Blackness on Campus

Blackness On Campus

Recently, I attended a black student union meeting at my PWI's campus. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. 

Privileged black people seem to have a disconnect when it comes to issues of race. They buy into their own dehumanization and believe that something about them is innately criminal so acting 'non threatening' or not 'loud' is the best course of action. But I ask, where is the humanity in that? Where is the freedom in being accommodating or servile? 

Words thrown around by them sounded no different than the words white people use as arguments for why black bodies deserve to be killed. Their arguments were that the actions of black people result in what happens to them, not the bias against their bodies as oppose to white people who are not disproportionately murdered by the police or incarcerated. Illogical.

The 'model minority' complex has to go. But I understand, they are from a different background than I am. These students were from middle class families who's assimilation and self-policing has won them some rewards. The biggest of those rewards: respectability. These peers of mine grew up outside of the stereotype of what white society deemed blackness was. Their class, made them 'exceptional' members of the race as oppose the 'folk'.

But this makes me think that that in order to have a black student union or any forum discussing, blackness on campus, there needs to be a black studies department sponsoring  the organization. This could also help and aid in the dissemination of black theory and politics (that my university's BSU desperately needs, as there were no African American studies majors or minors in leadership or sponsoring the organization) to push the conversation forward and stop misinformation.

However, there is a way blackness is portrayed and the way that slavery is remembered on my campus that is the reasoning behind why there is a lack of funding or incentive really to have a black studies department. As the flagship university of the state of Alabama, you'd think they would have a black studies program as to promote 'diversity' and 'progressive' ideals  to recruit more students. But there is no motivation despite this school also having a pretty large black student population than most PWI's.

A professor of mine for a communications class told me something that is very apt for this moment. "I learned to make small change wherever I go." And more than ever those words are sticking to me, clinging to me as I navigate my environment. I have to make small change and those of us who are 'woke' have to step outside of our bubbles and go to our peers and form organizations with the intent to educate. This is how we will create change. This is how the misinformation stops, with us.