has its beauty but not
black men in general, or by the concept of an stranger to me in hindsight that I did the same
everyone sees it." With time comes courage.
Asian with a Black person? Would it be different exact thing, even though it was the last thing I
Compassion for myself and my parents for now. 
if I were dating a White person? wanted? It is sad but interesting to notice in this
Wikipedia collective consciousness says a
All these questions are ones I have to figure racism course.
simple way to appreciate Confucian thought
out myself because my parents are the typical I don’t want people to become friends with
(Confucianism) is to consider it as being based
traditional immigrant parents. The type of me or sell their homes to me because I am black.
on varying levels of honesty, and a simple way
people who came here for a better opportunity I don’t understand why skin color or your
to understand Confucian thought is to examine
and worked so hard throughout their 20’s and ethnicity is a factor that people use to judge and
the world by using the logic of humanity... best
30’s that they didn’t have time to be romantic alienate you. I was guilty of it, too, but the more I
expressed in the Confucian version of the Ethic
with each other and therefore did not think saw it happening, the more I realized this wasn’t
of reciprocity, or the  Golden Rule: "do not do
about and learn how to teach their children the right thing for me to do. So, if you’re going to
unto others what you would not have them do
about “the birds and the bees.”  sell your house, so be it. If you want a new friend,
unto you." Learning to forgive takes something.
do it because I am a human being, not that black
Let me be first. <<
girl who lives next door. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
PAYING THE TOLL (THE WAGES WE PAY)
by Danielle Mora
My parents warned me. They warned me about those people who judge
others based on physical appearance. People who feel like that they
have a right to interfere in something that doesn’t even concern them.
They always said “Danielle, whatever guy you choose to be with, people
are going to stop and stare. They’re going to make odd remarks or funny
sounds. Some will accept it and others won’t”. Not until recently did I
realize why my parents warned me at such an early age. When I finally
came face to face with that “real world,” I was actually prepared.
I won’t call them “haters” but people do look at me with a weird and
confused face, questioning who I am because of my light skin color and
straighter hair texture. Comments don’t bother me. I feel that people are
making assumptions about things they really don’t know about. But
people simply won’t stop communicating nonverbally, “What is she?”
The looks on their faces suggest a wild stab in the mental darkness. I
say, “I’m mixed: Black, Spanish and Caribbean.” Most reply, “You look
white”. Maybe that’s why the funny look. And my boyfriend is black... he
looks it.
51
Maybe back in the day it was abnormal to see two different races
together. But, it’s just something you’re bound to see in New York City.
When people see an interracial couple they stare as if they have never
seen one before 2010. I overhear comments like “jungle fever”. I could
have sworn that “jungle fever” referred to an interracial couple and even
that is problematic. But both my boyfriend and I are “black” and much
more. I have to constantly remind myself that most white and black
Americans are ignorant of the complexities in New York City.
Generalizations and stereotypes are easier.
Recently, I heard something new. My own manager at work, who is black,
said he’s going to start calling us “rice and beans and collard greens”.
Yeah, people laughed like a domino effect; one person started then
another followed by another and so on. It’s ironic how they all know my
diverse nationality, they know I’m black and Spanish, and still they said it.
Others on-the-job make racial jokes about blacks despite the fact the
manager and I are both present. They think it’s cool, but it’s not! Yeah, I
said it. My parents told me to stay strong because “the comments come
like roaches” (they never die).
Growing up I chose to be tough about it. I had to constantly prove that I
was black. All the arguing and fighting just to prove to someone
something that shouldn’t even be of concern to them but this is how we
begin to learn about structural racism. It’s not personal but it sure feels
like it. I look back now and I cant even laugh; it was sad. Sad that my own
“race,” my own people, so to speak, would make racist comments or pass
judgments against one of their own.
I pray for the day when I can walk down the street and race doesn’t
matter. I also pray for the day where interracial couples can walk down the
street holding hands and no one would make faces or stop and stare.
Sad part is something tells me that day may never come. To be sure, my
boyfriend and I have learned to ignore the looks and comments, but it
wears on you despite the warnings of those who love you and want to
protect you from harm in the future. The psychological toll is overlooked.
To the eye, skin colors are like crayons that never mix. But love, love has
no color. <<
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
A GOOD FIT FOR DEBT
by Chris Kiprovski
Most women in general lose their minds when
it comes to buying underwear. There is no
satisfying their need for bras and panties. So
when my job as one of the men working at a
famous lingerie store that we will call
Natasha’s Mysteries requires me to offer a free
store credit card along with a discount it only
adds fuel to the fire. Hell hath no fury.
After working at Natasha’s Mysteries for over
two years, I have noticed a few things about
women and debt.  thought about it. But through my racism class
With an APR of 24.99%, insane late fees, as
well as other fees, a store credit card is by far
the worst type of credit you can have
nowadays. This has never stopped me from
offering it. Hell I am required to as part of my
job behind the register., to make it look like
God’s gift to women (and i never lied about
any of the details).  All it takes is a little bit of
knowledge about the card, some flirting, and
confidence and you can sell.
After offering the store card to anyone waiting
to pay with a credit card, I started to get a feel
for who will and will not open a credit card.
With over two years of observation, I have
come to realize that Black and Asian women
open up a line of credit more often than white
women will. On top of this, if approved, often
the black women proceed to max out their
new card. Asian women, on the other hand,
never use the card; just the free coupons that
come in the mail.
After noticing these trends, I started to
become curious. So I asked the next African
52
American woman who opened a line of credit They have to have straighter hair, lighter skin,
and then maxed it out “Why?”. To my surprise or more Caucasian like features.
her answer was “Because i can get what ever i
want and pay $10 a month (the minimum To be sure, no one is forcing black women to fall
payment) to pay it off.”  into debt but given the history of their
assimilation into white norms including clothing
With a limit of $500 with a 24.99% APR, and hair, perhaps we should take a different
paying $10 a month would take her years to look at why this is happening. We should be
pay it off. I was dumbfounded and could not taking a look at the pressures put on black
understand why a person would want to women and maybe realize that it is time to
continually put themselves in such debt. change, we should not be trying to form to one
way but accept all ways. Because right now it
As a white guy in society i never took into seems thats some are literally trying to fit in at
consideration what it was like to not fit in or to all cost. <<
not be accepted. To be honest, i never even
i have started noticing things at my job that
normally I would not even care about. 
For instance, black women who do not have
any credit, on average, spend the least at
Victoria’s Secret, while white women spend
much more. 
With these small observations and being
introduced for the first time to structural
racism, i started to understand why a person
would go into debt for clothing. In a society
still affected by race and racism whether it is
blatant or not, all a person can try to do is try
to fit in.
High standards are set in society, that are not
easy to live up to. People are expected to
dress a certain way, look a certain way, and
even live in certain places. On top of these
high standards, their are many difficulties
placed on african americans. Jean Kilbourne
the creator of “Killing Us Softly” a film series
about how advertising shows distorted
aspects of feminism, talks about how it is
harder for black women in advertising as well.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
WHITE OR WONG
by Samantha Wong
“YES, I speak English!”  my notebook.” With a smile, she said, "Oh
I grew up an All-American girl and I am a
3rd-generation Chinese woman. When I was a
young girl, I was a ballerina, a Brownie in Girl
Scout Troop #2196, and a cheerleader for the
high school football team. I was popular and
had many friends though I was one of the few
Asian students throughout my primary and
secondary schools. Till then, I never really
faced racism. A couple of years ago, one of
my professors at John Jay College-CUNY
took one look at my last name, Wong, and
assumed from that that I didn't know how to
write English well. She even decided I was
from another country.  me and said, “Oh! You're Samantha? I forgot.
 
"Do you have your first draft for the Bernie
Madoff paper?" I replied "Well Professor, I just
connected some notes and brainstormed in
that's perfect! Just rip out the draft from your
notebook and hand it in. That will do." She
took a quick glance, skimmed through the
draft and accepted it. With her red pen she
wrote "first draft" in the top left-hand corner.
A week later, as she handed out the
marked drafts with her notes on how to
improve for our second drafts, I could see,
before she even got to me, that my paper had
two long paragraphs in red on the back. In the
first paragraph, she explained how I needed
to organize and elaborate on my thoughts.
She obviously didn't remember our initial
exchange. In the second paragraph, she
wrote, "It seems you need extra help. I grew
up in Poland until I came to America when I
was 5 years old and learned English. Writing
an English paper can be very difficult
especially if English is not your native
language. Please take time to go to the
Writing Center for more assistance.”
 
After reading her comments, my jaw
dropped. I was on the verge of tears but I was
so angry I didn't know what to do or say. Do I
make a scene? Do I talk to her after class?
How could any professor get away with
evaluating a paper based on a last name?    I
decided to confront the professor.
At the end of the next class, I said,
“Professor, I told you this was a first draft and
you even told me it was acceptable. Why
would you write these comments?” She
reviewed her comments and then looked at
53
I only looked at your last name and assumed
you were an immigrant and needed some ESL
but I was totally wrong.” (Yeah, she admitted
it as if her assumption left no mark like her red
pen.) And she smiled adding, “Here, let me
cross it out. It wasn’t meant for you. Okay,
here you go.” Who was this prejudice meant
for? Some other Asian-looking girl with a
W(r)ong name?
 
In "Race Prejudice as a Sense of Group
Position," Herbert Blumer notes that there are
four basic feelings involved with race
prejudice: "(1) a feeling of superiority, (2) a
feeling that the subordinate race is
intrinsically different or alien, (3) a feeling of
proprietary claim to (a sense of ownership
over) certain areas of privilege and advantage,
and (4) a fear and suspicion that the
subordinate race harbors designs on the
prerogatives of the dominant race" (Blumer in
Gallagher 2009, 126). I was experiencing the
impact of both #1 (superiority) and #2
(difference and alienation). And the professor
was performing the privilege (#3) without the
fear (#4).
Blumer gives us some insight into this
weirdness when he writes, "The sense of
group position is the very heart of the relation
of the dominant to the subordinate group. It
supplies the dominant group with its
framework of perception, its standard of
judgment, its patterns of sensitivity, and its
emotional proclivities" (Blumer in Gallagher
2009, 127).
 
Here was a professor of 25 years, a
woman who migrated from Poland, who had..
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?”
WHITE OR WONG cont.
...adopted or been adopted into the position
of the dominant group. Was it because she
could be considered "white," unlike me? I
exhibit phenotypically Chinese features that
do not grant me that same privilege. Or was it
because she was in the position of dominance
in the student-teacher relationship? Whatever
the case may be, I felt subordinated, silenced
by her prejudice, put in "my place" or some
position that was and never will be my place. I
was born here, dammit!  
How easy it is for people with the wrong
skin color to be placed in a position of
inferiority justified by the possession of a
Chinese last name as if that means you
weren't born and/or raised an American
citizen in a democracy living in a city of
immigrants.  Like me, many Asian Americans
face similar perceptions while completing their
education. But let me offer you readers an
education in my "wrong" name and its history.
A geneologist named David Wong
supplied the research on his personal
website.  Wong (or Huang) is a family name
that means "golden yellow," which  signifies
mother Earth. The Wong clan dates back to
the founding of the Zhou dynasty (1122 – 256
B . C . ) b u t o r i g i n a t e d d u r i n g t h e  X i a
Dynasty  from Ji Lu Zhong, a descendant of
the Yellow Emperor, Wong Di. It is the 7th most
common surname in China, especially in
South China. It is also the name of more than
2 million overseas Chinese, many Vietnamese
(Huynh) and an estimated 1 million Koreans
(Hwang). The name stems from a common
practice of adopting the name of the emperor
and his territory in remembrance of a people's
origin, for example, the Huang Kingdom or the
current state of Wong in Hubei province (the
region of present day Wuhan City).
 
Ever since that incident with the professor,
I embrace being yellow. For the first 18 years
of my life, I was embarrassed to be Chinese
as an American citizen (a feeling of inferiority
and that the majority group was better than
my group). Everything happens for a reason; I
finally became comfortable in my own skin. I
didn't change my name, but I have reclaimed
my identity. I didn’t just settle, I finally
appreciate being who I am and where I am
from.
Here's an example. For the past two
years, I've been going to other cultural
parades in NYC such as the Puerto Rican,
Caribbean, and Israeli Day Parades wearing a
Chinese flag. In those moments, I get to show
my pride just like everyone else since Chinese
people never had a traditional major avenue
parade in NYC. I joined an Asian Sorority. I am
learning Mandarin Chinese in college and my
mother is even happy—I am starting to date
Asian guys. I don't want to make a statement,
I want to start a movement for all Asians. We
are not alone.
It is not right or fair to judge people
because of their surname or worst yet, as is
too often the case in college, their accent
54
(linguistic discrimination). Racial slurs and
discrimination will not deter us. Perhaps it
helps us be confident in who we are and
where we come from. Statistics indicate that
“42% of all Asian American adults have at
least a college degree, highest of all the major
racial ethnic groups...and the highest test
scores and/or GPAs" and "60% of all Asian
Americans are immigrants" (Le, C.N., A Closer
Look at Asian Americans and Education in
New Horizons for Learning). 
Asian students are doing well despite
perceptions of our "foreign" names and
accents. The sense of group position that
surfaced that day in class for me made race
prejudice palpable and as Blumer noted, race
prejudice becomes "a protective device. It
functions, however short-sightedly, to
preserve the integrity and the position of the
dominant group" (Blumer, 127). The question
is was she protecting the affinity within the
dominant group called "Americans" or "white"
Americans? Whatever it was, it made me
interested in learning about my Chinese
heritage and asserting my Chinese identity
with pride.
That professor at John Jay College-CUNY
gave me a gift—a blessing in disguise. Yes, I
am Chinese and I am also an American—tried
and true. I can also say I am yellow (Wong)
and I am the red, white and blue.
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 55

ROUGHING THE PASSER the NFL and the causes of it. My players may have been African
research into this has turned up American from the 1970s onwards,
by Andrew Baez
some pretty interesting facts. the increase of black NFL
quarterbacks is relatively recent.
Growing up I always loved
“An examination of 4,745 Though black athletes have
playing football games on my
attributions used to describe constituted at least 26 percent of
Playstation 1 and 2. My favorite
black and white National all NFL players since 1966, black
team back then was the New
Football League quarterback quarterbacks constituted a mere 20
England Patriots – which is
prospects over a ten-year percent of NFL quarterbacks prior
somewhat sacrilegious and
period revealed data patterns to the 1999 draft when Daunte
blasphemous to say as a New
that emphasized racial Culpepper was selected. The
Yorker, born and raised.
stereotypes. Black “stacking” phenomenon can be
While playing video games like
quarterbacks were primarily attributed to two longstanding
Madden NFL, I started to notice the
described with words and prejudices.
differences between the Patriots
phrases that emphasized their For decades, African-
and other teams. The most obvious Willie Thrower played for Chicago
physical gifts and their lack of Bears in 1953; first African American Americans who wished to play
being that the quarterback on the
mental prowess. Conversely, quarterback in NFL. Played a single quarterback were deemed not
Patriots, Tom Brady, is white – as
white quarterbacks were game and was cut by the Bears. cerebral enough for the position or
were a good number of other
described as less physically have been shifted to other
quarterbacks with the exception of
g i f t e d , b u t m o re m e n t a l l y that black athletes are not positions to take advantage of their
Donovan McNabb and Michael
prepared for the game and less equipped to play the “smart” “athleticism”. There is a
Vick.
likely to make mental errors.” positions, particularly quarterback. longstanding belief among football
When I saw Michael Vick on the
(“Roughing the Passer” by What occurs as a result is what is experts that the quarterback
cover of Madden 2004, and later
Eugenio Mercurio and Vincent F. known as “stacking,” which was p o s i t i o n i s o n e t h a t re q u i re s
Donovan McNabb on the cover of
Filak, Ph.D., 2008) coined by Harry Edwards in 1967. intelligence above all else. NFL
Madden 2006, I started paying
Stacking is defined as observers note that offensive
attention to the black-white divide
Stereotypes based on race “disproportionate concentration of playbooks have progressively been
in the starting quarterback position.
have been present in sports for ethnic minorities – particularly getting larger and that defenses
Being only 12 or 13 years old back
decades. It is not uncommon to blacks – in specific team positions. have been getting more complex as
then, I was oblivious to structural
hear them being thrown around in For example, each of the 32 well. The growing intricacies of the
racism. My mind was too young for
sports bars all over the world. The NFL franchises is allowed to carry a game, they argue, necessitate a
the inequalities to register the inner
stereotype about black maximum of three quarterbacks on “smart” quarterback to master
workings of this racial divide. I even
quarterbacks often lends itself to its roster, meaning a total of 96 these details and deliver victory. In
went so far as to make a list of how
the argument of talent versus quarterbacks could be in the NFL short, the argument goes that good
many black quarterbacks there
intelligence. For years, writers, during any given season. As of players need brains as well as
were in the NFL – you could count
coaches and social critics have January 2007, only 18 of those 96 brawn to be winners. This
them on one hand.
openly or subversively stated that were black. This proportion is emphasis on intelligence has
It wasn’t until I took this Black
black athletes rely on athletic alarmingly small, especially traditionally served as a barrier
Studies course (BLS1003 at Baruch
abilities while white athletes rely on considering that almost 70 percent limiting African-American
College) in the Fall of 2010 that I
intelligence. In terms of the sport of of the league that year was quarterbacks who were viewed as..
started to think of Michael Vick and
football, this leads to the compromised of African Americans.
Madden again. It opened my eyes a
perception Thus, while the majority of NFL cont. on next page
bit more to structural racism within
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 56

A study found “no statistically

significant relationship between
intelligence and compensation.”

ROUGHING ... cont.
...athletically gifted but not intelligent
enough for the jump to NFL
quarterback.
There were two basic “facts” that
facilitated this discrimination: (1) In
college, black quarterbacks played
and excelled primarily in less pass-
oriented (read intelligence-based)
and more run-oriented offense. (2)
Lower scores on intelligence tests
justified that black quarterbacks were
not intelligent enough to take over an
NFL offense.
These beliefs were prevalent
since at least the 1970s when Tom
Landry of the Dallas Cowboys
became the first NFL head coach to
screen prospective players using a
generic aptitude test – the Wonderlic
Personnel Test. Landry was looking
for a tool to quantify intelligence and
draw a correlation between that and
performance. In the 30 years
subsequent to its introduction, the
Wonderlic test has become a key
performance prognosticator for many
NFL franchises. Though most
prospective NFL players are put
through the test, those players in
strategic (“white”) positions are
scrutinized more closely. NFL scouts
believe the test will helps them
identify quarterbacks that will adapt
to NFL playbooks quicker and make
better decisions. Generally speaking,
a score in the mid-twenties is
considered acceptable for a
prospective NFL quarterback.
In 1994, the Cleveland Browns
were looking for a quarterback that
scored at least a 24 on the
Wonderlic. These high expectations
have acted as an imposing intellect
barrier for African-American
quarterbacks who, as an ethnic
group, have historically had a tough
time meeting this benchmark and
thus were discounted from
consideration by some NFL teams
due to deficient performance on an
test of their intellect. There were but
few black quarterbacks, the
argument went, that had the mental
capacity to succeed on the test and
therefore on the field. An examination
of relatively reliable Wonderlic scores
shows that black quarterbacks, more
commonly than white quarterbacks,
score lower than 20: Jeff Blake in
1992, Kordell Stewart in 1995 and
Steve McNair in 1995 all scored 17 or
lower.
I am as surprised as I’m sure
most readers are. Surely, NFL owners
justify the use of the Wonderlic
Personnel Test because football is
big business. Owners need to protect
their share of 7.8 billion dollars in
annual revenue (2009 figure). So most
teams expect a quarterback to score
21 - 24 and an offensive tackle to
score 26. Compare this to test scores
for everyday professions such as
sales, where a score of 24 is
expected or journalism, where a
score of 26 is the norm. Actually, a
recent study found “no statistically
significant relationship between
intelligence and compensation or
intelligence and draft number after
controlling for passing ability.”
After researching this topic and
learning how much pull the
“intelligence argument” has in the
selection of quarterbacks in the NFL,
I dug deeper and found that I had
only scratched the surface. There are
other causes for this structural
racism including, but not limited to,
m e d i a b i a s , r a c i a l “ h i e r a rc h y ” ,
cultural bias, “systemic set-ups”,...
cont. on next page
BLS1003 Evolution & Expressions of Racism - “Could You Be the Bigger Nigger?” 57

ROUGHING THE PASSER by Andrew Baez ... cont.

...“race-related” test anxiety, “racially motivated frustration” [blacks being

afraid of scoring too high / too low on exams], and so on. Knowing what I
know now, it is safe to say that I will appreciate quarterbacks from under-
represented minority groups more than I would have had I not researched this
trend. The obstacles present for them are ludicrous compared to what white
athletes have to face. If the Civil Rights movement taught us anything, it’s that
persistence is key and brings about the most change.
With that being said I hope for two things to happen. (1) I hope to see a
new quarterback’s face on the cover of Madden 2012 next year, one from a
minority group, and (2) the end of the bias of tests like the Wonderlic in the
NFL. I’m no longer a Patriots fan, but I do hope that the Jets can win the Super
bowl. A boy can dream can’t he? <<

A simplified and condensed version of the Wonderlic Test

appears in newer editions of the Madden NFL video game series.
Here are sample questions similar to those on an actual test.
Evolution & Expressions of Racism Course 58

I have learned silence from the talkative, tolerance from

the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strangely,
I am ungrateful to these teachers.

– Kahlil Gibran

©2011

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