Yes I’m Asian, but not smart
Tram Ho,
Houston, TX
Just because I’m Asian, doesn’t mean that I am naturally smart. It is not something I am born with, it is something I have to work hard for. I spend 40+ hours as an HCC student to keep up with my coursework. Even with my hard work, I sometimes fall behind. It is hard work that brings intelligence.
Being Black and southern, educated engineer
Kristen Ellerbe,
Richmond, VA.
Calling me an Oreo or not really black, or basically a white girl means that you define some part of my personality, attitude, preferences, or demeanor as being owned and attributed solely to white people. Is it my intelligence, my sense of style, or how I speak? Is it because I’m well read, interested in politics, or surround myself with more than just other black people. If you know or not, my choice to laugh, ignore it, or otherwise not act is to not embarrass you because I love you. Even in your ignorance. I am BLACK. Yes, I am also Filipino. Just like I’m also a woman and an American. Do not belittle my blackness because I don’t come from an urban culture. That is aimed at all people. What you call white, I just see as part of the culture I was raised in: middle class, educated Southern culture. I was raised deeply imbued with that STEM fields give us freedom. My father raised me and I knew I would be an engineer. So now I am an adult engineer, in traditional social sorority, and graduated from an Ag-Tech public university. Yes, I listen to country music. Yes, I am well-spoken. Yes, I am 25 and own my own home. No, I don’t consider myself white. Yes, I am marrying a black man. Yes, he is an engineer. Yes, I read the newspaper and drink pumpkin lattes. I wear Lilly Pulitzer and bows in my hair. I wear my hair natural and it is not an afro. But these are things that do not define my race. They define my culture and it is not a white culture. It is my culture which inherently makes is black.
So just stop. #endrant
Crudely Awakened from a Deep Sleep
USA.
In the novel Invisible Man, a black man in 1930s America struggles to find his identity. He starts out as hopeful and naive, believing that his hard work, determination, and intelligence will lead to eventual success and happiness. He does not realize, until the end of the novel, that the white characters and most of society only see him as a black man and that his destiny has been predetermined.
Brown skin isn’t a measure of my intelligence
Octavia,
Dallas, TX.
I have been to over forty six job interviews since I moved to Dallas. There is a look that white people give you when they realize that the person that they thought so highly of over the phone is a black woman. I have had people tell me all the reasons why I don’t want the job. I was a perfect fix for the company when you heard my voice over the phone, but now the job is too……. As if being black inherently makes me ignorant.
Skin color does not effect intelligence
AMANPREET SINGH,
Canada
Race Doesn’t Exist, We Create It
Jenna DeBell,
LONGWOOD, FL.
Race doesn’t exist, we create it.
The concept of race has always baffled me. Judging a person’s character, intelligence and abilities merely by the color of their skin does not correlate in anyway. In fact, it seems ridiculous. Race is referred to as “groups of people who have differences and similarities in biological traits deemed by society to be socially significant, meaning that people treat other people differently because of them.” The phrase that resonates with me the most from this definition is “deemed by society.” Race, and all of the problems and tragedies that this word brings with it was all created by humans. It really is just a social construct, and without it, the world would truly be a much more harmonious place. However, after thinking about societal patterns, race as a social construct doesn’t seem so out of the ordinary. Think about it- human beings have always felt it necessary to pick sides or to establish groups. For example, when we go to school we quickly find our place in the social hierarchy by finding people like us where we “fit in”. We have chosen a side and didn’t even realize it. This pattern starts young and soon transforms into divisions in economic status, divisions in religion, divisions between the popular kids and the nerds, the jocks and the art students, the Knights and the Florida Gators. So many factors and predispositions are considered when looking at a person nowadays; the idea of judgment before even getting to know someone has become an almost standard way of life. It has become the norm to be on one side or the other. Breaking all boundaries, whether it be of race, religion, or political stance, and by realizing that we are all members of the human race- we all share a common skeleton, we all breathe in and out- is the only way we can come to terms with this unnecessary judgment. It is interesting to me that in times of tragedy, like the recent events in Las Vegas, people become colorblind and will even risk their own lives to save someone else, perhaps even a stranger. Why is this? Perhaps if we could figure this out things might begin to change. As said by my favorite band, “Under clothes, under skin underneath we’re all the same. For when you remove the tricky tricks, only skeleton bones remain.”
Race should not matter in intelligence.
Leo Azucena,
Gaithersburg, MD.
Race does not determine my abilities
Nathalie Barahona,
Kearns, UT.
For many years throughout my middle school and high school years as I was growing I felt as though many of my teachers doubted my abilities or intelligence in some classes that may have been harder such as honor or concurrent courses because of the lack of minority students that actually succeed or enroll in these courses. This idea that skin color & race determine how educated or intelligent you are has been a struggle for many years and is a struggle I am still commonly faced with.
Focus on me, not my appearance
Shelby,
Sunnyvale, CA.
Too many people in this world focus on how we look when we should be focused on our character and our personality. We are too fascinated with our physical appearance when we should be fascinated with our words, our actions and our intelligence. Those are the things that should truly define who we are. Race, gender, social class, and social class should not define who we are and should not dictate our relationships with people. The idea of race was created by society and too many times has it caused wars and senseless acts of violence both physically psychologically. It’s time to stop looking at each other’s physical traits and start seeing what’s on the inside. We are all people and we are all living among each other. Why can’t we do it in peace?
Blonde hair color, not intelligence level
Meghan I
CA
With the stereotype of blonde’s being dumb, I enjoy proving this wrong with my high college GPA, hard work ethic, and confident personality.
My students are just as excellent.
Ed Maietta
Savannah, GA
After 30 years of teaching in both diverse and not-so-diverse environments, I now teach at the oldest HBCU in Georgia. If there is an achievement gap, it has nothing to do with intelligence or strength of character.
skin color black, but intelligence colorless
Sheila Bailey
Chicago, IL
Recently found myself on an elevator in downtown Chicago with a white woman who looked to be in her fragile 80s. As the doors closed, she retreated to the corner opposite from where I was standing and hugged her purse to her chest. I wish you could have seen the look on her face … pure fear. I couldn’t wait to get to my floor. That stayed with me all day.
