Intersection of race, class and gender

How does one remain dignified in the face of adversity?

"Her eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed, her teeth clenched as if to bite, Hazel shouted, then shouted some more : 'Go home nigger! Go back to A -'
Click.
'-frica!'
Will Counts had his picture." (pp. 37)

I believe in after reading this book, researching the historical content was in order. Surprisingly, this story isn't new to me. Somehow, I've managed to recall this, as well as the earlier 1954 Brown vs Board of Education being a definitive part of my schooling at some point. However, memory can be altered over time, which is why it is always important to research the facts.

Here's an interesting link:
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture

According to the syllabus, it is the intention of this blog to stimulate analysis of the weekly class readings in relation to a greater picture. The excerpt from Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria? begins by pointing out the ignorance that exists when questioning whether racism still exists.

Racism: "'system of advantage based on race'" (Wellman, as quoted in Tatum, pp. 7)
Prejudice: "preconceived judgement or opinion, usually based on limited information" (Tatum, pp 5)

Merely taking any state or governmental exam or survey will prove that racism is alive in merely providing a check box that asks a participant to define their race. Institutions of higher learning are also guilty of trying to fill established quotas to make sure theirs is a diverse place where the minimum ratios of race are balanced. Trying not to seem discriminatory only adds fuel to the flames:

"He had wanted to express his solidarity with the black students, but didn't know quite how: he'd considered joining the black pastors accompanying the children, but feared that might seem paternalistic" (Margolick, pp. 51).

Reverend Cartwright would later tell Elizabeth "how much he admired her, and of the shame he felt as a white person" (pp. 70). What is the white man's guilt? That is my question that I walk away from this week.


Personal Reflection:
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in a bi-racial family; that is to say my siblings have a Black father while I have a White one. Our mother was Hispanic, which lead to various degrees of confusion among our classmates as we never quite fit into an specific category. I remember when I was in high school, I was labeled Mexican because Puerto Rico was merely a distant island where JLO hailed from. Our school was predominately White, then Black, Asian, and lastly, Hispanic/Native American taking up est. 6%. I had no Hispanic friends simply because there weren't any in my school that I had the chance to meet. It wasn't until I went to college in New York City that I met a group that I would identify with racially.

Interestingly enough, I met these girls before school started because our college offered a MultiCultural Weekend where students of color could come stay for the weekend and get to know other perspective students...of color. I never thought about it until now, but what exactly was the point of this? To encourage us to get a head start as minorities - to change the statistics working against us? To show us that there would be others like us, even when White students from our graduating class would appear that upcoming fall? Did White students have a similar weekend? At the time I was grateful for the opportunity to visit my future school free of charge (even airfare was provided), especially being the first in my family to enroll in a 4-year school, but what did it cost me?