Sometimes I have to keep reminding myself that not everything in life is obvious, that our notion of “common sense” is simply the core of what ideologies are based on, and that in a world of difference we will never stop learning from each other.
Asian Girl In a Bubble: Are you a professor?
Woman I Once Had a Class With: No, I’m a student.
GIRL: Oh, what’s your major?
WOMAN: I’m majoring in African American Studies.
GIRL: Oh… why? What ethnicity are you?
WOMAN: Well… I’m Asian and African American, and my family is from Hawaii
GIRL: You don’t look African America… I mean, your hair is straight and your skin color… you don’t look African American. I think you look Asian… Japanese?
WOMAN: Yeah, Japanese, how’d you know?
GIRL: I’m Japanese and I can see how you look more Asian… you don’t look African American.
The Woman I Once Had a Class With proceeded to give the Asian Girl In a Bubble a lesson in both African/African American history that began in the 1600s and ended with an explanation of how African American people can share blood from all over the world. She explained how we are not just composed of one complexion or one hair texture, and how a person could be a natural blond with blue eyes and still share African American heritage.
Sadly, the news hit Asian Girl in a Bubble as of it were the first time she had ever heard it. Her facial expressions and long pauses showed that she had a hard time comprehending what she’d just been told. She just couldn’t “see” it, and she couldn’t understand just how two different cultures could come together and create one, or a person that possessed both. As I sat next to Asian Girl in a Bubble on that 25 minute bus ride home, one minute I wanted to burst out laughing and the next I wanted to turn around and shake her, but I ultimately just ended up shaking my head. I raised my eyebrow a lot, adjusted the volume on my iPod, and tried to stop making eye contact with the Woman I Once Had a Class With.
GIRL: So, what are you gonna do with that (Referring to a BA in African American Studies)?
WOMAN: I plan to teach. I am working as a nurse now, and its just much more beneficial for me to get my degree and teach. Do some traveling, possibly teach in another country.
GIRL: Oh… I thought you were just doing it for fun…
Another lengthy conversation about the process of obtaining a degree in African American Studies ensued…
I don’t know all the struggles around the world, but I was under the assumption that mostly everyone was aware of the race relations within the US, especially concerning African Americans… guess not.
*Cross posted 3/7/09 at A Place of Comfort.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
You’d be amazed how many people are not aware. LOL. Enjoyed reading another persons experience dealing with those not aware of the Asian Black Community.
Nikki @ Blasian Baby´s last blog ..Biracial Kids Destined for Doom?
Wow! This is a powerful account of the ignorance concerning race in general. I remember in HS- I attended a predominately White/Jewish private school in Manhattan- there was much racial tension because a student made a comment that the movie “Boomerang” was not realistic because Black people could never own a company. As you can imagine, the small population of students of color was up in arms over the sheer ignorance of that statement. What bothers me the most is that there is this general idea that all Black people fit in this very small box that says that we look, think, behave, and believe the same things. But even more, there is this idea that we are not serious or willing to do anything with substance or meaning.
It’s sad. That’s all I can say.
Kristnia Brooke´s last blog ..Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace Project
Interesting. Common sense isn’t as common as we may think. Hopefully bubbly girl will walk away and investigate a little more. If not, it’s like throwing your pearls at swine.
Love’s Gumbo´s last blog ..Let’s Just Admit It!
That’s absolutely insane. I mean for real, insane. I can’t with all honesty, say that I would have even entertained that dialog, had I been Lady you Once took Class With because it may not have been as nice as she made it.
Bless LYOTCW’s heart to sit there and give a lesson and still at the end of it be told that it was believed that she was in her major “for fun”. Wow.
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