Are you a representative for your race?

[Sistermadly]

(I hope the ladies of AKA don't mind me starting a thread here...)

I have a question for "us". I'm on a professional listserv, and people on the list are talking about scholarships for minorities. A sister mentioned that one of the reasons that few black people are attracted to our profession is because it lacks financial and social prestige that black folks want/need, and someone (white) responded that this lack of prestige isn't limited to only one race.

I wrote back that he had a point, but that I'd venture to guess that he wasn't thought of as a representative for the white race while he carried out his job duties. I also said that even though there's very little payoff for me right now, I'm always trying to advance a little bit more in terms of duties, responsibilities, and financial rewards so that some little black girl out there can look at me and say "Wow, if she made it, then I can too."

So my question is this: if you work in a majority white environment (or even if you don't), do you feel a special obligation to be a representative for your race? Are you conscious of being a role model?

[AKA2D '91]

Good question.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
So my question is this: if you work in a majority white environment (or even if you don't), do you feel a special obligation to be a representative for your race? Are you conscious of being a role model?

Yes. Always. I don't always succeed but I try.

[Kimmie1913]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
Yes. Always. I don't always succeed but I try.

Ditto.

When I came to my current employer, I was the youngest person in my section, one of a few African Americans, a woman and had an advance degree. Being a young, Black female attorney, who looked like she was barely 19 at the time, can be intimidating and is definitely a reason for people to test you. I am always conscious of the fact that if I fail there are those who are going to attribute it to all Black people and not just to me.

[SKEEphistAKAte]

Definitely. Whether we want to be or not, people outside of our race will look at our actions and apply them to stereotypes about our race. Unfortunately, it usually goes something like:

If you are succeeding and doing well you are the EXCEPTION to our race. It is like they are surprised to see it.

If you aren't performing well (Omarossa) you are REPRESENTATIVE of the norm (ie. all black women).

So, I try to be cognizant of that and do better than my counterparts all the while asserting my "blackness" if you will.

[Steeltrap]

Simply, IMO, because we are still not really allowed to be seen as individuals.

I think that's one of the massive questions that have beset us as a race. If we assert individual identities, we're seen by some as abandoning the group identity. I don't believe that we're a monolith. There are just too many different types of AfAms in this country to agree on every single issue.

On the other hand, when some of us act crazy like Omarosa or Fiddy and G-Neck (Gorilla Unit ), we are all lumped into the looniness. That does annoy me, and I sometimes feel pressure that I have to be on point 24/7.

[msn4med1975]

I agree. I love my profession but I'm always seen as the Black counselor or ONE of the Black counselors. If heaven forbid I'm the only person of color I'm speaking on the race and if I say something that a professor is impressed by it's because I'm SO MUCH SMARTER THAN them (ie an exception to the rule) or if I say something the professor disagrees with I must be that angry Black girl. It's annoying no doubt, and I'm doubly aware of how I'm acting because I don't want anyone thinking ill of the next Black applicant to our program.

[mccoyred]

Unfortunately, we are representative of the good, the bad and the ugly!

Originally posted by SKEEphistAKAte
Definitely. Whether we want to be or not, people outside of our race will look at our actions and apply them to stereotypes about our race. Unfortunately, it usually goes something like:

If you are succeeding and doing well you are the EXCEPTION to our race. It is like they are surprised to see it.

If you aren't performing well (Omarossa) you are REPRESENTATIVE of the norm (ie. all black women).

So, I try to be cognizant of that and do better than my counterparts all the while asserting my "blackness" if you will.

Ever since we earned our 'civil rights', Black folk have felt that they can act a fool and not be accountable to the rest of us.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by mccoyred

Ever since we earned our 'civil rights', Black folk have felt that they can act a fool and not be accountable to the rest of us.

Can we explore this comment for a minute because I think it has to makings of a good discussion. This question isn't just posed to McCoyred, but anyone.........

At what point does this NOT apply? Or should we (as individuals) ALWAYS be held accountable to the race? Furthermore, when have we as a race ever held anyone accountable for their embarrassing/hurtful actions? Outside of incidences such as boycotting Pepsi for dropping Ludacris from its ad campaign.

But to answer Sistermadly's original question - I do feel as if I am the "black representative" especially because I live ina predom. white city (its only about 8% black). Just because I am someone that operates outside of the "stereotypical" image of a black woman, that doesn't make me an anomoly - that makes me Honeykiss1974.

IMO, general, grand scale issues of the past that could united us regardless of social or economic class truly no longer exist. At some point, "others" need to be held accountable for thinking the old adage that "all black folks don't look or think alike". Cripes, there are millions of black folks in this country! "They" have got to wake up at some point.

[lil_sunshine]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
So my question is this: if you work in a majority white environment (or even if you don't), do you feel a special obligation to be a representative for your race? Are you conscious of being a role model?

I feel that I'm always conscious of being a role model, whether it's for kids or adults (yes, some adults need role models too). This is b/c I tend to think about the type of person I am when nobody's looking. That "person" is the one that others will sense before you even get the chance to make a first impression. As far as working in a majority White environment, there's always pressure to "represent your race" b/c they want to learn more about "us" and the things we do, as well as how "we" would handle work-related dilemmas (this also applies to attending a predominantly White institution).

I pledge allegiance to myself and the man upstairs. Everybody else is irrelevant as far as worrying about giving a generalized perspective about world affairs or smaller, less important matters. I can't carry the weight of 12.5% of the US population just b/c someone want to know what "we" may think about something. JMHO.....

[msn4med1975]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
Can we explore this comment for a minute because I think it has to makings of a good discussion. This question isn't just posed to McCoyred, but anyone.........

At what point does this NOT apply? Or should we (as individuals) ALWAYS be held accountable to the race? Furthermore, when have we as a race ever held anyone accountable for their embarrassing/hurtful actions? Outside of incidences such as boycotting Pepsi for dropping Ludacris from its ad campaign.

But to answer Sistermadly's original question - I do feel as if I am the "black representative" especially because I live ina predom. white city (its only about 8% black). Just because I am someone that operates outside of the "stereotypical" image of a black woman, that doesn't make me an anomoly - that makes me Honeykiss1974.

IMO, general, grand scale issues of the past that could united us regardless of social or economic class truly no longer exist. At some point, "others" need to be held accountable for thinking the old adage that "all black folks don't look or think alike". Cripes, there are millions of black folks in this country! "They" have got to wake up at some point.

Honestly as long as there are FEWER of us we'll always be looked at as that group of people there. The reason white folks, in my opinion, don't feel responsible to the ENTIRE white community is because they are in the majority and as a result even what they do that is all out the behind crazy it seems to only stigmatize them. Had it been a Black ceo that was falsely reporting numbers and devestating pensions, it would have been a mark against ALL Black ceos. However, when these corporate scandals started breaking it was well that was just company ABC or XYZ most ceos aren't like that. Same thing happens on here when we start discussing a racial incident, that one ignorant person is just that instead of a reflection of the white community.

[AngelicWings21]

Originally posted by msn4med1975
Honestly as long as there are FEWER of us we'll always be looked at as that group of people there. The reason white folks, in my opinion, don't feel responsible to the ENTIRE white community is because they are in the majority and as a result even what they do that is all out the behind crazy it seems to only stigmatize them. Had it been a Black ceo that was falsely reporting numbers and devestating pensions, it would have been a mark against ALL Black ceos. However, when these corporate scandals started breaking it was well that was just company ABC or XYZ most ceos aren't like that. Same thing happens on here when we start discussing a racial incident, that one ignorant person is just that instead of a reflection of the white community.

I totally agree w/ msn....I was discussing this topic w/ some of my classmates...and I was saying if Martha Stewart was black...or if the CEOs of those companies were black...it would be a whole new ball game...some of things we might hear is..."I am not surprised or I seen it coming.." and etc...Its not only white america that label African Americans..."we" tend to label ourselves as well... what I mean is look at the movie "Head of State" personally I don't like the movie...I felt that this movie encourages those sterotypes that most of us are trying to stay away from...and here is a person who is AA promoting it...I think thats why most people don't take some of the AA's in political offices seriously...not just b/c of the movie...

If we want to disassociate ourselves from the "typical" AA...than how are people going to take us seriously when we don't ourselves seriously...? I hope you guys are understanding my point...I am really bad at....getting my point my across..

As for Omarosa...from the apprentice...she just gave those who believe that the "typical" AA...is *itchy...has an attiude...she gave another reason to actually believe those rumors...she had a chance to make a point...set a couple of things straight but she failed miserably...I thought she was the worst example of an Prof. AA woman...

Currently I am unemployed...but when I was working...I made sure to stay on top of my game, b/c first off I am like no other...can't be compared to anyone else...don't want to be...BUT I am setting some standards...for the next lady in line...if I blow it I might be blowing it for her...cause when you think about it...that is how the wind blows...but I am putting in my effort to change that

[Sistermadly]

So does the responsibility/feeling of obligation only come into play when we're dealing with non-black folks, or do you feel a specific responsibility to us as well?

I mean - I'm a sister in a predominately white sorority. One of the reasons I decided to choose Alpha Phi was because I knew that somewhere, some black girl might see my face at recruitment or in some official capacity and realize that there's a home for her here, too. It wasn't about what the non-black people in the chapter would think of me, or whether I always feel on my guard, or that I'm representing all black women to the women in my chapter/in the Fraternity as a whole. Intrinsically, I know that might be partially true, but what they thought wasn't my main concern. Does that make sense? First and foremost, I'm thinking about making room for those who will ride on my coattails, so to speak. That's what I think of when I think of being a representative, about feeling some sort of obligation.

[deuika]

One who is African, American, and well-educated has a SERIOUS responsibility to the rest of US. We must be that representative; we must show those who haven't accomplished what we have that success is attainable without degrading yourself or playing "dumb" to soothe your "overseer".

What I mean by that is, too often the stereotypical view of "African-American Success" is someone who has attained by lying, stealing, rapping (God help us) or "cooning" for the lack of a better term.

There aren't many examples of accomplished African Americans that are really positive. You ever took a look at the list of the richest Black people in this country? There is your prime example of each of those categories I mentioned.

Those of us who I consider to be a part of the TRUE talented tenth, the college educated, the successful, and the rarity even across races; have a responsibility to lead our brothers and sisters. Too often we forget that the cameras are always own. If you're of African descent with a little money and a little education in this country you HAVE made it, you have nothing to be ashamed of. What's wrong with being a representative when you lead by example? The problem is, too often only our negative representatives are seen.
Anyone ever heard of Patricia Hills Collins? Imhotep Alkebu-lan? Sanford Cloud Jr.? Leading African-Americans, but they are overshadowed by P.Diddy and Ludacris. I mean come on. Let us be representatives, and when we see that we are being misrepresented, let us speak on it. It's funny that we can convene for your annual Black Bike Week, but can't make it to a rally or heck, an election box for that matter.

We owe it to US. Let's for one moment stop concerning ourselves with how everyone else see's us, how do WE see us? If we fixed that image, our image with those outside of our commnity would change as well. Don't only be on point when others are around, ALWAYS be on point.

[premier1908]

This thread hit home!!!
I find myself trying to be the best representaion of the race and that's a heavy load. Making sure I speak correctly all the time and use my inside voice. I find myself losing MYSELF to show others that "us blacks" can live up to and surpass your idea of us. Every once in a while ( i wish more often) the light shines through and I think "FORGET THAT, I'm not here to impress them and just because they are close minded and not wise enough to understand that you can't draw a complete picture of a race based on one person, doesn't mean I have to lose ME and be what I THINK you want me to be.. "
It's a constant struggle.. Being black and being a black women. I shouldn't have to prove that I'm not that chick you see in the video.



PREMIER

"What place does this Little Black Girl have in the White Man's world?" me