“persona(s).” - Part 1
Welcome & Thanks for taking the time to read my post :) I will try to be as open, honest, and vulnerable as I can.
As I sit at my desk, I begin to scroll through various social media platforms. Over the last year, I have seen how social media has become a public journal for people. I fight with the thought of acknowledging the good and the evil that it has brought to the surface. It gives us a “voice.”
We have been asking for an open conversation in this nation. “Don’t all lives matter? Are black lives the most important?”“ I have the right to have a gun, and no one is going to take that away!” have been some of the statements that I glance over as I try to process what is going on.
As a black male living in a conservative state, there is the reality that I may be treated differently from someone of Caucasian descent. I can not sit here and say that I have felt at ease. Growing up in predominantly Caucasian schools, churches, and friend groups, I have been someone’s token or Oreo. This blog post is not to show anger or strife. Let’s start a conversation.
A couple of weeks ago, a conversation sparked about the movie “Get Out.” A lack of cultural awareness called for a practical & contextual application of the movie’s tone/message. As the only person of color in the setting, I was unsure where this discussion would lead. Honestly, conversations about race, inequality, and racism make me anxious. But something extraordinary happened that night. The talk, though intimidating at times, flowed beautifully.
Although this was an important topic, the people in the room listened with the intent to understand each other's perspectives. I brought up the fear of being a person of color on a campus that is open-carry during a white supremacist rally. As I tried to think about what I wanted to communicate, I came to understand something myself. Just because someone is Pro-Black does not mean that they are Anti-White. There is a persona of some sort that I can connect with, beyond just being American.
… continued in Part 2
