Quote:
Originally posted by Ideal08
What if the org stepping has Black members, only it's not a BGLO? Then what? Like band frats, stuff like that? Or service oriented orgs, or even multi-cultural orgs? Would it only be ok for the Black members of those orgs to step? Where are these other orgs LEARNING how to step? Cuz you can't learn just by watching, that's for sure. So someone had to teach them, right? What about that? As for latino/a orgs, what if they are, por ejemplo, Dominican? They 'look' Black, but are not (in accordance with how we view race in America, not abroad).
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I have to take it back to the chit chat post.
I think most here agree that race is a social construct, but that in America daily we live and work within that social construct. So to me its not really about how someone looks, its about someone's cultural and historical identification and affilitation.
For instance, I wouldn't say that a fair black person was less deserving of stepping than a darker Dominican. Its not about skin color, and anyone who truly believes that is missing the point.
Its about culture! Its about the culture that is most identified as an African American one being REPEATEDLY and UNDENIABLY pilfered for its ideas and talents, yet somehow always called out for its shortcomings.
To the question about sharing vs. stolen I cannot answer in "we" as the question was asked, I can only speak for myself. If I were confident that non-black steppers truly understand and credit the history of stepping I am more than willing to share the art form with them. My problem is as miss priss pointed out for many of these groups stepping is a fad, the "cool" thing to do and no respect or revernce is given to it. Many don't know a thing about it, nor do they care to learn.
The TAMU chapter of NPHC hold an annual even called Stompfest in which a D-9 group is paired with a CPC Sorority. We teach the CPC groups how to step and then the CPC groups compete against each other. ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A MANDATORY WORKSHOP ON THE HISTORY OF STEPPING.
I support this event and even helped teach our group because I was confident in the girls knowing the history and their sincere desire to pay homage to stepping through their performance...not take and cultivate into something that is their own.